Getting out of the dangerous carriage, Odelie pushed Alicia against the wall—though the push was not too hard. She then slammed her hand on the wall right next to Alicia's head. "To think you are a lady with manners, but turned out you're pretty naughty too, huh?"
"I'm s-sorry, Odelie! I was going to report something to Grand Magus Haddock, but come now, you cannae blame a normal person entirely for wandering around places out of curiosity!" she pleaded.
Still, with a serious expression, Odelie brought her face closer to the unmoved Crimsonmane. Alicia could not move further back but slowly crouched down. "It seems you must be punished, Little Crimsonmane."
Odelie's soft and slow voice only added to the feeling of discomfort, creeping into the soul of the bespectacled girl. Her legs were even squirming! "Punished—what? W-with all due respect, Odelie, I didn't touch or damage anything!" protested the girl.
Every time Odelie Verdandi made a sound, for some reason something inside Alicia was always churning, asking her to do something. Gentle and affectionate, her voice was, even when she lost her temper.
Seriously, what was wrong with this lady? Did she put a seducing spell on herself or something?
***
Both pairs of feet were still marching toward the front of the carriage where the Grand Magus was. The two of them walked separately. Alicia's hand was no longer held by Odelie. A few metres before they reached the door, Alicia insisted on saying something.
"I once again apologise for barging into a place I shouldn't have."
"That doesn't mean I won't report this to the Grand Magus, though," said Odelie.
"It's okay, Odelie. Just report it. I just want to apologise, that's all."
The footsteps suddenly stopped bouncing in the middle of the passage. Curious, Odelie turned her mien to the expressionless countenance of a crimson-haired girl.
"Are you sure, Young Lady? No ulterior motives? No intention of melting my heart?"
"Odelie, come on. What's the worst thing that would happen? Got kicked off the carriage? Scolded by the Grand Magus? I've just experienced worse treatment from the Necromancer earlier," the morose Alicia answered.
"Ah, yes, I just remembered! How stupid I am for forgetting such treatment from that damn degenerate!" The astrologist again did something that made Alicia uncomfortable—grasping her arms all of a sudden. "I'm sorry if I'm being insensitive! You managed to melt my heart, Little Crimsonmane. We will keep this incident between us to keep you calm."
After uttering gentle sentences implied with affection, Odelie was about to pull the girl to hug her as a form of consolation. Luckily, Alicia soon realised that her face would land on the astrologist's ripe two breasts if she just surrendered her being. She immediately withdrew in the opposite direction.
"Odelie! Odelie, no need! I'm alright" said Alicia.
The front door of the carriage slid open, revealing Grand Magus Haddock, who seemed to hear noises from across the room. Alicia's arms were still gripped, and she was almost glued with the blonde-haired astrologist's plump body. The two of them stared in silence, exchanging glances with Haddock.
"Uh, hello, ladies. Am I intruding on your privacy?"
"W-what? No!" Alicia pushed Odelie's hands away and straightened her clothes with a hint of embarrassment. "J-just… a g-girl's talk…?"
"That's right, just a girl's talk." Odelie backed Alicia up while giving her a wink. Alicia's body immediately stiffened. "What's up, Haddock? Wanna join in, too?" asked Odelie.
"I don't have time for that," Haddock replied, then ushered them inside. The atmosphere inside this carriage was more lively than any of the carriages Alicia had ever explored. Many magicians and train attendants were passing through the place. Not to mention that several types of animals also enlivened the carriage, delivering letters and documents to the desk lines. Alicia almost had her hair frizzy because the beta thunderbird soared past her. She and Odelie followed Haddock's footsteps to the farthest room downstairs—the Grand Magus' private office.
The private office in the luxury carriage was no less cluttered than the one in Skycastle. But at least there were not any random tools that should not be there like the old room was.
Haddock then leaned against the table. "Okay, with you are here, I assume you've read the entire book."
"Of course I have," said Alicia. "Though I'm still a bit overwhelmed by the prophecy. I still can't believe Nostradame's foretelling about me is fully accurate—"
"Ten percent accurate," Haddock interrupted, "Only the scar on your hand has proven correct. We are yet to know what exactly is the end of the world that he meant, what it would be like, what your next fate will be, and even how we will recognise and find other children! But I understand your feelings. If this prediction is legit, the Magisterium will definitely help you to fulfill what is written in the book."
