A Relic's Story

Chapter 37

Ashlyn's POV

It's been a week or more since Claude's confession. News is spreading in every part of the continent. The princes are both in sickness. I also heard one of my personal maids that the princes are in a coma. It was never unusual that they get ill at the same time together or get hurt together. That was the typical thing that nobles always gossip about. The capital or other kingdoms in the continent had their own tale of what is happening to the imperial brothers. Because they are cursed, they are bewitched or a spell is being put onto them. Nevertheless, it is still a mystery. How they get illness simultaneously. Even if I'm also curious about that. I'm not someone who'll dig their secrets just to make use of it against them. They are close to me but I'm not close to them. I... cannot let my guard down. Someone is following me whether I leave the residence or rather stay. I have been followed since I faced dad for the first time.

"Dad, Forsaken, Resentment, good eve." I greeted as I walk out of the shadows. The Forsaken are the group of rebelled boys who I fought with to win their loyalty. And the Resentment, of course, dad's organization. Many we're holding their chests, mouths are dropped, and others slipped (Then fall from the ground.) Are they that surprised to see me that others even fall to the floor? Can't believe that assassin these days are like this.

"Kiddos, have you not gotten used to my daughter's instant arrivals?" Dad was looking at them like it's their fault or something. The Forsaken group isn't bothered with my entrance. Instead, they are more pleased that I came. "Good morning, lady Mia." The group greeted me, I waved at them. I'm straightly sauntering to the underground place. To find many leads. For a couple of weeks, I have been striving for answers in my mother's belongings and how to unlock the diary she had. I recently just found out that it has a lock on it. Neither I or dad can open mother's journal. I need to hurry my job. The grand duke is doubtful where I go at the capital. I'm a kid at this state. An eleven-year-old kid. Being doubtful about what the servants and the head maid did to me at our first meeting. Huh, do they think I didn't know their useless act? I patch what happened with the head maid and the servant who accidentally poured warm milk in my dress also what butler Asher told me before. He told me that he often said to his wife that I'm an amazing person. Butler Asher also said that his wife was curious about me. That is why I figured out what happened to that so-called accident thing in the morning. Head maid Lina was expecting goodwill from me and I gave her that. I gave her an act of goodwill she waited.

And by the way, "Alas," Why are all my mother's belongings all sealed? The only things that are unsealed are mother's dry herbs, flowers, and blank papyrus. Papyrus is ancient papers use in the early years. Hmm, dad said my mother was a genius herself. She even formulated a powder that can help dad's organization when doing their jobs. Powders with a different mix of many things. For poisoning, for invisibility, for mesmeric, for seducing, for hypnotic, for manipulating, for killing, and many things.

While thinking what's the key. I notice mother's papyrus was about to be burned by the candle that was near it. The candle was melting. It was fleeting to the melting candle. It was a relief I caught it. Though the light from the fire is reflecting the papyrus under it. When the blank papyrus was centered on the light beneath the candle. Words then appeared. All phrases were clearly seen. It didn't disappear, it stayed seen. Invisibility powder. Mother's inherent is spectacular. My mother really is... "An amazing person." I voiced faintly. I cannot help but smile widely. Now, I get why mother has papyrus with no mark of ink on it. All papyrus that mother stacked is covered in invisibility powder. What surprises me more is that she somehow put another component that the invisibility powder is attracted to. Uhm, invisibility, huh, fire? Fire magic or dust. My mother used fire as another element. This is genius. Now that I realize it. Mother's papyrus has always smelled like a burning fire. Too fiery for a relic ancient paper.

If my gut is right all papyrus mother has are numbered. She numbered every page there is. The piled papyrus is in order. From top to bottom. I saw a digit of one in the papyrus that was about to burn. "Then all I need is some people who can read and light." A small grin formed on my little lips.

