Chapter 1244  Divine Crown?

After their heartfelt conversation in the dimly lit cell, Arthur stood, stretching slightly to ease the tension that had built up during their deep exchange. "Would you like me to teleport you back to your guild, G.o.d"s Blade?" he asked Yurirl, his voice carrying an offer of convenience and safety.

Yurirl shook his head, a determined tone in his voice. "No, thank you, Arthur. I"d prefer if you released me through the gates and into the wilderness. There are people out there, struggling and fighting. I need to help them, to save as many as I can on my way back to my guild."

Understanding Yurirl"s desire to make a tangible difference, Arthur nodded. "I"ll arrange that for you," he a.s.sured him, and with a few spoken commands, he deactivated the runes that secured the cell. They walked together to the gates of the mansion, where Arthur paused, listening intently as Yurirl"s footsteps faded into the sounds of the wilderness.

Returning to the balcony of the Runic Mansion, Arthur leaned against the railing, his senses attuned to the rustle of the leaves and the distant calls of birds—sounds that painted a picture of the world beyond his sight.

Diana came up beside him, her presence immediately noticeable through the subtle shift in the air and the light scent of her perfume. "Who was that man, Arthur?" she asked, her voice laced with concern and curiosity.

Arthur turned his face toward her, though his blind eyes saw nothing. "That was Yurirl, a divine swordsman and an old acquaintance. We"ve had our share of alliances and confrontations over the years," he explained, his voice reflecting a mix of nostalgia and respect.

Diana"s tone softened with understanding. "Why do I feel like his presence affected you more than you"re letting on?"

He sighed, a rueful smile playing on his lips despite his unseen gaze. "Yurirl might just be the person this world actually needs, not me. He stands for what I once aspired to be."

Diana"s hand found his, her fingers intertwining with his. "Is this about your father, Seref?"

Arthur nodded slowly, his head tilting in her direction as if to catch every nuance in her voice. "Yes, somewhat. My father always wanted me to be a savior, a hero. I refused. Yurirl embodies everything he hoped I would be."

"Does that make you sad?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Laughing softly, Arthur shook his head. "No, not anymore. I"ve moved beyond my father"s expectations, no matter where he might be now."

She wrapped her arms around him from behind, her embrace conveying warmth and support. "Then let"s just enjoy this moment, together under the sky," she whispered.

Feeling a moment of peace envelop them, Arthur gently broke the embrace to lead her inside. "There"s someone I want you to meet," he said, guiding her through the familiar corridors of the mansion to a quiet room. Inside, the steady beep of medical equipment filled the air, a sound Arthur knew all too well.

"This is my mother," Arthur introduced, his voice thick with emotion. He explained her condition, his words heavy with a mix of reverence and sadness. "She"s been in a coma for a long time. I"ve tried everything, even the power of wrath, to wake her."

Diana"s heart ached for him, evident in her gentle squeeze of his hand. "Is there really nothing that can be done?"

Arthur reached out, his hand hovering where he knew his mother lay based on the arrangement of the room and the sounds of her breathing machine. He focused, trying once again to channel his wrath to negate any magic that might be affecting her, but a new message halted his attempt:

[You have been denied access because of the Divine Crown.]

Arthur"s mind raced, piecing together the cryptic message that flickered before him. He mulled over the wording—last time it had stated "Holy Crown," but now, it explicitly read "Divine Crown." The subtle change in terminology wasn"t lost on him; it hinted at an intervention far greater and more organized than he had antic.i.p.ated.

"Something"s changed, Diana," Arthur murmured, his voice tinged with concern. "The last time I attempted to use my abilities here, the notification mentioned the "Holy Crown." Now, it says "Divine Crown." It seems someone has altered the very essence of whatever is affecting my mother."

Diana pulled back slightly, her brow furrowed in confusion. "What does that mean? Who could change something like that?"

