[ALIA BRIGHTSOUL — DESIRE LEVEL: 0/100 — TARGET FOUND]
When Rex saw the notification, especially the na and the last na of the woman, he felt a sense of satisfaction. ’Holy fucking shit...’
’This is... Apollo’s mother...!’
’A fucking gem indeed!’
Rex regarded her with a gaze that conveyed his genuine interest, not wanting to mask his curiosity. This was a distinct way he communicated when encountering soone who captured his attention.
"I am." He said, "Even though you have an advantage over , I don’t know your na."
"Oh, yeah, hehehe. I forgot to introduce myself."
"I’m Alia Brightsoul," she said. "High Priestess of the Life-Affinity Temple here in Aethelgard."
She winked. "I’m also the mother of the one that destroyed half of the capital... Apollo."
Rex absorbed this revelation as if he had just discovered a puzzle’s missing piece, suddenly finding the fragnts more compelling than they had seed individually.
’Jackpot.’
"What about the mission, Mother Alia?" Aisella asked.
"For now it’s done... and it’s faster than I thought because of the help of my dear husband."
’Husband, huh...? Good...’ Rex just faced another satisfying truth.
The mother of Apollo.
A High Priestess who had been away on a mission with her husband.
She went back to a city that had just been half destroyed by her son’s uncontrolled activation.
And what’s even better is that she had heard of Rex Rexilion, and her expression was unmistakable when she laid eyes on him.
"When I returned to Aethelgard, I heard so devastating news," Alia said. "I also heard about your actions."
Her tone resembled that of a mother returning to find her son in a restricted area, her city partially in ruins, and an unfamiliar person in the street who seed to be responsible for preventing the situation from worsening.
"What I could do," Rex said. It was the correct version, though it sounded like sothing soone lacking modesty would say.
Alia looked at him for a mont with the judgnt that a high priestess of any kind had developed over decades of judging people.
Then she said, "Honestly... I owe you more than a morning greeting can cover."
"My son almost gets punished hard, but you... you really saved him, and I feel so appreciated for what you did."
When she said that, Rex stifled a laugh, as he recognized another opportunity to undermine Apollo even further by having his grateful mother present.
She stared at Talyra and Aisella.
"Both of you are part of his assessnt group, right?" she inquired. "He ntioned you in connection with the island, and Apollo said that Rex is indeed a good young man for having protected both of you."
"Yes," Talyra said. "And Rex is indeed one HELLA strong warrior and kind-hearted too."
Alia chuckled. "Yep... I heard that a lot, getting praise by so citizens who got saved by him."
"Ahhh, fuck... the glazing made want to laugh so fucking badly," Rex clenched his fists.
"I really want to talk more with my son’s savior, so please... walk with for a mont," Alia said.
This was the kind of invitation that people who were used to getting people to do what she wanted did not turn down. She did not have power over them, but she was the kind of company that people did not usually turn down.
"Sure, I would love that." Rex nodded.
They went for a walk.
[ALIA BRIGHTSOUL— DESIRE LEVEL: 0 → 14/100]
As they walked, they discussed things that were comfortable for both of them. They had enough in common to keep the conversation going and enough differences to keep it captivating.
Alia asked questions and listened to the answers with the full attention of soone who was doing it as a practice instead of as a courtesy. She found herself genuinely intrigued by his perspectives, as they revealed layers of his personality she had yet to discover.
Each exchange deepened their connection, making the mundane feel extraordinary.
She asked about the island assessnt with the curiosity of soone who had sent her son’s friends into the field and was genuinely happy to hear that they had co back with results that were even better than what the academy expected.
Talyra said. "He literally saved both of us from a dungeon that was crumbling because we stole the gauntlets!"
"And he stopped a huge falling boulder that was about to crush us," Aisella added, emphasizing the gravity of the story.
"Oh my..." Alia exclaid, her hand pressed against her cheek in surprise as she listened to the story.
