"You really did well, Harold, you are indeed my most cherished protege."
After completing the task of apprehending the cult members, I reported back to Lady Morione, who praised me with a smile.
"I just did what I had to do."
My response came out as if it were rehearsed, naturally formal, and she beamed even more joyfully, pride gleaming in her smile.
"Your humility aside, you have done more than what was expected of you."
As we exchanged such heartwarming words, the atmosphere was good, and she presented me with a book as a reward.
"It may not be a fitting reward for your merits, but I should show my sincerity, take this grimoire that only I can bestow."
She handed me an old book titled 'The Eye that Sees All.'
"The title may sound grand, but don't expect too much; it's just magic that allows you to see far away places or see through walls."
She said this, but this magic could be exactly what I needed, potentially very useful for detecting cult members who hide in the shadows.
"Thank you very much. I will use this magic given by the goddess I serve to good effect."
I bowed deeply in gratitude to the goddess, and then...
"And Lady Goddess... I have a question."
I took out the silver pendant from my pocket and showed it to Lady Morione.
"Um...? Yes... I will teach you what I know, what are you curious about?"
This was an item I had obtained during the battle with the heretics... but it was not a mere ornament.
"Before I explain, wait a moment... Aris? Please come in."
At my call, the curtain of light was pulled back, and soon a girl with silver hair appeared.
She stepped forward nervously, as it was her first time meeting the goddess, and her lips quivered slightly.
"Um?"
Lady Morione, sensing something, watched Aris approaching us with an interested gaze, and seemed to emanate an extraordinary aura as she looked at her.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Goddess. My name is Aris, and I am of the spirit race."
In fact, before coming here, Aris and I had a private conversation... "You think there's a close relationship between Arcia and this pendant?"
I had shared my conjectures with her, and although she seemed a bit puzzled, she didn't look unconvinced and listened seriously.
At this moment, it was just Aris and me, excluding Marika; I wanted to speak with her alone because of her identity, as she had revealed her true race only to me, and I wanted to keep Aris's secret as much as possible.
"Yes... You told me last time, about your mother... that Arcia's recent behaviors have changed..."
At my words, she nodded with a mix of anxiety and resolve, seemingly bracing herself for what might come next.
"In fact, my Lady Goddess has told me that your mother, Arcia, is closely related to the cult members."
It was certainly shocking news, but Aris didn't seem to agree outright; instead, she just wore a pained expresshion.
After all, Aris herself had mentioned Arcia's strange behaviors when revealing her identity... It might already have been a fact she was aware of, at least subconsciously.
"So, could there be a connection with the pendant that the cult members we encountered earlier had, which acted like your weakness?"
Upon hearing this, Aris touched her chin thoughtfully, as if seriously pondering the matter.
"Certainly... I don't know the process, but it sounds credible, however..."
She seemed to agree with my words, but her facial expresshion didn't look too happy.
"Is there someone who can unravel this secret? With just this, we can't know the exact situation... Normally, it would seem Arcia is on the side of the cult members, but depending on the case... perhaps she had her reasons...?"
Aris whispered, her voice carrying a mix of uncertainty and faint hope, and I could empathize with her words.
There's no biological evidence, but Arcia is like a source for Aris; naturally, Aris would hope that her mother is not part of a cult rejected by the world, and that's why she would say such things... A person who can unravel the truth...
"Aris..."
I knew all too well of someone who would have a wealth of knowledge in such matters. "Hmm... So you're curious about what secrets are hidden in this pendant?"
I summarized the events we had gone through and the conversations we had shared, and handed over the pendant.
"Yes, that's right."
Lady Morione took the pendant and examined it closely, carefully touching it as if studying the stone.
"Honestly, even without using my power, I think I can sense the nature of this thing."
She then uttered a spell, and the pendant began to emit a soft light, offering a quite mystical spectacle.
"The race of spirits, it's been quite a while, but I'm certain. This pendant... it possesses the same qualities as the magic of that girl, Aris."
It seemed that the gods had the ability to sense magic just by appearance.
"The source of life for the spirit race is pure magic itself... With this pendant infused with her magic, it could serve as a second heart."
The facts that I had vaguely suspected were now becoming more certain, and Lady Morione continued calmly.
"Even for mortals, if they know how, it's not too difficult; this pendant is now connected to Aris's life."
Was this pendant indeed her weakness?
"You've brought a fine object, would you let me take care of this pendant? I could eliminate its weakness, and if there's only a trace left, I could even look into its past fate."
It was a proposal I couldn't refuse, and I was about to agree enthusiastically when
"Please do it now! I want to know what exactly happened to Arcia!"
Before I could even speak, Aris cried out with a bit of urgency in her voice.
"Alright, I will do so."
With her permisshion, Lady Morione immediately grasped the pendant and closed her eyes.
She muttered in a language too fast and unknown for me to catch, as the pendant glowed again and the atmosphere around the goddess became dreamlike and miraculous.
"Um..."
- !
With her eyes closed, it seemed the goddess was concentrating intensely on something.
"Huh?"
But soon, her expresshion twisted, bringing tenshion to Aris.
"What did she see..."
