《Insidious Illusions》 Prologue ¡°The past is not dead. It¡¯s not even past.¡± ¡ª William Faulkner, Requiem for a Nun The musky scent of rain-soaked earth hung in the air. The rain made the night gloomy, despite being a blessing in summer. Splattering footsteps were loud even with the sound of the shower. A little girl ran along the forest trying to find shelter, the tears of heaven concealing her own. A thud echoed as she tripped and fell onto the ground. She sat up and looked the looming trees that doubled her fear. ¡°Momma¡­¡± She held her hands over her eyes, sobbing. After a moment, she stared at the sky in a daze wondering where it went wrong. She couldn¡¯t give up. She had promised. Promises shouldn¡¯t be broken. With a determined look on her face, she attempted to get up. A whimper echoed in the forest as pain shot up in her knee. She looked down to find her frilly lavender dress stained with blood. Suddenly, she jerked her head up as something bright flew by. Her eyes widened. In front of her was a silver butterfly. But this wasn¡¯t a normal butterfly one would see in spring. It was made of pure energy or magic, as they termed it. The butterfly fluttered around her before going on its way. Entranced, the little girl followed it, forgetting about the wound in her knee. Thunder clattered at a distance as the girl walked in the rain. Her dress was drenched and stained with blood and dirt. In her eyes was the reflection of the butterfly. It was as if at that moment, her world comprised nothing but the silver creature.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. The little girl walked and walked until she reached a clearing. She snapped out of her trance. Her face paled at the sight before her. Her face contorted as she suppressed a scream. A man, surrounded by numerous silver butterflies, stood at the centre of what resembled a magic circle, carved on the ground with runes the little girl didn¡¯t recognize. But the thing that scared the girl wasn¡¯t the circle but the corpses surrounding the man. The man was covered with blood. He chanted spells in an unknown language before he abruptly stopped as if sensing something. He looked up to find the shivering little girl staring at him, horrified. A chuckle echoed through the clearing. His pale blue eyes gleaming, he whispered, ¡°I was not expecting a visitor.¡± He strode toward the young girl, who was frozen with terror. He gazed at her before lifting his bloody hands and reaching out towards her. She flinched as he drew strange runes on her forehead. When he was done, he looked into her eyes and said, ¡°Little girl, here¡¯s a small gift for you since you are the last person I see before I leave this world. Use it well.¡± The girl stood still, confused at what just happened. Amid her confusion, the man returned to the centre of the magic circle and resumed his chanting. ''O Dhia m¨°r, cluinn mo bhriathran. Tha mi tairgse fuil ceud sluaigh dhuit. Mar dhuais leig leam an saoghal seo fh¨¤gail agus tilleadh gu mo shaoghal dachaigh.'' The silver butterflies rushed towards him as the chant got more powerful. The girl closed her eyes instinctively at the flash of light. When she opened them, the man had disappeared, along with the butterflies. The little girl fell with a thump. She sat there dazed among the corpses, unable to comprehend the events that took place. She heard footsteps rushing towards her and turned around to look at the source. There was a boy wearing a cloak etched with runes. He had an incredulous expression on his face as he stared at her. ¡°You¡­¡± he began. Reality struck the girl. She stared at her surroundings, dumbfounded. Then, the world went black Witch of Feyrer Have you ever seen a witch? If you have not, brace yourself, for you are about to witness the execution of the most feared evil in the kingdom, the Witch of Feyrer. ??? ? ??? Craeleon. The capital of Ionadi Kingdom. The normally bustling city was unusual that day. The citizens: commoners, and aristocrats were gathered at the heart of the city. Hushed whispers travelled around making the scene ghostly. The Imperial Family, along with the Archbishop, were seated on the dais. On the platform below, stood a high priest. Everyone was waiting for something. Apart from the chill of autumn, the air was also pregnant with anticipation. It had been a long time since the last execution, and the crowd was eager to see blood. The merchants, foreigners who were present at the scene, looked around, confused, their eyes darting with fear of the