Arathen Church Hall
Inside the enclosed room, only the shimmering light from floating, rotating rings remained. Small, star-shaped crystals were scattered throughout the air, sparkling softly as they floated in an orderly fashion above a large map. These dots of starlight formed interconnected constellations and lines.
The hall wasn't completely dark. The light from the tiny stars illuminated the ceiling, creating the impression of gazing into the galaxy. At the far end of the room stood a large chair with a magnificent mural of stars carved on the wall behind it.
Antares stretched his arms out in front of him, his fingers encased in black gloves. Blades of silvery blue light shimmered in his palms while he focused intently. However, his concentration was interrupted when he overexerted his mana, causing a violent cough to erupt from his chest.
This was the second time Antares had used his power to unleash the Star Divination Magic Technique. Still, the technique drained his mana and life force, exacerbating the illness that had long plagued him.
His waist-length blue hair fluttered gently in the breeze; gold star ornaments were pinned to his hair and around his ears. The gold star mark on his forehead reappeared, gleaming faintly.
He returned his gaze to the star map floating before him.
A moment later, the two large doors in the hall parted. A glamorously dressed man stepped into the room.
He had long, flowing blue hair with a purplish tinge. A transparent hood covered his head and was pinned atop with a golden accessory resembling a small crown. His clothes were layered with fine fabrics and covered by a purple robe that flowed to the floor. Gold earrings and bracelets adorned his body. His fingernails were long and slender, almost like a woman's.
"Antares, you don't need to push yourself," the man said with concern.
He touched Antares's shoulder, channeling mana energy to heal him.
Antares turned and recognized his second brother, Maven, who stood beside him with a worried expression. Although Maven was busy managing trade and the casino, he was still a prince. He was someone who, to some extent, maintained the stability of the Arathen Kingdom, even though power was currently in the temporary hands of Catherine.
"It's okay, brother," Antares said quietly. "I'm fine."
But Maven's gaze was fixed on the Horoscope floating before them.
"I heard that Medusa and the members of the Snake Goddess Organization escaped," Maven said slowly. "After Brother Vincent destroyed their nest and rescued your son, who was being held captive by the Daemons and a group of Dark Sentinels."
Maven paused for a moment before continuing, his voice lowering.
"Because the Demon Emperor Hades has grown weak, the Daemon race has grown weak too. Now they are led by the First Demon King, Alastor."
He raised his gaze.
"After he killed your son."
Upon hearing his brother's final words, Antares fell silent. He lowered his head for a moment, his eyes dark with undisguised sadness. His son's soul was gone, and the soul inhabiting his son's body was no longer Nolan Caelthorn but Nolan Steward. Antares didn't fully understand Steward's origins.
"He wasn't Nolan Caelthorn," Antares said quietly. "But I left everything in place. No one needs to know anything."
His hand rose, and a silvery blue light enveloped his fingers. The light floated and merged into the Horoscope's structure. The rings spun slowly, shimmering with starlight—until, among the cluster of bright stars, a single, pitch-black star appeared.
"The Realm of Death is a Forbidden Realm," Antares continued, his gaze fixed on the black star. "It cannot be probed; it cannot be observed. It is the path between the Deathfall Abyss below and the Realm of Finality, where souls return to their origin."
Antares's gaze dimmed.
"After my son's tragic death, I opened the Horoscope to the Realm of Death. Even though I knew how many divine barriers were blocking it. That would mean shortening my own life."
At the end of his sentence, Antares coughed again. His chest felt tight. Maven immediately stepped forward and channeled mana to steady his heartbeat.
"Hades has been defeated and is severely injured," Maven said with suppressed anger. "Yet that disgusting Daemon still managed to appear and kill your son. How could that happen?"
His gaze hardened.
"And if the Nolan we know now isn't the same one, what will you do?"
Antares slowly lifted his head. His eyes were still dull, but his voice was calm.
"Another soul has filled the void in Nolan Caelthorn's body," he said. "It's not about what I'll do next. What matters is where Nolan Steward's destiny in my son's body will lead."
He paused for a moment.
"That decision must be his own. I'll simply return to my role as a father in his eyes."
