Pope Adriano remained composed, choosing not to voice his realization.
Recalling Ewaan's discretion when Odelia nearly revealed Maya's identity as a Hero, he chose to stay silent, offering only a gentle smile.
– Haha~ Good heavens! It is truly a miraculous day. This young man has also acquired two attributes, and what's truly rare is that one in ten thousand Spirit attribute! Those truly favoured by the queen of the spirits can only acquire that. But this boy clearly isn't favoured by anyone! Truly fascinating,
The Pope mentally exclaims, his thoughts filled with excitement and contemplation.
Ewaan raised an eyebrow, perplexed by the sudden notification from Great Sage.
– A scenario? And a second one at that! When did I clear the first one, though? And more money, Yes! But what's with the Spirit egg? I should check it when I'm alone!
He thought, with his expression remaining stoic as he returned from the altar, pondering the implications of the new information.
Only Pope Adriano knew the truth about the rare Spirit attribute among those present in the hall. His discretion spared Ewaan from scrutiny, as the others were shocked only by his dual attributes. Unbeknownst to anyone, Ewaan possessed not just the Spirit attribute, but also a one-in-a-million attribute that hadn't even appeared on the Appraisal Plate.
°°°
With their business in the church concluded, they bid farewell to the Pope and Divine Priestess before departing.
Before they left, Divine Priestess Odelia mustered her courage to ask Maya something, but Pope Adriano gently patted her head and gestured for her to refrain from doing so.
Perplexed by his unexpected intervention, Priestess Odelia furrowed her brows and glanced up at the Pope.
"I understand your role is to accompany the Hero on their journey and aid them in facing their ultimate adversary. However, that time is yet to come,"
Pope Adriano gently remarked, his words carrying a sense of wisdom and weighty significance, disrupting the flow of their conversation.
"I understand," she responded, her tone tinged with a mixture of confusion and respect for the Pope's insight, but still lingers a hint of somberness.
As he turned and began walking toward the church's library, Pope Adriano instructed, "Until that time arrives... for now, report to the palace immediately and inform them with these exact words, 'The Hero has been identified, and to out surprise and Gods blessing upon this world, there are two who have descended into this world.'"
His unexpected mention of two heroes caught Odelia off guard.
Continuing, he added, "'They wishes to remain vigilant and undisclosed until they grow stronger, to defend us from our imminent threat! So please, refrain from taking any hasty actions, Your Majesty.' Go and take the appraised information with you as well."
His revelation left Odelia stunned, her mind racing as she contemplated,
– By two, he didn't mean that unsociable white-haired one as well, right?
°°°
"Say, where should we go now? We still have Some time till dusk! Maybe explore a bit or find a nice spot to relax?" Maya suggested, her eyes brimming with curiosity as they strolled through the streets.
"Then let's head to the Adventurers Guild and complete a quest or something!" Ayaka exclaimed joyfully, casting an eager glance at Maya, hoping for her approval.
"No," Ayami muttered, her expression fatigued as she gripped her stomach. "Not before I put something in my belly. We haven't had lunch, and yet it's almost dinner time!"
"And besides we couldn't register at the guild since our skills were lacking!" Maya asserted, her expression carrying a mix of determination and slight unease.
"Don't worry, this time around you'll breeze through adventurer registration now that you've got your class category," Ayaka reassured Maya, her tone brimming with joy and confidence.
"First, let's head back to the Sylvan Haven Inn and grab a bite to eat before making any other plans," Ewaan suggested, his eyes fixed on the path ahead as they strolled along.
Ayami beamed and exclaimed, "Thanks for being on my side! I always thought you were too self-absorbed to see things from someone else's perspective."
Ewaan interjected, bluntly saying, "I didn't take your side. I'm also hungry."
"Wha?? At least say something nice for once, you jerk..." Ayami expressed her annoyance with a playful roll of her eyes.
°°°
Engaged in casual conversation, they strolled back to the Sylvan Haven Inn, the closest lodging to the Church and their previous residence.
As the sun began its descent, casting a golden hue across the inn, the group settled around a cozy table.
