[Oracle of Past] [2] [Exiled Prince]
".....I heard Lady Esmeray's son is coming."
"Is he?" Paul asked, frowning. "I didn't hear anything about it."
"..I see," Delwyn replied softly, nodding his head as he looked at the royal family once more, who had taken their seats on the second floor.
"...Looks like we will have to wait for the announcement from the church," Luke mentioned, looking at them.
"...Yeah," Delwyn replied. "...About the [Exiled Prince], huh?"
"...Anyway, how are things going in the Pargoina Empire?" Luke asked, looking at Paul.
"...Yeah, I also heard Lady Esmeray's son formed a contract with three Spirits," Delwyn added, looking at him intently.
"....Those are just rumors." Paul replied nonchalantly, waving his hand. "...It's impossible for anyone to do that."
"...You don't need to hide it, Paul," Luke replied with a chuckle patting his shoulder. "...By now, everyone knows about it."
"Hahaha." Paul laughed awkwardly, scratching his cheek.
"...Misael," Luke called, turning Delwyn's focus towards him. "....I heard the Eufrates River is rapidly drying up in your empire."
"....It's not true," Delwyn replied, shaking his head.
"...I see," Luke mumbled, sipping his wine slowly before he looked at Paul.
"...Anything new from the other races about the pact between the two Empires and the Kingdom?"
"...They are opposing it, obviously," Paul replied, looking at his watch. "...But still, they don't have a choice but to accept it."
"...Why?" Delwyn asked, looking at him.
"....The Archons," Paul replied. "...They are going to supervise all the arrangements."
"...I see," Delwyn nodded as his gaze lingered on the entrance.
"...By the way, Luke," Paul said with a light smile.
"...Congratulations, someone from your kingdom made it into the Archons, and as the youngest Archon, no less."
"....Don't talk about that traitor," Luke grumbled, frustration and anger visible in his voice. "...She stole something that belonged to the kingdom."
"...The Rings of Nylaria wasn't something that your kingdom owned," Paul replied, shaking his head.
"...Nylaria lived in our kingdom for thousands of years," Luke rebuked, glaring at him. "She can't just take it away from us."
"...It's not like you can do anything about that," Paul replied with a grin, making Luke scowl. "She has already infused the ring with her body."
"...Yeah," Luke reluctantly nodded, a frustrated look on his face.
"...Would have been nice to see a thousand-year-old rivalry continuing," Paul commented, glancing at Delwyn.
"....Pity the Rings of Andarnaur got stolen by the Hysteria organization."
"...It doesn't matter," Delwyn replied, shaking his head. "...It was impossible to infuse with it anyway."
"Yeah..." Paul sighed heavily, "...and there are no more mythical creatures left to obtain rings from."
Delwyn remained silent, his gaze fixed on the entrance.
...
...
...
"...When will they end the party?" A beautiful girl with hair a mix of light blue and green grumbled, sitting on an artistic chair placed on the second floor.
"...Stay quiet, Inës," Tobias, the boy with light green hair sitting beside her, rebuked sternly, glaring at her.
"...Shut up, idiot brother," she replied, glaring back. "...No one asked you."
"Inës!"
"...He is your older brother. Show some respect," Elara, his twin sister, scolded, looking at her.
Inës pouted, looking at her sister before turning her gaze back to Tobias. "...I heard your best friend is coming today."
Tobias tilted his head, asking, "Who?"
"Azariah," she replied, grinning.
Tobias's face instantly hardened, and slowly, his face started to turn red with anger. "....He is not my friend!!"
Placing her hand over her mouth, Inës giggled softly and replied,
"Ah, that was so funny—when you kissed the princess's knuckles, and then she turned to him, and he was like, 'I refuse to indirectly kiss that piece of shi—.'"
"That wasn't funny," Elara interjected, glancing at her. "...He insulted two royal families at the same time."
"...And he still walked away like nothing happened," Tobias grumbled, clenching his fist. "...He should have been punished."
