Chapter 6 : A Heavy Noose

The fact that she left her own child.

And killed herself.

She must of being desperate.

Zakai looked over at the corpse, before picking up the pack of food that he dropped.

He needed to alert the village, although he's sure that the Uniquas family was overjoyed.

Zakai wasn't.

Essence leaked out of her body, forming a purple grimoire with a symbol of the clover kindgom.

Three clovers, nothing special.

Bowing to the body out of respect, Zakai watched as his book gobbled up the essence of Serena's Grimoire, much like what he did with Sekel.

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Going back to the village and walking into the cabin, he was greeted by the 4-year-old child that had now become an orphan.

"Where's mommy?"

Zakai's throat thickened.

"She's... gone."

"Gone... gone where?"

"Where your father went."

The boy's face suddenly paled.

"Does that mean I won't be able to see her anymore...?"

Smart kid, but obviously hasn't grasped the fact that she was dead, not gone.

"Hopefully not any time soon." Zakai gave a fake smile, before dumping his food of bag on the counter and walking into his bedroom, before putting his palms in his face.

He was stressed out.

What was he going to do with a kid?

give him to some fucking stranger?

hell no.

Over his dead body.

But there was only one option left.

Talking to the boy, Zakai decided what to do next.

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Zakai muttered , as he looked towards the hired nanny he had hired to take care of the boy.

Some petty change was worth it for the boy.

He couldn't leave the boy here, so he was planning to take him to the capital and enrol him on a royal orphanage, which meant he could be given a better opportunity and better education.

He was of noble blood, so Zakai was sure someone would accept him into some type of well formed orphanage.

Yeah... this isn't so bad anymore.

The scene of the rotting corpse caused Zakai to put down the spoon full of carrot soup, and look at the boy.

The boy was drawing with some cheap crayons, on a roll of sheepskin.

Why would she do this? commit suicide with a child...?

selfish.

But Zakai understood, and he held nothing towards her, only sympathy.

She was merely a former shell of herself after her husband fell.

After sending the boy to bed, Zakai got into bed and went into the Library, where a new book was shown.

The book was greyish black, with intricate patterns and a hint of runes on the cover.

It was Selena's Grimoire, the essence of which he consumed after her-

...

Slowly opening up the book, he felt the power of the contract magic flow through him.

and then he had memories.

Memories that weren't his, nor was Sekel's.

It was Serena's.

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"You are nothing more than a failure!" An older man looked down at the young Selena, who was around 6

Unlike the water magic that the Uniquas held, she had contract magic, seen as basic and unfitting of a noble family.

In a world where magic and family meant everything, she was nothing more than...

a prop.

"Father..."

Selena was not a special case, as her backstory had a secret case.

She was nothing more than a bastard child, a mistake her father tried to cover, but couldn't due to the fact of the nature of her magic.

"No noble families even want you! your that useless!"

An expensive vase was broken, causing each of the shards to fall on the ground.

Serena shivered in fright, as she felt a surge of anxiety, anxiety that Zakai felt.

This wasnt an illusion, this was real life, and he felt every single moment of it.

Her fear and anxiety while running out of the house, running to a stream never the outskirts of the forest.

She saw a teenager.

He was nothing interesting compared to the people that she saw, but he rapidly threw rocks across the river.

Bounce, bounce, bounce...

the stone rapidly hit the river, as it got closer to Serena.

"Ouch!" Serena hissed as the rock hit her in the forehead, causing a streak of blood to run down her head.

"This little-" Ready to go out, Serena heard an adult voice, which rapidly made her shrink into the forest again.

The scenes of her father made her shiver as she slowly stood in the bush.

"Sekel! your father's home! come and say hello!"

"Coming Mother!"

She couldn't hear him because he was a far distance away, but she comprehended the words and she stood in the bush.

She felt envious.

They were just mere peasants, and yet they could live a good life?

how is that fair?

she was of noble birth!

she deserved more, and better than these simpletons!

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The scenes shifted, as Zakai saw himself overlooking a man and a woman.

Serena stood, laying her head on the tree at her side.

A man was at her side, doing pushups while trying to fuel his body with wind magic.

"I can become a magic knight with this!" Sekel said, turning around and looking at Serena.

"Dream on," Serena muttered as Sekel turned around.

But behind her disdainful retort was a feeling of affection.

She loved Sekel, but she had restrained the feeling.

"Serena."

"What do you hope of achieving with that pitiful mana pool of yours?"

"You say that like yours isn't lower than your families." Sekel snorted back. "After all, you are just an illegitimate child and a bastard child at that."

Serena stood silent from the remark, before looking down at the floor.

the scene changed, as it seemed like time had passed.

"Sekel?"

"What...?"

"Do you.... want to try to take over the Uniquas family... with me?"

Sekel looked at her with eyes.

"Don't even think of that! are you wanting to kill yourself?" Sekel screamed out, the sounds residing in the forest.

Selena bit her lips, before looking down in shame.

"Sorry...."

"You like a sister to me," Sekel muttered. "Dont do shit like that? , ok?"

"Fine." Serena disappeared into the forest.

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The scene shifted, and a much older Serena was present.

She had matured, now a fully-fletched mother.

Selena walked across several paths, before arriving at a large tree.

In her hand was a large noose, as she slowly and tremblingly started to tie it into the tree.

The stool she brought was set up, as her left leg slowly stood on it.

Then her right.

She slowly put it on the tree, before she slowly cried.

She kicked the stool, as she lay in the air, going up and down from the movement of the rope.

Her face grew purple, and her lips went dry.

She could feel the searing pain present on her neck, as she slowly gasped for air.

2 figures came out of the forest, examining the floating woman with a noose present around her neck.

"You finished our job for us."

"It seems so." the other snickered back.

"We won't give your son a pleasant death." One of the men gave a wicked smile, before walking back into the forest.

Serena tried to get the rope off her neck, but the lack of oxygen had made her weak, and the rope was too strong for her frail body.

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Zakai woke up from the tugs on the floor, as he heard a knock on the door resound.

When did he fall asleep?

walking to the door, he looked towards a small hole he etched to let him see who it was.

His face morphed into horror as he released that the people at the door were the same as Serena's last moments.

Running to the kitchen and grasping a knife, Zakai saw as the knocking on the door became quieter, as he quickly ran to Zek's room and prepared to flee.

why did they want to kill an innocent child of the Uniquas family line?

unless it was ordered out by the Uniquas family themself.

Without Serena's memories , he would of being dead right now.

But the sensation of the rope burning his neck as he choked for oxygen felt real, even though it wasn't for his.

"Huh...?" Zek drowsily woke up, as he looked around to see Zakai.

"Uncle Zakai?"

"We are running away."

"To where?"

"I don't know."

Zakai could feel something burn, as he slowly ran back to the living room to see that the door was set on fire.

"Fuck."

What can he do?

to save him and a boy?