"Geez, why does madam Odelyn have many ancient papers?!" Mateo couldn't help but bark. Each of the Forsaken members had a tower of mounds of papyrus beside or in front of them. "Shut up, you moron." Kaiser stuffed his mouth with a sandwich they took from the kitchen. We are currently upstairs, here at the pub. All assassins are not present. Dad kicked them out for a bit. Gave them many jobs. He said many people these days have been hiring assassins. The organization has a sole rule to accept clients who require assassins to help them get revenge or kill people who are cruel as they seem. "Okay, that's it. Mateo, wind and fire?" Allec offered. Oh, I think they're going to use magic. I should have suggested using magic in the first place. My bad. "I'm with Allec. We'll take more than a week to light up all these ancient papers. I'll take the shortcut." Jay approved. Falcon, Ryker, and Aquilla didn't care to bother them. They were focused lighting up the papers. Although on the other side, Connor faked his cough to draw attention. "I think you should consult your thoughts with lady Mia." Connor smiled to rasped again. Jay, Mateo, and Allec, in sync, looked at me.

My deadpan face stayed as it is, "Do as you please. Before that," Those boys grinned while facing Connor. Blustering that I agreed with them. Don't worry it will be fair. Yes, it will. I stood, walked back again to where my mother's other belongings are. I used my holy magic to lift hundreds of thousands of archaic papers. Since those boys will use magic. They can handle this. Walking back upstairs. My arrival with papers floating behind me. Eyes widening. Their dumbfounded looked are visible on those three. "You can handle this, right? Allec, Jay, Mateo, right?" The three slowly nodded. "A demon is in front of us." A breath from those three is heard. I lightly smiled. The others laugh.

Jay and Allec are using wind magic while Mateo joined them with fire magic. Allec and Jay are using wind magic to control the papers to let them flow to the fire that Mateo is firing up. I gave them hundreds of thousands of ancient papers. I shrugged it off, at least, their work will fasten. They used magic as a timesaver. The others are getting finish at the ruck of papers they took to lighten up. Kaiser, Aquilla, Ryker, Falcon, Connor made their way to finish their papers. We watched them do their work while playing some games and eating snacks. Still, the three aren't done yet. I guess so?...

Forgot to tell you, it's nighttime already. Don't worry the grand duke nor brothers will find me. I've observed their move at night. Like the times when suddenly they visit me. I have gotten used to it. And how I often go here every night. The night is harmless to me. It won't hurt me. It won't betray me.

"We're done." Mateo couldn't help to let a cry in his voice. He stood as he yelp. "Finally," Jay said in relief. If you imagine it from another perspective, it looks like Jay went to something he won at. "This is the most wheezing job I have ever taken." Allec stood grabbing a glass of lemon juice near him. He drank the whole glass. There was no drop of it left. "You're tired because you don't use your magic in some other activities other than killing or using it as an emergency. Yes, using magic can make you worn out. But you must consistently train your power and physical ability. There will be a day that your physical power will be nothing. And the last source you may have, that you call your own is your sorcery. Everything or anything can leave but your own magic is attached to your body and soul. It will stay until death is near you." I pointed. Then ate some tarts. "Boys, I need to go. The clock is ticking so does time. I can't let anyone notice I'm out of my room." I clap, rousing-taking the papers they lighten. "Thank you for this." In an instant, I whispered something then vuala I came back to my room in one piece. "I got cold shivers there." Aquilla couldn't help but blurt. He said after I had already gone out of there. Phew, I'll read the details about my mother's family. Our curse. Tomorrow. I'm kind of tired. Because I have been searching mother's things. Finding answers to all my questions about what is taking place right now. As early as possible, I need to get fully ready. Something is coming. And I know it's a big one. I just couldn't figure out what. I can't help myself think. The thinking made me fall into my own sleep.

"Good morning, young miss, may we go in?" Mirya? Hmm, my brazen maid. I went to face the door and open it. "Yes," It has been my habit to lock my door. Not like before I often leave the door and windows open. Therefore, killers can freely go to my room. It was fine. Before I need to survive just to kill. Putting my guard down will give me a huge impact I'll be responsible for.

