"Shit!"
I kicked a bench in frustration.
"Why the hell am I still stuck in this damn church? I used that stupid Lifestone to teleport close to the academy, not end up in another damn room in this place!"
I cursed my luck and let out a weak laugh.
"..."
When I turned around, I saw Maria and Seraphina. Seraphina had her arms protectively wrapped around Maria, shielding her from me.
"I'm not interested in brats," I scoffed.
[<You are also a brat.>]
[What are you then?]
"We're only two years younger than you!" Seraphina's face turned red with anger at my dismissive comment.
Ignoring the three comments, I walked towards the door and peeked into the corridor. Priests were running in all directions, trying to escape from...bees?
ραпdα Йᴏνêl(сòm) I slammed the door shut in frustration and punched it, making Maria flinch in fear.
[<You are scaring them.>]
'I know…'
"Sigh…"
I need to calm down.
After all, they were just innocent 14-year-old girls.
But I'm so damn tired of this whole freaking world!
It's been three months since Nyrel and Edward's memories merged with mine, but I've only grown more and more exhausted with each passing day. I'm not some protagonist reincarnated in another world who will eventually become the strongest. I'm weak, and I don't have that kind of mentality.
I ended up in this world against my will, thanks to that bastard of Tokyo, during the lowest moments of both my lives. I lost Ephera on Earth, and here in this world, my family was against me (although, to be fair, I was partially responsible for that).
The only thing that kept me going was the thought of Ephera. That guy told me I could find her here, but I didn't believe it for a second. I tried not to think about it too much because I didn't want to give myself false hope, but just the thought of her face and voice brings me so much happiness.
Maybe it's because I feel more connected to Nyrel's memories now, but I really did love her more than anything in the world.
I've already asked Jarvis about her whereabouts, but he didn't know - or rather, that bastard didn't tell Jarvis. He clearly wants something from me, and it's starting to piss me off.
Despite everything, there are some good things in my life.
Thanks to the presence of Cleenah, Mary, and Aunt Belle, I haven't completely lost my mind yet.
I sat down on one of the benches and took a deep breath to calm myself down.
Maybe if I can finish this game, that bastard will finally give me some clue about Ephera's whereabouts, assuming she was really reincarnated here.
But for now, I pushed that thought aside and stretched my limbs, propping my legs up on the bench in front of me and crossing my arms.
"Where are your parents?" I asked Maria and Seraphina.
"My father and mother are dead," Seraphina replied, her voice filled with sadness.
"My father disappeared three years ago, and my mother is in a coma." The same was for Maria.
I looked at both of them, who were now on the verge of tears.
So they both grew up without parents. That old man must have been the one raising them with care.
But still, what kind of life is that?
"Um, did you also lose your parents?" Seraphina asked me timidly.
"How did you know? I thought you didn't know me?" I replied, surprised.
"I just had a feeling," Maria said softly. "You looked so lonely when we talked about our parents."
Her words hit me like a ton of bricks. She was right— I had been feeling so alone since I arrived in this world. Fortunately, it didn't last long.
I guess I could sympathize with Maria and Seraphina. Losing their parents at such a young age, that's just rough. I've experienced loss too. In my past life, I lost my family when I was 17. And in this world, I lost my mom when I was only 7. And to make matters worse, my dad adopted Simon and spoiled him rotten.
My sisters, Miranda and Elona, were there for me, but because of the hallucinations I kept having about the future, I started to distrust them. But now that I've had time to reflect and recover my past life memories, I feel a lot more neutral about it. Although, I do still feel guilty about how I treated them.
Elona was my younger sister and even though she fought me in the Second Game, I can still remember her tears when I was dying. As for Miranda, she was already in love with Jayden, so she didn't show too much emotion, but I could tell she was sad.
I realize now that maybe I was too focused on the game's scenario and didn't pay enough attention to real life. But today, Elona and Miranda are different people. They're not the same ones from the game or the hallucinations.
