Chapter 33 : Mhh... Pasta

I head toward the inn, greeting the old man who takes care of the rooms as I pass. He gives me a nod, barely surprised by my late arrival with Elvaria in my arms. I climb the wooden stairs toward our room, exhaustion setting in after everything we've been through today. I enter the room and gently place Elvie on the bed, making sure to cover her well with the sheets so she can sleep peacefully.

I linger for a moment, leaning over her, admiring her strength and courage, and above all, grateful that she's still alive. She's so incredible. With a tender gesture, I lean down and plant a light kiss on her forehead. Then I straighten up and leave the room, closing the door softly behind me. She can open it from the inside if needed, but I want to make sure no one can disturb her while she sleeps.

"Off to the guild, I suppose..." I murmured as I descended the wooden stairs. I hope Valentin and the others are already there. There's so much to think about, so many unanswered questions after everything that happened.

Somewhere in this world:

On a solitary hill, a man with features marked by time observes two graves placed side by side. His gaze is dark, his lips murmuring words that no one can hear.

"The summoned god has been killed..." He finally looks away from the graves of Aleystria and Elvaristria, speaking to himself. "That's impossible... And yet, the divine wave hasn’t awakened any dormant spirits!" His voice trembles with frustration, but suddenly, an idea crosses his mind. A doubt, a frightening possibility.

"Aley... Elvi... Could you still be alive?" he says, his eyes lost in the orange glow of the setting sun, as if realizing for the first time that everything he believed could be a lie. "No, it's impossible... Otherwise, all my crimes... it would be impostors, those who prevented your resurrection. Yes, that must be it." His voice grows more tremulous, a mad smile stretching across his age-worn face.

This man, living in isolation in a modest cabin at the foot of the hill, is old. Very old. His long gray beard falls onto his chest, and though no one knows his actual age, he survived the Holy War. Once an alchemist, he used to collect the blood of fallen gods, which he used in sordid experiments. Today, he distributes those vials of divine blood, hoping to create an anomaly in the heavens to bring his friends back to life.

The "Gods," these mysterious beings of immeasurable power, remain an enigma to humanity. According to the Church of the West, these gods were once the first men to walk the Earth. They are said to have reached a superior level of magic, allowing them to create a divine dimension, the "Paradise," where they now live, creating other forms of life. But when it comes to who created these first men... no one has the answer.

Back in Iveralmn, in the streets of the capital, as night falls:

"This is the first time I'm going to the guild alone at night..." I murmured to myself as I walked through the deserted streets. It's cold, and the only glimmers of light come from the floating orbs that vaguely illuminate the path. Despite the solitude, there’s a peaceful atmosphere, almost romantic.

After a few minutes of walking, the large rustic building of the guild stands before me. I enter without much thought, but as soon as I cross the threshold, something strikes me. The room is... empty. Only one table is occupied, and as I approach, I immediately recognize a few familiar faces.

"ALFIRA?! VARILIS TOO?!" I yelled, unable to hide my surprise. Seeing Alfira in this state no longer shocks me, but Varilis, the priest, partying and drinking... That’s unexpected.

"Stop yelling, will you?" growls a cold voice in the room. Phloriphis, the witch I had ignored earlier, looks at me with a piercing gaze, though her face is partly hidden under her hood. She sits at the table, dressed in her black-and-white robe.

"Calm down, finally..." intervenes Valentin with an awkward smile, trying to ease the tension.

"Welcome, Aley." Varilis greets me in a soft and composed voice. "And in case you're wondering, yes, I have permission to drink and party." He smiles, visibly pleased with himself.

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"Aley! Come sit next to me!" cries Alfira, a wide grin on her lips, motioning for me to join her.

They’re all gathered around a large wooden table, typical of the guild. In the center, it's a real feast: a huge roasted chicken, grapes... and there... pasta. Pasta! My heart skips a beat.

"PASTA?!" I shouted, completely flabbergasted.

Valentin glances up from his plate, an amused smile on his lips. "I feel like that shocks you more than seeing a princess dining with us..."

Without wasting a second, I sit at the table, grabbing an empty chair nearby. I'm still in shock. Pasta. They have pasta.

As I’m about to dig into my plate, a question crosses my mind. "By the way, why is the guild empty—"

Before I can finish, Alfira turns her head toward me with an almost goofy smile. "I told all the adventurers that if they dared come and disturb the feast to reward Novus Obris, they'd be executed by royal order!" she declares cheerfully.

Everyone around the table averts their eyes, clearly uncomfortable. I remain frozen, mouth agape.