The anxiety in her eyes was palpable, and I waited with a mix of worry and anticipation for Lady Morione to open her eyes.
After a while, as if she had seen everything, she opened her eyes, and the mystical atmosphere that had been stirred also faded.
"It seems the cult members are not such easy opponents... The ancient magic of a god has cast a thick veil, making it difficult to see the fate clearly... Still, I've undone the spell that was in the pendant, so now it's just an ordinary pendant."
The outcome was disappointing, but at least this small piece of good news consoled us.
"Is that so... Then we don't know what happened to the principal..."
Aris seemed even more deflated than me, her tone now on a different level, and I felt a pang of sympathy.
Perhaps it was a missed opportunity to find evidence to defend her mother.
"Still, there's one thing we do know, the principal of the academy is being treated unfairly by them."
"?! !!"
At those words, Aris's eyes widened, and she was engulfed in a whirlwind of emotions.
Initially, despair and worry took hold, but it was brief, and soon she brightened up as hope became clearer, and a bright smile formed.
"Thank you, Lady Goddess! Thank you so much!!"
She spoke with such a relieved feeling that her body seemed to lift with the waves of emotion.
And then...
"Aris?! !"
Suddenly, she dashed out of the tent, leaving behind a sense of astonishment.
"Arcia... Just wait a little longer!"
She muttered something before she left, but it was too quiet to catch.
"Aris!"
I too followed after her belatedly, but Aris had already gone too far, disappearing at the edge of my sight.
"Just wait!"
I called out loudly, trying to stop her, but it was too late; she was too far away, and before she vanished from sight, I had no choice but to chase after her with all my might. Though there's no biological basis, Arsia is like a mother figure to Aris, so naturally, Aris wishes her mother not to be part of the rejected cult forces...
"Someone who can unravel the truth..."
In such a field, I knew someone who would likely have extensive knowledge.
"Hmm... So, you're curious about the secrets hidden in this pendant?"
I briefly summarized our experiences and conversations and handed over the pendant.
"Yes, that's right."
Receiving the pendant, Lord Morione observed it closely, carefully touching it as if studying the stone.
"Honestly, even without using my power, I can sense enough to understand its nature."
As he uttered a spell, the pendant emitted a soft glow, presenting a rather mystical sight.
"The spirit tribe... it's been a while, but I'm certain. This pendant... it has the same properties as the magic of that woman, Aris."
It seemed gods had the ability to sense magic just by appearances.
"The source of life for the spirit tribe is pure magic itself... so with this pendant imbued with the child's magic, it's possible to create a second heart."
The speculations we had were gradually turning into convictions, and Lord Morione continued calmly.
"Even by mortal standards, it's not too difficult if you know the method. This pendant is now linked to Aris's life."
So, was this pendant indeed her weakness?
"You've brought something valuable. Would you let me keep this pendant? I can eliminate this weakness and, if any traces remain, peer into the past destiny."
It was an offer too good to refuse. I was about to agree with the Goddess when...
"Please do it right away! I want to know what happened to Arsia!"
Before I could even speak, Aris exclaimed with a sense of urgency. "Alright, I'll take a look."
As Lord Morione gave his consent, he firmly grasped the pendant and closed his eyes.
It felt like time was rushing by, his words too fast to catch and in a language unknown to me.
The pendant began to emit light, and a dreamlike, mysterious phenomenon surrounded the Goddess, creating a strange atmosphere.
"Hmm..."
He seemed to be deeply focused, although his eyes were closed.
"Eh?"
But soon, his expresshion twisted, causing Aris to tense up.
"What did he see..."
Even from her eyes, you could sense her anxiety. I, too, felt a mix of worry and anticipation, waiting for Lord Morione to open his eyes.
After a moment, he opened his eyes, and the mystical atmosphere slowly dissipated.
"It seems the cult members are no easy foes... An ancient god's magic heavily veiled their fate, making it difficult to see. But the curse within the pendant is lifted, now it's just an ordinary pendant."
The outcome was a bit disappointing, but this small piece of good news comforted us.
"Is that so... Then we don't know what happened to the principal..."
Aris seemed even more disheartened than me, her tone now completely different, invoking sympathy.
It was a missed opportunity to possibly find evidence to defend her mother.
"Still, we can be certain of one thing: the academy's principal is receiving unfair treatment from them."
"?!?!"
At these words, Aris's eyes widened, her emotions swirling for a brief moment.
Initially, despair and worry overshadowed her, but it was fleeting. Gradually, her complexion brightened with newfound vitality, and she smiled with definite hope.
"Thank you, Goddess! Thank you so much!!"
Her voice was buoyant with gratitude, as if lifted by waves of emotion, her body seemingly weightless with relief. And then...
"Aris?!"
She suddenly ran out of the tent, leaving me in a state of confushion.
"Arsia... just wait a little!"
She murmured something before leaving, but I couldn't catch it in time...
"Aris!"
I followed her out of the tent belatedly, but Aris was already far away, almost disappearing from my sight.
"Just wait a moment!"
I raised my voice trying to stop her, but it was in vain as she was too far away. Before she completely vanished from my view, I had no choice but to chase after her with all my might.