Arthur"s mind flashed back to the conversation they had with Suyin just the day before. She had mentioned that Devaheim and the G.o.ds were now using the Holy Crown Trials as a method to find suitable candidates to become their vessels. "It appears the G.o.ds are making their move," he explained. "Suyin told us that Devaheim and the G.o.ds have seized control of the trials, using them to select vessels. This change from "Holy" to "Divine" Crown might be evidence that their plans are already in motion, and somehow, they"re affecting the situation here with my mother."

Diana"s expression darkened with realization and worry. "So, this Divine Crown... could it be a tool they"re using to bind their chosen vessels?"

"It"s possible," Arthur conceded. "The G.o.ds might be tightening their grip, and if they"ve managed to link my mother to this "Divine Crown," it could mean she"s caught up in something much bigger than we understood."

A heavy silence fell between them, each lost in their own thoughts about the implications of divine beings meddling in the mortal realm. Then, Diana looked up, her eyes resolute. "Arthur, I want to enter this vessel selection. If becoming a vessel could give me the insight or power to help your mother, or to understand what the G.o.ds are planning, then I want to try."

Arthur could see the resolve in Diana"s eyes, her willingness to put herself at risk for a greater cause. He reached out, his hands capturing hers in a firm grip, a blend of fear and admiration swirling in his heart. "If you"re going into this, Diana, then I"m going with you. We"ll face this together; nothing is going to separate us anymore."

Her eyes softened, and a small smile tugged at her lips, her hands squeezing his in return. "I like how that sounds," Diana replied, her voice filled with a mixture of relief and determination.

"There"s something else," Arthur continued, his tone turning serious again. "Joe has been monitoring the second trial grounds for me—a bartender from Kera I"ve known for years. But even now, the trial grounds haven"t opened, so we need to wait."

Diana"s brow furrowed, her strategic mind kicking into gear. "What if we don"t wait? What if we force our way into the trial grounds?" she asked, half-joking yet half-serious, her dry humor veiling a genuine suggestion.

Arthur chuckled at her fierce determination, picturing her standing defiantly against the divine gates themselves. "As tempting as that sounds, we can"t risk it. Forcing our way in could throw us into the rifts of time and s.p.a.ce—a risk too great even for us."

She nodded, accepting his reasoning, yet her mind raced for other possibilities. After a moment of contemplation, she looked back at him, her gaze inquisitive. "What should we do in the meantime?"

Arthur paused, thinking through his contacts and the various threads of a.s.sistance he could pull on. "There"s a friend who needs my help in Sourna. Her name is Rain, and she"s been looking for her caretaker, a pirate woman who"s lost at sea."

Diana"s expression shifted to one of confusion as she processed this new name. "Who is Rain?" she asked, her tone laced with a hint of suspicion.

He hesitated, knowing full well how his next words might sound. "Rain has... on more than one occasion tried to... well, reproduce with me," he admitted awkwardly.

The temperature around them dropped noticeably as Diana"s control over her powers wavered with her emotions. The ground began to frost over, her eyes narrowing as she stared at him, a storm brewing within them.

Arthur couldn"t help but laugh nervously, realizing how absurd it must sound. He quickly wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a tight hug. "Let"s continue this conversation somewhere else," he suggested, guiding her away from his mother"s room to avoid causing any disturbance.

They walked through the corridors of the mansion, their footsteps echoing softly until they reached the kitchen. Once seated at a quaint table, Arthur resumed their interrupted discussion.

Diana, now somewhat calmer but still visibly annoyed, leaned in. "Once we save her, can I kill her?" she half-joked, though there was a serious undertone to her question.

Arthur laughed, shaking his head. "Rain is a friend, albeit a peculiar one. Nothing has ever happened between us, and most of her... attempts were because she embodies the Sin of l.u.s.t. It"s more an aspect of her nature than anything else."

Understanding the complexities of their world, where personal traits could be amplified into literal embodiments of sins or virtues, Diana sighed, her initial anger subsiding. "Fine, but I"m keeping an eye on her," she conceded, her tone half-serious.