Capítulo 10: CHAPTER NINE : BROTHER (5)

Raphael led his knights deeper into the forest, the dark fog growing thicker with every step. The air was heavy, carrying a faint stench of decay that clung to the trees. He knew they were close to where the demonic beast had been sighted. Still, despite the gravity of the situation, his thoughts kept drifting back to the strange conversation he had with Emilia earlier.

He had tried to explain everything to her how she was, in all likelihood, the missing daughter of Duke Vilheim. How, for years, their family had lived with the wrong child. And yet, Emilia had remained so calm, almost unnaturally so.

"Are you not worried?" Raphael had asked her, struggling to understand why she wasn't reacting as he had expected. Most people would have been shocked—angry, even—upon learning that their entire life had been stolen from them.

But Emilia had only smiled faintly, her soft blue eyes gazing up at him with a serene calmness that unnerved him. "Why would I be?" she had said, her voice gentle, almost melodic. "I've lived a good life. I had enough food, a roof over my head, and a family who loved me. That's all anyone could ever ask for."

Raphael had been caught off guard by her response. "But... aren't you upset? Adelaide grew up with everything that should have been yours. The love of our parents, the title, the privileges. Don't you feel cheated?"

Emilia's answer was simple, but it struck him deeply. "No," she had said, her smile widening just a little. "I was raised by the sisters and father at the cathedral, and I'm grateful. I received love, and that's enough. Adelaide did nothing wrong. We both grew up with what we were given."

The more Emilia had spoken, the more concerned Raphael had become. Her acceptance of the situation felt too... perfect. Almost rehearsed, as if she were reading from a script. And yet, there had been no bitterness in her voice, no resentment toward Adelaide or their family. She seemed genuinely at peace, which only made him more uneasy.

"But don't you want to be a part of our family? To take back your rightful place?" Raphael had pressed, hoping to elicit some sort of real reaction from her. He wasn't sure why it mattered so much to him—perhaps because he saw so much of Adelaide in her. Kindness, selflessness... it reminded him of his beloved sister.

Emilia had chuckled lightly at that, her soft voice carrying an air of wisdom that didn't match her youth. "I don't need to take anything back, Raphael. I've always had a family. Besides, Adelaide is your sister too. She grew up with love, just like I did. There's no need for jealousy or resentment. We can all be happy together, can't we?"

Raphael had nodded, but the unease had continued to gnaw at him. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Emilia's calm demeanor, her gentle acceptance of everything—it was too ideal. Too polished.

As they approached the thickest part of the forest, Raphael's hand instinctively went to the hilt of his sword, his thoughts still swirling.

She's just like Adelaide, he mused to himself, glancing at the knights surrounding him. Kind, gentle... perfect in every way. It was strange to him how similar they were, despite the difference in their upbringings. Adelaide had grown up sheltered, pampered in the safety of the duchy, while Emilia had lived in the rougher world of the countryside. Yet here she was, as calm and gracious as any noble lady.

Raphael sighed softly, a faint smile touching his lips. Perhaps they could be good for each other, he thought. Adelaide, the spirited and innocent one, and Emilia, the calm and gentle one. Two perfect sisters.

He could already picture it: the two of them side by side, supporting each other, both cherished by the family. Maybe, just maybe, he could make that vision a reality.

Yet despite his hopeful thoughts, something still didn't sit right. He glanced back over his shoulder, toward the direction where he had left Emilia by the carriage. Even now, she seemed like an enigma to him. Her acceptance of everything was too complete, too absolute. It left him wondering what she was thinking beneath that calm facade.

Was she truly as serene as she appeared, or was there something deeper going on? Something she wasn't showing? Raphael had spent his whole life dealing with politics, lies, and deception. He knew when someone was holding something back. And Emilia... there was something she wasn't telling him.

He shook his head, forcing himself to focus on the task at hand. The knights needed his leadership, especially now that they were close to the beast's den. But no matter how hard he tried to push the thoughts of Emilia away, they lingered at the edges of his mind like a shadow.

"Stay alert," Raphael ordered the knights, his voice steely as they neared a clearing in the woods where the fog seemed to thicken. "The demonic beast could be anywhere."

The knights nodded, weapons drawn as they fanned out. But even as they prepared for the inevitable confrontation, Raphael's thoughts remained on Emilia. He wanted to protect her, to keep her safe. She was his sister, even if they had just met. But there was something more—something deeper that tugged at him.

