"Proof?"

Nancy frowned at the word. It echoed strangely in her head, heavy, repeating.

Proof.

Her mind suddenly raced at this word.

And then suddenly.. like a spark lighting in darkness Razeal's words appeared in her memory.

"Go to Riven. He will tell you."

The memory was so clear it almost sounded like he was speaking inside her head again.

Without realizing it, her lips parted.

"Go to Riven," she said softly, her voice low at first but growing steadier as she continued. "He would tell you. He was the one who told me too.."

But the words… never reached anyone.

Not a single sound left her mouth.

Her lips moved, her throat strained, but no sound came. It was as if the world itself had muted her voice.

Nancy blinked rapidly, startled. She tried again, forcing the words out harder this time. But again silence. Nothing.

Not even a whisper.

Merisa stood in front of her, calm as ever, watching her quietly. To her.. to everyone it only looked like Nancy had opened her mouth and then gone speechless, unable to respond.

The Duchess sighed softly. "Don't worry, girl," she said, her tone surprisingly gentle. "I don't want him to hate me either. I'll just look for what's best for him. I'm his mother, after all."

She reached out and ruffled Nancy's hair once more before turning away.

The touch was warm, soft but it made Nancy's tremble.

Merisa walked back toward Marcella, the long waves of her dark hair flowing behind her like a shadow.

And Nancy stood there, frozen, her hands trembling slightly at her sides.

What happened to me? she thought, her mind racing. Why can't I speak? Why can't I say anything?

Her breathing grew shallow as confusion and panic twisted in her chest.

Then a voice suddenly rang inside her head.

A deep, calm voice that echoed directly in her mind.

[Don't try to interfere too much, girl.]

Nancy's eyes widened instantly. Her pulse jumped, and she almost turned her head to look around but she stopped herself just in time.

[Razeal's fate is far too heavy for any of your actions to even ripple it. If I hadn't stopped you just now, you might have been destroyed completely.]

Her heart skipped. The voice was smooth, measured but there was something about it that made her skin crawl.

[Don't take this as me trying to hide the truth,] the voice continued. [I did what was best for you. Small things are fine, but don't try to become an outright enemy of fate. I only saved your life just now. You should be grateful. I'm not a bad person, you know. I just look for what's best… for the world.]

Nancy froze..

That voice. She recognized it instantly.

"Riven…" she whispered silently, her lips moving but still making no sound.

Her mind reeled as his words sank in. He had silenced her stopped her voice entirely.

She blinked hard, steadying her breath, forcing herself to stay calm. Her eyes flicked toward her mother, toward Merisa, toward Marcella.. but none of them seemed to notice anything.

Not even a hint.

That realization made her nerrow her eyes further..

This bastard… she cursed in her head. But she said nothing aloud, understanding that this might actually be dangerous. Looking up, she noticed that even her mother, Duchess Merisa, hadn't reacted they hadn't heard the voice in her head.

That made her wonder was this Riven guy really that strong? To do something like this without anyone noticing? Was he that powerful? She didn't know. As that time, she'd literally slapped him. But now, realizing what he'd just done, her thoughts shifted. She grew a little more serious about the whole situation though she still kept silent.

Her earlier thoughts about him.. that maybe he wasn't that strong evaporated completely.

Now, she understood.

He wasn't just strong. He was dangerous too. And as much as she hated to admit it… for the first time, Nancy felt a flicker of fear for the situation she is on...

All three adults noticed Nancy's sudden, uneasy expressions the way her eyes darted subtly, her lips pressing together, her shoulders stiffening slightly. But none of them said a word.

They simply assumed she was nervous after all, standing before Merisa and speaking to her directly would be overwhelming for anyone, let alone a young girl like Nancy. The Duchess's presence alone was enough to make even high ranking nobles uneasy.

Arabella only sighed softly, deciding not to scold her daughter for her shifting demeanor. She simply rested a hand on Nancy's shoulder, silently grounding her, before turning her attention back to Merisa.

Merisa, meanwhile, exhaled quietly a faint breath, almost imperceptible before straightening her posture. Her gaze swept calmly over the vast ocean before them one last time, then back toward Marcella.

"I'll be going," she said simply, her tone calm and resolved. "You will take care of the family in my stead. And of Nova… control her. Tell her I've gone into seclusion."

Her voice held no hesitation it was a clear command.

Marcella immediately bowed her head deeply. "Understood," she said, her tone respectful and solemn.

But before she could straighten up again, Merisa's gaze lingered on her.

"And also…" Merisa spoke again, her voice softer now though no less commanding.

Marcella lifted her head slightly, curious ..and then froze.

Her eyes widened, pupils trembling as a sharp chill ran down her spine.

From the corner of Merisa's right eye a single, shimmering drop of royal purple liquid trickled down slowly.

Marcella's entire body went rigid. She recognized that color instantly. That glow. That impossible density of mana radiating from a single tear.

