Chereads / Retired Adventurer and The Elf Queen (GL) / Chapter 17 - Chapter 15: The Secret Unveiled

Chapter 17 - Chapter 15: The Secret Unveiled

The sound of chiming melodies echoes through the whole forest. Its sound is quite eerie, we got goosebumps and fear within our feet. Eloise looked at the person who is a woman in red.

"You've defeated the Elven Knight. I'm impressed..."

I can't budge the feeling of terror... This woman in front of us is a force to be reckoned with. Is this what my father calls "Witch"?

"Who are you?"

"I am Serena... The Elven Knight's master and also, wife."

You're telling me that...

***

This man clapped a witch...

"For you amethyst woman, I know the truth behind you."

All of a sudden, I felt the immense pressure coming through me. Does she know?

"You are from a world far different from us... A realm that-"

I held her shoulders for a moment.

"Please do not continue," I whispered.

"You're afraid for your secrets to be unveiled? What's so secretive about it?"

As much as I like to tell them about my secret, I can't bother to tell them fully. It's a contract that was given to me by someone from the above.

"Very well then... I shall not uncover the truth that lies within you."

***

What is this secret? I've never known about this. Even when looking at her memories, nothing stuck out to me.

"For you the Elf Queen, though I can't tell. It'll be unveiled soon enough."

What is this thing that she's keeping from us?

"Come on, Serena! Don't make them anticipate!"

Suddenly a boy who seems to be older than me, jumped across the forest startling us on the forest. Holding an unconscious Deadly Romance.

"Hello, sister."

Sister?!

***

Well, this is wild. What kind of a plot twist is this? All of a sudden she has a brother, but why is it that she doesn't know about it?

"This... Is the secret love child of the king and the former queen. Aether." Serena said.

Looking at Celestina, she looks shocked. Though, I've noticed the difference between their eyes, their golden hair stands out the most.

"You mean that my father kept this a secret to me?" Celestina frustratingly said.

"It is by far your father's order. The Exile of the Elven Knight isn't just a mere exile... It's an order to seal the truth." Serena replied in a condescending tone.

This is rough.

"Can you please, give me space for a minute?" Celestina requested as she walked into a livid area of the forest.

Should I follow her?

***

Why is this kept from me? Why am I being kept in the shadow? Is my banishment on purpose? What's my path to this world? This is too much, just too much! Why? Just why? Why?

"Hey, are you okay?"

Without hesitation, I embraced Eloise. I can't keep my emotions at bay, as my eyes give in from crying.

***

I stroked her hair as she proceeds to cry in my chest. Poor girl... This is a lot for her to take in, for someone who she had trusted to betray her like this is sad.

There's a reason why they hid Aether from Celestina, but for what? As far as I'm concerned Aether is a good man. His aura is somewhat comforting at most.

"Why did my father hide this from me?"

Aether suddenly pops up from behind, startling us in the process. Though, Celestina is still crying. Aether wiped her tears.

"Our father hid me because if he's known to have a child from another woman, it'll cause an uproar."

"But why would he do it? Does my mother know about this?"

"Yes... To be honest, she also mentions you a lot in our letters!"

"Letters?"

"Yes, letters! She and Father told me that you're a bright child and that you'll be a great sister!"

"But why would he hide it from me? Why would they hide it from me?"

"They want to tell you at the right time, but unfortunately. As Mother died even Father's letters stopped coming, until his eventual death."

"Why would you appear just right now? Didn't you know what just happened to me?"

"I've been looking for you, my dear sister."

Those words are what brightened, Celestina's gloomy look. Aether reassures her, as she takes his hand to stand.

Would you look at that, a happy sibling reunion!

[A few Hours Later]

We're at the camp, as we are getting prepared to enter the realm for tomorrow. It's quite gonna be a new experience for me. This is new, absolutely new.

Celestina and Aether looking at the letters of their parents, somewhat makes my heart melt. Seeing a wholesome get-together always struck my sensitive heart.

Wait- does that mean that I have a brother-in-law to pass now?! Oh shi-

*** [ A DAY LATER ]

I woke up to the sounds of Eloise cooking our breakfast, as expected the scent hits our nose making us feel like we're in paradise. Truly, Eloise is wife material.

***

As they were eating their breakfast, Serena approached me with a pressuring aura.

"Tell me, Eloise. Why do you not speak of the secret?"

"Without giving you too much in detail, it's because of-"

I signed from the sky.

"Ah, I see... But are you sure to make them a secret further?"

"I'll tell Celestina someday... Someday..."

"You Eloise, are one of the most interesting humans I've met so far. No wonder the Queen had taken a liking to you."

"You flutter me, Serena. what about you two? How did you become two together?"

"I and Aimilios were in the same batch. Though I didn't become an Elven Knight, rather I soon fell depths into the rune magic. Though branded by my kin to be a witch, the king granted me to serve him until the end... There are the days Aimilios visits me and that's when I grew a liking to him."

And that's until Aether was born and needed to be hidden from everybody.

"Quite a love story don't you think?"

"Don't flutter me Eloise, my love story pales in comparison to your ever-growing love for each other. Have each of you confessed yet?"

Haha... no.

"No..."

"It's never too late... besides, both of your feelings are mutual."

She's right, our feelings have been mutual. We've been flirting and giving signals to one another. What's stopping from-

***

We suddenly felt a presence coming from the forest, a presence that is far too overpowering to everyone including Serana and Eloise.

A Beast that is the same size as the trees, how come we didn't hear nor feel the magnitude of its footsteps?!

"Sister! There's something wrong with that beast!"

Aether suddenly manifested a sword within the grasp of her hands.

"Foul beings, camping into my domain."

The beast... Talked...

-TO BE CONTINUED-