(From this chapter onward, Seraphina will be referred to as Seraphine.)
Seraphine returned to her room with a hollow expression, her steps heavy with the weight of thoughts swirling in her mind. The soft clinking of her armor was the only sound that echoed in the silent chamber, but even that didn't pull her back from whatever storm brewed in her head.
Moments later, Han appeared through the wall with his usual carefree float, but as soon as he caught sight of her face, his playful air faded. He tilted his head, hovering closer.
"Hey," he said gently. "If you don't mind me asking… What exactly happened between you and your father? Back when you first mentioned him, you looked proud—he was a Royal Knight, right? But now, you don't even want to see him."
Seraphine let out a long sigh and didn't meet his eyes. "It's a long story," she said, clearly hesitant.
Han floated down to sit cross-legged in the air. "Well, time's something I've got plenty of. And I'm a ghost—technically. So it's not like I can blab it to anyone even if I wanted to. Maybe sharing it might lighten the load a bit?"
Seraphine narrowed her eyes at him, but not in anger. "Just don't look at me with sympathy later, alright? I can't stand that."
"I won't," Han promised, giving her a light nod.
She looked out the small window as if the past was waiting just beyond the horizon. "It started when I was around ten. Back then, we lived in a small, peaceful village, tucked away in a forgotten part of the empire. My father had just been appointed as a Royal Knight by the Count. It was a big deal… a proud moment for our family."
She paused, lips tightening slightly.
"But my mother… she had been ill for a while. The journey to the capital was too long and harsh, so she and I stayed behind in the village. My father promised to send for us once he had settled in at the capital. Until then, it was just me and her."
Han listened silently, his expression unreadable, hovering near her shoulder.
"She was… everything to me. Even when the war raged far across the empire, our little village was like a sanctuary. People lived simple lives, and we were happy, even with Father gone."
Her voice wavered for a moment before she steadied it.
"But over time, something changed in the outside world. With war spreading chaos across the empire, bandit groups began forming more frequently, preying on merchants and wandering travelers. The Count had recently issued a widespread bandit subjugation order… and that's when everything fell apart."
Her hand curled into a tight fist.
"Those bastards must've been fleeing from pursuit. They stumbled upon our village by accident. Maybe they thought we were hiding soldiers or gold. Maybe they just wanted revenge. Whatever it was… they attacked without mercy."
Han's eyes darkened slightly, his lips pressing together.
"They stormed through like demons. Set fire to homes, killed anyone they saw—men, women, even children. They plundered everything they could carry and burned what they couldn't. And my mother…"
Her voice broke for just a second.
"She died in that attack. I still remember the heat of the flames. The screaming. The smell of smoke and blood. By the time the Count's soldiers arrived… it was too late. Nearly two-thirds of the villagers were dead. And our village—it was gone. Wiped off the map as if it never existed."
She didn't cry. Not outwardly. But her voice carried a quiet ache that was far heavier than tears.
Han remained silent. For once, even he couldn't find words to lighten the moment.
Seraphine leaned back against the wall, her gaze now fixed on the floor.
"Maybe now you understand why I'm not eager to visit the past."