Chapter 80: Painful past
[A few years ago.]
At that time, the Avander World had been taken aback. The sudden system appeared before their eyes, revealing their deepest secrets. People saw their levels, how strong their techniques were, and whether they could pursue strength.
Because most residents couldn't level up, the world fell into despair. However, those who could had quickly emerged from the shadows to relieve their population. And while leveling up was impossible, techniques still played a significant role in one's strength.
While the population analyzed the new situation, some people found themselves in a pinch situation.
Elias Deathwill was one of those people. That man alone brought disaster to many lives, including his daughters, whom he all loved deeply.
"Sara!"
BANG!
The doors to Sara's room opened loudly. She promptly covered her little one's ears so that her daughter wouldn't wake up. Then, Sara lifted her eyes, looking at her husband with silent anger.
"You will wake up Celia…" Sara whispered.
After Celia had been born, Sara's life changed. She no longer donned herself in beautiful dresses adequate to her status, the daughter of the dullahan's second princess.
She wore simple clothes that her little daughter could freely dirt with her saliva or tears.
Sara also stopped attending to the kingdom's matters. She couldn't care about royal parties or her husband's business trips. All Sara cared about was her daughter's childhood.
She wanted her little daughter to have a life in a lovely family where both parents would shower their precious fluff with love.
Alas, Sara's husband, Henred, didn't share such a vision.
Even though their daughter had been born, Henred carried on with the same lifestyle. He barely spared Celia any attention. And because no man would appear at parties without a woman, Henred surrounded himself with the most beautiful maids from his family.
It resulted in unpleasant rumors that Sara often heard.
Therefore, it was easy for Sara to get angry at her husband. Unfortunately, no relationship was always sweet and colorful.
Henred didn't reply to Sara's words. He just eyed her pretty face, which was Sara's most striking point. In fact, the dullahan women were known for their cold and beautiful faces.
And since the second princess, Mia was like the most beautiful gift to the dullahan kingdom, Sara's looks naturally topped many women.
BANG!
At last, Henred closed his eyes. The moment he did, the marriage oath appeared between him and Sara.
That oath had the appearance of a beautiful white-golden ribbon.
Sara felt her soul being connected to that ribbon. And since both of them were here, the ribbon swirled, letting out white-golden winds. Those winds swarmed the room.
"What are you doing?" Sara asked as cold sweat ran down her temple.
She stood up, feeling the cold precognition. In her husband's eyes, Sara saw coldness and repulsion, as if she was the one who had betrayed the dullahan kingdom.
In her arms, Celia suddenly burst out in tears.
Henred no longer cared about them, though. He emotionlessly unsheathed his sword, then raised it above the white-golden ribbon.
Sara's heart sank as she could see her husband's next move. In less than a second, her vision became a reality.
Henred slashed through the marriage oath, taking away his surname from his wife.
[Your name has changed.]
[Sara Deathwill.]
"But… why?" Sara whispered while ignoring those cruel messages.
She took a step forward, then asked with tears tumbling down her cheeks. Her pretty face contorted with pain, and those beautiful blue eyes, like her mother's, contracted behind her tears.
Henred replied, "Because you have human blood. And your daughter also didn't show any promising features. Both of you don't have any place here."
"She's your daughter!" Sara shouted in a voice akin to thunder.
Her former husband didn't react.
"Human blood? Wasn't it you who told me that my hand is warmer because of that blood? Weren't it you who genuinely accepted me?" Sara uttered with memories of their first meeting flashing in her mind.
Because of her human blood, Sara had always been treated differently in the Dullahan Kingdom. Other than her mother, every dullahan would create a personal barrier between her.
They would be wary of the dullahan momma as if Sara had humanity's greed written on her forehead.
Naturally, things changed after Sara grew up into a beautiful woman. On her journey, she had a support of a few close friends, her mother, and her father's kingdom.
But as her father wished for her to spend time in the Dullahan Kingdom, Sara naturally needed more help here.
It was Henred who had extended his hand toward Sara before everyone else. He smiled, cried, and listened alongside her. He also shared his burdens with the half-breed, and they naturally became closer.
They both changed their lives in the Dullahan Kingdom. They both made their new friends here. They were like a perfect pair who climbed up the royalty stairs to be recognized by everyone.
"Were all those words and feelings lies?" Sara asked softly, but she sounded like she would soon choke on her words because of the influx of all emotions and memories.
Henred shook his head, "We were the same. When we first met, we were nothing but youngsters. But your problems were just your problems. I had my whole family's future on my back."
His noble family sent him to the capital to receive the royal teachings. They could only afford one trip, so Henred's mission was crucial. As a youngster, he had been heavily burdened by the importance of his mission.
"I know about it… Didn't you tell me about it?" Sara replied as she remembered the past where she held the crying Henred in her arms.
Henred sighed, "Yes. And my young self's words were also true. While everyone was cold to me, I found your hands too warm. They warmed my heart and allowed me to keep going forward.
But I don't want to return to that past. I don't want others to look at me coldly," Henred smiled faintly.
His words made Sara widen her eyes widely. She stared at him in disbelief. Her whole body trembled, "So you want… me and your daughter to scorn you instead? Ah… We are that insignificant now?"
"The dullahans have never allowed the foreign blood to enter their royal family. But because of his love for his second daughter, the king allowed her to mate with the human. Your father's strength is also something the king respects.
Your father also respected the king, and he promised to treasure Princess Mia. How did it end up?" Henred asked.
Elias Deathwill's empty promise ended with the whole dullahans getting mad. They lost their shining star and the most beautiful dullahan princess. Even worse, the human played with them!
Henred replied while Sara collected her words, "The king's fury will soon reach this household. I don't want my family to go down because of you. I can't let my people and myself feel the hunger and disrespect again!"
"You selfish bastard! You monster! You heartless horse shit!" Sara burst out with genuine indignation and shame, "You used me! You used me to climb up the society's stairs! And now that your daughter and I need your help, you chicken out like a coward! You don't dare to face the king's wrath?! For my daughter, I was ready! I was ready to bow and beg for her future! Why can't you do the same?! Why?!"
