Piece 26 (part 1)

*Story will be told from the perspective of Elizabeth Veldonia, Milly's mom*

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A scar… oftentimes can be used as a reminder.

A constant reminder, a permanent one, because those things can never truly leave your body. A mark that will forever be etched, not just on the skin, but also on the mind.

A proof that you have gone through hell. Once, many times, no matter how many times.

When I was young, I was abused. My father, who was the most powerful man in the empire, chose to follow his desires and lifted his fist. His left hand always carries a bottle of alcohol, and his right hand would be used to lash out. And the object of the lashing out was none other than me.

But, my father wasn't even the worst one. He was only a practice session, because no matter what, he'd always only use his fist to beat me.

The one single worse existence other than him would be his eldest daughter. My sister, Invidia.

SRESSSHHHH!!!!!!!!

A blade was swung under the moonlight, and blood was spilled gruesomely on the ground.

"AAAKKK---!!!!"

The screams of a young adolescent girl can be heard following it, as she held the wound that was inflicted upon her thigh.

"AHAHAHAAA!!!!!!"

And the laughter of an older girl follows.

Such is the scene every single time Invidia came by to visit me. Her presence will always be accompanied by a weapon, and her goal has always been the same.

She is a psychopath. Reality doesn't exactly stray too far from that.

"Elizabeth…" A murmuring cry was heard inside the bathroom, as the hands slowly closed the bandage around my opened thigh.

The bleeding has been stopped, but the wound is still there. The bandage and medicine acts as support, to keep the wound from rotting. However, the pain persists.

"I'm fine, Estella. It's just a graze this time." My young nine year old voice echoed inside the small bathroom of this abandoned east wing corner, a place that is incredibly far away from simply anyone within the castle.

"I just don't know… if you'll be able to stay alive like this." My personal and favorite maid, Estella Felton, cried deeply while fearing my fate. Seeing her tears, I only lifted my hand and wiped the liquid from her face.

"I'll live. No matter what happens to me, I'll stay alive. I promise, Estella." I said firmly to the only person who supported me inside this castle, and the twenty nine year old maid formed a soft saddened smile as well.

"Then, promise me. If things have already turned to the worse it could've been…

Please run."

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Run?

After being tortured, pointed, and mocked, you're telling me to run?

After all the blood I've shed, the screams I yelled, the painful call for help that I released with my dry mouth, you're telling me to just run?

… No. Even if it takes me ten years, or even a hundred years, or even a thousand years. I'll have my vengeance.

For many years, I've endured it. All the pain, all the wounds that were inflicted onto me. All the beating that was done, I swallowed them all. When the time finally came for me to seize my moment, I spared no second thought.

That night was the night of terror for the people of Veldonia. A massive attack had occurred on the royal castle at the center of the city, alerting the entire empire. An explosion occurred from inside the castle, and hundreds of knights were killed instantly.

For me, I knew that it was my chance. Once and for all, I'll change my fate at that moment.

But, I still had to do one thing that is incredibly important.

With the royal castle of the empire burning in the distance, and the maids and butlers all ran out to seek for safety, two blades are unsheathed and pointed towards one another.

Both sides had beautiful blood red hair. One hair is longer than the other, and one height is taller than the other. One is older than twenty, and the other is only fifteen. And they both had a very different set of emotions.

Any other day, the two would be wearing a very different expression. One would smile maniacally, and the other would cry and look distorted. This has been the case for seven years, ever since the day the eldest daughter visited the youngest.

But for this evening specifically, the table has been turned.

"… HOW!?!?"

A shout was heard from the short haired tall woman, and her expression looked like she had just seen the devil. Her body is wearing a knight's armor for females, though certain parts were purposely revealed to make her more appealing.

"What do you mean, 'How'? Haven't you shown me enough swordsmanship already?"

A countering, much younger voice, replied with a big wide smirk. Standing across the short haired tall sister is the youngest, wearing only her casual young noblewoman attire. Her hair is untied and waves around by the harsh afternoon wind, and her cold smirk turned the opposition incredibly confused.

"You were sick for six years!!! You had an unhealable disease!!! Where… WHERE HAVE YOU LEARNED MAGIC!?!?"

My own dear sister, the first daughter of the royal family, Invidia Veldonia. Her screams of pure genuine confusion and utter embarrassment felt like beautiful music for me. However, I don't plan on ending such a beautiful evening without many events.

The castle of the Veldonian royalty has burned completely. Huge flames are burning madly, and no one had any clue about who lit the flames up. However, I know for sure that the entire empire is currently in chaos.

No one... will be coming to help this dear sister of mine.

"Magic? I've always been good at it. As for my sickness, I think it just disappeared?" I answered dumbly while waving my hand around, and my older sister only looked even more enraged.

