"Andromeda, my dear," the Duchess began with gentle concern, her voice a soothing melody, "I heard there was an incident with Lady Sylvette. Can you tell me what happened?"
Andromeda's voice quivered, and she feigned innocence with unsettling grace, her words dripping with an eerie sweetness, "Oh, Mother, it was dreadful. Lady Sylvette was so cruel to me. She insulted me, made me cry, and challenged me to a duel. I don't know why she hates me so."
Duchess Anastasia's elegant brow furrowed with both sympathy and frustration, and she gracefully took a seat on the edge of the bed, her touch tender as she held Andromeda's hand. "My sweet child," she said soothingly, "You know I will always protect you. But I need to know what happened, so I can make things right."
Andromeda's eyes glistened with well-practiced tears as she continued to weave her victimhood narrative. "I don't understand, Mother. I was only trying to learn, and she treated me so unfairly. I thought she was going to hurt me. I was scared. Perhaps because I asked her about Lord Joss and Lord Edwin."
The eerie part was how Andromeda's voice remained steady, her eyes maintaining their facade of innocence even as she spun her tale of victimhood. It was a mastery of manipulation that could send a shiver down anyone's spine, but the Duchess had no reason to doubt her daughter. There was no reason for her daughter to lie to her.
Duchess Anastasia sighed, a mixture of sympathy and frustration welling up within her. "Andromeda, I will address this matter. But I want you to promise me that you will be cautious and avoid any confrontations. You must remember your status and the responsibility that comes with it."
Andromeda nodded, her expression now the picture of a dutiful daughter. "Of course, Mother. I only want to make you proud."
With that promise, Duchess Anastasia rose from the bed and leaned down to kiss Andromeda once more on the forehead. As she left the room, a sense of unease lingered, as if a dark shadow had settled over their family. It was a reminder that, even within the confines of their home, Andromeda's manipulative charm knew no bounds. She was ready to lie and bend truth to get what she wanted. She was going to take advantage of this situation.
She watched her mother's retreating figure with calm, calculating eyes, her thoughts concealed behind an inscrutable mask. 'That won't work, Mother. I know you and Lord Joss LeBlanc will try to defuse the current situation. But this must be done. This might give you a bit of a headache, Mother. So I hope you will forgive me.' She mused to herself, feeling refreshed as she stretched while lying on her bed.
Andromeda had already mapped out her plan on how to further sow discord and ensure that the knowledge fair challenge took place at all costs. She just needed to bide her time for a few more days. She knew her mother would soon summon Lord Joss and that wretched Sylvette to resolve the problem. But, first, she wasn't going to let Sylvette back down, and second, she was going to ensure that the news of the incident spread far and wide.
For now, after her restful slumber, she was fully awake and determined. Since she had successfully sown the seeds of chaos today, even though it had cost her the opportunity for precious training, Andromeda decided to train by herself. It was always a solace and a source of strength. So she gracefully rose from her bed, her movements fluid, and stood in the center of her room, her lips murmuring incantations under her breath.
In the hushed sanctity of her chamber, Andromeda closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath. The smoldering ember of anger that pulsed within her heart she sought to stoke into a blazing conflagration. Her connection to the Pyrospiria, the fire core that dwelled within her, was both a font of power and a relentless reminder of her destiny.
She harbored no reverence for the deity; in fact, her heart seethed with hatred for the entity she once deemed a goddess. Nevertheless, she recognized the inescapable truth: she was born with the Pyrospiria, the fiery crystal melded into her being, and she was going to take advantage of being the oracle of the flame deity. She had discovered it far too late in her last life but this life had just started.
Andromeda, in her resentment, clenched her hand into a bitter fist. 'Truly vile,' she mused silently to herself. 'A deity too proud to heed my prayers and calls, and yet, the only path to wield this power lies in obeisance. How loathsome and selfish.'
She took a deep breath and extended her arms, her fingers splayed wide, and began to chant with a voice that echoed pretense of devotion.
"Within the domain of celestial fire's embrace,
I, a humble supplicant, stand in reverent grace.
KEAHI, ancient and omniscient, thee I implore,
From the ethereal expanse, thy wisdom I seek evermore.
In thy divine flames, the essence of life resides,
Grant unto me, O sacred flame, thy secrets and guides.
In thy blazing radiance, my doubts I shall cede,
Thine eternal power, I acknowledge and heed.
With unwavering devotion, I prostrate before thy pyre,
Bestow upon me, thy knowledge, thy sacred fire.
In thy sanctified presence, thy truth shall I proclaim,
Thy hallowed gift, O KEAHI, in thy holy name."
With each verse, Andromeda could feel the warmth building within her, a sensation akin to the embrace of a distant but fervent flame. It flickered and swayed, answering her call, and she embraced it with a curious mix of anger and determination.
With her arms outstretched, she threw her head back, closing her eyes, and continued to chant the verses in hushed repetition. As the heat grew and mingled with her very being, a gentle perspiration clung to her skin, her raven-black curls adhering to her neck. Her face flushed with an undeniable crimson as she endured the scorching fervor of her core.
This was just the beginning. She needed to introduce her core to the ambient mana of the world, allowing it to become accustomed to the process of absorption. This was a pivotal step, as it awakened the dormant power within her. The merging of the core's energy with external mana was akin to unlocking concealed chambers, and practice would be her guide. The more she honed her abilities, the more layers of her potential would be unveiled, until no door remained locked.
While the distribution of innate mana differed greatly among individuals, Andromeda knew that regardless of one's initial advantage, practice and determination played significant roles in nurturing one's abilities. As she persevered through the intense heat, her mind grew void of all other thoughts.
In her heart, she clung to a simmering resentment towards the flame deity, a sentiment born from her perception of betrayal. Yet, paradoxically, she harbored no aversion to harnessing the deity's formidable power. It was a means to an end, a path she was determined to tread to ascend to greater heights and outshine all who dared to challenge her.
--------------------------------------
Duchess Anastasia entered the dimly lit room, where her youngest daughter, Delphine, lay in bed, awake and disheartened. The sight of the eight-year-old with swollen features and a broken nose was enough to pierce the Duchess's heart. Delphine's hazel eyes, once bright with innocence, were now filled with tears as she saw her mother's silhouette.
The Duchess understood her pain all too well. After all, even though the gap between Andromeda and Delphine was just one year, Delphine was the 'child' adored by everyone. She had delicate emotions and had been loved a lot. The Duchess did try to be tough, but still, Delphine lived a different life than her. Since Andromeda was the heiress of the Duchy, the burden on them was different.
"Mother," Delphine sobbed, her voice quivering as she reached out to Anastasia, "Why did Andromeda do this to me? Why does she hate me so?"
The Duchess, her heart heavy with the knowledge of the incident, approached the bed and tenderly brushed a strand of hair from Delphine's bruised face. She could see the fear and confusion in her daughter's eyes, and it pained her deeply.
"Shhh, my sweet Delphine," Anastasia cooed softly, pulling the distraught child into her warm embrace. "You must understand, Andromeda's actions were not out of hatred for you, but... it's because of the pyrospiria."
Delphine, despite her pain, looked up at her mother with a mixture of curiosity and insecurity. "Pyrospiria, Mother? What do you mean?"
Anastasia gently wiped away Delphine's tears and spoke with a calm and soothing tone. "Your sister Andromeda, possesses a great power within her. It's a power of flames, a part of her that she struggles to control. What happened yesterday, it was an accident, Delphine. She didn't mean to hurt you."
Delphine didn't understand those difficult things and it just made her look at her mother with watery eyes. Why was her mother not talking about punishing her sister?