11 | The Scented Letter

'The bed feels strange, it feels softer than it shouldn't be. The aroma of the room also isn't stinky but somehow, it's relaxing and smooth.'

A fragrance of a camellia flower went into Elyse's nose. With curiosity about what kind of flower, it was, she slowly opens her eyes only to meet the gorgeous sunset in the huge window with satin white silk curtains gently blowing from the wind. She looks at the room and saw above her a painting of angels flying with each other, with their beautiful angelic smiles. She tried to sit down but her back start to ache when she tries and so she carefully went back to lie on a soft white silk bed.

She scanned the room and saw a bunch of artistic things elegantly carved into every luxurious object inside the room. Everything was white with a touch of gold — everything felt like a dream for the young Aniya who was puzzled about where she is.

Sooner, Ilesia came inside the room and when she did, her eyes widen in shock as she quickly put the tray, she was carrying in her hands on the bedside table of Elyse. Ilesia starts to tear up and smiled at her.

"Y-your Grace, you're finally awake! P-please, wait a minute, Your Grace. I will call the duke — no I will call the doctor! W-wait... but he said I should call him first or the Duchess —"

"Ilesia? What's going on?" Elyse interrupted her speaking and finally Ilesia looked into her eyes with more worry.

"You don't remember, Your Grace? It's fine... the Priests and the doctors said that you might have temporary memory loss." Ilesia said.

"W-what remember? What happened Ilesia?" Elyse spoke with such worry in her voice. Her room back in the mansion isn't elegant like this. It was all beautiful indeed, but the room feels suffocating for her. Yet here, she feels safe and secure which made her think she's in a dream.

"You were asleep for a month and a half, Your Grace. After Duke Zues brought you to his mansion, he immediately called the high Priests, and skilled doctors to treat you. However, the High Priests' healing powers cannot heal you, even the skilled doctors who were also skilled in healing magic couldn't penetrate you. Your body simply rejected the divine mana which confused them." Ilesia explained what happened.

Yet Elyse still couldn't remember.

All she can remember is the way Vierra tortured her in front of everyone and in front of her half-brothers. It must've opened a painful scar in her heart that made the memory feel foggy and blurry. She couldn't remember well, but with Vierra's eyes and the hatred, she felt she remembers it all too well.

"W-wait a minute, Your Grace. I will call the others to inform them that you are awake." She said and rushes outside to inform the others leaving the room's door half open. Meanwhile, Elyse only stared blankly at the ceiling. She tries to remember everything but she couldn't. Whatever she does, it just makes her a headache.

Later on, a beautiful lady wearing a black dress and fiery red hair, and black eyes entered her room with such grace. With her beauty, Elyse couldn't help but think how beautiful she was.

"Welcome to our home, Aniya. I am honored to be in the presence of the future Alpha of Wisdom. I would like to introduce myself, I am Duchess Laura Hildegarde, the wife of Duke Zues my husband, and the father of the future Alpha of Death and Sea." She said and Elyse felt intimidated by her presence. It wasn't because she was a beauty — but because of the vibe, she gives to other people. Laura Hildegarde, the once marionette for the Hildegarde family has now become the Duchess of Zues household and the mother of future Alphas.

A strong-willed woman who's brave enough to face any obstacle and her biggest idol are Saintess Rafaela. From what Elyse knows, Saintess Rafaela is Duke Zues's, true love. There were rumors circling about Duchess Laura being jealous of the dead Saintess because Duke Zues does not love her truly. But truth be told, Duchess Laura does not have lingering hatred towards the Saintess because the love they both have is true, meanwhile, the relationship between the Duchess and the Duke is only contracted.

"D-duchess! —" Elyse tried to stand up but her back aches again when she did. Duchess Laura then quickly tries to guide her weak small body and took the servants away to leave them alone. As the door closes, the only one remaining inside the room is Duchess Laura and Elyse who are laying on the bed.

"What has she done to you..." Duchess Laura whispered and Elyse heard.

"How do you know about my mother?" Elyse asks in her hoarse voice.

"There were rumors roaming around that Duchess Vierra's treatment towards you is not good. Even though she can manipulate people with the way of her words, she cannot manipulate everyone. Still, we were outnumbered by those who truly believe in her. On the night of your tenth birthday, the invited people were amused and satisfied when Duchess Vierra showed you much treatment and disappointed and disgusted while some were amused when you showered your powers inside the ballroom." She explained to Elyse.

"However, on the night before your tenth birthday, a mysterious letter was sent to us. It was not an official letter but Caeden continues to open the letter out of mere curiosity. He read the same details regarding your mother's treatment of you. It wasn't shocking but there was a statement that made Caeden shocked. The night on your birthday, he secretly talked to Thaddeus and told him to call Caeden if ever there are complications after the night — and the letter was right."

Duchess Laura continues to explain which puzzles Elyse.

"H-hold on, your highness. What do you mean by a mysterious letter?" She asks with her eyebrows furrowed.

"We don't know where it came from. We are still investigating it. But I want to thank the mysterious sender who helped you leave that filthy place. Now that everyone witnessed what happened on Duchess Vierra's mansion, everyone even the emperor and the nobles who supports Vierra will have a second thought about supporting her." She explained further.

Elyse went silent, processing everything that happened and the thought of having someone mysteriously helping her. The only one who knows what the past is should be Elyse. Unless someone else has also turned back the time and gone back.

Is it Tina? But that would be impossible, Maria and Sarah told her that if ever Tina is here, she won't be able to remember the timeline where the name Elyse, and the other leaders of Districts exist. She will only remember the Alphas and the ones who do not exist anymore.

Is it Mara? It could be a possibility since she has the ability to control time and manipulate everyone's mind.

While Elyse is in her deep thoughts, Duchess Laura suddenly holds her hand softly. Elyse slowly looked up at her and Laura sweetly smiled.

"Don't worry Aniya. After we have justified Vierra's actions. She will pay, and if you want to, I want to adopt you." She bursts and realized what she just said and laughed it off.

"O-oh pardon me. My children are all boys and will soon be men. I wanted to have a daughter but... it's complicated to have one." She spoke.

'What would it be like if Tina met Laura early?' all of the sudden, Elyse was stunned and looked at her one more time.

'It's impossible. She should be dead by now.' Elyse thought then she remembers again, she was still ten years old and Hethan and Lewis are still eleven years old, the Duchess will die a year later because of her deteriorating illness. However, how come she looks healthy than in the past?

Elyse felt that something is strange. While she's inside the cold tower, she's manifesting her mana while honing her swordsmanship skills regardless of her weak body.

Is it really possible there's still someone else who turned back the time? If it does, then Elyse wanted to meet her.

And Elyse felt that she will meet her sooner than she would expect.

For the remaining days, she stayed in the mansion of the Duke Family's place in the Southern part of the Imperial Map where the environment is as same as the cold winter of the Kingdom of Chetan. In this place, Duke Zues is the King of the land and Duchess Laura is the Queen. Everyone praises the beloved couple in all of the property. However, it is only a mask they held. They are not a perfect couple or a fairy tale love story they both have.

Until now, Duke Zues is still searching for his beloved lost daughter, meanwhile, Duchess Laura is helping him in his search for Tina. Elyse doesn't know Duchess Laura that well but she wanted to see how well the Duchess treats Tina as if it's her own child regardless of knowing that she is her husband's beloved daughter from his true love.