The Lilies Park extended like an oasis of tranquility, surrounded by a setting of unparalleled nature and beauty. 

Its structure recalled a sort of campsite, but with a mystical aura that only demigods could perceive. At the center of that almost sacred place, two squares were delimited by twenty-four heterogeneous houses arranged in a perfect double circle, an arrangement that recalled the symbol of infinity. 

The buildings, some simple, others elegant, were quite varied both in size and style, but they all harmonized perfectly with the surrounding environment, as if nature itself had wanted to integrate them into the landscape.

The natural garden that dotted every free area of ​​the park was a riot of colors and scents. The white lilies, which gave the place its name, bent softly in the light wind, their petals shining with a luminous reflection, as if they themselves emanated the particles of mana that permeated the atmosphere. The flowers seemed suspended between the real world and the Otherworld, and walking among them was like walking through a door to another dimension.

Tall, majestic trees offered shelter from the September sun as their branches curved in natural arches over the paths, creating shaded and peaceful paths. In the middle of the park, small gravel paths led to different places: the beach, with its sparkling sand and waters gently lapping the shore; the arena, where the demigods could practice their skills or challenge each other to improve; and finally the promontory of the temples, a raised area that overlooked the entire area, where the main management building and the temples dedicated to the gods stood.

Every breath of air was filled with mana, a pulsating energy that vibrated through the leaves of the trees, penetrating the skin and thoughts of whoever was there. 

Demigods were brought there to learn about their true nature, to discover what made them special. That place for some was nothing more than a refuge, but it served at the same time as a school, temple and physical and mental battlefield, where the identities of the new generation were forged.

Marina walked slowly through the park, her hands tucked into the pockets of her gray sweatshirt, the standard color assigned to Ien's children. Her blue eyes moved absentmindedly from flower to flower, but her gaze seemed distant, because something deeper was tormenting her. Her blonde hair struggled to keep the bob neatly styled and swayed slightly in the wind, but she didn't seem to notice.

She crossed the central square, the beating heart of the park. 

At the center of the site, a monumental statue dominated the space: four sculpted heroic figures, with solemn expressions and poses that suggested a great battle was underway. They were the missing heroes, legendary demigods from the Daffodil Academy who had left an unbridgeable void just a few years earlier.

Who knows what happened to them, the Gods lost four brave generals to their army.

Every time the girl looked at that statue, a sense of melancholy and mystery made its way into her heart. She tried to remember their names but, for some unknown reason, her iron memory decided to betray her.

Their names were… why can't I think of them? It's on the tip of my tongue.

She thought for a few minutes before snorting. Among the most notable characteristics of Ien's children there was certainly an almost photographic memory, so she couldn't understand why information was escaping her.

She waited another minute, before shaking her head in annoyance and continuing on. Her thoughts moved to Shirei, the supposed son of Cragar, god of the Underworld, whom she had met that morning.

Lyceum had asked her to keep an eye on him, but he had suddenly disappeared at the end of class, and she just didn't know where to find him.

Marina paused for a moment, her thoughts focused on him. Where could he be? Her mind couldn't find answers. 

I would need more information about him to make any valid hypotheses.

Since he had disappeared, the morning noise around him had become a backdrop to solving a riddle that was devouring her from the inside. She couldn't explain what she was feeling, but she felt like he'd met someone who had the potential to be really interesting. 

“And my curious nature only pushes me to look for more information about him.”

There was something about him, beyond the latent memories, that attracted her to him.

Cragar's influence, perhaps? Always if he is his divine parent.

Assuming that Shirei was a son of Cragar, Marina wondered how he had survived so long without reaching the park, if he had been running from the monsters all that time or if he had been taken away from the Daffodil Academy after his sudden loss of memory. 

The mystery of the purple-eyed demigod had definitely captured her.

There's no point in thinking about it if I can't find it first.

Marina noted before resuming her journey. Her destination was the seventh house, the home of the sons of Ien. 

As much as she didn't want to admit it, being a daughter of the goddess of wisdom came with responsibilities, not only to others, but to herself as well. 

After her early days, they also found her perfect for teaching classes as a staff member.