Phloriphis, in her corner, sighs. "Whatever... I tried to invite Lein and Owul, but they refused. They’re too scared after the princess knocked out a god..." She shakes her head. "But I haven’t given up on the idea of fighting you, Aley!" she adds, her gaze determined.

"Whatever, let's eat..." I said, already exhausted by this surreal conversation.

"Well said, Aley!" adds Varilis, all smiles. Then, without warning, he grabs a bottle of beer and starts downing it in one go. I stare at him, flabbergasted.

"VARILIS?!" I can't believe my eyes. He doesn’t even stop, and his cheeks begin to flush as he finishes the bottle, looking visibly satisfied.

"Not fair, I wanted some too!" grumbles Valentin, frustrated.

"Me too!" adds Alfira, glaring at Varilis.

Phloriphis, for her part, looks more than ever like she regrets coming.

"Bah... I'll just eat my pasta then..." I mumbled, turning my attention to Valentin to try and strike up a conversation. "Pasta? Seriously? In my world, we eat that with cheese and good bread..." he says with a smile.

I cut him off suddenly, pointing an accusatory finger in his direction. "I knew it, you’re French!" I immediately realize the absurdity of my words. Oops.

Valentin stares at me, surprised. "P-Pardon?" Oh no. Did I say that out loud? I try to recover.

"I was saying... I hope Elvie is sleeping well right now. I'll bring her something to eat," I said, trying to bluff.

"Ah, right," Valentin agrees before diving back into his plate of chicken legs.

I breathe a sigh of relief and eat my pasta with a discreet smile. It's nice to share a moment like this with them, even if Phloriphis stays in her corner sulking. But hey... The others are here.

"By the way, what happened to Mercuria?" I asked, intrigued.

Varilis smiles with a little laugh, but suddenly, his expression changes entirely. For the first time, his smile fades, and his gaze becomes... dead.

"She was executed," he said coldly.

"What?!" I cried out, completely caught off guard.

Phloriphis, still as uninterested, barely looks up from her plate. "He’s lying, she's just being yelled at by her father, the king of Voltruite."

"Ah, what a joker this Varilis," adds Alfira, her usual goofy smile on her lips.

I stare at him, completely stunned. "Var, you're capable of making jokes?!"

Suddenly, I feel a sharp pain. Valentin pinched my arm with a forced smile, clearly trying to shut me up. He then speaks in a falsely cheerful voice, but with a hint of panic in his eyes.

"It's rude to say that to a priest, A-l-e-y," he says, emphasizing my name with a tone that’s meant to be humorous but betrays his fear that Varilis might take offense.

I rub my arm, a bit grumpy. "Well, back to my pasta," I mumbled, shoving a big mouthful into my mouth.

In the distance, Phloriphis still hasn’t touched her plate. I decide to throw a little jab. "Hey, Phlo, can I ask you something?"

She looks at me, annoyed. "Don't call me Phlo, I’m not your friend—"

"Okay, okay," I replied, raising my hands, a mocking smile on my lips. "But if you’re not eating, can I take your portion for Elvaria? She’d love it."

At those words, she springs up like a coil, her face furious. She attacks her food like a starving dog, muttering between bites.

"Fine, I’m eating!" she says, her mouth full.

I smile, satisfied. I got her to eat.

"You're clever, Aley," says Varilis with a knowing wink before... starting again.

"VARILIS?! THAT'S YOUR SECOND BOTTLE!" I exclaimed, completely dumbfounded. But it was pointless. He kept drinking happily, indifferent to my protests.

— Clink.

"ALFIRA?!" I stared, dumbfounded, as Alfira gently nudged Varilis aside to snatch the bottle from him.

"My turn now," she declared, bringing the bottle closer to her lips, ready to drink.

But Valentin, true to his usual self, couldn’t resist making a sly comment. "That would be an indirect kiss with Varilis. Wouldn't you rather have an indirect kiss with Aley instead?"

Alfira stopped dead in her tracks and, without hesitation, offered me the bottle with a mischievous grin. "Good idea! Drink from this bottle, so your saliva will be on it and—"

"NO, THAT'S WEIRD!" I shouted, immediately flustered, before shoving another huge forkful of pasta into my mouth to quickly shut down this incredibly awkward situation.

Phloriphis, meanwhile, slowly pushed her chair back, visibly trying to distance herself from this absurd scene. She sighed heavily, exasperated. "To think you’re supposed to be so powerful..." she muttered, clearly annoyed.

And so, that wild night continued... between bursts of laughter, excessive beer, and, most importantly, pasta.