Chosen By The Lover's Constellation-Chapter 121: Children of Mana, Part Five

The air within the chapel was heavy with anticipation as Lianna sat across from Olin, her brow furrowed in concentration.

She listened intently as Olin began to explain the first step of their training regimen.

"Now, Lianna," Olin began, his tone gentle but firm, "the first step in gaining control over your emotions is learning to clear your mind. This means silencing the constant chatter of your inner voice, allowing yourself to exist in a state of pure thought."

"Uh... Okay." Lianna nodded. "Clearing my thoughts," she repeated, the words tasting foreign on her tongue. "I’m not sure I know how to do that."

Olin smiled reassuringly, his expression one of patient understanding.

"It’s quite simple, conceptually," he explained. "Think of it as quieting the noise within your mind, like turning down the volume on a radio until all you hear is static. Try picturing something or someone you like," Olin suggested, his voice laced with gentle encouragement. "Imagine it in your mind’s eye, but without any sound. Just a muted image."

Lianna took a moment to consider his words.

Naturally, her thoughts drifted to Enverna.

Enverna’s smile, radiant and genuine, danced across the canvas of Lianna’s imagination, her laughter like music to Lianna’s ears.

But as she focused on the image, a few other images began to slip in. Images that were far less innocent in nature.

The way Enverna bit her bottom lip as Lianna ate her out, the way she tended to pull Lianna in closer when they kissed.

Pushing aside the intrusive thoughts, Lianna tried to go back to the previous scene, the purity of her friend’s spirit shining through the lewdness.

Slowly, almost imperceptibly, the cacophony of her inner voice began to fade, replaced by a sense of calm and clarity that washed over her like a gentle breeze.

Opening her eyes, Lianna met Olin’s gaze with a sense of quiet triumph.

"It worked," she said, her voice tinged with wonder. "For a few seconds, at least."

Olin’s eyes sparkled with pride as he nodded in approval.

"Excellent," he said, his voice filled with genuine warmth. "That’s a promising start."

Encouraged by her success, Lianna felt a renewed sense of determination coursing through her veins.

She knew that mastering this skill would not be easy, but with Olin’s guidance and support, hopefully, she could do it.

"Before you can learn to control your emotions, you must first master the art of clearing your mind," Olin continued, his voice a steady anchor amidst the swirling currents of Lianna’s thoughts. "With practice and perseverance, you will unlock the true potential that lies dormant within you."

With that being said, they kept going.

---

{Enverna}

The sun hung low in the sky as Enverna made her way through the familiar streets of her hometown.

It had been a while since she had last set foot in this place, and yet, as she walked through the winding streets lined with quaint shops and bustling market stalls, it felt as though no time had passed at all.

In a bad way. More than anything else, she wanted to return to Telvan as soon as possible.

But, at the same time, there was one thing she wanted to do while she was here.

Arriving at her family manor, Enverna took a moment to collect herself before stepping through the ornate gates and into the sprawling grounds beyond.

As she approached the grand entrance to the manor, Enverna’s heart skipped a beat at the sight of her mother standing at the threshold, engaged in conversation with a strikingly beautiful woman whose presence seemed to command attention.

[Who...?] Enverna’s eyes then widened. [Wait a moment. You’re joking.]

The woman’s raven hair cascaded in glossy waves down her back, framing a face of exquisite beauty marked by piercing crimson eyes, a slightly brighter shade than that of Enverna’s fiance.

Her features were striking, with high cheekbones, a slender nose, and full lips that curved into a subtle smile as she saw Enverrna approaching. The woman wore a fitted tunic in a shade of slate grey, her trousers matching that hue. A sleek leather belt cinched her waist, adorned with intricate engravings and a pair of sturdy, black leather boots, polished meticulously to a high shine.

Enverna’s breath caught in her throat as she beheld the woman before her, a sense of awe and admiration washing over her like a tidal wave.

She knew this person. But, she never thought she’d actually be standing before her.

"Enverna," her mother greeted her with disbelief, turning to acknowledge her daughter’s arrival with a warm smile.

"Ah, speak of the angels and they will descend to earth," the woman spoke, her tone light and mischievous. That subtle smile grew a little.

"What are you doing here?" Verana asked.

"Um... I came to say hi," Enverna struggled to push the words out. "But..."

"No, no, we can talk about that later, uh, r-right now, I’m glad you’re here. I’d like you to meet someone!"

