Chapter 30

Continuing Lady Ameece's POV

"Did anyone see Rose?" I asked out loud. Robert glanced up from our family hug and searched, but shook his head.

"Mum, Dad, I'm so glad to see you. I can't wait to get back home. Is Nanny Gisella still there?" Our Lily asked.

"Of course, she is. Let's go back home for today." Leo answered her and left towards the emperor. I wiped my tears from my face.

"Richard, did you see Rose?" I asked.

"I thought she was with us the whole time." He replied with a furrowed brow.

"I can't wait to go back home!" Lily squealed. Did our Lily just change the subject? No, I'm sure our Lily wouldn't do that.

Leo came back after thanking Count Vien and greeted some of his friends and scooted us out. We came near the parked carriages.

"Miss Ameece, Lady Rose informed me that she left for the duchy early today, since she was feeling tired." The coachman told me.

I and Leo breathed a sigh of relief. We travelled out and entered upon the gates. Lily kept us company by narrating her most eventful moments.

We entered our house as usual. I sent a message by the maid at the door to call all the employees down to the gathering room.

They were there in a flash. It was almost as if they were expecting it. Leo said that he would return soon and left for his room.

"Madam, Lady Rose.." One maid called out with a worried face.

"What are we going to do, madam? We have to take an action as fast as possible." A knight called out in a frantic voice. I was confused.

They saw Lily walking behind us and their faces went upside down. A few of the maids fainted.

Some called out to Lily and they lamented on how they missed her. Even the head maid shed a few tears.

"That's right, folks. Our sister is back! Where's Rose? You have to meet her, Lily! She's like born with a sword." Robert hooted. I asked him to calm down in a motherly way.

Lily had a distorted look but quickly changed it to her unwavering smile.

Many of them were overjoyed. Even Lily's face lit up. She hugged Gisella who was her former nanny and cried a little. I had never been this happy in my life.

"Lady Ameece, may I have a word with you?" I nodded and followed the butler to the dining room. Leo was also there with his hand on his forehead in frustration.

"Did something happen?" I asked worriedly.

"Um...L-lady Rose asked me to deliver this to you." The butler handed it to me with trembling hands. I gasped as I read its contents.

Dear Mum and Father,

This is Rose. If you received this letter, it would mean that I have already left. I don't know how to thank you enough for everything you've done for me!

I'm writing this letter to inform you about something.

I won't be an unfilial daughter and leave with no goodbye but since I'm not confident enough to face you, I'm leaving you this letter.

The warmth and love you gave me in the past months made me very happy. I felt like I was part of a real family. You allowed me to accomplish many things. I'm sorry for my past behavior and if I have done anything wrong, I sincerely apologize.

I'm glad that Lady Lily came back. Send her my kind regards as well.

I'm actually leaving for a problem that I have to fix on my own. I'm not leaving because of any other trivial matter.

I do not want the duchy to be criticized. I do not want Lady Lily to get contemptuous gazes. I do not, in any way, want to hurt you all.

My existence will only become a burden in the near future. If I stay, many nobles will come and ask for the purpose of my existence in the duchy as their adopted daughter, now that Lady Lily has returned.

I do not want you all to open such a letter or ever hear of those hurtful words. So to change that, I have to take this temporary leave.

I just wanted to say that I will be safe.

I can't repay everything that you all have done for me but as my last parting gift, I made these jewels for now.

I have infused my energy into them. They will protect you from any danger at all costs.

With close inspection, you will understand why I will be leaving for the time being.

I hope you understand and that resentment will not cross your mind. This is not a spontaneous decision. I have been pondering over it for a few weeks.

Finally, make sure that you all stay healthy and safe. That is all that I wish for.

Also, ask Robert to not go on a crazy rampage or Richard to be concerned about me. Eat well, and live with a smile.

And if I may ask another small request, please do not try to find my whereabouts or whatsoever.

My existence might become a threat to the Eskater duchy in the future. I do not want to let the family who cared for me up till now face any danger.

When...If I do make it back alive, I can assure you that the threat of my existence will become a strength. Something that could make the future better. Also, it would be better to keep this confidential. Just tell others that I am sick or something.

From Rose...

Tears started to flow through my eyes. Why?

"Why?" I asked in a sobbing voice.

"Madam..."

"Give me one of the jewels!" I ordered, angrily. The butler handed one to me with haste.

They had a bright red color. It reminded me of Rose's bravery the day she saved me from a monster in the hunting competition.

