"So, what brings you back here again?" Evelina asked as she poured some milk into the cup on the table and slid it forward.
"Vesper." She said to the person sitting in front of her. She felt happy but was also angry at seeing him. A mixed feeling.
Vesper didn't make any eye contact with her yet and replied back. "I just wanted to see how you were doing."
"Is that all you wanted to say?" She asked.
"..."
Evelina noticed the look on his face, as she called him out on something he didn't expected. "You were watching, weren't you?"
Vesper flinched slightly at that. "How did you knew?"
"You wouldn't have came just to see me if that wasn't the case. You surely must have seen the trial."
"I see. That does make sense." He replied back quiet. Evelina stared at him.
"If you came to apologise. You don't need to feel guilt for what you had said to me back then." That immediately surprised Vesper as he looked at her in surprise, his eyes widening and fists clenching hard. Evelina continued.
"I think, the one who should really apologise is me... I should had understood that I would had to hear those words eventually if I continued trying to force you to adapt to the conditions in the past. I am at fault her-"
Shut up!" Vesper snapped before she could finish as she stared at him in shock. But she was more surprised by slight tears forming in his eyes.
"Why should you apologise. I was the one who hurted you by saying I hate you. I should be apologizing, not you."
Vesper took a breath and continued. "When your turn was over, I saw the look on your face. You were hurt... It was the same look from back then when I had left. So I knew which memory it was that you must have remembered there."
Slowly, his gaze turned down once again. He clenched his fists against his knees. "I came to apologise for what I had said... I did regretted saying that."
Evelina stared at Vesper, trying to find any sort of reaction on his face other than guilt. She slowly got up from her and approached him. She raised her hand, placing it on his head. The action momentarily surprised him. He didn't expected that.
"It's alright." She said, as Vesper looked at her in surprise. He was confused.
"Huh?"
"It's true, those words hurted me a lot on that day, they still do. But... I am happy to hear that you don't hate me anymore." She gave a small smile to her brother, who about to tear up burried his face into her shoulders, muttering apologies to her.
"So... You are saying, the said future is the current one, and will happen right after the third trial?" Theresa asked, as Serelia took off her headwear.
"That's correct."
Theresa's thought wondered for a moment before asking another question. "Is it because of the corruption in the kingdom?"
Serelia shaked her head in denial. Theresa sighed slightly in relaxation but it didn't lasted long when Serelia revealed the reason.
"It's through an invasion by the higher beings. The Angels." All three vampires went quiet upon hearing that.
Of course, it has to be them. Aurelia thought upon hearing that.
"Anything else you saw?" Theresa asked. Serelia continued.
"Humans were also involved, but assisting us. I saw one of them trying to fight the angels."
Lucius was surprised upon hearing that. "But they are even weaker than us, how could they even manage to fight beings above us?"
"I agree with your guard, Serelia. Humans are far too weak to even handle an Angel's aura." Theresa added.
"I can understand your confusion, but believe me. The human I saw in that future can undoubtedly accomplish such feat." Serelia replied as both of the vampire were left in surprise. Aurelia however, wondered something before asking a question, a hand on her chin.
"Serry, while we were watching I heard about a human from your friends who could get on your nerves." Her gaze turned slightly towards her.
"Is that the same human?"
"Yes." Serelia replied.
"Then I won't doubt your words, if someone, much less a human can be a trouble for you. They are strong for sure."
What a suprise, to think the 'Bloody Dragon' can struggle against a human. Even if she isn't nearly as strong as she used to be, it's still impressive. Theresa said in her mind, as she continued the conversation.
"Then I suppose we should stay alert. Because there is no chance to change the direction from such future." She was about to get up.
"Your majesty, may I ask a question?" Lucius asked a question, as she sat down again.
"Speak."
"The Gate was made by your power, so you should also be able to see the future right? Then why can't you see what leads to that future to prevent it."
Lucius's question left the room in silence. Aurelia was also surprised at the realization and turned towards Theresa expectantly. But Serelia wasn't expecting anything as Theresa gave her answer.
"I can't do that."
"Huh!?" Both vampires were surprised at the answer. Lucius questioned her again.
"But why? If you can see a future, you should be able to see it's path as well. Shouldn't you?"
"Divination of the future isn't as simple as you believe it." She replied, her gaze falling on Serelia who wasn't surprised in the slightest. "And it seems only one of you is aware about it."
Aurelia immediately questioned Serelia about it. "Serry, what does her Majesty mean?"
Serelia continued to stare at Theresa's serious look before answering. The ability to see into a specific time period itself required immense mental strength as the ability causes the brain to come in contact with the immeasurable information carried by the time axis. To think about seeing not just one but several different periods of time was ridiculous. The brain would die just from trying to do that, let alone actually do that.
