After a while, seeing Marcellus still lost in his self-reflection, Alia felt a subtle sense of relief rising in her chest, though she didn't understand why. His introspection concerned his past with Livia, yet it at least proved to her that she hadn't loved the wrong person. She exhaled softly, a faint light flickering in her eyes as a trace of calm settled over her.
Composing herself, Alia spoke. "In any case, I need to continue interacting with the fragments, uncover more memories, and find out what else has happened. But at that time, Livia threw the cup handles into the river. Washed away by the current… I have no idea where they might have drifted." Her brows furrowed instinctively as her gaze fell on the river outside, as if she were imagining the flow carrying the cup handles into the distance.
Noticing Alia's furrowed brow, Marcellus let out a faint, indescribable smile—part teasing, part gentle warmth. His eyes lingered on her face, as though the concentration etched across her features reminded him of countless moments he had shared with Livia.
Alia blinked, caught off guard, and shot him a glare, a hint of frustration in her voice. "What are you smiling at? This is serious! We've lost another lead!"
Marcellus shook his head, voice calm yet confident. "No, we haven't. The Grail wants to restore itself; it will guide us to the fragments. Besides, we've already accessed so many pieces. The cup handles—those are the ones with the strongest influence, the deepest spiritual power. They'll lead us to more clues."
Inwardly, he reflected: Livia's decision to throw the cup handles into the river had been admirable. Her willpower had exceeded even his own, and there was something endearingly brave in the way she had done it alone. He secretly respected her for it, even felt a certain fondness for that decisive, solitary act. But of course, he would never voice these thoughts to Alia.
Alia looked at his contemplative expression, feeling slightly helpless, unsure what to say. Just then, the door gently opened, and Elias stepped inside. Sunlight streamed through the window, falling across him and imbuing him with an aura of authority and calm that made the room feel instantly colder.
Alia immediately tucked away the faint distance she had maintained with Marcellus, her gaze sharpening with renewed focus. She smoothed her sleeves, stepped lightly to Elias's side, and presented the next fragment she had found. Carefully, she mentioned a memory she had sensed while touching the fragment, though she did not reveal details—she knew some things were best kept secret for the moment.
Elias's brows knitted slightly, his gaze thoughtful, as though he were trying to detect a subtle irregularity but couldn't pinpoint it. His fingers tapped lightly on the table, his breathing slightly heavy, the quiet tension underscoring his lingering doubt.
Marcellus stood nearby, brow furrowed, as though he had suddenly recalled something. Turning to Alia, his eyes carried urgency tempered with caution. "Go back and check the secret chamber again. Make sure everything is secure. I have some matters to discuss with Elias."
Alia's heart tightened. She understood immediately: Marcellus intended to temporarily send her away, perhaps to deal with secrets and arrangements he didn't want her to know. A wave of complex emotion rose within her—frustration, a hint of sadness, and a faint sense of helplessness. She exhaled softly, pursed her lips, gathered herself, and nodded. "All right, I'll go confirm."
With that, she turned and left the room, her steps steady but tinged with a trace of loneliness. Her silhouette stretched across the corridor under the dappled sunlight. Behind her, Marcellus's gaze lowered slightly, his lips curling into an almost imperceptible line of stern thoughtfulness. Elias's eyes flickered between their figures, a trace of understanding in his brow, yet he remained silent.
The wind in the corridor whispered softly, sunlight spilling over the cold stone floor, elongating Alia's shadow. Her mind half-occupied with the state of the secret chamber, she reminded herself quietly: no matter what, the Grail remains the ultimate priority.