The moment that Gerald reached there, he saw the emptiness in her eyes, a hollow look that spoke of a soul that had been drained of life and joy. The vibrant flower he had once known had been plucked and withered.
Their meeting was different this time. She looked into his eyes with a mix of longing and resignation. "You have returned after all this time," she said softly. But her voice was shaking.
It was shaking so badly that he was not able to keep his eyes from twitching. It was not because he was annoyed; no, that was different.
It was because he felt sad…..The feeling, the knot inside his heart….It felt sad.
Gerald took a deep breath, composing himself. He knew he had come here for a reason. He needed to know the truth, and he could not let his emotions get in the way. He gently took her hands in his, feeling their coldness.
"There is something I need to know," he began, his voice steady but filled with urgency. "The child… Elara… Is she mine? Is she my daughter?"
She looked up at him, her eyes brimming with tears. The pain in her expression was almost too much for Gerald to bear. She took a deep breath as if gathering the strength to speak.
"Yes," she whispered, her voice breaking. "Elara is your daughter."
The words hung in the air, and Gerald felt a rush of emotions flood through him—relief, joy, and an overwhelming sense of responsibility. He pulled her into an embrace, holding her tightly.
"I am sorry….. I am sorry…." He grasped him as best as he could. Tears flew down from his eyes as he knew what she had endured.
Of all this time, she was here with someone else. While she was carrying his child, when he was away, she was here, trapped all alone.
She could not speak to anyone as she knew that was the only way for her to protect her child, the only way for herself to live with the legacy.
She clung to him, her own tears mingling with his. "I had no choice, Gerald. It was the only way to keep Elara safe."
He pulled back slightly, cupping her face in his hands. "I know. And I promise I will make things right. I will protect both of you from now on."
They shared a moment of profound connection, the weight of their shared past and unspoken love binding them together. In that embrace, they found solace, even if only for a fleeting moment.
After a while, Gerald gently asked, "Can I see her? Can I see my daughter?"
Her expression shifted, a mix of regret and protectiveness. "Elara is training right now, and she cannot be disturbed. Alexander is with her, overseeing her progress."
Gerald's heart sank at the mention of Alexander. He had already become the Duke, stepping into his father's position. The thought of Alexander being so close to Elara filled Gerald with a mix of anger and helplessness.
"I understand," Gerald said, his voice heavy. "But I need to see her. I need to know her."
"Ah…." At that, she placed a hand on his cheek, her touch gentle and comforting. After that, with her other hand, a small amounts of mana flow outside.
She had always been a talented mage, someone who graduated at the top of her class even while being the heir of a viscounty.
With a sad smile, she placed a hand on his cheek, her touch gentle and comforting. She raised her other hand, and a small amount of mana flowed out, forming an ethereal, shimmering image in the air. Gerald watched in awe as the magic took shape, revealing the figure of a young girl, Elara, with bright eyes and a determined expression.
"She has your eyes," she whispered, her voice filled with a mixture of pride and sorrow. "She's so strong, just like you."
The image showed Elara in various moments of her life, her laughter echoing softly in the air. She was practicing her spells, playing with other children, and even performing small acts of kindness. Each scene was a glimpse into the life of the daughter he had never known.
"I've been saving these memories," she said, her voice trembling. "I wanted to show them to you when you returned."
Gerald's eyes filled with tears as he watched the scenes unfold. "Thank you," he whispered. "Thank you for keeping these for me."
Elara's image faded, replaced by her mother's gentle smile. "She's a bright, beautiful child, Gerald. She's everything we could have hoped for."
Gerald nodded, his heart aching with a mixture of love and regret. "I am sorry that I was not there for her at that time….. For her and for you…. I am sorry for leaving both of you all alone."
He took her hands in his, his grip firm and reassuring. "But I promise you, from now on, I am here. I will be there to support you and Elara. You will never be alone again."
Her smile was bright and genuine, a glimmer of the woman he had fallen in love with. "I am so happy to hear that, Gerald. We've needed you so much."
But just as she spoke those words, her expression twisted in pain. She doubled over, a violent cough wracking her body. Blood splattered onto the ground, and her eyes turned red as she continued to cough, each breath becoming more labored and agonized.
Gerald's eyes widened in horror. "No! What's happening? Stay with me!"
He frantically sent his mana through her body, his hands glowing with a soft, white light as he attempted to diagnose and heal her. He knew that using his mana would reveal his presence, breaking the stealth provided by the artifact, but he couldn't stand by and do nothing.
The moment his mana flowed into her, he felt a dark, insidious energy within her body. It was poison, and it was spreading rapidly. Gerald's heart pounded as he tried to purge the poison, but it was too deeply embedded.
'A poison…..Where….How?'
