Arena Forty-Seven: Their Secrets VII

As both Roxy and Anastasia approached me for a dance, I was seriously in a bind... Choosing one over another would cause some major issues.

But then... As if to add fuel to the fire, Raymond, who had been standing behind me, chuckled and suggested.

"Why not you two share him?"

Thanks to that, currently I was in a constantly changing style between foxtrot and waltz as I changed my partner from Roxy to Anastasia every few minutes or so.

The musicians in charge of the songs kept switching the songs every time my partner changed... And me, a commoner with only superficial knowledge about ballroom dances, found it extremely tiring.

Yet, I didn't give up. I didn't want to embarrass myself, nor I wanted to humiliate the girls who went out of their way to invite me... Which resulted in a long hour of pain and torture.

But finally, the dance ended with claps and words of praise... Mostly due to Roxy and Anastasia's involvement and their movements.

Panting and sweating slightly, I slumped down on a chair in the corner of the room. Taking another drink from the nearby servant, I gulped it down in one go.

"That was a nice dance."

Suddenly, a feminine voice spoke up just beside me. Startled, I turned towards the voice and saw Felicia in a white gown, watching me with gentle eyes.

Immediately, the whole incident with the emperor came to my mind. I put myself on guard and replied to her praise.

"Thanks... But it was mostly Roxy and Anastasia."

"Even so, you did well. I think you deserved to be praised for that."

Felicia felt more mature and distant... just like she had felt when she had whispered those cold words yesterday.

"... Thanks."

I decided to end the conversation then and there. This version of Felicia didn't sit well with me.

Looking at her made me feel like I was looking at a cold-hearted observer, distant from the subjects she was overseeing.

I turned my face away from both Felicia and those unpleasant thoughts, but Felicia forced me to engage with her in a conversation once again.

"... Are you angry at me?"

"... Why would I be angry at you?"

I asked, hardening my jaws. I knew very well what she was referring to, but still played dumb.

"... Come with me."

She walked out of the room through the nearby door and gestured me to follow.

I hesitated for a moment whether to follow her or not, but ultimately decided to go with her.

Even though I had rejected the emperor's offers, I didn't think any immediate harm would come to me. At least, not from Felicia.

She did make me feel uncomfortable... But she wasn't a person who would use underhanded techniques... Probably.

But even if she did, I could escape using either one of my skills.

Reassuring myself of my own safety, I walked behind her through the corridors guarded by the Imperial Guards. The corridors were devoid of any artificial lighting for some reason... In the darkness, the Imperial Guards looked more daunting than ever.

The sun had already set down, and the moonlight was coming through the large windows, brightening the hallways in a dream-like manner.

Felicia and I strode through the hallways and got down the stairs instead of using the elevators in the back for some absurd reason... But soon, both of us were outside the castle, standing inside the lush garden hidden behind the magnificent structure.

As we reached the middle of the garden, Felicia abruptly stopped and turned around. In the moonlight, she, along with her bright eyes, silver ornaments and white gown, looked created a gorgeous scene... But I knew well than to just trust her.

She analyzed my face for a few moments, before speaking up.

"What do you know about the relationship between the Imperial Family and the major noble houses, Arnold?"

With her blunt way of asking, I guessed that she already knew about my knowledge... So I decided to come clean.

"I know that the relationship isn't exactly stable right now."

"Mhm. You're correct. As the situation is going, either the major houses would rebel, or the Imperial Family would execute the house heads and strip away their powers as a threat."

Felicia declared in a bone-chilling tone. I frowned at her way of saying things... But she was probably saying the truth.

"But why? The noble families and the Imperial Family have co-existed for a thousand years... Why can't they co-exist now?"

"Well... Partly due to my father's paranoia and partly due to the foolishness of the lesser nobles... I would say."

She smiled wryly before turning her face towards the moon.

"My father... From his childhood, has been an extremely paranoid person. He isn't a bad father by any means, though. But... He is extremely wary of the powers around him."

"... But there isn't any reason to be wary, is there?"

"There is... Say, Arnold. Do you know about [the Source]?"

"[The Source]? I think I've heard about it."

I faintly remembered the vague explanation given to me by George... But I didn't know anything besides that.

"What is it, then?"

Felicia asked me while smiling.

"A server or a core from where the Neura manages the vast world of Stigma?"

"Close, but not quite. In reality, [The Source] is a powerful mass of knowledge... Which the system has dubbed as the Akashic Records."

"Akashic Records?"

"It's something that can see the past, present or future... A place where one can find any knowledge they desire."

"... Something like a god?"

Hearing my mutterings, Felicia giggled.

"That's an interesting way to put it, but can't say you are wrong. But then again..."

Felicia stopped her laughter unexpectedly and stared at me with curious eyes.

"What is a God, Arnold?"

"An entity that can exist beyond mortal understanding... A being that can create anything it wants... Maybe?"

There was no religion in Alpha, so the concept of Gods was something that came from the past religions of the world.

These religions, as well as their scriptures and sources, had long since disappeared.

"I see, so that's how you see them."

Felicia nodded, as if understanding my words. Narrowing my eyes, I asked her a question in return.

"You don't see gods that way?"

"No, I don't."

She clearly stated as she turned and started walking again. Frowning, I followed her.

She explained as she strode forward.

"In my opinion, gods are frail beings originating from human minds wanting something strong to depend on... But that's not what I wanted to talk about. Anyhow... [The Source], which is something like a god, had sent my father a message, apparently."

"Why would it send a message to your father out of all people?"

I asked, not believing her words. Then I realized that I had casually referred to the emperor... But Felicia just shrugged it off.

Going back to the previous topic, she grumbled.

