THAT DAY I BECAME A STAR

After he read everything that was written on the paper, Lucas has been fixating me for almost two minutes now. The other guys in the room are getting more and more confused as he says nothing. I don't know why he is trying to detect any traces of fear since this is what he is thinking but I hope it won't take too long.

"Can I go now? Staying like this is boring."

"…"

"No response, huh. Are you too afraid of the repercussion of what you did? Though since the pope is supposedly behind you, you have nothing to fear, right? Supposedly."

"…Supposedly?"

"Finally got you cracked up. So, what do you guys want?"

"What do you mean supposedly?"

"Nothing much.. What do you want?"

"Are you messing with me?"

"Maybe. Maybe not. Depends."

A vein pops up on his forehead. Yeah, you feel this, right? The rage boiling inside you slowly. You better snap off soon.

"You know I am still asking nicely, right?"

"Do I look like I care at all? I want to know why I am here. If you can't tell me, then I will have to excuse myself."

"I would lik-"

"We have summoned you to investigate on the book the mercenaries found in the ruins." The female priest finally speaks. She didn't say or do anything until now.

"What are you-"

"This book…Do you know of his content?" It seems she is pissed off by Lucas's attitude. But doing this…She is in for a punishment later.

"I wasn't part of the team that found it though. I don't think I can help you in any way."

"But your comrades said that you were of great help. Going as far as-"

Finally, Lucas goes off and grabs the woman by the collar, standing up while lifting her as well.

"Hey! Who do think you are, huh?!!!" The woman grabs his hand and presses it until he releases her. I had never seen something like that before. That woman looks really slender. Where does she find the strength to handle somebody like Lucas who is, though not too much, more muscular than her?

"I am a high-priest of the eternal church, under the direct order of the Saintess herself. Do not forget what is the eternal army and what are the boundaries of your actions."

Lucas's hand is trembling under the woman's grip and looking closely, I see that the woman is pressing on the vein that goes through the hand of Lucas. Is that how she managed to overpower him? Then I should learn that for the future, just in case.

"This is insubordination."

"No, this is me reminding you that you are overstepping your boundaries. The eternal army is the arm of the church created to strike down the Longinus. It is not you who governs the church nor do you get to decide what we do."

She finally releases his hand but the commander then deploys his aura as much as he can. I told you he went off.

"You fucking bitch thinks you can command me?!!! A mere high-priest!!!"

His aura isn't so powerful that I would have to be wary of it but it is powerful enough to throw some objects around. Of course, if we compare it to Farner's aura which actually broke chairs and thrown a table to the wall, then this is barely a child.

"Are you going to hit me?" The woman simply asks with the most relaxed attitude. "Then do it. And see for yourself."

What will Lucas do? Will he really do it? Will he finally make all this interesting? Or will he be a bitch and sit back down?

***

"Really, just a coward?"

What was I hoping for? Sigh…The chicken simply sat back down while biting his lips. He might as well have put a card on his forehead with the word 'COWARD' written on it.

"Now, let us proceed."

"I can't believe you were acting like you are all shit just yesterday."

"Star of Mercuria. Please, I would like to end this rapidly."

"I told you already. I wasn't with the team that retrieved the book. I don't know anything that might be of help concerning the book."

"But can't you give us any other details? We haven't set up a team to investigate those ruins. If there are any details that could save their lives, I would like you to give them to us, please."

"Well, if it is only that. There was a big hall right after the entrance of the cave that was guarded by a powerful Longinus."

"Yes, the other mercenaries spoke of that. Apparently, it killed almost half of the people who went in."

"Yes, it was really powerful but it looked like a sloin with a human head. Of course, it could talk too, just like the other two."

"The other two?"

"Yeah, I have encountered two other Longinus like that one already. The first was near Mercuria and the other was back at Tilton, four months ago. Both of them had the ability to transform and reshape their bodies into weapons and also had five crystals inside the bodies. I don't know if it is a prerequisite for them to be like that but it is worth thinking about."

The woman is rapidly writing on the paper what I am saying. I didn't think she would take it that seriously.

"I see. I see. And did that Longinus say anything in particular? Did he show signs of emotions that could maybe identify him as a human somehow? Do you think one of them could blend in as  a human without being noticed?"

"Hm…That's a lot of questions at once."

"I am sorry. You are a very valuable source of information as somebody who has fought high-ranked Longinus and those informations are what we lack the most right now."

"Hmph! Information my ass." Chicken whispers something but the woman doesn't seem to mind him at all. She is like a second Rebecca.

"What is your name, if I may ask."

"You would ask for the name of a fair maiden like me without any kind of introductions? You are quite bold." She smiles too shyly for it to be real.

"You already know who I am so…"

"I am just joking, don't worry. May, May Heartcliff."

"I see. Well, first of all, if I have to compare, this one who weaker than the previous two. It's like he just awakened or was just a baby whereas the other two were much more stable, stronger. But if he was giving more time, he would have certainly become a threat to even the heroes."

"Blasphemy!! How dare you!!" Chicken goes off once again and the guards at the first floor, supposedly bored, all stand up and aim their crossbows at me. "How dare you mock the heroes!! You shall be-"

"Please, carry on, Star of Mercuria."

Once again, without a care for chicken, May just calmly asks me to carry on. It's as if their guys aiming their crossbows at me are just decorations. Well, since she said to continue, I can only continue, right?

"You are really interesting. Concerning the possibility that they could blend in with us humans, I think it is possible."

When my mouth closes, the atmosphere of the room changes. It becomes heavy, cold, and tense. Fear just entered the room by the biggest door available. The woman's face goes pale while Chicken acts as if I am lying. The other priest just looks like he is out of place here.

"Can I ask something before we continue?" Well, whatever they are trying to imagine, it is not my problem. Besides, Longinus men are already able to do that so it is too late to worry now.

"Yes, of course, you can." Why is your voice trembling like that?

"Is there a hero named Maria among those who fought the Longinus?"

"No. Ever since the first hero, Genesis Saint Axelandria, no hero has ever received that name. The first saintess that appeared after the first hero has forbidden us from giving this name to any hero as it is another way of addressing our goddess." What? How do Maria and Meetia sound the same?

Anyway, it seems the first saintess is the reason why Maria has been forgotten. Well, she did fight against her mother for N'donkeu so…

"I see. Thank you. Ah, yes, before I forget. The Longinus I fought this time said something weird."

"What was it?" Don't look afraid like that? It seems I have completely destroyed this woman's hope to vanquish the Longinus.

"He talked about a 'she'. Saying that he was told to be wary of me since I am getting annoying."

"You?"

"Hmph! Pretentious little shit!" This time, Chicken couldn't let it go.

"I prefer that than being a chicken."

"What?!!!"

"Ah!! Geez! Shut up!" The woman priest snaps off as well and screams at chicken with a voice full of authority. He just quietly lowers his head, swallowing whatever was left of his pride. Oh, poor chicken. I am starting to feel bad for him.

"Pfff…" Just kidding. This is so much fun.

"…"

The woman looks at me with cold eyes as well. Yeah, I know I shouldn't be making fun of him but I just can't stop myself. I do my best to swallow my laugh and manage to settle it down.

"Sorry."

"Now. You said the Longinus mentioned a 'she', who do you think it refers to?"

"I don't know. But what I am sure of is that it isn't Veronica Flolerl. That Longinus confirmed himself that he never made contact with her."

"I see. Well, we can't just believe whatever they say so let's not exclude that possibility."

"If you say so."

"Now about…"