บท 19: Dinner
(A/N: More later today.)
Inside the grand dining hall of the royal palace, a long oak table stood adorned with lavish silverware and half-filled glasses of wine. A deep silence hung over the room, broken only by the soft crackling of the fireplace.
At the head of the table sat King Wyster, his brow furrowed as his eyes flickered between the queen and his daughter, Princess Lyria. His fingers tapped against the armrest of his chair as he glanced toward the large double doors at the far end of the room. The queen, regal and composed as always, sat beside him. It had been her idea to invite a guest at the last minute.
"Are we really going to wait for him?" Eric's voice, sharp with irritation, broke the silence. His patience had worn thin.
The queen shot him a warning look. "He will be here."
The king nodded, lifting his glass lazily. "Be at ease, Eric. Tonight is a mere formality. Once he fully rejoins the group, you'll have all the assistance you need."
Princess Lyria, seated near the end of the table, absently swirled the wine in her glass, her eyes distant. Yet, there was a gleam of curiosity in her gaze. She had heard rumors of Eden—the one returned from the dead by the goddess herself. As a devout believer, she was skeptical, but a part of her couldn't help but feel expectant. She wasn't sure what she anticipated, but her heart fluttered nonetheless.
Just then, a servant entered quietly and swiftly moved to open the heavy doors.
And then, he entered.
Eden stepped into the hall with a neutral expression. His presence instantly commanded attention—his figure tall and imposing, his silver hair framing a face so perfectly sculpted it seemed almost unreal. His eyes, glowing faintly like molten gold, swept across the room with an air of unmistakable superiority.
He wore a simple black shirt, contrasting sharply with the elegant robes worn by the group at the table, but the power radiating from him spoke louder than any crown.
The room fell into silence once again.
Princess Lyria's breath caught in her throat. She had expected someone impressive, but not… this. Her heart skipped a beat as her gaze met his. She could feel her holy element stirring when she looked into his eyes, confirming that he was indeed a servant of the goddess.
The king, however, smiled faintly, pleased with the prospect of his subjects growing stronger. "Eden, my boy, welcome!"
Eden ignored the king, focusing instead on the woman who had invited him. She merely looked at him curiously, offering a polite nod.
As he assessed her, he took note of the faint blush on her cheeks, but he also sensed a strange energy within her. Focusing on it, he recognized its source and laughed.
"Something the matter?" Queen Faelia questioned, raising an eyebrow.
"Haha, no, nothing at all. Nice to meet you, Queen. You as well, Princess." A smile now on his lips, Eden took his seat across from the princess.
'This may be interesting after all…'
Unbothered by Eden's lack of response, the king raised his glass and ordered the maids to bring out the food.
Several women entered, pushing carts laden with dishes, placing them neatly on the table. The aroma quickly filled the air as plates were set before each person.
"Please, let's enjoy a meal together and discuss our future plans." the king declared.
Eric, seated next to the princess, attempted to engage her in conversation, but to his frustration, her attention remained fixed on Eden.
The words 'I have a question' were basically written on Lyria's face.
"What's wrong?" Playing along, Eden allowed her to speak.
"Um… did you get to talk to the goddess?" she asked hesitantly.
Expecting such a question, Eden didn't mind and answered truthfully, "Yes, I did."
At his revelation, the trio were stunned. The only times they had ever seen the goddess were when she bestowed blessings or issued decrees, and even then, it was only through an avatar. She had never spoken directly to them.
Lyria's eyes sparkled with her burning fanaticism. "Really?! Please, tell me more!" Like an excited child, she pushed her plate aside, her full attention on Eden.
"She's nice. She's helped me out a lot for as long as I've known her, even if only in small ways. One of the first goddesses I came into contact with, actually." Eden reminisced, a distant look crossing his face.
Lyria smiled at his fondness. "Do you love the goddess too?"
With her enthusiasm, Eden nodded. "Definitely. Next time we meet, I'll have to pay her back." His desire to return grew with each passing second.
"Of course! We will work together to devote ourselves more to her!" Lyria exclaimed, thrilled at having found someone who shared her devotion.
Meanwhile, Eric sat there, starstruck. He had spent countless days trying to connect with Lyria, yet in just a few minutes, she had spoken more to Eden than she ever had to him. Despite his status as a saint, his attempts to court her had only driven her further away.
'Why?' he thought bitterly.
…
"Now, with dinner settled, let's discuss the next step." King Wyster announced, shifting the focus back to business.
"I'm planning on taking down one of the demon generals, stationed just outside our walls. He's already weakened from our soldiers' attacks, so this should be an easy task for your group to handle, correct?" He directed the question toward Eric.
Lost in thought, Eric didn't immediately respond until the king snapped his fingers to get his attention. "Eric?"
"Huh? Oh, yes, sorry. We'll be able to handle that, Your Highness!" Eric replied hastily.
Pleased, Wyster leaned back in his chair. "Faelia, do you have anything to add?"
The queen nodded. "Yes. Student Eden, I would like to invite you to my hall at a later date. A member from the church wishes to speak with you." She smiled expectantly, awaiting his answer.
Eden sensed something more behind her words, a hidden agenda.
"Sounds fun."
So, he readily agreed.
The reason was simple—he knew there was more to the queen than met the eye. For one, she was an elf, a rare race in this world. And second, though she had faith in Celestia, it didn't seem as strong as others he had encountered. More intriguingly, she carried a blessing from another deity.
The blessing felt familiar, but in his weakened state, Eden couldn't place it. However, from its strength he knew it wasn't from Lumaria.
'Who else could be involved down here?' he wondered, as he left the dining hall, much to the reluctance of the princess.
"I'll be around for a while. We'll have plenty of time to get to know each other." he told her before departing, leaving Lyria with a sense of happiness that lit up her face.
'You know what, why wait? Let's go find out what the beautiful queen wants.' Changing directions, Eden disappeared from view and went toward Faelia's hall.
And when he arrived…
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