"About last time, are you now willing to marry my brother? Claire asked her in a tone that left no room for doubt. She tilted her head with a sly smile towards the silver-haired girl and added, "That way, you could become my little sister."
"Only when you reach that age, of course." the purple-haired girl added, as a matter of fact.
"Sigh..." Seraphina let out a weary sigh, the same way she had done multiple times prior. "You know that I'm part of the Church and that I cannot marry anyone..."
"...besides, I only have one sister..." mumbled Seraphina, in a voice low enough that even Claire, who was so close to her, could not catch her words. Thinking of Coralie, Seraphina's gaze softened for a fleeting moment before her vision blurred and her chest tightened from heartache, she quickly went back to her normal state without Claire noticing.
This Third Daughter had brought up this matter so many times, so much that Seraphina sometimes wondered if Claire actually cared about her, that her affectionate actions were perhaps only a mere pretense.
Just thinking about it was enough to make Seraphina's heart ache like thousands of needles had just pricked it.
It was only natural for Seraphina to think that way. She had already rejected Claire's advances a hundred times over, yet, she still brought up this matter today.
"Speaking of which, how much progress have you made in your cultivation?" Seraphina asked, trying to steer the conversation away from her marriage.
"I made some progress since the last time we've seen each other." Claire proudly declared, lifting her voluptuous chest in pride. She did not care one bit that the silver-haired girl was trying to change the topic.
"All I need now is a 3-Star treasure rich in Water-elemental mana or a 4-Star resource and I will be able to condense my Third Star."
Magical resources and treasures were classified in the same category however, they both had vastly different uses, with treasures being rarer and more potent.
For example, the [Toxic Forest Heart] with all its uses, could even bring enormous benefits to someone without a poison affinity! It was also the culmination of all the power gathered by a Radiant 4-Star which propelled it directly to a 5-Star treasure.
Meanwhile, the [Poisonous Venom roots] from the same Radiant 4-Star [Poisonous Venom Tree], had very limited uses and as a cultivation resource, it was only ever useful to someone who shared the same affinity as the resource.
The [Poisonous Venom roots] was also just a regular body part for the [Poisonous Venom Tree], which only served to further the gap between a resource that could be regenerated and a treasure-something unique.
"Third Star, already?" Seraphina asked as her eyes fluttered with impressment."You were quick."
"I was already made aware by plenty, but coming from you, I'm flattered." Claire replied with a playful smile gracing her beautiful face.
In the short span of less than a year, the young lady of the Arests had managed to go from the Shaded phase of the Second Star up to the Star Condensation stage!
Someone with average talent and without the use of magical treasures or resources, would take at the very least fifteen years to form each of the first three stars.
Claire Arest was about to obtain her Third Star at the young age of sixteen years old! Though she had access to numerous treasures as a noble, it did not diminish the fact that she was a genius amongst her own peers.
Even compared to those prodigy and supposedly genius noble children, Claire still stood out from the rest as a genius among geniuses. Taking the Noble House rivals to the Arests, the Yvals as example, their eldest son who had just turned twenty was only at the entry stage of the Second Star while the younger Claire was already about to enter the Third Star level.
"If you want, I could help you look for such a treasure, Claire." Seraphina proposed to her friend- not in the sense of marriage of course, as helping other is what she knew how to do best. She would not mind catching a 4-Star level fish for Claire.
"No that's fine. I don't need your help with that." Claire shut her offer down. "Besides, Father has already purchased a flying shark's mana core, all that is left is for it to be delivered." she completed her sentence.
Claire drew a small breath before continuing.
"...All this time, you've only been asking about me but..." she said with a pause to catch her breath, as she propped her left hand to her chin before resting her head on it and resuming.
"...How about yourself?" the purple haired girl followed up. "Knowing you, you must have already left me behind, even with your busy schedule as a High Priestess."
"Well, I didn't make that much progress," Seraphina said, shyly rubbing the back of her head. "As you can see, I'm still a High Priestess."
Seraphina's words were ambiguous and may have implied she was still just a 3-Star, but it had really not been her intention. She truly had not made a lot of progress.
When High Priest Gabriel had died a few years ago, Seraphina had already been a 3-Star and, it was only very recently that she had formed her Fourth Star.
It did not help that resources rich in Light-elemental mana were especially scarce and the demand for them were through the roof. As for treasures of different affinity...about that...when she does get the chance, Seraphina preferred to sell them as the effects it would have on her would be limited.
From the money she earned, she would have less commissions to do, which meant more time for herself.
"It makes sense, don't worry." Claire tried to reassure her. "It's well known that the Fourth Star is a bottleneck few can overcome."
Though it was rare for an individual to progress beyond the Third Star, Claire was certain that Seraphina could do it.
Her confidence did not stem from nowhere; her father, Ambre Arest had assured her of it.
After all, reaching the Third Star at only nine years old, wasn't this something only an era-defining genius could achieve?
"Now that we're on this topic, isn't it the perfect occasion for a spar?" Claire asked this more to herself than to Seraphina, her dark-purple eyes flashing with what seemed to be excitement.
"There's only so much words can convey and, what better way to show you my progress than a practical show?"