More tears started flowing down my pale cheeks. I couldn't understand what was happening. I caressed the jewel and an idea hit me. I sent a whiff of my energy through the jewel.

The gem counteracted my power. I didn't want to admit it but it was dark energy.

"Lady Rose, teleported right in front of me with a dark shadow. I realized she was a dark user then. She apologized---"

"I don't care! We have to find her. I can't lose another daughter when I just found one!" Leo yelled from his seat at the dining table.

"Leo, you don't understand." I told him after knowing why Rose left.

"Rose has enough protection here. I don't care about what those hectic nobles say about her. My Great Aunt was a dark user too. There is no reason for her to leave."

"Leo, don't you get it? She didn't leave because of herself. She left because she knows that the duchy will get criticized. Rose is smart! She knew that an adopted daughter like her would cause a stir about being able to wield the darkness. How can a child in an orphanage in a commoner area be able to even achieve such a feat? She knew that the other greedy nobles would rebel against you!" I screamed at him for misinterpreting the situation.

"Madam---"

"Hold it! Rose knew the problems that would arise so she left to clear up the situation. Sure, she changed drastically from a brat to a empowering woman but we could have lent a helping hand. She shouldn't had to carry all that burden by herself. Being a dark user has its own consequences. Do you remember how much Aunt Lyra was criticized? Our Rose wanted to change that!" I cried harder now.

"What happened?" The twins came in, startled.

"Lady Rose left the duchy." Leo told them. I provided them with one jewel made by Rose after I nodded at him to tell the boys.

"What!?" They asked in unison. A maid guided them to a corner and relayed the situation.

"This is dark magic. Oh, so that's why she asked me purification crystals." Richard thought out loud.

"Madam."

"What is it?" I asked him with impatience.

"The midwife has arrived at the duchy saying she has an important matter to discuss." He told me with a worried expression.

"What is that old hag doing here?" I asked with contempt. I motioned the butler to take the boys out of the room.

I always hated how she has a stern face for every situation. I asked her to come in. Let's see what type of fuel she will add to the fire!

"I'm sorry for disrupting your time but there is something I must relay as soon as possible. There seems to be a misunderstanding and some foul results due to certain misleading actions." Her stern face had taken a worried expression.

"Go on." Leo edged her.

"The doctor that helped with the delivery of Lady Ameece's second pregnancy confessed a wrong doing during his last moments. It seems due to a disturbance of personal issues, a mistake has been made." What now?

"Can you stop beating around the bush and get to the point?" I asked her in a low subdued tone of voice.

"Lady Ameece had been blessed with another set of twins during her second time. Two girls to be exact. And coincidently, the one who had been sent to an orphanage had returned to the duchy. The baby girl was described to have dark brown hair and clear brown eyes similar to Lady Rose."

Gasp.

"WHAT?!" Leo got up from his chair in a hassle. So, Rose was actually my real daughter this whole time! My tears fell like an overflowing river and my breathing hitched.

"I'm sorry, but, I had heard of this news just last week and I was bedridden in shock. I was glad to know that Lady Rose had been under your care in some way or another." She had a sincere expression.

What have we done to our own child?

"Miss Scarlet, you may go now." I told the midwife, blankly. She apologized again and left.

Leo called out to his earth spirit who maintains his attribute.

"Can you figure out where Rose is?" He pleaded with the spirit.

"I'm sorry but I can't, Leo. Erebus, the lord of darkness, is in direct contact with your daughter and I have no authority here. She is, in fact, much more powerful than all the dark users I've ever met, including Lyra."

"I see." Leo replied in a defeated voice. Rose had already conquered the dark lord!? That's an amazing feat impossible for even the masters of dark manipulation. And if she surpassed Aunt Lyra, then that's all there to it.

"What does that mean? Mum?" The boys peeped from the door unable to grasp the situation.

"How did you---" I gaped. Did they hear all of it?

"Tell us. We aren't little kids anymore." They cried out in unison. They were right! They are already eighteen years old.

"Rose was actually one of your real sisters!" I told them without hiding anything from them. They gasped in horror.

The whole room went dead silent.

Hello my dearest readers,

-Are you surprised? Are you shocked? Are you sniffling on your keyboard like how I did when I was writing this???

(Please do not mind my overreacting reactions.🙂)

-So, this was actually the end of Season 1. Should I take a break? Nah, I wanna continue! Do you want me to?

-Tell me your thoughts in the comment section. I love to hear them. (Or 'see' in this case) Feel free to write your opinions and leave a vote. Thank you for reading!!!