Anomaly

Chapter 384 – Worship of the true gods [30]

(POV – Eve)

Eve and Daniel weren’t surprised in the slightest by Graham’s complete lack of reaction as they approached. They made no effort to hide their presence, firm footsteps against the damp grass created a steady sound, loud enough to alert anyone even mildly attentive ahead of them. Even so, Graham didn’t so much as lift his gaze.

At first glance, it might’ve looked like simple disinterest in his surroundings, careless indifference. But Eve knew better. She was certain Graham had already identified his “visitors” long before they got close. He had simply chosen to ignore them. And that choice said a lot.

The relaxed posture, the complete absence of caution, and above all, the clear lack of discipline, nothing about it in a good way. In Daniel’s eyes, that alone placed him firmly on the wrong side of the scale. Eve wasn’t far from that judgment. In fact, if she were being honest with herself, her opinion was even simpler: she didn’t just distrust Graham... she hated him.

“You took your time” The voice came from ahead, cutting through the silence with ease. Graham, who had maintained that relaxed posture until now, finally raised his gaze and slowly turned toward Eve and Daniel.

The movement was smooth. A friendly smile already rested on his lips. At first glance, it was the kind of expression that could put anyone at ease, warm, welcoming. But something about it was subtly off. Something didn’t fit. Eve felt a faint discomfort settle in her chest. To her, that smile was nothing more than a poorly disguised façade... something artificial, even repulsive.

“It’s cold out here, you know?” he went on, his tone light, casual. Graham rubbed his hands together, more for show than necessity: “I thought you were going to leave me out here to freeze” Even though his words were friendly and his tone carefully relaxed, Eve could see what lay beneath.

There was emptiness. A silent void that no expression could fill. Graham’s eyes caught the light, alive, even, but there was no warmth in them. It was fake. Mechanical. As if it existed solely to mask something far deeper: the complete absence of any real emotion.

Eve raised a single eyebrow, a subtle gesture, but heavy with judgment. Her gaze remained fixed on Graham, who held that strange, wide, unmoving smile. To her, it bordered on unnatural. There was something deeply wrong with the way he carried himself, as if he were imitating emotions instead of actually feeling them.

“I didn’t know you could still feel cold” Eve remarked casually, her tone sharply contrasting with what she felt inside. She and Daniel stepped closer, stopping beside him. The soft sound of footsteps faded, replaced by a brief silence.

Eve didn’t look away for even a second. Her expression was cold, her contempt laid bare without the slightest attempt to hide it: “Actually...” she continued, tilting her head slightly: “I didn’t know you could still feel anything at all”

The mockery was unmistakable. Still, Graham showed no sign of irritation. No twitch of his face, no flash of annoyance in his eyes. If anything, his smile seemed to deepen, as though he found some twisted amusement in her words.

(Nothing new coming from him...) Eve thought, unmoved, her silent disdain louder than any spoken response.

“Of course I do, Miss Eve” Graham replied, his voice impeccably formal, smooth, polite... and, as always, strangely comforting.

Even so, hearing her name come from his lips made Eve’s stomach churn, as if something deeply wrong had just been said, despite the harmless surface of his words.

“If my heart were pierced, I would feel the same as you. If my flesh were burned, I would feel it just as any human would” Graham continued, unhurried, as though reciting lines rehearsed long ago: “Naturally, that applies to any other form of physical pain beyond those I just mentioned”

When he finished his little “speech” a calm, elegant smile formed on his face. There was no tension in his features, not the slightest trace of discomfort at speaking about pain. That alone made it all the more disturbing. Eve didn’t believe a single word.

“For someone who claims to feel the same as an ordinary human...” she began, her voice cold. Her eyes locked onto Graham with ruthless judgment, as though she were staring down a sinner whose existence should’ve been erased long ago. She paused briefly, narrowing her gaze: “You don’t strike me as the kind of person who’d care much... if any of that actually happened”

Graham shrugged but didn’t answer her question. Either way, Eve hadn’t expected one. From her perspective, Graham was as slippery as a snake and as cunning as any human could be, a dangerous combination to exist in a single person.

She closed her eyes for a moment, taking a slow, deep breath, forcing her thoughts to settle. The silence around her felt heavy, broken only by a faint hum in the air. Even so, her attempt to reach some sense of inner calm was abruptly shattered.

“Oh!” Graham suddenly exclaimed. Eve’s eyes snapped open instantly. Her body reacted before her mind could even process why. She saw him staring at the hologram, a clear spark of interest in his eyes, almost amused: “Looks like things are finally about to get a little more interesting”

Eve turned her attention back to the projection. In the hologram, the priest was kneeling, his body visibly trembling, as if struggling to maintain control. In front of him, her master’s older sister stood completely still, watching him with a hard, unfriendly, cold expression. But for Eve, there was something more, something beyond what could be seen.

Her gaze faltered for a brief moment as she grasped Graham’s true intentions. Her fingers tensed slightly, reacting before her mind could fully form a response. Deep down, she couldn’t deny it, there was a cruel logic to his method, a cold efficiency that would most likely lead to the results both she and Graham were after.

Still, accepting that was another matter. An uncomfortable weight settled in her chest. The consequences... were simply unacceptable. And among everyone involved, one truth unsettled her the most: her master would undoubtedly bear the highest cost. The very thought made her breathing hitch for a second.

