Chap 49-The Girl’s Past 2

 

Only a faint moonlight barely seeped into the deepest underground prison of the Bennet family’s mansion.

In the cold, damp air, the smells of dust and old stone, and the faint, fishy odor of bloodstains were mixed together.

In the center, a woman with beautiful ash-gray hair, who looked to be just past adulthood, was slumped against the wall, unconscious and bound by thick iron chains.

On her exposed arms and neck… ominous blotches as black as ink were blooming.

Serena Bennet.

Once called the hope of the Bennet family, her appearance was utterly wretched.

In front of her, a girl was crouching.

A girl with jet-black hair.

She was stroking Serena’s head, who was chained and unconscious, very carefully, with a gentle touch.

That touch was filled with compassion, affection, and deep sorrow.

‘…This isn’t your fault.’

The girl repeated inwardly.

Everything was a tragedy that started with herself.

Because she was born with a fate that made the people around her unhappy, even her beloved sister had turned into such a terrible state.

The girl swept back Serena’s tangled hair and whispered softly.

Knowing that she wouldn’t be able to hear it.

“I don’t think I can keep my promise to stay by your side.”

To save her sister, and to prevent a greater tragedy, she had to leave her side.

She had to walk alone into the deeper darkness.

“…I’m sorry, sister…”

With a small whisper, a drop of hot tears from the girl’s eyes fell onto Serena’s ash-gray hair.

The guilt of not being able to protect her, the sadness for the future they wouldn’t share.

The girl buried her face in the ash-gray hair and stayed there for a very long time.

In the cold air of the underground prison, the tragic fate of the two sisters was quietly deepening.

After the terrible incident at the mansion, the girl made a deal with Duke Bennett.

As a result, all the arrows were directed at the girl.

No, could it really be called a false charge?

Even if it wasn’t the direct cause, in the end, she was at the starting point of all those tragedies.

In a way, it was her own fault.

The contempt and hateful gazes of the people pouring down on her.

Eyes that looked at her like a bug, cursed whispers, blatant hostility.

Unlike now, back then she wasn’t fully accustomed to her abilities yet.

Back then…

It hurt a little.

Of course, even that pain was eventually converted into a strange power, but the scars in the process definitely existed.

Was it misfortune for her, or was it fortunate?

In that deep loneliness and hurt, the girl met a precious being who she believed might caress her broken parts and heal those wounds.

…

“…Noisy.”

A cold voice cut through the heavy air of the drawing room.

The owner of the voice was Serena Bennet, sitting on the sofa with her arms crossed, glaring at the retainers who had been fiercely denouncing Yeon until just now.

“…Don’t talk such nonsense.”

Serena said again, as if annoyed.

Her brow was furrowed.

“Haa… Lady Serena…”

The elderly head maid standing next to her sighed with a troubled expression.

“Nonsense, you say. Please use noble language. No matter how angry you are, you must maintain your dignity.”

She nagged out of concern, but Serena didn’t even pretend to listen.

Serena lightly ignored the head maid’s words and pointed at Yeon with a chin gesture.

“How could a child with no ability bring about Contamination? Looking at her, she doesn’t even seem to be able to handle Mana properly.”

Serena added mockingly.

“Besides, do you think it makes sense that someone who brought about Contamination is so unscathed?”

Despite Serena’s logical rebuttal, one of the retainers who had been most vehemently attacking Yeon earlier didn’t back down and raised his voice.

He spoke with a confident tone.

“But Lady Serena! As a result of our investigation, all circumstances and evidence point to that child! The culprit is definitely that woman!”

At that moment, all expression disappeared from Serena’s face.

Her coldly sunken eyes turned to the retainer. The temperature in the room seemed to drop sharply.

“What did you just say?”

Serena asked back in an ice-cold voice.

“Th-that woman is definitely the culprit…”

The retainer stuttered involuntarily, overwhelmed by Serena’s force.

“How dare you…”

Serena slowly rose from her seat.

A suffocating sense of pressure emanated from her body.

“Even if you don’t like that child, she is clearly a member of the Bennet ducal family, bearing the family name. And yet you dare to call a member of the ducal family ‘that woman’? How dare you utter such impious words?”

Serena approached the retainer’s face and growled lowly.

“Do you want your head to be chopped off right now?”

There was even a hint of murderous intent in her eyes.

“I-I’m sorry! Lady Serena! I misspoke…! I have committed a crime worthy of death!”

The retainer’s face turned pale, and he began to prostrate himself on the floor and beg for forgiveness.

Serena coldly looked down at him, then gently wrapped her arm around the girl’s shoulders and pulled her slightly towards her body.

The girl’s body stiffened slightly at the sudden contact, but Serena didn’t care.

She still spoke in a cold voice, declaring to everyone in the drawing room.

“Listen well. In any case, this child is my sister. The girl whom Father himself accepted.”

