Chapter 6: The Butterfly, The Church
Right at that moment, another elegant and aristocratic carriage stopped in front of the crowd. It was in no way less grand than Jaden’s. This carriage, however, didn’t have the emblem of Nightshade City; instead, it had a golden butterfly within a mirror.
It was the carriage of the Miravale family, the family of Jaden’s fiancée.
The carriage door parted open, and a young woman stepped out. She had long snow white hair. Her violet amethyst-like eyes looked at everything and everyone as if a monarch were looking at her subjects. Her black gown had an aristocratic accent, which tried its best but still failed in comparison to her beauty. She was like a beauty born of heaven itself.
Selina Miravale’s eyes stopped at Jaden Cross, who stood enthralled by her beauty. The corner of her lips arched up a little when she saw that.
Jaden didn’t know what to say, but his fiancée was really the most beautiful woman in the city, no, not the city... the whole world or worlds even.
Her long snow white eyelashes were like the wings of a butterfly, and her eyes... they were so beautiful that even Elara would need to take a few steps back when compared to Selina.
He was literally frozen by her beauty. He tried to clear his mind one way or another, but he just couldn’t look away; it was as if she had placed him under a hex he could not look away from.
He stood there blankly as he stared at Selina, who was walking towards him with a slight smile tugging at the end of her lips.
She stopped before him and called out in a soft voice,
"Sir Jaden."
Jaden blinked a few times as he came out of his reverie, his face turned a bit red as he hurriedly replied to her.
"M-Miss Selina."
He smiled foolishly as he continued to stare at her. Selina chuckled at him as she shifted her gaze to Navin, who was looking at her with slight enmity. She shook her head at that and added.
"It’s great to meet you, Sir Navin."
Navin, on the other hand, didn’t feel the same, as he just stood there with his sharp eyes looking at her without replying to her.
Jaden nudged him with his elbow and expressed with a frown.
"What’s wrong, Navin? Miss Selina is talking to you."
Navin’s sharp eyes dulled a little as he nodded at Jaden and turned towards Selina to reply.
"Nice to meet you, too."
Jaden looked at Navin with a frown. He didn’t know what caused him to act like that to Selina, but... he didn’t want to know it right now either. He shook his head and looked at Selina as he spoke with a wide smile.
"Are you ready for your Grimoire?"
Selina also smiled at him and answered.
"I am."
Right then, the sound of a bell resounded within the crowd as the gates of the church parted open.
Jaden offered his hand to Selina and added.
"Shall we?"
Selina took his hand and nodded in answer. The crowd began to walk inside the church.
As they stepped inside the wide hall of the church, their eyes landed on a large sigil of a red open Grimoire with seven colourful stars coming out of it at the far end of the hall. Looking around, their gazes landed on the pale white walls and stained glass windows of the church.
Benches were placed all around the hall, and at the far end, right under the sigil, on an elevated platform stood an altar with a small brazier containing a pale white flame... Jaden suddenly felt like he had seen something similar before, but he didn’t know when or where.
Right then, an old woman walked onto the platform and stood beside the altar. She wore a white and gold robe, which had engravings of what appeared to be arcane symbols and a similar sigil to the hall at the chest.
Her old, wise eyes swiped through the crowd as she spoke gently.
"I, the Archivist, welcome all of you to the Church of Knowledge."
Everyone looked at the archivist with admiration-filled eyes as they focused on her.
"Today, we all stand here to commence the ceremony for the youth of Nightshade City."
"You may come here when your name is called."
She added as she stepped down. As she left, a middle-aged man in the same robe walked onto the platform. He had his black shoulder-length hair tied into a ponytail, and his grey eyes looked at everyone as he opened his palm and showed it to the crowd. Silver sparks appeared on his palm and took the form of a grey book with silver embroidery and seven silver stars - it was his grimoire.
The Curator spoke in an authoritative voice.
"Let us begin."
He waved his hand, and small flames appeared above the heads of all who were taking part in the ceremony. The participants gasped at the sight of flame; a few of them even tried to grab it, but it passed right through their hands.
"Arden Wilson." The Curator added, and a young man who wore an above-average green suit walked onto the platform with a nervous expression.
"Place your hand above the holy flame and close your eyes," the Curator commented, his voice echoing throughout the hall.
Arden did as told, and a few moments later, bronze sparks entered his body.
He opened his eyes and opened his palm as a grimore appeared on it.
"Bronze." The curator added with indifference.
"Jamie Bannister."
Another person was called after Arden left with a disheartened expression. He also obtained a bronze grimoire. More participants were called one by one, and until now, no one had obtained a silver grimoire.
"Navin Hound."
Jaden looked at Navin, who stood beside him, and squeezed his hand to indicate his support. Navin smiled at him and walked onto the platform. He followed the commands of The Curator, and finally, silver sparks appeared and entered Navin’s body.
"Silver!" The crowd gasped as Navin called out to his grimoire. His grimoire had a dark blue cover with silver embroidery and seven silver stars.
The Curator also looked at Navin with a slight warmth as he commented.
"Silver."