PART 1: INVESTIGATION UNVEILED

“So, let’s get this straight.” Alex said to the holographic image of his wife and Novel.

“The only thing connecting these terrorists is that all of them were fanatics of Saint Aria?”

Ashlyn's reaction was immediate, her usually strong-willed demeanor faltering for a moment.

It seemed the mere mention of that name made her temper flare up.

“Yes. Most of them had their walls plastered with images of her.” Ashlyn replied, her eyes turned to Novel who nodded to her. “They even had handwritten letters, swearing their chastity for her.”

Hearing that much, Alex tilted his head.

Sure, he could see the link between such stalker-like behavior and the terrorist, but he failed to grasp why Ashlyn's face had turned so serious.

Because of his furrowed brow, Novel had to come to his rescue by providing an explanation.

“Handwritten letters hold immense importance for Elysians, Alex. They are reserved for swearing the highest loyalty.”

Alex scratched his head, his curiosity had been picked by the new mystery enemy that had been planning against him ever since he approached Aria.

However, he couldn’t help but feel a hint of concern. His guts had been bothering him for some time.

That usually meant something bad was about to happen, he just couldn’t see where It will be coming from.

Because of that, he could only leave the investigation in the capable hands of his family.

“I get it's important, but why would these terrorists be so devoted to Saint Aria?” Alex had his nails dig into his palms as he addressed them. “What's the connection between her and their actions?”

Ashlyn leaned forward, her eyes narrowing in determination. “I don't know, but we need to find out. If there's even a remote chance that her name is being used to manipulate these people into acts of terrorism, we can't ignore it.”

Of course, it was left unsaid how much she wished for Aria to be the culprit, so that she could deal with her.

On the other hand, Novel, always the pragmatic one, added. “And it might not just be about Saint Aria herself. There could be something larger at play, some hidden agenda behind all of this. We need to uncover the truth.”

Alex recognized the urgency in their voices.

He nodded, a brave expression on his face. "Alright, let's do it. Let's destroy this mystery and put an end to whatever's driving these fanatics."

Novel and Ashlyn nodded at his words.

What had transpired had shaken their image.

Many of the citizens had seen this as a sign of weakness and unrest was growing among their Elysian’s ranks.

“Leave it to me.” Novel displayed a predatory smile on her blue face. “I’ll hit whoever tried to harm my children with the weight of justice.”

With that said, her image disappeared from the hologram, leaving Ashlyn and Alex alone.

She took advantage of this immediately.

“Alex, you should stay in the castle and practice more with the elemental gauntlet I gifted you.” Her smile was soft, conveying both affection and concern.

Alex rolled his, his lips pursed. “I know. You, Aqua and Pyra had been stuck to my side ever since the incident.”

He sighed, his gaze becoming lax. “I’m not so fragile. They'll need a more destructive force to hurt me.”

Ashlyn hesitated for a moment, her gaze lingering on him.

She reached up, her fingers trailing through her vibrant red hair. Then, with a subtle movement, she swept a strand of hair to one side, as if trying to shield her reluctance to say goodbye.

“Just be careful, okay?”

Her attitude and tone betrayed her usual confident style, something that left Alex stunned.

Yet, with those last words, her image slowly faded from the hologram, leaving Alex standing in his office.

“She always has to have the last word.”

PART 2: A DAY OFF

“Are you sure about this?” Aria asked Alex as she fixed the collar of the shirt he was wearing today. “We can have this date once you have destroyed the terrorists.”

Alex just responded with a wry grin.

“That’s the point.” He clarified, his gaze sweeping over the camouflage-clad guards surrounding them. “We will enjoy our time together and draw their attention at the same time.”

Aria stopped fussing over his clothes, her right foot tapping the ground in mild frustration.

“Fine, but I want to attend Bazz-dance’s concert!” She declared.

A long drop of sweat ran down Alex’s hair.

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Aria’s taste in music was quite peculiar.

“Well, as long as it's not a band mixing electronic with northern Mexican styles.”

Aria rolled her eyes, appearing somewhat exasperated.

“I've told you countless times, I have no idea what northern Mexican style even means. Besides, the Salvagers are a highly respected group.”

And that seemed odd to Alex, whatever music they could play, people from the Keeper of the flame loved it.

“Okay, if you say so.” Alex finally compromised.

Then, he looked down at his communicator and pressed a button to check the time.

“We've got a few hours before the concert. How about grabbing a meal? Maybe something a bit spicy?”

Aria took a moment to respond, her gaze wandering over the crowd gathered in the street.

Some of the pedestrians were just gawking at them, but a few of them had stern expressions as they watched her.

Feeling the weight of their judgment, she reached for Alex's hand.

“Let’s go to a less crowded place.” She suggested, making that pitiful expression that Made Alex unable to say no. “Somewhere with a nice view.”

Alex scratched the back of his head, trying to remember something.

“I think I heard the teachers back at Pyra’s school of rockets talking about this nice place they just opened up.” He turned to look at Aria with an adventurous smile. “They mentioned it had a nice view of the island's mountains.”