unknown surrounding the reason for the gathering. "What is happening here?" Sima, a merchant, questioned boldly, after finding a kind face among the gathered. The old man turned around, noticing the confusion in Sima''s eyes, he replied, "You must not be from here. Today-". A loud gong echoed through the city. Sima and his fellow outsiders did not need the old man to answer. It was unfolding right at this moment. "It is time!" said the High Priest. Below the platform where the high priest stood were a spidery web of minor priests. Like echoes, these minor acolytes resounded the priest''s words, so that even the farthest gawker from the dais could hear the holy words of the High Priest. The eerie silence continued for a moment, and then the sound of chains jiggling could be heard originating near the platform. The intuitive people present there felt the need to run away before some misfortune befell them. But they couldn''t move. Something kept them rooted to the ground. One could define this feeling as curiosity. But beware, curiosity killed the cat. Just then, three figures went up the platform. A young woman with raven hair, once lustrous but now dull and caked with unwashed dirt, concealed her face. Escorting her to the platform were two knights, both of whom were measured in their gait, and alert in their gaze- the woman would find it hard to escape even had she been unbound. This was Valerianne von Feyrer. The once-revered Duchess of Feyrer, now adorned with chains on her body, her once luxurious dress torn, stained with dirt and dull with dust. By law, the gallows walk was to be done in the nude but she had been afforded decency due to her noble birth. Even though she stood with her head bowed, her disdain for the people around couldn¡¯t be concealed. Her presence was like a rock thrown into a calm lake. The people erupted, all the anger they had kept within them bursting like a volcano. They screamed: ¡°Die! Witch!¡± ¡°Go to hell!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t deserve to live, wench.¡± ¡°Burn her alive!¡± ¡°Kill her!¡± ¡°Punish the witch!¡±Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Sima realized what was going on. He pitied the young maiden who was accused of being a witch. He questioned the ethics of the empire as all the aristocrats and even the royal family were so narrow-minded to kill an innocent woman. ¡°Silence!¡± The priest bellowed and the crowd quieted. ¡°Valeriannevon Feyrer, do you plead guilty for your crimes?¡± She jerked her head up with violence. Her pale blue eyes gleamed. The priest could not help but notice purple flecks amidst the blue. He blessed himself, such beauty was obviously a product of a mystical covenant with evil. Soon, her eyes turned towards the Imperial family. Her lips rose to an eerie grin, not taking her eyes away she replied, ¡°No, I''ve not done anything you''ve accused me of.¡± Her words fueled the already lit flames of fury. A rotten tomato flew and struck the Duchess on the forehead. But the young lady never faltered. Eggs, rotten vegetables, wastes, rocks flew across the platform, hitting not just the Duchess but everyone on the stage. A banana peel smacked the priest and his face reddened with shame and bitterness. The knights furrowed their eyebrows in frustration. But the duchess stood tall, unfazed by the things happening around her. The aristocrats were perched on the gallery below the dais, watching the show, as were the Imperial Family, all until an object flew and almost hit the Crown Princess. ¡°Enough!" Came the roar of the Crown Prince, Elois Viturin de Ionadi, silencing the crowd. He then stood up and righteously declared, ¡°For the complete disregard of human life and the practice of evil sorcery, Duchess Valerianne of the Feyrer House shall be stripped of her title and she will pay for the souls she sacrificed with her own.¡± Cheers were heard as Elois declared the outcome. The Duchess-no Valerianne smiled hearing the edict. Rather than a smile, it resembled a madman¡¯s smirk, as she recognized Elois¡¯ attempt at winning public opinion to his side. Of course, the Crown Prince had to keep the big picture in mind as a future monarch, which was a part of the reason for the public execution. The knight dragged Valerianne to the guillotine, forced her on her knees, and positioned her head in the guillotine. He pulled her by the hair, forcing her to look up, ¡°you¡¯re no longer a noble you wench. How does it feel to be the very commoner you detested? You¡¯re lucky you have such a simple death unlike your victims,¡± he spat and slapped her. Blood trickled down her lips, her eyes widened and she clenched her jaws. She attempted to draw her powers to hit the swine, but as expected she wasn¡¯t able to. ¡°These damned magic cuffs,¡± Valerianne cursed. ¡°What did you say?