Reborn with my killer's looks-Chapter 40: Time moves forward, and maybe we should too.

The tension filled the main cathedral as the Trinity stood before the three highest-ranking officials of the Golden Chalice:

Magister Sister Jewel, Vice-Magister Idris, and Strategos Zelda.

Calvin stepped forward, clearing his throat. "Sister Jewel, there’s something we need to...."

The lights went out.

Calvin froze and then the cathedral exploded with light.

Golden pneuma-lights floated down from the ceiling like stars.

Banners unfurled along the walls, shimmering with celebratory patterns.

And in massive glowing letters above the altar:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CALVIN

Calvin’s mouth fell open.

"Surprise!" Sister Jewel’s stern expression broke into a warm smile.

Members of the Golden Chalice emerged from the side corridors; operatives, clergymen, support staff. all carrying wrapped gifts and wearing grins.

Calvin stood frozen, his face turning red. "When did you guys even....."

Sister Jewel walked down from the altar, her white robe flowing. "Every year since I took you under my wing, you’ve been too busy training or going on missions to remember your own birthday."

Calvin tried to speak but failed.

"I wanted to celebrate it the next day," Sister Jewel continued, "but then you would just feel like I’d forgotten. And I didn’t want that. So this year..." She gestured to the decorated hall. "I made sure it was a surprise."

Luna stepped forward, adjusting her glasses with the faintest hint of a smile. "We helped set it up."

Josephine grinned. "You should see your face right now."

Calvin’s eyes were wide, his expression somewhere between shock and overwhelming emotion.

One by one, Golden Chalice members approached him.

A veteran operative handed him a new belt. "Replace this with your old one, it’s already way too tight."

A young cleric gave him a hand-carved rosary. "Blessed by St. Helena herself."

Strategos Zelda smirked and tossed him a pair of reinforced gloves. "So you don’t mess up your hands when you punch things."

Calvin accepted each gift, his voice unable to hide the excitement. "Thank you. I... thank you."

Sister Jewel placed a hand on his shoulder. "You’ve earned this, Calvin. All of it."

Calvin’s throat tightened.

"I didn’t forget my birthday," he thought. "I never do. just kept on believing nobody else would remember. So I distracted myself with all the training, missions and anything that kept me from hoping."

But they’d remembered.

All of them.

His eyes burned, and he blinked rapidly.

"The only thing that could make this better is if Dad were here."

The thought came unbidden, as it was sharp and painful.

But he pushed it down, forced a smile, and accepted the next gift.

The party continued for another hour....

laughter, music and food.

Calvin tried multiple times to pull Sister Jewel aside, to talk about Azzuri’s mansion, the ambush, and lay his suspicions.

But every time, someone interrupted.

Finally, as the crowd began to thin, he spotted her stepping out into the courtyard alone, and he followed.

The courtyard was quiet, lit only by the moon and the faint glow of pneuma powered lamps along the stone pathways.

Sister Jewel stood by the fountain, her back to him.

"Sister Jewel, we need to talk."

"Calvin." She turned, her expression soft. "Ever since what happened with your father eleven years ago, I took you in with no intention beyond training you."

Calvin stopped.

"But as time went on," she continued, "I developed an affinity for you. For all three of you, really."

Footsteps could be heard behind him.

Luna and Josephine stepped out of the shadows, having followed quietly.

Sister Jewel smiled at them. "You’ve become more than students to me. You’re the family I was never able to have."

Calvin’s chest tightened. "Sister Jewel, about the mansion....."

She crossed the distance between them in two steps and pulled him into an embrace.

Calvin froze, then slowly wrapped his arms around her.

"I’m just glad you’re safe," she whispered. "When I heard about the seventh seal sect, and thought you might not make it... my heart stopped."

Her voice cracked slightly.

"I’m so sorry I put you in that danger. All of you. Please forgive me."

Josephine stepped forward, tears welling in her eyes. "Sister Jewel..."

Luna joined them, her hand resting on Sister Jewel’s shoulder.

They stood there in a quiet embrace, the weight of everything unsaid hanging in the air.

Calvin made a decision.

"She couldn’t have been the one who set us up, she couldn’t."

But that meant someone else in the Golden Chalice had.

And he was going to find out who.

The party wound down.

