The Great Mansion

Marina walked the corridors of the Great Mansion. That wasn't the original name. It was just a habit passed from demigod to demigod, since calling it home zero would have been downright bad. Marina had spent a lot of time there and found that the name given was more than suitable. In fact, the place was just a larger house than the others in the park. The demigoddess finally reached Mr. D'Agostini's office. She took a deep breath and knocked firmly.

Lyceum's voice came from the room: "Please Marina, come in."

Ien's daughter entered slowly: "Pardon the intrusion..." The man was sitting in front of the desk. Behind him there were various shelves and a small laboratory with vials filled with a yellowish liquid.

Lyceum D'Agostini, although he initially seemed like a simple and charming man, hid a deep secret linked to his identity: being an Erchitu, a cursed creature. Marina wasn't the type to keep up with gossip, but she knew what they said about him. He was defined as a favorite of the gods, a candidate to inherit the mask of the goddess of the hunt, a role of great responsibility to be filled at the passing of a new divine generation. To keep his characteristic form in check and live peacefully in the Lilies Park, he had undergone a special treatment devised by the god of medicine himself. The potion was a masterpiece of alchemical art, capable of restraining his nature and ensuring that he maintained control over his human form. A temporary but effective solution, which allowed him to live in harmony with the other demigods and maintain his supernatural powers, while awaiting the final verdict.

"They told me you were looking for me," the blonde sat down. "Did something happen?"

"Not at all," the man replied, standing up quickly and closing the wardrobe doors to hide its contents. "I just wanted to know what you think of Shirei."

Marina took a deep breath. "Well, it was unexpected. I didn't think another child of Cragar could be brought here."

A new voice came from their right: "We couldn't refuse."

The goddess Aena appeared from the window leading to the balcony.

Marina gasped: "Divine Aena..!" She immediately bowed her head as a sign of respect, that seemed to please the goddess.

Aena, the goddess of love, once again showed herself as a stunning figure of grace and beauty. Her presence exuded an aura of warmth and kindness, welcoming the demigoddess into her vicinity with a sweet and caressing smile. Her hair fell flowing in soft golden waves, like rays of sunshine dancing lightly on her shoulders. Her eyes were as deep as the night sky, of a color that recalled the reflection of the full moon, hidden by the clouds as her face was hidden by a white mask. A light rosy glow colored her cheeks, giving her a radiant and vital appearance. As usual, she was wearing an elegant dress, made up of light and transparent fabrics that seemed to float around her body.

"Forgive my impertinence, why did you say that?" The girl tried to distract herself from the magnetic presence of the goddess. "Was a request made for his stay here?"

"Exactly, from the god of the Underworld himself."

Seeing the goddess approach the desk and glance at Mr. D'Agostini, rector of the Lilies Park, Marina remained silent. The goddess seemed to move in slow motion and this distracted Marina. 

The Underworld, Ien's daughter had researched thoroughly about that place. 

The kingdom of Cragar was an inhospitable and gloomy place, permeated by a constant feeling of anguish. The air had been described as thick and stale, full of oppression, making it difficult even to breathe. Vision was obscured by a suffocating fog, which hid the outlines of the creatures that lived there. Their presence as monsters and ghosts was palpable, the sense of danger was permanent, giving the sensation of being constantly watched by invisible and menacing eyes. The Underworld was a place where hope struggled to find roots, all the texts she had read agreed on that.

"Cragar came in person," added the goddess. "He presented himself to the Celestial World, aware that he was at a numerical disadvantage and weakened by the location."

"Why did he do something like that, it's…" she stopped herself before saying anything wrong.

"Stupid?" Aena replied for her. "You're right to think so."

Lyceum added to the conversation: "For this reason, his request could not be refused, despite the danger to which we would be exposed."

"Cragar begged us to believe in the boy, to have faith that he could be our ally if we treated him right this time."

Marina reflected on the words she had just heard. Shirei had guessed right, the two in front of her were perfectly aware of the demigod's identity. Curiosity gripped her, she wanted to know who he was and why the gods seemed to treat him with respect. Even Cragar, who had been exiled from the Celestial World in the past, went so far as to beg his equals not to make a mistake. Marina opened her eyes wide for a moment, she had begun to connect the dots, thanks to the genius inherited from her mother. She began to suspect more and more that Shirei's memory loss had not been accidental. Perhaps the gods themselves had caused it, but she still had no hard evidence of that.

"Are you upset?" Asked Mr. D'Agostini.

Marina shook her head thoughtfully. "I was just thinking."

"You are your mother's daughter," Aena replied softly. "You are much more alike than you imagine."

Hearing about her mother stopped Marina for a second. She had never met her, not even once. She had only received a gift from her on her birthday: a pair of cuffs capable of sprouting silver daggers, similar to the hidden blades of Assassin's Creed. Sometimes she wondered how their conversation would go, or if she really cared about her.

"Anyway," the demigoddess was brought back to reality. "We just wanted to know what you think about Shirei", Lyceum continued to end the meeting.

"He's hiding something. It's clear that he doesn't remember his time at the Daffodil Academy, but he must know something. He also said he trains every day, but not here."

Lyceum hesitated and gritted his teeth. "He wasn't joking when he said he was going to the Underworld."

"Does he train there!?" Marina couldn't hold back her exclamation of amazement. Only the greatest demigods had entered it, and only a handful of them had made it out to tell the tale. It was a little different for a son of Cragar, but to think that he trained there. She was speechless.

"There's more?" Lyceum asked insistently.

"I've seen him use spectral travels, he masters it perfectly unlike Dalia. Then… there's nothing else really," she concluded.

Lyceum was about to ask more questions but the goddess of love stopped him with a wave of her hand and approached the demigoddess.

"Thank you for your help Marina, I would like you to continue to keep an eye on Cragar's children and come and tell us the news as soon as possible."

The blonde looked down uncomfortably having the magnificent goddess in front of her. "Should I snitch?"

"Consider it a service to safeguard this place and the demigods who live there." Aena raised her chin with her index finger. "Can I count on you?"

Ien's daughter was dumbfounded but ended up nodding.

"Good," the goddess of love exclaimed calmly. "We held you back too long, you're free to go."

Marina cracked a nervous smile before bowing again and heading towards the door. She quickly left the office and headed towards the cafeteria in hopes of finding the two half-brothers there. She didn't like the role she was given, but there weren't many choices, plus curiosity was killing her. Meanwhile in the office, Aena sat at the desk while Lyceum drank from one of the yellow flasks.

"It seems that the new era is slowly arriving, the first verse of Rutia's prophecy has come true", she noted with a grimace.

Mr. D'Agostini turned confused towards the goddess of love, looking for explanations.

Aena remained rather apathetic: "I fear that yet another battle awaits us."