Beside her, Daniel seemed to share the same silent conflict. His once relaxed posture had stiffened, and the elegant smile that was almost always present had completely vanished. In its place was a serious, heavy expression, rare enough to make the moment even more tense.

“A rather... direct method... from what I can see” Daniel commented, his voice low and measured as his gaze slowly shifted from the shimmering hologram to Graham: “Even if it works...” he continued, pausing briefly. His eyes then narrowed slightly, a subtle but sharp glint forming in them: “The chaos it will cause will be... extreme”

Graham gave a faint sideways smile, almost imperceptible, but enough for Eve to notice. She caught it immediately and subtly narrowed her eyes: “If we want to achieve our goals, my dear Daniel...” Graham said, his voice calm and steady, almost devoid of any genuine emotion.

There was a brief pause: “Sacrifices will be necessary, of course...” he continued, tilting his head slightly: “That’s unfortunate” Despite his words, Eve couldn’t detect even the slightest trace of regret in his expression.

His eyes remained cold, distant, as if he were commenting on something trivial, not decisions that would cost lives: “We’ll need to be more assertive” he added, his tone now slightly firmer: “Our goal is close... there’s no reason to hold back”

Even after saying that, Graham remained completely indifferent. Still, Eve had to admit it: as insane, risky, and absurdly unlikely as his plan seemed at first glance, there was a cold logic behind it. And that was precisely why it would work.

In fact, not only would it work, it had everything it needed to be perfect, supported by a series of factors that, combined, made its execution frighteningly viable.

Beside her, Daniel seemed to have reached the same conclusion. He let out a long, tired sigh, running a hand over his face as if trying to push away his inner conflict.

“Haaah...” the sound escaped him, heavy with exhaustion: “Even knowing how problematic this is, I can’t deny...” he paused briefly, glancing at Graham: “That it will be effective in achieving our goal”

Eve remained silent, simply observing the exchange. Her gaze was fixed on them, but her mind was elsewhere. After a few moments, she slowly closed her eyes and parted her lips. When she spoke, her voice was calm, yet firm, cutting through the silence that followed Daniel’s words: “I agree with Daniel on that point. Your plan... as absurd and inhumane as it is, will be effective”

For a brief moment, the echo of her statement lingered in the air. Then Eve opened her eyes again, and this time, there was no distance in them. Only coldness. Her gaze met Graham’s directly, without hesitation, like a blade pointed straight at him: “Even so...” she continued, her eyes narrowing slightly: “you’re still an incredibly detestable man, Graham”

Above all else, what truly mattered were results, and it was this man that Eve and her companions had chosen to align themselves with. There was no room for naive idealism or prolonged hesitation. If she wanted to achieve her goal, she would have to accept that reality and live with the consequences of that choice. Even so, part of her resisted in silence.

There was something about his methods, the coldness, the twisted paths he followed, that deeply unsettled her. Eve knew that every step beside that man would bring her closer to what she desired... but would also pull her further and further away from what remained of her own convictions.

Graham, as always, responded to the insult with a friendly, calm, automatic smile. Still, Eve noticed the difference. This time, there was no effort to make it convincing. It was an openly fake smile, stiff at the corners of his lips, empty in his eyes. He made no attempt to hide how little those words affected him. Eve, in turn, didn’t mind.

On the contrary, for her, that was more than acceptable. If Graham intended to use her, then she would do the same. It was a trade, an unspoken agreement where neither of them was under any illusion about the nature of their relationship. Their intentions were there, laid bare, even if never spoken aloud. In the end, that hardly mattered.

What truly mattered... was the result. Eve gently tightened her fingers, as if she could already feel that future within reach. All that would remain was what she had always desired, the dream she had carefully built and obsessively protected over time. And when everything was over... when the pieces finally fell into place... Her family would be reunited once more. Whole. Complete. Exactly as it was meant to be.

Without sparing Graham so much as another glance, let alone a word, Eve pivoted on her heel. The subtle sway of her hair followed the motion as she addressed Daniel with firm simplicity, her tone quiet yet unquestionable: “Let’s go, Daniel”

Daniel closed his eyes for a brief moment, as though gathering his thoughts. When he opened them again, his refined smile, the one that never seemed to fully leave him, had already settled back into place. His posture remained impeccable, and his voice rang out clear, polished, and respectful, like a perfectly tuned note: “As you wish, Miss Eve”

Without hesitation, the two began to walk away from Graham. Graham, in turn, did not lift his gaze. His relaxed posture suggested disinterest, perhaps even boredom. Still, his voice broke the brief silence, laced with casual curiosity... or perhaps a veiled provocation: “Would I be rude to ask where you’re headed?” A subtle pause followed: “I’m fairly certain the best seat to watch the show is right next to me”

Eve didn’t stop. She didn’t even slow her pace. Her response came without a change in tone, without any visible trace of irritation, only a cold, direct, cutting indifference: “We’ll be staying by our mentors’ side. And we’ll assist them with whatever they need”

Near the park’s exit, as the distance between them became final, Eve spoke her last words. There was no hesitation. No glance over her shoulder: “Enjoy your “show” Graham” The slight emphasis on the word “show” did not go unnoticed. Her voice carried a subtle irony, laced with refined sarcasm, and beneath it all, a clear sense of disdain.