Lilian's days continued like usual, filled with routines of study, training, and prayer, but there was a slight change in her behavior lately. She would sometimes grin at random moments, giggle to herself while lost in thought, and space out, her mind floating somewhere far away. The people around her noticed, though most chose not to comment, too used to the cold, perfect priestess she always presented herself as.
Lumos, however, was not one to let strange behavior slide. He was currently in the middle of teaching Lilian about history magic, going on and on about high-class spells that the former Saints had cast over the past thousand years. These were spells never known to the public, the kind only those at the top of the church or an archmage could even hear about. While Lilian sat in her usual place, she was listening, or at least pretending to, but her expression was nothing like the one she usually wore when studying. The calm, unreadable look she always show was gone. Instead, there was a small, constant smile tugging at the corners of her lips.
Lumos finally stopped talking and approached her seat with a raised brow.
"What's wrong with you these days?"
he asked, leaning a little closer to get a better look at her face.
"You never showed that kind of expression before. You used to be like an ice queen, doing your studies and training without even the slightest bit of hesitation. Always calm, always perfect."
Lumos crossed his arms, a little annoyed but also curious.
"Did something good happen?"
"Not really,"
Lilian replied, trying to act casual though she knew her face probably gave everything away.
"I just made a new friend."
Lumos wasn't buying it.
"You didn't behave like this when you became friends with Emma, or Charles, or Ritche. You didn't even react this way when you got your promotion to High Priestess."
"It's different now. Change happens, you know."
She waved a hand, trying to dismiss the conversation. But Lumos wasn't done.
"Speaking of old Saints,"
Lilian suddenly said, hoping to change the subject.
"Can I ask you something?"
"What is it?"
"Is there any Saintess in history who ever disobeyed the goddess's orders? Like, did anything bad, or went against the church, or something like that?"
Lilian asked the question as casually as she could, though in truth, she wasn't interested in rebellion. What she really wanted to find out was if there was ever a Saintess who managed to get married, and what happened to her.
"I attended church history classes before, but they only ever mention the Saints' contributions to the church, not much about their personal lives. So I was wondering."
At her question, Lumos's expression changed. It became cold, almost like he was remembering something unpleasant.
"There was nothing like that,"
he said quietly.
"All Saints from more than two hundred years ago did their duties. They protected, healed, and led the church until the day they died. None of them ever left the church. They were all buried here."
"Why did you say 'from two hundred years ago,' Lumos?"
Lilian asked, catching the odd phrasing.
"It's nothing. Just a slip of the tongue,"
Lumos replied quickly, avoiding her gaze now.
"It's just that… it's been over more than two hundred years since a Saint wasn't born. Then suddenly we have two already. It's rare. I guess it just made me remember."
"Oh. I see,"
Lilian said, pretending to let it go. But her mind was racing.
So, according to Lumos, no Saint had ever married. At least, not in the records or stories they were allowed to hear.
"So there was no Saint who ever got married…"
Lilian murmured to herself.
But then, a new question popped into her mind.
"Lumos,"
she spoke up again, voice soft but serious.
"What do you think would happen if a Saint did get married?"
At this, Lumos's expression darkened even more. His face looked pale, and his eyes lost whatever light they had before. It was as though her question summoned an old, forbidden memory.
"The child they would form,"
Lumos said quietly,
"would be cursed..."
Lilian felt a chill crawl down her spine at those words. The idea was terrifying, and yet her heart couldn't stop wanting to know more. There was something unspoken in Lumos's tone. Something he wasn't telling her.