Chosen By The Lover's Constellation-Chapter 123: Children of Mana, Part Seven

{Lianna}

The following day, Lianna sat cross-legged on the cool stone floor of the chapel, her eyes closed in deep concentration.

Beside her, Olin sat in silent meditation, his presence acting as an anchor in the sea of her tumultuous thoughts.

Things went differently today.

With each breath, Lianna sought to quiet the storm of feelings that raged within her mind, only to find that the calm and clarity she’d previously felt was eluding her.

Today, memories came unbidden, flooding her consciousness.

Images of her childhood at the orphanage flashed before her eyes, each one a reminder of the loneliness and isolation she had endured.

The taunts and jeers, the other children’s cruel words cutting deep into her heart.

She remembered the long, lonely nights years later that she spent wandering the streets, seeking solace in the arms of strangers, desperate to fill the void in her chest.

Frustration gnawed at Lianna’s mind as she struggled to push the memories aside, to find the same sense of peace that had come so easily the day before.

But no matter how hard she tried, the memories persisted, haunting her like ghosts from her past.

Sensing her distress, Olin opened his eyes and turned to face her, his gaze filled with compassion and understanding as he placed a hand gently on her shoulder.

"What troubles you, Lianna?" he asked softly.

Lianna sighed heavily, her shoulders slumping with the weight of her burdens.

"Bad memories," she confessed, her voice barely above a whisper. "I dunno, they keep popping up. This stuff is just not working today."

Olin nodded thoughtfully, his expression sympathetic.

"It is not uncommon for the past to resurface when we least expect it," he explained gently. "Especially when those memories carry such emotional weight."

Lianna frowned, a sense of unease settling in the pit of her stomach.

"But why now?" she asked, her voice tinged with frustration. "Shouldn’t it have happened yesterday, then?"

Olin regarded her with a knowing look, his eyes filled with understanding.

"Sometimes, the mind has a way of protecting us from the pain of our past," he said softly. "But in doing so, it also buries those memories deep within the recesses of our subconscious, where they lie dormant, waiting to be unearthed. Yesterday, you knocked on the ice. Today, you cracked it open."

Lianna’s brow furrowed in confusion, her mind racing to make sense of Olin’s words.

"It is possible that these were things you’ve been feeling constantly," he replied. "And only now is your mind demanding them to be acknowledged and confronted."

A heavy silence descended upon the chapel as Lianna digested Olin’s words, her mind awash with a whirlwind of emotions.

She felt a sense of fear and uncertainty creeping into her heart, mingled with a strange sense of relief at finally understanding the source of her frustration.

"What do I do now?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

Olin smiled reassuringly, his gaze filled with warmth and understanding.

"Keep going," he said simply. "You confront those memories head-on, and you let them go. Only then can you find the peace and clarity we’re aiming for."

---

{Enverna}

Enverna’s heart pounded in her chest as she stood in the courtyard of her family manor once again.

The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the cobblestone ground, adding to the tension that hung thick in the air. The butterflies in her stomach were so restless.

For all intents and purposes, Enverna was here to meet a celebrity.

A celebrity that walked up to her with a mischievous grin, now.

Caroline smiled warmly as she stepped forward, her raven hair gleaming in the sunlight as she extended a hand to Enverna.

"It’s a pleasure to see you again, Enverna," she said, her voice smooth and melodious, as she kissed Enverna’s hand.

Enverna returned the greeting, her nerves tingling with anticipation as she shook Caroline’s hand.

There was something about the woman’s presence that commanded attention, a subtle magnetism that drew Enverna in despite her reservations.

Or, maybe that was just Enverna’s adoration for her acting up.

Caroline’s crimson eyes sparkled with mischief as she regarded Enverna, a playful smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

"You know, I do enjoy moving around a little while I speak. Would you like to spar a little, while we chat?"

That offer caught her off-guard.

"Uh... Sure," Enverna responded. "Now?"

"Of course." To illustrate that point, Caroline brought out an elegant longsword, thin and decorated with stylish engravings. "Shall we get started?" she asked, gesturing toward the open space in the center of the courtyard.

Enverna nodded, pulling Storm out of her own Inventory.

Her grip tightened on the shaft of her spear. Already, she could feel her hands sweating.

As they began to spar, Enverna felt a surge of adrenaline course through her veins, her senses sharpening as she focused on the task at hand. She wanted to impress her.

