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Chapter 50
The Amethyst Orb
“They kept insisting at the Temple of the Goddess Ella that Lady Musila must be brought to a witch trial.”
“A witch trial?”
“For generations, the Temple of Ella has proclaimed that there can be only one Great Saint — the sole child of the Goddess Ella. So our Spencer family requested to meet with the Great Saint to confirm whether she truly was the Goddess’s child. But the temple refused.”
The red eyes of the Spencer family are known as the Eyes of Truth — the eyes that can discern the child of the Goddess Ella.
“The red eyes we possess contain the power of the Black Serpent that guards the earth.”
According to ancient texts, the child of the Goddess Ella, who possessed violet eyes, once made a contract with the Black Serpent — a creature that loved all things beautiful and protected the land. The agreement was that the Goddess’s child would show the serpent the most beautiful thing in the world, in exchange for its protection.
That contract bound the serpent to protect the child of the Goddess. But one day, for reasons unknown, the Black Serpent bestowed its red eyes and power upon the first head of House Spencer — and then vanished, along with the violet-eyed child of the Goddess.
The only remaining child of the Goddess Ella in this world was Musila. And the Spencer family devoted themselves entirely to protecting her.
The Flloyd Empire also knew she was the child of the Goddess and tried to protect her.
But as time passed, people came to believe that the Great Saint of the Temple of Ella was the true child of the Goddess — and the number of those who thought Musila was a witch began to grow.
“Lady Musila decided to quietly disappear because of the growing fanaticism of the temple’s followers and the mounting pressure.”
Before leaving, Musila fell in love with Kain — and their love bore fruit in the form of Laurencia.
Kain was overjoyed, and so was Musila.
“I never thought I could bear a child, Magus. When our child is born, please protect them well — with Taishar.”
“Of course, my lady. That is the duty of the Black Serpent of the Earth.”
“The day Sir Kain and Lady Musila disappeared, people said they ran away because of the temple’s pressure and the disapproval of their marriage. But I never believed that.”
Magus opened the lid of a black jewel box and placed it before Laurencia.
“This is…”
“Lady Musila once said that the child of the Goddess Ella is born with a crystal orb matching their eye color. That orb is vital to them.”
“Vital? Why?”
“Because the orb allows the child of the Goddess to grow and awaken. Lady Musila knew this well — so it made no sense for her to shatter the orb meant for her unborn child.”
As Laurencia gazed quietly at the fragments of a shattered amethyst orb inside the box, the pieces began to glow along with the amethyst necklace around her neck. A bright light filled the parlor, swallowing everything in radiance.
Laurencia squeezed her eyes shut — and then, memories stored within the amethyst began to pour into her mind.
Kain.
Musila was crying sorrowfully as she held a violet amethyst orb in her hands. After a long while, her tear-stained voice trembled as she spoke.
“Amethyst orb… please, don’t turn back time. I don’t want to erase the time I loved Kain. I don’t want to erase the fact that I am carrying his child.”
Her deep navy-blue eyes seemed to lose their light, sinking into darkness. Tears welled up again and streamed down her face.
“Please, let me die as Laurencia’s mother.”
Tears continued to flow down her cheeks as she gazed at the orb.
“Don’t take Laurencia away from me. Let me live, even for a little while, as her mother.”
Wiping her tears, Musila gently caressed her belly.
“The short time I spent with Kain was the happiest moment of my long, long life. I can’t destroy the child born of our love. If the future you showed me is true, then our child…”
—Bang! Bang! Bang!
Someone was pounding on the door.
“Thank you, Amethyst orb, for showing me the future.”
With a crash, the door burst open. Through the shattered doorway, Laurencia saw a group of people dressed in white uniforms.
“That uniform…”
They were the same uniforms worn by those who had tortured her at age 29 — the priests of the Temple of Ella.
She could never forget. The merciless torture, the witch trial, the starvation in a lightless cell. Even now, the memories sometimes returned as vividly as if it had happened that day.
She also remembered when the Great Saint of Ella became Empress of Luance and was praised by the people.
“The witch Musila, is it? Duke Graycan.”
