Chosen By The Lover's Constellation-Chapter 136: Children of Mana, Part Twenty

The following morning, Enverna made her way through the familiar streets, her mind still swirling with the events of the previous night.

It all felt surreal. It was a side of herself she hadn’t explored much before, and although exhilarating, it also left her feeling somewhat unsettled.

[It was all so weird...] Enverna kept her eyes low, playing those moments back in her mind, until she saw her destination pop up.

Arriving at Caroline’s home, she was greeted with the usual flirtatious charm that Caroline effortlessly exuded.

"Good morning, Enverna," Caroline purred, taking Enverna’s hand and planting a light kiss on its back. "What brings you here today?"

"I came to train," she replied, her voice slightly hesitant. "If you’re free, that is."

Caroline’s expression shifted, her playful demeanor giving way to a more serious tone.

"Not today, sweetheart," she said, stepping aside to let Enverna inside. "We’ve got some business to attend to."

Enverna raised an eyebrow, curiosity piqued.

"What do you mean?"

Caroline led her further into the house, her movements graceful yet purposeful.

"There’s a small group of Fiends gathering in the east," she explained, her voice low. "Scouts say they saw them at the base of a mountain, wandering around aimlessly like they usually do. I was actually about to go to your inn, hehe. We need to take them out before they cause any trouble."

Enverna’s heart skipped a beat at the mention of Fiends, the reminder of the dangers lurking beyond the safety of the city walls sending a shiver down her spine.

"I see," she murmured.

"We can handle it," she reassured, reaching out to gently place a hand on Enverna’s arm. "But I believe we need to move quickly."

Enverna hesitated for a moment.

An idea popped up, but one she knew this woman would likely not want to agree to.

"I... I think we should bring Lianna along," she finally said, her voice firm.

Caroline arched an eyebrow, a hint of curiosity flickering in her eyes.

"Lianna?" she repeated a note of skepticism in her tone. "Why in the world would we need her?"

[Because without the proximity buff, I’m not confident I can avoid getting myself killed.]

Obviously, she wasn’t about to just say that, so instead she fished for an explanation.

"Well," she began, her words coming out in a rush. "She can be useful as a decoy. If anything goes wrong, we can use her to distract the Fiends while we make our escape."

Caroline regarded her for a moment, her expression unreadable.

"I suppose you have a point," she conceded, a faint smirk playing at the corners of her lips. "Alright, let’s bring her along."

Relief flooded through Enverna.

[Good, good. Hopefully, we don’t run into anything too strong.]

---

The trio of Enverna, Lianna, and Caroline walked in silence through the vast plains east of Garriden.

There was, admittedly, a certain tension between them. Enverna led the way, her steps measured and purposeful, while Lianna and Caroline flanked her on either side, their expressions guarded.

Caroline’s was, anyway. Lianna, though silent, still looked as happy-go-lucky as ever, a quaint little smile on her face as she followed behind Enverna.

Caroline’s lips were pursed in a tight line, her eyes flickering with irritation as she stole glances at the crimson-haired girl next to her.

Enverna rolled her eyes, feeling the awkward tension like a physical weight on her shoulders.

"So, Miss Velcross," Caroline began. "You do plan to fight alongside us, right?"

"Uh, yeah... Obviously."

"Well, it was worth asking given your kind’s tendency of... looking out for yourselves."

Lianna’s gaze flickered to Caroline, her expression inscrutable.

"I don’t know what you’re implying," she replied evenly, her tone composed.

Caroline scoffed, a derisive smirk tugging at her lips.

"Right, right," she responded. "I’m just saying, do give us a warning if your bravery ends up wavering."

"Huh?" Lianna just looked confused.

Enverna sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration.

"Can we please focus on the task at hand? We’re here to take out those Fiends, remember?"

"I’m pretty focused," Lianna replied helpfully.

"As am I," Caroline added.

"Good," Enverna stated. "Just make sure you keep it that way."

As they approached the spot where the Fiends were gathered, Caroline took the lead, brandishing her blade with a fierce determination.

"Hm..." Lianna’s eyes scanned the Fiends one by one. Enverna watched that happen until her fiance said, "I think we should take-"

Ignoring her words completely, Caroline ran straight toward the nearest Fiend in the opposite direction.

Enverna sighed.

Enverna and Lianna followed suit, their movements synchronized as they moved in to engage the enemy Lianna had highlighted.

