Everyone watches Athalia as she eats her food like there's no tomorrow. No one tried to interrupt her, while her brothers just watched her eat and enjoy herself.
"Food haf changed while I wash ashleep, huh!" Athalia spoke, with food inside her mouth. Asher shakes his head as he reached for a water, while Abel forced a laugh and grabbed the tip of the scarf on Athalia's neck to wipe the smudges on her face.
"Don't speak when your mouth is full," the brothers said at the same time. Asher handed the glass of water to her, and she accepted it.
Everyone watches the two Astra takes care of the Selene, and they were surprised by how the Selene act in front of them. Someone they knew as important as the Gods acts like a kid in front of them.
"Who cooked thish? I'll blessh jem!"
"Shut up and swallow those food," Asher said, Athalia savored her food as she swallow them and burped very loud.
The humans in front of them looks at her in surprised.
"I'm glad. She looks carefree and nice..." Alina thought, she silently took a deep breath and nassaged her chest. She kept getting nervous by the fact that Athalia was the one who cursed her.
"So deliii ~" The Princes were surprised to hear a familiar word that they heard from their little princess before, and even her was amazed.
"She talks like Ali," Helios mumbled, enough for his brothers to hear. The two princes nod their head and forced a smile.
"Hah ~ I'm stuffed. Those were delicious, maybe I should visit this restaurant often," Athalia rubbed her bloated tummy as she chugged another glass of water.
"Well then...shall I inform everyone here about the plan, or just my brothers?" Athalia asked.
"All of us,"
"Including this young lime?"
Asher and Diellzain suppressed a laugh when they heard Athalia address Kafziel like that.
"Jeez...they really enjoy bullying, Ziel," Ali shook her head and faced Athalia.
"Yes, uhh Ma'am..." Alina answered and smiled. Athalia stared at her again before she nod her head.
"Okay..."
•
"I can feel my mana within you, so I realized right away why I was awoken," Awoken...it looks like she was just sleeping for 287 years for her to state it like that. So she guess right away that I am cursed, and with divinity within me.
"Yes," I answered. The way she stare at me is sooo meaningful. I'm scared to know what she's thinking. I hope she's not planning to tell anyone here about my real identity...
"So, well...uhmm...err..." I tilt my head and blinked for a couple of times when I saw her placing her fingers on her temples, as if she's having a hard time to think.
"I don't know how to start," she said, grabbing another glass of water and then chugging it down.
"Hmm, maybe we should talk about the curse first. It is a curse that will make you a criminal—or so they said. But, you need to calm down, it's...more than that," How am I supposed to calm down?!
"So, this curse activates on your 20th birthday. There's no need to worry about turning people into ashes, that's a lie I made before," Asher clicked his tongue and glared at his sister. The latter turned to him and stuck her tongue out, teasing her brother.
"This wretch..." Asher mumbled.
"What is the curse all about?" Dad asked.
"Hmm, she'll just...fall asleep—all her life, and she is cursed with immortality too. So as she is unconscious, she won't age at all," Uhh...immortal? I'll be an immortal once this curse activates but I'll fall into a comatose state?! No, thanks! I'd like to live my life to the fullest!
"That's even worse than living as a criminal," true.
Still, I'd rather sleep than become a criminal that turns people into ashes, I don't want to be a freaking villain!
"I think sleeping is better than killing though," I spoke, and all of them turned their head to me with their eyes wide open.
"Uhh...you're gonna be an immortal sleeping beauty, you know? Your soul won't be embraced by the Gods because you're only sleeping," Yeah, that's true too. That means I won't be reincarnated if ever.
"Thank you for complimenting my beauty, Miss Selene," I giggled. It looks like she was surprised by my reply, she's staring at me with those widened eyes and slightly parted lips.
We were silent for a moment, and then she smiled—chuckled—
"Hahahahahahah!" And it turned into laugh.
"Of course, you would say that!" Huh? Did she realized I was going to say that?
"Let's focus on the topic, shall we?" Sir Abel placed his hand behind his sister, and the Selene flinched, nodding her head repeatedly...in panic.
