The Princess And The Lord

1279  The Forgotten Children

Lydia was silent, her memories took her to a few weeks ago when she was suddenly summoned to Elysium which was the central building of S.A.I.N.T. organization. by one of the Paladins, namely Ellias Khan, who is the second in command of the Paladin.

Of course, without delay, Lydia immediately answered a call from one of the most important people in the organization. However, it cannot be denied Lydia felt a bit anxious about why she had been summoned because it is unusual for someone of a higher rank to request her presence directly.

Before today Lydia wasn't even sure Ellias Khan knew anything about her at all or even cared, therefore she felt uneasy with what they wanted from her.

Not long after, Lydia arrived right in front of Elysium, she glanced at the magnificent white baroque-themed building with twin domes built opposite each other, and in the middle, there was a wide pathway paved with rectangular marble stones adorned with a beautiful garden and long fountain that artistically divided the two buildings while, at the end there was an elongated building which was the place Paladins specifically live and train, but this is only a small part of Elysium.

Lydia straightened her back, and she adjusted her white and gray uniform first, after which she took a deep breath to calm herself before stepping into the gates of Elysium. Along the way, Lydia passed several healers like her, they all looked happy and excited that their faces seemed glowing,

Lydia didn't think much since she had other things to worry about. Lydia stopped right in front of the door with the name Elias Khan engraved elegantly on a silver nameplate attached to the wall.

'This is it' She blows her cheeks.

'Knock - knock'

Lydia waited a few seconds before the door was opened from the inside by a young man wearing glasses, Lydia recognized him as one of the Paladin assistants, turned out he was Ellias Khan's assistant.

"What's your name?" The young assistant asked.

"I'm...I'm Lydia Boyd, I was summoned to meet Mr. Khan?" Lydia's anxiety hit the roof.

The young man gave a firm nod and opened the door to invite Lydia in, "Mr Khan has been waiting for you."

"Ah, Yes...thank you" Lydia's nervousness made her voice come out a bit stiff and prim.

However, the young man didn't think Lydia's behavior was strange at all, instead, he give a comforting smile.

Lydia blushed, she felt like she was acting like a fool but there was no point in hiding her feelings now. Lydia stepped towards a large rectangular table at the end of the room, behind which a man with buzz-cut hair with healthy-looking tanned skin. The Man sitting behind the desk while typing on his laptop as didn't notice she was there.

Then suddenly he closed his laptop then turned his eyes to Lydia, "You are Miss Boyd?" the man named Ellias Khan stretched out his hand for a handshake.

Lydia immediately accepted his handshake, "Yes, nice to meet you, sir" Her voice came out stiff and prim.

"Have a seat" Ellias invited her to sit down and Lydia immediately sat down with her back straight.

"Do you know why we summoned you today?" Elias gives rhetorical questions.

"Um, no sir" Lydia answered while shaking her head.

Seeing Lydia tense, Ellias smiled faintly "Don't be tense, Miss. Boyd, we actually want to give you good news."

"Oh?" Lydia blinks her eyes blankly.

"You know every year we send several selected healers to receive blessings from the Saintess to increase their healing powers so that they will later be sent to various countries to help people in need, and you are one of those lucky people."

Lydia was stunned she didn't say anything for a while before she raised a question, "But isn't this year the selected group has already departed, so why—"

"That's why I say you're lucky, usually this is only done once a year but this year it's special so it will be done twice and you were chosen for it, this is a great honor I'm sure you'll be happy to hear."

Ellias smile makes Lydia feel uneasy, but she tries not to show it "Yes of...of course, I do, sir!" Lydia tries to sound ecstatic.

Ellias was satisfied by her reply "Good, The ceremony will be held three weeks later so you have plenty of time to prepare yourself"

"Oh so soon?" usually the selected group will be given a month before the ceremony, so why is so soon this time?

Ellias laughed at Lydia's surprised expression, and a moment later a reticent smile spread across his face, he opened her arms and said: "Why wait when we can change the world for the better sooner, right?"

Her heart skipped a beat, all of a sudden, the hairs on the back of her neck stood up, Lydia lowered her head to hide her expression, "That's right, sir..."

The Young assistant then came and asked Lydia, "You will be given several forms to sign, do you have family or someone close to you because we will give a big reward to the family left behind so you don't need to worry and can focus on your work"

Lydia was stumped for a second then shook her head "No, I have no one..."

A strange glint appeared in the young assistant's eyes but too quickly Lydia failed to catch it, "Okay" the young assistant smiled as usual.