Her gaze sharply scanned the retainers.

“If anyone dares to treat the Lady of the Bennet ducal family in this way again, I will severely punish them in the name of the family.”

At Serena’s resolute words, the retainers could no longer say anything and could only answer with sullen expressions, “Yes, Lady Serena.”

Doubt and dissatisfaction still remained in their eyes, but they couldn’t dare to argue with Serena’s words.

“That’s enough. Marie, stay, and the rest of you, get out.”

At Serena’s gesture, the knights and other servants hesitated and left the drawing room.

Only Serena, the girl, and the head maid Marie remained in the room.

As the tense atmosphere disappeared, Serena, as if nothing had happened, relaxed her stiff expression and smiled brightly at the girl, reaching out her hand.

“How was it? Was your sister cool?”

Her voice was full of playfulness, and her eyes sparkled with pride.

It was a completely different, innocent girl from the ruthless figure she had shown just moments before.

The girl blankly stared at the hand she offered.

The warmth that had embraced her, the voice that had defended her.

And this person who was smiling brightly in front of her now.

The girl hesitated for a moment, then carefully took her hand.

“Huh? Uh-oh? Did you see that? Marie! Did you see?!”

As soon as the girl took her hand, Serena suddenly started making a fuss.

She waved the girl’s hand towards Marie and shouted.

“Look at this! Finally! Finally, she took my hand! All my efforts for years!”

She jumped up and down like a child, rejoicing.

The head maid Marie, who was standing next to her, let out a deep sigh.

“…I’m telling you to please maintain your dignity, Lady Serena.”

Her voice was full of worry and fatigue.

But Serena, as if she couldn’t hear Marie’s nagging, was still holding the girl’s hand and smiling brightly.

…

Time was night.

It was raining outside the window, and the sound of raindrops hitting the window made the silence in the room even heavier.

Only a faint lamplight barely illuminated the space.

On the bed, Serena was sitting curled up.

Her shoulders were trembling slightly, and her face was buried in the pillow.

A faint sobbing sound could be heard.

“Mom… Dad…”

Her usual strong and confident appearance was nowhere to be found.

Right now, she was just a fragile girl struggling with the grief of losing her mother and the sense of abandonment from her father.

The black-haired girl was quietly watching Serena’s figure from the doorway.

She hesitated for a moment, then silently approached Serena’s bedside.

And quietly sat down next to the bed, gently leaning her head on Serena’s shoulder.

Without any words of comfort, just quietly being there.

That was all she could do.

Perhaps sensing the girl’s presence, Serena slowly raised her head.

Red eyes, wet with tears, turned to the girl.

“Yeon…?”

She called the girl’s name in a trembling voice.

And the next moment, Serena grabbed the girl’s hand tightly.

That touch was filled with desperation.

“You… you must never betray me.”

Serena said pleadingly.

Tears flowed down her cheeks again.

“Now… you’re the only family I have left. So… please… never leave me. Promise me.”

The girl said nothing, just quietly looked at Serena.

She could feel her sadness and loneliness.

After a while, the girl answered in a very small but clear voice.

“…Yes, sister.”

“Promise… you’re promising, right?”

Serena asked again, as if to confirm.

The girl nodded silently.

“Pinky swear… promise me.”

Serena held out her trembling pinky finger.

The two girls hooked their pinky fingers together in the darkness.

…

Flames swallowed the night sky.

The Bennet family’s mansion was burning like a giant torch.

Screams and shouts, the roar of collapsing buildings, and… the terrible roars of magical beasts were mixed together, creating a scene of chaos.

Inside and outside the burning mansion, retainers and servants were running away in terror.

The same scene as that day.

That nightmarish night when Annie and the others had died in vain was being replayed.

But there was a difference.

The girl was no longer the weak worm she had been in the past, too weak to protect anyone.

In stark contrast to the retainers who were desperately fleeing from the magical beasts, the girl was walking through the ruins of the burning mansion towards the center where the magical beasts were swarming.

Her small steps were surprisingly calm and resolute.

As she walked, the girl took out a small dagger from her bosom and began to wound her entire body without hesitation.

Arms, thighs, shoulders…

Red blood flowed down, but there was no sign of pain on her face.

Rather, as if those wounds were awakening something within her, her eyes gradually began to shine brightly.

The moment she finally faced the vanguard of the magical beast horde, the girl no longer hesitated.

Crack! Thwack!

Like a black flash, the girl plunged into the midst of the magical beasts.

Her small dagger contained power beyond imagination.

Her body, with Mana drawn to its limit, was a powerful weapon in itself.

Unlike the past, when she had to run away helplessly, the girl now began to literally sweep away the magical beasts with overwhelming power.

The screams of the magical beasts and the sound of bones breaking echoed through the flames.

Blood and flesh splattered everywhere, but the girl didn’t stop.

There was only one thought in her mind.

‘Sister Serena… must be safe…!’