Right after that, Kiara was taken back to the village to reunite with everyone whom she had once left behind.
As expected of their reaction, they were consumed with joy, offering her things to eat, clothes, and an opportunity for her to freshen up.
Of course, Jared didn't go without receiving his own share of praise.
And while Kiara was happy to be home after being gone for so long, she couldn't help but notice something that had never been there before she was abducted.
The villagers were happier.
Storming out of the room, Kiara had on a black sleeveless top that seductively brought out the shape of her milk makers. In her hand was a small towel that she used to dry her hair since she was just coming out of the bath.
"You look so much better..."
That was Lucy, seated on the chair and waiting for Kiara to step out.
The room wasn't all that big; it was the size of a self-contained unit, with only a bed and a few other things stacked to the side.
It used to be Kiara's room, but after she was gone, Lucy was the one who constantly looked after it.
"I didn't bathe for weeks when I was at Ragoon village, so it's to be expected," Kiara replied, taking another chair so she could sit down.
"Where is Grandma?" she asked.
"She went out to assess the farm with the rest. She should be coming back any second now."
"Calling that place a farm should be a crime. There's nothing growing there; we might as well just sell it out at this point. Grandma should know this by now," Kiara scoffed.
Growing up without parents, she only had her grandma to take care of her; more so, she thought of Richard Hunter as her true parent, until she discovered the engagement, that is.
"You'd be right. But Lord Jared was the one who decided they should check it for assessment this time. There's a chance he has a solution to it," Lucy uttered, her finger resting on her cheek.
For a brief second, Kiara stared at Lucy...
"You're being serious? You think something can be done to a land that has been corrupted by mana?"
Lucy shrugged her shoulders in response.
"You have to be kidding me. What the hell happened while I was away to make you all think Jared..."
As she said his name, Lucy instantly glared at her, a warning, not a threat.
"...Lord Jared..." Kiara corrected, "What makes you think he can solve an issue like that, when it has never been heard of?"
"He has the blessing of the goddess," replied Lucy.
"The what...?"
"The blessing of the goddess," Lucy repeated.
Kiara didn't quite understand what she meant by that, not until she thought hard about it.
"You mean the goddess chose him as her vessel!" Kiara shouted, leaning forward from where she was seated to get a closer look at Lucy's face.
"Y-yes..."
"No way! For real?" She smiled nervously while looking to the side. "I find that a bit hard to believe. I mean, this is Ja- Lord Jared we are talking about. Why would the goddess choose him of all people?"
Something about that statement felt off to Lucy.
She was well aware of the relationship between them, Jared and Kiara. For as long as they've known each other, they have never seen an issue in the same light.
Like a cat and a mouse, constantly fighting with one another.
That said, Jared didn't seem like he hated her; if anything, he had respect for her. She was always willing to step up when no one wanted to.
And for that, Lucy never once thought Jared to be a bad person, only a man who was weak and wished to be stronger.
But the same can't be said about Kiara.
She always viewed Jared as a burden, someone who was not worthy to be the son of the great chief Richard Hunter.
"Take that back," Lucy voiced with total seriousness.
"Sorry?"
"Lord Jared was chosen by the goddess for a good reason. He wasn't chosen out of pity, and yet you want to mock him. Do you think of him that less, that even something like this still makes you question the goddess's decision?"
Lucy maintained a stern expression throughout, her expression never wavering.
Kiara could not think of a decent answer, as she was still wondering why Lucy was defending him.
"Uh? What are you trying to say? You know Jared as much as I do. He is lazy, a crybaby, and probably the weakest male I have ever seen. Why on earth wouldn't I be surprised the goddess chose him, and even that I find hard to believe. You seem to think a great deal about him, like he turns stones to bread or something."
Kiara clapped back, but deep in her mind, she couldn't agree with herself. And she didn't know why.
"The man you look down upon was the one who turned not only me but William also into a Five Star. The man you look down upon was the very man that saved the village from dismantling when everyone wanted to leave due to hunger. The man you look down upon was the one who saved you from Olsen and his men, and yet, you sit here asking me about why the goddess chose him?"
Lucy stood up angrily.
"As angry as I am, you are still my friend, as such I will let this slide. That said, when you present yourself before the young master, if you do so much as say anything to demean him or make him question himself, I will strike you down myself."
She stormed out right after.
An overexaggerated reaction, but it was one Lucy felt she needed to do in order for Kiara to see things from a different viewpoint.
Sitting there, Kiara stayed in silence for a while, Lucy's words constantly playing in her head, until—
Crack!
Her grip broke the chair.
..
[A/N: Please don't forget to support this book. Thank you.]