Before Lydia stood up, she suddenly stopped, she was a little hesitant but she dared to ask, "Excuse me, sir, since I am one of the chosen ones, can I contact the previous chosen ones?"

Ellias's fingers dancing on the keyboard suddenly stopped, Ellias turned his gaze towards Lydia.

"What's your friend's name?"

"Her name is Marrisa Winslow..."

Ellias' eyebrows furrowed as if trying to remember whether he had heard that name or not, a moment later he turned his gaze back to Lydia "I'll tell you later when we get news about her" Ellias after that his attention back to the laptop screen then he started typing as if subtly sign her to leave.

What else she could say, Lydia rose from the chair, "Okay sir, thank you...excuse me" She bowed her head politely then the young assistant escorted Lydia to the door.

Lydia felt she needed to try another shot, she asked the young assistant "Can I get Marissa's number to call so I—"

"We will contact you again soon, Miss Boyd," the young assistant cut her off then abruptly closed the door it almost hit her her face.

Lydia bit her lips, she felt disappointed but she couldn't shake the feeling that they try dismissed her question about Marrisa, but why?

Back at the White Rose House, Lydia arrived at her room, she was still confused about what was happening, instead of being happy, she was even more suspicious. Lydia felt like they didn't like her asking questions about the previously chosen ones, why didn't they like her contacting Marissa now that she was one of the chosen ones, what were they worried about, what else...what were they hiding? n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Her heart became restless when an invisible cold dark hand grabbed her neck, Lydia swallowed her saliva heavily. He took out his cell phone and checked several contact lists on his cell phone then his eyes suddenly lit up. He pressed the call button and then put the phone to his ear while pacing.

"Hello," a deep voice answered the phone.

"Hello Mr. Martin, do you remember me? I'm Aisha's friend from the White Rose, I'm also a healer like yor daughter. My name is Lydia Boyd," she introduced herself again.

It took him a few seconds to remember before he answered, "Ooh, yes - yes, I remember, how are you, Lydia?"

"I'm fine sir" Lydia was happy that the man still remembered her because last year they only met once, "Mr Martin, may I ask if you have heard from Aisha?" Lydia lowered her voice, then walked to the end of the room for fear that someone would hear her.

"No, I heard he was too busy with his work to contact us," the man answered casually without the slightest worry.

However, this is normal because all healers who join S.A.I.N.T. the organization will devote all their time to the organization. Their daily lives will be filled with various activities ranging from studying, additional guidance, personal training, and participating in organizational programs, so they don't have time to socialize even with fellow members outside of work and because they live in dorm rooms, the opportunities to meet family becoming less and less every year, and this is made worse because, in the first year, they joined they were not allowed to use cell phones.

Therefore, in the first few years, their contact with the outside world can be said to be almost non-existent, but then as time goes by, their relationships with family or old friends will naturally wither away, after that, the organization would become their whole world.

Lydia never felt there was anything strange about this, she thought it was necessary considering the many difficult tasks she would face in the future but now she wasn't sure.

"What's wrong, Lidia?" the man sounded worried.

"No, nothing...a - actually I have also been selected too so I want to ask Aisha what I should prepare" Lydia made an excuse.

The man's voice suddenly became ecstatic "Oh, that's great, congratulations Lydia!"

Lydia smiled wryly "Yes, thank you"

"Unfortunately we didn't hear anything from Aisha, I tried asking but they said she needed to focus on her task and couldn't be distracted so I didn't dare disturb her, after all the organization has been so generous to us. Do you know they increase the financial support for the chosen healer family three times more than normal every month because of that I can retire early and my Aisha brother and sister could find better schools!" the man laughed out loud appearing to be very happy despite not knowing what happened to Aisha, her first daughter.

Lydia felt bitter in her heart, this is not rare for the Healer family that joined the S.A.I.N.T. organization. It seems that this organization deliberately weakens relations between families and then provides great benefits so that families don't ask too many questions, sadly this tactic worked successfully.

"Well, that's all I wanted to ask, thank you, sir, um.. goodnight" "Don't mention it, Once again, congratulations Lydia!" the man sounds genuinely happy for her which makes it more ironic for her.

Lydia ended the call feeling more uneasy than before. Even though she didn't have high hopes, she couldn't hope that someone from the previously selected group would send a message to their family but none of them sent news, Lydia knew because she had been looking for this since she was suspicious about her sudden lost connection with Marrisa.