Everyone was visibly stunned by the verdict- everyone except Seth, who seemed completely clueless about what the Thornspire Subjugation Force even was."Wh-what is that?" Seth asked, tilting his head in confusion."Ha! The boy doesn't even know what that is!" Sebastian shouted, still restrained by Vince. "Killing him outright would be a much quicker way to get it over with!" he added furiously.
"A lot of you may disagree with this verdict, but it comes directly from the head family," the female elder declared matter-of-factly, instantly silencing all signs of outward protest."As outlined in the verdict, Seth will join the Thornspire Subjugation Force- also known as 'Black Rose' one month from today and will serve there for a full year. Until then, a guard will be assigned to keep close watch over him in case he attempts to escape," she continued.
"I'll do it," Vince suddenly spoke up. "I'll watch the boy until it's time," he declared."Pardon me for asking- we all know how capable you are, Sir Vince," one of the elders said, his gaze shifting briefly to Sebastian, still restrained, before continuing, "but don't you have more pressing matters that require your attention?""It's only a month. It'll be fine," Vince replied calmly."Haa…" the female elder sighed. "Very well. With that, this trial is adjourned."
****
Not long after, Seth, Emily, and Vince made their way through the dimly lit streets of the outer district, the pale moon casting a silver glow over their path. The air was cool and still, heavy with the weight of all that had transpired. The trial had dragged on for most of the day, leaving behind a thick silence that clung to them like fog. Now, under the quiet of night, the exhaustion- both physical and emotional had begun to settle in.Their modest cottage came into view, a small, familiar comfort amid the uncertainty ahead."I'll be back soon," Vince said softly, his voice steady but unreadable. And just like that, he vanished into the night with a faint gust of wind, leaving only a whisper in his wake.
As they reached the cottage, Seth paused, his eyes lingering on the familiar structure- weathered, quiet, and dimly lit under the moon's gentle glow. Mira stood silently behind him, giving him space.
"I… I want to see her before I go in," Seth said, his voice low and heavy with sorrow.
Mira nodded without a word and gently led him away from the cottage, guiding him across a narrow path that opened into a quiet grass field nearby. In the middle of the field, a bare patch of earth lay where no grass dared to grow. It was simple, humble. At its center rested a large stone, roughly shaped but lovingly placed. Around it, a few wildflowers had been carefully arranged- handpicked by Mira herself.
This was where Emily Hawke rested.
Seth stood still, his gaze locked on the grave. The wind stirred softly, brushing against his skin and tugging at his dark hair. The grass around them swayed with the breeze, as if the earth itself mourned in silence.
"I stayed alive, Emily…" he murmured, his fingers brushing the bracelet on his wrist, the last piece of her he had left. "Though I don't know for how long. Seems I've stumbled into something… something I can't even begin to understand." A bitter chuckle escaped him, filled with pain more than humor.
"You'd probably say I'll be fine, right?" he asked quietly. But the only answer was the whisper of the wind, passing through the field like a ghost.
The silence settled again, deep and still. Mira stepped forward and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"Don't worry," she said firmly, her voice steady with quiet determination. "We're going to find a way out of this."
Turning to face Mira, his purple eyes locked onto hers before he spoke.
"Never mind that- what is Black Rose?" Seth asked.
Mira hesitated for a moment.
"Shouldn't we head back inside?" she suggested.
"No. I want to stay here," he replied firmly.
Seeing that Seth wouldn't change his mind, Mira let out a sigh before answering.
"Black Rose is the subjugation force of Clan Blackthorn, stationed in Thornspire. As you know, the vast expanse of Thornspire Forest is teeming with dangerous revenants.
Aside from being a vassal clan responsible for guarding the kingdom's borders, they're also tasked with suppressing the threats within Thornspire. Black Rose is an elite unit assigned to explore the forest and eliminate the monsters lurking inside.
Given the nature of their mission, casualties are inevitable. It's not the kind of place where someone especially a boy with no formal combat experience- can expect to survive," she explained.
Hearing this, Seth paused, lost in thought. If what Mira had said was true, then it made sense- why everyone had looked so stunned when the verdict was announced.
He took a deep breath, closing his eyes before speaking.
"Black Rose…" he murmured. "So Sebastian was right. Wouldn't it have been quicker to just execute me?"
His voice was quiet, but edged with bitter resolve.
"Why would the head family go so far to interfere in the fate of a discarded bastard from the outer settlement?" he added, more to himself than to Mira.
Then, glancing back at Emily's grave, Seth spoke again.
"Before her grave…" he paused, lifting his wrist to show the bracelet he wore, its surface glinting faintly in the light. "Before the last thing my mother left behind… tell me, Mira. Who is my father?"
His expression was grave, eyes unwavering.
The question caught Mira off guard. She hesitated, clearly unprepared to answer.
"He's someone from the head family… isn't he?" Seth pressed.
Mira remained silent- but just before he could demand more, she finally spoke.
"Yes," she said quietly, confirming what Seth had begun to suspect.
"Who is he?" he asked, his voice low but firm.
She drew in a shaky breath. "He… he is the patriarch's only son. The one who went missing. Damien von Blackthorn."
The name landed heavily between them, a truth that had long eluded Seth finally laid bare. He fell silent, the weight of it settling on his shoulders.
Mira, watching him carefully, tried to speak. "But he did—"
"No," Seth cut her off.
"I don't want to hear the reasons. Or the excuses. He abandoned me- that's all that matters. And maybe it's wrong, but part of me is even glad he's missing. At least now… he has a reason for all of this. For everything that's happened," he said, his voice thick with restrained emotion.
As the two stood before Emily's grave, beneath the star-strewn sky and the whisper of the wind, a shadowed figure crept silently toward them malice radiating from every step. Unaware of the danger closing in, Seth and Mira remained lost in their thoughts.