"I see. I might as well keep this book a little longer, if you please."
"Yes, of course. You can even have it. Anything else?"
Alicia opened the book again. She then turned one page in front of the Grand Magus—the last page regarding the prophecy of the Six Children. "However, I'm bothered by this. I understand if the Child of Darkness wants to get rid of me. But… do I need to 'get rid' of him as well?"
Haddock looked back at the page closely—just to refresh his memory. "Oh, I see. Yes, of course, you should," he said.
A dissatisfied expression plastered on Alicia's countenance. "But I'm uncomfortable killing someone in obligation."
"Hey, you're a mage now, remember? You have to do your job even if it makes you question your morals."
"I-I know! It's just… isn't there some other way, so that there is no unnecessary sacrifice among these Six Children? What if I can free them from the Khaos' influence or something?"
"I feel certain that the Child of Darkness must have taken many lives before you even met each other. So I find it odd that you need to sympathise with him!"
The Crimsonmane Girl lost her ability to argue. However, she still could not convince her little heart to accept the fact that one of them must die to determine how the fate of the earth should be. She felt she had to be different from other Arcane wielders—who, with such divine might, were willing to get their hands dirty in blood if it was necessary. Arcane was a might, sourcing from the Divine. There must be a way she could clear the contest without taking someone's life!
The worries of the chosen child would actually be dangerous if allowed to persist. Haddock tried to soften himself, giving her a few lines of consolation.
"Even if there is a possibility of letting the Child of Darkness live, it will depend on what the current situation will be. But since Nostradame's prophecy doesn't mention anything further, you still ought to prepare for the worst-case scenario."
Alicia nodded obediently. "'Sometimes the sacrifice of one person is necessary for the safety of the whole nation'," said the girl quoting a sentence of advise. "Very well, Grand Magus. I will try my best."
Haddock flashed her a smirk. "Clever girl." He added, "And one more thing, Alicia. Albeit Nostradame is the worst astrologist of all time, I learned that there are other people who are following this Six Children prophecy. Dangerous people, including Agosh Grendi. Keep this information with utmost caution."
"I know, I just talked to him earlier," Alicia admitted casually.
"What?" Haddock's voice rose half an octave. "Alas, Alicia! I just asked you not to be careless!"
"I-I'm sorry about that. Really."
"What did you talk to him about?"
"We only talked a little about the prophecy. But he blustered me more with his scorn. Saying that I would rather save the world his way than according to Nostradame's words."
"And you were consumed by all his words?"
"N-no, of course not!"
Haddock sighed and shook his head. "Divine Mercy, Alicia! Never mind, just go back to your place while waiting for the banquet. And please, Alicia, for the sake of Silent Divine, don't bother visiting him again! That person will manipulate you before you even know it!"
"I understand, Grand Magus. I'm so sorry!" Alicia lowered her head and turned toward the exit.
***
The glare of the world altered to the dim moon. A sumptuous banquet should be able to make the wise passengers welcome drowsiness, falling asleep as they hit the mattress. This did not apply to the Crimsonmane girl, who was still contemplating fate. Alicia was enjoying the breeze in the window on the top carriage floor with her ball pal. While gazing at the towering trees, she heard someone sliding the door. Odelie appeared before her, who seemed to have just come from Agosh Grendi's prison carriage.
"'Alicia?" she greeted. "Why don't you go to bed?"
The young girl shook her head. "Am not yet sleepy."
"Bored on the trip, yes?"
Alicia did not answer, implying an answer for the astrologist. Her eyes were still glued to the offered natural scenery. It was as if she was expecting a monster to suddenly appear so that at least there would be a bit of action on this saturated night.
Odelie then thought of a suggestion. She gently let out a whisper that stimulated Alicia's ears. "Say, Alicia. Do you want to do something interesting in my room?"
"H-huh?" Alicia immediately jumped up with a blushing face. Again with her flirtatious sensual charm! Her ambiguous way of speaking made anyone stuck in the wheel of indecision—one could not guess what the lady's true intentions were! Not caring male or female, who would not go insane when they heard her lenient yet tempting seductions?
