50th chapter : Alter.
After settling everything, Emilis and Alba told the red mermaid members to take a week as a rest until things calm down. Since they also had new guests, most of the situation has become weird for Vanica who had shut herself in for a day before she would even start moving out again.
Sunday 18th June 19xx, early in the morning,
“you’re awake?”,
Marco said as he saw Vanica drinking some coffee with Minerva and Nora. As it was a little too early in the morning, with the clock pointing at 6am, the three of them were startled to see him taking a seat next to them without care.
“When did you wake up?” Vanica asked as she didn’t know what to say.
“Relax, I don’t hold grudges when I already had delivered punishment” Marco responded as he took a seat next to Nora, “Still this is my question for you, aren’t you getting a little over it by now? running away won’t solve the problems”.
Marco said, pouring coffee for himself. Nora and Minerva felt like the question was also addressed to them, as Emilis entered the dining room out of the blue.
“He got a point!! Vanica chan!!” Emilis spoke, naggingly smiling.
Marco noticed that he’s coming so he gave him a cup of coffee too. Emilis took a seat next to Marco as the five of them were eating breakfast, Vanica kept silent, she couldn’t really say a thing after what happened recently and what Carla told her that happened during the past ten years, she felt like she did wrong at some point.
“So?” Emilis asked, waiting for an answer.
Instead of waiting for the answer too, Marco sighed then threw his cup of coffee at Emilis who blocked it with a barrier while still smiling. The two were at each other’s throat by now.
“Master! What did we say about giving a little apology before starting any talk with her!!” Marco scowled Emilis before trying to give him a kick but Emilis dodged it.
Vanica looked at Marco as she thought it wasn’t really needed but looking at him doing that for the one person that was about to kill him made her speak, answering the question.
“I’m not really running but I’m processing my thoughts, the others are taking a rest and I couldn’t approach them properly. I know most of them won’t forgive me because of my work, so that’s why I was avoiding any contact”.
As Vanica was talking another person came, it was the half asleep Sophie looking for Marco.
“Good morning, Marco nii I…” Sophie said, rubbing her right eye a little, “Ah!! Carla nee’s mother is here too?! Can you cook some pancakes for me!!” Sophie asked with a brimming smile, looking like the sunshine she is, as she smelled the food on the table.
Minerva and Nora were surprised, Marco took Sophie then went to the kitchen saying that he’ll cook for her what she wants. Vanica was stunned to say a word on this scene she saw, eventually she spoke.
“Doesn’t she hate me!?! But why?! How?!”,
Vanica was trying to figure an answer on her own as Nora and Minerva essentially felt the same as her, seeing Sophie smile and act like that around them while they know clearly that the little girl didn’t forget what they’ve done to her.
“First, I guess I should apologize for what I did back then” Emilis spoke, taking her attention “Second, it was Marco’s doing. He erased her memories about what you did, since she’s still a child and he said that he doesn’t want her to experience hatred, he also said that Arthur refused to erase his memories about the situation saying that he’ll do something about forgiving you all on his own. He’s young but smart for his age, and lastly the others didn’t really think about it, as I guess Carla told you about what Marco did for them. So, they decided that if he forgives you, it means that everything is all good and things will go fine!”.
Emilis smiled by the end of his words as Vanica, Minerva and Nora were surprised to the point of staying speechless, not finding what to say about the current circumstances.
After saying what he had, Emilis went on his way, saying that he had some other work too, along with leaving Marco on his own, Vanica who didn’t thought much about it before, got determined on apologizing and opening a new page with Alice and the others.
She approached Marco who was cooking, asking for help from him while looking all red from blushing like a guilty person.
“You want me to help you prepare breakfast for them? Are you feeling bad again?” Marco responded to her request, tilting his head as a way of expressing his confusion.
“After looking at you I realized that you have a bad way of talking, anyway, I deeply apologize for what I did up until now!! and, I really!! Really !! Really need your help!! please?!”.
Vanica bowed to him a little while seeing that Sophie was on the table eating after approaching Minerva on her own too. Marco sighed then flicked her forehead telling her to stop bowing to him since it was rude for her age.
“I’ll help you but at some point you’re the one who’s gonna do the talk, and I have a request this time too” Marco said as he gave her the apron.
Vanica smiled at him, trying to pat his head but felt like some dagger was about to dig her stomach, and so she looked down to see a kitchen knife really tapping on her guts. Marco said after that,
“Don’t ever try to do that to me again”.
Marco felt like it was something wrong even though she tried to praise him and thank him for what he’s doing for her. Vanica found his reaction super weird but didn’t mind it then took her time preparing the breakfast for them.
After three hours,
“The smell is good. I bet Marco nii woke up to prepare breakfast for us!!” Arthur said, going down with the rest of them as they all washed up first.
Marco heard his words but didn’t really respond until they were all down. Alba woke up earlier too however he let Marco take care of everything and went somewhere else early in the morning.