"Well, the very main reason for cursing this family is—remember what Uncle Deo told you back in the day? Uh, is that actually an oracle or he just told you about it because he saw it?" Miss Athalia asked, turning to Sir. Abel. What oracle? And it's quite cute that she calls the God of Prophecy, 'uncle'.
"The one that never actually happened?" Sir Abel asked, Miss Athalia nod her head and lean on the chair. An oracle that didn't happen?
Since we are in a private room, it should be fine to talk about this here. The three of them also confirmed that there's no recording device here, so it should be safe.
"It said 'The lost star will be born in the family with three sons. She, who will stop the darkness and shine divinity upon the land shall be guided by you', referring to us," Asher spoke. His two siblings nod their head simultaneously to agree.
"Remember, Fel was also a daughter to a family with three sons. So, we assumed it will be her, but nothing changed. Virexon is still here," uhh...I think I'm slowly figuring out the context of their conversation.
"So, Ali is the lost star?" Dad asked, glancing at me. I stayed quiet and stared at Eri who's meditating on the table.
"It seems to be the case, Your Highness," Sir Abel answered. When did Deo told them about that? It seems like centuries have already passed since that oracle—unofficial oracle reached them.
"I apologize, but may I ask a question?" Sir Kiernan, who's been quiet raised his arm and politely asked for a permission.
"Yes," Miss Athalia said.
"How can you prove it was the Princess? The Ciera had another daughter before—"
"We'll know it right away just by sensing the divine mana within her. It's sealed by Ley, but if you're great as me, you'll be able sense it. Only the lost star can have a divine mana," If that's the case, how come my ancestor had a divine mana but is not the 'lost star'?
"Of course, my big bro Ash did not sensed it because he's currently weak! Hahahahaha! Serves you right for jumping world to world," Asher closed his eyes tightly and then glared at Athalia, who quickly turned away her head while whistling.
"May I also ask a question?" Ziel asked, partially raising his arm. Miss Athalia nod her head and smile at him.
"If only the lost star can have a divine mana, then the 77th Duchess—"
"She was simply blessed, and her supposed role is a Saintess," Asher spoke between Ziel's words, Miss Athalia did that to Sir Kiernan too, they're really siblings.
So Felicia Odilia was supposed to be a Saintess, not an Empress? Is it because Virexon was already scheming something that he made Felicia the Crown Princess that time?
"Yes...however, she was also born in the family with three sons. And she had a divine mana, so despite the differences, we believed that she's the one on Deo's oracle," Huh? Now that is confusing, what differences. I noticed Miss Athalia and Sir Abel staring at Asher, and when the latter turned to them, they simultaneously looks away from him.
What's wrong?
I think they're still hiding something.
"Anyways. Since we thought Fel was the lost star, we already guessed that she will be targeted by Virexon. I was the fist one in charge of it as my siblings finds a way to send him back to his realm. However, I realized that he's possessing the Crown Prince at that time, and so I told Fel about it. Turns out she already knew about it and was planning to defeat him, but...that jerk targeted Fel's consciousness, he almost got the divine core from her—and in my panic state, I cursed a friend, a curse that is focused on slowly deteriorating their divine core. And if the core disappear..."
The person will die. Mana is something that keeps us alive, and if our mana is completely extracted from, or if our mana core is destroyed or stolen, we will die.
"This is so complicated..." Ziel mumbled. Still, he looks calm and seems to be catching up with the conversation despite the fact that she just learned about some new information yesterday. I wonder if Asher already told him my dreams about Dearil.
"And, the same curse is on Ali?" Brother Heli asked, and he looks worried.
Well, Miss Athalia did say that the curse slowly deteriorates the divine core.
"Well, obviously," Miss Athalia answered. I'm just glad I won't be a criminal. And why are they saying this in front of me, a 7-year-old? What if it was actually Alina who's here? She'll be scared!
I can see the worried glances from my family, Sir Kiernan, and Ziel. But the three incarnations are not worried at all. Of course, they know it's not a 7-year-old soul after all. Because if they did, there's no way they'll tell them about all this with me listening.
