Chosen By The Lover's Constellation-Chapter 151: Children of Mana, Part Thirty-Four

{Lianna}

The night draped the city in a blanket of darkness.

Inside Mel’s inn, the atmosphere was tense as Lianna, Caroline, Xi, Desmond, and Miss Taylor gathered in the common room to discuss the events that had unfolded. Mel was speaking to Al’has Varim on the phone and Zura was with Vayn, by the inn’s entrance, making sure no one was spying on them.

Taking a deep breath, Lianna began to speak, her voice steady despite the gravity of her words.

"Since the, uhm, last time we spoke, a lot has happened," she began, her gaze sweeping over each of her companions in turn. "First, Olin. Unfortunately, Jack absorbed him, gaining even more power."

Xi’s brows furrowed in concern, her lips pressing into a thin line as she absorbed this new information.

Desmond’s jaw clenched visibly, his expression darkening with a mixture of anger and determination.

Given that they’d both fought Jack just a month ago, it was probably at least slightly frightening to hear that he’d gotten even stronger.

"After that," Lianna continued, her voice betraying a hint of weariness as she delved deeper into the events that had unfolded, "Enverna’s family was attacked. Prima, her sister, lost her life in the assault, and her mother, Verana, was gravely injured."

Desmond’s hands curled into fists at his sides, his expression darkening further with a simmering anger. Xi just looked shocked.

"And then, uh, on a more positive side," Lianna added, her voice taking on a lighter note, "there’s the artifact. I can activate it at will now, allowing me to control the Fiends that Jack commands."

Xi’s eyes widened in surprise, a flicker of hope igniting within her gaze as she considered the potential ramifications of this development.

Desmond’s expression softened slightly, a glimmer of optimism shining through the anger that still lingered in his features.

"You actually did it," Desmond muttered. "I’m sorry for doubting you." 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

"Water under the bridge," Lianna waved that apology away. That day, when she, the girls, and Athene had fought Desmond, felt like it happened a lifetime ago.

Lianna nodded in agreement, her features grave as she met the eyes of each of her companions in turn.

"We must be prepared for whatever lies ahead," Miss Taylor said, her voice tinged with determination. "But with this new development, we may finally have the upper hand against Jack and his forces."

Xi leaned forward, her expression serious as she considered Lianna’s words.

"I agree, but there’s the matter of Enverna to consider. We need to keep Enverna away from Jack," Xi proposed, her tone urgent. "She’s too emotionally compromised right now. If she faces him in this state, it could end in disaster."

Desmond, however, shook his head, his expression determined as he spoke up.

"I disagree."

"What?" Xi looked at him with disbelief in her eyes.

"I disagree," he reiterated. "We can’t afford to let this opportunity slip through our fingers," Desmond argued, his voice firm with conviction. "We have all the information we need to turn this trap from Jack against him. We should use it to our advantage."

"You want to use Envy as bait?" Lianna asked, proud of herself for not yelling that.

"No, because bait is generally not armed. I’m saying we should use Enverna as a hidden blade of sorts. A weapon we can finally drive into Jack’s heart."

Miss Taylor listened intently to their discussion, her gaze shifting between Lianna, Xi, and Desmond as she considered their words.

"I agree with Desmond," Miss Taylor interjected, her tone measured as she addressed the group.

Lianna was stunned to hear that. Borderline heartbroken, actually.

Miss Taylor doubled down.

"The reality of our situation is that every day, our enemy grows in strength, while we remain the same. Sooner or later, there will come a time when he is simply too strong to be defeated by us. Because of this ’invitation’ of his, we have a chance to strike back at Jack while he’s got his guard down. We should use all the resources and strategies at our disposal to take him down."

Lianna paused, her mind racing with possibilities as she weighed their options.

[Is that really... But...]

Enverna’s safety was paramount, but Miss Taylor said something that was hard to deny.

Indeed, every day, Jack was getting stronger.

Meanwhile, the only way Lianna and her friends were getting stronger was through Lianna’s Relationship Points. That was all.

"Um... I get what you’re saying," Lianna said, her voice soft yet determined. "But... Can you let Enverna and I decide what to do, if she’s going to be used like this? It’s a lot to ask of her."