As I sat on the bench, I couldn't help but reflect on how much the plot had already changed since I left the House two months ago. With my previous life memories intact, I knew I had to tread carefully and use my knowledge wisely without making any rash decisions. There was also the mysterious 'X' whose true intentions remained unknown. It was pointless to continue playing the role of a wingman and risking everything. Instead, I needed to focus on myself and intervene when necessary, just like I did with Layla before she 'harmed' Milleia.
As I thought about all of this, I felt a sense of relief wash over me. I knew what I had to do now.
But there was another matter that had been on my mind for a while.
"So, who is the Saintess?" I asked, finally voicing my thoughts.
At my question, both Maria and Seraphina went silent, with Maria still hiding behind her friend. I guess my outburst from earlier had left them wary of me.
[<With your previous outburst, I don't blame them.>]
Great. I had already ruined my first impression.
"Can you please stop hiding like I'm some kind of beast?" I said in a calmer tone. "I just saved your life, and it's disheartening to see you on guard like that."
Thankfully, my words seemed to reassure them, and they finally came over to sit on the bench next to me.
"We are both candidates to become the next Saintess," Seraphina announced.
"But Sera is the most likely to become the next one!" Maria chimed in, beaming with pride.
"N-No, I think it's you, Reina!" Seraphina countered, praising her cousin in turn.
Despite being competitors for the coveted role of Saintess, the two young women seemed to have a strong and supportive bond.
Curious, I asked, "Aren't you in competition? Why are you so close?"
"Eh? Because Sera is my sister!" Maria responded, with Seraphina nodding in agreement.
"She's not your sister, she's your cousin," I pointed out.
"She is my sister!" Maria insisted, to which I simply shrugged.
At least they wouldn't fight over the title. Also, since, thanks to me, Seraphina will survive, she's likely to become the next Saintess. I thought to myself.
But then, a question popped into my head. "Has your apostle been chosen?"
"W-Whaaaaa?!" Seraphina stammered, her face turning bright red.
The reason behind her reaction was because her Apostle was none other than her future husband and fiancee.
The selection of the Apostles was a crucial aspect of the game, and the criteria were rigorous. The purity and righteousness of the candidates were some of the essential factors considered.
Anyway, if I recall correctly, Maria's apostle should have been Jayden, despite the fact that she was a Main Heroine in the Third Game. Her Apostle was either Jayden or the protagonist of the Third Game.
But, like the other two protagonists, Jayden was destined to be an Apostle.
Of course, this did not imply Maria would have a reverse harem.
There were six Holy Chosen of Eden.
The Saintess of the Garden of Eden and her Apostle, the Apostle of Lumen.
The Prophetess of the Sacred Tree of Eden and her Apostle, the Apostle of Nihil.
The High Priestess of the Monolithe of Eden and her Apostle, the Apostle of Nox.
Lumen, Nihil, and Nox were the three Trinity Gods responsible for the protection of Eden. It was fascinating to realize that the three Apostles were the three protagonists of the games, while the Saintess, Prophetess, and High Priestess were the Heroines. The role of all six was crucial in achieving the successful ending of the games.
All in all, the game was exceptionally well-written, and the plot was complex and intriguing.
"S-Still not!" Seraphina answered, still red.
"And you?" I glanced at Maria.
"N-No!! I-I c-can't…!" She also replied with flushed cheeks.
Seraphina and Maria's responses only made me smile. They were both so innocent and pure, it was almost amusing to see them react like that.
As I observed them, I couldn't help but think about how breathtakingly beautiful they were. With just two more years until they became true Saintesses, it was no wonder they could capture any man's affection with their almost divine purity and innocence.
Despite my own attraction to them, I couldn't bring myself to act on it. After all, they were only fourteen years old, and I had lived long enough to know better. While my physical age may have been closer to theirs, my previous life experiences helped me keep a level head around them, as I was still a sixteen-year-old boy in both mind and body.
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