"You have been in contact with a god..." Her voice, like a heavenly melody, rang out in the small room. It was tinged with something strange. Diana couldn't put her finger on it, but it didn't sound like an accusation.
Nonetheless, Diana's hairs rose on end, as she hesitantly took a step back, and she gripped her trembling hand behind her back.
Had the Saintess sensed Bahamut's aura? So that was Bahamut. Her little victory about summoning a god was quickly doused by the situation. Her thoughts raced inside her head.
"Whatever could you mean, Saintess?" She did her best to steady her shaky voice.
"And a phoenix." She turned her face towards the bird perched on Diana's shoulder. "How peculiar."
"Not my god." She placed a hand on her chin, her face tilted upwards as if she was looking into the distance. With a blindfold around her eyes, it made for a pretty amusing sight.
But Diana was anything but amused.
"You never told me you were religious." Ria whispered in her ear.
Diana ignored her and listened to Leah intently.
"Well, the Empire doesn't really discriminate against other religions, and it doesn't seem like an evil god..." She shrugged. "It's faint anyway," She turned back to Ria. "So, this is our warrior?"
Warrior? Diana turned towards Ria, who flashed her smile before interrupting Leah.
"Summoner." Diana corrected. Her earlier trepidation vanishing.
Leah turned towards Ria, her face tilted. She pinched the bridge of her nose. The halo on her head was dimming as if disappointed.
"You didn't even tell her?"
Ria shrugged.
What the hell was this gremlin hiding from her?
"Tell me what?"
"There can-
"It's fine, two summoners." Ria interjected, a smile almost as radiant as the Saintess halo on her face.
The Saintess sighed.
"Well, if it's okay with you, then..." Her face turned to Diana's.
"May the eternal light of Lux bless you". The corners of her lips curved into a beautiful smile as the light around her seemed to intensify, and a holy aura encompassed Diana.
[You have received the blessing of the Light That Covers All. +5 to all stats (Temporary)]
With no time to be surprised by the sudden blessing, Leah's voice entered her ear.
"It's a privilege to meet the Grand Duchess of the North." She gave a courteous bow.
"The pleasure is all mine Saintess." Diana replied with a respectful bow of her own.
Although it seemed foolish to do so to a person with a blindfold on.
"So you do smile." Ria interrupted with a dazzling smile of her own
"Hmmm." The Saintess ignored her and turned to face her. "Did you procure a tank?"
Ria flashed a smile and shook her head.
How was the Saintess supposed to see that? Right when Diana was about to open her mouth, she was interrupted by the Saintess.
"A disappointment, but expected," the Saintess mused. "This is all very last minute of you, though what else can I expect?" Her voice carried a tinge of exasperation.
"This is Sir Gabriel, and this is Dame Rachel." She gestured to the two paladins flanking her.
The one on her right wore silver armor with a winged closed-face helmet. She carried a white shield with a silver line down the middle and a longsword in her other hand.
"I greet the Young Sun and the Grand Duchess." She struck her shield in salute. As a paladin, she bowed only to the Saintess, the Pope, or her god.
The one on her left wore similar armor but was broader, his helmet adorned with a red plume.
"I greet the Young Sun and the Grand Duchess." He repeated, mimicking the gesture.
"A pleasure to--" Ria began, but the Saintess raised a hand to silence her.
"Dame Rachel is my sworn guard and a student. She will be our tank."
Ria nodded, her smile as radiant and unbothered as ever.
The Saintess shivered. "I can feel your fake smile from here. It's unnerving, stop."
Her head turned to face Diana.
Diana blushed. She knew it was rude to stare, but she couldn't help but wonder how she was seeing.
"It's because of this, isn't it?" She tapped the white cloth on her face.
Before Diana could protest, Leah stopped her and continued.
"Everyone asks the same question, don't worry." She beamed, like a holy mother.
Diana couldn't quite believe a smile could pacify, but after looking at her face, she was now a firm believer.
"Just as the light touches all, I can see all that the light touches. Of course, only around me"
Ria clicked her tongue. "Well, now that introductions are over, shall we?" She tilted her head toward the portal.
Leah nodded.
Diana stiffened as Ria grabbed her arm and pulled her closer. Hooking their arms together as she dragged her to the portal. Diana reluctantly moved with her.
The wind was pushing everything back, and the Mana was creating a stifling feeling.
They stepped through.
The sight that greeted them was a vast green plain, and a red gate bigger than the one they stepped through, surrounded by a crowd. The other academies had been waiting.
The scent of freshly cut grass entered her nose, but before she could enjoy the pleasant scent, a wave of nausea entered her head.
Diana stumbled and hunched over, barely resisting the urge to vomit. Her phoenix ignis left her shoulder and circled them in the sky.
