"Nice!" Mirabella blurted out as she took a bite of a slice of cheesecake.
"It is pretty good, so your reaction is warranted," a chuckling Isabella stated.
"Too exaggerated," Agatha murmured as she took a bite of her own piece of cake. She clearly shared the same opinion of the cake as the princess but did well to hide her reaction.
"It is indeed a slice of heaven," Lucinda murmured with a bright expression. It seemed all were captivated by the savory cake.
Currently, the four were seated at a rather large café area located in the heart of the city, a hub of activity. They were seated outside, unaffected by the cold. The outer area was a chaotic mix of snow-covered tables, half-buried chairs, and patrons huddled together in thick coats and scarves, sipping steaming cups of coffee and hot chocolate. The scent of freshly brewed coffee and warm pastries filled the air, mixed with the crisp, cold notes of the winter breeze.
"But I must say, Lucinda, you have quite an important number of friends," Isabella started, sipping on a cup of her coffee. "A princess and an heir of a noble house. I'm feeling kind of like I don't fit in."
"Status means little," Agatha surprisingly mumbled.
"Blondie being thoughtful?" Mirabella snorted. "The world must be ending." All she got was a dry glare. Lucinda saw fit to intervene before another argument broke out.
"Agatha and Mirabella here are also going to be participating in the festival of Octavia," Lucinda smoothly changed the subject.
"Oh?" A surprised look adorned Isabella's face. "But you're both still so young."
"Doesn't matter," Mirabella cut in again, eating another slice of her cake. "I'll still be kicking ass, starting with those cultist scum," she declared boastfully.
"You're quite the confident one, princess," Isabella noted with a smile. "In any case, I do wish you luck."
"None will be needed," Mirabella waved off her words.
("She sounds as boastful as Mikoto,") Agatha noted, amused. ("Has he really rubbed off on her in such a short time?")
"And what about you, Agatha?" The blonde perked up as the actress called out her name. "What are your thoughts on the upcoming festival?"
"Hmm..." Agatha pondered about an answer. If she were being completely honest, she had not been thinking much about the festival of Octavia. Her attention was on what the professor had spoken of on the ship. Arcane Ascendance, a technique that could help you reach the next peak of power.
Normally, her only motivation to gain power would have been to appease her father. But ever since she had seen that massacred village, her perspective had changed. There were powerless and innocent people out there who got caught up in things out of their hands. As naïve as it might have seemed, she wanted to save those kinds of people.
("But only those kinds of people,") she confirmed to herself. ("I'll save unequally.")
"I suppose the festival will be quite the endeavor," Agatha finally answered. "Alas, I shall try my best." Isabella gave her a smile.
"Then I wish you luck as well," the girl offered before turning her eyes to Lucinda. "But I fear the topic of the festival will go rather dull quickly. Let us change it," she declared. Lucinda tilted her head.
"To what?"
"Well, we're all young ladies here, so there really is only one topic to turn to," Isabella stated matter-of-factly with a smile.
"And just what would that be?" Mirabella asked with a questioning look.
"Love!" The actress exclaimed, drawing a few gazes from other patrons.
Lucinda gave her a confused gaze, Agatha gave a dull one, and Mirabella looked at her as if she were an idiot.
"Love? I do not follow," Agatha stated.
"You know? Do any of you have companions? Lovers? Boyfriends? Girlfriends?" Isabella asked, turning to glance at Mirabella. "As a princess, you must receive a lot of suitors."
"All of them are a pain in the ass to deal with," the princess stated with an annoyed frown as she reminisced. "Only old perverts and annoying guys my age offer me proposals, all in hopes of someday maybe being king when my older sister's reign is over."
"That does sound rather annoying," Isabella hummed with a look of understanding. "But there's always a soul mate for everyone out there," she reassured.
("Soul mate, huh?") the princess internally chuckled. ("Love is such bullshit.")
"And what about you, 'oh great spawn of Octavia'?" Isabella questioned in a joking tone. "Any boys caught your eye? Maybe that one who used to write you poems?"
"W-well, I hardly ever have any time for romance," Lucinda quickly explained, slightly flustered.
