The high priestess Morgana, unlike her usual uniform, appeared in a more feminine and casual attire that made it hard to look at her face without getting flustered.
Her loose hair cascaded down her shoulders, and her pristine, alabaster skin glowed with an otherworldly light. She wore a brown skirt that flowed to her ankles as she sat with her legs crossed, a teacup delicately held in one hand, from which she took small, measured sips, her face calm and stoic.
She turned her face towards Asher, and seeing him pointing his finger at her, she tilted her head in confusion and asked. "Oh, you are finally awake… Are you feeling well now? Your subordinate Albert said you were sick."
I stared at her absentmindedly for a few seconds, unsure what I should even start talking about. Then with a small sigh, I replied back. "You should have woken me up if you had visited… And yes, I am feeling well now, thank you for asking."
I gave Albert a side gaze before looking back at Morgana. She nodded after hearing my words, her lips parted as she gave me a strange gaze. "I have come to visit you today for several reasons. One of them was to apologize for what Lord Eilas did with you. I was unaware of his action till today."
"No, it's… alright. I learned many things due to his actions." I gave Albert one last before sending him away from the room.
Morgana nodded.
"I am grateful for your understanding, but I will make sure he gets punished appropriately for his actions."
I frowned, my brows furrowing up as I asked back. "Isn't he a saint? How will you punish him?"
Morgan, with a teasing glint in her eyes, smirked, her face looking proud as she said, "It's true that he is my superior in work and status, but I know his superior and who can punish him for his crimes… And let me tell you, he has done this kind of work several times; getting punishments is not new to Lord Elias."
I was speechless as I heard Morgana talking about Lord Elias like that. No, the most surprising thing should be her playfulness as well as the proud face she was making right now.
"Ah, I, I see… I will leave that to you then."
"Hmm, yes, you can leave that to me." Morgana nodded and put her cup away on the table. Her eyes moved toward me as she tapped the arm of the chair. "I have been away to get some information regarding that organization that has been causing havoc all around the world right now. The temple higher-ups had finally agreed to disclose this information with high priests such as myself."
"Really? So, what's the organization's name, and what has the temple decided to do with them?" I asked eagerly and leaned toward her.
"It's an ancient organization that has been lurking in the shadows. In recent years they have become much more active; the last time they had something of this scale was 500 years ago… No, from what I have heard, they have done something even bigger than the attack on Atlas."
Morgana, seeing Asher paying attention, nodded and continued. "They call themselves followers of Kaizer. From what I have been told, they are survivors of one of the four great empires belonging to the old world."
I could feel my face hardening as I heard Morgana speak with a tone of seldom expectations. She probably understands that survivors—no, a generation of the old world from almost 10,000 years ago still held some plan that could potentially pull the world into chaos.
It was mind-numbing…
"That's… truly an insane revelation you have been told, but are they like Zenith or someone of above rank? I can only expect them to survive for that amount of time."
Morgana pursed her lips, her delicate fingers tracing the chair before speaking. "I don't know how long they have been existing or if they have someone of that rank… But it won't be wrong to assume they have someone of higher rank."
I nodded. An awakened person like me will probably live for more than a hundred years, maybe even two hundred years. But for transcendents like Morgana or those above her, their lifespan can only be considered as equal to eternity by humans.
Sigh…
"I am not sure why you are telling me this, since you said it was only told to high priests like yourselves… I assume someone has asked you to do this? After all, just because I contributed a little to this city won't make you entitled to tell me everything."
Morgana blinked; I could see her lips curling up a little bit more than she usually does. With a small sigh, she gave me a stern look with a serious demeanor and answered. "Asher, while it's true I am not entitled to tell you anything,. I also have a sense of responsibility… And you are right to assume I have not come here to give you history lessons. I am here to teach you what's happening around you, as I had previously promised."
'Yeah, as if I will believe that.'
I leaned back and activated [Kairosflow] to let my mind comprehend her words. As the world slowed down to a crawl, I could finally notice some minute details about Morgana: her fingers were locked together as she rubbed her thumbs, and her lips had slightly quivered down as she kept her gaze fixed on me.
"I see."
Should I just remain ignorant? If I don't ask any questions, Morgana will simply say what she has come to say and leave. Nothing will change, and I will keep drifting into the unknown, pulled by those above me.
Can I accept such an outcome?
'I simply can not accept this…' I smiled.
Even if it's meaningless, I still need to try everything.
"Lady Morgana, I—no, actually, can you tell me the truth… Who has asked you to do this? And why has Temple been helping me?" I asked, my face stoic just like hers.