"The divine core will end up breaking, but the immortality curse will keep her alive. The deterioration lasts for twenty years, and when the divine core is destroyed the Princess will be in a 'sleep state' as an effect of the disappearance of the core and her mana. The curse I used contains the Unyielding Flame in Azrael's realm, and it's the one deteriorating the core," All of us are looking at her, and my family's reaction shows that they are still not convinced that the curse is necessary.
"Please believe me, I did that to avoid the core from being stolen. The flame from Azrael's realm is an element that even Virexon cannot touch. Unless, he want to burn himself and die," What, he can actually die? The Demon King can die? We need that flame against him to kill him!
Since I have it in my core, can I just get a few and burn him?
"If the divine core lasts for twenty years, why did the 77th Duchess died just after a few years?" Brother Dae asked. That's right, our ancestor should've been able to live for 20 more years.
"Huh? She didn't die because of the curse, it's because of Virexon who forcefully tried to possess her despite the protests of her body against Virexon's powerful soul," It looks like our history is actually not just complicated, but a complete mess. This jerk of a Virexon will do everything to gain a power and become more stronger than his brother, huh? Why is he so obsessed with power? What is he going to do once he's above all? And he even made up a story about the Selene and wrote it in our Odilia Book!
"It won't be easy to deal with him. And we're guessing there's another one too," Sir Abel spoke, clipping his chin while thinking.
The Selene sighed in disbelief.
"The bastard even called another fuck-face? What an actual scumbag," her words...
Is it alright for an incarnation of a God to say such words? I'm the one feeling nervous for her, thinking she might get punished.
"So yeah. Only someone with divine mana, born in a family with three sons, and is cursed, can be the lost star. So, the princess is the one," Uhh...
I don't wanna be the 'the one' if it comes to things like those, really.
How did my life become so miserable!
"Your Highness, are you okay? You're not surprised by everything that we heard?" Ziel asked, peeking at me. What a thoughtful child! And now everyone's looking my way too.
"Quite...surprised. But, I'm alright. I'm a bit sleepy though..." I forced a laugh and scratched the back of my head.
We came very early to talk to Sir Kiernan about the unsealing of the Selene, and then we had to wait for the response of the other priests before we can do that. It actually took us many hours before we can enter the underground cave where Miss Athalia was sealed.
And now, it's probably around 3-4pm, and these dishes in front of us have been staying on our tables for like two hours now.
"Ahh, also...we should not unseal the divine core," everyone turned to Miss Athalia again. Why not? Then, it'll be just there sitting?
"Why?" Dad asked.
"Well, that is where the Unyielding Flame is. If we unseal the divine core, the mana core will be absorbed, and there will be only one core. The divine core as of now, is being damaged by the Unyielding Flame, but because it is sealed, once it's destroyed the mana core will stay, it's the one that will absorb the divine mana of the divine core. That means, the Princess won't have to fall into a 'sleep' state if she still have a mana core, and she will still get the divine mana from the destroyed divine core. Get it? This would end up with the Princess being able to use light magic, their original type of magic, and divine magic," Wait—is that why my Godmother decided to seal it? So, if that core is destroyed, the divine mana within it won't disappear but will be absorb by my mana core instead. Then, I won't have to sleep—wait, that means this curse will disappear eventually?
"Then...if that happens, the curse won't activate anymore?" Brother Heli asked, they look hopeful!
"No—it only decelerate the flame from burning everything. Once the divine core is destroyed, it will target the mana core next. But if we unseal the divine core and it absorbs the mana core, the Princess will really last for just twenty years. Not unsealing it, we can use the mana core as a shield once the divine core is destroyed, that way we can have more time in looking for the Holy Crystal in order to extinguish the flame," Asher replied. So, the flame won't be put out unless we use a holy crystal, huh?
I am still not safe. I'll simply live longer than 20 years.
I heard my Dad sighs, and he looks really stressed about all the revelations right now. Everything became even more complicated.
"We should continue this in the Palace tomorrow. For now, let's give the Selene a warm welcome," Dad said, forcing a smile at our newly found friend. The Selene smiled at my Dad with a smug face.
She's Asher's sister after all.
Everything has become a mess. But, I still have thirteen years or more. However, even now the Unyielding Flame is burning my divine core. It looks like we really need to find the Holy Crystal as soon as possible.
***