Miss Taylor nodded.

"Of course. If we’re going down this road, we have to commit all the way. We can’t afford to make a mistake," Miss Taylor replied.

"We won’t," Desmond assured her, his voice confident. "We’ll plan carefully, use the information we’ve gathered, and make sure that we’re ready for whatever Jack throws at us."

Xi nodded in agreement, her expression serious as she turned to Lianna and Enverna.

"You and Enverna hold all the cards," she said, her voice solemn. "Whatever you decide, we’ll support you."

Lianna felt a surge of gratitude for her friends’ unwavering support, their faith in her giving her the strength to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

"Thank you," Lianna said, her voice filled with determination. "Seriously. It means a lot to me that you guys have come this far to help. I appreciate it."

---

{Enverna}

The morning sun cast its golden rays across the training grounds, illuminating the bustling activity below.

Enverna stood at one end of the sparring area, her muscles tense with anticipation, her mind consumed by thoughts of vengeance.

She wore a determined expression, her jaw set in grim resolve as she awaited her sparring partner.

Caroline approached, her presence commanding attention as she stepped onto the training grounds.

Despite the gravity of the situation, there was a hint of amusement in her eyes, a subtle smirk playing at the corners of her lips as she sized up Enverna.

"Ready to blow off some steam?" Caroline quipped, her voice laced with a mix of challenge and concern.

Concern that coming from her, only made Enverna even angrier.

Enverna’s response was a terse nod, her gaze unwavering as she squared off against her opponent.

There was a palpable tension in the air as they prepared to engage in combat.

Without hesitation, Enverna launched herself forward, her movements fluid and precise as she unleashed a flurry of strikes against Caroline.

Each blow was executed with precision, fueled by a potent mixture of anger and determination.

Caroline met her onslaught head-on, her movements graceful yet powerful as she deftly parried Enverna’s attacks.

Lianna wasn’t at the arena so, statistically, Enverna didn’t really have a chance to accidentally do anything to Caroline.

Therefore, despite Enverna’s aggression, Caroline remained calm and composed, her expression betraying no hint of fear or uncertainty.

As they continued to trade blows, Enverna’s frustration began to boil over, her movements becoming increasingly reckless as she sought to overwhelm her opponent.

Caroline, however, remained unfazed, her defenses holding strong against Enverna’s relentless blows. One parry after another, Enverna’s anger was allowed to siphon itself into her spear.

But then something shifted. Enverna’s strikes grew more focused, her movements gaining a newfound precision as she honed in on Caroline’s defenses.

With a sudden burst of speed, she launched a daring attack.

"Huh?" Caroline flinched.

Enverna caught Caroline off guard and disarmed her with a swift, decisive flourish.

"..."

The training grounds fell silent as Enverna’s unexpected victory sank in.

Caroline looked momentarily stunned, her eyes widening in surprise before a grin spread across her face.

"Well, I’ll be damned," Caroline chuckled, her voice tinged with admiration. "Have you been holding out on me?"

Enverna’s chest heaved with exertion as she tried to catch her breath. In truth, she was just as confused as Caroline. This shouldn’t have been possible.

But before she could fully savor her victory, a notification flashed before her eyes, signaling the acquisition of a new Trait.

Trait Gained!

Grand Climax

{During battles, once per fight, at key moments, the world itself will slow down to allow you to carry out the perfect move.}

Enverna’s eyes widened.

[That’s...!]

A note appeared, however, that added to this.

{Note: This Trait is more likely to activate when you are near Lianna.}

[Lianna?]

The System had seemingly granted her a Trait connected to Lianna.

[Was it The Lover, then?]

She wasn’t about to question the gift, though. It was needed, given the stacked odds against Enverna and her friends.

With a sense of satisfaction, Enverna closed the System interface, her gaze meeting Caroline’s with renewed determination.

"That’s enough for today," Caroline said, her tone gentle yet firm as she offered Enverna a reassuring smile. "You did well."

Enverna nodded in acknowledgment, a sense of pride swelling within her as she realized how far she’d come.

Despite the challenges that lay ahead, she felt a burning desire for vengeance coursing through her veins, driving her forward with unwavering resolve.