Chapter 55. Change My Fate

"...why are you crying, Lucy..." Scarletta hugged her younger brother, squeezing him in a tight embrace. She sat leaning backwards on a luxurious couch, having the black-haired nobleman sit on her lap. Zephyratt was seething, his face scrunched into a scowl. He leaned back on the couch as well, continuously nudging at his younger brother and trying to pull him onto his own lap.

Meanwhile, Augustine, Willow, and Farrah watched the entire thing happen in the living room.

Farrah tilted her head. Does this always happen in House Rubius?

Augustine noticed her thoughts. He merely shrugged.

"...I don't know." Lucilline's voice was monotonous, but the tears continued falling down his cheeks. "All I did was drink some... alcohol."

Scarletta's face wrinkled, her silver grey eyes thinning to slits. Her crimson red lips—painted in lipstick—had pursed to a thin line. A look of exasperation sprinkled in her expression.

"...are you serious?"

Lucilline slowly nodded, his reddened eyes dropping more tears.

Zephyratt sighed. He brushed a strand of mahogany red hair aside, then pulled out a handkerchief, sewn with the emblem of House Rubius—a large red 'R'.

Beside Lucilline, Zephyratt gently wiped his tears away.

"...thank you." Lucilline slowly croaked. His reddened sclera slowly recovered, returning back to their original pale white colour.

His two older siblings fell silent.

"Hey Lucy," all of a sudden, Scarletta pressed her hand down on his shoulder. Her hand contained infinite amounts of strength, an oppressive feeling surging from her cold bones. "...so why did you decide to drink this late at night? If you're going to drink, you should have drank with your big sister."

Her hand was shaken away by Zephyratt, who also pressed a hand down on his younger brother's shoulder. "Next time, invite your big brother, Lucy. You need someone tough and reliable to accompany you when drinking. What if someone takes advantage of you?"

Lucilline, "..." You both are still the same.

"Oh, now that I think about it." Scarletta held a fist before her lips. "...who is this young lady you've brought in our house?"

The attention flipped towards Farrah, who stood indifferently with Augustine and Willow.

Lucilline lightly coughed, lying on the spot, "She is a companion of mine. I ran into her outside of the Capital City, and she was in trouble. I've decided to help her for the time being and lend her a place to stay."

Suddenly, Scarletta jumped up from the couch.

Her figure was lean and straight, about the same height as Farrah—the Demon Princess. However, Scarletta exuded an aura prominent compared to Farrah. Her silver eyes were cold and resembled the chilliest of all winters. The two women stared each other down.

"...your name?" Scarletta deadpanned.

Farrah inwardly sweated. She hasn't recovered her memories yet, but this woman already gave her a strong impression—strong enough to go against her, the Demon Princess!

"I'm Nineteen." Farrah tried to amend the cold atmosphere, "...Lucilline has invited me over to stay the night. Thank you for allowing me to stay over."

Scarletta did not move.

Time seemed to stand still, as if placed on suspense.

"...of course, I welcome any of Lucy's friends at our home," Scarletta's teeth gritted, as if she was forcing the words out from her snarled mouth. The Eldest Rubius sibling couldn't shake off a strange sensation—this woman by the name of "Nineteen" is definitely hiding something.

Meanwhile, Zephyratt stole Scarletta's original spot on the couch.

He sat comfortably next to his younger sibling, "If you have any other friends, you should introduce them to your big brother." I need to make sure you're kept safe.

Lucilline could only continue to cry.

He couldn't expose Farrah's identity—even to his elder siblings. The mysteries surrounding Farrah's lost memories, the demon invasion three years ago, and the fact that the Demon Princess survived the War centuries ago...

These mysteries all tied together—that, Lucilline was for sure of.

He too wanted to find out why he became a villain in the original book. Even if he was devastated about his two siblings' deaths in the book—would he really become mad and team up with the demons? Would he really become so bloodthirsty... seek vengeance upon the entirety of Lydia Kingdom?

Lucilline had a feeling that the mystery behind Farrah's lost memories will solve his questions.

"Lucy," Scarletta spoke up, cutting the black-haired nobleman away from his own thoughts. "You've been away for three years. There are many things you've missed. Shall I fill you in?"

Lucilline nodded.

His older sister brushed a strand of mahogany red hair aside, her lips curving in a smile. "Ever since the official arrest of the Holy Church's Head Priest... the Holy Church have been disbanded; the church torn down."

To replace the Holy Church, the Crown Prince Dimitri Von Arthur—and his group of Royal Knights—took over the job of exterminating demons.

"...no wonder Jacques was so insistent on killing that demon..." Lucilline muttered under his breath. It turned out that the mage's official duty was to eliminate demons, in order to replace the Holy Church.