Verana took a couple of steps away from the woman like her aura threatened to swallow her entirely.

"Enverna, this is Caroline Ange," her mother continued, gesturing to the woman beside her with a nervous, shaking hand.

"I know," Enverna replied breathlessly. "The Champion’s Follower."

Caroline turned to Enverna with a smile that could light up the darkest of nights, her eyes sparkling with mischief as she leaned down to press a gentle kiss to the back of Enverna’s hand in greeting.

"It’s a pleasure to meet you, Enverna," Caroline said, her voice smooth as silk and laced with a hint of playful charm. "I’ve heard so much about you."

Enverna’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment at the unexpected attention, her mind reeling with a million questions and uncertainties.

[Why is she here?]

Enverna had heard about Caroline since long before she went to Telvan.

Back then, she’d basically been a myth. A girl who was good at pretty much everything. The kind of once-in-a-lifetime talent that could only be born, not made. Right now, she was a 20-year-old, already accomplished adventurer.

The exact type of person Enverna wished she was.

"Excuse me, my lady," Caroline told Verana, "I wish to discuss something with your lovely daughter for a moment. May I speak to her in private? It is only for a brief time, though."

Verana blinked. Then, she looked back and forth between her and her daughter before saying:

"Y-Yes! Take as long as you want!"

And then, she ran off.

"Enverna?"

Enverna saw her sister, Prima, rounding the corner, shocked that she’d come home, but Verana quite literally dragged her away.

Caroline wasted no time in getting down to the matter at hand, her eyes fixing Enverna with a penetrating gaze that sent shivers down her spine.

"The Lover’s follower," Caroline said reverently. "Forgive me for popping up like this, but when I heard you were in Garriden I figured I simply had to meet you."

Trying to get her nerves under control, Enverna nodded.

"I..." She paused to consider her words, "I wanted to seek you out as well. Though, I planned to do so later."

"Why save all the fun for tomorrow when you could have it today?" Caroline asked with a mischievous grin, tilting her head.

"Well, we... have circumstances..."

"Indeed." In an instant, Caroline’s voice took a far more serious turn. "As much as I recognize that this is a splendid opportunity for a casual conversation with a gorgeous, powerful young lady like yourself, it is mainly because of those circumstances that I am here. May we discuss some business?

"Sure," Enverna answered.

"Good. I’ve heard that you and your friends have been quite busy lately," Caroline remarked, her tone casual but tinged with an undercurrent of curiosity. "Particularly when it comes to that artifact your fiance wields. Lianna, I believe her name is."

Enverna’s heart skipped a beat at the mention of Lianna’s name, her mind racing to make sense of Caroline’s words.

[I guess the Champion told her about it. Probably why she came here.]

"Yes," Enverna replied a little cautiously. "An artifact that could, potentially, control Fiends."

Caroline’s lips curved into a knowing smile, her eyes alight with a glint of mischief as she leaned in closer to Enverna, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.

"And thus, we arrive at the crux of the issue, far faster than I thought we would. I have a vested interest in seeing that artifact put to good use," Caroline explained, her words laced with a hint of ambiguity. "And I believe that you, Enverna, may hold the key to unlocking its true potential."

Enverna’s mind whirled with a thousand questions, her thoughts racing to make sense of Caroline’s cryptic words.

What did she mean by "putting the artifact to good use," and what role did she expect Enverna to play in all of this?

Before she could voice her concerns, Caroline reached into her purse and withdrew a small card, her fingers tracing the elegant script printed on its surface.

"I’d like you to give this to Lianna," Caroline said, her voice soft but insistent. "It’s my contact information. I’d appreciate it if you could persuade her to get in touch with me as soon as possible. I would like to speak to both of you."

With a silent nod of agreement, Enverna reached out to accept the card from Caroline’s outstretched hand.

"I’ll make sure Lianna gets this," Enverna promised. "She’ll definitely want to meet you too."

Caroline’s smile widened at Enverna’s words, her eyes shining with undisguised gratitude and admiration.

"Thank you, Enverna," she said, her voice filled with genuine warmth. "I look forward to getting to know you better."

Caroline took a light step forward then, leaned down, and kissed Enverna’s cheek.

The girl just froze.

With a bow, Caroline walked away, like a passing storm that had just come and gone.

Enverna sighed.

[... My heart is beating so fast, it almost hurts.]