Maven sighed softly.
"If that's the case, and since Hades killed your son, our next goal is to take revenge on the Daemons."
"Not only that," Antares whispered.
He bowed his head, strands of blue hair falling over his darkened face.
"There's another mastermind besides Hades."
His hand rose again. He traced his fingers over the Star Divination array. The light on the star map shifted, and a region glowed deep red.
"The Divine Church Hall has reappeared in the Lavanya region," Antares said quietly. "Tell Brother Vincent about this. Let him handle it."
Antares's gaze sharpened.
"Especially now that the Sentinel Trials are underway again. I predicted that there would likely be a major struggle. Not just between humans, but also between humans and the Daemon race."
Maven's expression contorted briefly, then returned to normal.
"If that's the case, we must secure the Divine Church Hall immediately before someone else takes it or it falls into the hands of the Daemon race," he said, gazing at the floating Star Divination Array. His gaze then shifted back to Antares.
He remained silent for a moment while Maven continued to channel healing mana into his body. In a barely audible voice, he whispered, "What if they discover our identities?"
Maven's expression jolted. He fell silent, though the light in his hand, which was resting on Antares's shoulder, never wavered.
"No one will know," he finally said. "Brother Vincent vouched for it. Even that woman has no idea." Maven stared intently at Antares. "Are you sure he planned Nolan's murder at the hands of Hades?"
Antares nodded slowly.
"Even we brothers don't know anything," he said softly. "Why is Brother Vincent so determined to hide everything? Perhaps something happened that made him not want to remember the past."
"Antares, you should rest. Don't think too much about unnecessary things," Maven said, gently stroking Antares's shoulder.
Antares nodded slowly and returned the gesture with a small smile. Shortly after his second brother left the Arathen Church Hall, he raised his hand and waved it through the air, dispelling the Star Divination array that had been floating before him.
His footsteps echoed through the hall once more. His long blue robes brushed the cold floor as he sat back down in the large chair with the star mural behind it. He gripped and caressed a small, round, red pendant—a treasured item found at the scene and a final gift for his son, murdered by Hades himself.
"My son," he whispered softly and emphatically.
His gaze shifted, hatred slowly eroding any remaining tenderness. With his sharp brown eyes, he stared at the hall's starry sky. Within the light, the shadow of another mastermind was clearly visible—the one who had paved the way for Hades to kill his son.
A woman in purple robes sat imperiously on the throne that should have belonged to the Caelthorn family: Catherine Loans.
Beside her stood the shadow of the Demon Emperor Hades, long white hair flowing from beneath his pitch-black robe.
"Catherine... Hades," Antares whispered sharply. "Your fate is in my hands. No matter how far you run, I will drag you back to where you belong."
***
The holiday that weekend forced Nolan to join his friends, Selena and Julian, on a trip to Dominiq City, located below the valley. They boarded a transport capsule train, which was different from the long, wide-track intercity trains. The capsule train used high-speed, narrow-gauge railways, so it only took fifteen minutes to reach Dominiq.
Nolan was a little bored, but he didn't mind the journey. At least he was getting to know Dominiq better. The city reminded him a little of the cities he had visited on Earth, evoking a faint sense of nostalgia. Nestled between valleys and hills, Dominiq combined a modern feel with a strong sense of history.
It was filled with tourist attractions and rows of shops selling various famous brands from major cities and other kingdoms. On the west side of town, Nolan followed Selena and Julian, who seemed to be enjoying spending money—his money, of course.
Towering buildings were adorned with signs displaying high-end clothing, bag, and shoe brands. As Nolan had expected, Selena's first stop was a large store displaying a variety of women's merchandise. Julian, on the other hand, chose a store a few blocks away that sold high-end items, including magical weapons.
"Nolan, you have to accompany me. You'll have a lot of shopping to carry," Selena said, staring at him intently.
Nolan exhaled softly and muttered, "I wouldn't do something as stupid as this."
Selena immediately pointed at him. "Of course you would. What about your date with Elizabeth? Would you let a cute girl like her carry her own groceries?" She grinned faintly. "I'm teaching you to be a proper gentleman."