Ria rubbed her back.
"There there." she cooed.
Diana wiped some saliva from her mouth.
"First time?" Leah asked while her hands glowed white.
"May the light envelop you." She whispered, and the light hugged her body.
The sensation left, and she stood upright.
"Thanks"
"Don't mention it." Leah nodded.
"What I don't get a thanks," Ria said with a teasing voice.
"Thanks." Diana rolled her eyes and looked around.
With a glance, Diana spotted Miss Kaede, who waved them over.
Murmurs erupted from the crowd of students.
"Is that the Imperial Princess?"
"Wow, she's beautiful..."
"Quiet unless you want to get killed."
"Ow! You didn't have to hit me. Oh, damn that's the Axe Demon and the Saintess!"
"I wonder if I could defeat the Axe Demon in a duel."
The princess party approached Miss Kaede, whose usually bored eyes were restless. Beside her stood a blond man in black armor, his helmet tucked under his arm; he was what Diana would classify as the very image of a knight from a fairy tale.
"It's nice that you finally joined us." Miss Kaede said dryly.
She turned towards the Knight, pride in her expression. "This is my top student, Princess Ria." She grabbed and pulled her closer. Something a regular person would never dream of doing.
Ria merely smiled.
"Where are my manners? this is the Sword Saint's Disciple, Sir Atys."
"A pleasure to meet the Young Sun." His voice slightly trembling, his green eyes were strained, and his smile seemed unstable. He pounded his chest in salute. The lion crest on his armor marked him as a knight of the Lionhart Empire.
Diana clenched her fist while she observed them.
Ria ignored the gesture, tilting her head, while her eyes widened as if in mock realization.
Kaede looked back and forth between them.
"The instructor for the royal class of the Divine Blade Academy." Kaede elaborated.
"I know him, how could I forget." Ria said sweetly.
"Yes, the prestige-" Kaede tried to interject, only to be interrupted by the Knight.
"Whatever could you mean, princess? This is our first meeting." He replied, his lip trembling as sweat visibly dripped down his brow.
"Sir Atys, get it together." Miss Kaede's eyes sparkled with amusement as she saw his state. Her arms crossed against each other, and her pose relaxed.
"No, you are mistaken, Sir. We have met before. You're that instructor who wept when we crossed swords."
"Ria, that isn't very nice. Tell me more." Kaede pressed with a genuine smile on her lips.
"No, that's enough-"
"You started to cry for mercy when my blade reached your throat. What was I?" She touched her chin. "Oh, right, I was 12 at the time, you cried to my father." She started to laugh and wiped a tear from her eye.
The commotion drew the attention of another group. A golden-haired man with blue eyes, his face strikingly similar to Ria's, approached, followed by another with golden eyes and a scar across his face. A black-haired girl with violet eyes trailed behind them, a mage's hat on her head.
The one who looked like Ria wore a black Military outfit, a sword attached to his hip. And a dragon's sigil on his lapel.
"Sister." The one who bore her resemblance spoke.
"If it isn't my younger brother." Diana blinked, and Ria was in front of her brother, pinching his cheeks. "You haven't been getting into trouble, have you?" Her smile was cunningly innocent.
He shoved her hand away, wiping his face with a handkerchief from his shirt pockets. His eyes narrowed. "Still the undignified creature you always were." His voice laced with Venom.
She turned towards Sir Atys. "Sir Atys, he doesn't mean that-"
"No, you-" He seethed through his gritted teeth.
"Enough idle chatter." Ria interrupted with a bright smile. "Aren't you going to introduce me to your friends?"
Her gaze locked onto the golden-eyed man. "Oh, I recognize you."
"Princess Ria." He forced a smile.
He was wearing the same uniform as the Prince, his golden hair on his head like a mane, and a jagged scar was on his face.
Diana's nails dug into her palms, her knuckles whitening.
'Leon'
The damned bastard, that would start the greatest war the world had ever seen, and the sole man responsible for her peace being disturbed.
"I see that ugly scar of yours hasn't healed yet."
"I'm sorry about that, I didn't think you were so weak." She emphasized the word weak, and her apologetic face was so glaringly fake.
His face twisted, his smile stiffening, his hands clenched tightly. A vein started to bulge on his forehead, and his muscles visibly tightened.
"You Bi-" He caught himself and cleared his throat. He adjusted his collar as if he were struggling to breathe.
"My, my, such a temper." Ria mused, her eyes drifting to his blade. "Care to cross swords again? I'd be delighted to give you a matching scar." A small, dangerous smile played on her lips.
Even Diana, who didn't like Leon, couldn't help but shiver.
'Ruthless.'