Her heart began to pound violently in her chest.

That wasn't just a tear.. it was ...That..

The realization hit her all at once, and her breath hitched. She instinctively took a step forward, then immediately bowed again lower this time ... And as if Think this was enough she next dropping to one knee her head still down.

"Th-There's no need for this, Matriarch," she stammered, her voice trembling with emotion. "I still don't deserve something of this kind. Please…"

Her shoulders shook as her forehead almost touched the ground.

But Merisa only smiled faintly, her eyes gentle but unyielding.

"Take this as your reward," she said softly. "For your loyalty… all these years. And for the heavy responsibility you are about to bear."

Her voice carried both pride and warmth. "Train Nova well," she continued. "Very strictly. I want her to be straight ..like an iron rod the next time I see her."

Marcella, still bowing, felt her throat tighten. Her chest filled with both pride and disbelief.

That smile on Merisa's face.. serene and full of authority was something Marcella would never forget.

And that tear… the royal purple tear… almost reached the edge of her cheek, glimmering faintly against her pale skin before Merisa caught it with the tip of her finger.

Marcella finally managed to find her voice again. "That is my duty, my lady," she said firmly, her voice steadier now though her hands still trembled slightly. "And as for Lady Nova… there is no need to say more. I will torture her.. I mean, train her well."

The correction made Arabella glance aside, barely hiding a nervous smile.

Merisa's lips curved upward in amusement, though she said nothing about it.

Standing at the side, Arabella gulped audibly this time. Her throat tightened as the pressure in the air thickened. Her instincts, honed through years of strength and battle, screamed at her that what was happening wasn't ordinary.

Without even thinking, she took a step back, her wings fluttering slightly before folding close behind her. Her hand automatically moved in front of Nancy.. protective, instinctive.

Nancy peeked out from behind her mother's arm, her blue eyes wide with curiosity. She didn't understand what was happening but from everyone's reactions, she could tell this was something monumental.

The air itself seemed to hum heavy and still, filled with quiet reverence.

"Raise your head," Merisa said suddenly.

Marcella's heart skipped a beat. Her hands pressed against her knees as she slowly lifted her face upward, her breath uneven. Her body was trembling.. not out of fear, but sheer emotion.

Her gaze met Merisa's.. those royal violet eyes that seemed to hold the weight of the entire world and she almost forgot to breathe.

Merisa nodded slightly, her hand still glowing faintly with the same royal light that had glimmered in her tear.

Marcella knew what was coming. Her fingers shook as she reached up, removing the square glasses perched on her face..

She lowered them carefully, setting them against her knee, before looking back up at Merisa waiting.

"Here," Merisa said softly.

And then, with a faint flick of her finger, the royal purple tear shot forward.. a streak of shimmering light slicing through the air with grace and precision.

It landed directly on Marcella's left eye.

For an instant, the droplet seemed to hover against her iris, glimmering.. and then it sank in, vanishing completely as though it had been absorbed into an endless ocean.

Marcella didn't flinch. She didn't even blink.

But as the tear entered her eye, something inside her changed.

A faint hum of energy rippled through her body. Her left eye began to glow.. the color shifting, deepening, swirling from its usual violet hue into a radiant royal purple.

Her breath caught as she felt power surging but it wasn't painful. It was… profound. Calming and heavy.

The glow spread.. slowly, like flowing liquid into her other eye, until both shimmered with the same divine shade.

And then… her hair began to change too.

The long strands, once a muted dark violet, gradually deepened strand by strand, as if ink was spilling through them until her entire head of hair gleamed with the same majestic royal purple.

The transformation was silent, but powerful. The air around her seemed to bow in acknowledgment of the new authority born in that instant.

Marcella's body trembled, tears threatening to spill.. but she held them back, lowering her head again in a deep bow.

"I will honor this, my lady," she said firmly, her voice filled with reverence and emotion. "With all my life, I will honor this blessing."

For the first time in many years, Merisa's expression softened fully.. no trace of burden or regret in her gaze, only trust.

"I trust those words," she said quietly, nodding once.

Her eyes glowed faintly as she looked down at her loyal follower her voice gentle but carrying immense weight.

Nancy peeked out from behind her mother, her eyes following every movement with quiet curiosity. Her gaze lingered on Marcella.. and then drifted toward Merisa, who stood calm and regal, her presence alone demanding silence.

That scene before her eyes… it left Nancy puzzled.

That tear… from Duchess Merisa's eye… she put it directly into Marcella's eye… Nancy's mind repeated the sight over and over again, trying to process what she had just witnessed.

And then, it had changed Marcella visibly, almost instantly. Her once-dark hair had turned several shades deeper, her eyes gleaming like twin amethysts touched by lightning. The entire transformation had been silent, yet so powerful that Nancy could feel the energy ripple faintly through the air.

Her brows furrowed slightly. Was that… a family technique? she wondered, her thoughts quietly racing.