Among them stepped a man with blond hair and red eyes — Duke Daniel Graycan. He ordered the priests to leave, saying he would take Musila himself.
When they were gone, Daniel smirked.
“Falsely claiming to be the child of the Goddess Ella — that’s a grave sin. You’ve ripened beautifully, like a fruit from the flamevine tree. That violet crystal you’re holding — it belongs to your unborn child, doesn’t it? A delicious-looking amethyst indeed, Musila.”
Daniel opened his mouth, revealing blackness within, and ran a dark tongue across his red lips.
“Congratulations on your pregnancy. Ever since the disappearance of the violet-eyed monster, I’ve been waiting so long for another to appear.”
His voice was cold and devoid of emotion.
“Where is Kain?”
“If you wish to see him — no, to put it precisely, if you wish to save him — you’d better do as I say, Musila.”
[Let’s bring the serpent of House Spencer quickly.]
[Musila, we’ll look for Kain.]
The fairies’ voices spoke, but Musila shook her head.
“If you obey me, I won’t kill Kain. I’ll even let you meet him.”
He extended his hand toward her. Musila slapped it away.
“I fed Sir Kain the venom of the White Serpent.”
Musila bit her trembling lips until they bled.
“Don’t worry — he’ll live, as long as he drinks the antidote mixed with the same venom.”
Daniel grinned and held his hand out again.
“You want to save the man you love, don’t you? Then hand over that amethyst orb — and your own sapphire orb — and come with me.”
Musila had already seen countless futures through the amethyst orb.
In the first, she fled to protect her child, sacrificing Kain’s life. But no matter where she went, Daniel always found her.
The Spencer family protected her each time — yet the young Taishar died.
In no future did Taishar ever survive.
So Musila rejected the help of both the Spencers and the Queen of the Flloyd Empire. But Daniel hunted down everyone who sheltered her — torturing and killing them through witch trials in the Temple of Ella.
Her loved ones died simply for helping her. Even when she used her power to save them, she was hated for it.
So Musila begged the amethyst orb to show her a future where she could save everyone — even Laurencia’s.
[It is also the future the Goddess Ella desires.]
whispered the orb.
[But if you refuse, I can turn everything back. The amethyst orb can reverse time. Yet everything you hold dear now — will vanish. What’s lost cannot be regained.]
Could she erase Kain’s love? Could she erase the child in her womb?
Musila couldn’t choose. She wept in despair.
[Then give up your love. I’ll make it as if nothing ever happened.]
“Could I live forever — yearning for a child who was never born?”
[In exchange, the man you love will live.]
Musila shook her head violently. She had received the most precious gift from Kain — their child. She was certain Kain wouldn’t want her to give that up.
“No matter what happens, I promised to protect Kain and this child. Besides… I’ve already seen the child’s future.”
If the amethyst orb tried to forcibly turn back time, she would choose to disappear — along with the unborn child.
[I understand your heart, Musila.]
“Please… take care of my child, Amethyst orb.”
[Sometimes, sacrifice calls forth hope.]
Light began to pour from the amethyst orb, wrapping around Musila’s body. Daniel growled in fury and covered his eyes against the brightness. When it finally dimmed, he looked at Musila — and his expression twisted.
“Musila! Don’t tell me you’re going to destroy your child’s orb!”
Musila gathered her power, the amethyst in her hands trembling as if it would shatter.
“I will. Because that’s what the orb itself desires.”
“Without a crystal, the child of the Goddess Ella will die! Do you want your child dead?”
Musila sneered.
“Don’t worry. The child of the Goddess — yes, the ones you call witches — can bloom through love, even without a crystal.”
“Bloom through love without a crystal…? Useful information.”
“My child and Kain will never fall into the kind of love you desire.”
Cracks splintered across the amethyst orb in her hand. A sharp shatter! rang out, and the crystal broke into glittering fragments that scattered to the floor.
“What a waste. If I had eaten that amethyst…”
“Your hunger would have eased.”
“So you knew.”
Musila raised her right hand and summoned a sapphire-colored orb.
“Take my crystal — but spare my child and Kain.”
