Without waiting for their reply, Leon had already uttered a series of incantations and layers of magic circles appeared in the palm of his hands.
The layers of magic circles were shining in golden light. It floated beneath Eli's position and expanded to cover the whole living room.
"Everyone on this array will take an oath of secrecy and oath not to hurt Eli, under the watch of the Guardian of Sky." Leon blankly declared.
"I solemnly commit." Grandpa Andi, Grandpa Ben and Kayden responded without hesitation.
"I also solemnly commit." Leon uttered.
As soon as the oath was finished the array was fortified. Everyone then settled down and waited for Eli to speak.
But Leon beat Eli to speaking first, with a meek voice far contrasting the dangerous and harsh tone he had used earlier, he apologetically said,
"Eli, Esteemed Grandmasters, for my behaviour earlier… I deeply apologize." He gave a humble bow.
No one said anything, no one consoled him. Leon didn't take offense and just meekly let his head bow in shame.
"I have no excuses. I hope you look past my mistake and wait for me to redeem myself." After this, Leon proceeded to look towards Eli.
His expression was pleading and asking at the same time, what really happened back then.
Eli kept silent for a long time.
Even though she had already decided to tell everything, she was still battling between uncertainty. Would it really help her to reveal these things out in the open?
However, everyone was waiting. Waiting for her to talk. She trusted these people, she must demonstrate the level of trust she had with them.
Organizing her thoughts, she took a deep breath and explained everything.
"What you will hear from this point onwards, as I said earlier, I plan to keep it all a secret until I die. The only one whom I had considered telling all these, was my Little Han.." She said in a serious manner.
Seeing the sharpness in her eyes and the seriousness of her tone, everyone couldn't help but gulp and brace themselves for whatever bomb she was about to release.
Clenching her fist in nervousness, Eli continued,
"To cut the story short. On Elise's fifth month of pregnancy, in the entrance of the Mystic Woods, she met her demise under the hands of a vicious tracking night."
!!!
Everyone was left in shock and disbelief. Except for Kayden, who seemed to be showing more of an expression of devastation and sorrow rather than surprise.
"Young Eli, what would this mean? You are clearly alive… How…" Grandpa Andi was the first one to react and inquire.
Shaking her head gently, Eli replied,
"The original owner of this body was already in the heavenly realm. I, the one who was living on her behalf, came from another world, where science and technology is advanced and magic is nonexistent."
"This.. this can't be…" Grandpa Ben uttered in bewilderment. If not for the compelling truth from Eli's ideas he would have accused Eli of being insane right now.
Eli looked at the expression of everyone. Grandpas' expressions were within her expectation, even Leon too. But she was intrigued by Kayden's reaction.
Kayden's eyes wore an expression of sadness. But to Eli's impression, Kayden seemed to know what's already coming and what he wanted to hear from her was more of a confirmation rather than explanation.
"Elise and I, both died on our own worlds almost at the same time. At the heavenly realm, she refused to enter paradise because she knew that Little Han's soul would stay here in Prasinos to wander aimlessly and transform into a wraith.
She pleaded to get back in this world. However, her soul would be completely destroyed. Because the weapon that injured her was able to damage her soul so badly." Eli recounted everything slowly and with caution.
"With no other choice, she pleaded that I descend in Prasinos and continue her life to give birth to Little Han. Her only wish was for Little Han to live, even if it means that her child would never get to address her as mommy."
At this point Eli couldn't help but cry. She still was affected by the extent of Elise's love for Little Han, no one in the world could contend with her love for her child.
"Young Eli.. All these are so hard to believe.. It's not that we don't believe you, but switching souls was unheard off!" Grandpa Ben commented still in a trance.
Eli sighed in resignation, she would also react like this if she belonged to the other side of the conversation, "It is what is.. I swear that these are all the truth."
"As for the group you saw earlier, there were the ones who healed and kept Elise's body safe up until I descended. They were also the ones who also helped me settle down here. In my gratitude, I committed that they will all be Little Han's godparents.
As to who they are.. I will keep my mouth shut and let them decide whether they want to reveal their real identities or not.." After this Eli let everyone digest all that she had said.
She told everything that she deemed necessary, and left out what isn't. She let her listeners decide on what to do with the information she just revealed.
Surprisingly, Kayden who was fairly a new member to the group was the most accepting of them all.