She had heard about the Virelan family countless times, of course everyone had. The depth of the purple in their eyes and hair was said to be a direct mark of their strength and lineage. The lighter shades belonged to the collateral branches, those of lesser rank and diluted bloodline.

But those with royal deep purple? They were the true ones.. powerful, direct descendants of the original Virelan bloodline.

And the rarest of all the royal purple, darker and more vivid than any other shade that belonged only to the purest of their line.

The main blood.

Merisa,Nova and Razeal only..

Nancy's eyes flicked between the two women. Duchess Merisa's eyes were an impossible shade so rich and deep they almost seemed to absorb light itself. There was no color darker than that royal hue; it radiated authority.

And Marcella… now her eyes gleamed almost as brightly, her hair shimmering under the faint sunlight that reflected off the sea. It wasn't quite as deep as Merisa's, but it was far beyond what Nancy had ever seen among other members of the family.. ofcourse except nova and Razeal..

Her mind whirled. Did that mean Marcella just became stronger?

She didn't know. She couldn't tell .. but it felt that way from the looks of it..

Nancy's lips pressed together thoughtfully. I'll ask Mother about it later, she decided silently, committing it to memory.

She didn't say anything now.. not wanting to interrupt the solemn moment.

The sound of the waves brushing against the shore filled the silence. The faint salty wind carried strands of Merisa's dark hair across her face as she turned to look toward the horizon.

Her expression was calm again, composed, but something in her eyes looked distant as if she were already thinking of the long journey ahead.

"All right," Merisa said finally, her tone even. "I'll be leaving now. Take care."

She gave Marcella a nod one of command and trust and then turned her gaze briefly toward Arabella, who responded with a short, respectful nod of her own.

But before Merisa could turn completely away

"Wait!"

The small but clear voice broke the air.

All eyes turned.

Nancy stepped forward from behind her mother. The wind pulled lightly at her ice blue hair as she walked closer, standing straight despite the sudden weight of attention pressing down on her.

Merisa paused mid-step, turning her head back toward her.

Nancy took a small breath before speaking, her eyes locking directly onto Merisa's royal gaze.

"Aunt Merisa," she said, her voice steady but soft. "Please tell Razeal… thank you. And give him my words."

Merisa's eyes narrowed faintly, a subtle curiosity flickering within them.

Nancy continued, her tone clear and honest. "Tell him… I'm under his favor. And if he ever needs me for anything.. anything at all he can ask me. I will stand with him. For anything."

She didn't look away, not even for a heartbeat. Her words weren't empty courtesy.. they came from somewhere deeper. A quiet, personal promise.

For a moment, silence hung in the air again just the waves moving and the faint whistle of the sea breeze.

Merisa studied her face, the young girl's determined eyes meeting her own. There was something raw there ..youthful sincerity mixed with a spark of something she hadn't expected to see.

And then, slowly, a faint grin tugged at the corner of Merisa's lips.

"I will," she said softly, amusement blending in her tone. "I'll definitely give your words to him."

And then before nancy could even say anything more, Merisa's figure shimmered and in an instant, she vanished.

No movement, no sound just gone. The faint swirl of mana where she had been standing was the only sign she'd ever been there at all.

And then, only a second later, Marcella's figure blurred too. She turned her head briefly toward the ocean, eyes reflecting the water's endless expanse, and then disappeared in the same quiet flash of light.

The powerful presence of both women dissipated entirely, leaving only the soft crash of waves and the distant call of sea birds.

Nancy blinked, her heart still thudding from the suddenness of it all.

Just like that… they were gone.

The coast suddenly felt much larger emptier. The power that had filled the air moments ago had vanished, leaving behind a still calm that felt almost strange after all that tension.

Nancy slowly turned her head toward her mother, who stood quietly beside her. Arabella's wings folded softly behind her as she exhaled a small, relieved sigh.

For a while, neither of them spoke.

Nancy's gaze drifted toward the sea.. the endless blue stretching far beyond the horizon. The light shimmered across it like liquid silver, and she couldn't help but feel small beneath it all.

Finally, she turned back to her mother.

"I did right… Mother?" she asked quietly, her voice uncertain for the first time in a while.

Arabella turned to her, her expression softening. She reached out and brushed a strand of Nancy's hair from her cheek.

"If that's what you truly want," she said gently, "then believe in yourself."

Her voice was calm.. neither praising nor scolding but full of quiet acceptance.

Nancy blinked at her words, and then nodded slowly.

The wind swept gently past them, tugging lightly at their hair.

For a long while, they just stood there mother and daughter, side by side at the edge of the coast, the sound of the ocean washing softly over their thoughts.

And though the moment passed without another word, Nancy's heart felt strangely at ease.

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8k Words in one day 🤧🦥.. And people say i am lazzy Thanks for reading guys.. and i do deserve golden tickets and powerstones noe.. Don't i🤤🥺

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