Chosen By The Lover's Constellation-Chapter 134: Children of Mana, Part Eighteen

Lianna’s eyes were only pulled away from the ceiling when Enverna walked into the room.

Her anticipation built up with each step her friend took closer. As Enverna approached, her expression a mix of curiosity and concern, Lianna couldn’t help but feel a surge of nervous energy coursing through her veins.

"Hey, Envy," Lianna greeted with a smile, trying to keep her voice steady despite the excitement bubbling within her.

"You..." Enverna sighed, crossing her arms. "Had something you wanted to discuss?"

"Yep. Is your, uh, tutor waiting for you?" Lianna grinned.

"No, she left."

"Pity. Well, yes, I wanted to talk to you about something."

Enverna raised an eyebrow, her gaze fixed on Lianna with a mixture of interest and apprehension.

"Alright then. What’s up?" she asked, moving to sit beside Lianna on the bed.

Lianna took a deep breath, steadying herself for what she was about to reveal.

"It’s... it’s better if I just show you, actually," she replied, her voice tinged with excitement.

With a quick motion, Lianna reached into her Inventory and retrieved the artifact, holding it out for Enverna to see.

As Enverna’s eyes widened in surprise, Lianna felt a rush of satisfaction at finally being able to share her discovery.

Enverna’s gaze flickered between Lianna and the artifact, her expression a mixture of disbelief and awe.

"Is... is it really...?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Lianna nodded, a proud smile spreading across her lips.

"Yeah," she confirmed. "It’s finally turned on."

Enverna’s eyes widened in astonishment, her disbelief evident.

"You... you managed to activate it?" she exclaimed, her voice tinged with amazement.

Lianna nodded eagerly, her excitement palpable.

"Yep, I did," she replied, her grin widening. "And not only that, but I tested it on a Fiend, and it worked."

Enverna’s jaw dropped in shock, her mind struggling to process the enormity of Lianna’s revelation.

"H-How? When? Where!?" Enverna asked, throwing out the questions rapid-fire. Lianna cackled.

"Well," she began, her voice filled with a mix of exhilaration and disbelief. "It was... intense. I headed out to that swamp down south a little while ago. There were some Fiend sightings around there and, well, I thought it would be the perfect place to test the artifact."

Enverna listened intently, her eyes fixed on Lianna as she hung on to every word.

"I was... nervous, to say the least," Lianna continued, a nervous laugh escaping her lips. "But, with the artifact being activated, I figured I had to try. So, I waited until I found a Fiend, and then... well, I just went for it."

Her voice became slightly quieter as she recounted the memory, the event flashing through her mind’s eye.

"It didn’t go too well at first," Lianna recalled, her words tumbling out in a rush. "But somehow, I managed to calm myself down enough to activate the artifact."

Enverna’s eyes widened in amazement, her mind racing with the implications of Lianna’s discovery.

"And then what happened?" she asked eagerly, her curiosity piqued.

Lianna took a deep breath, steadying herself as she relived the exhilarating moment.

"I commanded the Fiend to stop," she explained, her voice tinged with excitement. "And... it listened. It froze in its tracks like it was under some kind of spell."

"You mean, you were able to control it?" she asked, her voice tinged with disbelief.

Lianna nodded eagerly, a proud smile spreading across her lips.

"Yeah, I was," she replied, her excitement bubbling over. "And not only that but I... I commanded it to end its own life."

Enverna’s eyes widened in shock, her breath catching in her throat. The implications of Lianna’s revelation were staggering, and Enverna couldn’t help but feel a surge of awe and admiration for her friend’s bravery.

Lianna nodded, her expression serious as she recounted the moment of truth.

"I know it sounds crazy, but I felt like I had to do it," she explained. "I needed to know if the artifact worked, and... It did."

Enverna listened in stunned silence, her mind reeling with the magnitude of Lianna’s discovery.

"That’s... that’s incredible, Lianna," she exclaimed, her voice filled with wonder. "I can’t believe you actually did it."

Lianna beamed with pride, her heart swelling with satisfaction at Enverna’s reaction.

"Yeah, it’s pretty amazing, isn’t it?" she replied, her excitement contagious. "Hopefully... Whatever happens in the future is a little easier to deal with now."

The revelation seemed to lift a weight off her shoulders, filling her with renewed hope and determination.

"So, how did your training with Caroline go?" Lianna inquired, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

Enverna let out an exasperated sigh, her frustration evident.

"Don’t even get me started," she groaned, rolling her eyes. "She’s so annoying sometimes."

Lianna couldn’t help but suppress a laugh.

[She’s so cute when she’s annoyed.]

"I can only imagine," she replied diplomatically. "But hey, at least you’re making progress, right?"

Enverna nodded slowly.

"Yeah, I guess," she admitted reluctantly. "I’m getting better. You can check my status if you want."

