Chapter 18 - CHAPTER 17

"We'll be off first then"
"Yeah"

Daniel and Ren exited the tent simultaneously leaving Eleanor finally alone with Anette. "So, now that were alone", Anette sat on the long chair beside Eli holding her hands after.

"Why didn't you send me any letters? I met Daniel years ago at the Royal Palace and when I asked about you that bas….I mean that man doesn't even know where you are. Do you still remember the promise that you made with me?"

Eli can't help but laugh awkwardly while listening to the grumpy lady ranting to her. 'I can't just tell you that I've been avoiding you the most before because you're the Female Lead now can I?', she sighed mentally before talking.

"I'm sorry Anette. I'm sorry I was not able to contact you for so long. Yes I do remember the promise, and I won't back out from it, so please give me a second chance to make it up to you?", Anette just stared at her intently with a gloomy face.

"I thought you forgot the promise", she sulked, but Eli patted her head, trying to console her. "I'm sorry, I won't do it anymore", Anette finally laughed when she saw her friend even clasped her hands and looked at her with her puppy eyes, and Eleanor laughed after hearing her laugh. But then, she stopped when she remembered something.

"Wait, you and Daniel met at the Royal Palace?!", Anette jumped in shock to her friend's outburst.

"Well yeah. That moron…I mean man, is a part of the Imperial Wizards after all. And well, there is a circumstance where we, who are a part of the Holy Temple were called together with the Imperial Wizards, and that's when we both met again", Eleanor put her hand on her chin. Her eyes were focused on the floor but her mind is busy thinking.

The story started 5 years after Daniel left for the academy. "Umm, I know this is quite random but, did you perhaps already met the crown prince?", Anette stared at Eleanor with confusion but still answered.

"Huh? Well yeah, we met but not on the same day I met Daniel. I met, well more like saw him in Primor. The King always requested for him to attend events that was either sponsored by either the high ranking nobles or the Holy Temple, but that lazy ass, he will only show up and then he'll vanish after just showing his face", now it's Eli's turn to stare at Anette.

She just kept on rambling while she stare and gape at her. 'The FL was supposed to be in love with the ML, or at least she's supposed to at least like him after their first meeting. But they didn't even meet just like how they met on the original, she even hates him so much that it seems like she won't run out of insults for him. Now I really am starting to see how the story is kinda ruined. Now I'm kinda curious about how the INTRUDER made them like this'

"Okay, okay Ane. Shouldn't you stop now? Hehe, you know it's still about the crown prince so it's risky to talk about him like that. And it's not like he's really lazing on his duties right?", Eli tried to lighten up Anette's mood. In return, Anette smiled at her with shining eyes.

'Looks like she lighten up a bit, she doesn't hate the prince that much after all...right?'

"Eli, did you just call me Ane? Oh my goddess! It's so cute! Well any nicknames coming from you will be cute anyways"

'You're happy about THAT?!'

"Ahaha, y-yeah…Ane, d-do you like it?"
"Of course I do! Thanks Eleanor!"

Eleanor raised her arms up mentally. 'I give up'


























Days passed and Eli's life remained peaceful. After the marquis announced that she was examined by Anette, who is one of the most popular priests in Sirthyna, and that the goddess gave her a privilege and that is her being able to use Holy Objects, the incident about her using a fire extinguisher (a Holy Object) was never mentioned anymore.

But some things still changed. People became nicer to her and she became so popular, in a sense that she is popular as someone 'The Anette' examined after just a few days.

Now the reason is,

"I remember now! She's from Orien, she's from this region! This is her home region that's why she's very popular here! She's the superstar and the pride of this region right now!"

Unfortunately, after her reunion with Daniel and Anette, the both of them have to leave her to do their duties again. Anette left first after being summoned back by the High Priest of the Holy Temple, and Daniel came back in the Royal Palace to report everything to the King with a promise to exclude her information as someone who used the Holy Object.

And now, her life is back to how it is before everything happened with the monsters. More knights were assigned to the town and the structures are being rebuilt now. The people are still staying at the tents but the tents are now not so far from the main city.

"Eleanor"
"Oh, Ren. What is it?"
"Master is calling you, looks like it's something important"

Eleanor put down the basket that she's been holding full of sheets that she was about to wash in the near river. "Hmm, okay. Is she on her tent?", Ren nodded and picked up the basket that Eli was just holding earlier.

