............"Ah... thank you! And how should I address you?" Aarav quickly snapped out of his daze, expressing his gratitude before asking with a respectful tone."Aria... Heir to the Goddess of Stars, Astraia. It's a pleasure to meet you, Lord Heir..." Aria smiled, her face radiant like a flower blooming under the soft glow of moonlight. The sight made Aarav's heart race uncontrollably."Aarav... it's just Aarav, Miss Aria. Please, don't be so formal; it makes me feel uncomfortable." He interrupted her before she could speak too respectfully again, gently requesting that she call him by his name instead.Aarav didn’t want to come off like some spoiled young master, or as if they were stuck in some ancient civilization that hadn’t learned how to speak casually about simple things."Oh... alright, Mr. Aarav." Aria seemed a little surprised but then covered her mouth and chuckled. "Fufu...You don’t seem to like the ancient etiquette, do you?"Her soft laughter filled the air, the warm
............“Thank you,” Aria replied, her movements graceful as she took a seat across from him. Between them stood a small circular table, with a basket of snacks and fruit placed in the center, adding a touch of warmth to the room’s otherwise solemn atmosphere."Mr. Aarav, what are your plans regarding the cultists? I’m certain they won’t stop invading this continent and causing chaos," Aria asked, sitting back in a relaxed position, her eyes steady on him.Aarav sighed, his tone dim and unconfident. "What can I do alone? Even with the Crystal Healing Organization backing me, I’m not confident in facing those lunatic cultists." He spoke with a heaviness, aware of the overwhelming power he had witnessed in their last battle.He knew his own limitations. The devastation left by the cultists was a harsh reminder. Even Pope Aurelius, with all his influence, wouldn’t be enough to turn the tide. Aarav understood that unless he reached the fourth stage, the *Virtuoso of Vitality*, he wo
............A sudden, overwhelming pressure exploded from the throne, sending him hurtling through the air and crashing into one of the tree’s thick branches outside the temple."Cough, cough...!!" The High Prophet spat blood but slowly made his way back into the temple. Kneeling once again, he showed no anger or frustration at being injured—only trembling fear in the face of the figure’s fury on the throne.Sylas’s eyes, glowing with an unnatural light, cut through the darkness as he sat motionless on the throne, his presence suffocating. The High Prophet of Pestilence didn’t dare lift his head. The air around them was thick with the stench of rot and corruption, heavy with a crushing pressure.“Elandor’s Heir... and the Heir of Astraia,” Sylas muttered, his voice filled with disdain. “How dare she interfere in my plans?”His words echoed, each one pressing down harder on the High Prophet. Silence followed, broken only by the distant howling wind outside the temple. The elder remai
............“LORD HEIR!” The crowd cheered again, even louder this time. Aarav raised his hand, gesturing for silence.“Alright, alright,” he said with a smile. “I get your enthusiasm. But we don’t just need high spirits—we need unity. We need all of you to step forward together, to face this reality as one and bring about a bright future.”His voice was filled with fervor, carrying a weight that seemed to stir the very air around them. The believers of Elandor below shook with goosebumps, feeling the power in Aarav’s words, which were infused with a subtle trace of Divine Energy.Aarav had intended to boost their morale—and it worked far better than he had expected. The crowd stood straighter, their faith and the fire burning brighter than ever.Aarav looked at the crowd one last time before waving to them. He stepped down from the podium and returned to discuss their next steps with the Pope and Cardinals.He wasn’t the only one making preparations. As Aria had promised him, she a
............Astraia Memorial Hospital,In the ICU ward,"Step... Step...!"A man of average height, with a lean and wiry build, anxiously paces back and forth in the hallway."Click...!"Then the ICU door swings open, and a weary-looking doctor emerges."Doctor... Doctor, please tell me my sister is okay!" The man asks, his face filled with worry and anxiety."I'm sorry, Mr. Veridian, but we can't treat her normally anymore. We need to do a heart transplant as soon as possible. Otherwise, she'll get critically ill," the doctor says, removing his mask and speaking with a serious tone.Aarav Veridian felt his heart grow heavy upon hearing the doctor's words, and his worry deepened. The weight of the situation settled on his shoulders, each word from the doctor echoing with the imminent threat to his sister's life. The sterile hospital hallway became suffocating as Aarav grappled with the harsh reality that a heart transplant was now the only lifeline for his beloved sister."How muc
............Aarav noticed the disgusted look from the receptionist, a sharp contrast to the well-dressed customers around him, and didn't have the energy to argue with her. He had more important matters to attend to."I'm a friend of hers. Can you please tell me where she might be?" Aarav replied, a hint of anger in his voice as he asked again, feeling the eyes of others judging him for his disheveled state and worn-out appearance.The receptionist scoffed, glancing at him disdainfully. "You must be mistaken. Ms. DeVere doesn't have friends like you. She wouldn't associate with someone looking like...a poor pleb."Aarav felt the weight of humiliation, not only from the receptionist's words but also from the contemptuous glances of those around him in the upscale store.A well-dressed man nearby muttered to his companion, "Look at this trash. Probably wandered in here by mistake. This kind of plebians should stick to their own kind."A woman, clearly part of the wealthy crowd, wrinkl
............"Oh, okay," Aarav replied, feeling stunned for a moment before reluctantly agreeing. He had no choice but to comply, even if he was unwilling to witness the humiliating scene."Hehehe, baby! Look, your ex is going to film you having fun with this young master. Aren't you excited?" Darius Blackthorn turned to Isla DeVere, blatantly flirting with her while completely ignoring Aarav's existence.Aarav's heart sank, the weight of humiliation pressing down on him. Forced into a situation he never imagined, he struggled to maintain composure, his dignity slipping away piece by piece.Isla rolled her eyes, amused by the attention from Darius. "Whatever, just get this over with. Make it quick, Aarav, and leave."As the camera started rolling, Aarav felt a deep sense of shame, playing a part in a scene that tarnished not only his pride but the fragments of his past relationship with Isla. The world around him blurred as he went through the motions, each second adding to the ang
............"Huh, Ahhhh...whaAhhh...!" Aarav Veridian, who was falling from a cliff, suddenly woke up, feeling the rush of wind on his face. He realized he was plummeting and screamed in fear."Somebody...yyyy...hhhhelp...meeeee...!" He cried out, desperate as the ground approached slowly."Ahhhhh....!" Just as he was about to hit the ground, he closed his eyes, but he didn't feel the impact."Huh...!" He opened his eyes and found himself in an endless, white expanse. He sat there, feeling confused and bewildered."Siiiing...!" Suddenly, a bright light appeared in front of him, and he saw a human-like figure, although the light made it hard to see their features.He felt a stinging sensation and then lost consciousness. When he woke up, the figure was still there.Then he heard the words from the white figure."Congratulations, my Heir," the mysterious figure declared, "you have proven your worth, and now you are the chosen Heir of Elandor, the God of Healing and Medicine!"In the n