"...We can't do that, Tobias," his twin sister Elara replied. "...That would only strain our fragile relationship with the empire."
Tobias remained silent, looking at Inës. "....Don't entertain any weird thoughts."
"...I am not thinking anything," she replied, shaking her head.
"Be serious, Inës," Elara added, looking at her younger sister.
"...Don't try to pull any prank on him—we don't know how his mother will react to it."
"Huh?" Inës let out a puzzled sound, tilting her head.
"...His mother forgave him for anything he did, even when he couldn't use mana. We don't know how protective she is of him now,"
Tobias informed her, glancing at their father, who stood up from his seat.
"...Mama's boy, huh?," Inës mumbled with a light smile as she shifted her focus to her father.
"...Attention, please." Standing at the edge of the second floor, King Thalor announced,
"...Before we start my daughter's birthday celebration in earnest, there is something that the church wants to inform all of us."
The crowd below quieted down as the king stepped back a little.
"...The announcement will be recorded here and then spread throughout the kingdom."
Saying so, he stepped back, and in his place, a holographic figure of a woman materialized.
Holy Lady Irisveil.
Holy Lady Irisveil.
All the nobles present bowed their heads slightly, acknowledging her presence.
With her eyes covered by a blindfold, she nodded softly, her silver hair cascading down her shoulders.
"....Happy birthday, Inës," she glanced back slightly, mumbling those words with a smile.
Inës beamed with happiness, nodding gently in response as Irisveil shifted her focus towards the crowd below.
"...So, I have some good news and some bad news," Irisveil informed with a tired smile, looking at them.
Sighing, she continued, "...But as the single link between the three churches, I have to inform you about this..."
The interest of the crowd piqued as they intently looked at her.
"...For the good news, I have chosen my apprentice who will take my place in the future."
Gasp.
Gasps of astonishment ran throughout the hall as they heard her words.
It had only been more than a decade since the last time the Holy Lady was changed...
And the only time a Holy Lady is changed is when the previous one dies...
"...Now let's talk about the bad news." Ignoring the murmurs filling the hall, she continued,
"...And before I say it, I would like to inform you that this has been confirmed through my dreams by three Gods—Elohim, Adon, and Elyon."
Saying so, Irisveil shifted her focus to her hand as she mumbled softly, "...Forgive me."
"...It's been prophesied for a time we don't know, a chosen one will be born in this world," Irisveil said, her voice soft yet powerful enough to make everyone look at her,
"...And it came true when a boy was born years ago—Someone whom I have known for a long time."
"...The child of Mana... He who was chosen to be blessed by all three Gods, the one who was supposed to guide us all—the child of God." She whispered softly,
"....Ragnar Tairn Sgaeyl."
A few nobles in the crowd trembled slightly as they heard his name.
A monster who was born with the limitless talent....
"But... twelve years ago... during the war in Alfheim against Baal and Moloch... he lost his life..."
The whole crowd turned silent as she finished her words.
Irisveil also lowered her head without saying anything...
The silence stretched for a whole minute before she raised her head.
"...And if there is a chosen one, then there is always one who is supposed to oppose him," she announced, her voice becoming firm again.
"There is a phrase that defines 'him' properly," Irisveil mumbled, her gaze resting on Delwyn for a while before she continued,
"'He' who takes a step away will find himself farthest from heaven... 'He' who takes thousands of steps back will remain the same."
She let the crowd soak in her words before continuing,
"...'He' will be the one who will take the children of God away from them... the one who plunges the world into chaos."
Taking a deep breath, she continued,
"Fifteen years ago, from the deaths of millions of innocent people of the Hesperia Kingdom... On that day... The one hated by all, including the Gods...
...The [Exiled Prince] was born."
Click!
As soon as she finished her words, the door of the entrance clicked open, making everyone abruptly look in that direction...
...And soon enough, a boy with neatly combed purple hair, wearing a black suit, came into everyone's view.
Confusion etched on his handsome face as he slowly walked into the hall while everyone looked at him intently...
With a single thought running through everyone's mind...
...Was that really a coincidence?