¡± asked the knight. Valerianne looked up, this time willingly, and said, "You will pay for that, bastard." The knight gave her a smug look, ¡°You have to be alive to do that bitch,¡± She gritted her teeth and stared at the knight¡¯s face, memorizing it. The Crown Prince watched the drama taking place with a thoughtful look on his face. Snapping out of his daze, he thought, ''the sooner this ends the better.'' And signalled to the high priest. The high priest moved forward and tapped the knight on his shoulder. On making eye contact with the priest, the knight understood what needed to be done and retreated. It was finally happening. Evil would perish. ¡°Execute her!¡± Elois'' command rang as the blade headed for her neck. The blade sliced her neck, creating a sound that echoed throughout the hamlet. Gasps and screams filled the square as her head rolled down. Her eyes were seemingly alive, evident with contempt towards the people gathered. Blood splattered everywhere, staining the priest, knights and the commoners and priests near the platform. The high priest furiously rubbed the blood off his body, afraid that the blood would contaminate him. It had ended. Justice was finally served This was a day like no other. The death of this young woman impacted everyone that had gathered that day and many more. Some thankful, some relieved, some rejoiced, some heartbroken, some remorseful at the death of a young maiden and one who swore revenge. The people dispersed in a trance. It had ended. But something didn''t feel right. None of the people knew the reason behind this. Everyone but her. She knew this was not the end. She would return. And hell would be more comfortable when she''s done with them. The Teacup Valerianne¡¯s eyes shot open in a panic. She sat up, only to fall back as her body couldn¡¯t handle the strain. She rubbed her neck, still feeling the pain of the guillotine. ¡®Why do I feel so weak? What will I go through now,¡¯ she thought, falling into a daze. She looked at the familiar pink canopy of her bed in the Rosille chamber; the very room she spent her childhood in. Then, she heard the door of the chamber open, she tried to get a better view of the person who arrived without straining her body, only to fail. She laid there, quietly waiting for the person to come into her view, her ears perked up. The person neared the bed, something fell down. Valerianne heard the splash of water, she looked up to find a maid, her brown hair tied into a neat bun, hazel eyes wide and mouth parted. ¡°Ella,¡± Valerianne murmured. Her nose soured as hundreds of memories arose in her brain. ¡°Young lady, you¡¯re awake,¡± said Ella, regaining her composure. ¡°I shall go get the doctor. Milady, do not move around, your body is currently weak,¡± she instructed, helping Valerianne sit up. Without wasting any time, she cleared the mess and retreated respectfully. ¡®Composed as always,¡¯ Valerianne thought, amused. She glanced down at her hands, fully expecting to find chubby hands, as she did everytime she woke up after death, but instead she found long, bony fingers resembling that of a teen. Squishing her brows, she looked around the room, observing each item inside. Her eyes fell on her once treasured tea set, she noticed that all the teacups were in their place. ¡®Ah,¡¯ she mused, a picture of a maid lying dead in that very room with a piece of the teacup stuck in her bleeding neck flashed in her mind. It¡¯s strange, she commented. If Ella was her maid, then she must be over thirteen years of age. This had never happened before; she had always arrived at the age of eight. She looked around the room, seeking to find a clue that could answer the anomaly. But rather than answers, she was filled with questions as her room was¡­ odd. The large doll her parents gifted for her 11th birthday was missing. The room was overly filled with frills and lace. She noticed the addition of some items which she had never seen in all her lives. Her study desk was missing as well. The decor of the room was the same as the decor she had when she was a child. She reached out under her pillow, and just as she expected, her dagger was missing. Why though? Why change things now? Valerianne¡¯s heart started beating fast, she