Prologue

"Kyaa!!!" the shrieking voices of the maids clashing with the sound of swords slashing and clacking filled the mansion in the darkness of the night.

Five men, in a knights' uniform surrounded the area to protect a beautiful lady dressed in her white night gown with some traces of blood. In her arms, a little child was wrapped in a thin blanket, probably to protect the child from the splashing blood.

The sound of the child crying overlapped with the shrieking of the maid and the clacking of the sword.

A man covered in black, leaped toward the lady with his sword pointing in her direction but managed to be thrown by one of the knights. The knight stabbed the man in black at his heart, taking his life.

The knight shouted on top of his lung, "Protect the Duchess!"

Another knight hurried to the Duchess's side and suggested her to run away to the vacation villa owned by the Duchess and hide there until the situation calmed.

The Duchess quickened her pace as she half running half walking along the mansion hallway, protected by the two knights as the other three continued to fight with the group of men in black. She keep stumbling despite her best effort to run. Her body was too weak.

Along the way, the Duchess felt saddened as she glimpsed the dead bodies of the maids, the servants and the knights. She was sad about the death of the good companions and workers she had. She was mad at how weak she was at that moment, unable to protect her own people.

The Duchess was never a weak person, but due to her being in the period of abstinence after childbirth, she was unable to exert her power or strength. She had just given birth to a beautiful baby girl a few days ago, and tonight a group of assassins try to take their chance in the absence of the Duke.

They keep running until they saw the door that lead to the horse stable. The Duchess planned to ride a horse as it would be faster than riding in a carriage, despite knowing her wound would probably reopened.

Suddenly, six men in black leaped toward the Duchess. She was shocked and stumbled but managed to be caught by a knight. She tightened her grip on her baby in her arms, securing the newborn.

The two knights gripping their swords are standing in front of the Duchess, securing her from any attack from the front and the sides while her back is on the wall.

All six assassins attacked the two knights at the same time, giving the knights a hard time to attack and defend at the same time. One of the assassins dies, slashed in the neck, while another one dies after being stabbed in his heart. Four remain and they keep attacking.

The knights also received injury from the fights. They realized the assassin is not an ordinary assassin, but a high-skilled assassin. One of the knights had been stabbed in his right leg and his left hand was cut open, showing his reaped flesh and white bone. The other knight had been stabbed in his stomach and blood flowing down dyeing his uniform.

The knights did not wear armor as they were not on duty tonight. When they heard the commotion, they rushed to protect the Duchess and did not managed to wear any armor, making their flesh open to any injury.

The four assassins exchanged looks with each other, signaling their plan to keep attacking the knights. The remaining assassins were also injured during the fight, but not as heavily as the knights.

The Duchess, witnessing the fight, was anxious, not only due to the sudden attack, but also about the fact that the assassins that ambushed them were high-skilled assassins.

She realized the attack was a well planned attack as the time of the assassins' invaded their mansion was when the Duke was outside the mansion.

The assassins charged toward the knights. The knight that had been stabbed in his leg stumbled as he lost his balance. One of the assassins who saw the opening in the knight's movement took advantage of the situation and stabbed the stomach of the knight, taking his life.

The other knight who saw the situation shouted anxiously at the Duchess to run while he paved the path for her. The Duchess was reluctant, but she had to leave the brave knight in order to save her only newborn. Two of the assassins chased after the Duchess while the other two continue fighting with the knight.

As they were about a meter away, one of the assassins swung his sword toward the Duchess.

'Tang!' The sound of the sword clashing came into the Duchess's ears'.

...

Duke Grigor Basil was one of the three Duke family in the Eins Empire that are trusted by the Emperor.

He was invited by Duke Ariti to his mansion to plan out the monster hunt that will be executed by both him and Duke Ariti.

He was sitting face to face with Duke Ariti in the study room when suddenly one of his knights barged into the room announcing the invasion in his mansion.

Grigor, who heard the news, became mad and anxious at the same time. He was mad at the audacity of whoever dared to invade his mansion during his absence and he was anxious, knowing that his dear wife's weak body might not be able to protect herself and their newborn baby girl.

Grigor quickly excused himself and hurriedly rode the horse back to his mansion, to his dear wife. Along the way, he prayed desperately that both his wife and his newborn daughter stay safe and protected.

Duke Ariti, who had been left behind by Duke Basil, was concerned about the well-being of his two friend. He sent a few talented knights to aid Duke Basil when he felt that there was something wrong with the invasion. The timing of the invasion is very coincidental with Grigor's absence from his mansion. No one other than the two of them and few of their knights should have known about their meeting.

...

Grigor arrived at his mansion when he saw an assassin was swinging his sword toward the Duchess.

"Ria!" Grigor shouted as he protected his wife from the attack.

Ariana looked at her husband as she muttered, "Gri…". Her voice was small and filled with sadness and pain. She felt helpless when she was unable to use her power to protect her people and she almost got herself killed and put her baby in danger.

The knights who had been following Duke Basil arrived and wiped out the assassin that was chasing after the Duchess.

Grigor ordered them to wipe out the remaining invaders.

Seeing the mess, Grigor thought in his mind that it would be better to hide his wife and their daughter until he could sort out the situation. He looked at his wife and wiped the traces of blood and tears on her face. Then he took a glimpse at their daughter and smiled. He would do anything to protect his beloved wife and daughter, the two people that are the most important to him.

"Ria." He called his wife. "Do you know the whereabouts of your parent now?"

Ariana looked at her husband with concern, knowing what her husband might have planned out when he asked the question. "I don't know. But I am wearing the pendant they gave me. So, I will be teleported to wherever they are if I activate it."

"Good. Activate it now. You should hide with your parent for now. Knowing your mother, no one will be able to trace you."

Ariana looked at Grigor. She knew that the situation right now was out of their control. Even if she is reluctant, she won't be any help with her condition at the moment. She realized she would only become a burden if she insisted on staying by her husband's side.

"Gri… You have to be safe. Our daughter and I will be waiting for your news." Ariana did not want to ask any further as she knew how they were in a dire situation right now. She believed in her husband and silently made up her mind to quickly recuperate and gain her power to help her husband.

Grigor looked at his wife and daughter once again. He kissed his daughter's forehead for the first time and prayed that she would be safe with her mother. He also kissed his wife on her lips and then on her forehead, praying for her safe arrival at her parent's side.

"My love Ria, my lovable daughter. Be safe." When Grigor bid his prayer to Ariana, she poured a little magic on the pendant she was wearing and a light flashed from the pendant. In a second, Ariana and their daughter disappeared from the spot she was standing.

Grigor breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that his wife would be safe with her family, not knowing what awaiting in the future.

***

The day after the invasion, at another place.

A baby girl left alone in a cradle in an empty room. The dark room brighten with the light from the moon shined through the window. The room only has a table and a rocking chair beside the cradle.

The baby wailed as she was left alone for a moment.

Then, a figure appeared. A young lady, with long and straight black hair, with her pale skin and rosy lips stood beside the cradle. Her shining black eyes, reflected by the moon's light, were looking down at the baby. She smiled. "Poor soul. Such a beautiful soul yet destined to be tainted with blood."

She pointed her forefinger to the forehead of the baby. With a distance of an inch between her finger and the baby's forehead, she recited an incantation. A dark purple light twirled around her finger and went into the forehead of the baby. When she finished reciting, she retracts her hand to her side and she smiled while looking at the baby adoringly.

"Beautiful soul, blessed by Alma. I took a liking to you and I shall give you my own blessing. Beautiful soul, blessed by Alma, now also blessed by Kira."

The lady leaned forward and kissed the baby's forehead. "Until we meet again, my child."