CHAPTER 60: A Strange Book.

"Athalia Selene,"

"The heck, don't call my full name like that, Bro Ash!"

"Do you know the location of the Azrael Empire's portal?"

"No,"

"You definitely know,"

"I don't,"

"Then, do you have a way to contact Ley?"

"Hmm, yes. Even if you guys go to another universe, I can still contact you,"

"So, where's the portal,"

"I don't knoooow!"

I thought they are going to talk privately? So, what are these three doing in my room right now? Don't tell me I am included in their conversation? There's no way we'll be able to have a proper talk with them being like that. Just look at how those two talk to each other. Sir Abel is just sitting beside Lia, savoring the tea served to them.

"Plus—why the hell are you looking for his empire? Just stay here!" Lia said, annoyed by Asher. She crossed her arms and legs, closed her eyes and turn her head away from her brother.

"The holy crystal is the only thing that can extinguish Azrael's flame," Asher spoke. Wait.

Didn't he said he's unaware about my curse? But he's been looking for the holy crystal for my curse, that means he knew about the flame that's been deteriorating my divine core!

"Huh? Why do you want to remove it?"

Everyone went silent when Lia asked that. What does she mean by that?

"Why not?" Sir Abel asked.

"If we extinguish the flame, the curse will disappear. Virexon will have a chance to steal the divine core," Hmm, she's right. But...

What about me?

"And you two...know what happens if he's got his hand on the divine core, right? You know veeery well," Lia added. What? It feels like they are hiding a lot of things based on those words. It's like they've already experienced it on their own. But, that's impossible, right?

"The divine core is sealed—"

"We'll have to unseal it if you want to remove the curse. Simply unsealing the divine core will make all the priests—even the foreign ones to be aware of the Princess' existence. No way Virexon won't know," Lia narrows her eyes to her brother glared at him. The two of them stayed quiet, of course me too.

And why are they talking about this in front of me? I know I am not a literal 7-year-old kid, but are they this insensitive?! It still affects my mentality though?!

"So, you're saying that we should just let the flame to keep burning her divine core and mana core until she become unconscious?" Asher asked—and why does his voice sounded really really really serious? I can't see his expression because he's sitting on the couch near my bed, so he had his back turn away from me.

"B-Brother..." Sir Abel mumbled.

"Bro Ash...that's—that's not—"

"You're saying in order to not let Virexon get his hands on the divine core, we'll let someone else fall into that state all her life?"

I gulped as my heart starts beating really fast, I feel like I am heavily sweating after hearing Asher's deep and serious voice. It sounds really scary...

"P-Prince..." Eri mumbled. I turned to her and she's looking at Asher with such fear in her eyes.

"Tch. Bro Ash, calm down, will you? I know you hate the idea, but I don't plan to let Ali end up like that. Do you not trust me at all?" Lia harshly scratched the back of her head and she looks really annoyed.

"Then, tell me where Azrael's Empire is located,"

Why are they talking as if I don't exist at all?

"Have you forgotten? I am not an Astra. Unlike you all who can go visit each other's empire, ours is hidden somewhere...dangerous," Lia finally laid her eyes to me. I blinked for a couple of times as I forced a smile.

"Just tell me where it is," Asher forced.

"..." Lia looks frustrated and pressured because of her brother.

That's why Asher and Sir Abel doesn't know where the portal is, it's because there are differences between them despite being incarnations of Gods? Or is it because Azrael is the God of Death and he's like the Grim Repear of this world? I think the Selene is that special, huh? The fact that she's the only one among them who is able to actually take someone's life, but refuse to commit such act.

Still, girl want me go carry this curse forever.

Anyway, where could be the portal to Azrael's empire is? Why is it dangerous?

Could it be, hell? No. Hell would be the place where the demons live, if that's the case...

"Underworld..." I mumbled. I noticed Lia's eyes widened, but it turns back to normal after a few seconds.

"Tsk. Alright, yes. The portal is located in Erevale," Erevale? That must be the name of the underworld here.

"Still, you can't enter that portal without me. If you want to get over there, you'll have to bring me with you. That would mean, saying goodbye to the Princess here without any Astra by her side. We can't leave Aisha's Magic Tower unguarded, so Abel can't stay with her forever," Aisha's Magic Tower? The one that Sir Abel is guarding is Aisha's? But, I thought the Magic Towers are within the Empire?

Oh, wait. That's right, Aisha is the Goddess of Life and her realm is literally the whole Lumia.

"I know that. But unlike before, Eri's with her now. And I'm confident she's safe within this Palace...plus, her family and the young lime will be with her too," Asher replied. Oh, does he actually trust Ziel's strength? That makes me feel a bit touched.