"...hm? Have you encountered any demons outside of the Capital City?" Zephyratt frowned.

Lucilline pursed his lips. Out of the corner of his eyes, he caught the sight of Farrah fixing her strands of chestnut brown hair. "Of course we have," Lucilline smiled gently. "There is no need to worry though. I am strong enough to defend myself from the demons." In fact, we've captured one... no, two demons. Additionally, you're talking to the Demon Princess at this instance.

The demon captured with the help of Jacques was stuffed in a suitcase. While the Dream Demon that haunted Lucilline's sleep was captured in a small plastic bag of goo.

But how could he possibly tell his older siblings about these two?

Those two demons both contained clues about Farrah's amnesia.

"Well," Zephyratt sighed. "Go inside and have our guest settle in. Oh, but make sure not to enter Father's room." He rubbed his temples. "Father is getting better... but he has not fully recovered yet."

Lucilline felt his heart drop. Father is getting better. Does that mean... there is a higher chance of him... waking up? I will encounter him more...

"Lately the past three years, the Royal Doctor visited father and prescribed him medicine." Scarletta noticed her younger brother's unease, deciding to add more details. "Though Father's illness is not that serious anymore, it isn't like Father is recovering. We will need some more time for the medicine to work."

"...mn," Lucilline nodded quietly.

Zephyratt eyed his younger brother. He then sighed, sinking into the couch.

"Look at what the alcohol did to you, Lucy." The Rubius heir joked, "You won't stop crying now. If it'll make you feel better, why don't you sleep with big brother tonight?"

"...absolutely not." Scarletta argued. "If anything, Lucy should be sleeping with me."

"Huh?" Zephyratt fumed. "What do you mean by that!?"

The two elder Rubius siblings jumped up from the couch, both hostile to one another. They drew out their swords, unsheathing it from its scabbard. The bright glare shone from their blades, as if snow danced weakly on a cascade of moonlight.

"Excuse us," Augustine coughed. "I will get Young Master and his guest settled in."

Without giving any time for the two elder siblings to react, Augustine carried Lucilline off the couch, enveloping him in a bridal carry while carrying a suitcase (which trapped a demon).

Farrah carried Willow on her back, piggy-back style. They left for the upstairs.

While watching them, Scarletta silently sheathed her blade back in its scabbard. Her silver eyes had fallen on the butler's handsome back. Why do I feel like I'm losing something here...

Zephyratt too sheathed his blade. He tilted his head, then turned to look at his sister. "...am I missing something? Why is it that our butler has become so close with Lucy?"

*****

"This will be the room you're staying in—the guest room." Augustine instructed to the Princess Demon, the latter keenly listening and following.

Farrah nodded, the maidservant on her back giggling drunkenly.

"There is an extra bed in here; you can place Willow there." Augustine added. "Before Young Master and I leave for rest, is there anything else you'd like to discuss about the demons?"

The four of them sat on a bed.

"...the demon that Jacques' and I caught..." Lucilline's golden eyes flickered over to look at the suitcase, which sealed the trapped demon. "I remember it saying something about searching for a white-haired woman."

He yawned, wiping his tears away. "At first, I thought it was searching for Willow. But it didn't recognize Willow... which meant it wasn't Willow."

"Then!" Augustine understood. "The only other woman who has white hair... is..."

They turned to look at the Princess Demon.

Farrah was stunned, "...That Shadow Demon was looking for me?"

Compared to the hierarchy, a Shadow Demon was quite low on the ranking—the top being a Royal Demon. Just why would a Shadow Demon infiltrate into Lydia Kingdom at daytime, to search for the Princess Demon?

"Shadow Demons don't normally think on their own." Lucilline studied. "They often follow directions given by those ranked above them. I doubt that this Shadow Demon would blend into human society by its own choice." He had read about demons before in books—derived from the Royal Library open to only nobles.

Farrah hummed, her face serious and dark. "...could it be that... they want to find me?"

"You have an idea of who's out for you?" Augustine frowned. "I thought that you don't have your memories."

The Demon Princess pursed her lips. She nibbled on her finger nails, "...actually, I don't have my memories. But before I arrived in Lydia Kingdom, I met a couple of people along the way. I... I have an idea of who might be sending people after me."

She swung her legs back and forth on the bed, "When I first woke up... I had no idea how long ago it was."

Farrah's voice turned solemn. The air in the room fell low, and her brown eyes turned crestfallen. A layer of mist seemed to shine before them, then vanished without a trace.

"All I know is that I woke up in a dark place. I believed to be trapped in a tight space... the air was low, and I was lying on... a type of wooden platform? I struggled for a bit, then light shone through. I then realized that I was trapped in a coffin. There were three people there before the coffin."

Farrah's voice shook, her fingers clenching on the bed sheets. Her knuckles washed over in a blizzard of white.

