A laugh burst from Athena's lips, a sound so out of place with her earlier seriousness that it made us flinch. It started as a low chuckle but quickly escalated into a booming, almost mocking roar. The noise echoed through the room, its rowdiness completely at odds with the tense silence that had preceded it. We exchanged glances, a ripple of confusion and annoyance spreading through us.
"Like I said earlier, my gut tells me to do it," she says as she shoves two whole eggs into her mouth and bites another half of one.
It wasn't just two boiled eggs, she added another bite and Athena's cheeks ballooned out like a chipmunk's. Her mouth, which seemed perfectly normal just moments ago, stretched impossibly wide to accommodate all the food she ordered.
"Really? Is that it? Is there no other reason?" Ate Clydelle, asked, a hint of desperation in her voice.
Athena swallowed the massive mouthful with an audible gulp. "Uhh, well—I've sensed a strong mana from the four of you."
"Huh?" We all blurted out in a mixture of confusion and surprise.
"THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE," I exclaimed.
"And it's impossible that I'm wrong because my natural ability is to sense other people's mana/flow," Athena retorted calmly, wiping her chin with the back of her hand.
"What about that natural talent? Are you the only one in your clan who has it?" Ate Clydelle inquired, her curiosity now fully piqued.
"No, each kingdom has its own natural ability," Athena explained. "For example, the Elves' natural ability is to locate their enemy through the ground and read their enemy's movements. The Fairy's natural ability is to fly and have an enticing voice when they sing, and the Wizards have their crafting skills and inventiveness. Finally, The Eclipse Kingdom— I'm not entirely sure, but what I did know is that the king has the ability to give a massive mana flow to those chosen heirs from the royal families of Eclipse kingdom."
"Ohh, you mean they can strengthen their powers with the king's blessing?" Ate Clydelle clarified.
"Yeah, but not as powerful as us because we have a strong connection to beasts," Athena smirked, a flash of pride in her eyes.
"Oh, wow." I breathed out, completely in awe.
"How about you, Stephen and Marco, as one of the Princes from the Eclipse Kingdom, what's your natural ability?" Athena asked, turning her attention to the two princes.
Stephen shrugged nonchalantly. "I don't know, and I don't care," he admitted.
"Marco?" Athena pressed, clearly eager for a more detailed answer.
"The elders told us that we can wield two abilities if we are a direct descendant of the King or if noble blood runs strongly in us." he explained, a certain gravity in his tone.
"Oh, are there any of you who have two abilities?" Athena inquired, her eyes wide with fascination.
"Yeah, just a few of us," he replied.
"Athena, I'm curious because I was amazed by your height; how old are you?" I blurted out, desperate to change the subject. The information they were discussing was so complex it made my mortal mind feel like it was short-circuiting.
"I've already lived 19 years in this cursed world and counting more to centuries, thanks to our ancestors," she rolled her eyes dramatically.
"Indeed, thanks to YOUR ancestors," Stephen added, emphasizing the word with a pointed finger.
"Excuse me, but YOUR ancestors were ALSO involved."
"Whatever," he grumbled, turning his head away.
"Returning to our topic, you save one of us because you sensed a strong chakra from us?" Ate Clydelle interjected, her face lighting up with interest, much like when she first saw the animated film, "Shrep" It's an animated movie about a funny looking donkey and a green ogre.
"Ahh... Don't mind it, I'm just fooling around," she said sheepishly, her earlier pride replaced by an awkward grin.
"Then what's your true motive with my cousin?" Ate Clydelle's face tensed, her guard shooting back up.
"Hmm, something with your cousin reminded me of something," Athena said, her gaze fixed on me.
"What exactly do you mean?"
"She's kinda dumb—reckless, I mean. She's a little mortal who's awfully thoughtless to jump into a dangerous situation to save someone's life."
"Ah, like what you did earlier?" Ate Clydelle shot back, a knowing smirk on her face.
I snorted, stopping myself from laughing. Stephen burst out laughing, a genuine, booming sound, and Marco's lips twitched in a valiant but failed attempt to suppress a smile.