Slowly, this was just a friendly sparring session after all, Enverna launched herself forward, thrusting her spear toward Caroline with practiced precision, only to have her blows effortlessly deflected by Caroline’s swift movements.

Caroline moved with a grace and agility that seemed almost otherworldly, her sword dancing through the air as she effortlessly parried Enverna’s attacks.

As they circled each other, Enverna couldn’t help but marvel at Caroline’s skill, her movements fluid and graceful.

[I wish Lianna was here. I’m so curious what her stats are.]

In between exchanges, Caroline took the opportunity to ask Enverna a question, her curiosity evident in the quirk of her eyebrow and the tilt of her head.

"How did you meet Ms. Velcross?" Caroline asked, her voice casual yet tinged with genuine interest.

Enverna hesitated for a moment, weighing her words carefully before responding.

"We... met online," she replied vaguely, keeping her tone neutral. "On some random forum."

Caroline raised an eyebrow, her gaze narrowing slightly as she studied Enverna’s expression.

"And, that escalated from being mere pen pals into marrying the woman?" she pressed.

Enverna’s heart skipped a beat at the directness of Caroline’s question, her mind racing to find a suitable answer.

"She... she makes me happy," she said finally, her voice soft but firm. "And I love her."

Caroline’s lips curved into a knowing smile, her eyes gleaming with amusement as she nodded in understanding.

"I see," she said, her tone cryptic.

But before Enverna could gather herself, Caroline parried away her spear, nearly tripping her.

"Tell me, Enverna," Caroline said. "Was it The Lover who sent you to meet Lianna?"

Enverna’s heart leaped into her throat.

"What do you mean?" she stammered, her voice trembling slightly.

"I mean, Children of Mana like her can’t be trusted," Caroline explained, her voice dripping with scorn. "And the Lover knows it. That’s why she sent you, isn’t it? To seduce her, to keep her under control, knowing she’d eventually find that artifact of hers?"

Enverna blinked.

[Is that what she thinks?]

A flurry of emotions surfaced within Enverna’s chest.

On one hand, it hurt to hear the confirmation of what she thought about Lianna. On the other, this was precisely what the woman in question had wanted, given that it would make interacting with Caroline so much simpler.

So, swallowing her initial annoyance, she replied:

"Indeed," Enverna nodded. "I was sent to keep her in check."

With a sudden surge of strength, Caroline pushed Enverna back, sending her stumbling backward until she was cornered against one of the stone walls of the courtyard.

Enverna’s heart pounded in her chest.

Caroline smiled back at her.

"I knew it!" Caroline responded happily. "I knew the Lover wouldn’t send you to associate with such a person without a good reason."

Enverna nodded.

Maintaining the lie, she added:

"By Saren’s grace, it’s been tough having to pretend to like her. But, I must continue the facade."

"Truly?" Caroline asked, lazily slapping away Enverna’s spear. "For how long must you remain by her side?"

"I do not know," Enverna shook her head. "But, for the sake of the world, I will play my part for as long as I must. Even if it means associating with a hundred children of mana, I will."

Suddenly, Caroline flourished her sword, stepped in, and took Enverna by her waist.

Enverna flinched, her eyes locking with the blood-red irises looking back at her with so much admiration.

"You are infinitely more noble than I thought," Caroline said in a whisper. "A woman after my own heart."

Enverna swallowed.

[Is she...? No, no, she’s just playing around.]

Lightly pushing herself back, Enverna shook her head.

"Not nearly as noble as you are... I’ve been hearing tales about you since I was in primary school."

"A little bit of talent is nothing to be proud of," Caroline disagreed. "It is our actions that merit acknowledgment. And yours have done nothing but inspire me since I started researching you. I respect you greatly, Enverna. So much so, I’d like to extend an offer."

Enverna raised a brow.

"What is it?"

"Outside of business," Caroline stated. "How about I act as your personal reprieve? I believe I could help you in keeping sane from having to deal with the witch you’re marrying."

If her intentions were unclear at all, the way Caroline put her sword away and took Enverna’s hands, leaning in closely and speaking quietly like she was forming a conspiracy, made it obvious what she meant.

In all honesty, Enverna wasn’t sure what to do.

But, she knew Lianna well. And she knew that if that woman was here, she’d tell Enverna to just say:

"Yes," Enverna smiled. "I’d like that."