started panicking. Her dead feelings seemed to arise, not in a good way. Before her mind continued on that train of thoughts, she was interrupted by a familiar knock. ¡°Come in,¡± she calmly replied, and Ella came in along with the family doctor who ran to her side with teary eyes. ¡°Milady, you are finally awake! Saint Idris finally listened to our prayers! we were so worried,¡± sobbed Thomas Eringh, the resident doctor of the Feyrer Duchy, which was quite a contrast to his looks. Thomas was a middle-aged man, wearing doctor garbs. He had brown hair, which was whitening at the tips and a scar on his forehead, he did not look like a doctor, but a mercenary instead. Contrasting his looks, his personality was akin to a teddy bear. Thomas started inspecting her after he was done sobbing. He took out a stethoscope and held it over her wrist, quietly listening to her pulses. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Valerianne caught a whiff of a calming scent that hovered in her room. She inhaled and realized it was coming from Thomas. Upon further inspection, she could recognize the scent of thyme, rosemary, and various other medicinal herbs. The one which caught her attention was the musky scent of the plant she is named after- Valerian. The woody fragrance of Valerian took her on a journey to the past. ??? ? ??? It was a beautiful day. The sky was blue with milky white clouds hiding the sun from view. The garden was filled with various flowers, butterflies hopping from flower to flower, bees collecting nectar and birds chirping. The garden stood in its full glory. And in the centre of the garden was a glass greenhouse. Compared to the joyful setting outside, the inside of the greenhouse that was filled with herbs and flowerless plants gave out a calm vibe. Inside such a greenhouse, sat a woman putting together a flower crown, her movements filled with grace. Her black hair was tied into a low pony behind her neck, she wore a yellow dress, which complemented her light skin tone. Sunlight fell through the glass making the lady look like an elf. This beautiful woman was Duchess Lillian. "Momma!" Called out a ball of frills and ribbons, as it ran toward the woman and hugged her legs. "There, there, Rianne. Don''t run around. One must be graceful as a lady." The Duchess chuckled and put the frilly ball on her lap. And this young lady was our little Valerianne. With her raven hair tied into pigtails, decorated with ribbons, her face adorned with big eyes and an even bigger smile, she was a bundle of joy. "Momma, what are you doing?" Asked little Valerianne, her eyes darting around curiously. "I''m making a crown for my little gem," replied the Duchess. "A crown? Like the Queen''s?" questioned Valerianne, her voice laced with ecstasy. "No, silly. Like the Faeries''," the Duchess gently replied. "Oooh." Valerianne''s eyes widened and she looked at the flower crown. She stretched her neck to get a better view and was struck by a musky, calming smell. "Momma, what is this flower called? I like the smell.¡± "It''s called Valerian," explained the Duchess. "Like my name?" Her voice grew louder with glee. "Yes, like your name." ??? ? ??? She came back to the present, just as Thomas finished his inspection. ¡°Your body is still weak as you were in a coma the past few years, nothing to worry about though, my potions will bring you to your perfect health in no time!¡± he said, ignoring Valerianne¡¯s confused look. ¡°Excuse me? I was in a what?¡± Valerianne questioned, her eyes widened, her voice quivering with incredulity. Thomas looked at Ella, not answering her question. Why is he looking at Ella? Valerianne¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°Thank you, doctor, I will see you out now,¡± Ella calmly replied. As soon as Thomas was out, she shut the door and returned to Valerianne¡¯s side. ¡°Milady, it is a long story, I will tell you, but first please have something to eat, you must be starved,¡± She said, conjuring a plate of muffins and tea. Valerianne silently finished the snack, not taking her eyes off Ella, as soon as she was done, ¡°Now tell me,¡± she urged. Unexpected For the first time in years, the estate was filled with a joyous atmosphere. Servants ran here and there, doing chores with bright smiles on their faces, a stark contrast to the atmosphere just hours ago. Of course. This was to be expected, the young lady of the duchy had just woken up from a coma. Everyone was filled with curiosity, especially the servants who knew of her from the mouths of the older servants. However, the doors of the Rosille Chamber remained shut leading to more curiosity. Behind the closed doors, Valerianne would open the window to insanity. ??? ? ??? ¡°For the past nine years, milady has been in a coma,¡± said Ella, jumping straight to the topic without delay. Valerianne¡¯s eyes widened with disbelief, her thoughts spiralling out of control: ¡®Wait, what?! What in the world is she saying? There never has been a change in my past. Why now? Every life I lived has had a minor difference but the ones in this are too big.