A devilish grin

"YOU!" The entity in Eren's head suddenly screamed, causing him to stop in his tracks, confusion flashing across his face.

"What about me?" he asked, his voice tinged with wariness.

"How are you connected to that… IMBECILE?!" The entity's enraged tone made it abundantly clear that whoever it was referring to was despised with an almost unfathomable intensity.

"Which... no, who?" Eren asked, raising an eyebrow, still unsure who or what the voice was referring to.

"That... bastard you just called the MAD GOD!" The voice spat, its contempt palpable. Eren's frown deepened. Something was off about this whole exchange. It felt like... like...

"That's not possible..." Eren muttered under his breath, his mind racing as he tried to make sense of the pieces falling into place.

"**I ASKED YOU A QUESTION, MORTAL! WHO ARE YOU?!**" the voice roared. Suddenly, the surrounding mana began to vibrate, the barely existing ether in the atmosphere coalescing, making the very air around him difficult to breathe and the mana almost impossible to absorb.

"I see... So, you're... a demon," Eren said, realization dawning. And then...

—BOOOOM!

---

In a vast chamber, illuminated by the radiant glow of chandeliers that seemed to capture the very essence of the sun, a gathering was underway. Kneeling before the symbol of the old religion—a set of five mysterious symbols etched onto a gold slate held aloft by a beautifully crafted staff known as "The Oracle"—was a young woman, barely past her teens.

Her hands were clasped in prayer, her face obscured by a thinly woven veil that did little to hide her ethereal beauty. Her hair was a striking shade of lustrous grey-white, and her golden eyes seemed to have a glow of their own. Her figure was perfectly proportioned, and she was clad in a white garment as spotless as freshly fallen snow.

Where was she? In the central cathedral of the old religion, located in the heart of Scanta Nevaria. And who was she? One of the chosen few, a young woman with a strong likelihood of becoming the next priestess of the Order of the Old Religion.

—BOOM!

The sound of the large doors opening reverberated through the chamber, announcing the arrival of another young woman, who confidently strode through the pews. Her skin was a porcelain shade of white, soft and alluring, complementing her sharply defined, triangular face and elegant neckline.

Her waist-length blue hair flowed behind her, tied back in a ponytail, her eyes a deep, mesmerizing shade of blue, and her full, pink lips were captivating. She was a living work of art, the epitome of elegance and beauty.

Despite being called a cathedral and SAID to be open to all inhabitants of Elysium, only those of the highest privilege could reside in Scanta Nevaria, and even fewer had the honor of stepping through the cathedral's gates. This woman was certainly no ordinary individual.

"Long time no see, Liliana," the blue-haired woman said, her voice strangely soothing.

"Who might you be?" Liliana replied, her tone amused as she continued to kneel.

"Oh, drop the act. I know you have your memories too... Just as he predicted," the blue-haired woman, now seated in a pew, retorted. She crossed her slender legs, rested her right palm under her chin, and toyed with her hair with her left hand.

"What do you want, Elena? The time isn't right... you shouldn't have come," Liliana said.

"I don't care what he said. I want to see him again. Tell me, Liliana, where is he?" Elena asked, smiling.

"Just like you... I am left in the dark—" Liliana began, but Elena cut her off.

"Stop it. I know you too well. You've probably already gone ahead of the rest of us. So, tell me, where. Is. He?" Elena emphasized, her voice firm.

...And then...

.... a devilish grin, hidden by a veil, slowly spread across Liliana's face in response.