The Conquerors Path Chapter 966 - 964-Best Friend Problems.

The room fell into a sudden, icy stillness the moment those words left her lips. It was as if a sorcerer had cast a freezing spell over the entire atmosphere. The silence lasted only a heartbeat before Nathalia’s expression shifted into one of pure shock. Her features contorted slightly as she managed to utter a single, breathless response.

"Wh-What?"

She attempted to brush it off, but under Elda’s unwavering, piercing gaze, Nathalia realized that playing the fool was no longer an option. Forcing herself to regain control over her racing thoughts, she took a steadying breath and gave a firm nod.

"I love Austin."

Though her declaration was blunt and simple, the impact on the room was instantaneous. Lanora’s eyes flickered with a sudden sense of wariness, while Nyla’s face twisted for a fleeting second before settling into a mask of calm, as if she were nodding in private understanding.

"When did this happen?"

Nyla’s question came abruptly. Her voice remained neutral and curious, betraying no emotion. Elda’s face tightened with a flash of irritation at the tone, though she quickly masked it while waiting for the reply.

"I can't pinpoint exactly when it started; I just know that I had already fallen for him before I even realized it."

The three girls nodded in unison, appearing to resonate with her words. However, their shared understanding did nothing to alleviate the suffocating tension in the air.

"I am guessing you didn’t know about what your family did."

Elda spoke, though it functioned more as an inquiry. Nathalia’s eyes lit up with intensity as she nodded vigorously toward the other three.

"Yes, I only found out about it after it all had happened."

Elda fell silent for a moment, having confirmed what she needed, but Lanora chose that second to intervene.

"What happened?"

Lanora’s voice had grown noticeably colder. Nathalia, overcome by a sudden wave of shyness, began to explain everything. As the other two girls listened to the details for the first time, visible traces of jealousy crossed their faces. Lanora, in particular, felt the situation had become increasingly complicated. The realization that Austin was slipping further out of her reach caused her expression to harden.

"It seems Austin wasn’t against you?"

Nyla asked with a smirk, causing Nathalia to flush a deep crimson. This display of affection only served to annoy the others further as Nathalia struggled to find her voice.

"That seems to be the case."

The sheer depth and happiness of Nathalia's emotions struck a chord with the other three, who felt a mixture of anger and betrayal burning within them. Sensing the shift, a hesitant Nathalia asked a question.

"Ar-Are you angry at me?"

Elda focused her attention on her and shook her head in denial.

"No, I don’t have any desire to get in between my brother’s romantic life, and I am not angry. I know how my brother is; even if he didn’t try, girls seem to be falling for him, and he took away my friend's heart now too."

Elda pouted as she spoke, putting on a cute display of feeling betrayed. Nathalia felt a wave of relief and began to smile, but her comfort was short-lived as Elda continued.

"Though you will have a tough road ahead, Nathalia; my brother has quite several girls gunning after him, and I don’t think it will be easy to just one person to hold him."

These words forced each girl into deep thought. Nathalia felt a growing sense of unease, but before she could even process the warning, another revelation struck like a lightning bolt.

"I am also in love with Austin."

Lanora’s confession was like a bomb detonating in the small space. Elda’s composed facade cracked, Nathalia struggled to digest the news, and for a brief moment, Nyla simply looked as though this was the natural order of things.

The atmosphere in the room plummeted to a new level of heaviness; the poor walls seemed to groan under more tension than they had ever endured.

"Sigh... I don’t even have the heart to ask how it all happened; let me guess, it just happened?"

Elda asked with a strained, wry smile. Nyla, however, was busy connecting the dots in her mind before she spoke up.

"Does that mean he matched your tune and music?"

The depth of Nyla's question made Lanora beam as she nodded enthusiastically.

"Indeed, I can say his talent and ability might perhaps even defeat mine in music, and when the tune just beats like that, mine fell for it."

The room became even more contemplative. Elda was well aware of Austin’s musical prowess since she had played for him. Furthermore, she knew of his secret identity which he had shared with her—a revelation she had accepted, making Austin appear even more magnificent in her eyes.

Meanwhile, Nyla processed the information differently, her mind spinning with new ideas. Nathalia viewed it as another mystery of Austin’s to uncover; to her, everything about him was incredible. As his devoted servant, her thoughts turned toward how she could secure his absolute love, realizing she might not fully understand the man she claimed to adore.

The conversation then shifted toward what they knew of Lanora’s culture and the less savory aspects of the situation. A palpable sense of rivalry and tension began to take root between Lanora and Nathalia. Suddenly, Elda broke the silence.

"With all the things I see around my big brother, I don’t think his life would perhaps just end with one woman; how will you lean that into your culture?"

Lanora looked at Elda, her expression filled with confusion as she asked a question of her own.

"Are you also not angry at me?"

Elda shook her head once more.

"I am more angry at my brother; it seems he needs a nice beating from me."

Elda flexed a nonexistent bicep as she made the threat.

"Then thank you; I too was worried about how you would respond. Now I can rest easy, and as for your question, I truly don’t know—as someone chasing Austin, it’s just right to accept the culture of what Austin may want, but it’s not easy for my heart."

Elda nodded with a smile before turning her gaze toward Nyla, who had been watching the drama unfold with a smirk. Noticing the look, Nyla raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

"Nothing, just waiting to see if you would also tell that you love my brother."

Nyla burst into laughter at the suggestion.

"Hahaha... sadly no; sure I like your brother, but it’s more as a person—he’s a fun dude to be around, and fighting him is very fun too."

A predatory, bloodthirsty grin spread across Nyla’s face, causing the other girls to shake their heads in exasperation, though they all felt a small sense of relief.

"This is quite the awkward situation, then."

Elda remarked. Nathalia and Lanora avoided eye contact, unsure of how to navigate this new reality. However, Elda’s mind was racing as she tapped into the power of her bloodline—an ability belonging solely to the Saintess of the Church of Life.

Elda’s eyes began to glow with a soft shimmer as she started to perceive the unique threads of life surrounding her companions. Nyla’s life force was a deep, vibrant red, resembling a flame that burned hotter the more one tried to extinguish it. Lanora’s soul was a serene, calming blue, her life force flowing in rhythmic waves like a melody.

But when Elda looked at Nathalia, she saw a chaotic disaster. It was a life force that seemed broken and forced back together like a monstrous creation. Dark shadows intertwined with a deathly purple hue, swirling together into a dangerous, artificial core that somehow remained alive. It was a walking contradiction.

Elda’s fingers twitched as she delved deeper into her bloodline essence. The energies around her swirled as she observed the minute shifts in their life forces. While she wasn't yet strong enough to interfere without physical contact, she knew that in the future, a simple thought could alter someone's life force entirely.

With just a single tug on those threads of life... they would die.

Elda pushed her bloodline essence further, attempting to create even the slightest ripple in the life forces of her friends.