"Go and talk with master. I'll take care of this", Eli nodded. "Thanks Ren", she ran towards the tent not far from her.

"Master, it's Eleanor"
"Come in"

The girl entered the tent and saw the older woman reading something. She looked at the girl and motioned for her to sit. Once she was finally seated Meridia gave her an envelope and continued reading the paper she was reading earlier.

"It's a letter from Historia!", Eleanor stated as her face gleamed. But soon, her face darkened after reading the contents of the letter. "When did you sent her a letter for her to reply this fast using her carrier pigeon that she rarely uses?", Eli looked at Meridia, who knows that Historia only sends letters, specially through carrier pigeons, when she received one, before answering,

"Yesterday master", she continued reading the letter after that while Meridia gave her quite some time to do that.

Eleanor sent Historia a letter asking the older guild leader to inform her if someone tried to buy information about the one who priest Anette examined, just in case. But she didn't expect her to inform her about someone trying to buy information about her and to think that this person is trying to buy information and from their guild exactly. That must've been the reason why she immediately sent a letter to her through a carrier pigeon.

It is stated in the letter that they hunted that person trying to buy information and is questioning him right now in the guild's prison cell. Eleanor smirked, 'Looks like without even a confirmation from me aunt Historia is already thinking way ahead'

"Master, umm may I ask you to please grant me some days off?", Meridia looked at her assistant with an eyebrow up and Eli got her point.

"I need to meet aunt Historia. I need to go to the guild for something important"




























"Ok be honest with me….How did you manage to convince the master to actually let you do this?"
"Well, I am the only person she can trust to protect you"

Eleanor chuckled at Ren's boastful face. Meridia let her go to Historia's guild but under some conditions. First, she told her to be vigilant or as much as possible, not attract any attention on her, in short…stay out of trouble. And for the second one, she asked her to take Ren with her since she'll surely be reassured of her safety if Ren is with her since he's 3 years older than her and she can trust him to protect her just like what he did when they first encountered a monster in the Lor Forest last time. And Eleanor had no choice but to agree on her conditions or else, she won't let her go.

The carriage they're riding rattled as the two continued talking about other topics. Ren and Eleanor travelled for days until finally they reached Primor, the main city of Centralis.

"Hey, what's the meaning of main city of a region again?", Ren asked Eli as he stared on the streets with wondering eyes.

"The main city of a region is the centermost part of the regions. It is also where the people in a region trade and sell their products. For example, in the Eastern Region, Orien, the main city is where we've been living, in Poculum. There, villages trade and sell their products. Some villages produce vegetables and some produce dairies, and in the main city are where they'll exchange/ trade/ buy and sell their products. But wait, why are you asking me this Ren? Didn't you know…"

"Oh, thank you for the explanation Eli! Oh wait…look like we're here now!"

Ren immediately opened the carriage's door and hopped off as fast as he can as soon as the carriage stopped. He then extended his hand to Eli, "I'll escort you milady", he said jokingly. Eleanor looked at him with her eyebrows meeting each other.

"I can see that you just avoided my question, but because the matters here are more important, I'll let this go for now", she stared at him like a hawk while he's awkwardly helping her get off the carriage.

"But, is this really the place?", Ren asked doubting if the toy store he's seeing right now really is the guild where Eli was supposed to be heading. Eleanor just smiled at him and held his hands, leading him towards entering the store. The bell jingled and the young girl was welcomed with a warm hug from a familiar older man.

"Uncle Raul!", Eli squeeled as Raul spun her around the room while Ren watched them both. "It's been so long miss Eleanor", Eli hugged the man as he hugged her back.

They both then smiled at each other after hugging. Raul then proceeded and closed the curtains of the store, before going near a familiar doll and touching it. The familiar door was revealed in front of the two youngsters. Ren gaped in shock and wonder, while Eli on the other hand smiled at the nostalgic memories of her spending her time in that place.

Raul opened the door and, "Welcome back miss Eleanor", Eli who just entered the room was then surrounded by the guild's members. Ren who was on the corner of the room smiled as he saw her smile and get teary eyed, showing how much she missed this place and these people.

The crowd then divided like the red sea and walking in the middle is a woman with short straight black hair and forest green eyes. She's just in her early 30s but her face has a bit of wrinkles now but she still looks beautiful despite that.