"Don't ask me... He just woke up one day and claimed so."

"And everyone trusted him?"

"No one did. That's the issue."

"... What about the major noble houses?"

"He did go there... But none took it seriously. Back then, father was just a crown prince, not the emperor... So his words had less weight compared to the major house heads."

"What about the current house heads? Where were they?"

"They... They were friends with my father... But even they laughed it off, saying it was a weird dream."

I could feel a slight trace of anger from her voice as she spoke of the past.

However... There was one question remaining.

"What did [The Source] tell him?"

"That our world is in danger... a being capable of destroying everything had been born here."

"When was this, again?"

I asked, feeling more off as we walked deeper into the garden.

"Around sixteen years ago, maybe. The vague prophecy had been accompanied by some vivid images of carnage and destructions, with sectors being lost. Even though father had pointed out the sectors that would soon be destroyed, no one trusted him, and as a result, the sectors really disappeared."

"So... He became more paranoid?"

"Yes... The prophecy also spoke about his downfall, which made him extremely afraid of the powers around him. So much that he sent his only sons out to another country so that they couldn't have much influence here. He had also been limiting the influence of the three major nobles... Which caused friction between them. The A.R.M.A. had been trying to keep it to a minimum, but even they are exhausted."

Felicia stopped for a moment to take a deep breath before continuing. I was a little surprised at the mention of the spy organization, but chose to keep my mouth shut.

"The lesser nobles also trust the major houses more than they trust the Imperial Family... Which irked father more. And then came you."

"Me? What do I have to do with this?"

I asked, slightly offended. People had been treating me like a rare commodity in the last few days... Couldn't say I liked it.

"Even though I was supposed to get to you first, Anastasia, who had been on patrol, had responded to Grey's distress call first... And became more involved with you."

"And for His Majesty, it was an issue."

"Mhm. Father clearly had complicated feelings... But he wanted to take the wait and see approach. So he denied any comment on your situation back then."

So, Christopher was one of the few people responsible for my current sticky situation... So far I didn't have a favourable impression of the emperor.

"Continue."

Suppressing my thoughts and keeping a poker face, I asked Felicia to continue.

We had already reached the end of the garden. Bushes full of flowers in front of us, and behind them was the high wall.

Sitting in front of the flower bush, Felicia casually picked up a flower as she continued her story.

"But you got more involved with the major houses, even after seeing their unexplainable powers and complex situations. Before father knew it, you were already a part of my squad."

"Why didn't he try to do anything after that? Why did he wait for so long to invite me to Atlas?"

"Because of A.R.M.A. closely monitoring you and the academy being part of the Valentina Family's jurisdiction, if he did anything to you or just even met you, it could have meant war."

"I get your point... But tell me one thing. Why did he create Atlas?"

I asked, though I could guess why.

"To prevent the tragedy he saw in his dreams... And destroy the being that will destroy this world... that was what he had said to me. Atlas was created as an elitist organization, focusing solely on the survival of humanity."

"And due to my grade... He wanted me to join Atlas?"

"No, not just for your grade. I told you how the system calls [The Source] as Akashic Records, right?"

Felicia said while looking over her shoulder.

"Yeah... You did."

"It was actually Amaterasu, my Regalia's A.I., which kept calling it that. Once, I had asked the A.I. what it was... And it replied with the following line."

Felicia stood up and pressed one of the many jewel-like ornaments on her dress. A robotic voice suddenly spoke up... These ornaments were voice recorders.

"The Akashic Records are the source of all divine strength... And the source of our very being."

I knew the Regalia A.I. could talk and convey their thoughts to some extent due to piloting Helios... But I didn't think it would state something so clearly.

But that still didn't explain my relationship with all these.

"So... I know what the Akashic Records are... But what about it?"

"And the beings that have the strongest connection with it are the gods... Or these Regalia A.I.s apparently. And only Elliots, the chosen ones, have the qualifications to command these gods... Yet..."

She looked into my eyes, whispering the next words.

"You, even though you aren't an Elliot... Could pilot a Regalia."

I broke into a cold sweat as I heard those words. It seemed that they somehow knew about me piloting Helios... Even though Anastasia had asked to keep it a secret...

I couldn't imagine Grey spilling the beans, and I wouldn't want to cause my own demise... So that meant...

"You were spying on her?"

"It was a necessary evil."

Felicia didn't deny the accusation. She just shrugged and went on to the previous topic.

"There's only one possible way you can pilot a Regalia without being an Elliot... And that's if you have a strong connection with [The Source]."

Felicia muttered as she tried to pry into my soul with her unwavering gaze.

"But you didn't know about it until recently, did you? [The Source], I mean."

Felicia took a step forward towards me.

"No... I didn't."

I said, stepping back slightly.

"Then... It means that you have a strong connection with the gods themselves."

"..."

Even though I kept my mouth shut, Felicia continued.

"And you, who has such a strong connection with [The Source], is necessary for Atlas."

"..."

I kept quiet as I took another step back.

"So... I'll ask you again, Arnold. Won't you join us to save humanity?"

Felicia asked gently as she extended her hand towards me.

I gazed at the hands for a few moments. Immediately, that bright smile resurfaced inside my mind.

"... I refuse."

I firmly said as I turned away.

"That's sad... Get him."

I could hear Felicia's cold voice behind me.

Instantly, I tried to activate my skill.

[Alter Eg-]

But something pierced my arm at that very moment, making my words jumbled. I looked down and saw a tranquillizer dart sticking out of my arm... Probably shot by a sniper.

My vision became blurry as my body fell forward. But before I could touch the ground, two pairs of hands grabbed me.

"Take him away."

I heard Felicia giving the command to someone, but my vision had already blackened out.