Secrets Beneath the Stars

The evening sky had softened to hues of orange and lavender as Joshua and Blanchette arrived at the front gates of the estate. Blanchette giggled, her arms wrapped around Joshua's neck as he carried her on his back, her face glowing with joy. From high above, a tall window flickered with light as Queen Juliet stood at the glass, watching them descend the stone path like a young couple lost in their own world. Her face contorted with visible disgust before she turned away from the sight and vanished from the window.

Joshua bent to one knee, letting Blanchette slide gently off his back.

"We have arrived at your destination, Princess," he said with a warm grin.

Blanchette laughed and brushed back her windswept hair. "I really had a fun time, Joshua."

"Me too," he replied softly, their eyes meeting in the fading light.

As she turned toward the house, Joshua spotted someone lying on the grass nearby. "I'm gonna talk to Raphael for a bit," he added.

Blanchette followed his gaze and saw Raphael sprawled on the lawn, arms folded behind his head, eyes lost in the clouds.

"Okay," she said, leaning forward and planting a tender kiss on Joshua's lips. "See you inside."

Joshua watched her go before walking over and plopping down beside Raphael on the grass. The sky was dotted with emerging stars, and the breeze was calm. Raphael looked entirely at peace.

"What's got you looking so happy?" Joshua asked, gazing upward.

Raphael chuckled lazily. "I have finally become a man. I found enlightenment… in a woman's bosom."

Joshua raised his brows, then burst out laughing. "Oh damn, so you and Julia, did the dirty. I'm happy for you, man."

Raphael gave a sly grin. "Yeah. What about you and Blanchette? How'd the date go?"

Joshua's face lit up. "It was awesome. We went shopping, ate at a fancy restaurant… and she told me she loves me."

Raphael glanced at him and smiled, seeing the genuine joy on his friend's face. "That's great, Joshua."

The two young men lay in silence, watching the stars wink into the sky above them.

Elsewhere in the estate, Merlin sat cross-legged on her grandmother Franciele's bed, the two witches deep in conversation.

"I'm really happy being with Lancelot," Merlin said, her expression calm and honest.

"That's wonderful, sweetheart," Franciele replied. "But there's something we need to talk about, our family heritage."

Merlin tilted her head. "Family heritage? We're low-class witches. We don't have any."

Franciele gave a sly smile. "That's where you're wrong. It's time you knew the truth. You're not a mutated awakened like Joshua. Our bloodline carries a hidden power… because we are the last line of Pure Noble Witches."

Merlin blinked, stunned. "Pure Noble Witches? What happened to the others?"

"They perished in the Great War," Franciele said. "They used their ability, Life Exchange. A power that allows one to trade years of their lifespan for immense strength, even godlike power. That's why the humans won… because of the sacrifices of witches like your mother."

Merlin's eyes dropped. "Why are there no male witches? And how do witches keep having daughters?"

"Only women can wield magic," Franciele explained. "Witch genes dominate. That's why witches have children with low-class humans, the witch genes overwrite the father's. But long ago, one of our kind had a child with a noble human, creating a mutation. That child became the ancestor of today's so-called Noble Witches. They have more mana, but lost the secret ability."

"So that's why witches aren't allowed to be with noble humans…" Merlin murmured.

Franciele nodded. "Yes. But you're different. If you had a child with Lancelot, who is almost a pure noble, the mutation could be... phenomenal."

Merlin blushed furiously. "It's not like we're having kids anytime soon!"

Franciele chuckled. "Anyway, let me teach you how to access Life Exchange. First, gather all your mana into your heart… then move it to your brain."

Merlin hesitated. "I'm not doing that, I don't wanna die."

"Relax, child. Entering the domain doesn't cost anything. The risk only comes if you touch the spirits."

Grudgingly, Merlin sat and crossed her legs. Concentrating, she followed her grandmother's instructions. Her mana surged through her, flowing to her heart, then pulsing into her mind. Her body lifted off the ground, and her eyes began to glow a deep violet.

She slipped into a strange, ethereal realm, the Witches' Domain. A group of tall shadowy figures stood far off in the distance. They turned in unison, their glowing purple eyes boring into her soul. Overwhelmed, Merlin's vision blurred and she snapped back to the real world, collapsing onto the bed, gasping for breath.

"I saw them… shadowy figures with glowing eyes," she whispered. "But I couldn't stay long."

"It's normal," Franciele said. "With practice, you'll see them clearly."

"Who else knows I'm a Pure Noble Witch?" Merlin asked, wiping the sweat from her brow.

"Some of the old guard from the Great War. Pure Noble Humans like Captain Percival… and King William."

Merlin's eyes narrowed in thought. "That explains why Percival wasn't outraged about me marrying Lancelot…"

Franciele giggled. "He's probably just eager to see the powerhouse child you two will create."

"Old hag," Merlin muttered with a scowl.

"What did you call me, brat?!" Franciele shouted, lunging at her granddaughter and DDT-ing her into the mattress.

The two began wrestling and shouting like children. Joshua, passing by the room, caught a glimpse through the cracked door and paused.

"I won't even ask," he muttered with a sigh, continuing on his way.

And under the starry sky of the estate, laughter, secrets, and new destinies quietly unfolded.