The conversation went smoothly as he discussed the problems they had and the creative ways they found to solve them. With each story, she could see how much he loved his assessnt, which made her more excited about the project and what it could do.
"He cares more about our lives than that gauntlet... and what he did was truly... charming..." Aisella blushed as she recalled how Rex had left the gauntlet behind to save both of them.
Talyra nodded quickly. "He truly cares about those close to him, and he’ll do anything to save them. Maybe that’s why he stands for Apollo."
Alia smiled as she closed her eyes. "So it’s true that Rex is a reliable guy."
She asked about the ambush of the capital, especially the northern district, the shockwave, and what Rex had seen during the defensive engagent.
Rex’s voice dropped, and his expression shifted as he recalled the intensity of that mont. He was clearly embellishing his story for dramatic effect.
"It was nothing like anything I’ve ever experienced." He said, "But that day taught us a great deal."
"I hate it when everyone starts blaming Apollo for his actions. It feels like they’re forgetting all that he did for the capital."
"That was really nice of you, Rex..." Alia began to give affectionate touches without realizing it, such as resting her hand on his shoulder.
’Ah yeah... this is going to be easy.’
Rex gave Alia more of the versions of events that were true and helpful and that made her think of him in a way that was very similar to the true picture, because the picture that was most helpful to Rex was also the one that was most consistent with the true account of what he had done.
It took them about six blocks of conversation before Alia naturally said, "I would really like to continue this because I love hearing you say all of that!"
"Would you be willing to co to our house? Apollo is there and has asked to speak with you so he can express his gratitude."
Talyra looked at Rex in a way that made him feel positive instead of comnting.
When Rex looked at Aisella, she gave him the nod she used when she had thought about sothing and decided it was okay.
"I would love that," Rex said.
"Great~!"
[ALIA BRIGHTSOUL — DESIRE LEVEL: 14 → 31/100]
Rex then gave a loot at both Aisella and Talyra to tell them that he’s going to go alone with Alia.
Rex then looked at both Aisella and Talyra with a different look.
Talyra was the first to notice.
It wasn’t a word. It wasn’t even a gesture.
Rex’s eyes moved in a way that suggested he was conveying sothing without actually speaking. In just a split second, a sideways glance in their direction carried the weight of an entire sentence.
That look didn’t ask for or demand anything but sohow communicated everything all at once.
She pushed Aisella’s arm with her elbow.
Aisella got it right away.
Alia glanced at both of them. "I assu you both wanted to join us to et Apollo, right?"
They looked at each other for a mont, quietly and with the kind of understanding that only cos from having survived a dungeon that was falling apart together.
Aisella’s lips turned up, but only a little. Talyra pressed her lips together to keep a smile from getting too big.
"I’m sorry, Mother Alia... but he’s going in alone."
"Eh? Why?" Alia tilted her head.
"Actually—" Talyra said, her voice light and perfectly casual.
She turned to Alia with the look of soone who had just rembered sothing crucial. "I totally forgot that I had sothing to do this afternoon."
Alia blinked and looked at her. "Oh?"
Talyra went on, "The academy sent a follow-up notice about our assessnt docuntation," and the excuse ca out so smoothly that even Rex almost believed her.
"I’ve been putting it off, and if I don’t do it soon, the administrative instructor will send another letter like that."
Alia chuckled quietly. "I know those letters very well, and Apollo has gotten a few of those himself."
"Yeah, see?" Talyra said with a smile.
Aisella quietly put her hands together in front of her. "I’m also going with her."
"We share most of the sa docunts." She bowed her head toward Alia in a respectful way. "I hope you can forgive us for not joining."
"It was a real pleasure to et you again, High Priestess."
Alia shook her head in a friendly way. "Dear, it was all my pleasure."
"You are both wonderful, and I can see why Rex talks so highly of the people around him." She put one hand over her heart for a short ti.
"Please, don’t let stop you with your other schedule."
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