---
Laraine stirred on the bed, beads of sweat forming on her forehead. Her brows furrowed, lashes fluttering as her body twitched beneath the coarse sheets.
"Hey," Elise said gently, kneeling beside her. When there was no response, she gripped Laraine's shoulders and gave a soft shake.
"Raine! Wake up!"
Laraine's brown eyes snapped open with a gasp, as if she'd been dragged from deep water. Her lungs fought for air. She shivered, goosebumps rising on her tanned skin, fingers clenching the edge of the mattress.
{Welcome back to life, user~}
Vi's voice purred in her mind.
"Are you alright?" Elise asked, worry tightening her voice. Her emerald eyes searched Laraine's face.
"I'm fine," Laraine rasped, brushing off Elise's hands with a cold shrug.
Elise didn't flinch. "You're a bad liar, Raine."
Laraine said nothing. Silence stretched between them like a taut string.
Elise rose slowly, sighing as she adjusted her cloak's belt. "I've got unfinished trade with the villagers. You'll be safe here—for now. Just... don't do anything reckless."
At the doorway, she paused. "If you need anything—say it."
The door clicked softly behind her.
Alone now, Laraine sat up, fingers digging into the sheets. Her heart pounded. Something felt off—like a storm was circling just beneath her skin.
{Oh, Laraine~}
Vi's voice purred with delight.
'What now?'
{We're 100% synced, darling~}
Laraine blinked. Her mouth went dry. 'So?'
{Gasp! How dare you downplay such a milestone?}
{Do you know how rare it is for a Forsaken Core to achieve full sync this early—especially when rebooting your dying heart? You should be throwing me a party.}
'I'll send you a fruit basket.'
{Tsk. You're impossible. Anyway, don't panic, but you might experience some pain. Just a little backlash from the relic syncing with your body. Nothing dramatic. Totally bearable.}
'Pain? What kind of pa—'
Her words died as white-hot agony slammed into her skull.
"ARGHHHHHHHHHH!"
She screamed, toppling off the bed and collapsing to her knees. Her hands flew to her head, fingers clawing at her scalp. The world blurred. A high-pitched ringing drowned out everything.
"Vi! MAKE IT STOP!"
{Awwwn, I wish I could~}
Vi's tone was maddeningly sweet.
Her head throbbed like knives were carving sigils into her skull. Her jaw ached from grinding her teeth. Sweat rained down her face as she tried to crawl, only for her limbs to buckle. Her next scream tore from her throat, raw and cracked.
The room spun.
Visions slammed into her like a broken dam:
—a woman sobbing over a bloodied child,
—flames devouring a silver crown,
—a forest soaked in blood,
—chains rattling in a dark crypt.
And a cold, familiar voice whispered through the smoke:
"The royal blood must burn..."
Then—
Darkness.
---
She awoke to silence.
The floor was cool beneath her, her body slick with sweat. Her hair clung in damp tangles, her throat burned, and her hands still trembled.
{You survived! I'm so proud.}
Vi's voice was far too chipper.
Laraine groaned. "What the hell was that?"
{That, my vengeance-hungry princess, was your core syncing with the relic. And thanks to that delightful trauma storm, your power just received a massive upgrade. Shall we take a look?}
A flickering gold panel shimmered before her, casting soft light across the wooden floor.
---
[SYNC COMPLETE: BLOODFLAME CORE STABILIZED]
Level Up!
User: Laraine D'Ivory
Previous Level: 2
New Level: 4
---
Laraine blinked. "Wait. Four?"
{Yup~ Skipped Level 3 entirely. Lucky you.}
"But I wasn't supposed to—"
{You weren't.}
{But the relic's resonance supercharged your Bloodflame Core. Don't look so shocked—you are the rightful heir to an ancient vengeance, after all.}
'And what's up with "D'Ivory?"'
{Level up to unlock, darling~}
'Ugh. You're annoying.'
{Oh trust me, I know~}
Laraine sat up, the dizziness fading. The system panel expanded:
---
• Name: Laraine Ashton
• True Name: Laraine D'Ivory
• Title: The Forsaken Heir
• Race: Human? (Relic-Afflicted)
• Class: Bloodflame Adept
• Alignment: Obscured
• Relic Bond: Mourning Tree's Heart
---
[USER STATUS — UPDATED]
Level 4
• STR: 5 → 22
• AGI: 5 → 19
• END: 3 → 17
• MANA: 5 → 17
• INT: 16 → 18
• LUCK: 0 → 3 (Hmm... The universe is smiling upon you for some reason...)
---
New Traits Unlocked:
• Echo of Betrayal: +20% damage against targets who've betrayed the user.
• Flamebound Memory: Emotional trauma may trigger passive ability boosts.
• Silent Vow (Passive): Questline cannot be derailed. All system branches now reinforce primary mission: Vengeance.
Laraine stared at the display, heart pounding. These weren't just upgrades.
They were declarations.
Vi snickered.
{Told you I like drama. You're practically my favorite character~}
Laraine rubbed her temples. "So... what now?"
{Now? We rest. And then—we plan.}
{You're no longer just a girl seeking revenge. You're a living anomaly synced to a talking relic that hates your bloodline as much as you do. And soon, the world will see what happens when a princess refuses to stay dead.}
Laraine looked down at her shaking hands. For the first time since the night she died... she felt it:
Power.
And beneath that—
A whisper of something darker.
Purpose.
She stood, gaze fixed on the door Elise had left through.
"Time to get serious about revenge then," she muttered with a smirk.
{Finally!}
---