Aria

“He visited you again?” Emperor Leopold asks with a frown while sitting across the table from me on a comfortable sofa in one of the many lounges within the castle before muttering, “And he warned you to leave within five years… for the sake of his sister?”

I nod my head despite him not looking at me right now, his gaze locked onto the floor as he rubs his chin.

“Do you have any idea who his sister might be?” I ask, feeling more than a little curious about this little development. Since if anyone were to know about the true identity of the leader of the Council of Darkness, it’d be one of the others amongst the Nine Grands.

My question snaps him out of his head as he raises his gaze towards me with his lips pursed. Then he lets out a sigh and answers, “It’s highly unlikely the man will care if it’s you I tell, but be aware that he has cast a spell that will silence anyone from hearing his real name spoken out loud if he doesn’t wish them to hear it. No matter where they are in the universe.”

Oh. That’s a strong spell.

Then again, from what Leopold told me before, the leader of the Council of Darkness had a hand in creating the curse that was placed on the Crimson Empire’s royal family. So it makes sense that he’d be able to cast spells this powerful.

I didn’t realize he was a mage though. Or that his public name wasn’t his real one.

Wait a second…

“Why would he not care if you told me?” I ask with a frown while crossing my arms.

The emperor’s lips purse more, only for him to blink when something buzzes in his pocket. Then he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a phone before smiling and muttering, “Finally…”

My own frown just grows deeper at his exclamation.

Is he getting distracted from our conversation? I hope he doesn’t try changing the subject.

He looks up at me and genuinely smiles as he answers, “The real name of the Council of Darkness’s leader is Arthur Crimson. He is the current Empress of the Crimson Empire’s younger brother.”

My jaw drops open.

“He’s who now?” I can’t stop myself from asking out loud, making the emperor cover his mouth to hide a chuckle. “Wait, but why would he curse his own sister?!”

This question ends up crashing the emperor’s mood, shattering his smile in an instant. But he still answers even as he lowers his head to look at the ground, “Because he was cursed by Pestilence and the Archmage of the Arcadian Society to hate those within the Crimson Empire’s Imperial family at the time of the curse.”

I frown.

Lots of curses being thrown around here.

“So you’re saying he’s not currently in his right mind when it comes to his family?” I ask, slowly piecing together the pieces of this puzzle. “But what about what you said before about him not minding my knowing?”

At this he pauses, only to scratch the stubble growing on his chin. As if he’s contemplating how to answer my question.

But deep down, I think I know.

All of the little clues that’ve been piling up over the years, even if I’ve avoided putting the pieces together due to not wanting to deal with this. With the implications that it leaves me with.

“Aria, I don’t know how I should say this, so I’ll just be blunt,” he says, briefly surprising me. “It’s always best to rip off the band-aid as my secretary keeps saying.”

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

Is he really… did he really just compare this to ripping off a band-aid?

My frown grows deeper, only for him to blurt out, “The reason he won’t mind you knowing is because you’re his niece, Aria Crimson.”

I stare at him for a few seconds before letting out a sigh.

Yeah, thought as much.

I look down at my hands in my lap before grabbing a lock of my stark white hair. Then looking at a nearby cabinet to see my glowing crimson eyes reflecting back at me.

It was pretty clear after all of the clues were found. All of the puzzle pieces.

I just never wanted to put them together due to not wanting it to be bothersome to me.

But the fact that I’m obviously at least partially of the crimson subspecies of human, ignoring the whole immortal aspect and the parts of my body changed by that, along with my brother’s ability, his repeated reenergizing of my family through my life, their power on Vortel, and the curse… how could I not figure it all out? Especially with the emperor here practically all but saying it by blurting out how much I look like his friend, the Empress of the Crimson Empire.

I let out a sigh while slumping back in my chair and raising my head towards the ceiling.

“So my family is still alive?” I half state, half ask without looking at the emperor.

“Their originals are perfectly healthy,” he answers, making me let out a slightly helpless chuckle. One that I’m not sure what to make of.

Out of nowhere, Asher stops playing in the corner and rushes over to jump into my lap where he begins to rub his head against my stomach. Clearly trying his best to comfort me.

I look down at him with a smile before petting the little guy and muttering, “Thank you.” Then I raise my head to look at the emperor as I state, “Just tell me if my theory is correct.” I lean onto the arm rest, placing my face in my hands as I apathetically continue, “My brother created a clone for each of my parents and himself and sent the clones to Vortel with my infant self in tow. The world didn’t register them as invaders since they were merely clones and I was too young to be in the System, so it didn’t activate the System. My parents and Adrian then acted as if they were the originals for my entire life until the clones died when I was nine years old.” The emperor’s eyes go as wide as saucers at that, clearly not having known when they died, but I don’t stop. Not even as some tears begin to leak out of my eyes as a few memories from my childhood, just playing with Adrian, Mom, and Dad flash through my mind. “And the originals probably didn’t even realize their clones had died. Leaving me all on my own forced into the military to fight endlessly for the next decade of my life when I was only nine years old.”

Now the emperor looks like he might start crying.

But I keep staring at him apathetically despite the tears leaking from my eyes. Not showing any emotion other than the tears.

It takes him several seconds, but he nods his head and mutters, “That’s… correct…”

I roll my eyes up a little to stare at the ceiling above us. Not saying a single word as I do so.

Right. So my life has been a mistake up till now. One caused by half a dozen problems that had nothing to do with me in particular.

“Your parents will be coming to meet you after the first century ends in five years,” Leopold states, bringing my attention back to him again. “They’ve… been struggling to figure out how to introduce themselves to you.”

I almost snort at that.

Would be surprised if they weren’t.

I’m left thinking they’re dead for nearly an entire century, only for them to pop up one day saying they’re the rulers of one of the most powerful nations in the universe.

Yeah, can’t see that going well for anyone.

But, if I’m being honest with myself… do I really care at this point?

It’s been nearly a century since they died. Or their clones did, I guess.

I’ve made friends, even people I might consider like family since then. Made enemies. Gone through the entire grieving process. Almost gave into apathy more than a few times. And have just lived since.

I lower my gaze towards Leopold again, still with my cheek held in the palm of my hand.

Besides…

“Are the originals even the same people as the clones I was raised by anymore?” I ask the most important question I have to ask right now.

The emperor in front of me flinches at that.

Flinches.

That’s all the answer I need, but he answers my question verbally anyways, “There is a high likelihood that clones who have separated themselves from the original for years on end will develop differently from the originals. Especially under different environments.”

“So the originals aren’t even the parents and brother that I know from my memories,” I state rather bluntly.

He flinches again before nodding.

After tapping my finger on the armrest of the sofa several times, I eventually lift my head from my palm, pick up Asher, place him on my shoulder, and stand up. Then I begin walking away while saying, “I’ll have more questions later. For now I just want to bury my head in a book.”

Right before I leave the room, though, I pause and throw back at him, “I’ll meet with them when the curse ends, but don’t expect me to suddenly accept them as my family as if no time had passed, and as if they were the ones who raised me.”

Then I close the door and walk down the hall of the castle.

I’ll decide what I do after I meet with them in five years.

But now?

Now I’m going to read that book.