The Conquerors Path Chapter 966 - 964-Best Friend Problems.
Previously on The Conquerors Path...
The room went still the instant those words were uttered. It felt as though a mage had cast a freezing spell over the entire atmosphere, though the silence lasted only a heartbeat. A moment later, Nathalia’s face contorted with shock, her features twisting as she managed only a single, stunned response.
"Wh-What?"
She attempted to brush it off, but one look at Elda’s unwavering stare told Nathalia that playing the fool was no longer an option. Taking a deep breath to steady her racing thoughts, she finally gave a firm nod.
"I love Austin."
The confession was blunt and simple, yet its impact on the room was instantaneous. Lanora’s eyes flickered with a sudden sense of alarm, while Nyla’s expression tightened briefly before smoothing into a calm, knowing mask.
"When did this happen?"
Nyla asked the question suddenly, her voice neutral and devoid of emotion. A flash of irritation crossed Elda's face at the interruption, though she masked it quickly, waiting for the explanation.
"I am not exactly sure when it started; all I know is that I had already fallen for him before I even realized it."
All three girls nodded in unison, appearing to understand her sentiment perfectly, yet the tension in the air remained suffocating.
"I'm assuming you were unaware of your family's actions," Elda remarked. It sounded more like an observation than a question, and Nathalia nodded vigorously, her eyes shining with sincerity.
"Yes, I only discovered the truth after everything had already taken place."
Elda fell silent for a beat, having confirmed what she needed, but Lanora chose that moment to intervene.
"What happened?"
Lanora’s voice had dropped a few degrees in temperature. Shifting shyly, Nathalia began to recount the details. As the other two girls heard the story for the first time, sparks of jealousy flickered in their eyes. Lanora, in particular, felt the situation becoming increasingly complicated. It seemed as though Austin was drifting further from her reach, and her expression grew grim at the thought.
"So, it seems Austin didn't reject you?"
Nyla asked with a teasing smirk. The question caused Nathalia to flush a deep crimson, fueling the annoyance of the others as she struggled to find her voice.
"That appears to be the case."
The sheer depth of Nathalia's happiness struck the other three like a blow. They felt a stinging mixture of anger and betrayal. Sensing the shift, Nathalia asked hesitantly,
"Ar-Are you angry with me?"
Elda focused her attention on her and shook her head in denial.
"No, I have no interest in interfering with my brother's love life, so I am not angry. I understand his nature; girls seem to fall for him even when he isn't trying. It looks like he’s stolen my friend’s heart now, too."
Elda pouted as she spoke, acting out a cute sense of betrayal that brought a look of relief to Nathalia’s face. However, that relief was short-lived as Elda continued.
"Though, Nathalia, the path ahead will be difficult. My brother has many women pursuing him, and I doubt a single person will find it easy to keep him all to themselves."
Her warning left the girls lost in thought, making Nathalia feel a wave of unease. But before she could even process that anxiety, another revelation struck like a lightning bolt.
"I am also in love with Austin," Lanora declared.
The atmosphere plummeted into a new level of suffocating pressure; the room itself seemed to groan under the unprecedented tension.
"Sigh... I don't even have the strength to ask how it occurred. Let me guess—it just happened?" Elda asked with a weary smile. Nyla, however, was busy connecting the dots in her mind.
"Does this mean he was able to match your music and your tune?"
There was significant weight behind Nyla’s words. Lanora beamed and nodded enthusiastically.
"Indeed. I believe his musical talent and ability might even surpass my own. When our tunes harmonized like that, my heart simply fell for him."
The room grew even more contemplative. Elda was well aware of Austin's skill, having heard him play for her. She also knew of his secret identity, which he had shared with her—a revelation that had only made him more magnificent in her eyes.
Nyla was busy calculating the implications, her mind spinning with new ideas. Nathalia, meanwhile, viewed this as another mystery of Austin’s to solve. To her, everything about him was incredible. As his devoted servant, her mind began to wonder what she must do to earn his absolute love, realizing she might not understand the man she loved as well as she thought.
The conversation then shifted toward what they knew of Lanora’s culture, though the discussion touched on several unpleasant details. Lanora and Nathalia locked eyes, a clear sense of rivalry and tension forming between them. Suddenly, Elda spoke up again.
"Considering everything surrounding my elder brother, I don't think he is the type to end up with just one woman. How does that fit into your culture?"
Lanora looked at Elda, her expression one of confusion as she asked, "Are you not angry with me as well?"
Elda shook her head once more.
"I'm more frustrated with my brother; it seems he deserves a good beating from me." Elda flexed a nonexistent bicep as she joked.
"Then I thank you. I was worried about your reaction, but now I can be at peace. As for your question, I truly don't know. As someone pursuing Austin, I should accept whatever lifestyle he desires, but my heart still finds it difficult."
Elda nodded with a smile before turning her gaze toward Nyla, who was watching the drama unfold with a smirk. Noticing the look, Nyla asked, "What is it?"
"Nothing, I was just waiting to see if you were going to confess your love for my brother too."
Nyla burst into laughter at the suggestion.
"Hahaha... unfortunately, no. I certainly like your brother, but only as a person. He’s a fun guy to be with, and sparring with him is a blast."
A bloodthirsty grin spread across Nyla’s face, causing the other girls to shake their heads, though they all felt a small sense of relief.
"This is quite an awkward situation we have here," Elda remarked. Nathalia and Lanora were unsure of how to even look at one another, let alone resolve the tension. However, Elda felt something stirring within her bloodline—an ability belonging solely to the Saintess of the Church of Life.
Elda’s eyes began to glow as she perceived the unique threads of life surrounding her companions. Nyla’s life force was a deep, vibrant red, like a flame that burned hotter the more one tried to smother it. Lanora’s soul was a tranquil blue, radiating a calm that felt like melodic waves.
But when Elda looked at Nathalia, she saw a chaotic disaster. Her life force was a twisted, broken mess held together like a monstrous creation. Dark shadows merged with a lethal purple, swirling like a dangerous, artificial core that somehow remained alive. It was a complete contradiction.
Elda’s fingers twitched as she tapped into the depths of her bloodline, sensing the minute shifts in the life forces around her. While she wasn't yet powerful enough to manipulate these forces without physical contact, she knew that in the future, a simple thought would allow her to alter them. With just one tug on those threads of life...
They would perish.
Elda delved deeper into her bloodline essence, attempting to create even the slightest ripple in the life forces of her friends.