Chapter 98: Under The Rules Of The Guides

Celestine stood in front of Lumi, shielding her younger twin sister from the four Guides standing several steps away.

The room was nothing like Lumi had expected when she first regained consciousness. Instead of the luxurious bedroom where she had been held earlier, she now found herself in a dimly lit basement with thick walls that blocked out the sounds from the floors above. The air was cold and stale, carrying a faint metallic smell that made her feel increasingly uncomfortable.

There were no windows, only a heavy door behind the four middle-aged Guides and a few lamps attached to the walls, casting long shadows across the floor.

Lumi recognized none of the people standing before them, but she remembered Celestine’s warning about the organization, this people probably the one.

Lumi’s fingers curled into the fabric of Celestine’s sleeve.

"Don’t be afraid," Celestine whispered, although her own shoulders were tense as she positioned herself more firmly in front of Lumi. "Stay behind me."

Lumi swallowed.

She wanted to tell her sister that she wasn’t afraid, but the words wouldn’t come out. It wasn’t simply the unfamiliar surroundings or the four strangers watching them with unsettling interest. It was the realization that her parents had known these people for years, perhaps even longer than she could remember, and had still allowed them to take their own daughters.

Had her parents really been willing to sacrifice her?

The thought made her chest tighten.

One of the Guides, a woman with neatly pinned hair and a long, dark dress, stepped forward. She appeared to be in her early forties, with an elegant bearing that might have made her seem approachable under different circumstances. However, the way her eyes lingered on Lumi made the younger twin instinctively move closer to Celestine.

"So, this is the girl," the woman said, her voice carrying a note of curiosity. "The one we’ve been waiting for all these years."

Celestine’s expression hardened. "Don’t look at her like that."

The woman raised an eyebrow, seemingly amused by the younger girl’s attempt to intimidate her.

"Still as protective as ever, I see. You haven’t changed much since you were children, Celestine."

"Unfortunately, I can’t say the same about you." Celestine shot back.

A faint smile appeared on the woman’s face, but it never reached her eyes.

"Such an unpleasant attitude for a promising Guide. Your parents must have been disappointed to see you become so difficult to manage."

Lumi’s grip on Celestine’s sleeve tightened.

Celestine noticed but didn’t turn around. She kept her eyes on the four Guides, refusing to give them the satisfaction of seeing her fear.

"Why did you bring us here?" she demanded. "If you wanted to speak with us, you could have done so without breaking into Raphael’s residence and injuring Reeta."

"That was unfortunate," the woman replied casually. "But we couldn’t afford to let the situation continue as it was."

"Unfortunate?" Celestine’s voice sharpened. "You stabbed someone who was protecting us, then dragged us here against our will, and that’s all you have to say?"

"Reeta Bellamy is a capable Guide. If she survives, she should consider it a valuable lesson in choosing where to place her loyalty."

Celestine’s face paled with anger. Before she could respond, Lumi gently tugged at her sleeve.

"Celes..." Her sister glanced back, and for a brief moment, their eyes met.

Lumi had so many questions she didn’t know where to begin. She wanted to ask why these people were doing this, why their parents had allowed it, and what exactly they intended to do with her. Yet, standing in that unfamiliar basement with four adults looking at her as though she were an object they had finally managed to obtain, she could barely find her voice.

Celestine seemed to understand. She reached behind herself and squeezed Lumi’s hand.

"Don’t worry, I’m here," she whispered.

Then she faced the strangers again. "If you think we’ll cooperate just because you’ve brought us here, you’re mistaken."

The broad-shouldered man laughed. "Cooperate? Oh, Celestine, you misunderstand our intentions. We didn’t bring you here to ask for your cooperation."

His gaze shifted past her, settling directly on Lumi.

"We brought you here because the time has finally come for the prophecy to be fulfilled."

Lumi felt her heart sink. Beside her, Celestine went completely still.

"Which one of them shall we start with?" the man asked, glancing at the other three Guides. "You know, since she claimed she also has a healing ability, why don’t we check with her first?"

He smirked as he looked back at Celestine.

"No!"

The shout escaped Lumi before she could think, her body reacting instinctively as she stepped out from behind her sister.

For a brief moment, the entire basement fell silent.

Even Lumi seemed startled by her own voice, but when she saw the man’s attention shift toward her, she immediately understood what she had just done.

She had drawn their attention to herself.

And perhaps that was exactly what she needed to do.

"Lumi, get behind me!" Celestine immediately reached for her wrist, attempting to pull her back, but Lumi stubbornly held her ground.

"Why don’t you try me instead?" Lumi blurted out, her voice trembling despite her best efforts to keep it steady. "I... I also have a healing ability, don’t I? If you want to check, then check mine first!"

The moment the words left her mouth, Celestine’s expression changed.

"Lumi, what are you saying?!"

She knew her sister was trying to protect her, but that only made the situation more dangerous. The people standing before them had been searching for a Healing Guide in their damn prophecy for years, and Lumi had just volunteered herself without understanding what they intended to do.

The man, however, looked delighted.

"Oh?" He tilted his head, studying Lumi with renewed interest. "So, you’ve finally decided to admit it?"

Lumi’s stomach twisted.

She hadn’t meant to admit anything. She had only wanted to stop them from touching Celestine, but now that she had spoken, she couldn’t take the words back.

"I..."

"Interesting." The man took a step forward, ignoring Celestine’s attempt to block his path. "Your parents insisted that you were an ordinary girl with no detectable Guiding energy, yet here you are, claiming to possess the very ability we’ve been searching for."

His smile widened.

"Tell me, Lumi Pei. How long have you been hiding it?"

"She lies!" Celestine immediately pulled Lumi closer to her side. "Stop lying, Lumi! I am the one with that ability..."

She turned to look directly at her twin, her eyes silently pleading with her to understand what she was trying to do.

So, don’t say anything. Please, Lumi, just let me handle this.

But Lumi could only stare at her sister, her heart aching at the sight of Celestine trying to take the blame for her once again.

Hadn’t they just promised each other that there would be no more secrets between them?

Yet here Celestine was, still trying to shoulder everything alone, even when they were both trapped in a situation neither of them could control.

Before Lumi could say anything, the broad-shouldered man burst into laughter.

"Never mind. If both of you possess the Healing Guide ability, that would be even better for us!" He rubbed his hands together, his eyes gleaming with undisguised excitement. "The more power, the merrier, wouldn’t you agree?"

Celestine’s expression stiffened.

The man seemed entirely unconcerned by their reactions as he looked between the twins, apparently delighted by the possibility that their organization might have found not one, but two potential Healing Guides.

"Now then..." He spread his arms as though he were addressing an audience rather than two frightened young women held captive in a basement. "Raise your hands. Which one of you is willing to sacrifice herself for our great philosophy of bringing this Empire under the rule of Guides?"