Chapter 215 : Serea's Origins

Serea's Origins

"Does Serea really want to know?"

"You keep dangling the answer in front of me, making me even more curious..."

As she spoke, Serea continued channeling her power of nature, not ceasing for a moment.

"Alright then..."

With that, lilith suddenly turned around. Serea's hand was already pressed to Lilith's back, and as Lilith turned, Serea's posture naturally shifted so that she was now embracing Lilith.

Looking at the breathtakingly beautiful girl before her—a face exactly the same as her own, flawless down to every detail—Serea couldn't help but feel amazed.

Even for twins, this was too miraculous...

"Amazing, isn't it? A body and appearance completely identical—it's basically your body, Serea."

"Huh?"

"I mean it literally—this is Serea's body."

Lilith emphasized her words, and Serea immediately picked up on the unusual meaning.

"My body?"

Grasping the key words, Serea looked straight at Lilith. At the first glance, she noticed a mark—a black, dragon-patterned sigil on Lilith's forehead, revealed under the stimulation of mana.

Aside from that mark, the two bodies were identical—as if cast from the same mold.

"That is..."

Looking at the mark, Serea sensed there was a hidden secret within.

"It's the mark of the Face-Casting Technique. Once this mark is applied to someone, their future appearance can be controlled through magic. As a high-level transformation magic, the process is irreversible. I was branded with this mark not long after I was born—my future appearance was fixed to be the same as yours."

"What!"

Serea could not hide her surprise, though the feeling only lingered for a moment. Given that she herself was only 'Gibusk's' adopted daughter, she felt that the truth was closing in.

"This was done by my biological father, 'Gibusk,' to protect you."

"To protect me?"

"Yes, Serea, you should know—your birth father is Claudio, my uncle, my father's older brother."

"I know that. But what does that have to do with you having the Face-Casting Technique applied?"

Faced with Serea's question, lilith gave a bitter smile, as if recalling some sad and helpless memory.

"I learned this by accident from my mother. Everything began with your father 'Claudio' launching that revolution."

Lilith began narrating, the story returning to sixteen years ago.

Back then, neither Serea nor Lilith had been born, and the Otto Kingdom was facing a major crisis. At a time of frequent class struggle, the decaying noble system was threatening royal authority. With the royal family weakened, the radical nobles sought to use the 'kingdom council' to completely strip the royal family of power and replace them as the true rulers.

At that critical moment, one man stood up: 'Claudio Otto Bloodstorm,' none other than Serea's father.

Returning from travels through the southern continent, claudio first met with the old king 'Rowem,' Serea and Lilith's grandfather. With Rowem's permission, claudio launched an unprecedented revolution.

He first wooed the neutral nobles and secured royal authority within the kingdom council by having neutral nobles speak up for the royal family. Claudio then convened a meeting known to history as the 'Blood Banquet.'

That night, claudio ordered the kingdom's chancellor, 'Elward'—Celia's father—to slaughter the attending 'radical nobles' and sealed off all information.

At the same time, the royal guards moved swiftly, quelling all signs of rebellion before the radical nobles could react.

As the leaders of the radicals fell in that 'Blood Banquet,' the radical noble faction, now leaderless, was stunned by the sudden and ruthless transformation. By the time they regained their senses, everything was already lost.

Yet, although the revolution succeeded through force, its consequences were immeasurable.

The remaining radical nobles attempted to reclaim their rights through the kingdom council—but don't forget, the council also included neutral nobles. Would they turn and help the radicals?

Yes. Because Claudio was too dangerous. As fellow nobles, they feared he might treat them just like he treated the radical nobles.

So the neutral nobles switched sides, pointing all accusations at Claudio, the leader of the revolution. At once, chancellor 'Elward' was convicted by the council. Stripped of his noble title, he sacrificed everything to protect the royal family, with only little Celia left from his clan.

By arrangement, Celia was adopted by the royal family—but that wouldn't be by Claudio, since he himself was in danger after offending the nobles.

A week after the revolution, the council tried Claudio and pronounced him guilty. This angered the royal family, but Claudio calmly prevented them from resisting.

When finally arrested by the council guards, claudio left three things for his younger brother Gibusk: a sword symbolizing royal power, a baby swaddled in cloth, and a bloodstained letter.

The day after his arrest, the nobles secretly executed Claudio and then supported Gibusk to ascend the throne.

Thus, Gibusk realized that Claudio had planned from the very start to sacrifice himself and a few others to secure the nation and the royal family. The peace and stability of the kingdom were the results of his life and blood...

The letter Claudio left behind read:

My dear brother, by the time you read this, I will probably never appear again, but do not be sad; someone had to stand out in such times, though I never wanted that person to be you or Father. So please, heed my final advice.

Never forget!

The noble class is an untamed beast. You may use them to hunt, but if ever they grow hungry and wish for more, your own body will be all you have to appease them.

For this, you must finish the revolution I could not—you must cleanse these beasts completely. Believe me: royal power needs no guardian but yourself. Only when you personally wield the sword of all authority will the Otto Kingdom know peace again.

I entrust you with this unfinished task—and with my daughter Serea. Please give her the 'home' I never could.

—Claudio Otto Bloodstorm

At this, Serea finally understood.

"So that's why 'father' adopted me and Celia?"

"Yes. Father owed Uncle Claudio and Uncle Elward too much."

