The sun had already begun to descend, casting long shadows on the grounds of the Hunter Academy as Victor and Amelia stepped out of the building after their discussion was over, and Rachel, Emiko, and Yui had already left.
They strolled in silence for a moment before Amelia, clad in her form-fitting hunter suit, broke the quietness just as she made sure nobody was nearby.
"Victor," she started, her tone mixed with mild concern and skepticism, "What just happened back there?"
Victor glanced over, his tall form blocking out the last of the setting sun. A look of confusion crossed his handsome features, "What are you talking about, Amelia?" he asked, his voice casual.
Amelia huffed, placing her hands on her hips. Her light brown eyes bore into him, accusatory. "Don't play dumb, Victor. I saw you, trying to kiss Rachel back there. At such a vulnerable moment, no less."
Victor blinked, taken aback. He let out a short, disbelieving laugh, "Are you serious, Amelia? I was merely trying to comfort my fiance. And besides," he added with a slight edge to his voice, "what's wrong with wanting to kiss my girl?"
He ran a hand through his blonde hair in frustration, "You know as well as I do that her father had made it clear – no intimacy before marriage. And now," he sighed deeply, a note of desolation seeping into his voice, "Rachel refuses to even kiss me. Did her father tell her to not do that as well?"
Amelia let out an exasperated sigh, shaking her head, "Victor, you can't treat Rachel like your previous girlfriends. You know the President won't take kindly to it if his only daughter gets hurt."
Victor chuckled, a disbelief mingling with his humor, "Amelia, the last thing I'd ever do is hurt Rachel. But," he smirked at her, "I don't suppose you'd understand. Not with your track record of never having a boyfriend."
Amelia inhaled sharply, a spark of indignation igniting in her eyes, "I don't need to have a boyfriend to know right from wrong. Give Rachel some space, at least until she takes down this Hellbringer," she retorted, crossing her arms over her chest.
Victor let out a resigned sigh, his shoulders slumping, "You didn't have to say that since I had already decided to do that," He paused for a moment, a faint smile tracing his lips, "But it is rather interesting that you've never had a boyfriend. Or a fiance. Despite being of age. Your parents must be spoiling you quite a lot."
Amelia's face hardened, and she pressed her lips together in a thin line, "That's none of your business, Victor," she said, her voice cold and pointed.
Victor nodded, his smile faint. But then, his expression suddenly darkened, and he leaned in close to Amelia, "And likewise," he whispered, his voice a harsh undertone, "what happens between Rachel and me is none of your business. Don't test my patience, Amelia. Know your place. I don't care if you are Rachel's childhood friend."
Taken aback, Amelia's lips quivered as she slowly looked up at him, his piercing green eyes sending chills down her spine.
She inhaled a shivering breath and, without uttering a word, turned on her heel and walked away, leaving Victor standing alone in the waning light.
In the huge mansion of the Sterling Family, the grand oak door of Rachel's suite clicked softly as she locked it behind her, the echo seeming louder in the silence of the room.
Her fingers lingered on the key for a moment before dropping to her side. She leaned back against the door, her blue eyes closing as a long, troubled sigh escaped her lips.
The room was filled with shades of blue and white, emanating an aura of comfort and luxury. She loved this space, her sanctuary, but today it was simply a closed box, a reminder of the thoughts she couldn't escape.
Rachel moved towards the ornately carved mahogany drawer at the far end of the room. Her nimble fingers found the hidden latch, revealing a secret compartment.
Inside, nestled amidst old letters and trinkets, was a figurine keychain.
She picked it up gingerly, its cool metal form fitting perfectly in her palm. It was a miniature replica of the Golden Prince, down to his suit, cape, and regal bearing.
His figure seemed to mock her, a vivid reminder of the betrayal that had cut her so deep.
If anybody else saw this figurine, they would gasp and gulp in shock and nervousness since any item related to the Golden Prince was essentially contraband in most countries, and the law could severely prosecute those who possessed it.
Rachel sank to the plush carpet beside her bed, her heart pounding in her chest. She regretted doing the museum tour since it dug up memories she were trying to bury.
Clutching the keychain tight in her hand, she glared at it, her eyes blazed with resentment, "It's all your fault..." she whispered, her voice cracking under the weight of her emotions. Tears welled up in her eyes as she continued, "You...you promised to be my guardian...to always be there for me. If only you were there…" The bitterness in her voice was palpable, "I looked up to you, trusted you...and you betrayed us all."
She struggled to compose her breathing and with seething frustration, she rose to her feet and hurled the keychain across the room, "I'll never forgive you…" she declared in a simmering tone, her voice softly echoing in the silent room.
Her foot lifted, ready to crush the figurine into oblivion, but it froze in mid-air. The figurine lay there, so small, so harmless, and for a moment, she hesitated, her heart pounding loudly in her chest.
Just then, there was a soft knock on the door. A voice as soft as velvet floated through the room, "Rachel dear, why didn't you tell me you came back?"
Rachel's eyes regained her clarity as her foot dropped to the floor, and as if in a panic, she quickly picked up the keychain and shoved it back into the secret locker.
After ensuring the drawer was securely locked, she turned her attention back to the door, mentally composing herself.
She cleared her throat, pulling the door open to reveal the gentle figure of her mother, Cecilia Sterling.
The sight of her mother was like a calming balm, her radiant beauty cloaked in an aura of gentleness and warmth that somehow always seemed to put her at ease. Despite being in her mid forties, she still looked youthful as ever.
