"Don't you think you're becoming a bit too absorbed in that book?" Propin asked, his face etched with concern and uncertainty. He asked the question at least three times a day, each time with the same anxious expression. His worry was justified. The gods were a silent, forbidden topic throughout Britannica. Those who dared to speak of the stars or the deities were shunned, even despised. That was why so many people knew nothing about them, unable even to name the gods traits correctly. Estelle herself had never shown much interest in them, despite her own form supposedly being marked by the gods.

  Summer was drawing to a close. The nights were growing colder, and her old companion, the night sky, now arrived earlier each evening. At first, the book had been hidden away in a small crevice behind her wardrobe. Her family adored her, but anything related to elements, gods, or stars was not only a source of major conflict but would only make her life harder. She could already picture the spiteful smirk on her younger brother’s face, knowing the trouble she would face in return for her curiosity.

  A shiver ran down her spine as she recalled the time she had asked why she was the only Cancer among the Montos. Greg narrowed his eyes slightly. Her mother’s tirades echoed in her mind, and she could still hear the thundering sound of her stepfather’s fist striking the furniture in his anger. The shelves, which had never been of best quality, still bore the scars of that day. Estelle had never been the kind of child to have many toys. Questions like hers had only led to fewer. "Because the others asked just as stupid questions as you did" her mother had always snapped. And so, Estelle had learned to remain silent.

  On so many nights, she sat in quiet contemplation, staring up at the sky. Many people feared the darkness, and children were deliberately taught that only bad things happened after dark. That was why they went to bed early, and why no one ever stayed outside at night. But for Estelle, the darkness of night was a comforting friend, embracing her, soothing her in the endless grey of her life. It was one of the few moments when she wasn’t being yelled at by her mother or stepfather, when Finnegan left her alone. In the stillness, in the peace of the night, she could finally be herself. Her thoughts could roam freely, and as she gazed into the silver casket of the moon, she no longer felt so utterly alone.

  But one evening, as she stood by the window, the wind gently tugging at her light-coloured hair, she heard it again—the voice. It won’t hurt anyone if you just take a quick look.

  When the wind swept past her once more, she found herself holding the book in her hand, staring at it for a long moment. There was so much that argued against it, yet so much that beckoned her. The Prime Minister had given it to her. Even if she were caught, it no longer seemed like such a problem. After all, she had already concocted an excuse and opened a forbidden chapter. Estelle had never imagined the stories of the Twelve could captivate her in this way. So far, she had read the book twice—and still, she found herself returning to her favourite passages over and over again.

  The stories of the various gods were told briefly, but it wasn’t enough. She craved more. The need to know, to understand, grew within her, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that there was so much more to discover. She was probably the only Monto in the EFJ with access to this knowledge, and the weight of it pressed on her. Propin, ever the positive and cheerful soul, still held back on the subject, unwilling to delve too deeply. The risk of what might come of it was simply too great. Her friend's lips curved into a broad smile. “There are my parents! Let’s talk about it next time. All right?”

  Estelle glanced to the side. Propin was probably one of the few here who could greet his parents with a smile. She pressed her lips together, holding back the tightness in her chest. They always greeted him warmly, but she knew it was all a mask. Most Montos had no family, and she was one of the few who still had something resembling parents. She wasn’t sure if that was fortunate or not.

  At first, it had been difficult not just to train a large group of people, but also to support them. That was when the government resorted to its usual tactic. The humans who took in and raised Montos received a monthly stipend from the state. Estelle had no right to judge, but every time she saw that brief, almost imperceptible twitch in his parents’ expressions when they spoke of money or his next mission, it unsettled her.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

  Any good friend would have told him the truth long ago, but Estelle couldn’t bring herself to do it when she saw the happiness in his eyes. Perhaps his parents were taking advantage of him, but Propin loved them with all his heart. Deep down, she could understand that devotion to the love of one's parents. It was something, she realised, that each of them probably longed for, deep inside.

  "Ah, so you did read it" he said, a small smile tugging at his lips. "I was wondering when you'd come back here"

  This wasn’t her first visit to the Prime Minister. A few days after he had given her the book, she had intended to return it, but he had politely refused. And when he saw how unsettled she was, he couldn’t help but smile. If this was all some sort of test, then she had already failed it. Her eyes remained fixed on the pages she was absently flicking through. "It... it really is unbelievable" she said, her voice soft with disbelief. "I can't believe how little we know about the gods"

  The corners of Gunner Fox’s mouth curled upwards. "There’s so much you still don’t know"

  "I can’t believe that Aquarius is said to have a pool where he can see the future, just because the stars are reflected in it" Estelle murmured, still taken aback by the knowledge.

  He turned towards the window, a soft chuckle escaping his lips. "I’m sure there were many things he didn’t foresee correctly".

  Estelle didn’t respond. Her eyes remained fixed on the book in front of her. Aries, Gemini, and Gemiano—she knew so little about the gods whose names she could now recite by heart. What no one knew, however, was that this book had opened a box that should have remained sealed. Lunea, Karkínos, the goddess of the moon—she had many names. The goddess said to have given Estelle her very existence. A goddess who was despised by everyone here.

  She ran her fingers gently over the painted image of the zodiac sign Cancer. The weight in her chest grew heavier with each passing second. The question she had asked herself as a little girl resurfaced, unbidden. Why... why is there no one with the zodiac sign Cancer except for my father and me? She couldn’t summon the courage to ask anyone else this question, save for him.

  A thick silence settled around them, and Estelle felt a chill run through her. She feared she had made a grave mistake asking. Her deep blue eyes locked onto the Prime Minister, and the uncertainty within her grew, threatening to swallow her whole. She half-expected to be arrested on the spot. But, to her surprise, Gunner Fox spoke quietly, "They committed a betrayal that could never be forgiven. They fought a battle they had no hope of winning".

  Betrayal?

  A word so heavy, so final. Something that could not be pardoned so easily. Was that why the other Montos looked at her as though she were something to be feared? But if that were true... why am I still alive?

  "But that doesn't mean everyone is responsible for this betrayal" he said softly. "A baby can't possibly be at fault for something like that. And it wouldn't be fair to blame everyone. Would it?"

  Estelle lowered her gaze, a wave of sadness washing over her. He spoke so simply, yet something in his words finally began to sink in. In the eyes of others, she was the one to blame. She regretted asking. Instead of receiving an answer she could find peace with, all it had done was raise more questions, ones she didn't dare voice aloud.

  Then, she felt a gentle pressure on her shoulder. Looking up, she met the Prime Minister’s kind smile. "But I want to change that. Everyone should have the right to believe what they want and do what they choose".

  Estelle knew those words were meant for Monto, meant for her. So many had promised the same before, yet for some inexplicable reason, this time, it felt different.

  Suddenly, the door swung open, and Bintley stepped into the room. Before panic could take hold, the Prime Minister swiftly seized the book from Estelle’s hand, concealing it beneath a pile of documents.

  "Bintley, I wasn’t aware we had a meeting scheduled" Gunner Fox said smoothly.

  "We don’t" Bintley replied coolly. "I’m here to give my usual report. But I didn’t realise Miss Thálassa had an important appointment with you".

  As always, Bintley didn’t spare her a glance, but the barely concealed disdain in his voice was unmistakable. Estelle’s unease deepened. There was no rational reason for someone like her, a mere employee, to be in this room.

  Gunner Fox quickly donned his television smile. "Don’t worry. You’re not interrupting anything. I didn’t have an appointment with her. I simply wanted to review a report she had written"

  He guided her toward the door, and just as Estelle was about to step out, the Prime Minister pressed the book back into her hand and quietly closed the door behind her.