True Beginning II
Right after Eric was escorted back to the palace, Seraphine got to receive an unexpected offer from the ever magnanimous nobleman who had graciously let her and her friends stay in his residence.
"You wanted... to take me in?"
It happened during dinner.
This was supposed to be the last time she'd be joining Helios in his dining table. Tomorrow, she will have to go, considering that she no longer has a reason to remain there. With Clement gone and Eric back to the palace, she would have to fetch for herself and start a new life on her own.
Little did Seraphine know that Helios had actually been thinking of adopting her this whole time.
"You're unlike any other child out there, young lady. I can feel it..." he said with an amicable, benignant smile that reminded her a lot of her former guardian in her previous lifetime.
"I remember what you've told me the other day. You're from an orphanage, and you haven't been adopted by anyone yet. What a strange thing, I must say. To a child like you, nobody had gained an interest?"
'Oh, I see... He's most probably affected by my power at this point...' she came to realize as she only kept silent and watched him drink from his wineglass - drinking like how he himself must have already been swallowed and devoured by an imperceptible force.
'Succumbing without even knowing. I'm such a nasty person for making use of his kindness and ending up deceiving him this way. I'm not interesting at all. I'm plain, boring and hard to talk with.'
With those in mind, Seraphine only lowers her head and casts her gaze upon her plate.
She should not be too hard on herself, though. Not only because she understands that this power of hers is simply out of her control, but also because she has long decided to learn how to love herself more in this lifetime. If she continues to think low of herself, she will only be doing the opposite.
'Right, if I want to make this life worth it for once, I will have to change how I have always been seeing myself...' Seraphine thought with firmness before going down to another business.
'However, the matter of me being a succubus is a different one. I must find a way to control and suppress this power. Although this might get useful in certain situations, I don't want to wield it so carelessly - unknowingly even. I have to learn how to manipulate this magic, and while I am at it, I will try to find its origin.'
"Ms. Seraphine? What's wrong...?" Helios chimed in again, making her snap out of her thoughts.
"Are you contemplating my offer? Don't you want to be my daughter?"
He really is a nice man.
She knows that he is asking out of consideration of her feelings, and she knows that he will not just offer an adoption to any orphan out there. Even though he is compassionate and generous, he chooses the ones who will get close to him.
Historia had been one of them before, but she repaid his love with the complete opposite of it.
'I don't want another Count Esmeralde in my life - I don't want to get hurt again. If Baron Carmina also comes to turn his back on me in the end, I no longer know how I will be able to bear the same pain I have gone through...' Seraphine pondered with the same depth and heaviness as her profound gaze.
'That is unless I will not let myself get too close to him.'
If she thinks about it more, she realizes that it will not be all too bad. It's the same as when she's back in the orphanage - she only needs to keep her distance and continues to do so until she finds a way to control her power.
Besides, it's not like she has anywhere else to go to at this point. Living in the streets holds more risks than benefits - she has no source of basic needs, shelter, protection and a decent life overall. And if she happens to encounter another scoundrel who'll take advantage of her again, she'll be in a bigger trouble than before.
And with that, a conclusion was drawn.
Making up her mind, Seraphine then smiles and looks at Helios once more.
"I think that'll be great, Baron Carmina. It would be a great honor. Thank you for taking me in."