"Go on, then? Mysterious prophecy dragon? Amaterasu! Tell me your prophecy!"
Before Riel could speak, Fleurdelys eagerly asked first. Riel followed her lead and replied:
"Aww, aww… aww… (Fleurdelys, you must believe me. The Sentinel you currently worship has been assimilated and controlled by the Threnodian. If you attend the Saintess Coronation Ceremony tomorrow, you will resonate with what you believe to be the Sentinel, but is actually the Threnodian, which will trigger a Tacet Discord Tide, also known as the black tide in your Rinnascita.)"
"Aww aww aww… (This is the Threnodian's trap! It wants to gather all the people of Rinnascita through the Saintess Coronation Ceremony, then take the opportunity to invade, slaughter them, occupy Rinnascita, and bring about its 'Divine Kingdom'!)"
"Aww! (So, you cannot go tomorrow.)"
"Aww… (Moreover, you are actually…)"
Riel was halfway through his sentence when a pouting Fleurdelys pressed his dragon muzzle with two fingers, preventing him from opening his mouth to speak.
He tried to struggle twice, but it was useless.
It felt like a déjà vu of "the Dragon King, having endured for three years, was about to laugh, but suddenly had his mouth torn open and his spell interrupted."
Then Riel met Fleurdelys's serious gaze—much more serious than when she was teaching him to call her master big sister.
"Amaterasu, who taught you what you just said?"
?
Fleurdelys narrowed her eyes, pouted, and leaned her face closer, giving Amaterasu's head a tap!
"Sentinel Ember-Lado defeated the Leviathan, repelled the black tide of Rinnascita, created this pure land, and protected the peace of Rinnascita. The Sentinel is supremely sacred and inviolable. What you just said was truly too offensive!"
"How could Sentinel be contaminated by the Threnodian? Sentinel possesses supreme power; mere Threnodian is only fit to grovel under Sentinel's hooves, wings, and fishtail, begging for death! She brings light and vitality to Rinnascita, and is an existence that all people and seihai of Rinnascita must hold with gratitude and respect!"
"Amaterasu, I forgive you for saying such things in front of me today. I forgive your ignorance on behalf of Sentinel, and I'm only verbally educating you. But if you step out of this Saintess's chambers, you are absolutely not allowed to say anything similar that questions Sentinel Ember-Lado, understood?"
The sudden imposing aura from Fleurdelys made Riel pause. He didn't dare to look directly into her bright eyes, nor did he dare to refute. He just took a deep breath, then exhaled it tremblingly… She seemed to realize she had been a bit too serious and scared Little Amaterasu. With a soft sigh, she pulled Amaterasu onto her pillow, and her tone softened,
"Alright! I don't blame you anymore. It's normal for a little seihai to make some noise to attract attention. But you can't talk about Sentinel like that, and you don't need to say you can prophesy. You already attracted me the moment you appeared."
"You know what? You're really super cute, super cool! Really! Super, super!"
Besides, what kind of strength does this Saintess Fleurdelys have? And what kind of strength does the little dragon Amaterasu have?
This Saintess can see through Amaterasu's frequency at a glance—how could this Saintess not know if you, little fellow, have the ability to prophesy?
Clearly without the ability to prophesy, yet daring to slander Sentinel with it, you truly need to be educated.
It's just because Amaterasu is young and ignorant… "Besides, even if the Threnodian and the black tide truly return, I will repel them all, protect the people of Rinnascita, and crush all their conspiracies!"
"You know what, little guy? I am a Resonator of the Sentinel, I am very strong! If the Threnodian dares to come, watch me wield the Sword of Human Rights, hoh! Hoh! Ha! Hey! I'll chop it into several pieces!"
The warm breath exhaled by the girl brushed against Riel's face, and her hands occasionally gestured in the air, seemingly trying hard to make Riel believe the fact that she was very powerful.
A hint of excitement flickered in her eyes, as if she was imagining the scene where, if the Threnodian really came, she would become a Great Heroine who repelled the Threnodian and was revered by thousands.
"Sigh…"
Unbeknownst to him, Fleurdelys's fingers, which had been pinching Amaterasu's mouth, had already been removed.
Riel let out a heavy sigh—he knew his persuasion was completely useless, and continuing would only incur Fleurdelys's displeasure.
Moreover, Fleurdelys's, and even the people of Rinnascita's, firm and fervent belief in the Sentinel was a cognitive error and spiritual pollution that the Leviathan had cultivated for who knows how many years—Fleurdelys herself was even the source of pollution used by Leviathan to corrupt Rinnascita.
His, Riel's, words were insignificant; no matter how much more he said, it would be useless.
"Are you just born and too excited to sleep, so you're talking nonsense, Amaterasu?"
Fleurdelys realized that it was truly time to sleep.
She needed to be in her best state for tomorrow's Saintess Coronation Ceremony!
Riel looked at her with complex eyes, but she didn't notice.
"Little seihai need to sleep a lot to grow up quickly~"
"If you can't sleep, shall I sing you a song?"
"It's a folk song I really love, about the previous Sentinel Resonator, who was also the previous Saintess—Carthesia."
(The beliefs of the Rinnascita people have spawned many versions due to Leviathan's spiritual pollution. For example, the diviner in the church remembers Fleurdelys, but in his impression, Fleurdelys was the sinner who brought the black tide, and it was the Saintess who repelled the black tide. However, the Saintess of that period was Fleurdelys. So, while this is the author's private setting, it is also reasonable. There is always one version of belief where a Saintess named Carthesia exists, a heroic figure Fleurdelys wants to become, whose heroic deeds are sung by people.)
Riel nodded helplessly, lay weakly on the bed, and nestled into her arms.
Since things had come to this, he might as well sleep first.
At worst… he would risk his life with her tomorrow. If something felt wrong, he would quickly tell her to run.
In Riel's eyes, the other people of Rinnascita were not as important as this girl in front of him—he didn't care what happened to Rinnascita, he only wanted her to live, and live well.
She also had this ability—as long as she didn't make the foolish mistake of sacrificing herself for others.
Perhaps this transmigration was a dream?
What if he encountered the black tide and the Threnodian tomorrow and died, then transmigrated back?
The best outcome would be that the Sentinel truly possessed supreme power, and this world was not entirely consistent with the game, so no accidents would occur, and she could successfully complete her coronation.
The worst outcome would only be like the game's plot, where she would seal herself with the Threnodian and the black tide, waiting for the Rover to rescue her—after all, she wouldn't die in twenty years, so… the ending wouldn't be particularly bad, right?
Riel's mind was a mess, unable to sleep.
The singing in the room smoothed his furrowed brows:
"Could you spare a second
(Could you spare a moment)
Slow your pace listen
(Slow your pace, listen to me)
To the story of Carthesia
(The legend of Carthesia)
She called for freedom
(She once cried out for freedom)
She yearned for legend
(Yearned to become a legend)
Dreaming of splendid adventure
(Longing for a splendid adventure)
Will the prophecy manifest
(Will the prophecy come true)
Will I be the maiden who
(Can I be the chosen maiden)
Then I'll walk down the glory path
(If so, I will embark on the path of glory)
Bring honor and brightness back
(Bringing back honor and light)
Wipe out all the enemies in sight
(Wiping out all enemies in sight)
There's no turning back this time
(There's no turning back this time)
Will it realize will it realize
(Will the prophecy be fulfilled)
Will the laurel be placed on my head
(Will I be crowned with laurel)
One day we shall cheer and dance
(One day we shall cheer and dance)
Making joy forever last
(Making joy last forever)
… (Excerpt from: "May Glory Fall into the Abyss")"