Yuna followed her classmates blankly toward the academy cafeteria, her mind still stuck on the professor's cruel and unusual punishment.
Why? Why her?
Her existential crisis was so deep that she didn't even bother commenting when the Heart Class confidently strutted into the kitchen, rolling up their sleeves to prepare another sumptuous feast.
Unlike the other classes, the Heart Class always finished their classes an hour earlier, giving them plenty of time to heat up their pre-prepared food or even cook something fresh. After all, running restaurants and catering businesses was their main source of income.
Meanwhile, Yuna?
She slumped into the nearest seat, Celeste following after her like a sticky worm.
Too mentally drained to care about food, she simply stared at the table, utterly lifeless.
Even if her classmates offer their prepared meal, it's not like she can eat the food they prepared out of ordinary beast.
Celeste sat beside her, not saying a word, simply peeling a fruit and placing it in front of her in silent understanding.
When the other card classes finally entered the cafeteria an hour later, one by one, the first thing Austin did was make a beeline straight for Yuna.
Yuna felt her wrist being grabbed as he sat beside her, casually playing with her fingers.
Normally, she would at least pull away.
Today?
She was too dead inside to even react.
She just let him do whatever. Her academy life is so miserable. Ever since entering Evigheden academy, she has not been as carefree and happy as she once was. She miss her grandpa dearly.
She should've been more persistent to not attend any academy. Sigh.....
Austin, noticing her lack of resistance, tilted his head slightly, observing her.
"You look…..are you okay?" he asked.
Something must've happened during her class.
Yuna didn't even bother responding. She was contemplating whether she should drop out altogether and run back towards her grandfather.
He will be disappointed, yes. But he won't scold her and resigned to her decision. Her grandfather dote on her so much.
Across from them, the Crown Prince and his entourage settled at the table next to them, engaged in a discussion about the new lesson.
Although they weren't completely certain about the subject, as noble children with better education, they were at least less lost than the majority of students.
Yuna overheard snippets of their conversation but tuned most of it out, her brain refusing to engage with anything remotely intellectual.
She let Austin continue fiddling with her hand absentmindedly, her head resting on her other arm, while Celeste quietly placed a small plate of food in front of her—one that Yuna didn't even have the energy to acknowledge.
Life was suffering.
The conversation at the Crown Prince's table shifted gradually.
At first, they discussed the Light God's followers—how most of them, almost unanimously, chose 'Light,' 'Good,' or something along those lines as their path. It was predictable. Expected.
Then, without much transition, the topic naturally drifted toward the youngest pope in the Temple of Light—a temple within Lalrem Empire.
And suddenly, the lively chatter dimmed.
A strange silence fell over the table. Peculiar. Heavy.
It wasn't just a moment of pause—it was deliberate.
A few years ago, the Temple of Light had undergone a purge.
A powerful light-ability user had stepped forward, his faith so unwavering, so absolute, that it resonated with the Light Faith Stone at the heart of the temple.
The Faith Stone, a divine relic, did not judge based on human decisions—it only acknowledged the truest, strongest believer of Light.
And once it did, no mortal authority could deny it.
Thus, even if the temple's bishops and clerics had objections, they could do nothing. The Faith Stone had already recognized him as the true follower of Light.
The Light faith stone is a divine artifact that is placed inside the major light temple across the country.
With the authority granted by this divine artifact, the child pope had convicted and purged countless high-ranking members of the temple, severing ties with the Elysian Kingdom—the long-established stronghold of the Light God's faith.
And then, without permission or discussion, the temple was renamed.
No longer the Light God Temple—but simply, the Temple of Light.
A subtle yet profound shift.
A move that distanced itself from the Light God's doctrine and aligned instead with an interpretation of 'Light' entirely under the young pope's control.
By all accounts, this should have been a heretical rebellion.
And yet… Lalrem Empire did not intervene, well, that was what the record says. There can be political dispute if the Lalrem empire support or intervene in the affairs of religion. Especially with the Light God temple.
No official condemnation. No attempt to remove him.
The Crown Prince, as if realizing he had spoken too much, ended the conversation with a light remark:
"Lalrem is a free empire. Any religion is welcome as long as it does not promote evil doctrines."
It was such a simple statement. A neutral stance.
And yet, that silence from before… it lingered.
—
Beside Yuna, Celeste, who had been listening far too intently for someone with supposedly disinterested expression, leaned in.
"Yuna," she whispered, voice low and curious, "what do you think about it?"
This drama loving girl.
Yuna blinked slowly.
She wasn't particularly politically inclined, but she had read enough novels to recognize the situation for what it was.
Lowering her voice, she muttered back,
"It's just a political move to cut down Elysian Kingdom's influence over Lalrem."
Celeste's eyes gleamed.
"Oh? That makes sense."
"…It's so obvious, why are you even asking?"
"I just like hearing you say it~"
Yuna stared at her. Expression blank. Emotion: dead inside.
Celeste happily peeled another fruit and placed it in front of her.
Elysian Kingdom also known as the Light God Kingdom, there, the light God temple have more authority than the Royal palace. Majority of the kingdom people is a follower of Light God.
Yuna like her current Kingdom where there is no monogamy of religion or doctrine. Free religion, free faith. She like it this way.