¡¯ ¡®First, the missing teacup assumes its place, now I¡¯m told I have been in a coma? Wait, if the teacup is present, it means that slag is still alive.¡¯ ¡®That poxy died when I was 16, nine years before, meaning when I was 7? How ridiculous! She might as well say I¡¯ve been a vegetable my whole life.¡¯ ¡®Is this even real? How do I know if this is not just a silly dream?¡¯ ¡®Valerianne, now is not the time to think of this, you need to get a grip on the current situation.¡¯ But she was not able to control her thoughts. Adrenaline rushed through her veins, her breathing quickened, so did her heartbeat. Her pupils dilated, her vision blurred. She felt a sharp pain in her chest. Valerianne shook off her thoughts and started to take deep breaths as she tried to calm her frantically beating heart. But all her efforts were wasted as her anxious heart did not listen to her. Her breathing quickened, as thousands of thoughts flew across her mind ¡®Okay let¡¯s say I was in a coma. Then what of lifes¡¯ I lived? Were they dreams?¡¯ ¡®Is this the real world? And how do I know that?¡¯ ¡®But the pain was real. I know it, I felt it.¡¯ ¡®Did I really though?¡¯ ¡®NO! Why are you doubting yourself, you felt the pain.¡¯ ¡®But then why can¡¯t I recall the pain?¡¯ ¡®I should be able to recall the pain, right?¡¯ ¡®Normally, people would be able to recall the pain, right?¡¯ ¡®Then am I not normal?¡¯ ¡®Or were they illusions? Yes, that should be it.¡¯ ¡®I must have been hallucinating.¡¯ ¡®But they were so realistic.¡¯ ¡®Yes, Valerianne, they were real, you weren¡¯t hallucinating.¡¯ Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. ¡®It must be Ella who¡¯s lying, Anastasia must¡¯ve brought Ella to her side, Thomas too, I knew I shouldn''t have trusted them.¡¯ The pain in Valerianne¡¯s chest turned into flames of fury, her eyes widened throwing daggers at Ella. ¡®But, if they were real, then Ella must hate Gaisahn Duchy for what they did to her family. That must have changed in this life too along with the other things.¡¯ ¡®What of Thomas then?¡¯ ¡®Thomas¡¯ family has been serving the Feyrer Duchy for generations. Is it even possible for him to betray us?¡¯ ¡®Well, it is possible. An individual''s decisions do not belong to his family. We can¡¯t expect everyone to follow in their ancestor''s footsteps.¡¯ ¡®It is indeed a clever move, no one would suspect Thomas to betray us because of his family.¡¯ ¡®Ella too, due to her ¡°grudge¡± on the Gaisahn duchy, no one would expect her to be on their side.¡¯ ¡®Yes¡­ Now I see a picture. Ella should have been my maid later, not now.¡¯ ¡®Now that you give it a thought, isn¡¯t it suspicious how a young lady of a duchy has had only one nanny take care of her since birth? In all those lives why was Ella, my only maid?¡¯ ¡®Has there been any incidents that might have led me to have a coma?¡¯ ¡®There was the incident where I met that man, But my parents weren¡¯t with me back then.¡¯ ¡®It is not making any sense.¡¯ ¡®But for now, let¡¯s listen to the nonsense Ella is spouting, maybe I can figure out what that wench is planning through Ella.¡¯ Valerianne composed herself, ¡°Ella, how did I fall into a coma? How old am I now?¡¯ Ella was quick to respond, ¡°milady, on the way back from the Flayrion Estate in the summer of the year 340, there had been a tragic accident. The carriage milady resided in hit a boulder that had rolled down from the Azuela Mountain. This accident took the lives of milady''s parents, Duke Arthur and Duchess Lillian. milady luckily survived this accident and were found in the Lasliean Forest by the mages of the Dra¨ªo Tower. milady has not woken up since. Currently, it is year 349 in the Keroidon Calendar and milady will turn 18 this winter.¡± Valerianne¡¯s lips started to quiver, her nose soured as she took in the information, ¡°My parents...They¡¯re¡­ They¡¯re dead?¡± she asked, staring at her palms as if they would provide her answers. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, milady.