Future Plans

Stepping out of the Temple of Alethia, Damian shielded his eyes from the bright midday sun, mesmerised by the towering Pyre of Aionios. Sleipnir sat on his head, his red eyes wide with awe, observing the magnificent structure.

Amazing right? Damian questioned inwardly, to which the dark rabbit curtly nodded.

With a smile on his face, he carefully descended the front staircase of the temple, resisting the temptation to gaze too deeply at the flickering Phoenix divine flames on the braziers on either side.

Coupled with his sixth sense, his teachers' warnings echoed in his mind, foretelling a grim outcome if he focused on them.

As he approached the central hub of the forum Domikritos, he could feel the vibrant energy of the crowd, a mix of excitement and curiosity as people from different cultures and backgrounds mingled together.

He observed a group of people wearing strikingly colourful attire, with long robes featuring intricate patterns that he recognised as a nod to the Azeth empire. The crowd, predominantly dressed in white robes, known as a Chiton and a Himation, draped over their bodies. A small number stood out with their elaborate and finely crafted Stolas and togas.

He nodded to himself while pondering something. I just realised I haven't made any concrete plans for my future travel destinations.

This was a significant dream of his. Besides his ultimate goal of unravelling the enigmas surrounding his awakening and becoming more powerful, he was uncertain about which place to explore initially as he embarked on his journey through the world.

Walking through the expansive and crowded forum, he absentmindedly touched his chin, lost in thought.

After the rune mastery class, which I expect will last about a month, the end of the year's festivities will begin.

After that, at the beginning of the new year, our expeditions will probably start, and it'll actually match with my exploration goals since we'll be venturing into the southern and western regions of the empire.

Then what? How long will the expeditions last? Upon reaching this thought, he sighed and shook his head.

Despite his many attempts, he couldn't extract any information about the expedition from Mateo. Every time he tried, Mateo quickly steered their conversations away from the topic, all while wearing mischievous smiles.

The art of Cliff hanging, huh? Making sure I'm left craving for more.

As he glanced up at the sky, he inwardly nodded in amazement, marvelling at the sheer magnitude of the majestic peak in front of him. The polished black obsidian spire stood before him, its width stretching far beyond the limits of his enhanced field of view.

Damian scanned the area, his head swivelling, as he caught sight of eight majestic white marble pillars positioned a distance away from the obsidian behemoth encircling the marble base of the spire.

As he gazed back up at the towering spire, memories of its storied past flooded his mind. Founded during the early Genesis era, the city of Musopolis stood as a reminder of the Aeterna Republic's triumph over the subjugated kingdom of Chrysos. This kingdom faced a string of betrayals in that war, orchestrated by the God of Causality, Metonia.

He will form a coalition comprising middle and small-sized families to carry out this revolt, together with the Euporia family and the Aeterna Republic joining forces. These families were all driven by their unwavering conviction that the rulers of their beloved kingdom had gone too far with their audacious experiments in attempting to birth a new King Kreisos.

The Logio family, one of the medium-sized families of that time, was granted dominion over part of the land gained in the war's aftermath to create Musopolis. Musopolis will later gain the esteemed title of the city of Knowledge, thanks to this family's prestigious connection to the renowned Historical Records, Herodotus.

However, tragedy will strike when the 11th Aeternal emperor, in a clandestine act, orchestrated the annihilation of Musopolis along with the Logio family. This cataclysmic event, known as the Great Fires of Musopolis, ravaged the city in the year 421AG. The fires blazed for a complete day, causing catastrophic damage and a tragic death toll of over 50,000 people.

Damian chuckled to himself as he gazed at the exact number, 63487, etched on the Pyre, realising it was more accurate to say "over 60000."

Though it's a spire, it's called a pyre instead. The Pyre of Aionios, a creation of the Goddess of Wisdom, Alethia Logio, is said to have been constructed using the ashes of the people who tragically lost their lives in the Great Fires.

It apparently happened shortly after She executed the 11th Aeternal emperor for His crimes.

Damian squinted his eyes at the pyre, but his focus was quickly interrupted as a flood of names overwhelmed his thoughts.

At this, Sleipnir flinched, his ears twitching as he looked around in confusion. Damian's breaths were slow and measured as he pressed his fingers against his temples, attempting to ease the pain.

I'm sorry, he weakly thought, closing his eyes to better soothe his throbbing headache.

Y-Yes, Sleipnir replied languidly, his weight now fully resting on Damian's head.

Like I thought, the names are, in fact, engraved on them, but subtly.

Despite not focusing his vision, he could discern numerous small inscriptions that covered the entire Pyre, only becoming visible when nearby.

Damian shook his head and walked away from the Pyre, casting a quick glance at the Northeastern part of the forum Domikritos.

A medium-sized, unremarkable house was the centre of attention as numerous people stood around it, their expressions filled with reverence.

That's the Goddess house, or so they say… But it's probably just a way of humanising Her.

Nodding to himself, he then headed towards the Agora central market, located on the southwest side of the forum.

