"The tears that can help lovers defy their fate," I mumbled, making them all focus on me, "the tears of eternal love—Dumal-Hubb."
"What's that?" Oliver asked, glancing at me.
"Dumal-hubb. In the legend, it's a golden liquid that symbolizes eternal love," I replied, looking at them, my tone mimicking the tone of the girl who told me this.
"It's a liquid that can bind two lovers for eternity."
"How does that work?" Aimar asked, looking at me curiously.
"It's said that when two lovers bathe in the golden liquid....
it changes their body,soul,fate and destiny.....
so they could be a perfect match for each other," I replied, looking at Ashlyn.
"Bathing in it can nourish the body, replenish the life source.....
regenerate lost limbs, and make the most broken body into the most perfect body," Ashlyn continued from where I left off.
"But it only works when two people bathe in it, binding them with each other forever."
"That sounds so...romantic," Aaliyah mumbled as she stole a quick glance at Oliver.
"There is also a legend about her shrine," Ashlyn said, making all of us look at her. "It's said that if one can find her shrine.....
they can ask the priestess there to tell you about your destined lover."
"And... whoever finds the shrine will also find a lover who will go to any lengths for them," I mumbled, recalling those words.
[Do you know this from the game?]
'No, when I was a child... Christina used to tell me about this.'
"Anyway, those are myths, so don't take them seriously," I said out loud, looking at them.
"Hmm, but if two lovers bathe in that liquid, they will only love each other?" Oliver mumbled, rubbing his chin.
"The closer they are to each other, the deeper they will fall for each other," I replied, glancing at him. "I hope that answers your question."
"Hmm, then it's not for you, Az," Oliver replied with a grin. "A fucker like you would never settle for one girl."
"Shut it," I replied as I slapped his chest again.
"ARGHH, now it's confirmed you have a thing for my tits," he grimaced in pain, glaring at me.
"But what happened to that angel or mortal?" Aimar asked curiously, looking at Ashlyn.
"It's said that an army of angels was sent to capture him," Ashlyn replied with a thoughtful expression, "but it's not clear. He was either executed or sealed for the end of time."
"Huh? That's harsh," Aimar mumbled, clicking his tongue.
"How do you even know all this?" Oliver asked, rubbing his chest.
"My mother used to tell me when I was a child," Ashlyn replied with a sad smile on her face.
"We are going to the girls' dormitory." Grabbing both Ashlyn and Aaliyah's hands, Miley said, "bye, idiots."
"So... What's the plan now?" Oliver asked as he looked at Miley walking away, still rubbing his chest.
"Stop rubbing your chest, you look like a perverted uncle," I replied as I walked towards the boys' dormitory, "and I am going to my room."
But before that, I looked back at Oliver. "And yeah, there are female minotaurs as well, I was just bullshitting with you."
"FUCK, I knew it, I shouldn't have trusted you," he swore, but I just ignored him.
It didn't take me long to arrive at the five-floor building, which was big enough to house thousands of students.
Walking in, I moved towards the elevator before entering it.
As soon as I entered, I leaned on the elevator wall as it took me towards the third floor.
[You look tired.]
'I am tired, buddy.'
[A lot happened today, huh?]
'Yeah, a lot happened.'
And from tomorrow onwards, a lot will happen again because my grinding will start.
With a 'Ding,' the door opened up as I walked towards my room, which was already assigned to me by Daphne.
Walking through the corridor, I arrived at my room, which was room number 13.
"Hmm?" But my eyes quickly fell on the box that was placed at the side of the room.
"Ah, right, the life meter," I mumbled as I picked up the box and walked into my room by swiping my room card.
The room was simple, without much decoration, but I didn't look around much as I walked towards the bed and took a seat.
"Let's see how long I will live," I mumbled as I tore open the box and took out the object inside.
It was a digital device with a plastic body and a needle at the end, with a pattern made on its surface.
[It's a rune.]
"Yeah, non-combat runes are uncommon but not rare," I replied as I touched the runic pattern.
Without much delay, I turned the device on and pricked my finger with the needle until blood gushed out, soaking into the runes.
Beep... Beep...
It let out two beeping sounds before the numbers on the display started to change.
[Man, I am more nervous than you.]
"Hahaha, don't be," I replied with a smile as the numbers on the display stopped.
======
9-6-3.
======
"Nine years, six months, and three days," I mumbled as I lay on the bed before I took out my earphones.
[You don't seem very concerned about it.]
"....I wasn't expecting much from the start," I mumbled as I plugged in the earphones into my phone.
[...You never told me, Azariah, why do you only have nine years to live?"]
"....Well, my life source is broken," I replied as I played the song of the singer "Echo."
[....What?]
"Yeah, I only have a third of my life source," I replied nonchalantly as I closed my eyes, listening to her song.
[ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?]
"....Why are you shouting now?" I grumbled as I stopped the music.
[Do you even UNDERSTAND what kind of situation you are in?]
"....Kinda."
[Do you even know what a life source is?]
"It's a source that every living being has in their body that keeps them aliv—."
[I am not fucking asking that!!]
"Then what?"
[Life source is the base of your life! No matter how much you extend your life from ranking up, your base will always be damaged!!]
"So what?"
[So what? SO WHAT? Azariah, the moment you hit the nine-year mark, then no matter how powerful or high your rank is, you will be no different than a person on their death bed.]
"Ahh, okay."
[.....You already knew that, didn't you?]
"I am Esmeray's son.... These are basic knowledge for me."
[....Then why are you like this?]
"Because living after nine years is my least of my worries now..... You don't know the future, but I do...."
[....How did this happen, Azariah? How did you damage your life source?]
"....Well, you know I was kidnapped and tortured—."
[Stop lying to me, Azariah. Both of us know a life source can't be damaged with external force.]
I...I didn't reply but just looked blankly at the white ceiling.
It's kind of funny how I like to stare at the ceiling.
I lifted my left hand above my head as I lay on the bed.
And....my eyes instinctively fell on the engagement ring.
"You know, El....A child's love is the most innocent love," I mumbled as I looked at the ring on my hand.
"And the most stupid love as well."