Abella, a nine-year-old girl, sat under the warm sun. She gazed at Eliana with a deep, admiring, and longing look. Abella was truly impressed by Eliana, who sat gracefully under the shade of a towering tree. Eliana seemed so serene, like the guardian of a secret garden, watching over the other children playing amidst the beautiful meadow of flowers.
The children played with enthusiasm, running here and there with laughter and never-fading smiles. They were a delightful and joyful sight. Eliana, with her gentle eyes, observed every movement and expression of the children.
When Abella finally spoke, "I feel jealous of you, El," with a voice that felt small amidst the excitement of the children, Eliana immediately lowered her gaze and turned toward Abella beside her.
Eliana's face was swept by a loving smile as she gently reached for Abella's head and caressed it. Eliana's question came out with a caring tone, "What makes you so jealous of me?"
A gentle breeze whispered softly, touching Eliana's skin and providing a calming sensation. She savored the moment and absorbed every second before slowly closing her eyes. For a moment, she felt connected to nature.
Abella, with a somewhat grim and hesitant look, answered, "I'm jealous because you have a better job than I do. I wish I could be like you." Her voice was filled with a desire to follow in Eliana's footsteps.
"You want to be like me?" Eliana asked with a smile that seemed somewhat forced. "If you want to be like me, study hard. I'm sure one day you'll have a better job than me." She slowly withdrew her hand from Abella's head and shifted her gaze to blue sky.
Then Eliana asked with her soft voice, "Do you know what humans really need to live their lives?"
Abella thought for a moment and then confidently replied, "Isn't it obvious that what people need is food and shelter?"
Eliana smiled gently and replied, "That's true, but there's one thing that's more important than all of that, and that's purpose in life. Without a purpose, man will only live a directionless life, and that can make him feel like a man adrift in a vast ocean without a purpose, making him feel empty, full of loneliness."
Abella thought about Eliana's words intently, trying to understand them. With her curiosity peaked, she finally asked, "Does Eli also have a purpose? What is Eli's goal in life?"
Eliana smiled sincerely and replied, "There is! My goal is to see you and the other children smiling happily like this."
Abella looked at Eliana with a confused face. "Huh? Can that be called a goal?"
"Hmmm, I don't know," Eliana's answer was ambiguous, while she smiled faintly.
Abella widened her eyes, and her face was filled with disappointment. "What the hell is this answer of yours, huh!" she exhaled harshly.
"Hachimm!" The sound of someone sneezing suddenly startled the two girls.
Spontaneously, they both turned their heads in the direction the sound came from.
As it turned out, Charles was standing right behind Eliana, next to the large tree trunk that adorned the place. He was wearing a neat white shirt, matching black trousers, and shiny black shoes. Louis, who seemed to have appeared suddenly without anyone knowing, stood beside Charles, with a flat face without the slightest expression on his face.
"Ah, I'm sorry for interrupting your conversation," Charles apologized in a slightly awkward voice, knowing that the two little girls were looking at him with a sharp look from Eliana and a surprised look from Abella.
"Hey, what's he doing here? Since when are you two here?" Eliana irritably looked at Louis, while pointing at Charles who suddenly appeared between them. Eliana's eyes reflected disapproval at Charles' sudden presence.
"This man said he wanted to see you, he claimed to be your friend. Do you know him?" Louis asked in a flat tone.
"Wow, very handsome, and tall too. El, please introduce me to him, okay?" Abella's eyes sparkled with excitement as she immediately stood up and gazed in amazement at Charles' dazzling appearance, with his chest half exposed. She was full of admiration for Charles, and that admiration was clearly reflected on her face.
A sweet smile was etched on Charles' face, he gently stroked Abella's hair, "well, I'm Charles, what's your name little lady?"
Abella's face turned red with embarrassment. With a trembling voice, she replied, "I, my name is Abella."
Charles continued, "Do you like cookies? I want to give you this cookies" Charles opened the box he had brought, revealing a number of neatly wrapped delicious cookies.
"I want, I want, please give them to me!" excitedly, Abella jumped up and down with joy, looking at the tempting cookies in the box held by Charles. Excitement filled her face, and she eyes twinkled as she readily accepted the sweet treats on offer.
Charles smiled gently. "I'll gladly give them to you, as long as this cute lady will lend Eli to me for a while."
Abella enthusiastically replied, "Yes, of course, you can even have it."
"Really? Thank you so much, little lady. You're very generous," Charles said as he handed all the cakes to Abella.
Meanwhile, Eliana was frozen in place. Her eyes widened in disbelief at what she was hearing.
"It feels so deja vu. Was I just worth those cookies in front of Abella?" Eliana muttered under her breath as she watched Abella carry the cookies away and divide them among the children.
