☀️ Arselia and Akonia

For some time, the priestess remains silent, unsure how to respond to this monologue following her own sudden outburst. Contrary to what one might expect in such a situation, her face doesn't flush, nor does a shy smile appear, nor does it contort into a grimace of fear, anger, or disgust. Instead, it retains its detached and melancholic expression, characteristic of the past few minutes.
Finally, she exhales loudly and lowers her gaze, shaking her head.
- Edgelord-kun... Every day with you is like an emotional rollercoaster. I don't even know how to perceive you anymore; each time, the picture changes, and then it's stitched back together with mismatched pieces. This is clearly not what I expected when I woke up on the cold floor inside a pentagram... And what exactly did you see? I'm older than you. I could be your older... no, your middle sister. How strange... - she shakes her head again, puzzled, and raises her palm to eye level, twirling an accessory on her finger with her other hand. At one point, it seems like she's about to remove it, after which she receives ten debuffs and explodes, but after a couple of moments, her palm slowly relaxes - halfway.
- How strange... - she repeats, then shrugs and offers a weak smile - though it's not forced. - You know, when you're not trying to create an atmosphere of gloom and horror, it's much easier and more pleasant to talk to you. It's even noticeable in your interactions with the locals. I don't know what's a mask and what's not, or maybe it's both, but... I think the latter suits you better.
Shaking her head and shoulders, she continues in a more cheerful tone:
- You're absolutely right - I can't give you any answer right now; all of this is new to me. I need time to process it. I won't sugarcoat it - after all that has happened, my heart and mind say "no! absolutely not!", but... not entirely. In your words, I hear notes of sincerity, and, well, I feel like I was right when I assumed that Phantom wouldn't take a completely unscrupulous person as an apprentice. Even his own soul is as dark as night, and yet, from his actions, I see that he is a man of honor. Therefore, this is not a case where you should judge a book by its cover. Those were my words just now. So... it would be low of me to make promises that my soul doesn't fully resonate with, so I won't make any. But you can be absolutely sure that I will think about all of this carefully. Out of respect for your sincerity, and to figure everything out for myself. That's something I can promise with my head held high and a clear conscience - and this isn't a setup for a "gradual fade-out," or whatever people call it. The Kami-sama are my witnesses - I don't throw words to the wind in such a tone. After all, the end of the Divine Comedy is not yet in sight. The circumstances of life can resolve everything at any moment, even without our participation.
Raising her head to the sky and closing her eyes, she took several deep breaths according to her own system until the picture of the universe in her mind cleared, and her emotions returned to their usual state from the confused one.
Returning to the world of the living, she slapped Batman on the back:
- What are you standing there for? It's almost sunset, - and she walked towards the hotel - noticeably more energetic than when she left the post office.