10 | Don't worry child, sleep tight

After what happened to the birthday party, Elyse's days of staying inside the cold tower were peaceful even though Vierra starts to monitor her movements because of what she did at the party. Vierra was humiliated and she won't stand back from the humiliation Elyse made for her. For an entire five months, she stayed inside the room to secretly practice magic and sneak out at night to practice swordsmanship. Because of this, it made Chad feel more suspicious about her movements. The Aniya he knows doesn't work like that when they were kids, she pitifully stays inside without freedom. But everything changed when she changed all of the sudden. She looks freer than the others, he sees The Goddess of Wisdom inside of her.

But then, one day, everything changed. Elyse was currently in her locked chambers when Vierra's assassins went inside her room all of the sudden. Elyse was quick enough to stand up and defend herself from the continuous attack using magic. Elyse was stunned to see Vierra's most skilled assassins trying to kill her and when she almost outnumbers them, Vierra came into the scene and there she froze.

Her world turned silent when her heart starts to pound faster as the heavy feeling continues when she saw Vierra slowly walking in front of her.

"I knew it. You were practicing magic and even swordsmanship?" Vierra confronted Elyse but she remained in utter shock as she looks into her mother's eyes.

"N-no, I didn't mother-!" She stutters.

"SILENCE!"

All of the sudden, with one swoop, Vierra slapped her daughter which caused her to lie down on the cold floor. She remains frozen as tears start to stream down her eyes.

"You dare try to learn magic when you are not even capable of it? Do you dare question the abilities the goddess has given to you? You imbecile!" She said and pulls Elyse's hair up which causes her to scream in pain.

Her half-brothers arrived at the scene without any care at all. But to Edward, there's something inside of him telling him to stop Vierra this instance when he saw Elyse's eyes glow in gold. But he didn't dare and only watched her getting what she does not deserve.

"Do you plan to be better than your brothers? Well, in your dreams, Aniya because you will never, and never will, be better than your brothers! You are just a half-blood witch who carried my blood alongside that disgusting traitor! You have no rights to be chosen!" Vierra said and quickly smacked her small and frail body to the wall.

Elyse coughs blood as she feels to start dizzy. Vierra has become unrecognizable as a mother as her mind went crazy just by learning that her bastard daughter is gaining knowledge.

"Is my love not enough for you, Aniya? Do you really prefer this to your mother? I was the one who bore you, I took care of you and this is what you'll pay me?!" She shouts at the top of her lungs enough for Chad to hear from below the tower.

Chad on the other side was picking wildflowers for Aniya because he feels that she's lonely in the tower, it is also an excuse to talk to her. While he's on his way to where Elyse or Aniya is, he heard Vierra's screams however, instead of entering the tower he then remembered the night when Duke Zues talked to him.

It was in the ball when Chad saw Duke Zues looking at Aniya. Duke Zues was confused; there was no abuse mark in her body, but she looks tired in her eyes. Duke Zues then asks Chad what happened to her to confirm if the rumors are true, and when he confirmed it, he said to Chad, "If there is a problem, please do call me and I will go straight away." Duke Zues offered and Chad nodded his head with his bright smile. Finally, an ally that Aniya can trust beside him.

Back to the present, Chad using his powers delivered a message using his voice to Duke Zues's mansion. When he received his message, Duke Zues immediately calls the Imperial Guards and his personal guards going straight into Elyse's place.

Going back to Elyse, she was still punished by Vierra with her painful insults and backlashes on her back and sometimes pulling her hair. Edward and the brothers were only there to watch, although deep inside they wanted to stop it but Vierra would go crazier when someone tries to stop her unless it was someone else. Before anything could go any worse than what she just did, the imperial Guards and Duke Zues's guards arrived in time.

"HALT, BY THE NAME OF THE EMPEROR!" Duke Zues spoke with such authority in his voice. The Imperial Guards then spoke next, "Duchess Vierra, by the name of the emperor you are called to the Imperial Palace to explain this horrendous event that happened in your place. Meanwhile, Aniya, daughter of Duchess Vierra will temporarily stay in the arms of The Zues Family."

Vierra was shocked and couldn't move in her place.

"W-what do you mean...? OH! ANIYA!" Vierra then pretended like she was hurt at the sight of the naked Aniya who was pinned and only revealed her naked back with tons of slashes from Vierra, revealing such a dark secret from her.

"STAY AWAY FROM HER!" Chad then came into the scene and blocked her way to try and get Aniya.

"You fool! You called the guards, didn't you?" Vierra whispered but Chad didn't answer her, instead, he said, "I know what you did to her and you will pay for it." He said and Vierra shakes off her head.

The guards took Vierra away and Duke Zues cuts off the ties which then made Elyse fall in his huge arms, Chad then gave her his coat to wrap her stripped clothes. Elyse who lost consciousness awoken by the beautiful sun rays in the afternoon and the first one she saw is Duke Zues's purple eyes looking down at her.

"You are safe now, Aniya." He said softly and all of the sudden, she suddenly saw Tina in his eyes. Her vision starts to blur again as she starts to fall asleep.