"Pffft, aren't you like that too? Spilling your secret with just dessert the other day," Charles joked, chuckling. He spoke in a slightly mocking tone.
Eliana blinked, glanced at Charles, and a hint of regret filled her gaze. "I'm deeply sorry I told you."
"Regret won't change anything," Charles replied with a smile, realizing that Eliana could also fall into the same sweet trap.
Eliana sighed, trying to ease the tension between them. "You came here, there must be something important you want to discuss, right?"
Charles nodded seriously. "That's correct."
Eliana turned her head to look at Louis, who had been quiet all this time. What she wanted to discuss was a significant secret. Talking about the Eye of Truth in front of Louis could potentially put him in danger.
The Eye of Truth was an ability that had never been documented in any of the books she had read. In her previous life, she had searched but found no information about it. There were two possibilities: either the Eye of Truth never existed, or information about it was intentionally hidden. However, given that Charles knew about it, did that mean the second possibility was the truth?
Eliana quickly dispelled her complicated thoughts and, in a calm tone, addressed Louis, "Louis, there's something important I need to discuss with him. Could you leave for a moment?" she asked.
Louis looked at Eliana with hesitation, wondering, 'What kind of conversation is so crucial?' He was curious but didn't dare to ask directly. He simply nodded softly, giving them space to talk. "Alright, I'll leave," said Louis, then carefully left, leaving Eliana and Charles alone.
.
.
.
.
It had been almost a week since their last meeting, and Eliana had hoped that Charles might have forgotten everything. She wished that the previous events would be forgotten and fade away. However, she never anticipated that Charles would come to her directly at the orphanage where she lived on his day off.
Now, they sat under a large tree that provided shade from the scorching sun. The tree's shadow shielded them from the heat. A gentle breeze continued to blow softly, bringing refreshing coolness and creating a peaceful atmosphere. Everything felt calm, as if time had stood still.
Charles initiated the conversation with seriousness, "Eliana, I want you to come with me to the city of Avois. Because your ability must be awakened immediately."
"I can't leave," Eliana quickly refused, her eyes trembling. She couldn't understand why Charles suddenly asked her to go to the sacred city of Avois. Although she had never been there, the city was known to be vast and peaceful. Eliana herself didn't know if her ability to awaken the Eye of Truth could be realized. But there was something stronger that prevented her from leaving the orphanage so easily. For her, the orphanage had long been a home, a place that always provided warmth and security.
"This is a direct order from His Excellency Gerland. You have no right to refuse it," Charles said firmly, his voice sharp.
Eliana fell silent for a moment, her gaze sharp as she looked at Charles. "Isn't this akin to coercion? If I refuse, will His Excellency kill me or imprison me?"
His Excellency Gerland was the revered leader of the sacred city and known for his wisdom. Eliana had never met him, but stories about him were often written and told in children's tales.
"It could happen because he does it to protect his people. Do you remember the letter you sent me a while ago? It came from His Excellency and contained information about the theft of the Sacred Crown. If the crown falls into the hands of demons, it will bring disaster and many calamities that will cause suffering to humanity," Charles explained.
The Sacred Crown was one of the most vital artifacts, tightly guarded because it was a key item in maintaining the balance of the world. If the crown fell into evil hands, it would disrupt the world's equilibrium.
"So, what's the connection between my Eye of Truth and the missing crown?" Eliana asked after a moment of contemplation.
"Years ago, a prophecy was revealed. It foretold of a looming catastrophe. To avert this calamity, Goddess Eldora sent down her child with the Eye of Truth to assist in facing it," Charles explained.
Eliana was taken aback by Charles' explanation of the prophecy. Her thoughts raced, trying to comprehend that she might be the child of Goddess Eldora, something she had found hard to believe. She contemplated whether that was the reason she could reincarnate multiple times and even remember all her past life's memories.
After a moment of reflection, Eliana finally understood that her role and ability were closely tied to the existence of the Sacred Crown and the protection of the sacred city of Avois. Furthermore, she began to grasp why she kept reincarnating and even retained memories from past lives. "I understand. I will consider it," she said.
Charles smiled gently, then produced a necklace with a beautiful blue diamond pendant. He held the necklace and handed it to Eliana. "Wear this. The pendant can protect you from danger. When you face a threat, try to chew on the stone."
Eliana accepted the pendant with a mesmerized look, gazing at the sparkling blue diamond, 'It's so beautiful. I wonder how much it's worth? Maybe I can sell it one day if I face a financial crisis,' she thought, trying to estimate the pendant's value.
However, Charles seemed to know what was going through Eliana's mind, and he issued a warning. "Don't even think about trying to sell it."
Eliana was surprised that Charles appeared to read her thoughts, and she smiled sheepishly. "Of course, I didn't mean that. Thank you very much, sir."
-To Be Continue