'..What happened to her?'
I couldn't help but wonder as I looked at Inës.
Just by looking at her, I could tell she has changed a lot.
I can't pinpoint how, but she is carrying herself like an... adult?
'Hm, gloves?'
I thought as I looked at her hands.
'..Maybe to control her abilities?'
The Ekari Kingdom's royal family walked further as they stepped onto the stairs, moving towards the second floor.
Four different luxurious seats were neatly arranged for the mbers of the royal families and the church.
They took their seats, and finally, Inës started to look around.
Her gaze t mine, and she smiled softly.
I smiled back.
Her lips moved without any sound.
'et in ten minutes.'
I read her lips before nodding my head in agreent.
Her expression returned to stoic as she sat quietly.
...So, she is still the sa?
'...Oracle of Past.'
I mused as I picked up another glass of wine.
Unlike in the ga where she was supposed to die, Inës is alive.
...I have so idea about how the [Oracle of Future]'s abilities work, but not about hers.
'Are their abilities the sa?'
I wondered, sipping down the wine before picking up another glass.
'...Say sothing, El.'
[..What?]
'That title of yours... [Guardian of Oracle], what does that an?'
[..Don't worry about it; that title doesn't hold any aning now.]
'How so?'
I asked curiously.
[Long ago, there used to be only one Oracle... She could see, feel, and change the flow of the world.]
'.....Flow of what?'
I knitted my brows together as I heard his words.
What does that an?
[...Like I said, it's not important now.]
'Why?'
[Because the concept of [Oracle of Present] was erased from 'Lumina,' essentially breaking the flow into two—Past and Future with nothing to keep them connected.]
"...."
[Don't worry, my title is useless now; you don't have to protect the Oracles in my stead.]
'...I see.'
...That makes wonder how powerful the abilities of a complete Oracle were?
[Enough to be considered a threat by the primordials.]
"..."
I drew in a deep breath as I heard his words, a throbbing headache creeping within as I heard him.
'What type of monster were you protecting?'
[..It's nothing.]
He replied with a light chuckle.
I also got his intention and stopped asking anything else.
"They have arrived."
"The royal family of Mizraim Empire?"
"Move."
With the growing commotion around , my gaze turned towards the entrance where another family walked in.
"..."
The one leading them was a tall man with grey hair shaved from the sides and a bearded face.
But what took everyone's attention were the pair of siblings behind him.
""Gasp.""
A collective gasp of astonishnt echoed within the main hall as all eyes turned towards the lady.
A tall, beautiful lady whose every step oozed confidence and power.
She wore a vintage purple gown that loosely clung to her body, grey hair cascading behind her.
Her face, even from afar, looked abnormally beautiful as if carved from marble.
'...Roxanna.'
I thought silently as I looked at her.
...The so-called divine beauty of the human domain.
The people around admired her as if they had seen a goddess.
[...You don't seem impressed.]
'..h, she's good but not enough to make admire her.'
[Don't you have high standards.]
'Yep, Christina looks better than her anyway.'
I replied as I picked up another glass of wine, gulping it down at once.
'Hm?'
And for a fleeting mont, my gaze t with the girl before she looked away.
'..The fuck?'
I groaned as I felt my head turning heavy.
Wait, how many glasses of wine did I drink?
"..."
Well, whatever.
I turned to look at the Ekari Kingdom's seat, and sure enough, Inës wasn't present there.
I, too, turned around as I walked towards the inner part of the castle.
Not before grabbing another glass of wine, of course.
[Why are you drinking so much?]
'I have read sowhere that excessive drinking can stop dreams.'
[That's false.]
'I know, but there's nothing wrong with trying.'
[...Why?]
I sighed as I looked around the place, my stomach twisting even as I thought about it.
'The last dream I saw was the day before my fifteenth birthday.'
"..."
...The dream that will show why I killed my family back on Earth.
...Why I killed Senara.
And I would be lying if I said I am not scared of what I will see.
'...I just hope I don't get trauma from that dream.'
I chuckled dryly as I turned towards the hallway, finishing the glass of wine.