"Aunt Historia!", Eli ran to her and giving her a big hug, squeezing her tightly and clinging onto her like a koala. Historia laughed at her but returned the hug. "I missed you little lady. Welcome back", she said gently stroking the girl's hair.

"Now, I know how much we all missed her but there are important matters that needs to be discussed", the guild members nodded and got back to their works. Historia looked at the young man standing in the corner of the room.

"You must be Rephienne, right? I heard a lot about you from Meridia. Welcome to our guild and thank you for taking care of our little Eli"

Eli who was smiling just earlier suddenly pouted after hearing what Historia just called her. "Hey, I'm not that little anymore aunt!", she retorted but Raul just patted her head like a kid.

"Anyways, we should head to my office now. Raul, can you please lead Ren into the waiting room?", Raul bowed and did what was told while Historia led Eli towards her office.

The two entered the room and just after sitting, Historia immediately gave Eleanor a paper placed on the drawer of her table. "That's the report about the agenda that I told you in my letter"

Eleanor held the paper and read it quietly, Historia waited for her to finish in silence. Soon, Eli put the paper down with a sigh; she then looked at Historia with a small smile on her face, "Thank you for your hard work"

The two girls were busy on Historia's office but on the other hand, Raul and Ren are…

"…"

'What should we talk about?', the poor boy looked at the older man thinking about how to start a conversation with him when a cup of warm tea was served in front of him. "Here, this tea can help calm you down"

Ren's face reddened as he sipped on his tea trying to hide his embarrassment. "I noticed how restless your body is since earlier. You look uncomfortable since this is also an unfamiliar place for you", Raul explained.

Ren stared at him and nodded before thanking him for the tea. He looked at the tea and remembered the scene he saw earlier; he saw another part of Eleanor's life again. Just a few days ago, he learned about her unique abilities and promised not to tell anyone about it, and now this guild. All of these made him more curious about her.





























"Welcome duke"

Duke Donati and the young duke nodded at Meridia who welcomed him and his son after finally arriving at Poculum to get the potion he requested for them to make.

Meridia led them inside the laboratory and prepared the potions as they waited for her. When she reappeared from her office the two nobles asked her a question.

"Are your assistants not here?", Lucius asked as he looked around the room. "Eli took a mini vacation to go somewhere. Ren went with her", she answered.

This time, it's Duke Lucian's turn to speak. "We heard about the monster attacks. We weren't able to come here fast and help because the king called for an emergency meeting regarding this issue. He also made us busier because of this problem causing us to just arrive here today", he said. The alchemist nodded understandingly. She's someone who understands how bossy the king gets sometimes since he often orders her to invent more potions that can help the kingdom or at least help in solving the problems of the kingdom.

"It's okay", she said before placing the potions in a box in front of them, holding one of the samples so she can show them how it works. The two listened and watched carefully and with amazement as they saw how the new potion worked.

After showing them how it works the two then proceeded with the payment as Meridia gave them a whole box of that potion even though they only need one. They are the one who requested after all, and the payment they've given was enough for all the expenses and payment for the products.

When the transaction was done, the two then proceeded to go back to the South with the potions that they procured. The next day after they arrived in the dukedom, early in the morning, 3 escorting wizards and 5 knights stood in front of the duke together with his only son riding in a horse. Young duke Lucius is leaving again, but this time it was for a different reason, and duke Lucian was seeing his son off.

"Don't worry father, with this potion, we will finally be able to find them. I won't fail this mission, I'll definitely bring back my sibling here", the duke nodded at Lucius who looked at him with determination in his eyes.

"Please be careful, I want the both of you back in one piece"
"Yes father"
























"It's been days but he still refuses to talk"
"…"

Historia, Raul, Eleanor, and Ren, who was able to convince Eli to bring him with her, walked on a hidden tunnel leading to the dungeon of the guild. Yesterday Eli and Ren arrived at the guild. Historia let them rest for a while and the next day; she let Eleanor see the man who they caught trying to buy information from them.

Ren who became uneasy because of how Eli's aura changed after talking with Historia convinced her to bring him with her no matter where she wants to go. That way, he'll be more reassured since he's with her. He don't really know what's happening but he just focused on staying alert and guarding his friend from anything. For Ren, he can just ask her about everything later, and she can just answer his questions when she's ready.

They soon arrived in front of a huge iron door. Raul pulled out a key and unlocked the door before pushing it to the side. The door towards a dark room was soon opened.