Chapter 78

“Laontel, tell me anything that you want.”

“Break Ser’s seal.”

It was even hard for me to speak now. But I forced myself to say the words. Phillip’s face hardened.

“I can’t grant that wish.”

I wasn’t disappointed, I expected that from him.

“Then, please give me a rock.”

“Rock?”

“Yes. A very big rock.”

“Why?”

“I thought it would make me feel like I’m in the mountains because I can’t go there.”

“I told you, I’d heal you! We could go to the mountains together!”

He cried while hugging me.

I wanted to push him but I couldn’t even lift my arms.

Even if I got better, I didn’t want to come to the mountains with Phillip.

Phillip really saved me a rock, it’s size is very big.

That day, I put the necklace I received from Ser in my maid’s hand.

“Give this necklace and letter to Count Bellacian. Keep it a secret to the emperor.”

“What? But I…”

She became a maid for me because of Phillip, she must be reluctant to do my request.

“It’s my first and last request. Please help me.”

“Lady…”

I hand her a jewelry box containing the jewels Phillip had given me before.

“I’ll give you this too.”

“Really?”

“Yes, so you have to do my request well.”

“Yes, I understand!”

When I die, the power of light given to Ser will be inherited to one of the Bellacians.

I wanted to entrust this necklace to the heir of light since this necklace will connect them to Ser.

One day, they’ll be able to release Ser.

It would be nice to write everything down in a letter but there was a high probability that Phillip would intercept in the middle.

Even if it’s a secret, there’s a chance he will discover it. But I hope it will be on my father’s hand without anyone knowing.

Phillip will read the content of my letter.

So I only wrote a letter of gratitude and apologized to my family.

I also left a small letter about the necklace.

-I have never been a great aunt and give a proper gift to my nephew. Give this necklace to Athen. It would be my first and last gift. Cherish it.

With this vague content, he wouldn’t intercept it.

I was going to hand over this necklace to my nephew, Athen.

Athen is a smart boy. He’ll realize the meaning of this necklace.

“Ser, I’m sorry,”

While looking at the maid leaving with the necklace, I apologized to Ser.

I couldn’t save her after all.

The maid left and gave me the big rock.

I poured my last strength to the rock. The big rock was now broken into pieces and shaped like a stone plate.

I carved letters on it.

***

While sitting on a chair in the garden, Phillip suddenly came inside.

“Laontel. What are you doing out here? It’s cold. Let’s go in.”

“I’ve been waiting for you.”

“Me?”

Phillip’s voice trembled.

What does this man expect?

“Phillip, do you love me?”

“Yes, I love you! I only ever love you!”

“Then put this in front of the emperor’s palace.”

I pointed to the stone plates I created.

Phillip had only just realized the stone plates.

“This…”

-On September the 5th year, the 3rd prince, who was cursed by the goddess, died. Immediately after that, the curse was transferred to the 6th prince.

-On November the 5th year, the sentence engraved in the 6th prince’s body changed. The 6th prince died. Soon after the curse was transferred to the 7th prince.

When he saw the writing on the stone plate, he froze.

“You didn’t write anything about your son, so I made it myself.”

“Laontel, what is this?”

“Why? Is there something wrong? Everything is correct though.”

“What the hell are you thinking? What are you going to do?!”

“You say you love me. Just do me this favor once. It’s not even the full truth, I only said the curse sentence had changed.”

“You!”

Phillip was full of anger now.

“Scaredy cat.”

“What?”

“You’re scared even by this vague writing? Why did you do it if you’re going to be like this?”

“I didn’t do it because I wanted to! It’s because of Ser!”

He blamed others again.

I didn’t have the time to listen to his excuse.

“Phillip, break Ser’s seal.”

“No.”

“You have to do it for your own good. Ser’s going to do it again to your heirs. Your descendants will suffer.”

“I already covered it with another curse, also no one will be able to read Zelcan’s letter soon. No one will know what Serphania is talking about!”

“Your descendant will suffer, the curse won’t end until Ser seal is broken.”

“When Ser returns, the truth will be revealed. Everything I have built will fall apart. The Asteric Empire will be destroyed. It’s better to sacrifice her instead for greater good.”

“Nom you sacrifice her because of your selfishness.”

“…let’s go in first. It’s cold.”

Phillip covered me with his coat first before heading to the stone plate, he was thinking of breaking it first before we go inside.

But, it won’t break because I put my last power on it.

“No matter what you do, it won’t break.”

“You really are annoying.”

He gritted his teeth.

However, he was not that angry compared to before.

“Even if I can’t break it, I can hide it.”

He put his hands on the stone plate, as he poured his powers, the letters only lost their shape.

The sight gave me a big smile.

“I poured my powers to this, I can’t believe you fooled me like that.”

He used his powers to erase the letters, but he couldn’t.

“If anyone with the power of light sees it. They’ll understand it in minutes.”

“Serphania is sealed, now there’s only two of us who owns it.”

“You won’t know what’ll happen in the future.”

“If anyone approached this, I’ll kill them.”

He put a spell on the stone plate and threw it into the lake.

The stone plate soon disappeared in the lake.

I expected it, so I didn‘t feel any emotion.

I was just trying to find out what I could do with the last of my powers and irritate Phillip.

“It wouldn’t work.”

As soon as I opened my mouth, blood poured out of my mouth and my body staggered.

“Laontel!”

Phillip hurriedly hugged me who nearly fallen to the floor.

“Laontel, no! Hang in there! I’ll find a way to save you, so if you hang in there a little longer, I’ll…”

He cried and begged me like I did to Rakshul before.

“Phillip…”

“Laontel, speak. I’ll listen to you.”

I spat out my last words

“I hate you.”

***

Turns out, the stone plate under the lake was made by me.

I poured the last of my powers to that stone plate.

The moment I closed my eyes, I could still hear Phillip’s scream.

Phillip drove me to death, yet, he said he loved me.

Did he really loved me?

I don’t know.

But I can say one thing for sure.

He’s terrible and evil.

Every single memory of Laontel came to my mind.

From those memories I learned about so far, I know now what happened years ago.

When I died, the power went to Athen, my nephew.

Phillip really gave the necklace and letter to Count Bellacian.

But neither Athen nor the other heirs who received the powers successfully unsealed Ser.

Rather, the heirs gradually forget how to use the power of light and after a thousand years, the powers gradually weaken.

Over the years, the necklace was called ‘the tears of light’ and began to be rumoured as a tool to inform who the heir to the light is.

Phillip is a very thorough person.

He sent the necklace to Count Bellacian but didn’t doubt anything until the last minute.

After that, he kept an eye on the necklace and ordered his subordinate to hide it after he died.

Hence, the necklace was sealed in a secret warehouse under the western tower.

Phillip wanted to be known as a hero.

And as time went by, his wishes came true.

All those who know of the truth and those who doubt him are gone. Phillip’s heroic deed now become a fact to the people.

Meanwhile, Ser was still sealed in the valley of chaos.

She gathered her strength to escape on her own, but each time the door was closed back.

Phillip called the place where Ser is the door of darkness and only the power of light can close it.

He said if the door opens it will bring destruction to the world.

There was only one mistake he made.

Phillip used many of his powers to hide Ser’s message.

In the end, his descendant who inherited his power of light is none other than ‘the heir to the curse’.

So, Phillip created another method to close the door.