“It’s not actually me, Vanica is the one who prepared breakfast for you” Marco looked at them surprised as they all saw Minerva and Sophie also helping in preparing the table.
Carla was overjoyed unlike the rest who didn't know what to say after seeing Carla’s face. Vanica on the other side, was also flustered therefore she gathered her strength and spoke,
“I’m sorry for all the trouble I had you kids going through!! I’m not really in a position to say that!! but I’m asking for your forgiveness!! I know I’m no longer a worthy woman of being related to any of you after what I did!! but!! I hope you guys forgive me!!”.
Vanica bowed to all of them as she was looking determined aside from being flustered with what she said. Alice and the rest of them didn’t know what to say after hearing her words, mostly captivated by the sudden change of things. Only Arthur was about to speak but Marco blew him to the other side with a kick, the others felt a dangerous mama-like aura roaming around him as he smiled at them.
“Any other words or complaints, I’ll gracefully listen to them”.
The smile made them shiver as they all kept silent, sitting at the table to eat peacefully, although fear was showing in their faces.
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After seeing their reactions, Vanica smiled a heart relieved smile and held her head up looking at Marco.
“Thank you!” she said.
“No need to thank me, just stay away from my ancestors legacy, and don’t approach it ever again” Marco answered her thanks while looking at them eating.
“Guh? I thought you’re one of the council’s experiments?” Vanica replied in confusion.
“I told you I’m the real deal, the curse thing you were searching about is within my bloodline, I and my two siblings are mostly the only survivors, I guess” Marco sighed after that.
Vanica noticed that Marco didn’t know a lot about what was going on as she looked like she clearly had more intel than what he thought she would have. However, looking at his current situation she thought it was good that she keeps some secrets for the meantime.
After eating breakfast, most of the red mermaid started to laze around not having anything to do since Emilis’ rest orders are still up to this moment.
“It has been a week by now but I don’t think I need to laze around!!” Carla shouted out of the blue.
Carla was the first one to complain therefore she kept calm after remembering that her serment is no longer in her possession and she doesn’t have any means to replace it. The others felt what Carla meant since she’s now unable to train or fight like the others, they all sighed.
“What about the shield?” Arthur asked with no knowledge about the serments looking at his current state that he can fight without them.
“The shield is Vanica san’s property and Carla chan was only using it as a sub owner” Alex responded.
“Sigh, when you say it like that it crushes my heart more” Carla responded.
“Then why not get a new serment!?” Arthur asked.
“It’s mostly impossible, once a holder gets a serment, he can’t claim another no matter what happens to the first serment” Nora responded as they all looked at him.
“I see, well is there any way to make Carla nee use witchcrafts like us, Marco nii?” Arthur asked again.
“What do you mean by witchcrafts? these things are only inside the serments right?” Vanica responded, asking.
“That doesn’t exactly apply to these three, Arthur can use lightning” Xavier responded, answering her question.
“Why do you think we let him go to the battlefield if he couldn’t do a thing”
Alice said after that as their answers made Vanica surprised a little bit.
While everyone was frowning about what was going on, Carla smiled at them as she said,
“It’s ok, guys!! I’m fully aware that I won’t participate in the festival with you! So I gotta just accept the fact that I’m gonna be good without a serment!”.
her words made them feel bad about the thing more,
“I guess you can get another serment,” Marco said out of the blue after keeping calm for a while.
Carla was trying to fight the reaction of having sparkles in her eyes while looking at Marco while the others were clearly wanting some quick answers to the questions they have about what he said.
“I guess it’s a hypothesis but it can be applied, since Carla was like a sub holder for the shield I guess her astral body isn’t registered fully and completely to the shield serment. So with the help of Selicia neechan and Cedric nii I guess I can make something else for Carla” Marco said, shortly explaining his idea.
“It’s a perfect one so let’s try it!!” Emilis replied, appearing out of nowhere shocking most of them.
“I’m not one hundred percent sure but it’s worth trying” Marco responded.
“It’s decided then!! let’s head to the dungeon now!!” Alice said as she patted Carla’s head.
Vanica felt like Marco was still fixing her faults as she couldn’t help herself but to try and hug him though she found herself in the middle of the ground, laying around because of that.
Getting the idea out of nowhere made them all get prepared to go to the dungeon, it took them an hour to finish everything and go there. Marco spoke to the three of them as he let the others do the introduction for Vanica and the other two.
“I see, you really think that would work?” Cedric asked as he felt like Marco’s idea was thrilling.
“I’m going to help if you let me suck some!!” Selicia said as she was about to bite Marco but Yuna blew her away.
“I’m not sure about it but to find a serment while you’re here is like you need a catalyst for it” Yuna responded as they were all listening.
“I know, the parts of the broken shield that I broke will do the work. Cedric nii’s portal witchcrafts will act as a medium to search around too, I’ll act as the navigator this time and Carla’s euro particles are already fully fledged, so the only thing that I need to do is to let the serment come around right?”.