Who are you really, Emilia? he wondered as they advanced into the forest. And why do I feel like you're hiding something from all of us?

*****

In the grand, opulent chambers of the Duchy of Vilheim, Adelaide sat at her vanity, staring blankly into the mirror. Her delicate fingers ran through her golden locks, yet her face was anything but serene. A letter lay crumpled in her hand, the wax seal broken—the mark of the Blue Moon Assassins.

They had failed.

Raphael had interfered.

Adelaide's chest heaved with fury, her pale blue eyes darkening as rage bubbled inside her. This was supposed to be her life—her destiny. Emilia wasn't supposed to return. She wasn't supposed to exist. And now, the brother she had always trusted, the one who had cherished her, had betrayed her by siding with that girl.

There was a sharp knock on her door before a maid stepped in. "My lady, are you all right?"

Adelaide didn't answer immediately. Her grip on the letter tightened, and the crumpled paper made a faint, menacing sound. She stood abruptly, her chair scraping across the marble floor, and stormed toward the window, staring out at the sprawling estate that should belong to her alone.

How could he? she thought bitterly, her hands trembling with anger. She spun around, the fury spilling over as she tore into the silence.

"He betrayed me!" Adelaide snarled, her voice rising. "Raphael—he—the one I trusted the most. He's protecting that wench, that imposter! Does he not understand what's at stake? That girl will ruin everything!"

The maid stepped back, eyes wide, but dared not speak.

Adelaide's rage intensified as she paced the room, her steps quick and erratic. "All these years, I was the one who stood by his side. Me. I was his sister. I was the one who mattered! And now..." Her voice wavered, but it was filled with venom. "Now, he's gone to that... that girl. That thing who was never meant to return!"

Her breath came in sharp, angry bursts as she remembered the assassin's message—Raphael had personally cut them down, protecting Emilia. Why? Why would he choose her over me?

With a bitter laugh, Adelaide threw the letter onto her vanity, her hands trembling with frustration. "She's not even real! She's an impostor—a nobody from a filthy orphanage! And yet..." She gritted her teeth, feeling the sting of betrayal like a dagger in her chest. "Raphael, of all people, Raphael goes to her side. He's supposed to be mine! He's supposed to protect me!"

The maid, sensing the growing tension, cautiously approached. "My lady, perhaps the Duke ordered him to—"

"Shut up!" Adelaide snapped, whirling around to face her, her eyes blazing. "Don't you dare make excuses for him! This is my life! My destiny! Everything I've worked for... it's slipping away because of her! That girl wasn't even supposed to survive!" Her voice trembled as she hissed through gritted teeth. "She's a mistake that should've been erased long ago."

The maid, visibly shaken, nodded and took a step back. Adelaide's fury was palpable, like a storm brewing beneath the surface.

Adelaide took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down, but the fire in her eyes remained. She turned back to the mirror, staring at her reflection—at the beautiful, perfect face of the Duchess's daughter. She couldn't lose this. She wouldn't lose this.

"Raphael..." she muttered, almost to herself. "He doesn't understand. He's blinded by her... by the idea of family. But I'll make him see. I'll make him understand that I'm the one who deserves this life. Not her." She paused, her expression hardening. "If Emilia comes back to the duchy, I'll lose everything. But if she's gone... truly gone, then everything will be as it should."

Her voice grew cold as she whispered, "I have to kill her before it's too late."

The maid shuddered at the venomous determination in Adelaide's tone, her eyes wide with fear.

Adelaide, catching sight of the maid's expression, smiled—cold and cruel. "Don't worry," she said softly, a dangerous glint in her eyes. "Raphael will come around. He'll understand in time... after all, I'm the real daughter. The only one who truly belongs."

With one last glance at the crumpled letter, she turned back to the window, her gaze distant as she plotted her next move. I won't let Emilia take what's mine. She may have survived this time, but next time... next time, I'll make sure she disappears for good.

And as the storm of her thoughts raged, Adelaide's heart hardened, her mind consumed with one singular, vicious goal: to ensure that Emilia Ein Vilheim never lived to take her place.

