Chosen By The Lover's Constellation-Chapter 187: Star Players, Part Sixteen

{Lianna}

{January 25th}

With the exhibition just around the corner, lots of very important conversations were, understandably, happening all throughout the day.

"I’ve had plenty of discussions with the organizers. Security should be fairly tight. As much as I’d like to leave it there and just trust them, I figured I may as well also add a few hired hands of my own into the mix."

Miss Taylor paced from side to side. Lianna, Enverna, Mel, Zura, and Caroline all listened to her intently, packed in Lianna and Enverna’s cramped dorm room.

"If that girl does decide to try something, and she does take the bait, it’s likely not going to be subtle. She knows what she’s going up against. When you really think about it, the odds are quite stacked against her," Miss Taylor stated. "Killing the two of you in plain sight would not be easy."

"Then again, some random group managed to kill the president in the same way, so..." Enverna interjected before trailing off.

That reminder briefly thrust the room into silence.

The event flashed before Lianna’s mind. The Merchant’s Follower taking President Aria out with that hateful smirk of his.

[Whatever happened to that guy? And the group that killed the president?] Lianna sighed. [There’s so much going on. Well, I guess the literal end of the world probably won’t happen peacefully.]

Sighing, Miss Taylor’s experienced eyes scanned the others in the room.

She said:

"Crafty as they may be, they’re still just people at the end of the day. They can, and will, make mistakes. We need only be there when they do."

"Hopefully that happens *before* we all get taken out," Zura muttered.

"It will. If they don’t mess up on their own, we can raise the probability of that a little. Having the two of you," she gestured at Caroline and Mel, "try to bait her out was a good idea, but she got lucky. If luck is her biggest weapon, this won’t be a very long war. Luck always runs out."

She began pacing again. To Lianna’s heterochromatic eyes, she almost looked like a master schemer herself at this moment.

"Our little idea is that their group is going to try to capitalize on you two," she pointed at Enverna and Lianna, "being out in the open, in public, during the exhibition before you supposedly leave the city. That’s what we’ve decided on so far."

"But, why would they try to stop that?" Caroline asked. "If Lianna and Enverna, two of their biggest rivals, leave Telvan on their own, wouldn’t that only benefit them?"

Miss Taylor nodded.

"Assuming they’re powerful enough to do anything right now. If they aren’t, then Lianna and Enverna leaving represent essential power-ups for that little enemy of ours literally just walking away. If that girl truly was powerful enough to wreak havoc upon the city, I can’t help but wonder why she’d still put herself in harm’s way trying to gain more power than she already has."

Miss Taylor lifted a finger up.

"Think about it this way. If acquiring Xi’s power was what put her over the top, she wouldn’t have nearly gotten herself killed fighting Athene. Or fighting you. Whatever plans they have would have just... started at that point."

"Could be that they’re just disorganized," Mel shrugged. "I mean, we’re assuming these are some criminal masterminds we’re going up against here. What if they’re just not? What if they’re in way over their heads?"

"I suppose they could be."

"The people who tried to kill us on that last mission," Lianna chimed in. "They didn’t feel like veterans of the underworld or whatever."

"Whatever the case," Miss Taylor replied, "in my opinion, it is highly likely that they will try something on the day of the exhibition. For now, we can do a few things to get ahead of them."

Suddenly, the administrator of the Watchful began handing them a couple of cards. She handed one to Caroline and one to Lianna.

"What’s this?" Lianna muttered before looking down at it.

"Let’s say, mission objectives. Caroline," she looked over at her. "I’ve set up a meeting for you with the Shields of Saren. It’s just an interview to them, given that you are one of the most prolific adventurers, if not the most prolific, in Garriden right now. But, I’d like it if you could dig around. Maybe see what their thoughts on these recent troubles of ours are."

"Ah, I see. If all the incidents recently have been contained to just the Watchful, I doubt they’ll have a lot to say, but I guess I could check."

"Thank you. In my opinion, you should bring some help with you, in case you get jumped on the way." Next, Miss Taylor moved to Lianna. "Lianna, in your case, I’ve arranged a more private meeting. This one wasn’t my idea," she clarified. "Someone came to me asking if I could set you up with her. I decided I’d float the idea by you, in case you felt like doing it."

"Uh, who is she?" Lianna asked.

"..." Miss Taylor hesitated. "The administrator of the Silver Blade guild."

Lianna’s eyes widened.

"She did not say why she wished to speak with you, only that she wanted to. Personally, I think you should go, though you, of course, are not forced to. I merely think this could be a good chance to see whether we have another ally in this fight or another enemy. That’s all. Or, well, could just be that she simply wants to say ’hi’ to you," Miss Taylor shrugged. "But, given everything that’s been happening recently..." 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

"I doubt that," Lianna finished for her.

"Indeed. It’s just a thing to consider," Miss Taylor said flippantly. "That’s all for now, girls. I just wanted to give you a brief update on things."

"It’s much appreciated," Caroline said.

"You’re welcome." She turned to walk out. "Stay safe, ladies."

Lianna looked down at her card.

The number on it had a handwritten signature next to it.

[Miss Elina Pell, huh? Unmarried? I wonder how young she is.]

In Lianna’s mind, there was no doubt she needed to go to this meeting.

Too much was at stake to reject potential help.

[Let’s see what she wants, then.]