"But what does this have to do with you getting the 'Face-Casting Technique' mark?"

Serea asked, and Lilith answered:

"Because radical noble forces still remained. Claudio's revolution took everything from them. They wanted revenge, but Claudio was gone—so they targeted you. During that time, Elite assassins from many noble families risked everything to kill you. Father was forced to declare Claudio's daughter dead, and you became my younger sister. To prevent exposure, I was secretly branded with the Face-Casting Technique, guaranteeing that one day I would look exactly like you, making us an unassailable pair of sisters."

As Lilith spoke, her face revealed a deep sadness—and Serea understood what that expression meant.

To become the 'elder sister' by having her very identity stolen with the Face-Casting Technique...

It meant that they were 'sisters.' Under the threat of radical noble remnants for years, lilith would share in all the same dangers as Serea.

Gibusk's act was both a smokescreen and a shield for Serea—by making her a royal princess, the nobles would be forced to think twice before assassination.

As for why Lilith, not Serea, bore the Face-Casting mark—

First, out of guilt; Gibusk could not bear to harm Serea. Second...

If word leaked out, most would assume Gibusk would protect his own daughter and so mark Serea. If they discovered the mark, they'd think Serea was a fake—so revenge would fall on her instead.

Clearly, Gibusk was using his own daughter's life to shield Serea, to fulfill his promise to Claudio.

Now that Lilith knew the truth—that her little sister wasn't her true sibling, and that her birth father was risking her life to protect an 'adopted daughter'—

No matter who faced circumstances like this, only one emotion could emerge in their heart.

Anger!

That anger was aimed at both Gibusk and Serea.

After Gibusk, to atone for his guilt, named 'Serea' as the first in line to the throne, lilith's resentment reached its peak.

An 'adopted daughter' who grew up sheltered by her life not only took her father and family, but also her right to the throne—how could Lilith ever accept that?!

And so, driven by rage, that scene from years ago occurred...

Lilith had a terrible argument with Gibusk, stormed off, and when Serea tried to stop her, she was stabbed in the shoulder. Sisters and father-daughter, completely estranged. Heartbroken, lilith left for the Holy Empire to become a nun, enduring years of abandonment and betrayal.

That was the source of Lilith's hatred.

Now that Serea understood everything, she looked at Lilith again. She saw that Lilith kept her head lowered, tears of grievance welling in her eyes.

Seeing this, Serea suddenly felt so sorry for her...

Perhaps Gibusk was a good king, a good brother—but he had failed as a father. That was Lilith's greatest pain.

Thinking so, Serea slowly reached out and, after a brief pause, tightly embraced Lilith.

"I never realized you had borne so much for this body."

Holding Lilith close, Serea comforted her. As soon as Lilith buried her head in Serea's chest, all the pain she had suppressed could no longer be held back.

"Uu... wu wu wu..."

She began weeping quietly.

"You've suffered enough—let it end here. Father was indeed wrong, but I'm still your sister. If you can't bear it alone, let me share your burden."

Serea kept comforting her—but Lilith's feelings now burst forth like a dammed flood, uncontrollable.

Tears fell on Serea's shoulder, soaking through her clothes to the old scar beneath. That warm liquid stung more than the actual wound Lilith had once inflicted.

Embracing each other, Serea stopped speaking, letting Lilith vent all her sorrow.

No one knew how long passed. When Lilith finally quieted, the once warm spring water had turned cold, and the curse mark on Lilith had been eased by Serea's healing.

"Do you feel better after letting it out?"

Lilith nodded slightly, still leaning on Serea's shoulder, and Serea gently helped her up.

"It's all over now. Lilith, stay here and have a good life from now on. From now on, it's my turn to protect you."

Hearing this, lilith's heart was moved, but she also showed a trace of melancholy in her eyes.

"Hiss~ so cold. Let's dry off first."

Serea shivered, feeling Lilith's body trembling slightly as well. She took a nearby elven cloth and dried Lilith's hair, soaked from the spring. Lilith enjoyed it immensely, as if returning to a carefree childhood.

At this point, Serea no longer felt awkward—learning of Lilith's experience, she now saw her as a true sister.

When they finished drying off, lilith put on Serea's nightgown, and so did Serea.

"Is the curse mark better?"

"Mm, much better..."

Lilith's whole demeanor had changed, no longer cold or hostile. Having resolved their conflict, things between them became different.

They went outside; by now, the sky was dark. Looking at Lilith, Serea suddenly realized she hadn't prepared a room for her, and it was a bit late to tidy one now, so...

"It's late—Lilith, sleep in my room tonight."

"Serea, are you staying in here too?"

"... Yes."

Serea hesitated, but agreed.

"I'll get the bedding ready for you."

Serea then fetched extra bedding and made up Lilith's place. As she watched Serea's back, lilith had many thoughts.

When she'd heard Serea had died, it was like falling into an icy abyss. To regain her, alive, made Lilith happy again, but also worried—if Serea really had died in Ailera, what would she have done?

For a time, a strange feeling arose in Lilith's heart. She had tried to repress it, but now, having found what was lost, she couldn't control it any longer. And anyway, Serea wasn't her 'biological sister'...

"Let's make do tonight. Tomorrow..."

Halfway through, lilith suddenly grabbed Serea, who was forced to face her. Under Serea's surprised gaze, lilith pulled her down onto the bed.

(To be continued...)