¡± Ella bowed her head, hiding her suspicion filled eyes. A lump formed in her throat. She began shivering uncontrollably. A lone tear trickled down Valerianne¡¯s cheek. ¡®No, no, no, this cannot be real, why are my parents dead? They should have lived until the rebellion! If this happened nine years ago then it cannot be Anastasia¡¯s work.¡¯ ¡®Why are there so many unmatched things in this life?¡¯ ¡®My parents are dead, I was in a coma for the past 9 years. Sounds like a scenario that benefits the Queen.¡¯ ¡®Hit a boulder? What rubbish!¡¯ ¡®Those bastards, I will kill them, I will kill them all.¡¯ ¡®Why is this happening to me? What sin did I commit for me to go through all this pain.¡¯ ¡®No one deserves to live. I will end them.¡¯ Just as Valerianne¡¯s thoughts spiralled out of control, the door to the chamber burst open. Three figures hurried inside and stood near the bed. A young man with blonde hair and distraught crystal blue eyes dressed as a nobleman led the trio. Xavier. He was alive. Valerianne¡¯s lips quivered, tears freely fell out of her eyes. She smiled through her tears, her eyes bent to crescent moons. ¡°Brother¡­ ¡° She softly called out. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Rianne,¡± he said, smiling as well. After a short moment, he turned away wiping his tears with a handkerchief handed by the old man standing behind him, wearing the clothes of a butler. ¡®Ah, Benjamin, I missed this old man,¡¯ she thought fondly. Benjamin with gentle green eyes wrinkled at the corners and hair that turned white with the test of time, was a man who had been serving the duchy for the past two generations. He was a trusted aide of Valerianne¡¯s grandfather, Noderik von Feyrer. If there was anyone Valerianne could blindly trust, it was this man. Valerianne¡¯s eyes turned to the final figure that came in, a middle-aged lady wearing the garbs of a Head Maid. Valerianne began grinding her jaw, ignoring the pain that came with it. Her nostrils flared, eyes burning with hatred. ¡®You! You shouldn''t be alive¡¯ ¡®It is all your fault this life is like this. You should have died two years ago.¡¯ That woman would change everything. Valerianne vowed, then and there to revert everything to how it should be. No matter what decisions she made for it. The Nanny The atmosphere was deathly still in the chamber that should have been cheerful. Valerianne took a deep breath and broke the stillness with a smile, ¡°Long time no see, brother¡± Xavier von Feyrer. The famous young Duke of Feyrer. Adorning the remarkable features of the Feyrer household, Xavier is one of the most well-respected people in the kingdom despite being a half-blood. ¡®It¡¯s a pity.¡¯ Valerianne lamented, ¡®Maybe he doesn¡¯t have to die this time. I can change things, can''t I? Since there are so many anomalies already keeping him alive won''t have an effect'' Coming to a decision she turned towards the butler and said, ¡°you too, Benjamin.¡± The old man smiled gently as a reply to her heartfelt words. And finally, she addressed the person who was the key to everything, ¡°And I hope you have been well, Maria.¡± Maria¡¯s eyes teared up, and she choked as she spoke, ¡°We missed you, Young Lady.¡± Valerianne scoffed inwardly, ¡®How ridiculous. She should join the opera, her acting skills will be well appreciated there.¡¯ Maria was a servant who has been in the mansion since the time of Valerianne¡¯s grandfather. She is well respected in the mansion as she is the nanny of both Xavier and Valerianne. But little did they know, behind this gentle mask, lies a woman more venomous than a snake. In her younger days, she had attempted to climb the bed of the Late Duke, although she was unsuccessful, she managed to hide this attempt well and built a reputation among the servants, trying to gain a foothold in the duchy. She had even dared to soil the Late Duchess¡¯ reputation when she wedded to the duchy. She is a greedy woman who wants to be an aristocrat. In the future, she would sell the secrets of the Duchy for the measly title of a Baroness. Hatred burned Valerianne¡¯s heart as she recalled Maria¡¯s sins. This woman was cheap enough to kill the child she raised for promised riches. ¡®Why is she wearing the head maid''s uniform?¡¯ ¡®Wait, hasn''t the head maid¡¯s position been empty before?¡¯ ¡®How peculiar. A Duchy without a Head Maid.¡¯ Valerianne shook off her thoughts, ¡®Now is not the time to think of this.