"That young lime...is it alright to leave that guy running around?" Sir Abel asked.

What 'that guy'?! What does he think Ziel is?

But, Asher did said that Ziel has a secret. Hmm...I'm a bit lost.

"Yeah," Asher nod his head, and finally turned his head to face me. They were talking as if I'm not here, and it's not like I can just interfere because I have no idea at all what they want to talk about.

"Just promise that you won't cause trouble though," and then he looked away.

"Do you think I'm someone who causes troubles a lot? Tch!" I rolled my eyes and lean on the headboard of my bed.

"After I'm done with the kingdom and the dukedom, we'll immediately head to Erevale," Wow, he's so dedicated in removing my curse....

I smiled at him.

"Asher's really determined to remove my curse. Do you hate babysitting me that much?" I teased, he did not reacted and just sighed. I saw his siblings in front of him—the Tower Magician is suppressing a laugh, while the other one is in disbelief.

I wonder why?

"Anyway, connect me to Ley," Big Brother Asher is so commanding. Lia mumbled something with an annoyed face and then placed her index finger to her right temple as she close her eyes. She whispered a few words and then opened her eyes again.

[ Hiii ]

What? This is my Godmother that spoke just now.

"I said connect just me...hah, nevermind. Ley, how are you?" Asher asked. It looks like Lia made it so that all of us can here my Godmother.

[ Brotheeer! I miss you so much! Abel and Ali tooo! ] It's really strange that I have the same nickname as someone.

"Yeah, it's been so long since we've last seen you, Big Sis," Sir Abel replied, smiling. Oh, so my Godmother is his Big Sister. It looks like he's the youngest of them all.

[ Righhht! And now my brother only remembered me because he wants to ask me about a certain dragon, and no! I don't know his real name. But... ] My Godmother paused.

"What? Tell me this instant," Asher asked. He's so impatient!

[ Calm down, bro ~ well, I know that his name is not far from his current one ] What does that even mean?

"What do you mean?" Lia confusedly asked.

[ I mean...hmm, how do I explain this. His current name is Dearil, right? ] Huh? Strangely, the name didn't affect me at all, is it because she's in another world?

"Yes," Asher replied.

[ His real name is not far from that ] Not far?

"That's quite confusing," Abel mumbled, while his two siblings nodded at him to agree.

[ Well, that's just a riddle I found from Raini's Temple before...so, I can't really say anything ] Hah...limited information.

"Alright. Thanks for your help, Ley," Asher massaged his temple and stood up. Where is he planning to go now?

[ Yup, no probleeem ~ I want to go back and see Alina ] Godmother Ley sighed, and I can tell that she's shaking her head right now.

"Well, why don't you hurry up with your work and go back here," Lia replied as she chuckle. Asher walks towards the balcony, and then he stared at the sky.

Is he alright?

[ As much as I want to do that—this world is just so amazing! There are many things here that doesn't exist in Lumia! I enjoy my life here hahahahaha! ]

"Traitor,"

[ Brother, is it really okay to leave Zav— ]

All of a sudden, my godmother was cut off. Or maybe Lia just disconnected me?

"Yeah, that person keeps follower her wherever she go after they met 1,000 years ago," Asher spoke. I wonder what and who they're talking about. 1,000 years ago...

Huh? Something's off with his sense of time, no? Is it bcause he's already so old? Hmm...

"Hmph, he won't be able to," Asher smirked and then passed through the balcony door.

"Let's go,"

What—he disappeared!

"Your Highness. Apologies for intruding your personal room, we shall leave now," Sir Abel smiled and then he suddenly slowly vanished like a fog.

"I should go now as well, Princess,"

And in just a few seconds, the room became silent.

I sighed and lay down on my bed. But, Eri flaps her wings and fly towards the table. I don't have the energy to talk right now, so I just closed my eyes. I just found out about the holy crystal and where Azrael Empire is located, but it's not like I can so something about it.

"Master, look. Prince Asher left his book,"

I opened my eyes again and lift my body to sit. I didn't know Asher is so forgetful. He looked for this book that he ended up late to our meeting, and now he left it again.

Hmm? What's this strange title?

"The...Hidden Era?"

What is that?

And there's a year written under it.

Year 1-1000

What? Huh?

"Fifteen hundred,"

"So you're 1,410 years old?"

Wait...

Wait, wait, wait! I was so focused by how old Asher is that I didn't realized these things!

How come that the Zariah civilization is built fifteen hundred years ago when we're only at Year 767 right now?!

And what's this...hidden era?

***