And just as I turned, I found a girl standing at the corner.
"Yo," I greeted her with a smile as she turned towards .
"Azariah." She smiled softly, her hair fluttering as she ran towards .
"Ah!"
But the mont she approached , her ankle twisted, and she fell down.
"...Idiot princess," I groaned, looking down at her.
"Help ," she whimpered, rubbing her ankle.
Sighing, I extended my hand towards her, helping her stand up again.
"Urgh, that hurts," she groaned, grabbing my arm for support.
"Who told you to run?" I said, flicking my finger on her forehead.
"Uh, is this how you treat a princess?" she grumbled softly, rubbing her forehead.
"No, I usually ignore them," I replied, shrugging. "Anyway, how have you been?"
"Barely alive," she groaned under her breath, "you know how fucking bad those people from Lumaria are—"
"Language." I flicked her forehead again.
"They deserve it," she said, glaring at . "Do you know how narcissistic those beings are?"
"Zior?" I asked, looking at her.
She nodded vigorously, "I hate their entire race."
"Wait, you're living in Kandam?" I knitted my brows together as I asked.
"Where else is Lemuria, smartass?" she asked sarcastically.
"Why?" I asked, flicking her forehead again.
"...It's the only place I'm safe from the Principalities." She whimpered, "...That's what my aunt said."
"Malenia, huh?"
I wondered out loud, nodding my head.
...She's one of the Archons, and unless the leader of Principalities himself tried to kill her, Inës should be safe there.
'..That fucker.'
My mood turned sour as I thought about that guy.
...If things are the sa as the ga, then I will see him soon.
And I seriously don't want to see him.
"Anyway, since when were we so close?" I asked as I glanced at her hand wrapped around my arm.
"Let be," she grumbled softly as we reached the balcony, "...I'm sick of acting like a perfect princess all the ti."
"Who is forcing you to act like one anyway?" I asked curiously.
Isn't she living away from her kingdom?
Then why behave like one?
"They only took in Lumaria because of my sister, and if I don't want to sully her na..." Her words trailed off as she removed her hands.
I nodded my head in understanding as she limped towards the railing for support.
"...Can you still not control your Oracle abilities?" I asked as I walked towards her, my gaze on her gloved hand.
"...No," she replied, her shoulders slumping down, "...But it has also beco more uncontrollable."
"How so?" I asked as the cold breeze rushed past my face.
"...I don't know," she replied, shaking her head, "...It was fine before, but when I visited Akasha, it turned rampant."
"...Akasha?" I asked, frowning.
She nodded in response, "...I started seeing visions just after my return."
[She ca in contact with [Oracle of Future]....]
"..."
I quietly walked towards her, noticing her expression turning into one of anxiety and distress.
"...Those visions, they are all bad," she replied, rubbing her palms, "...It's nothing but people dying, blood, and gore."
'...So, Inës's ability is similar to the [Oracle of Future].'
...It's just that instead of the future, she is looking into the past.
"I can feel emotions that aren't mine," she continued, her lips trembling, "...It's horrible to be stuck inside soone else's head, forced to watch things that I don't want to."
"...Hey, calm down," I whispered softly, holding her hand. "... Don't panic."
She drew in deep breaths as she looked at .
"...I don't understand," she replied, her voice breaking, "...What do those visions even an?"
"...You will understand soon enough." I replied with a smile as I patted her head.
'..El.'
[What?]
'Can you explain how her abilities work?'
[...She is seeing things from the eyes of previous Oracles.]
'...So?'
[...She is seeing and living in the past.[
"...Azariah." I glanced back at her as she whispered my na. "...One thing that doesn't make sense to ."
"...What?" I asked, tilting my head.
"...Every ti I see those visions, one thing is always common in them." She replied, drawing in deep breaths.
Her body trembled violently, and tears trickled down her eyes.
I squeezed her hands tightly, reassuring her.
"...I always see a man," she replied, her eyes staring into , "...A man with a purple crown hovering over his head."
"..."
My grip loosened on her hand as I stepped back.
"...My vision always ends with him telling the sa thing again and again."
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