Thinking the Crimsonmane girl would refuse, she said again, "Is it too far? Hm… or we can just do it in your room—"
"O-Odelie, that's enough!" Alicia rebuked her aloud that even Odelie became petrified in a gaping state. "With all due respect, Odelie, I don't mean to snap at a senior. But please, stop talking to me like that! You make me feel weird, and this is absolute wrong!"
"But I just—" Odelie pondered for a moment. Then her laughter filled the aisle of the carriage, getting louder when she saw the confused face of the poor girl. "Oh, kids these days. Boy, girl, they are all the same. Their minds always branched to unnecessary thoughts. I didn't mean anything, dear. Unless…."
"No!"
Her desire was to toy with Alicia's emotions further. But she suppressed the desire. "Sorry, Alicia. That's not what I meant. I wanted to invite you to read your destiny on tarot cards!" Odelie took out a small white box that appeared to contain a set of cards. "Thought you'd like to see a little of how the art of Astrology works."
Alicia had not dared to respond to the offer. Perhaps because Odelie's exaggerated attempts scared the little girl.
"Maybe you're not interested yet. That's okay, Alicia. Sorry to interrupt your night."
"W-wait…!" cried Alicia when Odelie turned around. Her smooth face was still full of hue. "I'd like to see it. In my room. But no funny business!"
Odelie grinned with contentment. Maybe a little teasing—just a little—would not hurt, would it?
"Okay, no funny business. That, unless you ask—"
"Nae danger!"
Both of them went down to Alicia's room. Odelie, who entered first, immediately sat down on the floor and took all the cards out of the box. Alicia did not want to be left behind, she opened her bag and took out her notebook and stationery. There was no way she would forget this magical experience to report. Not to mention this was the first one to fulfill her book pages.
While shuffling the cards, Odelie asked the tiny Crimsonmane a question, "You often hear of the mystical art of Astrology receiving whispers from the stars, don't you?"
"Mama used to say that. She once said every astrologist has a star as a friend," Alicia answered.
"Aw, Ailsa's words are really cute! But it's true, we astrologists sometimes tend to think that we have one star guiding our lives. Even though the stars are not that familiar in reality."
Alicia became curious. "Then how do you communicate with the stars?"
"Technically, we don't." After saying that, Odelie closed her eyes. She was still shuffling the cards just before laying them out on the wooden floor. All the visible surfaces of the cards were just a blank white mini canvas.
"We use our mana in order to connect with its greater owner. Greater than the order of the universe, even gods themselves—The Existence. We can feel it even though we don't see it. We know it is because we exist. And because we exist, then that's where The Existence is. We believe that The Existence is greater than any deity, because it does something gods cannot do: writing destiny."
"Hold on…," cut Alicia. "Is this Existence basically a Silent Divine?"
"Lots of theories are floating around about that, indeed. It can't be helped. The worship of westerners like Camelot and the Eternal Empire is as abstract as the concept of The Existence entity. But we don't uphold those theories yet. I believe in Divine Solitude, but Existence is more than a god… ."
"Hm… Because you don't regard The Existence as an idol?"
"Smart girl! Gods may be omniscient about fate, but it is The Existence that creates destiny. Gods rule and reign, but The Existence, it thinks and watches. Its mind creates storylines about branching universes, and The Existence watches how the course of the history of a universe goes according to the branches traversed like an experiment without a final conclusion."
Alicia's room had only one light near the desk and another near the carriage door. However, their spotlight must be seized by a sprinkling of stardust full of colors that appeared from nothing—the work of Odelie from a kind of meditation she did. It was impossible for Alicia not to show a wide grin and her eyes beaming at this phenomenon.
While Alicia was astonished, Odelie continued, "Astrologists attempt to connect to The Existence, not to unite with it—for we ourselves are part of The Existence—but to share in witnessing the path of destiny through The Existence's lens. By knowing what creative stories The Existence tells us, we gain a glimpse inspiration of what has happened, is, and will happen to a person or an event. All inspiration is described by the human senses through the signs around us. Through the ground, the stars, even on this blank card."
Like an excited child, Alicia continued, "Ergo, divination!"
The gold sprinkles that surrounded the room immediately descended onto the card like snowflakes. The flakes covered the deck of cards and then disappeared into a golden mist that spread across the room.
Alica asked again, "So what are we going to do with these cards?"
Odelie replied, "We're going to get a glimpse of your future, of course!" []