I'm in the garden, it was the time of eve. I had dinner already with uncle Philip. Nothing unusual with him. Spoiling, blubbering, and doing enjoying kinds of stuff with me. Although I don't show my expression. I am honest with my actions towards him. But the uncommon thing is Adrian join us. For the first time, he joined us a while ago. Freakin' good. I giggled at the sight I saw at the dining hall. And about Adrian, we don't talk frequently. We have our short conversation when it's important. Nothing else, nothing more. What's even more abnormal is he stop with his nonsense pranks. Strange like him. But I don't know why he's doing that. Maybe someone from the family scolded him? Or he did it of his own will?? No, no, no, that'll never happen.

I shrugged all that I am thinking and focused my thoughts on another important matter. I gathered mother's papyrus turning it into a book. Because she had many old papers. I needed to make a book that can hold all the papyrus in it. And successfully, I made one. Though, at first glance, it looks like an ordinary book. However, as they say, don't judge a book by its cover. Magic helped by the way. Sigh, I have been reading. For now, all details are getting interesting.

My family has a curse. Not a one curse heritage to offspring to offspring. Every descendant has its own curse. Whether to have cursed appearance, turning into things or animal curse, dying at such age because of some unknown illness, and many more. It was unpredictable what anathema will hit every member of my mother's family. But it was written that they are constantly ready for what curse will going to bestow upon them. Also said that they didn't want to treat their curse as a hex. By all means, they treated it as a blessing. Hence they couldn't consider hating it because at some point they use it for living their life. With their jobs, helping people, making things or doing things and all that. Aside from that, I have just learned that mother's curse is turning into a beast when the blue moon strikes the night every three years. Hers is somewhat in the safe curses. I meant to say, it won't dangerously harm her like what happened to my mother's other blood relatives. She said in her documentary, curses in her family are much more threatening than hers. They think of it as the safe zone and the harmful zone. All curses are not the same. And mine is rather between the safe zone and the harmful zone.

When I said my family curse is getting interesting. Here's another point of the papers. The jinx started with an unspecified warlock who was jealous to mother's ancestors for being too kind. Wait, just what the heck? Does jealously really make you do this? Cursing my mother's whole family including me and her? "Goddamn practitioner." Cursing underneath my breath. Back to what I said about that male witch. Because of his hatred towards my ancestors. He made an unbreakable curse using his life, soul, heart and offered himself to a demon who has the power who can grant his wish. The demon agreed to what he desired. Only if he offered his life and the person who he despite which is mother's ancestors. He picked one person who he can kill in my family. The warlock killed himself with my mother's ancestor. The demon who granted his will was a demon lord who works for the demon king who I killed before. Yet in the underground, they said the demon lord has been gone for more than a hundred years now. Succubus or incubus spoke that the demon lord has died or was killed by the demon king. But it was impossible if he was killed by the demon king. Because the demon lord himself has much greater power than the demon king he created. That's right before humans were born. The world was divided into three forms; The Devils, the Supreme Being, and the Spirit Beings.

The demon lord is one of the devils who live with the three departures. He wanted someone to rule the underworld, he didn't want to choose randomly between him and his people. He was a lazy devil. If he was that lazy then why did he have to work for the demon king? I shook. Looks like I'll be speaking with the demons for words someday.

All information is helpful but I need more. Regarding also what was my mother's life was. I know there are answers here. And maybe I can find what's the name of that demon lord who made a pact with the warlock. For now, I've reached the middle part of the book. It was written in ancient text. Nevertheless, that was fine. I have studied before ancient language.

