Chapter 161: A Monumental Shock
It was a tremendous shock. There was no other way to put it. His dark ash-gray hair carried a steely resolve, and the deep, dark green eyes fixed on the girl beside him held a warmth like fresh spring leaves. A face handsome enough to sum up in a single word. But what startled Eve the most was the sensation emanating from the boy.
Unyielding even against the harshest storms of life, tearing through them to press forward—like a knight. A presence that declared he needed no divine aid, standing tall and whole on his own, gazing upon the world. That aura could be called nobility, perhaps. To Eve, who had always viewed everything from on high beneath her feet—and who believed all lay within Arcada's palm—the existence of this ash-gray-haired boy, Ludenberg Lavante, was a shock in itself.
Ever since hearing Arcada's voice, Eve had awakened a single ability: the power to discern, upon gazing at someone, which god influenced them. That was why she scorned the people of Solem, Ortara, and Istaltin beyond Abaran. None received stronger influence from the gods than she did.
But from Eve's perspective, the boy before her was on another level entirely. He bore no influence from any god. None existed at all. She had never seen such a person.
The reason for her shock was simple. He was unique.
Even the people of Ortara, who could not awaken divine power, at least fell under the influence of their god, Tahara. It was because of that influence that Ortara's priests could bestow divine power upon them. The people of Solemnute were the same. In the end, everyone she had ever seen was shaped by their god's influence, unable to escape it no matter what they did.
And so... she could only be all the more astonished.
"How..."
A groan escaped her lips unbidden. Even she, who had vowed to place the entire world beneath her feet, was merely a puppet dancing to her god's whims in the end.
How could that boy stand like that? Rejecting any god's intervention, unshaken by any divine influence—what manner of being was he?
This boy, the sole one to escape the grasp of countless gods, seemed to proclaim aloud: I need no divine power. Even without it, I can carve my own path through the fate before me.
"Is something wrong, Saintess?"
Blaine Denes, the captain of her holy knights standing beside her, asked. Knowing Eve's true nature, he was on high alert, every nerve focused on what mischief his volatile saintess might cause this time.
"No, it's nothing."
Eve realized it herself but continued staring at Ludenberg. Blaine followed her gaze and, like her, was startled. He had glimpsed the boy's body, forged through unimaginable ordeals.
A physique of unyielding strength, impossible to build overnight—it seemed to harbor immense power within.
The Saintess has good reason to take interest. She does love the strong... That boy’s in for a rough time. He’ll suffer terribly under her cruelty.
Of course, unaware of the full truth, Blaine could only think that much.
After completing the formal procedures for visiting the national school, Eve attended the welcome ceremony in Ortara National School's grand auditorium, just as Solemnute's students had. Ignoring the sacred laws demonstrated by Ortara's priests, she fixated solely on the boy she had seen earlier.
What's his name? How could he be free of any divine interference? Is that even possible?
Her thoughts spiraled, extending to the Solemnute princess beside him, Ashytara Solenute.
He was next to Princess Ashytara... Her lover, maybe? The way she looked at him was so tender—it seemed that way.
At that realization, an inexplicable emotion surged within her.
Why is someone like that attached to such a worthless princess? That frail, foolish girl...
It was what one might rightly call jealousy. Especially since the girl was someone Eve considered far beneath her.
Naturally, Eve could only think that way. The jealousy didn't stop there. It morphed into possessiveness.
With just one glance, she began to covet him. More precisely, possessiveness mingled with... a sticky, base desire.
Eve grasped her inner truth clearly. She wanted him. Wanted to take him and watch Princess Ashytara's face twist in agony.
Now, how to go about it... They seemed close. No way to slip between them instantly. And Princess Ashytara's quite guarded—she might have warned him about me.
Eve thought coming here was the right choice. To her, the situation was a joyous festival.
A festival to revel wildly, steal what belonged to others, and mock the dispossessed...
Eve shook off her jealousy. The boy would fall into her grasp soon enough anyway.
Guarded? Let her try. Eve let out a soft chuckle.
