CHAPTER 2
Erhillmen found it sufficient to reminisce about the past with Morgentaa. It's not that he didn't want to; he just couldn't. He didn't want to prove Eleuther's teasing right: to smile. Erhillmen feared that the more he remembered, the more his defenses about expressing emotions would crumble. Smiling in front of Eleuther felt like compromising his dignity because Eleuther was both his confidant and his rival for the position of Clan Hawk leader.
H. Eleuther. He bore the Hawk clan surname since birth. Just like the laws of D'perse birthright, a magical world with a long history since its creation, a child born, grown, or educated in a clan had the right to take the clan's surname, although the means of acquiring it varied.
Eleuther was one of the clan-born children with core family lineage. He could be considered Erhillmen's cousin. He had the right to succession for the Clan Hawk leadership title. However, following the deaths of the elders, the clan leader, and Morgentaa's departure, Eleuther suddenly withdrew from the leadership contention. This news caused a commotion and briefly stirred political chaos within the clan.
Eleuther was bombarded with questions about the reasons for his withdrawal from the leadership rights, but not a word escaped his lips. He remained silent, guarding the secret deep within. After Erhillmen became the Clan Hawk leader, Eleuther was appointed as his confidant and advisor. This decision was made to allow Erhillmen to keep a closer eye on Eleuther.
Nevertheless, this decision faced opposition within his supporter faction because it carried the same risk: Erhillmen allowed Eleuther to monitor his movements. A substantial risk. However, for Erhillmen, there was no one more trustworthy than Eleuther. From any perspective, Eleuther was a competent and responsible individual.
Eleuther exhaled, then patted Erhillmen's shoulder once. "It's time we met her."
"Yes." From the small bridge crossing over the fish pond, Erhillmen hurriedly made his way towards the inner gate of Clan Hawk. He briefly struck Potia, the long scepter of the Clan Hawk leader that reached his shoulder.
The chains at Erhillmen's waist jingled, accompanying his steps. His short hair with a swept-back fringe revealed an ideal forehead adorned with a purple owl pendant, much like the tattoo at the corner of his left eye—aligning directly above it. Meanwhile, Eleuther walked alongside Erhillmen without making a sound, whether from footsteps or the accessories he wore. They were followed by stewards and some key members of Clan Hawk. The rest had already lined up neatly along the road leading to the inner gate.
Rather than a welcome, they were eager to catch a glimpse of the woman who had once been Clan Hawk's pride ten years ago. Moreover, they wanted to know who she was in the present.
It would be a lie to say that Erhillmen's heart wasn't beating faster. It seemed to grow stronger when the gate was opened by the guard. His eyes almost sparkled as a veiled woman stood there, meeting his gaze. Her gaze was much colder than it had been ten years ago when Erhillmen had seen her off. In the past, in this very place, and in the same position, they exchanged glances full of sorrow until the gate was closed again. It didn't matter; after all, Erhillmen couldn't offer a warmer look now.
H. Morgentaa, the woman who had discarded her clan name, the proof being the purple owl tattoo—supposed to be at the corner of her left eye—now crossed out, leaving a scar from a knife scratch. Erhillmen would never forget the moment when Morgentaa had hurt herself in front of all the remaining clan members, then left, accompanied by the trickle of her blood.
"Welcome to Clan Hawk," Erhillmen said as naturally as possible.
Morgentaa scanned her surroundings, feeling hundreds of pairs of eyes ready to judge her. A good or bad impression didn't matter to her, but silence wasn't her style. Besides, her arrival was not a homecoming as a member but a visit as a guest. She quipped, "Thank you, but I don't appreciate being stared at as if you want to strip me naked. I'm not a prostitute willing to spread my legs. I'm a renowned witch from the demon realm, Dark Morgentaa."
Even though the demon realm had been erased from the map and its whereabouts were unknown, Morgentaa looked proud. Even though the moniker wasn't self-made but the result of rumors of unknown origin. However, Morgentaa didn't entirely deny the truth. She acknowledged her existence as 'Dark Morgentaa' rather than 'H. Morgentaa.'
