Chosen By The Lover's Constellation-Chapter 201: Eternity, Part Two

The pale light of dawn crept through the window, painting soft stripes across Enverna’s slumbering face.

Lianna stirred, the warmth of Enverna’s body a comforting weight against her own.

She took a deep breath. Enverna’s sweet scent and the faint echo of their lovemaking were a nice counterpoint to the heaviness that had settled in her chest.

It hadn’t erased Lianna’s grief, not by a long shot, but it gave Lianna the first smile she’d had since she heard the news.

Closing her eyes, Lianna focused on the internal shift, the subtle changes within her body left behind by their night together.

Another satisfied smile touched her lips as she noted the improved stats.

Lianna Velcross

MP: 250/250

RP: 60

---

STR: B-

END: B-

DEX: B+

MYS: C

L: A+

[The buff isn’t as strong since I let it go when I heard about Cynthia. I need to get back into the swing of things.]

A sharp rap on the door shattered the peaceful morning quiet.

Lianna’s smile vanished, replaced by a wary alertness.

She slipped out of bed, putting on the nightgown she’d tossed aside the night prior.

Reaching the door, she peeked through the tiny window, her heart hammering against her ribs.

There was no one there.

With a deep breath, Lianna threw open the door, anticipation tightening her muscles.

The hallway was empty, bathed in the sterile silence of early morning.

A single object lay on the floor. A white envelope.

Lianna knelt down, her fingers brushing against the smooth paper.

Picking it up, she recognized the distinctive, elegant handwriting on the front.

It wasn’t Cynthia’s familiar scrawl, nor anyone else she knew. It was a stranger’s hand, yet somehow, it sent a tremor of unease through her.

She sank down into her couch, her gaze fixed on the ornately sealed letter.

With a shaky hand, she broke the seal.

And, she proceeded to read the letter.

To the False Prophet,

How does it feel? Cynthia Taylor, one of humanity’s supposed champions, is gone. Gone at my hands. A fitting end, wouldn’t you agree? And you, you probably wept for her, didn’t you?

You’re a disgrace. You’re a disappointment. You are a traitor to your own kind.

Cynthia’s demise is a blip on the radar compared to the cruelty our kind has had to suffer. I was happy to kill her.

We are not monsters to be hunted. We are a force of nature, misunderstood and feared. But, no longer.

Remember this, traitor. We will rise. Children of Mana will lead this society into a new era.

And you will be thrown into the pile of corpses alongside those humans you cuddle up to every night.

There will be a reckoning, Lianna.

And it will begin with your blood staining my blade.

Vy

In an instant, the grief for Cynthia was back, but this time, it was laced with a burning fury, a promise of retribution.

[I... I am going to...]

Lianna’s hands were shaking.

In her entire life, she had never been as angry as she was right now.

In an instant, Lianna pulled some armor out of her Inventory and walked out of her room, breakfast be damned.

Lianna would deal with this degenerate, but first, she had another training session to complete.

---

Later, Lianna stumbled through the doorway, legs trembling with exhaustion.

Her muscles screamed in protest with each step, and a sheen of sweat covered her skin. But, Lianna thought pain had never felt quite so sweet as this.

Reaching the couch, she practically collapsed onto the cushions, gasping for breath.

Already, she was mentally preparing to do the same tomorrow.

Enverna, curled up with a book by the window, jolted upright at the sound.

"Lianna! Are you alright?" 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Lianna cracked open one eye, a weak smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

"Just a little extra training session, Envy. G.E.M. really decided to test my limits today."

Enverna didn’t seem entirely convinced.

"You’ve been gone all day," she pointed out. "Isn’t that a bit...excessive?"

Lianna rolled onto her back, staring at the ceiling.

"Every bit necessary," she mumbled, voice thick with fatigue. "Especially with... everything."

Enverna’s brow furrowed.

"Everything?" she echoed.

Finally, Lianna reached into her pocket and pulled out the crumpled envelope she’d received.

"Vy sent this," she said simply, handing it to Enverna. "That’s her name, by the way. The bitch we’re looking for."

Enverna unfolded the letter, her blue eyes widening as she read. The lines around her mouth tightened with each sentence, and by the time she finished, a storm brewed in her gaze.

"That... that degenerate!" she spat, her voice tight with anger. "What- what kind of...?"

Lianna remained silent, staring at the ceiling.

But the set of her jaw and the tremor in her clenched hands spoke volumes.

Enverna was the first to calm down between them.

She placed a hand gently on Lianna’s left shoulder, still looking down at her with that same concern.

"Lianna," she said, her voice softer now, "I understand your anger. But, this letter was probably sent precisely to evoke this reaction from you. She wants you to react rashly, to make a mistake. Don’t give her that satisfaction."

Lianna turned her head slightly, gazing up at Enverna with a determined glint in her eyes. A small, tired smile appeared on her lips.

"Don’t worry," she murmured. Ignoring the throbbing ache in her body, she leaned up and planted a quick kiss on Enverna’s cheek. "I’ll be fine. I just... need a bit more rest."

Enverna’s gaze held a mix of concern and admiration.

Seeing the fierce determination burning in Lianna’s eyes, she knew arguing wouldn’t be helpful. Instead, she squeezed Lianna’s arm gently.

"Alright," she said softly. "But try to get some actual sleep this time."

Lianna nodded, her eyes already drooping. Enverna helped her prop herself up with pillows, and soon, Lianna was asleep.

Even in her dreams, vengeance was all she could think of, though.

While she sat there, Enverna took the piece of paper in her hands.

Lianna just barely caught this before she fell asleep.

"What in the world do we do?"