Enverna gripped Storm tightly, preparing to strike. With a swift motion, she lunged forward, her spear slicing through the air with precision as she aimed for the nearest Fiend.

"Watch out for its next attack. Jump over it and land behind it!" Lianna called out and, by now, Enverna was so used to these orders she listened immediately and did exactly as Lianna asked.

The creature screeched, its tentacles outstretched as it prepared to meet Enverna head-on, but Enverna instead attacked from the side, skewering the enemy.

Meanwhile, Lianna remained at a distance, her bowstring taut as she focused her aim on another Fiend’s vulnerable spots.

A few of her arrows found their mark, piercing through the Fiend’s thick, fleshy hide.

As Enverna engaged the Fiend in close combat, Lianna maintained her position, providing covering fire and strategic guidance.

"Go for its underbelly. Aim low!" she shouted, her voice cutting through the din of battle.

Enverna adjusted her stance accordingly, driving her spear toward the creature’s exposed belly with renewed determination.

The Fiend let out a guttural roar of pain as Enverna’s spear struck true, causing it to stagger backward.

Sensing an opportunity, Lianna swiftly drew another arrow from her quiver, her fingers deftly notching it onto her bowstring. With a steady hand, she took aim at the Fiend’s eyes, knowing that blinding it would give Enverna the advantage she needed.

"Keep it distracted, Envy! I’m going for its eyes!" Lianna’s command was met with a nod from Enverna, who redoubled her efforts, engaging the Fiend in a flurry of strikes designed to keep it off balance.

As Enverna danced around the creature, Lianna released her arrow, sending it hurtling toward the Fiend. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

Once again, the arrow found its mark, embedding itself deep into the Fiend’s eye with a sickening squelch.

[Is it just me or has Lianna gotten more accurate over time?] Enverna thought.

With a deafening screech of agony, the creature thrashed wildly, its movements growing increasingly erratic.

Seizing the opportunity, Enverna pressed her advantage, delivering a series of devastating blows that brought the Fiend down.

With one final strike, Enverna drove her spear deep into the Fiend’s heart, ending its life with a decisive blow.

As the creature collapsed to the ground, lifeless, Enverna and Lianna shared a triumphant glance, their victory hard-won but well-deserved.

Caroline wasn’t having as easy a time, though.

She was trying to take on multiple Fiends at once and struggling to do so.

Caroline gritted her teeth, her blade flashing as she parried blow after blow, her movements fluid but strained under the relentless assault. Despite her skill and determination, she was outnumbered and outmatched, her strength gradually waning as the Fiends pressed their advantage.

With a snarl of frustration, Caroline unleashed a flurry of strikes, her blade whirling in a blur of motion as she fought to keep the Fiends at bay. But for every blow she landed, two more seemed to take its place, the relentless onslaught pushing her to her limits.

Sweat beaded on Caroline’s brow as she fought, her muscles burning with exertion as she struggled to maintain her footing against the relentless tide of enemies.

With each passing moment, the situation grew more dire, and Caroline knew that if she didn’t find a way to turn the tide soon, she would be overwhelmed.

Desperation fueled her movements as she fought on, her mind racing as she searched for a way to gain the upper hand. But as the Fiends closed in around her, their claws poised to strike, Caroline found herself running out of options.

Until, of course, Lianna and Enverna stepped in.

With their help, the remaining Fiends were dealt with in short order.

Caroline, exhausted, fell to her knees. The frustration on her face was clear to see.

Lianna walked over without a care. Easily, she extended a hand, offering to help get Caroline back up on her feet.

But Caroline recoiled, her expression darkening with anger as she slapped Lianna’s hand away.

"I don’t need your help," she spat, her voice dripping with venom.

Frustrated, Caroline stormed away, her footsteps heavy against the grassy terrain. Lianna and Enverna watched her retreating figure, a heavy silence settling between them. It was Lianna who broke the quiet first, her voice soft with concern all of a sudden.

"Has Caroline ever mentioned why she dislikes children of mana?" Lianna’s brow furrowed in thought as she glanced back in the direction Caroline had disappeared.

Enverna shook her head slowly, her expression thoughtful.

"No, she hasn’t. But why do you ask?"

Lianna’s gaze remained fixed on the spot where Caroline had vanished, her mind racing with possibilities.

"Hm... I don’t know. That look on her face. It feels like whatever she has against me is more personal than just not liking my kind. But, whatever," Lianna shrugged. "Let’s head back too. We’re done here, right?"

"I believe so."