Chap 29: The Ritual Hall
1436 Words
*** Galen’s POV ***
At this such wonderful moment, I felt like the time around my world had been stopped.
Liana’s act had frozen my body that I didn’t dare to move even a centimeter. I noticed that our lips were just touching each other, but to me, I had enjoyed this dreamful moment enough as if I have been drunk.
I like Liana… No, I think I have loved her already… and this is the only chance I can do that with her. If this is a dream, I really wish that I would never wake up.
I have decided: I didn’t want to fool around our relationship anymore. From now on, my mind had been settled with determination: Liana… was the one I have chosen, to become the one I love eternally.
Suddenly, Liana gasped when something shining deep inside my chest, originated right at my heart.
“Gerald, what’s happening?!”
“What?”
When I opened my eyes, I found that my chest was shining the light of the particular greenery: It was the seed of Galadriel! Why does it react at this such right time?!
My hand covered the seed inlaid inside my chest and hid its light. I was going to explain Liana, but…
The flower plants around were like they were trying to respond to Galadriel’s seed. After the light of greenery spread, they began growing faster and faster, to the point that their roots broke the pots and spread on the ground.
Liana and I looked at the ceiling. At this rate, those flower plants would break the glass roof of the greenhouse!
“Oh no!” Liana shouted.
“Stop! Calm down!!”
I was panicked that it was the first thing I could do. Otherwise, people would notice us at the greenhouse and we both would be doomed for being outside at this late night.
…miraculously, thanks goddess that the flower plants seemed to listen to what I said and they stayed silent immediately. However, their giant body was still staying and almost reached the ceiling of the greenhouse. I needed to do something in order to turn them back into normal.
“Uhm… Shall I say… lower?”
Oh, it worked. The flower plants had been reversely grown by becoming smaller and smaller. Their roots slowly retreated as well. But because their pot had been broken. They were dying on the ground with the roots being pulled open.
It was my fault for letting the seed of Galadriel activate my power. Also, the rain still hadn’t stopped yet, so I wore back my shirt, had decided to stay in this greenhouse for a little longer to clean my own messed up. I picked up each of the flower plants, used “heal” to recover them, and planted them directly on the ground for the vegetable field area nearby. It was the best solution from now on, I thought, since my healing just could resurrect any living beings belonging to the plant, not the objects.
While cleaning up, I didn’t forget to tell Liana.
“Alice, you have your own umbrella, right? It’s better if you go to the dormitory now.”
But Liana approached next to me and smiled.
“The more the faster, right? Also, you don’t have an umbrella to let me help you too.”
My heart had been warmed up just by looking at Liana’s beautiful eyes. I nodded my head, began to work out with her.
…
Our meeting had ended, it was already 10:00pm. But since there weren’t any people around anymore, we were just chilling while walking through the garden.
During this whole time, we didn’t talk anything. I was holding the umbrella, covered both of us from the rain so we were pretty close to each other. I couldn’t know what Liana was thinking, but to me, I felt a sense of inner peace.
However, there was a question troubling my mind as well: For what reason did the seed of Galadriel react like this?
Was it me, or did I just see a shadow passing through the corner of the garden? I turned my head there. But it was so strange, maybe it was just my imagination.
***
The next morning, Galen went to the classroom in a super happy mood, as if he just had a beautiful dream last night.
Meanwhile, he didn’t notice that no one had been around in the dormitory anymore. Today was the holiday, he thought maybe everyone had already left the academy to go home, so didn’t mind about it. Until…
“Galen! There you are!!”
“Hey, Frank!”
Galen met Frank at the entrance of the dormitory area. He was going to give Frank a bro-fist as a morning greeting. However, his facial expression changed when seeing Frank’s face is pale. The instinct had told him that there was something wrong happened.
“Wait, where is Roman?”
Galen asked. It was so bizarre, if he remembered, Frank and Roman usually went together. If Frank was here, where is Roman now?!
“Galen, we have to go to the Ritual Hall now!”
“Ritual Hall?”
“Yes!! Follow me, please!! Roman and Liana are there too!!”
Seeing Frank panicky dragging his cravat, Galen had decided to follow him too.
***
The Ritual Hall is the huge round-shaped square area, connecting the building with the giant hole in the middle of the academy by a stone bridge. Just a day ago, had hadn’t minded much about what that hole is. Today, he had witnessed it, with a more terrible fact than he had ever thought.
Galen rushed to the corridor and watched the Ritual Hall from afar, where there were many students who got gathered around as well. According to what Galen eavesdropped from their discussion, they were saying like this.
“That’s surprising, a S Rank student was going to be the sacrifice for the ritual this time?”
“Don’t tell me our Highness had changed the rule?”
“Ah… what a waste, she is so pretty.”
Galen opened his eyes widely when seeing from afar…
Liana… she was sitting in the middle of the Ritual Hall with a beautiful light green dress. Her smooth long pink hair had covered her face so Galen couldn’t see her face right now, as if she had been hypnotized and was sleeping while sitting.
At the hall, Rosalyn was present as well. Next to her was Roman!
A sacrifice?! What the hell those siblings were doing to his Liana?! Galen thought, while rushing himself to the entrance of the hall as fast as possible.
“Galen, slow down!” Frank was grabbing Galen’s coat while shouting behind Galen.
***
Meanwhile, at the Ritual Hall…
“SISTER! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING WHEN SACRIFICING OUR S RANK STUDENT?!” Roman screamed in front of Rosalyn “ARE YOU GOING TO BETRAY OUR MOTHER?!”
“No, this is the direct order from our mother to advance our royal project.”
Rosalyn, who was wearing a dress responded with a cold tone while showing in front of speechless Roman the scroll paper having the signature from Queen Meriss, with the decision to give an exception, use Alice Valentine as the sacrifice for the ritual this time.
“The examination had been finished. And she is going to be a perfect material for our royal project this time.” She said “Now, you are still a child so don’t stick your nose into my business anymore. I ordered you to go out the hall, immediately, Roman Kilian.”
If Rosalyn wasn’t in front of the public, she could be merciless and give Roman a sidekick for interrupting her job.
Roman was standing still and his mind had been blank, seeing her sister going to take Galen’s friend away…
…no!
Roman had already promised his best friend – Galen to bring both of them out of this dangerous kingdom safely.
He was scared of his sister Rosalyn too…
But…
But…
Roman’s heart had been torn apart between the fear against his sister and his promise to his friends.
He clenched his fist. If this fate had forced him to choose, he would choose…
…
When Galen arrived at the entrance of the Ritual Hall, ignoring everyone trying to stop him, Roman rushed forward, passed through Rosalyn, and covered Liana.
“Sister, I will show you…
…YOU WILL NEVER FEAR ME ANYMORE!!
THIS TIME, TO PROTECT MY FRIENDS, PLEASE USE ME AS THE SACRIFICE INSTEAD!!”
- Writer
