CHAPTER 93: I WILL STAY

Anna, Hanna and Neo stood at the entrance of the shrine room within the Night Tower, staring at the depiction of the Goddess of Night with interest.

"So... that is the Goddess of Night?" Hanna questioned as she turned her head towards Lavina, who stood there with a displeased expression.

Lavina heaved a sigh as she began speaking.

"It is indeed a carving of the Goddess of Night."

She shifted her gaze to Anna and questioned.

"What do you think, Golden angel?"

Anna turned towards and smiled as she replied.

"How would I know? I am not the warden of the Night Tower, am I?"

"Tch." Lavina clicked her tongue and looked away.

Lavina didn’t hate these guests of theirs, no, she liked them even, but due to the meritorious deed they had done right after arriving at the Noctara, she had to answer way more questions than before and had to do way more tasks.

She looked at the carving of her goddess and prayed inwardly.

’Please give me the strength to stand tall against this calamity too.’

Right at that moment, the sound of steps echoed within the shrine room. Everyone present within the room turned towards the sounds of footsteps, and their eyes fell on a golden-haired woman with a face no less beautiful than Anna’s.

Yabin Noctvelle, the saintess of the Night Tower, had stepped into the shrine room of the Goddess of Night. She stepped further inside and stopped in front of a pale white brazier with black celestial engravings. She placed her hand on the brazier and activated her artefact—The Lord’s eye—and the brazier began to burn with a black flame.

Yabin took a few steps back, her forehead creasing under the strain of the artefact; however, she didn’t halt it.

"The Night Tower was created by ’Him’." She paused for a moment and clasped her hands together before continuing.

"Lavina, what do you believe is the purpose of the Night Tower’s existence?"

Lavina lifted an eyebrow and answered in a somewhat confused tone.

"To protect the barrier?"

Yabin shook her head at the answer and spoke.

"Protecting the barrier is indeed one of the goals... but it isn’t the only purpose of the Night Tower."

The room fell silent on Yabin’s words, and even the trio had frowns on their faces.

"What do you mean?" Lavina questioned, breaking the silence.

Yabin turned towards them, golden blood spilling out of her third eye looked very eerie to say the least, and it made all of them take a step back. She deactivated the artefact as she spoke.

"It’s still too early for you to know that."

Neo looked at her with displeasure as he questioned.

"Why did you even speak about it then?"

"Hmm? Is it not what you wanted?" Yabin asked as she tilted her head.

"What?"

Yabin lifted her thin, fair finger and pointed it at Anna as she stated.

"She wasn’t looking at the depiction of the Goddess of Night."

Everyone turned towards Anna and looked at her with raised eyebrows. Anna turned towards the Night Seer and smiled at her, but didn’t deny her statement.

Lavina turned back towards Yabin and questioned.

"What was she looking at then?"

Yabin turned towards Lavina and answered in a prideful voice.

"Him."

Lavina’s eyes widened as she sharply turned towards Anna and questioned in a stutter.

"H-How is that possible? She is just a Seeker."

"What’s wrong?" Hanna questioned with a frown.

Lavina turned to Hanna and answered as she pointed at Anna.

"Only the saintess and elders are supposed to be able to look at ’Him’."

Hannalooked at Anna as she spoke.

"Then how did she look at him?"

"’Him’ not him." Yabin’s sharp voice cut through the shrine room.

Hanna frowned and looked at the Night Seer as she questioned.

"What’s the difference?"

"’Him’ is a title given to the deities," Anna commented as she stepped forward. She walked past the Night Seer and stopped before the brazier, and spoke.

"There is no goddess, only ’Him’."

Anna’s deep black eyes shone with excitement as she looked at the carving in front of her. It was a carving of a hooded man with ’His’ gripping the sun. What truly intrigued her, however, were the runes carved around it; she couldn’t understand them and looking at them for even a moment too late made her brain melt.

"Mysteries."

She commented.

Yabin looked at Anna with a wide grin as she questioned.

"What do you wish to do, Anna?"

Anna turned towards her with a somber look.

"Do you wish to return?"

"Or... Do you wish to stay?"

Anna looked at Neo and Hanna for a few moments before shifting back to the Night Seer and answering.

"I will stay."

Yabin smiled at her answer. She looked at the duo and asked.

"What about you two?"

Neo just shrugged at her question and spoke in a flat tone.

"I’ll follow Miss Aeliana."

She nodded at him and looked at Hanna as she asked again.

"What about you?"

Hanna stared at her for a few moments before shifting her eyes to Anna and questioning.

"Why do you want to stay, Anna?" She bit her lips as she continued. "Did we not come here to heal Elise?"

"I can heal that friend of yours," Yabin commented.

Hanna didn’t turn towards her and continued to stare at Anna, waiting for her to explain herself.

Anna looked into Hanna’s eyes for a few moments, after which she spoke.

"The saintess will heal Elise."

Hanna continued to stare at her. Anna didn’t look away and continued.

"What do you think would happen after that?" Anna questioned.

Hanna’s frown deepened as she asked in a puzzled tone.

"What do you mean?"

"Have you gotten too comfortable that you forgot about who wants to capture us?" Anna commented in a cold tone.

Hanna lowered her head under Anna’s sharp remark, yet she voiced her thoughts.

"Can’t we just go somewhere safe?"

"And where would that safe place be? You think too low of them, Hanna. They call themselves demons for a reason... we survived that day because One was with us, don’t forget that."