"Oh, come now, a girl can't stay alone forever," Isabella lightly chastised. "With your looks, you could swoon any man or woman." Lucinda just blushed further; it seems she did not respond well to compliments that were genuine.
("Romance,") Agatha mulled over the word. ("I never held romantic feelings for a boy my age; however, there is interest.") Mikoto, she held a keen interest in the boy. Nothing romantic, more scientific. Mikoto was odd, prideful, nice, unhinged, and quiet. He somehow managed to embody all of these conflicting things. Hence the interest, though she would want to know him better. His words in that village were comforting and showed a new side.
"And what of you, Agat-" Isabella seemed to want to direct the question to her now, but the numerous rapidly clanking footsteps cut her off. The four girls looked beyond the railings of the café to see a large number of knights running through the streets of Emberreach and towards the main gate. They seemed in a state of urgency. Lucinda shot out of her chair as she rushed over the railings. Stopping one of the knights with a puzzled expression, she spoke.
"What's going on?" She asked. The knight was in a hurry, but he must have noticed who and what she was, so he quickly relented with an answer.
"Damned cultists hit another town," the knight bit out. Lucinda's gaze grew serious as the knight continued. "Our scouts told us it was a town near the sea, Briarwick." And then it grew horrified.
-----------------
"The moon goddess," Mikoto frowned at Archbishop Percival's words. Asaun and Professor Eugene seemed confused, and Dante's expression was hidden from all. "Most odd, Rheya the moon goddess has no spawns as she is a new God, yet you have her scent."
("Seriously? Scent?") Mikoto mentally questioned incredulously. As absurd as it sounded, it did seem somewhat plausible. Mikoto had made sure to hide his mana well with layers of illusions on top of suppressing it. When Rheya had given him the mark, some of her mana had mixed with his own. Yet still, it would be impossible for anyone to detect it. ("Yet supposedly this guy can smell it?") He looked at the calm expression of the archbishop. Opening his mouth to speak, he was interrupted when the doors to the cathedral were slammed open and heavy clanking followed.
"I apologize for the intrusion!" He heard a muffled voice, and they turned to face a knight, one of Asaun's.
"Speak, what is the matter?" Asaun questioned. The knight immediately filled him in.
"Captain, our scouts report that multiple towns are being attacked by those damned cultists." Asaun's eyes widened.
"So soon?" He whispered with a frown as he turned to the Archbishop. "I apologize, Archbishop, but I must leave." The man just gave him a serene smile.
"Worry not, Ser Asaun, Godspeed," the Archbishop offered.
"If you are alright here, Mikoto, then I shall also take my leave and assist the knights," Professor Eugene stated. ("Mikoto is tense; when the Archbishop spoke of the moon Goddess, it started. I do not wish to burden him by staying here; he clearly has his secrets. And his trust is not easily gained.") The professor surmised.
"It's fine," Mikoto nodded with a silent sigh. He really would rather not be here at all, but it could not be helped. The professor gave him a nod as he turned to leave with Asaun, who barked some orders to the idle knight.
("I hope that will change, Mikoto.") The professor and knight captain left the cathedral as Mikoto turned back to the smiling Archbishop.
"Why do I have the moon Goddess's scent, huh?" Mikoto murmured. Percival quirked up an eyebrow as he awaited for the boy to continue. There were many things Mikoto could say here, but he opted for a few simple words. "No clue," he shrugged. The archbishop tilted his head. And then he gave a small chuckle.
"Apologies, it was a strange thing to say," Percival stated. Dante was still here, quiet like some statue. Was someone even in that suit of armor?
"I see, well, we should probably get this whole thing over with. You have more important things to do, no doubt," Mikoto had nothing important to do himself other than getting this whole tedious mission over with. "The Vel'ryr empire is involved. I fought the fourth princess; go ahead and confirm by re-"
"There is no need," the archbishop cut him off. "I believe you."
"Huh?" Mikoto blurted out, confused.
"I am a good judge of character," the man brightly proclaimed. "Is that not right, Dante?"
"..."
"He agrees, I think," Percival spoke with a pondering look. Mikoto just looked more befuddled beneath his mask. "On a different note, would you like some tea?"
This guy was a weird one, alright.