*****

Emilia blinked, her vision swimming as her body felt cold and weak. The thick fog of black mana twisted and writhed around them, the corrupted air making it harder to breathe. She could taste the metallic tang of blood on her lips, a bitter reminder that the battle was far from over. The ground beneath her feet had cracked open, revealing the terrifying truth—a dimensional rift leading to a dungeon, a trial sent by the gods themselves.

But right now, none of that mattered, not even the blood staining her hands or the monstrous demonic beasts lurking in the fog. What mattered was Raphael, who was holding her tightly, his face a mixture of fear and fury.

"Why didn't you listen?!" Raphael's voice trembled with anger as he hugged her protectively, his arms wrapped around her frail frame. His usually calm and composed demeanor shattered. "I told you to stay away from the beasts, Emilia! Do you have a death wish?!"

Emilia coughed, wiping the blood from her mouth with the back of her hand, her head spinning from exhaustion. The stupid system—of course, it had forced her to intervene. The quest to purify the land had activated the moment they reached the contaminated area, and now the beasts kept emerging from the dimensional crack. Despite her protests, despite wanting to avoid the fight, her body had moved on its own, compelled by divine will.

"Raphael, I... I had no choice," she whispered, trying to explain, but the system filtered her words, making them sound far more graceful than she intended. "The land needed to be purified... I couldn't turn my back on the suffering."

Internally, she cursed the system again. You idiotic thing! I'm not trying to be a martyr here!

Raphael's eyes flashed with frustration. "You're not responsible for everything!" he growled, his grip on her tightening as if he could shield her from the world. "You could've died, Emilia! Don't you understand that?"

Emilia could feel the warmth of his embrace, the way his heart pounded against her as he held her close. It was a strange, unfamiliar feeling. She had never been embraced like this before. The nuns in the cathedral had shown her kindness, but this... this was different. Raphael's concern was overwhelming, suffocating even, and she couldn't fully comprehend it.

"I... I'm sorry," Emilia replied softly, though she didn't feel the need to apologize. The system had forced her into this mess. She'd much rather be back in the carriage, far away from the horrors of the god's trial.

Raphael sighed heavily, his anger giving way to something more vulnerable. He pulled back slightly, just enough to look at her pale face, streaked with blood and dirt. "You're not invincible," he muttered, his voice softer now, his thumb brushing away a smudge of dirt on her cheek. "You're my sister now... I can't let anything happen to you."

Emilia wanted to laugh at the irony of it all. If only you knew... But instead, the system once again smoothed over her thoughts, forcing her to offer a serene smile, one that conveyed quiet strength.

"Thank you for worrying about me, Raphael," she said softly, even though deep inside, she wanted to scream. "But we can't turn our backs on those who need us."

Raphael shook his head, his jaw clenched in frustration. "You're too selfless," he muttered, his eyes scanning the surrounding area. "I need to get you out of here. This dungeon... it's beyond what we can handle."

Just as he spoke, the ground rumbled again, and a deep growl echoed from the dimensional crack. More beasts were emerging, their monstrous forms twisting and distorting as they crawled out from the otherworldly rift. The air crackled with dark energy, and the knights who had accompanied them were struggling to hold back the horde.

Raphael stood, his grip on Emilia tightening. "Stay close," he commanded, his voice stern. "We're getting out of here."

But before he could move, the system blared in front of Emilia, the notification flashing in bold letters:

[New Quest Update: Purify the Dimensional Rift]

Of course, Emilia groaned internally. Why can't you let me rest for just one moment?

The system didn't care about her exhaustion or the fact that she was coughing up blood. It only cared about the divine mission—purifying the land, closing the rift, and saving the people. As much as she wanted to rebel, to refuse, her body betrayed her, guided by the system's will.

She gently pulled away from Raphael, her eyes distant as she gazed at the crack in the earth. The dark mana swirling around it was suffocating, its pull was like a siren's call. She could feel the weight of the quest pressing down on her, urging her forward.

"No, Emilia!" Raphael's voice was sharp, filled with panic as he saw her move toward the rift. "You're not going in there!"

"I have to," she replied softly, her voice not her own.

Before he could protest further, Emilia stepped forward, her body moving gracefully as the system guided her toward the rift. Her hand glowed with the faint light of holy power, the Blessing of Tersia activating as she walked toward the center of the battlefield.

Raphael shouted after her, but it was too late. The beasts howled, the earth trembled, and the light of the gods began to descend.