HE thought. He could not understand. How would poison the Duchess of the Valoria? As he asked himself this question, he knew one thing.
There would be many people who would want to do such a thing.
The amount was basically endless to no point. "Gerald," she gasped, her voice weak and trembling. "It's... too late."
Tears streamed down Gerald's face as he continued to channel his mana, desperation in every motion. "No, don't talk like that. I can save you. Just hold on."
But she shook her head weakly, her eyes filled with a sorrowful resignation. "Promise me... take care of Elara. Protect her... from this... cruel world."
Gerald's hands trembled as he struggled to maintain the flow of mana. "I promise. I will protect her with my life. But please, don't leave me. Not like this."
She managed a faint smile, her eyes closing as her body relaxed in his arms. "I love you, Gerald. Always..."
And with those final words, she went limp, her breath leaving her body. Gerald held her close, his sobs echoing through the quiet night. The stars above seemed to dim in mourning, casting a somber glow over the scene.
"Huh?"
Just at that moment, he will hear the sound of certain someone. Someone who was looking at him with wide eyes.
A person with whom Gerald was very familiar. Someone that he was always close to.
Alexander.
He was there, standing with his eyes opened wide.
"Gerald?" Alexander's voice trembled, filled with disbelief.
Gerald's heart sank. He knew that there was no explaining this scene. Alexander's eyes darted to the woman lying lifeless in Gerald's arms, her chest no longer rising with breath. The realization hit Alexander like a blow, and his eyes blazed with fury and pain.
"You… you killed her!" Alexander roared, the immense energy around him flaring up in a violent storm. The air crackled with power as he drew his weapon, his face contorted with rage and sorrow.
"No, Alexander! It's not what it looks like!" Gerald shouted, but his words fell on deaf ears. Alexander's grief and anger had already consumed him, leaving no room for reason or explanation.
With a furious cry, Alexander lunged at Gerald, his weapon aimed to kill. Gerald, still reeling from the emotional turmoil and the poison he had sensed in her body, barely managed to dodge the first strike. The sheer force of Alexander's attack sent shockwaves through the room, shattering windows and splintering wood.
Gerald knew he couldn't stay and fight, not here, not now. He had to escape to protect the promise he had just made. But Alexander was relentless, his attacks growing more frenzied with each passing moment.
Using his remaining strength, Gerald unleashed a powerful technique, one that he had hoped never to use. It was a last resort, a desperate measure. The technique allowed him to momentarily enhance his speed and agility but at a great cost to his mana core. He could feel the strain, the sharp pain, as his mana core began to crack under the pressure.
"I will come back for you, Elara," he whispered to himself, tears blurring his vision as he activated the technique. With a final burst of energy, he dashed past Alexander, narrowly avoiding another deadly strike.
Alexander's roar of frustration echoed behind him as Gerald fled the mansion, his heart heavy with grief and guilt. He could feel the damage to his mana core, the crippling effect that would take years to heal if it ever did.
Gerald disappeared into the night, the shadows swallowing him as he vowed to return, to protect his daughter, and to avenge the love he had lost. But for now, all he could do was run, run, and survive, carrying the weight of his promises and the pain of his broken heart.
"And that is how I ended up here." The old man, Gerald, finished recounting his story, his voice filled with profound sorrow.
Lucavion stood there, silent, taking in every word. He didn't know what to say, the weight of his master's tale settling heavily in his heart.
Gerald turned to look at Lucavion, his eyes reflecting a lifetime of pain and regret. "I was not able to protect the woman I loved, nor was I able to stand beside my daughter. That is the only pang of regret I have in my life."
Lucavion's gaze met Gerald's, and he saw the old man's figure growing more translucent with each passing moment. The starlight around them seemed to dim, the cosmos itself mourning the impending loss.
Gerald walked towards Lucavion, his steps slow and deliberate. "Would you listen to this old man's request?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Lucavion nodded, his throat tight with emotion. "Of course, Master. Anything."
Gerald placed a ghostly hand on Lucavion's shoulder, the touch ethereal and fleeting. "I am entrusting my daughter to you," he said as he looked. "Please look after her if you can."
As he said, his presence became almost nonexistent.
Gerald's final words were barely audible, carried on the whisper of the starlight. "Remember, Lucavion, the stars never fade. Neither should your resolve."
And with that, Gerald's form dissipated into the starlit void, leaving Lucavion alone in the spiritual realm.
"I understand, master. If that is what you wish from me."
The person who helped him rise from the pit bottom…..
Lucavion was not someone who would betray that trust.
**********
End of volume 1.
-----------------A/N------------------
The prologue of the story is finally over.
Now, we will follow with three chapters of side stories. And then the real story will start.
I will lock the chapters after the start of the second volume.