Val and Alfred reached the station with the sun sinking below the horizon, the sky washed with hues of orange and crimson. Before entering the station, they nodded at each other and separated, each disappearing into the crowd that could be seen milling about the station’s entrance. It was an intentional decision, borne from the understanding of the pettiness of a man named Marshall. The man’s petty nature meant he could stir up unnecessary trouble if he found out Alfred had enlisted help to complete the Trial by Fire, and that might inadvertently involve Val in the unnecessary conflict.
As Val approached the entrance of the station, a familiar figure detached itself from the shadows, revealing Eliana. Her face broke into a broad grin when she spotted him, her relief evident.
“Brother!” she exclaimed, her voice lilting with relief and joy. “You’re back!”
Val blinked a ghost of surprise flickering through his normally impassive gaze. It was hard to believe that it had been hours since she had completed her trial, earned permission to enter the frontier, and yet, here she was, waiting for him like a naive girl clinging to her lover. He hadn’t expected such sentimentality from her.
“You didn’t have to wait,” he said calmly. His voice was steady, betraying no hint of the surprise he felt.
Eliana rolled her eyes, her hands settling on her hips. “Of course, I didn’t have to. But I wanted to,” she said, “Plus, I had something to ask.”
“Oh?” Val arched a brow, his curiosity piqued despite his generally unemotional demeanor.
Her gaze held his, the intensity of her stare setting him back a little. “You completed the trial without getting injured, right?” she asked as she let her gaze roam all over him.
Val was taken aback by the question.
He didn’t break eye contact with her as he contemplated, ‘Maybe she’s so kind and considerate because she’s a nun, associated with the Church of Light…or maybe it’s because I’m her first crush. Or maybe it’s both.’
The Church of Light did not forbid its nuns from falling in love. It wasn’t considered unusual, and definitely not unheard of, in their religion. In fact, quite the opposite was advised. Since this was a world where the human population had dwindled to a few million, where every day was a fight for survival against an unforgiving environment for humans, love was encouraged even by the no.1 religion of the kingdom. Love was seen as a beacon of hope, a symbol of humanity’s will to persevere and continue their lineage.
Thus, although Eliana had developed a huge crush on Val since the day he had saved her from death’s door, she didn’t feel guilty. Instead, she wanted to confess that she liked him and wanted to date him and would’ve if not for her mission holding her back.
Moreover, her affection for him grew as he continuously aided her in their harsh world. It had reached a point where she couldn’t feel at peace unless she made sure he was fine.
Val was no longer oblivious to her feelings. Although she had never explicitly confessed her love for him, her actions spoke volumes. He knew she was crushing on him big time, that with a few sweet talks, he could have her in his embrace, but he was still surprised by how far she was willing to go for him.
‘Maybe I can use this to my advantage,’ he thought.
“Yes, I did, Eliana.” Seeing that she was sincerely worried for him, Val answered honestly.
As he spoke, he moved closer to her, closing the already minimal distance between them. His proximity sent her heart racing, a flush painting her cheeks a delicate shade of pink. He noticed the change, a slight smile playing on his lips as he thought about how terrible she was at concealing her emotions.
The distance between them was almost nonexistent now, their lips dangerously close. Her breath hitched, a look of surprise crossing her face. She held his gaze, her eyes wide and questioning. However, regaining her senses, she took a step back, a nervous smile playing on her lips. “Good,” she managed to stutter out, her gaze avoiding his. “That’s all I wanted to know. I guess I will be seeing you in the Frontier.”
She turned to leave, but Val grabbed her hand. She stilled, her breath hitching in her throat before she turned around to look at him, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “What?”
“What would you have done if I was injured?” Val asked, his eyes holding hers captive. There was an unspoken promise in his gaze, a silent dare. She could read it clearly: If she gave an honest reply, there was a chance of something meaningful igniting between them. But if she lied or if her answer didn’t sit well with him, their relationship would never evolve beyond what it was, which was mere friendship. She found the prospect beautifully terrifying and exhilarating at the same time.
“I would have set my matters aside and healed you,” her answer slipped past her lips before she had time to overthink it.
“No matter how long it took?” Val questioned, his gaze never faltering.
There was a pause. She held his gaze, her heart pounding in her chest before finally, she nodded, whispering, “Yes, no matter how long it took.”
Val went quiet for a moment, taking in her answer. She didn’t know he was the one her God wanted her to serve, yet she answered in such a way. It meant that she valued him over her own mission, over the calling of her God. She was willing to defy her own beliefs when it came to him.
Her feelings for him were strong, he knew that much. The seed of love had been planted in her heart when he helped her rescue her brother. It grew when he saved her from certain death, and it matured when he helped her pass the trial by fire without asking for anything in return but a silly prayer.
Val’s feelings for Eliana were not strong. He wasn’t in love with her, nor could he say that he even particularly liked her. His heart, untouched by the typical human emotions, could not feel the same depth of affection that she did for him.
He didn’t get swept away by her words, nor did he feel a rush of happiness when she was around.
His feelings, or lack thereof, however, did not make him indifferent to her. He was curious about Eliana, about her ability to call upon a force as powerful as a life-saving shield merely by praying. He had felt the strength of that shield, the energy that pulsed from it, that time when he found himself on the brink of death.
The shield had been his savior, helping him overcome the dreadful heavenly tribulation. It had emerged when he least expected it but needed it the most, and it was Eliana’s prayers that had brought it forth. Moreover, when she recently prayed for him, he had received the mark of defense, another life-saving trump card. He couldn’t help but wonder if she could continue to call upon this power whenever she prayed for him. Would the power always respond to her prayers? If so wouldn’t he luck out if he monopolize her?!
Beyond that, he wanted to understand the secret behind her mystical blood. Could her bloodline be the reason for this remarkable power? He knew that bloodlines held significant power in their world, often granting unique abilities or talents. Could Eliana’s ability to summon the life-saving shield be a manifestation of her unique bloodline?
And if so, what exactly was her bloodline? What made it so special that mere words became a power that could defy death?
He couldn’t find the answer to these questions using Detect. He had once used it on her and the information it provided was pitiful.
Thus, the curiosity nagged at him and fueled his interest in her. He was determined to uncover the secrets behind Eliana’s power, even if he had to become her lover to do so. After all, for Val, knowledge was power.
He had been drawn to Eliana from the start, not out of affection, but out of an instinctual curiosity. Her unique ability to transform mere prayers into a life-saving shield intrigued him. His instincts told him that it had something to do with her mystical bloodline, but he couldn’t be sure until he explored her thoroughly. Thus, he saw her affection for him as an opportunity, a stepping stone to get closer to the mystery that she held within. If he could become her lover, someone she was emotionally dependent on, she would naturally open up to him more, and that would make it easier for him to unravel the secrets that lay within her bloodline.
He intended to exploit her feelings to his advantage, to satisfy his own curiosity. After all, he reasoned, feelings were tools to be utilized in the grand scheme of things. It was a cold, calculated approach, but he believed it was necessary.
What Val lacked in emotions and intelligence, he made up for in cunning and shrewdness. He didn’t see his plan as an act of manipulation but as a necessary move to find out more about the enigma that was Eliana. Whether it was ethical or not didn’t matter to him. He was focused solely on his goal: to unlock the secrets of Eliana’s mystical bloodline. 𝑂𝓋𝐥xt.𝑐𝗈𝑚
As far as Val was concerned, the ends justified the means. And in this game of power and knowledge, he intended to be the victor. He was a hunter, after all, always on the prowl for information that could give him an edge in this perilous world.