Morgana remained motionless, but for a split second I could see it. Her eyes had widened, and her lips had curled up by inches that would go unnoticed if not for the world being slow right now.
"Very well… I am glad you asked." She nodded, her lips this time truly curling up into a gentle and serene smile. She leaned back and sat straight, letting her blue tunic rise a little higher from her movements.
I was a little enchanted by this, but seeing Morgana's attention only at me, I held back from letting my expression change.
"Asher, for a long time. The Temple has been keeping an eye on you… The moment you entered the city, I was aware of your presence and kept my watch over you at Temple orders, nothing else."
My heart started to beat loud enough for my own ears to hear it clearly.
"I do not know the reasons for this, so I am curious as well." She tilted her head to the side, and with a slight movement of her wrist, a pale orange light illuminated the room.
In her hand was a sword that glowed with the intensity of the burning sun.
"I am aware of one thing… That you are not evil, nor have you done anything that could make Temple higher-ups be so much interested in you. So, tell me, Asher, what makes you so special? Why is it that the goddess has made her gaze turn only for you?"
"What is the secret you are hiding?" She asked.
The sword moved gracefully, cutting through the air, and then was pointed at me with an intense radiant heat.
"What's the meaning of this?" I asked, my body ready to react with [Kairosflow] the moment Morgana makes a move.
I was ready to pull out Sword of Repose as well and strike her with the combined effects of [Static]. Even Morgana won't come out unscathed at this distance.
Morgana smiled as the sword vanished into light particles; she leaned back and sighed before saying,.
"I am sorry if I made you wary. I just wanted to see something… Your source element and abilities—I had always wondered what they were. But maybe not knowing them was a good choice after all."
I visibly relaxed as I felt my nerves ease around my body. My muscles, which had tightened from the high tension in the air, gradually softened.
"I am saying this for the last time… I am not here to get myself tested by either you or anyone. If you wish to assess my qualifications, that is entirely your prerogative… Let me remind you, Lady Morgana, I am not the one interested in Temple; it's Temple who is interested in me." I felt a rage spark in my heart as I answered Morgana without any respect I had previously held in my tone.
After a few moments of silence, Morgana lowered her head, her hands clenched tightly.
"I am once again sorry for what I did, but as I said before, I had no reasons to antagonize you… I am… just frustrated." She bit her lips, her fist shaking as if she herself felt an unspoken rage.
"There are things that I can speak to no one aside from those who imparted this knowledge on me… And that doesn't help, does it? I even wish to blame you for a moment that if only I had not known you or met you before, I could have lived my life in ignorance… Yet I must face what I have come to know now."
I couldn't understand if she was blaming me or blaming herself. However, I could feel her pain, that some truth that she had come to know was crushing her endlessly.
A truth that can be told to no one and just be buried deeply inside her heart.
"I, I am sorry if I am the reason for your suffering right now. Lady Morgana, I know that you are a very strong woman, not just due to your abilities but also because you have made decisions no one but you could have taken… And I respect that; I truly respect you for that." I said solemnly with my voice lowered.
"Also, sorry for saying those things before… I was a little angry about all those tests and worthy talk we had just now." I gave an honest smile as my hand rubbed my left arm.
Morgana stayed silent, her head still lowered, then with eyes that had softened considerably, she answered back.
"I had come to know everything you did in the dream made by those children by Franz; maybe that's why I could tell you all of this in my own desperation as well…" She smiled with a tired gaze.
"Asher, from what I have observed till now, Temple is supporting you, not blindly, of course. You need to decide every action by your own will… This is my advice, not someone else's… I am sorry, but this is all I can tell you right now."
We both just ignored our questions; the one I asked was fully sidetracked, while the questions asked by Morgana were openly ignored by me.
I would have never dared to be this disrespectful with her if not for knowing her for some time now and knowing that Temple needs me for some reasons.
"Alright, I am satisfied for now… With what you told me just now, that has at least confirmed my doubts about Temple. But what about the mark of stars? You have not mentioned it for a long time now, have you?"
I asked with my brows furrowed up in doubt.
Morgana's eyebrows shot up as she remembered something; she then, with her usual monotone, answered back. "Ah, sorry I forgot about that… Lord Elias will explain it when you meet him."
"Alright."
"...."
She sat there in silence, then, without any interest, spoke in a small voice.
"Let's start your class now."
"Class? What class are you speaking of?" I asked, clearly confused at the sudden shift in topics.
Morgana frowned, then leaned back with her hands crossed over her chest.
"I said I will teach you, right? I had even taken my evening time off for that."
'She did… But when?' Maybe I had misunderstood her all this time.
But Morgana clearly didn't know how to say what's on her mind…