- MC's POV -
"Ugh– Seriously? What the hell?"
A man.
A hoarse voice.
Sounded like someone who'd just woken up from a three-day nap and was instantly annoyed by existence.
"Who in the world is using that freaking old-ass spell? My ears are ringing, ugh. I just wanted to sleep."
"I'd rather appreciate it if you might lower your beautiful voice that I really do not wish to hear."
That wasn't me. Nope. That was someone else. A female voice, elegant, silky, and dripping with that I'm-too-good-for-you pride.
Before I could even blink, the grumpy male voice shot back:
"Hah, you think I'm going to follow your pretty words, lady? You might as well plug something right in your ears while you're at it."
…Oh boy.
The elegant lady practically exploded through the link, her words sharp enough to slice bread:
"You imbecile–!"
And before things could escalate into what sounded suspiciously like the first-ever long-distance murder attempt, another voice floated in.
This one was soft, warm, almost motherly, like a lullaby, but also the kind of voice that made you feel guilty about even breathing too loudly.
"Please stop. The insignia network is meant for us to discuss any issues peacefully. If you wish to fight, I suggest you do it through other means."
Silence.
Even proud-lady had to chew her tongue on that one. She grumbled like a deflated balloon and muttered, "Hmph. So, tell me. Who used the insignia and why? If it's nothing important, I'd like to take my leave."
And there I was.
Little ol' me.
Sitting with the glowing book in hand, sweating like a pig in the summer heat, fidgeting as though I was about to present a PowerPoint to Satan himself.
"...Uhm– He..llooo," I stuttered.
My soul cringed so hard. SO EMBARRASSING. Ok, let's not panic. Just get it over with before I end up burying myself 6 feet into the ground.
The grumpy male voice suddenly perked up, sounding… almost amused?
"A new voice? Hah. Is that a new ruler? How come no one was informed? Don't tell me that lovesick Aerion Zephyrel finally kicked the bucket. A moment of celebration!"
Before I could even process what he meant, another male voice slid in, colder and sharper, like a blade slicing silk.
"How I wish to sew that mouth of yours shut."
Grumpy guy snorted, completely unbothered.
"Ah, nah. This Aerion dude is still alive. What a waste."
Oh good. Not only was I trapped in an eternal coronation-from-hell loop, I was now in a group chat with dysfunctional immortals. Just my luck.
Finally, the soft, gentle female voice spoke again cutting right through the chaos like warm honey on bitter tea.
"Enough of this nonsense. Who is the child speaking from the other side? May I know your name?"
My throat went dry. I took in a breath so sharp it probably punctured my soul and blurted it all out in one panicked go:
"I–I'm Seralyth Altharien. The new Ruler of Heliovar."
I said it so fast it probably sounded like one single cursed word: I'mseralythaltharienthenewrulerofheliovar.
Silence followed.
Absolute silence.
Not even static.
And then…
"...Pfft."
Someone snorted.
Oh, great.
The coldie guy. Yeah, that dude. Aerion Zephyrel or Zephyr-something, I wasn't sure if his last name meant cool winds or air freshener, but anyway… it was him.
Out of nowhere, the man started cackling like a hyena at a circus.
"Hahahahaha… HAHAHAHAHA! HELIOVAR! Hahahahaha...."
I swear I could feel my ears filing for divorce.
Before I could comment on his very… questionable laugh, the soft voice spoke again, graceful as always.
"Oh dear. Don't mind him. I'm Thalindra Korven, Ruler of Gravorne. And that man, he's Aerion Zephyrel, the Ruler of Thalyra."
"Yeah, thanks for the jump scare, Aerion," I muttered, still massaging my ears. "Who needs an alarm clock when I've got you in surround sound?"
Then came the proud, ocean-silky voice:
"And I am Serene Myrrith. An expertise in Ocean. The God of Tides, Ruler of Oquaris. Glad to meet– no, hear you, my child."
Her words dripped with that elegant, I'm-too-perfect-to-ever-step-in-mud kind of tone.
"And that grumpy old man," she added almost smugly, "is Darvion Thryles, the Ruler of Veydris, the Land of Flame."
"Heyyy! I wanted to introduce myself on my own." The sulky voice of Darvion finally barked out.
"Hah, nevermind." He grumbled like a man who'd just dropped his last piece of fried chicken on the floor.
I scratched my head nervously. "Sooo… Thalindra, Aerion, Serene, Darvion. It's like I've accidentally joined the Avengers: Ancient Trauma Edition." I muttered under my breath.
Aerion clicked his tongue so loudly I swear it rattled around my skull like a trapped fly.
"So… Heliovar still wallows in filth. Typical. And you expect us to just what? Jump in and fix it for you?"
I cleared my throat, trying not to sound like a kid asking for extra fries at dinner.
"Uh… yes? Preferably without the glaring and dramatic judgment speeches, if possible. Time's kind of… you know, running and I'd really rather not die before dessert."
Aerion's voice sharpened, cutting like a blade dipped in vinegar.
"This isn't some school project, Miss Heliovar."
I was deadpan. My mind went on like a rollercoaster while my mouth followed it.
"Wow, someone definitely woke up on the wrong side of eternity. Do you practice your scary voice in the mirror, or is it just a natural talent?"
Before Aerion could roast me into ash with pure rage, Dervion sighed and stepped in.
"She doesn't need your bitterness right now, old man. What she needs is a plan. We can argue about your tragic past later."
"Tragic past?" I repeated in a mutter, tilting my head like, Excuse me? Did I just unlock hidden lore?
Thalindra's usual soft tone cut sharper than a kitchen knife for once.
"We can't just leave her, Aerion. She's barely surviving. You're the one who understands how it feels to be stuck in a loop the most!"
That hit him. Aerion froze like someone just shoved an emotional cactus into his chest. His silence didn't mean forgiveness. His hostility was still looming, heavy, like a thundercloud planning to ruin my picnic. But he didn't argue.
"Fine," he finally spat. "We'll help you. But before anything… you need to know about Heliovar's actual history. Not the fairy tales those worshippers have been stuffing down your throat."
Great. Storytime with hostile oldy's ancient voices. Exactly what I needed before a potential execution.
And just like that, the storytime started.
- To be continued -