Marco explained, taking a seat on the ground as they all took some steps to the back, waiting for the magic to happen.
“Wait?! Are you sure about this?” Carla felt like it was a wrong thing to do for her as she saw him calmly sitting down.
“I don’t think I need to really give it a thought, unlike me, you started your life in the world of the euro society just like the others. Even Arthur can be counted as one who started his life like that, so it’s kinda bothersome to see you stepping aside from something that represents your life up till now. So take a seat and let the serment come to you”.
Marco sighed after that as Yuna, Selicia and Cedric took a seat next to him, giving him their backs although their smiles were showing how proud they were.
On a different side, seeing how he responded, Carla looked around her as she saw everyone smile at her. She couldn’t hold back the tears and so she took a seat in front of him.
“I the one who seek” Marco said as Yuna, Selicia and Cedric followed after him “I the one who guides, I the one who destroys, I the one who rules, open the scripts and show me the path, as I command you thy my name Marco Deca, Yuna Deca, Cedric Deca, Selicia Deca”.
As the euro circles were getting formed, everyone was impressed about the complexity of the circles. This reaction was due to them studying some of its shapes with Cedric for the past week. it wasn’t only Carla who had something to look for,
“I’m not sure about the process but keep the thoughts pure and I’ll make everything for you” Cedric said as he looked at Carla fully spacing out.
That moment a sudden portal was opened to let a huge euro pressure out along with another serment, the pressure made tense vibes in the air alongside the lights that shined the entire area.
“What’s going on!!” Xavier roared as they thought something else got out.
“It’s done!!”.
Cedric responded as they all could see a sword pierced in the middle of the ground in front of Carla.
“A sword!!” Carla was surprised.
Marco and the other three stood as they felt like the process drained their stamina,
“It seems like that’s what your astral body was longing for, based on the last part of the shield, I can say that this sword is something else” Yuna patted Carla’s head.
“And it seems like she wasn’t the only one who got something from a different realm”.
Selicia said as she looked at Alice being startled too as her clipper that she’s hanging as necklace, shined too, letting a surge of euro particles. Everyone looked at Alice as she herself didn’t know what happened.
“It’s all good now, since Carla got a new serment it’s better to start the training again” Marco said as he was stretching his arms and legs.
“Wait, Stop!! isn't it right that I get some private training sessions with any of them for a week before you guys start training?!”.
Carla said as she stood sealing her serment, as at this time, it wasn’t a mask but rather it was a bracelet therefore Carla used it to tie her hair instead.
“That’s not how you’re supposed to use that,” Marco said as he didn’t respond to her question.
“As if you’re the one to talk!! you made your hair too long!! And! don’t ignore me!! I want a private session with Yuna san since I feel that she’s good with swords!!” Carla yelled at him.
“I was going to say that you’re welcome to train with me starting from now but you’re not like the others that needed a week to get used to their real serments” Yuna said as she was able to calm her down with these words, given that Carla took it as a compliment.
“I’ve kept silent the whole process but for now, I guess it’s time to truly enter the mood of training if you guys want to win the festivals!!” Emilis smiled at them.
The red mermaid members lined up as they all responded with the same enthusiastic war-cry.
“It’s settled up so let’s start training by getting those muscles to move again!! move it y’all!!” Yuna said as she made them start running first, they all had that enthusiasm for getting stronger.
Vanica was sitting there silently as Selicia took a seat next to her.
“You know, I’m not really in favor of letting you live” as Selicia said Vanica felt a chill down her spine, the deathly vibes that Selicia let out with these words weren’t even sensed by the others which showed how strong she was.
“I’m! ” Vanica tried to reply but Selicia interrupted her,
“I’m not the one to judge really, so my opinion doesn’t count. Marco said that you’re Carla chan’s mother and after what she did for Arthur and Sophie it feels wrong to just kill you” Selicia sighed after that,
Vanica wasn’t in a state of talking as she kept watching calmly, eventually feeling that no matter what she says Selicia was just way too superior in front of her. Truly in front of a queen of all realms.
“He also said that as much as Carla needs her mother, Sophie will also grow to need a mother on her side too, Arthur is also the same, it wasn’t something I really agreed on but at some point I was also a bad mother to my kids, this is your chance to get things that you couldn’t experience because of what happened, do your best” Selicia smiled at her as Vanica held her tears a little.
Because of the last sentence, Vanica had only one answer.
“I’ll do my best!!”.
“That’s the spirit , and so next time don’t think of searching for my family’s things. Marco said it, but any person who tries to look at it from now on won’t be forgiven, so have a good day!!”.
Selicia said what she had and went on her way. As for Vanica, hearing what Selicia said made her feel relieved aside from the feelings of frightening fear she felt at first, she confirmed that destiny has given her a new white page to start with.
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