"Yeah, she's a tiny version of me," Athena chuckled, patting my head and making me blush.
"So you thought she resembles you?" Clydelle inquired.
"Yep," Athena replied proudly.
"Wait— Who are you calling tiny, you giant!?" I threatened, annoyed by her playful mockery.
"See? You see me as a giant lady, which is why I called you tiny," she teased, and I heard Stephen wheezing, unable to hold back his laughter any longer.
"Well, excuse me? Can't you see that ate Clydelle is the shortest among us?" I asked, which only made her laugh harder.
"Uh—wait— excuse me?" Ate Clydelle snapped.
"Yeah, but YOU ARE my other version, which is why I called you tiny."
"What's the deal with that?!"
"Nothing, that's why it's funny." They all laughed, a chorus of mirth filling the air. Was it just me, or was it a Zeraschian humor I couldn't understand?
"Hey, newbie guy!" my brother called out to Prince Stephen, putting a sudden stop to their laughter.
"Yes?" he said, turning his head to face him.
"Who are you, when did you meet my sister, and what are your intentions with her?" he inquired, his voice laced with a protective, brother tone.
"Oh, so you're her brother?" chuckled Stephen, a knowing smile on his face.
"What's with it?"
"You're giving off protective sibling vibes, which reminds me of someone," he laughed, glancing at Marco. "Anyway, I'm Stephen Heimdall, 18 years old, and this is my brother Marco Chester Heimdall, 19 years old; we're the nobles from the third family of the Eclipse kingdom," he said politely.
"Correction, we are the second family; the first is no longer alive," Marco clarified, his voice a low rumble.
"However, since they are the first family, we should include them."
"Yeah, but they've been gone for a long time."
"Why?" I inquired, "What happened to the first family?"
"It's too confidential," Marco explained, his face a mask of solemnity.
"Oh, understood."
The conversation flowed as easily as the passing time, our focus shifting to the upcoming tournament. We traded tips and tricks on tackling the daily commissions, those little tasks that awarded the crucial badges needed to advance.
For Athena's group, it was a smooth ride, they breezed through with ease. Marco and Stephen's group, however, found themselves at odds. Marco argued that some commissions were a waste of time, the effort far outweighing the meager rewards. Yet, a deeper sense of duty compelled him. It was a matter of principle; he couldn't stand the thought of leaving a task unfinished, regardless of its perceived value.
Stephen, on the other hand, approached each commission with a glint in his eye. To him, they weren't chores but side quests—mini-adventures that spiced up the main competition. He saw each new task as a puzzle to be solved, a chance to test their skills in new and unexpected ways.
The hours slipped away as we talked, the sun dipping below the horizon without us even noticing. One moment it was bright afternoon, the next, the world outside was cloaked in the deep purple of twilight.
Our conversation was so captivating, a whirlwind of shared stories and personal revelations. We delved into the intricacies of our different worlds, asking each other questions that went deeper than just surface-level facts. We were completely lost in the moment, building a bridge between our separate worlds with every laugh and every question.
"Oi! I have to go! Thanks for the treat!" Athena waved her hands wildly, already a blur as she sprinted away. "Let's eat again soon! See ya!"
"I WILL NOT TREAT YOU NEXT TIME! YOU SPENT HALF OF MY ALLOWANCE!" I bellowed, my voice cracking from the effort, but she was already too far away to hear anything but a distant, angry mumble.
Stephen's gentle smile was a stark contrast to my frustration. "We're leaving as well. Have a great day, and we'll see you again," he said, giving a polite nod. His companion simply nodded in silent agreement, his face unreadable as they turned to leave.
I watched them go, a heavy sigh escaping my lips as they disappeared over the ridge. They were Zeraschians—and more importantly, royalty—but they never acted like it. Not once had they treated us like the parasites so many of their kind considered us to be, a curse whispered in the dark corners of opulent courts.
The memory of their kindness gave me a glimmer of hope. I just wished it was true, a genuine belief in our worth. Because nothing would be worse than to have been touched by such light, only to discover that it was all a perfectly constructed lie.
Was it just a political performance for the masses or did they genuinely see us as equals? Only time will tell...