"So, what shall we eat? Any preferences?" Ayami asked, looking around at her companions.
The previously encountered waitress, Taliyah, approached the table with parchment menus in hand, her warm smile lighting up her face.
"Good evening!" she greeted cheerfully. "What can I get for you today?" With a graceful gesture, she handed the menus to the group.
"I'm craving that delicious grilled chicken with the special sauce!" Maya's eyes lit up as she exclaimed with enthusiasm.
Ewaan, scanning the menu, remarked, "A buffalo steak, medium-rare, sounds perfect." He furrowed his eyebrows slightly as he glanced over the options, contemplating his choice.
– You attacked me before, and now, I'll eat you!
He added with a playful tiny smirk around his lips, referring to his meal choice.
Ayami was taken aback by Ewaan's sudden smirk, which had an almost sinister quality to it.
Shaking her head to dismiss the thought, she refocused on the menu and announced, "The Minotaur Meatball Marinara and those famous dessert you have. That's my pick."
Ayaka nodded, her enthusiasm slightly dampened suddenly as she recalled Ayami's earlier outburst a few days ago.
With a nervous smile, she remarked, "The seafood pasta here is excellent. I'll go with that."
Maya and Ayami exchanged surprised glances at Ayaka's sudden change in her diet.
Sensing her discomfort, Ewaan intervened, reassuringly saying, "Don't worry, order as much food as you like... My treat!"
The girls were visibly taken aback, their eyebrows shooting up in surprise.
Ayami's skepticism was evident as she questioned, "Where did you get that much money—no, scratch that. How do you have money to begin with? You've been with us since… well, from the beginning!"
Upon hearing Ayami's question, Maya's expression turned a mix of surprise and anticipation, eager to hear Ewaan's response.
He remained silent, a flicker of discomfort crossing his features.
Ayaka, noticing this, remarked, "It's alright, You don't have to go to such lengths for my sake. Besides, I don't have that much appetite..." In a polite yet slightly hesitant tone.
He glanced at her, maintaining a straight face, "I have the means to cover the expenses. Besides, I've promised before to repay you generously for all your help. So, feel free to do whatever you wish."
Ayaka was on the verge of declining his proposal once more.
Sensing her hesitation, he retrieved a pouch from his belongings and placed it on the table in front of them.
Their surprise was evident as they saw the unexpected sight of the gold coins in Ewaan's possession.
Ayami's confusion burst out in a flurry of questions. "Wait? What—where—how—… why do you have this much money? Did you rob a wealthy man at night while we were sleeping or something?"
He felt offended by the question, his brow furrowing as he replied, "Do I look like a thief to you? No, I didn't rob anybody! But…" He paused, hesitant to reveal the source of the money.
He didn't steal it, but he also didn't earn it conventionally. Revealing his involvement with the rewards system was something he wanted to keep to himself, even from Maya, at least for the time being.
In a moment of quick thinking, he fabricated a story about wandering through the night, stumbling upon an old man in distress, and coming to his aid. As a token of gratitude, the old man bestowed some money upon him as a reward.
Although they found his story difficult to believe, they chose to accept it for the time being.
He then set the pouch aside, gesturing towards Ayaka to order as much food as she desired.
As Ayaka's face lit up with happiness, she didn't hesitate this time and ordered numerous courses and side dishes.
Observing Ayaka's enthusiastic and reckless ordering, Ayami interjected, "Hey, hey, hold on! Let's not go overboard with the food. We're here for dinner, not for a whole buffet…"
"It's fine, let her." Ewaan interjected, calmly, "I'm not only treating her, you know, so order your fair share as well." Afterwards, turned his gaze towards Maya.
Understanding the unspoken message, Maya responded with a content expression, "I'm satisfied with the meal I ordered."
Ayami chimed in with flustered red cheeks, a hint of playful annoyance in her tone. "I—I don't eat like Ayaka over there. A normal portion of food is enough for me!"
Waitress Taliyah departed with their order in hand, and shortly after, their meals were served.
Although Ewaan kept his reaction subdued, he felt a slight surprise at the abundance of food on the table.
••• ••• •••