Golden Chalice members said their goodbyes, leaving the cathedral in a comfortable silence.

Only the Trinity and Sister Jewel remained.

"One more thing before you go," Sister Jewel said, pulling out a camera. "A photo. To remember tonight."

The four of them gathered near the altar.

Sister Jewel set the timer and hurried into frame.

The camera flashed.

"Now just you three," Sister Jewel said, stepping behind the camera.

Calvin, Luna, and Josephine lined up.

Luna glanced at Calvin. "You know, you should take off those sunglasses."

Calvin adjusted them. "Why?"

"Because you look stupid. You’re not Reece Oxford."

Calvin’s jaw dropped. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

"These are cool!"

"They’re ridiculous."

Calvin turned to Josephine for support. "Back me up here."

Josephine bit her lip, clearly trying not to laugh. "They’re... a choice."

"Traitor!"

Luna reached for the glasses.

Calvin jerked back. "Don’t you dare....."

Luna lunged.

Calvin stumbled backward, and Luna landed on top of him, her hands grabbing for the sunglasses.

"Give them here!"

"Never!"

They wrestled on the cathedral floor, Calvin laughing despite himself, Luna’s usual stoic expression cracking into a more playful one

Josephine rushed over. "Luna, get off him! This is a cathedral!"

She tried to pull Luna back, but her foot slipped, and she fell forward, landing awkwardly across both of them.

Sister Jewel stood behind the camera smiling and aimed to take the shot.

The cathedral doors opened,

and the Blue Reaper stepped through, carrying a shopping bag and a small wrapped box.

He stopped and stared at the them....

Luna was straddling Calvin on the floor, her hands on his chest. Josephine was draped across them both, her face inches from Calvin’s. Sister Jewel stood above them with a camera pointed directly at the scene.

The Blue Reaper tilted his head.

"Are..." He paused . "you guys shooting an adult film? In a church?

There was complete silence for a moment.

"I apologise, I’ll make the rounds back when you’re done" the Blue Repaer bower and attempted to leave.

"WHAT?!" Josephine scrambled off them, her face bright red.

"No!" Calvin shoved Luna off and sat up. "It’s not, we weren’t....."

Luna stood calmly, brushing off her robes. "We were arguing about his sunglasses."

"In that position, looked you wanted take off a lot more than his sunglasses.?" The Blue Reaper’s tone was skeptical.

"You can’t just go around and make those kind of assumptions!" Josephine’s voice pitched higher.

Sister Jewel pinched the bridge of her nose. "Oh, the Blue Reaper, glad you could make it. Don’t worry they were not filming anything inappropriate."

"If you say so." The Blue Reaper held up the shopping bag. "Anyways I brought pie."

He walked past them toward the table, setting down the bag.

Calvin stood, adjusting his sunglasses with as much dignity as he could muster. "For the record, these look great."

Luna’s expression was flat. "They don’t."

"I hate you."

The Blue Reaper pulled out the pies and set them on the table. Then he turned to Calvin and held out the small wrapped box.

"Happy birthday."

Calvin blinked. "You... got me something?"

"Open it."

Calvin unwrapped the box carefully.

Inside was a simple, elegant, and very expensive silver watch.

Engraved on the back were the words: "Time moves forward. So should we."

Calvin stared at it, his throat tight.

"So that’s what you came to get back at the....." he said quietly.

The Blue Reaper nodded.

Calvin slipped the watch onto his wrist. "Thank you."

"Don’t mention it."

Sister Jewel cleared her throat, stepping forward. "Now then. Let me formally introduce you all, though I suspect introductions are unnecessary at this point."

"We met at Azzuri’s mansion," Calvin said.

Sister Jewel’s expression tightened. "I know. And Robert Azzuri is dead. The package was a trap, an ambush designed to draw someone out."

She turned to the Blue Reaper.

"The Trinity are valuable, but I can’t imagine the cult went through all that effort just for them." Her gaze sharpened. "Which means they were after you. Do you have any idea why?"

The Blue Reaper was silent.

Josephine spoke up quickly. "I’m sure he’s just as confused as we are. That’s why we’re here right? To figure this out together."

Sister Jewel studied them both, then nodded. "Very well."

The Blue Reaper stepped forward. "I need access to your archives for Information on the seventh seal."