"I like my new nickname. Besides, my appearance already reflects it," Morgentaa added.
Round black beads were embedded in her forehead. Her once brightly colored blue eyes were now as dark as the night sky. Lips as red as blood. Black-colored nails, though not overly long. When Morgentaa removed her veil, some people focused on the ring encircling her left index finger. And when she removed her robe, others were surprised by the black tattoos adorning her neck.
"Aha! Don't be surprised; I have many beautiful designs all over my body," Morgentaa said as she handed her robe to Ekdantan, a man who was always with her and appeared to be an assistant.
Erhillmen struck his scepter.
"Behave politely in front of the leader, Miss," Eleuther said, interpreting Erhillmen's actions.
Morgentaa placed both of her hands on her chest. "I'll give it a try, Brother."
Erhillmen's eyes widened for a moment, taken aback. However, he quickly regained his composure. When Morgentaa called Eleuther "Brother," her gaze briefly shifted towards him, although her smile was reserved for Eleuther. Unlike Erhillmen, Eleuther chose to respond with an unexpected statement.
"Tonight, I will meet you in the reading room, my dear," Eleuther said with a smile.
Morgentaa laughed and walked closer to Eleuther. "This isn't an invitation for a romantic rendezvous, is it?"
Eleuther shifted his body to align himself with Morgentaa. "I don't mind if you see it that way."
"Very well, I don't mind going on a date with you, Brother Eleuther," Morgentaa stated clearly. "Oh, by the way, there's no need for an escort as I know my way around here. I know everything."
Casual. Eccentric. Impolite. These were three words agreed upon by the members of the Hawk clan without negotiation. Ekdantan was not someone who put himself first. As someone who had always been by Morgentaa's side, he couldn't tolerate the disdainful glances directed at his friend and Nona.[1]
His face expressed emotional frustration, and he almost took the lives of those who gave disdainful looks. Fortunately, Morgentaa had issued her command beforehand. "Ekdantan, don't be rude. This isn't the place we've lived in for so long. You'd better accompany me. I don't have much time because I already have a date scheduled."
Ekdantan retracted his aggression and followed Morgentaa without a word.
"This child doesn't speak much, but he has the ability to kill at any time. So be cautious," Morgentaa warned as she held Ekdantan's right hand.
The onlookers began to murmur because the ring on Morgentaa's left index finger appeared similar to the one on Ekdantan's finger. As a result, rumors circulated that Morgentaa was secretly engaged in a romantic relationship with Ekdantan. As these rumors spread, new detectives emerged. Ekdantan's name became a fresh topic of conversation.
P. Ekdantan, someone rumored to carry the Perish surname from the Perish clan, a hidden clan residing in the Usadha territory to the east of Murch. As a clan whose territory bordered the Perish clan, Ekdantan was not an unfamiliar figure, as his name had previously surfaced as the talentless son of the Perish clan's leader, without any magical abilities.
Before leaving the Perish clan, Ekdantan once shouted in front of the clan leader, "I don't want to be a foolish child without magical talent like my father. I want to become a famous truph[2], not an extruph[3]. However, Father, you've been excessively wicked. I hate you. So, I pray that you can live until I come back to kill you."
Initially, his departure and threat were dismissed, even though they took place during a meeting. However, now his intentions had caused quite a commotion because Morgentaa had claimed that Ekdantan could kill someone. The public began to wonder how they had met, how Ekdantan had acquired his abilities, and other related matters.
As the questions continued to mount, rumors circulated that Morgentaa and Ekdantan had indeed taken a dark path, possibly allying themselves with demons. This conclusion only reinforced the moniker "Dark Morgentaa," the renowned witch from the demon realm
[1] Nona: A term of endearment often used for a woman of noble standing
[2] Truph: The term for humans who possess mana
[3] Extruph: The term for humans who don't possess mana