She recalled her past. How, from the moment she first heard Arcada's voice in the church, people recoiled from her changed self and grew wary. But soon enough, they became her faithful servants—all except Blaine Denes. Even King Prand VII believed any nonsense she spouted.
So she brimmed with confidence.
For now... yes. Let's see how to meet that boy first.
Throughout the welcome ceremony, Eve's mind was consumed with one thought: how to make that boy hers.
Meanwhile, watching Eve heightened Ashytara's wariness to the utmost.
Their eyes had definitely met.
That woman saw Ludenberg.
She might miss other things, but no woman eyeing Ludenberg could escape Ashytara's notice. Not even the cunning Eve.
In truth, Eve hadn't stared at Ludenberg long, but Ashytara remembered how she had glanced at her briefly before fixing her gaze on him for that moment.
She'll definitely make a move on Ludenberg. I won't let her.
Her eyes narrowing, Ashytara reinforced her vigilance. She wouldn't show the weakness from two years ago in Abaran. She'd been underestimated enough then.
Ashytara eyed Ludenberg beside her, who was curiously observing the Abaran holy knights and Istaltin sacred law users for the first time.
"The Abaran holy knights and Istaltin sacred law practitioners do have... a distinct aura. Fascinating. Never thought I'd see people from other nations like this... Huh? Tara? What's wrong?"
"Nothing. It's nothing."
Ludenberg sensed that lately, Ashytara uttered that phrase often.
"...Because of Eve?"
But these days, Ludenberg was gradually picking up on subtleties. As Sione had once said, paying more attention to those around him revealed things he hadn't noticed before.
"...Yeah."
"That woman was looking at me earlier. You noticed, right, Tara?"
"Yeah."
"You're like this because she looked at me. If I'm not mistaken, she lingered on me a bit longer than others."
"Right. Her gaze fixed on you for a moment. So, what'd you think?"
"Of what?"
"You could say she was beautiful or something."
Honestly, Ashytara didn't want to admit it, but Eve was beautiful. Silver hair aglow with light, contrasting sharply with deep crimson eyes. An appearance that shone just standing there. Even Ashytara, content with her own looks, felt it.
"...Not really. She made me uncomfortable, actually."
But Ludenberg's reaction differed from what Ashytara expected. He stated facts plainly, without embellishment. If someone was beautiful, he'd say so directly.
Yet he truly frowned.
"Something about her rubbed me the wrong way. Never felt this toward anyone before. Not even toward Eden or Mion, whom I despise so much."
"...Really?"
"Yeah. It's like... an instinctive aversion. First time someone's discomforted me just by looking. And..."
Ludenberg glanced at Ashytara and added,
"Not as much as you."
As he glanced and spoke, she instantly understood.
Not as much as you? Wait, so then...
He meant she was more beautiful than Eve.
Whoosh. No other word fit. Ashytara's face flushed bright red.
She fought to calm her rising smile, covering her face with one hand. It was the first time Ludenberg had so overtly complimented her appearance.
Her earlier worry—that familiarity might make him stop seeing her as a woman—vanished like mist.
"W-Wait a sec, Lude."
"...Yeah. Uh, sure."
Ludenberg, aware he'd said something embarrassing, averted his gaze.
Footsteps approached the awkwardly glancing pair.
"Um, excuse me. Are you from Solemnute?"
Approaching were a boy and girl with strikingly similar soft brown hair and eyes.
"Yes. We're students from Solemnute Adem."
"See! I told you, Tradiaan! Thank goodness! Do you know where the Setra Church people are?"
The girl spoke brightly.
"Setra Church...?"
"Yes. Specifically, we're looking for Bishop Nah."
The boy spoke gravely, contrasting the girl's energy.
"Professor Nah...? Might I have your names?"
"Oh, right. My mistake. Sorry. We should've introduced ourselves first."
The boy apologized awkwardly to Ludenberg and Ashytara.
"We're from Istaltin! I'm Denetim Setta, and this guy's Tradiaan Setta!"
"Wait—Setta?"
Both their eyes widened.
Setta. It resembled the surname of the Star Knight, Istradim Seta.
And those bearing Istradim Seta's name were, without exception, Istaltin's direct lineage—the royals.