***

Priscilla sank into the plush sofa, exhaling deeply, feeling herself relax. Her eyes met Aurelia's, who was seated across from her.

Initially, she had wanted to give her friend some space to sort out her thoughts. After all, this was the first time she was living in a place that lacked luxury.

However, after previously noting her cheerful stroll down the corridor, she inwardly praised Moria for his outstanding care.

Thinking that, Priscilla couldn't help but feel her cheeks flush with a rosy hue as she tentatively inquired, "I didn't really get to ask you this ever, but..."

"How does sex feel?" Aurelia nonchalantly interrupted her, completing her question.

With flushed cheeks, Priscilla nodded and cast her gaze downward, feeling a wave of embarrassment wash over her.

The golden-haired woman crossed her legs with a wide smile, shaking her head as she happily tended to her cascading hair.

"You've a fearless aura when it comes to battling mystical creatures, but when discussing intimate matters, you become as timid as a little girl."

"You know you're in your mid twenties, right?"

Priscilla furrowed her brows, her eyes narrowing as she muttered, "Why does my age even matter? Stay on topic."

"Oh, but it does matter," Aurelia insisted, uncrossing her legs and meticulously adding some finishing touches to her high bun.

Her eyes locked with her friend's as she continued speaking, her tone serious and focused.

"I honestly can't believe I, of all people, am telling you this, but at your age, most women are already settled down or actively planning to do so."

With an annoyed gesture, Priscilla rolled her eyes and crossed her legs in a display of impatience.

Undeterred, Aurelia continued, "I mean, if you put yourself out there, those attractive tutors will flock to you in an instant, and who knows, you might even find someone from the bustling crowd."

Priscilla's eyes narrowed as a smirk suddenly parted her lips.

"You know," she said, "We can drop the pretences in here, right?"

Aurelia froze in disbelief, her hand slapping her forehead as she sank back into the plush cushions of her sofa.

"Thank the Goddess we don't. I actually got used to keeping up the facade there."

Priscilla let out a frustrated sigh. Although they both resided in Aurelia's Domus, it was still very much under the ownership of the Euporia family.

In their unique form of rebellion against this family, the two friends often adopted a charming front. They would engage in polite conversations, attend parties hosted by nobles, entertain the nobility, and project an air of shyness and conservatism, all of which attracted eligible bachelors.

In reality, though, their true goals were to live on their own terms. And a golden opportunity for liberation finally presented itself when they awakened and received an invitation from the Truth-seekers.

Priscilla leaned forward with a smile, her hand reaching for a delicate porcelain teacup and its accompanying tea plate resting on a nearby table.

The scent of honey and lemon juice wafted up as she took a sip.

The contrasting flavours danced on her tongue—the sweetness bringing joy, while the sourness made her grimace slightly.

"But I see your point," Priscilla suddenly said, her tea cup clinking against the table as she placed it back.

As she leaned forward, she interlocked her hands and proudly exclaimed, "I can't believe how far I've come in just three short months!"

"The dream I had for six years now feels almost within reach."

Aurelia shook her head, her hand finding support as she rested her cheek on her right hand, her elbow comfortably settled on the armrest of the sofa.

"Right… You plan on becoming an Adept. I may sound repetitive, but it's highly improbable."

With a slow nod, Priscilla silently conveyed her agreement.

At the helm of every official organisation were unique existences, who were considered the epitome of achievable power for most of known history.

Below them, the Resonants took charge of the organisation, each of them playing a crucial tactical role.

While the number of harmonisers was on the rise in the past decades, the number of Resonants remained relatively constant, with most considering the willweaver stage as the backbone of any supernatural organisation.

Aurelia heaved out a heavy sigh, fully settling onto her side on the sofa, her eyes fixed on her friend.

"As far as I know, these beings have to go through extensive measures in order to reach this level of power."

Aurelia's eyes flickered with a mix of emotions as she ruminated, but then a playful smirk crossed her face, prompting her to add.

"Let's take that woman. For example, she followed her true desire, which was greed, irreversibly shattering my family in the process."

Hearing this, Priscilla's eyes softened with understanding, yet she remained silent.

"To have a shot at reaching that level, you'll need to pursue something significant that you genuinely desire."

Rolling around on the sofa, she faced its inviting body and let out a chuckle.

"Well, that's what some seasoned harmonisers would say. But I'm too stupid to offer a more insightful response."

She let out a long yawn, preparing to go to sleep, but then stated, "Remember your childhood friend once you succeed."

It's still early noon, and you're already feeling exhausted? With a knowing smile, Priscilla moved towards her cup of tea.

"Oh yeah, for your first question, it feels absolutely amazing. You should definitely give it a try," Aurelia replied abruptly.

"Though, for you, it'll probably only feel good if you've a profound connection with your partner, or whatever."

Priscilla took a sip of her tea, the sour-sweet taste matching her thoughts as she remembered her beast companion finding love.

... Guess I'm staying a maiden for a loooong time.