This was the first time that the High Priestess told Emery something about this.
Apparently, what Emery felt was the kind of attachment between those who were in bloodline. It was known that the alpha male and alpha female would have some sort of indescribable connection that would bloom an irrational emotion between them.
"In fact," the High Priestess drawled, "What you're feeling at the moment is incomparable compared to what the girl is feeling; only a portion to what an alpha female would feel."
"Female alpha..?" asked Emery slowly, as his mind still tried to comprehend. "You mean Morgana?!"
The High Priestess' explanation, the revelation, quickly explained it all. He now knew and understood where Morgana's irrational behaviors came from…
Emery's mind immediately recalled what Morgana had said to him. Those specific words; when she used to say that he owned her. At that time, he was completely puzzled and confused by such words, but now he understood the reason for that.
In the blink of an eye, his head turned to, or rather, snapped at the High Priestess. The gaze he gave the latter seemed to be asking why.
"W-why…!? Why are you only telling me this now?!"
Emery was quite unhappy that the High Priestess held such important information from him. He couldn't help but think that if only the High Priestess told him this information sooner, the tragedy that Morgana had gone through didn't have to take place.
Even so, he didn't immediately jump into conclusion and waited for the High Priestess' reason.
Her answer was: "It's the path Gaia prepared for her.."
Emery couldn't hold himself from clenching his fist tightly when he heard that. The path that led Morgana, which Gaia prepared, into this was something that he couldn't accept. Wouldn't this mean that Gaia wanted her to follow the witch and fall into depravity?!
If Emery knew about this, he would definitely not let her do that..
The High Priestess seemed to be able to tell what was in Emery's mind, hence she quickly said, "Stop it Emery! We are not to question her will!"
Emery's mind was so troubled by the revelation that his mind even recalled Meave's last words to him, about being enslaved by Gaia. He stood there silently, while countless thoughts began to appear and sprout in his mind.
Then all of a sudden, the High Priestess released a bright light from her body and spoke into his mind loudly.
"Emery! It wasn't Gaia who made Morgana fall for you, wasn't she? Moreover, Morgana left the Fey village because she wanted to get rid of you from her mind!"
Emery was quickly awakened from his daze. What the High Priestess said was right. He couldn't blame anyone about this, it was he himself who decided how to treat the girl.
Emery regretted his thought and said, "My apology, High Priestess."
He then approached the girl who was still unconscious, whose body was still submerged in the water. His heart ached even more strongly now that he knew the reason for her pitiful fate. Firming his determination even further, Emery turned around and prepared to leave the shrine.
Before he reached outside, the High Priestess spoke to his mind once again.
"Don't blame yourself too much, Emery.. What happened to her is her own choice."
Emery didn't even turn his head. He only stopped for a fraction of second before continuing on his steps. With his back facing the High Priestess, his voice resounded in the air.
"No.. It was my fault… I was not strong enough."
When Emery walked out of the shrine, he saw that the village chief, Chief Brennus, seemed to be waiting for him. He planned to ignore the latter and go on his way because he really wasn't in the mood to talk right now. However, what the elder said managed to make him stop.
"A girl has been looking for you. She came to the village a few times, but you were not present. She's now waiting in Venta."
When he heard the word 'girl', Emery's mind immediately thought of Klea. but then, his guess was immediately debunked when Chief Brennus told him that it was the Logress Queen, Gweeneth who looked for him.
Emery took a deep breath and released a long sigh. Now was really not the best time to see her, and he really was not in the mood. Even so, he couldn't really refuse to meet her. He still had to figure out why she was looking for him because it might be important.
Through his [Spirit Reading] as usual, Emery quickly found that she was staying in the Quintins estate. Hence after bidding farewell to the village chief, he immediately opened the portal and went to that place.
When he arrived, Emery thought about seeing the lady of the house first. Luna Quintins.
His sudden arrival, where a tear abruptly appeared out of thin air which he then exited, surprised Luna a little.
"I really can't get used to this, Merlin." Luna commented with a small smile.
"Luna.. tell me why she's here?"
Luna replied with a teasing smile. "Why don't you ask her yourself?"
"Please Luna, tell me." asked Emery in a serious tone.
Noticing the seriousness, Luna finally decided to stop with her antics. " Fine! Not in the mood for a game, aren't you?"
Luna then proceeded to tell Emery about what she knew. She said that Gwen came as the Logress envoy. Apparently, the king , Arthur, wanted to give reward and acknowledgement of Emery's contribution in the previous battle.
It had been four months since the end of the deadly battle, and Emery never came to receive what he deserved for his contribution. Therefore, Arthur sent someone - one that he trusted and was personally known by Emery, the Queen herself.
Hearing that, Emery instantly rejected the idea. "I am not interested in any form or reward nor acknowledgment. Please tell her that I'm still in training and can't see her off personally."
Emery's answer gave Luna a surprise, and seeing he was about to leave she quickly added, "The queen.. I mean… Gwen.. I'm sure that's not the real reason for her to come.."
When Emery didn't enter the opened [Spatial Gate], Luna quickly continued. "She has been here for a month.. I am sure she's been waiting for you…Why don't you meet her for a short while..?"
Emery was silent for a second. He now sort of understood what it meant. He also realized that Gwen knew about the Khaos place where he trained, but she didn't bother him by going there directly. Instead, she chose to wait for him here in Quintin's estate for a month.
This could only mean that what she wanted to talk about had something to do with the two of them. Maybe about the wedding or the letters.
Emery took another deep sigh, one that seems filled with desolation. He realized that he had been hurting feelings here and there. Klea, Morgana, and also Gwen.
But at the moment, he really didn't have anything to say to her. What's more, he believed that whatever he said would only create trouble between them. Especially now that she was already the Queen of Brittania.
Her waiting a month for him in patience only gave him more reason not to see her.
Emery slowly turned to Luna and spoke in a calm voice. "Please Luna, I beg you. Tell her that I can't see her. That she should return and not wait for me."
The words Emery just uttered had somehow brought more pain to his heart. Emery couldn't even believe that he was trembling. Not to let the girl see his pathetic appearance, he immediately cast [Spatial Gate] and went to it.
The destination?
He didn't really care right now. Anywhere but here.
Emery went through several jumps until he arrived at a random location inside the Forbidden Forest. The moment he stepped out of the gate, he immediately went to his knees. There was no around as he knelt on the verdant grasses around him.
His heart was beating fast, like it was about to explode. Between Klea's disappointment, Morgana's condition, and Gwen's relationship that he just fully let go; his mind and heart were wrenched by the amalgamation of those realities.
Unable to contain the countless feelings in his heart any longer, Emery jerked his head toward the vast expanse and screamed loudly.
"ARRRRGHHHHH!!!"
Emery's body slowly changed, transforming into his second transformation's appearance. Meanwhile, his scream gradually turned into a long, heart-wrenching howl. He blew out the emotions bubbling within him and ran through the forest for an unknown amount of time.
He only came into a stop when the Fey sisters noticed the commotion through their connection and chase after him.
The four sisters saw Emery's appearance, and were all worried about him because they could feel what he was feeling through their connection.
After a while, Emery seemed to have regained his bearings as he got into his feet again, and returned to his usual appearance.
"Thank you girls, but I really need to get back for practice."
Not wanting the girls to worry about him any more, Emery quickly opened a gate into the Khaos space.