"Correct, and I suppose you know that because of what happened in the past, don't you?" Theresa asked, as Serelia avoided her gaze.
Theresa sighed. "I don't expect you to forgive me for what happened to Lerofey, but for how long will you shut yourself like this because of that?"
Serelia didn't answered, so Theresa decided to change the topic. "I am sure, you aren't going to just leave like this after informing me about this."
"Do you want me to do something for you regarding this?"
"Yes." Serelia answered, as Theresa waited for her request.
"I want you to change the trial's result for my turn, change it to this that I failed."
"Eh?..." Theresa blinked hard in surprise for a moment. All three vampires were baffled by her request.
"Huh!?" They yelled simultaneously, their eyes wide in shock, staring at Serelia as if she said the most unthinkable thing imaginable. Which it was indeed.
"Why would you... Even want that?" Theresa asked, still baffled from the request.
Serelia sighed. She understood why they were reacting like this. She always passed the first trial, but this time she wants Theresa to fail her on purpose. So she started to explain her reasoning.
"Hear me out first!" She silenced them by slamming her first on the table, despite the fact she held back, the table still formed cracks. But she didn't minded it and continued.
"I would most likely fail the second trial again like always. The invasion will occur right after the third trial to prevent all candidates from healing in time. So it's better for me switch out from this right now to make preparations in advance."
"But Serry, what about the reason you always tried to win?" Aurelia mentioned, Serelia stayed quiet but clenched her fists.
"There is no point to continue if no one survives." Serelia got up, her hands on the table before turning around to leave. "I will be preparing myself for the invasion until then. So do accept my request."
She opened the door and closed it behind as Lucius followed her out as well, leaving only Aurelia and Theresa in the room.
A heavy sigh escaped from Aurelia as she turned around towards Theresa. "Are you really fine with this?" She asked. Theresa didn't replied back. So Aurelia called her out differently.
"Grandmother, is it really okay to have someone like Serelia to take your place?"
Theresa stayed quiet for a while before replying. "Well, as long as she still keeps herself shut in the past. She would never be able to replace me."
"I see. It does make sense." Aurelia took out a pendant from her pocket, inside was the photo of a woman who looked similar to Theresa and Aurelia.
"After all, mother's death affected her the most out of any of us."
Theresa could see the small look of sadness on Aurelia's face, but she didn't said anything. "Even if I may have succeeded in becoming the ruler. I did failed as family."
Aurelia immediately tried to object. "That's not tr-"
"If I had thought about the consequences, I would have never sent my daughter to examine the old ruins where Raphael was located..."
She faced Aurelia with a bitter smile. "I lost my daughter that day, Draven lost his wife and you four lost your mother. It's only fair that my own granddaughter will always hate me for that."
Aurelia processed the words, before asking a personal question to Theresa.
"Grandmother. May I ask you something personal?"
"I suppose, I shall allow it."
"Do you wish for Serry to call you grandmother again?"
Theresa was taken aback by the question, almost losing her composure. The question was indeed personal, but she decided to answer still.
"... Yes."
Aurelia was satisfied with the answer.
...
Crack!
A white line formed in a darkness that had no borders. A being with angelic wings hovered inside of it, their arm extended in front as a bright light formed in their hand. In a burst, it shot forward against the darkness.
Crack!
Another line formed. Countless had formed in the darkness now. The being raised their arms above their head to stretch their body.
"It sure did took me a while!~" A feminine voice, as the person yawned slightly. They slowly opened their right eye after that. The golden spark stared at the countless lines.
An Angel. That's who she was, an Angel from the realm of Angels, the opposite of the demons. She stretched her wings out, as countless orbs of light summoned around her. All of them bursted with the same energy as the one she used before.
Crack!
Countless cracks formed further when they were shot. The entire darkness was covered in those white lines now.
"Good, now it's ready for invasion. If I break it right now, Theresa will recover it before we can invade."
She summoned a portal behind her and went inside it. Going from the darkness to a grassy field filled with the green and flowers. She took off from the ground into the air with her wings, heading towards the large city in front.
Nice to meet you all, you are already familiar with this now that I am an angel. Allow me to introduce myself.
I am Archangel Raphael. The Angel of Love, for whom all are equal. But for short, please just call me Raphy!
You may be wondering what was the place that I just left right now. It's a higher dimensional space that acts as a dimensional gap between our realm and the realm beneath.
Long ago, the ruler of the vampires, Theresa had created that barrier to prevent us from coming to their world. I sent a manifestation of mine through that gap to negotiate with them but they didn't accepted and even showed blasphemy towards us.
Isn't that wrong? Angels like myself only wish to love all equally and yet this is how we get repaid? Vampires and us Angels had a peace treaty for a long time. But the one to break it first were the vampires, they had killed one of our kind. But as Angels, we didn't opposed.
