It was past midnight when the eldest daughter of the Supreme Astrologer returned to the Order's residence. It was dark and silent, and the moon hung low in the sky, not yet ripe but tending toward fullness. The girl was noiselessly ascending the broad staircase when the moonlight illuminated her face. As if mesmerized, she couldn't stop smiling.
It was an extraordinary sight, as no one had ever suspected that Liana Daehsin could have such an expression before. As the heiress of the family, she had always behaved with restraint and nobility. Even her smile was nothing more than a well rehearsed element. But this time, the girl was smiling genuinely. And it was witnessed only by the moon and the stars.
At least, that was how it was supposed to be at this late hour. But suddenly a shadow moved in the darkness.
— You have returned at last.
The tower guardian, who had been waiting for Liana to return all this time, rose to his feet. He walked down the stairs towards her. The smile on the girl's face slowly slid down. It was soon replaced again by a cold and polite mask.
— Mr. Samuel, good night.
An expression of extreme displeasure was written on the old man's face. He might even have started shouting if he didn't want to wake the whole palace.
— Tell me, where have you been? — The guardian asked most calmly.
Liana's dark green eyes sparkled.
— Does it matter?
— Yes, it is important.
— Since when did you become interested in my personal life?
— Since I think it became necessary.
The young head smiled slightly, «Mr. Samuel, you are indeed a persistent man.»
— So are you going to tell me?
— I'm not sure if we should continue this conversation.
The girl was about to bypass him and return to her chambers. But the keeper was assertive and clearly wasn't going to leave this situation for nothing. Without turning around, he said admonishingly:
— I know. You seem to enjoy spending time in the company of this scum. So much so that you're willing to forget your honor.
She frowned and stopped.
— What do you mean?
Benedict Samuel chuckled bitterly.
— Young head, do I really have to explain this to you?
«…»
The dark night outside was warm and quiet. Two figures, illuminated by the moonlight, stood on the marble staircase and tensely glanced at each other.
The heiress of the astrological order covered her eyes for a moment, then opened them and said slowly:
— As long as it doesn't affect my work, I can spend time with whoever I want.
— Is that right? — The guardian stood in front of her, ''Are you saying that this little lowlife doesn't affect you in any way?
Liana looked at him coldly. Until she took over as head of the family, Samuel remained her father's subordinate. At any moment, he could just go and tell the head what happened. So, one way or another, she must choose her words.
— It seems to me… You have too many preconceptions about this child.
As soon as those words came out of the girl's mouth, the guardian stared at her wide-eyed. He couldn't believe that Liana, and with her status, had actually stated something like that.
— «Prejudice, you say?» — The old man spoke up sharply, - Could it be any other way? To someone like her, how else do you think I should treat her?
Liana pressed her lips together. She had to speak very carefully now.
— I mean… Perhaps not all people blessed by the blessing of a star are bad.
«…»
There was a heavy pause. The tower guardian cleared his throat.
— I see,» the old man uttered in the most restrained manner, though his eyes were splashing with anger, «Now I know what this is all about.
The young head looked at him a little surprised. But the guardian had already made up his mind.
— That witch… That witch has definitely bewitched you! Otherwise you would never have behaved like this!!!
The old man held out a shaking finger.
It was impossible to find any other explanation. Until recently, the eldest daughter of the Supreme Astrologer had been the epitome of an ideal and role model among the young adepts of the order. Hardworking, capable and responsible. Possessing a sincere commitment to their shared teachings. Liana Daehsin was the perfect candidate to be the next head of the Order. The Guardian had never doubted her before either.
But as of late, something had suddenly gone wrong.
The girl, who had never been interested in anything other than her work and the fulfillment of her duties, had developed a hobby. And this hobby was fundamentally contrary to their teachings. The young head had become entangled with a star-cursed girl. It was unthinkable. Samuel had turned a blind eye to it last time only because he thought it was just a one-time «deviation» from the young head's usually exemplary behavior. He didn't want to ruin the father-daughter relationship, or make a fuss in the Order over this oversight. The Guardian thought he was doing this for the greater good, and things would soon get better.
But he didn't expect Liana to continue dating her. And, what's more, she would even deceive the head of the Order. For someone who had spent her entire life obeying her elders, and even more so her father, the girl was straying further and further from the bounds of her principles. Benedict Samuel couldn't continue to look at it after his sleeves.
Today had exhausted the last straw of his patience.
Liana dared to question the decision of the stars, something she had never done before. It was comparable in severity to blasphemy among the faithful. How could anyone question the verdict of the cosmic powers? This girl's birth is a sin in itself. Heaven did not approve of her, and therefore neither should humans. It was as natural as a person afflicted with leprosy being denied the right to live a normal life in society. But while the former carried disease, the latter brought misery and misfortune.
The eldest daughter of the Supreme Astrologer, immersed in their community and faith since childhood, could not help but know this.
Given how drastic the change in her worldview had been, the old man could only come to one logical conclusion. This petty lowlife was having a negative effect on the young head. Perhaps witchcraft or a curse. And before the situation worsened, it was urgent to take action.
— You leave me no choice, young head,» the guardian said dryly, «I will go to His Eminence tomorrow morning and report everything to him.
Liana was silent for a moment.
— If you are really determined to do this, I can hardly prevent you.
Benedict Samuel looked at her steadfastly.
— Do not be discourteous, young head. Perhaps only His Eminence can cure you of this affliction.
The girl sighed and raised her head.
There was a short silence, during which Liana looked at the stars and the guardian at her. He had already made his decision, and it was inescapable. But the young head remained surprisingly calm. The soft moonlight enveloped her face and made her attractive features glow.
— I don't know why I did it…» she suddenly spoke softly, covering her eyes.
«…»
— Probably because it felt good to be someone else for just a little while.
The old man stood tensely listening to her.
— In this world, other than this girl, no one else treats me as a person. Even my father only sees me as his successor,» Liana continued nonchalantly, «I don't ask for too much and I don't want to be greedy. I'm not going to let my father and you down by neglecting my duty. But…can't…can't I forget about all of this for just one evening?
At this moment, the successor head's face looked especially young.
Everyone had forgotten about it, but Liana Daehsin was still a child. She was only fourteen years old. But from an early age, she had been given an exorbitant burden of responsibility. She had never known any other life. But not so long ago, only thanks to the Duke's youngest daughter, she was able to see that small piece of life that was previously inaccessible to her.
But when the old man heard this, his gaze did not soften, but became even harsher.
— It's all right,» he said dryly. «Soon this obsession will pass, and you will come to your senses. Then you'll realize what you've done.
Liana's face darkened. She looked as if a storm was brewing inside her. The girl slowly opened her mouth:
— Do you really need to go this far? It's just a child.
— It's simple. I am convinced that the likes of her should not be born and live among normal people.
The young head tensed her lips.
— Before assuming the position of guardian, I visited more than one house of noble lords. And such offspring… Nothing but trouble. After a couple years, the parents are convinced of it themselves and try to get rid of them.
«…»
— I've also been to the Carter residence.
The emerald eyes, which had been gloomy and indifferent before, widened wide. She stared at him. The old man grinned.
— I told Duke Carter to get rid of her at once. But he wouldn't listen to me.