"They were all female—one girl had dark purple hair, one woman had blonde, and the last woman was an old granny with white hair."

Lucilline's eyes flashed a strange colour. A girl with dark purple hair... a woman with blonde... these characteristics sound familiar.

"...do you know their names?"

Farrah exhaled a deep breath. Her mind was beginning to shake—she felt like she was on the edge of a cliff—about to jump down and fall into a sea of her lost memories. "...They called themselves November, Lady A, and Nineteen." Her breath became shaky, "That were the only names I knew of. Therefore, when I needed to disguise myself and make a new name... I went through those options."

Lucilline pursed his lips.

This concluded it. November and Miss A. most definitely are on the same team—they are likely both demons. If so... what kind of demon? A Royal Demon? But aren't all Royal Demons extinct? If so... then why is the Princess Demon still alive?

"They took care of me." Farrah recounted. "I believed that we were in a deserted ruin of some sorts... there was a fallen castle, and tons of skeletons in ashes surrounding me." But strangely, I didn't feel scared of those skeletons. Rather, they made me... angry.

A deserted ruin? Many skeletons in ashes?

Lucilline pursed his lips, trying to think of a possible location. However, there were plenty fallen kingdoms outside of Lydia Kingdom. The deserted ruin of a fallen castle... could belong to any fallen kingdom.

"Those three women fed me fruits... talked to me and entertained me. I didn't think they were bad people." Farrah explained. "At that time, I didn't have my memory. I was at a loss, so I relied on them to survive. But one day, I remembered the name... Lucilline Rubius."

Her indifferent and cold face cracked into a small smile. "I then decided to travel to find you." I no longer remember how long I took. Perhaps years, or maybe decades.

"I ran away from the ruins... from November, Lady A, and Nineteen." Farrah frowned. "They should be worried about me..."

Lucilline cut her off. "Why were they there exactly when you woke up from the coffin?" His mind became sober, and tears no longer slid down from his eyes. "Could it be that they were waiting for you to wake up? Why were you placed in a coffin in the first place? The coffin of a deserted ruin..."

Farrah fell silent.

So many more mysteries began sprouting.

"I do remember one thing suspicious about them, though." Farrah admitted. "...when I woke up and saw them first, they were holding onto a mysterious book."

The book was covered in ash, with dust and dirt eating away at it. A mysterious symbol was carved on its cover, the book thick yet rotting. "Although it just appeared like a dirty book," Farrah continued. "I found it suspicious. Mostly because... the book was making sounds."

Lucilline found his back fall cold, plummeting in temperature.

Augustine also turned serious. Willow stopped giggling, as if able to perceive the heavy atmosphere.

"There was the sound of chains..." Farrah clutched at her head, racking herself to remember. "Oh, and the sound of children crying... as if clawing away at prison cells."

The way that Farrah described the sounds... reminded Lucilline of a sound he heard before. It's the same sounds from when I snuck into S Academy for ghost hunting... (reference: Ch. 17).

"...I remember!" Lucilline blurted.

"...the sound belongs to a book I've seen before—I remember seeing it when I snuck inside school once." The black-haired nobleman explained seriously. "However, it was in the hands of November and Miss A."

"What?" Farrah was exasperated. "November and Lady A. were in Lydia Kingdom?"

Lucilline solemnly nodded.

He added on, "Even more, November and Miss A. at that time said they were meaning to... burn that book in the laboratory." Chills crept down Lucilline's spine. "Perhaps, the only clue we have of recovering your memories is that book. But... what if it is destroyed already?" He didn't witness the book being burned personally.

He only knew that November and Miss A. had planned on burning it.

A current of silence washed over the four contemplating individuals. The bed croaked to their totalled weight, as if crying in protest.

"...there is no point in mulling over the past." Augustine sighed, his low baritone voice sounding quite depressing. "We will visit the Crown Prince tomorrow and hope to gain an audience. Perhaps, the Crown Prince might know more about that book... and about recovering Nineteen—I mean, Farrah's memories."

Lucilline nodded, his golden eyes flashing a glow of determination. It isn't too late.

He looked out into the distance, wandering to gaze upon the night's solitary skies. I will not become a villain. I will change my fate.

Author's Note:

A WHOLE LOT of information was revealed this chapter!

It turned out that Farrah had long ago met November and Miss A. before! Alongside with a white-haired old granny by the name of "Nineteen".

What we don't know is:

- how long ago did Farrah wake up and meet them

- how did they know where Farrah was/were they waiting for Farrah to wake up?

- how long did it take for Farrah to find Lucilline

- where exactly did Farrah wake up? What was the deserted ruin place?

- is the mysterious book destroyed? Did Miss A. and November actually burn it?

Hope to see the mysteries uncovered in the later chapters! ^-^