Chapter 255 Veronica Flameheart
?"Alright then, Mother, just wait for me. I will be there soon," Vaan spoke with a confident smile on his face.
[Well then, I will be waiting.] Astra nodded as well.
"Also, Mother." Before Astra could end the call, Vaan spoke.
[What is it?] Astra questioned.
"Do you know anything about the Flameheart Family?" Vaan questioned as he glanced at Elara. A strange glint shone in Elara's eyes as she recalled the valiant Mage facing her enemies before finally ending her own life. The sight of her sitting on her knees with her head low still has not left her mind.
[The Flameheart Family…?] Astra's expression changed.
"I only know that Elara comes from that Family. Other than that, I know nothing about my future in-laws. Why is that?" Vaan questioned. This wasn't just because of Veronica; he had this question in his mind for a long time now. He just didn't get the perfect chance to ask it. After all, he had never once seen Elara mention her family either. When asked, Elara simply shook her head, saying that she hadn't seen her family ever since she came to the Vesta Family. Heck, the girl didn't even remember her parents' faces, which Vaan found strange. After all, what sane parents would simply give their daughter away to someone? No matter how great of a person they are giving their daughter to is. And even if they do give their daughter away, how could they possibly not want to meet their own blood?
[Is Elara the one asking that?] Suddenly, Astra questioned. [Does she wish to meet her family? Boy, did you do anything to hurt my pupil?] Astra narrowed her eyes. Vaan could feel a jolt running through his body when he heard his mother's words. Despite her being thousands of kilometers away from him, her tone was still as scary as always.
"W-What are you talking about? How can I hurt your pu- my fiancée? I love her the most, and no, it is not Elara asking this question. It is me. I simply wish to know more about my in-laws."
[Why is that?]
"Why not?" Vaan frowned. Then suddenly, his frown deepened. "Mother, what are you hiding?"
[I am not hiding anything.] Astra replied. Then, after a moment of silence, she continued, [Is the girl next to you? Can she hear me?]
Vaan then glanced at Elara and said, "She can hear you."
Astra nodded. Then, after taking a breath, she called out, [Elara?]
"Teacher…" Elara called out.
[Today, I will tell you about the Flameheart Family, its erased history, and the reason I took you in as my Pupil.] Astra started. [Back in the times of the Tower of Magic, along with the Vestas, there was another family that was an essential part of the Tower, The Flameheart Family. If the Vestas were called the Heart of the Tower, The Flamehearts were called the Soul. Similar to the Vestas, the Flamehearts continued to raise more and more magical geniuses who could overturn the entire world with their might. The Vestas and the Flamehearts worked as a team; both were equally strong. If what happened hadn't happened, and the Vestas weren't standing alone when the God of Magic stopped blessing us, and the Flamehearts, with all their might, were standing together with us, then rather than a stalemate, the War would have ended with the Mages' victory.] Astra spoke. Not only Vaan and Elara, but even Orion widened his eyes in disbelief. This was the first time he was hearing this story.
"I-Is that even possible? The Mages were against the entire world…" Vaan couldn't help but question.
Astra, however, simply chuckled. [Vaan, just us Vestas alone forced the entire world to be in a stalemate with us. What do you think if there was another force, as strong as the Vestas, if not stronger, standing together with us? Do you think losing was even an option?]
"A force as strong as the Vestas…?"
[That is correct. The Original Flamehearts were as strong as the Vestas.]
"But you said that the Flameheart is a small family…" Vaan muttered.
[The current Flameheart cannot even be compared to the original Flamehearts. They are completely different from each other. The Flamehearts had long fallen, to the point where even history doesn't remember them.]
Astra replied. Elara, who was hearing everything, could feel strange emotions welling within her heart. Then, with a hoarse voice, she questioned, "W-Why did the Flamehearts fall…?"
[It was a Mage named Veronica Flameheart.]
Astra replied. Hearing the familiar name, both Vaan and Elara widened their eyes in surprise.
"Veronica Flameheart…?" Vaan spoke just to confirm that the name he heard was correct and it wasn't just his mind coming up with random stuff.
[That is correct. All those years ago, the Thriving Flamehearts gave birth to the greatest Magic Prodigy the world had ever seen, The girl who became an Intermediate Mage at a mere age of 15. To understand just how monstrous this achievement was, the Archmage Alienora Vesta, the woman who defended the Tower of Magic's headquarters against countless enemies alone, became an Intermediate Mage when she was 18. So in terms of potential, Veronica Flameheart's Potential was much better than hers. A genius like Veronica quickly climbed up the ranks of the Tower of Magic. She was even considered as the next Tower Master of the Tower of Magic when she was merely 22. But suddenly, one day, the 22-year-old Veronica decided to leave. For some reason, she decided to join a small force on the outskirts of the City and broke all contact with the Tower of Magic and the Flameheart Family. No matter how much everyone tried to convince her to return, she didn't listen and continued to stay in the outskirts, sometimes even threatening people with her own life, saying things like she would take her own life if more people came to bother her. Then one day, her dead body was found in the middle of the forest. She had overused her blessing and died fighting an enemy. Because of the sheer strength of the spell she used, everything around her had turned into ashes, and no one could find out what happened to her. Too shocked by their daughter's death, the Head of the Flameheart Family and his wife took their own lives, leaving everything to other members of the family. From that day, as if the Flamehearts were cursed by an unknown force, no prodigy was born into the family. That is… Till another prodigy was born… A prodigy you people know the best.]
Astra spoke, and in an instant, all eyes in the room turned towards Elara.
"So the reason you took Elara in as your pupil…" Vaan spoke, and Astra
nodded again.
[The Flamehearts were blessed with another Prodigy after more than 5000 years. This could very well mark the return of the Flamehearts. I had a conversation with Elara's father, the head of the Flameheart Family, and both of us decided to not take any chances. I then took in Elara to protect her and raise her as my pupil. The Flamehearts decided to create distance with Elara until she was all grown up so as to not affect them by the 'curse' in any way.]
Astra replied. Once again, Vaan couldn't believe what he was hearing. Elara, on the other hand, lowered her head as she took out a book.
'Magic Guidebook: Journey from the 1st Circle to the 7th By Veronica Flameheart.'
Orion frowned when he saw the girl taking out a random book when the history of her family was being discussed. However, the moment he read the name of the book's author, he widened his eyes in disbelief.
"Where did you find this!?" He questioned with a shocked look on his face.
Elara looked into Orion's eyes. Orion suddenly narrowed his eyes as he thought of a possibility. Then, he glanced at Vaan and said, "The Mage you were talking about… the one who fought against the Demons… What was her name?"
Vaan glanced at his father and smiled, "Veronica Flameheart."
The moment those words left his mouth, both Orion and Astra widened their eyes in shock.
[What!?] Astra shouted. It was the first time in a long while that she had lost control over her emotions.
[You saw Veronica Flameheart with your own eyes!?]
"We did. This is why we were asking about the Flamehearts, to learn if she had any connection with them… We had no idea the connection was this big."
[How was she?] Astra, however, completely ignored her son's words and questioned.
"What?"
[How strong was she? It was said that she died when she was an Advanced Mage, so she must be an Advanced Mage when you saw her. How strong was she? How was she compared to me?] Astra asked a series of questions.
"Well… can your strongest spell destroy the entirety of a forest, leaving nothing behind for tens of kilometers?"
[…]
Astra turned silent.
"That is your answer." Vaan replied.
Even the Mage with the Greatest Potential of the current era was no match against Veronica in her prime. That was simply how great of a Mage the woman was.
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