Chapter 388: First <Oracle>

After the female knights were satisfied, they dispersed and left my fiances free from question. Eli then went to the changing room in a great mood.

Even after I proposed to her formally, she still had a school to attend, and there was still her training with Emilia after school.

So, after watching her leave, only Tris and I left, and we went above the wall surrounding the training ground and the church's backyard, sitting side by side.

"So, my love," Tris called out to me strangely. I looked at her as if she was crazy and noticed her face was red. "Don't look at me like that. I was also embarrassed to call you like that."

"Then just call me normally."

"I can't! You called me by nickname. I also wanted to call you by a nickname." She pouted, bloating her cheek. "So I was thinking about calling you my love, but that was too embarrassing! A-Anyway... I will just call you Art, okay?"

"Well, that's fine." I nodded at her, smiling.

"This is rare. I know you are the type that will run away once you are embarrassed." Hearing my words, her face flushed red once again. "So, if you have something to ask me, go ahead."

"Well, you're not wrong," Tris spoke seriously, her pout disappeared. She looked at "Art... Is this world truly the one that you told me about, Sins Paradise?"

"What are you talking about?" My eyebrows raised curiously as I matched her gaze.

"Don't pretend." She said with a cold voice, "I believe you, of all people, have already noticed it. The strangeness in Eli's story, I mean."

"No," I answered seriously. "She never told me about her story. What are you talking about?"

My heart beat faster. What was she talking about?

I knew this was the real world and not Sins Paradise, but this was the first time I heard about the strangeness in Eli's story.

"Are you for real?" This time, Tris looked at me in disbelief. She held her chin and nodded weakly before raising her head, "Listen, and don't tell Eli that I shared this with you. Also... keep calm. This won't affect anything but the past."

"Alright. What is it?" I asked with a bit of curiosity.

What could it be? I knew that the past of this world was messed up, especially with me taking over the original Arthur's body. But... Was there still a secret I didn't know yet?

"Apparently, she remembered playing a lot with you until you were 10 years old." Tris began, and I listened quietly. "She sounded so happy that she could play a lot before the incident with Rania happened. After that, her memories about you begin to blur slightly."

"Blur? Do you mean... She couldn't really remember what happened at that time?"

"Yes. She said she forgot a few things at that time until you returned when you were 17 years old. So I used that time frame to tell her that I met you when you were 13, and we adventured together for 3 years. I wasn't lying, but I never said we adventured in this world."

That was indeed strange. I meant it wasn't strange that I went missing from the orphanage after Eli had an incident with Rania and wasn't allowed to visit me.

'And that's how I mixed my story too. So this is why Eli wasn't suspicious of me even when I bullshit my way through. But... What actually happened?'

I hated mystery and problems.

Tris hadn't finished yet as she continued, "As I said, it only affected the past. The important thing right now is that you love her, and she loves you back. And so do I. So don't think too much about it."

"Yeah." I nodded at her words, looking over the Academy City that was shone by sunlight. "I wouldn't think too much about it."

"Great." Tris smiled widely as she stood up. "Now I have my duty as a church knight. See you later, Art."

She suddenly leaned forward and gave me a light peck on the cheek before jumping down. I watched her with a soft smile as she ran inside the building. The training ground was already empty.

"Don't think about it, huh?" I muttered in a low voice. "But that's impossible. I need to know the answer."

And I knew who I should contact to give me such an answer. I opened my status page and first looked at my Sins. It was now 626 and would reach 870 soon after I finished the last Quest.

My eyes scrolled down to my skills. I pressed the Etc, and more showed up in a long list. The skills without Lv were listed on top, followed by skills with higher Lv. And currently, my skills before I extended it down looked like this.

Skills:

[Ill Status Immunity], [Mind Control Immunity], [Perfect Body], [Barrier Immunity], [Oracle], [Fertility Control], [Lv Max. Swordsmanship], [Lv Max. Holy Magic], [Lv Max. Appraisal], [etc.]

My focus was on the skill without any Lv, especially <Oracle>.

"If there is someone who knows what happened to this world, that someone would be Goddess Lilith."

The knowledge of how to use my new skills had already been implanted into my head when I received it. It was always like that every time someone learned a new skill, the knowledge about what kind of skill and how to use it miraculously appeared in your head.

"Let's try it."

I crossed my legs and closed my eyes. The <Oracle> skill had 2 basic essences: contacting and receiving, just like the [Earring of Communication].

For the former, a set of small rituals and moves was needed. We would contact a Goddess, the supreme being who created and ruled this world. So, at least we needed to dress up appropriately, at least in her standard.

Fortunately, I got a pass for that. I was her beloved Paladin, and she'd like to see me more often if possible.

As for the latter, well... The skill could somehow get activated anytime on the Goddess' whim. No one could control it.

Just like now.

I was preparing to contact her, but her soft and sultry voice tickled my ears before I even finished the skill activation.

(I've heard it, my beloved Paladin. Are you truly curious about what happened in that span of 7 years?)

The voice sounded so close and calm, without any hint of emotion.

"Yes," I answered as I opened my eyes. "Is it because of my transfer here?"

(The answer is yes.) The Goddess answered. (But just like I said, all your answers lie on the edge of the world. Finish your Quest, and you will find it. Fufufu, good luck on your journey. Don't be too focused on your old knowledge. That will turn useless soon.)

(I am waiting for you, my beloved.)

With that, I could feel the skill had ended. I checked my MP, and it was decreased by 30, even though the skill was activated without my will.

"Sigh... In the end, it leads to that. Goddess Lilith hides too many things from me. Sometimes, I just want her to just tell it straight to me." I muttered, standing up. "Well, I will trust her for now. I would soon be able to visit the West Border if everything went according to plan."