............"Hahaha, I'm really getting excited hearing you talk about it so much!" Aarav chuckled, his eyes twinkling with amusement as he observed Phia's enthusiasm for the city tour."Yeah, I can't wait to see all the bustling places Sister Phia mentioned!" Aria exclaimed, her grin widening with excitement for the upcoming adventure."Okay, okay, let's eat first before we get too carried away!" Aarav gently urged, motioning for Aria to calm down before leading everyone to the dining room.As they settled around the table, the aroma of freshly prepared breakfast filled the room, making their mouths water in anticipation.After a short wait, Eina arrived with a tray of steaming dishes, setting them down before the eager group.Once they had enjoyed their meal and shared light-hearted conversation, Aarav turned his attention to Astrid and Phia, ensuring they were both fully healed from their previous ordeal."By the way, Astrid, why did you put your mother in a coffin?" Aarav's brow
............"Damn it... I always wondered why my father showed no concern for my mother's health. Now it all makes sense. Those assholes were behind my mother's suffering!" Astrid exclaimed, a mix of anger and realization flooding her emotions as everything finally clicked into place.Now everything made sense—why she had been given the cold shoulder and why her family's treatment towards her had turned harsher as her mother's health deteriorated.Her anger towards her family intensified. Previously, she had only been angry about them neglecting her mother's health and keeping her confined, but now that anger turned into pure hatred."My Lord, please, can you help my mother and treat her?" Astrid pleaded, reigning in her rage as she turned to her Lord for assistance."I'm sorry, Astrid, but this Ebonite Venom isn't your ordinary poison. It's ancient and potent, and my Divine Energy isn't strong enough to reach its core without dissipating," Aarav apologized helplessly, his expressio
............"Father, good afternoon!" Phia's voice chimed from the marble a moment later, breaking the silence."Yeah, afternoon, brat. What is it this time? Didn't you get your fill of tools already, or do you want more now?" Thaddeus's tone held irritation as he heard her cheerful greeting.He couldn't forget how he had been scammed by her last time, when she took several of the Half-Divine tools."No, Father, what do you take me for, a tool-grabbing thief or something?" Phia's tone sounded offended by her father's remark."Huh, aren't you? Tell me, how many did you waste last time? Can you even remember the count?" Thaddeus rebuked her, unimpressed by her response."Ugh... can you stop bringing that up? I wasn't playing around, you know. I was serving my Lord, so that shouldn't be a problem for you!" Phia defended herself, mentioning her Lord in the midst of their argument."Yeah... yeah, you're serving the Lord Heir, and that's the only reason you still have the freedom to roam
............The scene exudes a sense of longing and farewell, with the man's gesture conveying a desire to reach out to the woman even as she moves further away.The use of warm tones and soft lighting enhances the emotional depth of the painting, evoking a bittersweet sentiment of separation and yearning."Excuse me, Uncles! May I share my thoughts? I have some knowledge of paintings," Phia's voice rang out confidently, catching the attention of the two middle-aged men."Oh, young lady, do you want to give it a try? Go on, express your thoughts!" The first middle-aged man smiled warmly, his eyes twinkling with curiosity."Alright, go on. Young people often have much better views than us," the second middle-aged man nodded, gesturing for Phia to approach the painting."Thanks, Uncles!" Phia smiled appreciatively before stepping closer to the artwork. With a focused gaze, she studied each brushstroke and detail, immersing herself in the layers of meaning woven into the canvas."The p
............"Yes, how did you recognize me?" Phia nodded, surprised by the plump man's keen perception."From this card, young Miss, and coupled with the news we received from the church about the arrival of Young Miss Lumara and Young Miss Starcrest to our city," the plump man explained, pointing to the card and indicating they were aware of their presence.He then bowed respectfully to Astrid, acknowledging her presence."You don't seem like an ordinary worker here. Are you?" Phia inquired, noting his demeanor and respectful attitude."Yes, I am the manager of this Crystal Pavilion, and I oversee the layman members working here," the plump man confirmed, introducing himself and explaining his role."Alright, please complete the billing procedure and have someone load this package onto our car outside," Phia instructed, nodding in understanding."No need to pay, please don't worry about anything. The church has given us strict orders not to accept any payment from Young Miss Lumara
............Meanwhile in the capital,In the heart of Eldoria stood a majestic building, adorned with the words "Council Hall" in bold letters.The Council Hall holds immense importance, serving as the place where the five ruling families have been shaping the destiny of the Realm of Elandor for centuries.The walls, intricately designed despite their age, exuded a magnetic charm.Inside the grand building, a spacious hall unfolded, featuring six elevated platforms, each adorned with a throne.These thrones belonged to the heads of the five ruling families, while the sixth, the most significant, belonged to the highest authority of the Crystal Healing Organization, the Pope.In recent days, after the Current Generation Divine Heir was chosen, the organization sensed division among the five families. Some wanted to serve the Divine Heir faithfully, while others sought to control them for personal gain.Today, Thaddeus Lumara, head of the Lumara Family, informed each family head abou
............"What... They contracted several Divine Beasts? How on earth did they succeed?" Thaddeus's curiosity deepened, his disbelief growing even stronger."Using live humans and forbidden rituals," Rajendra replied in a chilling tone, his words hanging heavy in the air."As for the rest of the information, here, take a look. I've gathered all the details from my family's informants," Rajendra said, tossing a bundle of papers to Thaddeus.Thaddeus's face contorted with disgust as he scanned through the papers. "This is... damn it, that's just fucking messed up!" he cursed under his breath, his anger boiling over.Thaddeus had sent his own men to quietly gather secrets from the Everglen family, but they hadn't succeeded yet. He couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy towards Rajendra Chauhan's success, even though Chauhan's family had lost fine soldiers in the process."Lord Lumara, please mind your language," Pope Aurelius admonished him, his voice firm."Here, see for yourself
............"This is a cursed tool, Mother, different from divine tools. They possess various abilities, but unlike divine tools, they come with negative drawbacks," Eirik explained, observing his mother's admiration for a gleaming one-handed short sword emitting dense killing intent.High Druidess Elowen Everglen, the head of the Everglen Family, may appear gentle and calm, but everyone in the family knows better than to anger her. Despite her serene demeanor, she commands respect and fear like no other.Eirik Everglen inherits his mother's cruelty, capable of killing with a smile on his face. The family knows not to cross him either."How unfortunate that we can't get our hands on these wonderful tools. Anyways, how is the Divine Heir? Have you seen him up close?" Elowen paused her play with the short sword, placing it back in its wooden box and closing it before turning to her son with a serious expression."Yes, I have. And I'm quite disappointed. He's pathetic, Mother. My Divin