The preceding wait felt like torture. Now that Syanaam was walking the path of becoming the high priestess with her spending hours in the prayer rooms, engulfed in incense and in a hazy look, I waited for my impending doom from my biological mother. I wondered when she would call me and me the way how I would be disposed from my title of the future City Lord's fiancée. I was not keen on marrying anyone, but neither was I keen on killing someone or getting physically harmed... in any way.

Surprisingly, the attitude Shyanaam had towards be improved and the coldness radiating from the high priestess worsened. I guess now that Shyanaam had secured her position as the one who would not per say "fall out of grace", she somehow pelt pity towards me. But underlying that pity was a hint of fear. I was not good at reading people's expressions. But seeing her gradually shift away from me, like I was some sort of an inhuman being was easy to take notice. Her unusual behavior earned her a glare from the high priestess.

Meanwhile, Zharu continued my studies. It wasn't vigorous as it was in the past, but simply idle talk about things that he thought I should know. I learned that the season for the Sun Festival was arriving and that it was a festival where the people would praise the creation of the city by their war god. The city would be lighted by lantern light for nine days. It wasn't festive as it was with the flower festival above ground, but it was a big deal for the underground dwellers. That was why it was required for the high priestess and her offspring to attend.

I was to wear red for the first time, with sleeves and helms sewn with golden tread and golden jewelry. Mara prepared the outfit for the so called Sun War Ritual with great passion, adding tiny bits of detail to my attire so that I would stand out.

'This would be the first time that you will meet the heir,' Mara said, 'You must look your best.'

I wanted to sigh in exasperation, but I help my annoyance to myself. I must not dampen a person's joy just because I was irritated.

The day before we were to descend underground, I was summoned by the high priestess. It was a beautiful night. Unlike usual days, the streets were bathed in warm golden light and the city was busier than usual, looking like a bazaar. I was enjoying the view when Asith interrupted me with summons from the high priestess.

Like last time, I was summoned to her office. I simply stood in front of her as she busied herself with a half-dried clay tablets, a sharp scalpel like tool digging into the clay as she gracefully wrote. She ignored me for a while before looking up. She frowned.

'I didn't give you permission to enter here.'

I left her office and simply sat on a cushion in her room, staring out to the city from the window sill. She didn't arrive for a long time. And once she did, she closed the door and closed the curtains of her room.

There was a dead silence. The only wound being the night breeze while flowed into the room from the window.

'I know you already know why you are here,' said the high priestess as she poured a red looking liquid from a bronze pitcher into two bronze goblets before handing one to me.

I sniffed the liquid. It smelled sickly sweet, unlike wine, even though it looked like it.

'What is this?'

'It's called the god's beverage,' said the high priestess. 'It's very rare to come by. But someone gifted me the fruit. It would be the gift we bear to the city lords upon out arrival.'

I never knew the clergy had to bear gifts to the lords of the city. It sounded rather strange.

'You would not get a chance to taste it again.'

She placed her own cup on the short table in front of me before sauntering over to the wardrobe. As she did so, I took a sip of the beverage. I felt taste explode in my mouth. It was sweet, spicy and had a bit of acidity to it. All in all, it was delicious. I sipped it again, in hopes to favor the taste as the high priestess went though her wardrobe. She took out clothes, jewelry and a lot of boxed before she pulled out a tiny wooden box. I felt her watch he as I drank the god's beverage. It was worthy of being called that.

She then brought the wooden box to me.

'A gift, to you... It was your fathers.'

I almost choked on my drink. Knowing that my birth was from an interaction between two complete strangers was disturbing already. But seeing that she had a keepsake of his, does that mean that they were actually not complete strangers? A small spark of hope lighted up in my mind. With questions swarming inside like, who was he? How was he like? What did he do?

The wooden box was simple, more like an earring box. When I removed the lip, what I found was a simple blue gray teardrop which dangled down a chain. It was something strange for a man to own.

'Umm... thank you.' I said.

The high priestess looked as if she wanted to say more, but unable to do so.

'Am I allowed to know who he is?' I asked.

The high priestess frowned. 'He... was a mysterious man. As if he had lived for a thousand years, although he looked young at that time. I almost thought he was a descended god, until he I saw him bleed once.'

'S-so... you knew him for a long time?'

'He disappeared the same way he appeared.'

'How?'

'I don't know,' said the high priestess. She took the pendent from my hand. 'He gave this to e before he left, said it was useful, even though I don't know how. Seeing this gather dust in my room is useless. It was better for you to have it.'

'I-I see.'

I didn't know why I was stuttering. I have always craved for a father figure. I don't know why, but it seemed that way. Maybe it was because father never paid me much attention back at home. A small part of me wished that I could know him, which a bigger part of me knew that wishing was useless.

'What will happen to me now?' I asked, wanting to change the topic as my fingers felt around the smooth metallic ornament that dangled from the chain.

'You will know in due time,' the high priestess replied.

'Can I at least have an idea? I don't want to be taken by surprise,' I said.

'It won't be a surprise.'

Silence enveloped us. I looked out to the city from the window. 'I will not stay here forever, alya. I wish you to know that.'

More silence.

'You are your father's daughter. Sometimes I wish it were you who would take Shyanaam's place. The girl is smitten by the city lord's heir. It was my mistake to make them acquainted. It would have been better if she had your head.'

'Even if our fates were reversed, I will not stay here forever,' I replied.

'I know.'

The high priestess left to her office while I was allowed to see myself out.

I couldn't sleep that day, and simply stared at the strangely delicately crafted pendent. It was nothing like the jewelry I had seen in Malhawk.

But then again, I told the high priestess that I would not stay in Malhawk. Yet, I didn't have a place to go. Can I find a way to get back home? The only possible way was through the Realm Order and they were conspicuous and impossible to contact. Also, they were strict. I doubted they would let a person originally born this world to head back to another. Let's say I do manage to get home, will I be welcomed? Will everything be the same as before?

Did my parents even see me as their daughter? Was everything they had ever done to me was a lie? My mother... she was a genuine person. Maybe she really did care about me.

The bigger question was why the Military wanted to raise me in a noble family. It seems unlikely that they had plans for me since I was proven to be useless. Maybe it was mother who decided to keep me even if my usefulness was not proven. She was something who would do that. But my father? He probably saw me as a burden.

Will going home chance things? I would have to tell them where I was for so many months.

Questions rose in my head whole night, but without a way to find an answer. I guessed that the following day would be exciting, and I feel asleep looking forward for it.