Lianna waved off the suggestion with a dismissive gesture.

"Nah, I’d rather hear it from you," she insisted, her curiosity piqued.

Enverna shrugged nonchalantly, a small smile playing at the corners of her lips.

"Well, in that case, my Lance skill has gone up to 23," she confessed, a note of satisfaction in her voice.

Lianna’s face lit up with genuine delight.

"That’s fantastic!" she exclaimed, her excitement bubbling over. "Isn’t 25 considered ’experienced’ or something?"

"Indeed," Enverna replied. "I... I’m making progress."

With that being said, with happiness bubbling within Lianna’s heart, a suggestion came to her mind.

"Maybe we should celebrate."

Enverna’s eyes widened, a faint blush falling over her cheeks.

Just as Lianna mentioned celebration, the door swung open.

As if on cue, Zura suddenly sauntered into the room with a cheeky grin on her face, her presence injecting a burst of energy into the atmosphere.

"What’s this about celebrating?" she chimed in, her eyes flicking between Lianna and Enverna with playful curiosity.

Lianna shot Zura a mischievous grin, her excitement contagious.

"Oh, nothing much," Lianna replied. "Sit down, I have something to tell you."

---

{Enverna}

The inn was alive with the soft glow of lantern light, casting warm shadows across the room as laughter and chatter filled the air.

Enverna sat nestled in a corner with Lianna and Zura, their voices blending into the joyful cacophony of the tavern. It was midnight, and the only thing keeping the cold from creeping in was the crackling fireplace nearby.

Despite the lively atmosphere, the girls made a conscious effort to keep a low profile, their laughter subdued and their voices low.

Enverna couldn’t help but feel a sense of contentment wash over her as she watched her friends. Tonight, their smiles were bright as Lianna’s news sunk in.

Yet, beneath the surface, her mind buzzed with thoughts of the day’s events, a particular moment during her training with Caroline lingering in her thoughts.

Enverna’s mind drifted back to the training session earlier that day, her thoughts replaying the moment when Caroline had disarmed her with surprising ease before holding her by her wrist, restraining her, their bodies momentarily pressed together in a tangle of limbs.

[Hm...] Enverna glared at nothing in particular.

In her memory, Enverna could feel the heat of Caroline’s breath against her skin, their faces mere inches apart.

[... She could at least try to hide her desire a little,] Enverna thought, blushing.

Enverna found herself grappling with something that she couldn’t truly describe.

On one hand, there was a strong aversion to Caroline’s personality, finding her abrasive and rude. Yet, despite her disdain for Caroline’s character, there was something there that stirred whenever Enverna laid eyes on her.

Something familiar yet foreign at the same time.

Lost in her thoughts, Enverna’s gaze flickered to Lianna, who lounged beside her with half-lidded eyes, a playful smirk tugging at the corners of her lips.

Enverna’s heart skipped a beat as their eyes met, the intensity of Lianna’s gaze sending a shiver down her spine.

"Hey, girls," Lianna murmured, her voice low and sultry. "How about we head back up to our room? It’s getting late, isn’t it?"

Zura, her cheeks flushed with the warmth of the alcohol, nodded eagerly in agreement.

"Yeah, sounds like a plan," she chimed in, her words slightly slurred. "I’m really starting to feel these," she raised her drink before gulping down what was left.

"Sure... Let’s go," Enverna replied with a nod, her voice betraying a hint of excitement.

As they made their way back to their room, with each step, the air felt a little bit heavier.

The moment the door clicked shut behind them, Enverna felt hands on her shoulders turn her around.

Lianna stood before her. The girl wasted no time in closing the distance between them, her lips meeting Enverna’s in a searing kiss that left her breathless.

Enverna’s head spun, her senses overwhelmed suddenly by the taste of Lianna’s lips and the warmth of her embrace.

"Holy sh..." Zura trailed off, walking over to the bed and sitting down, her eyes still on them.

Enverna and Lianna’s kiss deepened, their lips parting as their tongues met with a tender urgency. They melted into each other’s embrace.

In the heat of the moment, Lianna gently guided Enverna backward, intending to lead her toward the bed.

However, in the midst of their passion, Enverna stumbled slightly, and Lianna’s push inadvertently caused her to fall atop Zura, who was still seated on the bed.

"Oh!" Enverna yelped.

So, now, Enverna was sitting on Zura’s lap while Lianna held her in place, making sure the kiss continued.

Enverna flinched as Zura’s hands fell on her hips, locking her down. Slowly, though, Lianna’s tongue managed to calm her down, pulling her focus back.

The atmosphere was charged with a mix of excitement and warmth, their hearts pounding with desire.

Lianna whispered into Enverna’s ear.

"I want to show you something tonight."

Enverna couldn’t wait to see what she meant.