¡¯ She turned her gaze back to Maria. ¡®People must face the consequences of their actions. I¡¯m sure she had a hand in my parents¡¯ death. I will not forgive her. Don¡¯t blame me, Maria, you shouldn¡¯t be alive. You should have died three years ago.¡¯ Valerianne¡¯s face morphed into a smile. It seemed as if she was truly happy at that moment. ¡°Greetings, Your Grace,¡± Ella¡¯s salute brought Valerianne back to the present. ¡°How is Rianne now?¡± Xavier questioned. Valerianne¡¯s nose soured. She buried her surging memories and feelings that came with the mention of her nickname. She turned towards Ella, waiting for her reply.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Young Lady is merely weak. Doctor Eringh has said that he will prepare a potion that will heal her. Until then the lady is recommended to rest,¡± Ella reported the situation. Xavier opened his mouth to say something but he was interrupted by a knock. A young man with glasses rushed inside. He whispered something into Xavier¡¯s ears. Xavier¡¯s expression stiffened. ¡°I have to deal with something now. Rest dear sister, I will speak with you later.¡± He said and promptly left the room, with the young man in tow. ¡°We will leave as well, Young Lady,¡± said Benjamin, signalling something to Maria. Valerianne turned her gaze towards Maria, she captured the unwillingness in Maria¡¯s eyes. ¡®Huh, how interesting,¡¯ ¡°Yes, Benjamin, I will rest now,¡± replied Valerianne. She turned towards Ella and tilted her head towards the door. Ella understood the implication, ¡°I will see you both out now,¡± she said, and rushed both of them outside. As soon as they were gone she turned to Valerianne, ¡°milady if you need me I am just a bell away. if something happens do not hesitate to ring it.¡± She bowed and left the room, shutting the door and leaving Valerianne alone with her thoughts. Valerianne laid down and sighed. She would deal with Maria later. Right now she needed to process what was going on. This life is nothing like the other lives. There were so many anomalies. Soon, Valerianne fell asleep, unaware of the little bird that just flew out, that had been watching the whole thing unfold. ??? ? ??? Valerianne woke up with a start. She sat up on the bed. Her body wasn''t strained as before. She felt healthy. She looked around the room and just as she expected, there were no missing items. The lack of pink lace in the room decor relieved her. The gloomy interior decor of her chamber in the Flayrion Estate, for the first time, brought her joy instead of loneliness. She reached out under her pillow and pulled out a sharp dagger. Valerianne let out a sigh of relief. Everything was as it should be. ''I knew it. That must''ve been a dream. There''s no way I would be in a coma after that incident. I only gained this useless power. It shouldn''t have caused that much damage. I''m an Arcana anyway.'' Arcana. The species that should have been extinct. If only the mythical Roani Tribe didn''t survive. Arcanas have mana-filled veins in their body, making them sensitive to mana and the unique aura of mages. They were nicknamed the ''Magic Hounds'' for their incredible ability to detect mana. As a Mage-Arcana hybrid, Valerianne had an extraordinary ability to absorb various kinds of mana without bursting. With an endless supply of mana from her Arcana half, Valerianne was comparable to the High Mages of the Dra¨ªo Tower. Sometimes Valerianne hated herself for being an Arcana. If she wasn''t an Arcana she wouldn''t have absorbed the power forcefully given to her so easily and wouldn''t be in this state. She could have lived a normal life. ''But some things aren''t meant to be as you wish them to be'' Valerianne sighed again, but this time due to grief. She rang the bell and soon Ella came in. She bowed and questioned, "Yes, milady?" Valerianne got out of the bed and said, "Dress me. I wish to see the Duchess," Ella bowed and brought the other maids. They then began to dress Valerianne. Valerianne went into a daze as she thought over her dream. Or was it? A dream? She shook off her thoughts. And then looked at the mirror. The chamber was silent except for the rustling noises made by the clothes. Valerianne gazed at the mirror. At her pale blue eyes which without fail reminded her of the source of her nightmares. The reason for her pain. ''It was a gift, he said.'' Valerianne inwardly scoffed. The maids retreated with their backs bent as soon as they were done, breaking Valerianne from her daze. She left the chamber with Ella in tow, heading straight to the Salieon Chamber, where the Duchess resided.