Αγαπητέ μου, ίσως το διαβάζεις τώρα. Ξέρω ότι απορείς για αυτό που σου συμβαίνει. Γι 'αυτό έγραψα ολόκληρο αυτό το ντοκιμαντέρ για το θέμα της κατάρας σας. Όπως μπορείτε να διαβάσετε, έχουμε απροσδιόριστες κατάρες που ρέουν στην οικογένειά μας. Αν και, εγώ, ο ίδιος, δεν ξέρω ποια είναι η κατάρα σου. Απλά θέλω να ξέρεις. Εάν κάποια μέρα, δεν θα σας πω την ιστορία της οικογένειάς μας, αυτά τα χαρτιά μπορούν να σας υπενθυμίσουν ότι δεν είστε μόνοι. Δεν είστε μόνοι αντιμετωπίζοντας αυτό που αντιμετωπίζετε τώρα. Η οικογένειά μου, η οικογένειά μας, αντιμετώπισε πολλές δυσκολίες στις δικές τους κατάρες. Και, δεν θέλω να νιώθεις ότι είσαι η κατάρα σου. Οι κατάρες είναι ευλογίες. Κάποια μέρα μπορείτε να το χρησιμοποιήσετε. Επομένως, μην χάνετε την ελπίδα. Είμαι εδώ, παιδί μου. Η ψυχή μου είναι πάντα μαζί σου. Έχω ένα περιοδικό που αντιπροσωπεύει πώς ήμουν για όλα τα χρόνια που είχα την κατάρα μου. Είναι κλειδωμένο. Το κλειδί είναι το δικό μου φιλί. Είσαι το δικό μου αίμα. Μόνο εσύ μπορείς να το σφραγίσεις.

Να θυμάσαι πάντα σ 'αγαπώ.

If my mother was alive, she would be someone who will let me feel my life is worth living for every day. Her words made me sobbed;

My dear, you are maybe reading this now. I know you are puzzled about what is happening to you. That is why I wrote this entire documentary on the matter of your curse. As you can read, we have undetermined curses flowing in our family. Although, I, myself, don't know what your curse is. I just want you to know. If someday, I will not tell you our family's story, these papers can remind you that you are not alone. You are not alone facing what you are facing now. My family, our family, faced many hardships to their own curses. And, I don't want you to feel that you are your curse. Curses are blessings. That someday you can make use for. Therefore, don't lose hope. I am here, my child. My soul is always with you. I have a journal representing how was I for all the years I had my curse. It's locked. The key is my own kiss. You are my own blood. Only you can unseal it.

Always remember I love you.

"Mother," I breathed, letting my tears yearn for my mother. Huh, family? My only family is who treated me better. Once I make everything right. Once I get what justice I needed. Once everything falls into what I planned. Then, I can forget. I can achieve the nirvana I have always dreamed of. Even if it will be real or not. I know I'll go there. I cried. Though I was crying. My cries were faint and light. No one can ever hear it if they don't pass at me.

I was about to go to my room. When I stumbled into brother Adrian. It was kind of dark in the halls. The only light I see is where Adrian is holding. He was holding a lamp. Uhm, right, brother's room is at the end of the hallway intersecting brother Ezekiel's. Wait, if his room is at the end of the hall, why is he here? "Why are you still up?" He spat, "Couldn't sleep." I answered. "Then why are your eyes puffed?" He asked again. "My eyes we're itchy I may have rubbed it hard a while ago," I explained, though it was okay not to explain it. "Don't rub it. Use a dry cloth and soak it in cold water. Then put it in your eyes where it's swollen." I slowly nod. Then silence covered us. I opened my room to enter. I didn't big goodnight. Or bid sleep well to him. I know it's nothing to him even if I spoke that. I was about to jump over my bead. When I heard from outside, "Goodnight," Brother Adrian said. Just now, was that just my imagination, or did he really said that? If he really uttered that, then now, do you believe with what I say the abnormal thing that he is making? I'm just lacking in sleep maybe that's why I heard him say that. Didn't realize it, I had fallen to sleep.

Adrian's POV

"Goodnight," I mumbled as I walk off towards my room. Unbelievable? But it's real. I need to grow up. I'm not a kid anymore. Ashlyn is family. I did many wrongdoings towards her. Believe me. I am regretting it now either. For now, I am repairing everything I did towards her. Step by step. Yet no matter what is it I can't reach her. I can't reach her to have a bond with me as siblings. This is entirely my fault. But why was she crying? I'm not stupid to not see her eyes swollen as if she cried. Because she really cried.