With his reddish brown eyes, he woefully looked at Eli and asked, "Did she… ended up being happy up there?"
"She did." Eli replied without hesitation. "With me granting the deepest desire of her heart she peacefully remained in the heavenly realm to have her soul healed before entering paradise."
"Good.. good.." Kayden's reddish eyes finally shed tears.
'In this world, who would grieve for her but me.
Who would lament for her passing?
It would only be me, her older brother.'
"Ahhh…" Kayden's grief stricken face also made Eli cry.
His whole body was shaking in sorrow, his hand deeply clenched his chest as if he wanted to claw his heart out to relieve himself from the pain it was giving.
Eli couldn't help but stand up and kneel at Kayden's side, tears also flowing so freely in her face. As if Elise was channeling her emotions from her soul, through her body.
"Sir Kayden, Big Brother Doctor Einz… I have all the memories Elise had with you…" She said in a consoling tone, cupping Kayden's shaking hands, as if to share the grief he was feeling.
"As an outsider who witnessed everything.. I can attest. That the moments Elise shared with you were the happiest she had been in her twenty four years of living." Eli said with deep sincerity.
"Aaaaaaahhh!" As if a lock in his heart was forcefully pried open, Kayden let out a heartbreaking howl in grief.
'My precious little sister is gone. She's gone. She's gone. I couldn't even protect her just once!'
The gentle looking, legendary doctor's cry filled the whole room. Everyone felt emotional. They also couldn't help but share the grief he was feeling.
Everyone just sat silent. Eli just held Kayden's hand, letting him vent out his devastation. She just held it steadfastly.
Leon was also grieving. In the end, he couldn't protect Elise completely. She still ended up dying without him even knowing.
More guilt and blame came to his heart. What could he do? He didn't know what exactly he had to regret. All of his actions, should he start to regret it one by one? What should he do?
In the midst of the conflicting emotions and mourning, a white light came from Eli's heart and formed in the shape of Wisey.
"Halt you all grieving men in this room!!!"
Wisey said with an ethereal voice. She sounded so dignified and heavenly.
"The matter of Elise's passing was not a matter to be blamed on you,
But to the evil that resides in this world.
Grieve, let your heart grieve!
Yet the Great One here says,
The blame isn't for you to take!"
As soon as Wisey finished, she vanished in the air.
While Wisey was announcing this, Grandpa Andi, Grandpa Ben, Kayden and Leon prostrated themselves in shock.
"Heavens! It's an oracle!" The elders exclaimed in shock. It's a miracle that these too elderlies were still not collapsing with so many shocks and emotions.
For a voice that was too holy to suddenly bypass the array under the jurisdiction of the Guardian of Skies, it could only come in the heavenly realm.
Only Eli had no idea what happened. But thanks to this, the mood in the room was changed. Kayden and Leon's emotions were calmed.
As soon as everyone settled down, Grandpa Andi and Grandpa Ben then asked Eli's original identity before accepting the task of fulfilling Elise's wish.
Eli then told them who she was, about her mum, about her dreams, about her struggles and about her death. All of it, Eli freely shared so as to give these people an answer as to how she thinks and conducts herself in the future.
As they were now the people she deemed as close and important to her, she wanted them to completely understand her. The Grandpas, and even Kayden, who had a renewed mission in mind, attentively listened to her story as Elise Manlangit.
Leon just sat in silence.
The answers he had from the moment she found Eli in the plaza were coming clear to him all at once. While he was in a trance, his heart had already laid down all the realizations he had with intense clarity in his mind.
No wonder, her sudden maturity was almost irreconcilable.
No wonder, her knowledge was unexplainable and almost didn't make any sense considering the known information in Prasinos.
No wonder, she could play the violin like she had been doing it ever since childhood.
No wonder…
No wonder, he had started to look at her as a woman rather than an innocent lady needing protection and guidance.
No wonder, he started to long for her presence and monopolize her attention.
No wonder, that fried chicken and that coffee was the most delicious thing he had all his life.
No wonder, he was feeling this way.
No wonder.. No wonder!!!
A sudden realization had struck his heart. The loud sound of his beating heart rang into his consciousness. He didn't know how to deal with this truth.
Would he suppress it?
Would he let it all out?
What will he do with the fact that...
He had finally found himself inlove!