But then they accused us of killing their own kin. Once again, we didn't do anything. That was when Theresa created the barrier. After that, I went to negotiate with them. To not cause any problems, I told them to come to the old ruins of their world instead of approaching them.
They had sent one female vampire for it. In fact, the two of us even agreed to recontinue the treaty and I left after that. But for some reason, that only triggered a deeper conflict.
So the other archangels decided that if the vampires will be such hypocrites then they shouldn't deserve their help. Recently, they killed some of us once again. That's why, we plan to end them all now.
As the Angel of Love, I don't like this but I have to follow the orders.
Soon, Raphael reached a tall pillar higher than the clouds. She landed on the floor above there, then walked inside.
"Michael! The wall is at it's breaking point now. We are ready for the invasion!" Raphael called out, but she got no reply.
"Michael? Hello!" She shouted again but once again, no response. Suddenly, she heard a voice.
"Michael is out, Raphy." Raphael looked above, a bright smile came on her face. It was Gabriel, the Angel of Patience.
"Gabriel!" She shouted before dashing above at the angel over her. But in a snap, Gabriel moved out of the way causing Raphael to crash in the wall.
"Ow." The angel whimpered as she looked at the other angel with a look of betrayal.
"Don't blame me, if I were to let you come in contact with myself during that. I could had my wings injured." Gabriel sighed, as he closed the book he was reading. He glanced at Raphael, he could see her aura clearly. The golden rays, normally invisible were seen flickering like flames by him.
"You are still not able to control your power. So I made the right decision to dodge."
Raphael didn't argued, she couldn't deny it. Among all angels, she was the only one who still did not had complete control over her own powers as an angel.
"Anyways, I heard what you said. Good job, at weakening that dimensional wall." He praised the angel for her work, a smile replaced the frown on her face.
"I also learnt to practice my abilities there!~ I can control the force of the beams now." She claimed proudly, one hand over her chest and the other on her waist.
"That's good. Just keep practicing like that. That's why Michael asked you to weaken it, so you can train yourself." Gabriel mentioned, as he flew over back to the bookshelves above.
Raphael thought of leaving as well, finding it better to not disturb him but just as she was about to leave. A question left her mind out loud while her back was facing him.
"Gabriel."
"Yes?"
"Do you think there is a vampire who feels the same way as I do about all this?"
Gabriel's movement stopped just inches before he could pull out a different book from the shelves. He didn't spoke, but his silence answered her instead.
"I see..." She muttered, before leaving. Gabriel sighed after a while.
She still believes it's her fault... Raphael, when will you understand. That for some, no matter how much love you show them. They will never change.
He glanced at the angel who had already left. She was the only angel who could emanate manifestations of herself past the wall. So she always believed that the conflict increased because she tried to negotiate.
...
Boom!
The ground shook violently, as all the birds flew out from the forest, the source of the tremor. Smoke could be seen above the trees. Inside, two people were fighting.
Boom!
Another tremor erupted, as the ground bursted.
"Young Lady Serenis, we have been practicing for several hours now." Lucius pointed out, sweating in exhaustion. The edge of his blade already scrapped from Serelia's attacks.
"If... If you want a break, take it. I need to practice more." The woman replied, also breathing slightly heavier than usual. She was exhausted as well, but she couldn't afford a break.
"Thank you." Lucius replied, before falling onto his back in exhaustion. "Are you able to control your Blood Art now?"
Serelia raised her left hand, a massive sound erupted all of a sudden which ruptured the ground further. She felt a tiny ache in her ear but ignored it, wincing slightly.
"I can control the side effects a lot better now. It still hurts a bit but not nearly as bad as before." She replied, before putting her hand down.
"It's definitely not possible for someone to train a Blood Art like that to such extent in such short time... Did you lied about not finding time to train it?" Lucius asked, finding it odd for Serelia to control her Blood Art so quick.
"I didn't, I just needed to get stronger further to do so."
"Pardon?"
"The main problem wasn't the output of the Blood Art but it's internal effects. When I first awakened it, I wasn't strong enough to endure the hypersonic waves. I have grown strong enough now to endure it."
"So that was the reason you were able to learn to control it so quickly now huh?"
"Correct. It will be useful, since the angels won't be able to come here without a seal restraining their existence. So my Blood Art will be extremely useful against them."
She extended her arm towards Lucius to help him stand up, who accepted the help without resistance.
"But what about Archangel Raphael?" Lucius's question froze Serelia. Her aura started leaking as Lucius felt her grip unconsciously become tighter.
"Oh, I will be make sure that woman knows her place for killing mother."
She said that while laughing quietly like a madwoman, Lucius thought she had been possessed.