Six years ago, I met the most beautiful and handsome young man I've ever seen.

Despite being two years younger than me, he is incredibly talented, smart, and skillful. His mastery over many kinds of magic has allowed him to do various things, including helping me with fooling my entire royal family with something I never thought was possible.

Melvin placed a placebo sickness onto my body. His talent in magic is just so boundless that he knows exactly how to create a living tumor inside me, and it successfully fooled even the best doctors of the empire.

Of course, he got rid of the fake magic tumor after the doctors checked. It was a long painful day, but it was worth it since the doctors were fooled.

Speaking of that guy…

It has been over a week now since I last saw him. His entire family was proven guilty of treason, and from what I heard, there was going to be a trial to decide everything today. However, I have yet to hear about the result because so many things happened in a single day.

Yes… today has been a very hectic day indeed.

In the morning, my sister Invidia came to visit me, requesting for a spar. I joined because I had no choice, even though my state of mind isn't at the best considering I haven't seen Melvin for over a week.

At noon, the trial happened. I wasn't sure about how it went or what the result was because I was busy being beaten around by Invidia.

We took a short break at around 3, then the chaos began to happen.

The castle exploded massively, causing a powerful shockwave that alerts the entire empire. I wasn't sure of what caused it, but that for certain created a huge havoc within the city.

I knew that instant, that if I ever wanted to do something, it was the time.

So, I started running towards the burning castle. To my surprise, everyone was running in the opposite direction, and I wasn't sure exactly what was happening there.

Estella is no longer beside me because she had to attend family matters. I had no idea what problems she was facing, but all that matters is that she isn't at the palace when the explosion happens.

Then, I arrived at what seemed to be a carnage. Hundreds of knights are lying dead on the floor, completely in pieces. Tons of blood are splattered everywhere at the lobby of the castle, and I wasn't sure exactly what happened.

I realized that an actual attack on the castle might happen, and my life could be in real danger if the attacker does target the royal family. I decided to flee away from the castle, but I remembered something that I left behind at my quarters.

My stuff is still there. I will have to grab them before leaving. I'll just stay somewhere away from the castle.

But before I could reach my place, a certain individual arrived to stop me. I wasn't sure why she looked so annoyed, but I realized that this could be very different from all of our encounters up until now.

Invidia is furious. I don't understand why, but she is incredibly enraged. She has caught a glimpse of me, and I realized after seeing her eyes about what things she might do to me.

So, I had no choice but to properly defend myself. In past times, Invidia has never fought me with the intention to kill, so I was able to endure her games as long as she didn't kill me. Now, it's very different.

She suddenly attacked me with her broad blade, and I realized that I shouldn't keep myself hidden anymore.

It's about time I rebel out of this cursed castle.

In a split second, I parried her attack and formed some distance. She noticed that I am armed, and I had a sword the entire time with me. She definitely did not recognize the sword, but her lost mind did not stop her from attacking me.

We started fighting fiercely, but my combat skills have long since surpassed her. I had a personal trainer who was also my boyfriend and savior, and that guy is a monster of monsters. His teaching is also perfectly suited for me, and Invidia stood no chance.

The battle lasted only five minutes, and Invidia already realized that my level is simply not like what she thinks. She couldn't understand it, and now here we are.

"You think I can believe that!?!? You were bedridden!!!" Invidia shouted angrily while trying to prove a point, but it's clear to me that her potato brain doesn't get a single thing I just told her.

"I'm glad that you are as stupid as you look! Now, you have two options.

Tell me what the attack was at the castle, and I'll let you walk away freely. Or I'll have you endure a couple wounds first before you walk away. How does that sound, 'Sister'? Sounds a lot like a game you used to play with me, doesn't it?"

I calmly prepared my sword that is getting enchanted with a powerful magic energy, and Invidia realized that my level is completely above hers. However, her torn mind is not allowing her to think straight, which resulted in the outcome that I wanted the most.

"COCKY BITCH!!!!!" Invidia shouted as she dashed forward, and with the blade on my hand, I simply took a step back while spinning myself.

My sword skills aren't exactly perfect yet. I still have a lot to learn. However, I have something else that covers that weakness.

" 'Light Magic: Slash!!' "

SRIINNGGGG!!!!!!!

With my sword swinging forward, a powerful white light was released, forming an eclipse-like shape. The eclipse slash flew forward until it reached Invidia, and she realized the incoming light magic technique isn't something that she can easily block.

VWOOSSSHHH!!!!!!

The light magic slash was dodged after Invidia moved slightly to the side, and I already expected that she is skilled enough to dodge it. But, that's only because there was only one slash.

What about… ten more?