This had never happened in her former life. She had only been a soldier for less than a year and her brother had now come to Taverin to pick her up. Valerie hesitated. Would the flow of her life now continue to deviate from what she knows?
Valerie barely received word from her family during the more than four years she joined the military. Then now his brother came and picked her up?
"What happened? Why do you guys suddenly want to take me home after abandoning me?" Valerie had to get an explanation for this.
"No one abandoned you. Mum and dad protected you from the Avalons. They said many marriage proposals came for you and more than half of them were from Avalons," said Jasper.
"What? Why did they propose to me who is a Florentia?" Valerie was confused.
"I'm sure that the Avalons are trying to take Lapella from Florentia. Later you can ask father about this, because I also just found out,"
Jasper was in the tent with Valerie who was asked to pack her things. She didn't bring too much. The rest of her clothes were in the main barracks in another state.
"Then why did you pick me up?"
"Because we received word that you were suddenly in Taverin to war. Father never wanted you to risk your life. you're a girl, Valerie. He never raised you to be a knight. Father said that I should also serve on the front lines for Florentia's victory and ensure your safety. But after seeing you now—no! We're going home now. I don't care if Florentia wins or loses. Mother and father wouldn't forgive themselves if you really died, Valerie," Jasper insisted.
Valerie packed her things hesitantly. She didn't really want to leave Taverin too quickly. She was still thinking about a lot of things. Why in her past life they didn't pick her up? Even though she was already involved in the front line. Was it because no one had contacted them before?
"Who told you guys?"
"Uncle Theodore. He's the one father asked to look after you,"
"What? but—" Valerie thought, why did her uncle's name suddenly appear? He was one of the commanders who was more involved in administrative matters. He was instrumental in the war, but not a fighting vampire. He should have been in one of Florentia's bases. She had no recollection of ever meeting Theodore during her time in the military.
Moreover, she remembered that she had heard the news that Theodore Dubois had died before the Taverin war started. Suddenly Valerie's eyes widened.
Rutherford Labs! Valerie had uncovered Rutherford's plan and foiled it. Theodore should have died from poisoning. Valerie was instantly worried about her actions. It turned out that her intervention had changed destiny. Her uncle was still alive, so he could tell her parents about her.
So what after this? She killed Gunther, who should still be alive in her past life. Then what would happen after this? Also about Raphael and his Jaguar squad—Would they be okay? Or did Valerie's intervention also affect their chances of winning?
"Valerie?" Jasper greeted his sister who was still deep in her worries.
"Should I go home?"
"What?"
"Jasper, I—I killed Avalon general," Valerie turned and looked her brother in the eye firmly.
"I heard about it. But I can't congratulate you..you almost died, Valerie," Jasper glared at her.
"But I won, and—"
"Whatever you do won't change my decision," Jasper shook his head.
Valerie had not seen her brother in a very long time. He was still pale and looked frail. Especially during the day when sunlight was a threat to all vampires. Especially those who only drank human blood. That was why Valor used to attack at night.
"I'm not done talking yet," Valerie made an annoyed face. Jasper changed a little. Usually he always obeyed and pampered Valerie. But now he didn't even want to hear her.
"Jasper, have you ever heard of cursed weapons?"
"What's that?" Jasper looked confused. He tilted his head.
"Remember the legend of the cursed knights? They were each given a weapon by the demons to fight monsters thousands of years ago. It turns out that the weapon is still there and passed on to their descendants," Valerie explained, then she took out a gold-handled dagger from under her vest.
"Apollon, Transform!"
Then a bright light enveloped it and the form became bigger. Apollon was a slender, lightweight sword with a golden hilt. On the blade was engraved a motif similar to a beautiful lightning strike like a vein.
"So that's—" Jasper tried to guess.
"Cursed weapon," someone responded. Theodore Dubois entered the tent and joined them.
"Uncle, you know about it?" Valerie asked.
"General Maxwell told me. You're holding one of those cursed weapons. That's why he said you were Florentia's asset. Dear, Valerie. What happened to you? Last time I saw you, you lived quietly in the main barracks as a hunter. Did something possess you?" Theodore complained.
"Perhaps if you all hadn't kept all this a secret—I wouldn't have gotten too far into the war," Valerie said sarcastically.
"This is the condition of the generals, who are willing to hide you..they think it's easier if you don't know anything so they don't have to deal with a spoiled noble lady. Or a girl who felt entitled to live more comfortably in the barracks because of her status as Duke Dubois' daughter. That's what they said. I didn't say that. Of course I know you're not a spoiled girl," Theodore explained.
"Now, back to your weapon. Where did you find it?"
"I've never spoken about this openly, but I found it at the altar in Daniel Rutherford's crypt. Uncle, were our ancestors one of the cursed knights?" asked Valerie.
"Yeah, there's no clear-cut story about this. But we are one of a pureblood vampire family with a long history. There is a story that one of the Dukes had a sword like that and he died drowning in his business trip. His sword was never found. So is his body. Then the story about the cursed weapon was never discussed again. Dubois wasn't a family that cared too much about things like this either. We have always been traders and politicians. Not many of our families are knights," Theodore said again.
"How come I never knew about this?" Jasper looked at his uncle suspiciously. He was a genius who studied from dozens of the brightest professors in the Northern continent. But he knew nothing about cursed weapons.
"This is a legend usually only known to fellow knights. Those who wield cursed weapons are considered strong and chosen..besides the Dubois family long ago chose to close that old story because the sword was never found," Theodore shrugged his shoulders.
Now—two descendants of Dubois who had never had anything to do with the military before—one killed General Valor, the other defeated Valor's commanding force. Theodore had absolutely no idea this would happen. As a commander who had long been involved in the war with Valor— he also felt sorry for letting the two children go home to Lapella.
"Don't I have responsibilities now? I'm a knight, I have to be in the military." Valerie said what she thought was right.
"No," Jasper shook his head firmly.
"You've never been a Knight, have you ever taken a knight's oath before?" he continued.
Valerie shook her head.
"But I'm fighting with them!"
"You're here because father asked you to. You're not officially representing Dubois. They're just following my dad's wishes. Valerie, this is not your place. We're going home now. If you want to argue, do that to your father. I am currently the supreme authority of the Dubois family. I'm your brother and I won't allow you to rejoin the military," Jasper gripped Valerie's shoulders to show his seriousness.
"I have an important mission here! I can't just back down, Jasper!" Valerie begged. There were still three more years before the great war that ended in Florentia's defeat.
"No! Father's plan has failed. This is no longer a safe place for you. From now on, I will protect you, Valerie." Jasper said again. Then he grabbed his sister and hugged her again.
"I'm sorry I couldn't prevent father's stupid plan, sorry for letting you get hurt. I won't let this happen to you again, Valerie," Jasper said again emotionally. His heart broke when he saw Valerie's body lying weak on the bed with wounds all over her body.
Jasper felt like a failure. He felt guilty and kept cursing himself. He waited for Valerie to wake up each day while firmly reassuring himself. For Valerie's safety, he was willing to become a monster. He would do anything to prevent Valerie from going through that again.