Standing at a graceful height of 5'7", Cecilia was adorned in a simple, elegant blue silk gown that complemented her creamy complexion.
Her neck-length bob blue hair was shiny and voluminous, a few strands framing her gentle features.
Her blue eyes, similar to Rachel's, held a hint of concern. She possessed a stature that reflected her high-class upbringing, while her voluptuous figure brought an aura of maternal warmth and femininity to her presence.
"Mom," Rachel greeted her, a warm smile touching her lips, effectively masking her earlier turmoil.
She leaned in to give her a quick hug, feeling the warmth and comfort only a mother's embrace could provide. "I'm sorry I went straight to my room, I was just... really tired," she said, her voice apologetic, yet sincere.
"Oh, my little angel, you should remember to give yourself a break from all this training and quests. You have been overworking yourself for so long," Cecilia gave a tender yet a concerned smile, her hand reaching out to caress Rachel's cheek.
Her touch was soft and comforting, a silent reassurance that she was there for her. Her worry lessened slightly as she saw her daughter smile, yet the astute mother's intuition in her couldn't help but feel a hint of unease, an inkling that something was amiss.
Rachel took a step back from her mother's warm embrace, her shoulders visibly straightening.
She forced a smile onto her face, meeting her mother's concerned gaze with a resolute one of her own, "Mom, I don't want you to worry," she began, her tone carrying an unspoken plea, "I need to be prepared for the upcoming quest, I can't afford to make any mistakes."
Cecilia's expression softened as she heard Rachel's words, the tension in her eyes lessening a bit.
She reached out, her fingers gently brushing against Rachel's cheek in a tender gesture of comfort and understanding, "Rachel," she said, her voice filled with unshakeable faith, "even though it makes me worry, I'm also incredibly proud of you. You're doing your best, and I know you will bring our family even more honor and respect."
Rachel's smile turned slightly complicated at her mother's words, "I hope so, mom. I hope to restore...the honor we lost after..." Her words trailed off, the weight of unspoken words hanging heavy in the air.
Cecilia, ever perceptive, caught onto Rachel's hesitation, detecting the undertone of sorrow and anxiety in her daughter's voice.
She reached out, gently lifting Rachel's chin until their eyes met, "My dear," she said, her tone soothing and gentle, "you need to stop dwelling on the past. It will only bring you pain. I have no doubt that you will vanquish that abominable Hellbringer. You'll also bring justice to the brave, young Hunters who fell to him and their families," Her words carried a strength that instilled confidence in Rachel, who nodded with a determined look.
With the comfort of her mother's faith fueling her, Rachel managed to gather her thoughts and nodded with a smile, "Yes, mom. I know this time I won't fail," Her expression became complicated as she cupped her mother's hands and added, "But I would never have been able to recover and make a comeback if not for you sacrificing the heirloom of your family. I know how precious the Radem you gave me was," Rachel still couldn't shake off the guilt since her mother weakened the strength of her own family for her sake, despite a lot of protest from her mother's family. It almost turned quite ugly if not for her father's intervention.
But only because of that, she didn't succumb to despair and was filled with the determination to get revenge.
Cecilia's expression softened as she shook her head and kissed her daughter's forehead, "Don't call it a sacrifice, my angel. I know how you almost died trying to absorb the power of that Radem. Besides...everything I have belongs to you as well. For you, I am willing to do anything because of how much I love you, just like your father. You are the apple of his eye. He is so proud of you. You know how much he worked hard to pull you from that slump after what happened.
"He had to pull a lot of strings to make sure the WHA and the rest of the world won't ask for the memories of that event, considering how you said you didn't want to relive it. We both were willing to do whatever it took to not let some demon ruin your life. Tragedies like that can happen to Hunters like us. But since you are young and we were too overprotective of you, you weren't prepared to face something like that. That is why we knew we had a lot to make up for."
"Yes…I know…" Rachel's lips quivered, feeling moved, and yet the weight of the guilt only increased, especially making her parents believe in a lie.
The fact that Hellbringer may still have that phone with all those photos was also gnawing at her from within. Who would have known some unknown alien demon who was weaker than her would turn out to be the husband of the Demon Queen.
She had never ever felt so determined to kill a demon as quickly as possible. Every since that day she always felt as if she was hanging on a cliff.
If those disgraceful photos were to get released, the world and even the WHA would never leave her alone, even if her father was the President. Everything would come crumbling down.
She had already sworn to herself to never let down her parents after everything they did for her, nor make them feel disappointed in her.
She then glanced around and asked, "Where is dad…I thought he said he would be here at this time…"
Cecilia let out a soft sigh, her gaze shifting slightly away, "He had to go for an important meeting, dear," She added, "Your father is discussing with the heads of various countries and S Rank Hunters from around the world. It's about the recent upsurge of the demons... particularly that strange new race of demons called the Umbralfiends that have started to emerge in recent months. They are extremely dangerous, especially near the seas."
She then took in a slow, deep breath, murmuring a soft prayer under her breath. Her words were barely audible, filled with hope and pleading, "May the angels bestow enough strength on us all to navigate through these tough times... particularly on my brave daughter."
Rachel closed her eyes as her mother prayed, joining her in the silent plea. But within her heart, her prayer took a slightly different turn, Please…Let me face him... Let me come upon Hellbringer during the quest so that I can destroy him once and for all,' she silently prayed, a cold determination filling her as she prepared for the trials ahead.
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