Always being the beacon of light for the newcomers, the guide that everyone was looking for, was a burden that sometimes oppressed her. Yet, despite all that, she deeply loved the Lilies Park. For her, it was one of the few places where she could find true peace, away from the chaos of her family responsibilities and the expectations that had weighed on her shoulders since her childhood.

Every time she walked along the paths of the park, she couldn't help but feel a deep connection with that land. It was as if the mana flowing in the air spoke to her, whispered words of comfort and wisdom that she had long sought from her mother. 

There, among the lilies and trees, she could allow herself to be herself, without masks, without having to pretend to impress adults or her family.

There, the pressures of the outside world dissolved, and all that remained was Marina, pure and simple.

She continued her walk home and her thoughts returned to Shirei again. She lingered on the boy's face, on his calm violet eyes. She couldn't explain it but she felt that, somehow, the fate of all of them was linked to his, as if those purple irises were hiding a truth that had long been dormant in their souls.

A void that was once filled with memories.

Am I really thinking that? She asked herself after slowing down, Maybe the mana is going to my head. I'm starting to get too paranoid for a demigod, as if I don't see new ones every week.

Finally, she stopped at the door of the seventh house. The wind ruffled her hair slightly and, for a moment, she felt as if an invisible presence was watching her. She turned around quickly, but no one was there. Only the park, which was starting to get busy and noisy, was there to keep her company. 

She took a deep breath and crossed the threshold.

She continued to the room he shared with her half-brothers and closed the door behind her with a light gesture, leaving out the wind and the sounds of the Lilies Park. 

The seventh house, that of the children of Ien, was a sober, orderly and peaceful place. There were no excesses, neither in the decoration nor in the architectural design: every element was arranged with perfection and functionality, reflecting the essence of the goddess of wisdom. 

Her room was empty, a sign that everyone had gotten up and headed to the canteen.

I should get breakfast too, I'm still hungry, she thought, placing a hand on her stomach.

She had almost decided to go when he stopped for a moment to look at her desk. On it there was a controlled mess: notes, parchments and books that she had left open the night before. Without hesitation, Marina closed the laptop that dominated the workstation and began to tidy up. She put the volumes back in their places and quickly organized the notes into neat piles. One notebook, in particular, caught her attention: a file with notes on Cragar's children, which she had left open hastily, interrupted by the sudden wave of sleep that had taken her the previous night. 

She flipped through the pages, looking at the information she gleaned from her days sharing with her best friend. Cragar, god of the dead and the Underworld, had offspring with devastating potential. His children were rare, often bringing chaos and change, like calamities that altered everything in their wake.

“And you, Shirei, are just that, aren't you?”

She closed the notebook with a sigh, pushing those thoughts away from her mind for a moment. She dropped onto the bed, her gaze fixed on the ceiling, while her mind was lost in a whirlwind of reflections. Being a daughter of Ien had always given her a deep sense of pride, but sometimes she wondered what it really meant. What did carrying the weight of wisdom upon oneself entail? She had never been one of those people who got lost in the excitement of power or physical strength. 

Yeah, I'm growing up now… I have to figure out what to do with the gifts I inherited.

She felt happy to be able to be a guide for the new arrivals. Every day, confused and frightened demigods arrived, torn from their ordinary lives to be catapulted into a world of monsters, deities and supernatural powers. 

It was her job to help them orient themselves, to find meaning in it all. She, however, had never had that experience of loss. Ever since she was a child, she had known she was different. Gods, monsters, and legends were nothing more than her everyday life. She had immediately seen the dynamics of that supernatural world, growing up with the awareness of being destined for something bigger.

“Or, at least, that's what I was raised to do.”

Marina moved on the bed, sitting with her back against the wall and her legs crossed. Despite her responsibilities, despite the respect and admiration she received from others, there was a part of her that felt profoundly alone. Few truly understood what it meant to carry the burden of to be law. 

Smiling, teaching, and being the cheerful and kind person that everyone was looking for in times of difficulty. But inside, there were moments when loneliness hit her forcefully. She thought a lot, too much perhaps. And often, when the thoughts thickened, they became a vortex that sucked her in.

“Being a Lupi…”