Aria gave a last glance at the crowd around them, lost in thought for a moment.

She puffed out her chest and gently pulled Alex forward into the street, leaving the annoying crowd behind.

“Come on.” She urged, her beautiful golden hair shining. “We should hurry, we might be late at this rate.”

As Alex and Aria left the street where visitors converged behind, they entered into the real Academy City, a place that never seemed to sleep.

Tall spheric buildings reached towards the sky, casting long shadows across the walkways.

It was a sight that never failed to amaze Aria whenever she visited the place.

As they walked in such a city, they encountered their first obstacle.

“Be careful!” A young boy, a teenager screamed as he drove past them on some kind of floating bicycle or biker as the locals called it.

However, sensing the danger, Aria immediately pulled Alex aside, avoiding to crash into the students hurrying to and from classes, and the teachers in a rush to impart knowledge.

“Man, he has no respect for pedestrians!” Alex grumbled, looking down at his black shoes now covered in dirt from the biker's wake.

Aria, always cheerful, just chuckled at the sight.

“Well, let's find a quieter spot.” She suggested, gently tugging Alex along.

Amidst the bustling city and its ever-moving denizens, Alex and Aria continued their stroll, eventually finding a more tranquil path.

Here,they finally had the chance to see the breathtaking view of the island's mountains in the distance.

The sun bathed the landscape in warm hues, creating a serene spectacle, only ruined by the occasional Boy patrolling and circling around.

PART 3: THE SAINT'S UGLY JEALOUSY

The little restaurant Alex had chosen ended up being better than they had hoped for.

Their quiet corner table offered a nice view of the setting sun casting an orange glow over the mountains.

It made the meal seem all more worth than it was.

Not only that, the atmosphere was also serene, and provided the perfect setting for light-hearted banter and flirting.

“Ugh! I shouldn’t have eaten so much!” Alex groaned, clutching his stomach. “I'll probably regret this later.”

Aria couldn't help but chuckle, her eyes forming crescents as she gazed at his pitiful face. “I told you to not add more sauce, it was already spicy enough.”

Alex playfully shot her a mock-grudge-filled glare. “I swear you Elysians must be cheating. You can literally walk on burning coals with your bare feet and devour the spiciest food without flinching!”

Aria just chuckled once again.

Her melodious voice filled the air of the restaurant with a beautiful aura.

The playful banter between the two continued, making their date all the more enjoyable.

However, things suddenly got a bit weird from one moment to the next.

It happened when a well-stocked blue haired woman, who had been dining at a nearby table, stood up to depart.

As she was about to leave, her long legs suddenly stopped as her purse slipped from her hands, hitting the white floor with a distinct "dinging" sound.

“I can’t believe it!” The woman pursed her pretty red lips in annoyance.

Then, she bent over to pick up her purse from the floor, causing her mini-short white dress to be pulled up slightly, revealing her red string underwear.

Her actions caught Alex's attention for a moment. His eyes widened ever so slightly at the unexpected sight.

His actions were further accentuated as he stopped paying attention to his date for a second.

Aria, who had only Alex as her sole focus of attention, immediately noticed his subtle glance.

Her chest started to ache, a burning feeling inside it.

Even when Alex returned his full attention to her a second later, she couldn’t control the dark jealousy she was feeling.

Just imagining Alex leaving her for another was agonizing.

However, instead of following her religion’s teaching about confidence, she let her emotions get the best of her.

So, she dramatically slammed her fork onto her plate, causing a clatter that turned heads in the restaurant.

“What's going on here?” Aria's sharp and unpleasant tone cut through the atmosphere.

She fixed her gaze on Alex with a look that would make anyone believe she was ready to eat him alive.

Her saintly demeanor had given way to a simmering anger.

Alex, caught off guard by Aria's sudden outburst, tried to diffuse the situation with his characteristic awkwardness. "I was just... I mean, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have paid her any attention..."

But before he could finish his sentence, Aria stood up and pointed an accusatory finger at the departing woman.

“Oh, I see!” Aria's voice dripped with malice. “You were admiring her, weren't you? Right in front of me!” She added a malicious glare at the woman who was by now scurrying away.

The entire restaurant watched the spectacle unfold while withholding their breaths. Some diners chuckled, while others exchanged worried glances.

There was an underlying tension in the air, and a few patrons were ready to intervene if the Saint tried to touch their King.

Finally, Aria couldn't maintain her act any longer and burst into a fit of tears, feeling ashamed of herself.

She returned to her seat, wiping away her tears. “I'm sorry, Alex. I just… I’m afraid of losing you.”

Alex, relieved that the tension had dissolved, chuckled softly.

He rose from his seat and walked over to Aria's side, gently embracing her in his arms.

“Silly.” he whispered, his voice steady. “I’ve told you many times you’re mine.”

His words sounded confident, something that comforted Aria.

Yet, as she rested her head on his chest, she failed to see his trembling eyes.

And even worse, both of them failed to see the woman, the cause of the scene, watching them from afar with a pleased expression.