Chapter 1 — The Blood of the Forgotten

For centuries, the Aurelian Empire had been shaped by two forces.

The first was the Imperial Crown.

The second was magic.

In Aurelian, magic was not simply an ability possessed by individuals. It was a legacy passed through generations, a force that determined the rise of noble houses, the outcome of wars, and the balance between nations.

Every person possessed the potential to awaken magic, but only certain bloodlines carried abilities powerful enough to influence history.

Among those bloodlines, six powers stood above the rest.

The first belonged to the Imperial Family.

Solaria.

The Divine Flame.

A power said to represent creation, purification, and protection.

The Aurelius family, rulers of the Aurelian Empire for generations, carried this ability. Their golden hair and sapphire eyes became symbols of their connection to Solaria, and their magic was believed to be the reason the empire had survived countless conflicts.

The Emperor was not merely a ruler.

He was considered the guardian of Aurelian's balance.

Beneath the Imperial Family stood the five great houses.

The families who had protected the empire since its founding.

The most powerful among them was the Grand Duchy of Valemont.

Celestia.

The power of starlight.

The ability possessed by House Valemont.

Valemonts were known for their silver hair and violet eyes, traits that had remained unchanged throughout generations.

Their magic allowed them to create powerful barriers, strengthen weapons, purify corrupted energy, and reinforce their bodies beyond ordinary limits.

Because of this, they had always stood at the front lines of the empire's greatest conflicts.

They were called:

The Empire's Shield.

Where the Imperial Family represented authority, the Valemonts represented protection.

The second great house was House Everhart.

They possessed:

Chronos.

The power of memory.

Unlike other magical abilities, Chronos was not designed for battle.

The Everharts became scholars, historians, and keepers of knowledge.

Their magic allowed them to preserve memories, trace events of the past, and uncover secrets hidden by time.

Many of the empire's greatest discoveries existed because of their work.

The third was House Arclayne.

They carried Mareis.The power of tides.

Their magic controlled water, currents, and weather patterns.

As rulers of the empire's naval territories, they protected trade routes and defended Aurelian's seas.

The fourth was House Dravenhart.

They possessed Terraforge.The power of earth.

Their magic allowed them to shape stone, metal, and minerals.

The empire's greatest fortresses and cities were built through their abilities.

The fifth was House Ravencourt.

They carried Mirage.The power of illusion.

Unlike the other houses, Ravencourt rarely fought on battlefields.

Their strength lay in diplomacy, intelligence, and information.

They were masters of concealment and perception.

Together, these families represented the order of the empire.

Flame.

Starlight.

Memory.

Tides.

Earth.

Illusion.

Each power had a purpose.

Each had rules.

Each had limits.

Except for one.

Nocturne.

The Abyssal Power.

The power that had never belonged to any recognized noble house.Nocturne was different from all other abilities.It did not control an element.It did not create something physical.It influenced things that could not easily be measured.

Shadows.

Memories.

Emotions.

The connection between souls.

Because of this, Nocturne had always been difficult to understand.

A person with Celestia could be taught control.A person with Mareis could learn to command water.But Nocturne depended greatly on the person who wielded it.

Their emotions.

Their thoughts.

Their choices.

And that was what frightened people.

---

History remembered both sides of Nocturne.

There were records of Nocturne users who protected kingdoms, stopped disasters, and saved countless lives.

But there were also records of those who used it to manipulate minds, erase memories, and destroy the boundaries between reality and illusion.

The greatest tragedy connected to the power became known as:

The Eclipse Catastrophe.

Three hundred years ago, a Nocturne wielder attempted to change humanity itself.

They believed suffering was the greatest flaw of mankind.Their solution was to remove the emotions that caused pain.Instead, they damaged the very things that made people human.

The catastrophe changed the empire forever.

From that day forward, Nocturne was no longer viewed as merely dangerous.It became feared.

Years later, name of valemont was tainted by a person.

Lucian Valemont.The second son of the Valemont family.

Unlike his ancestors, Lucian had little interest in duty or responsibility.He wasted the privileges of his birth.He became known for scandals, reckless behaviour, and a lifestyle that brought shame to the Valemont name.

For years, his family attempted to correct his actions.But eventually, the previous Grand Duke made his decision.Lucian Valemont was removed from the family.His title was taken.His privileges were stripped.He was no longer permitted to represent House Valemont.The family moved forward without him.

Or so they believed.

Outside the protection of his name, Lucian lived a life far removed from the expectations of nobility.There, he met Seraphina Veyne.

Their relationship was never one spoken of among noble circles.

It was not built on affection.It was built on convenience.Years later, a child was born.

A daughter.

The moment the child entered the world, the room became silent.The midwife looked at the newborn and froze.Not because the child was weak.Not because she was unusual.Because of her appearance.

Black hair

Crimson eyes.

Traits that had not been seen in generations.

Traits associated with a power the empire feared.

Nocturne.

The child was named:

Evelyn Veyne.

She carried her mother's surname.Not Valemont.Because Lucian never claimed her.The daughter of a disgraced noble.A child born with a feared power.A person whose existence disappeared from the records of House Valemont.

For eighteen years, the Grand Duchy knew nothing.

Until a report reached the Valemont estate.Inside the Grand Duke's study, Adrian Valemont looked over the document placed before him.

Beside him stood Sebastian Crowell, his most trusted aide.

"The investigation has been completed, Your Grace."

Adrian's eyes remained on the paper.

A name.A birth record.A connection that should have been impossible to miss.

"Evelyn Veyne."

Sebastian nodded.

"Lucian Valemont's daughter."

Silence followed.Not anger.Not fear.Simply consideration.

A member of the Valemont bloodline had existed for eighteen years without their knowledge.

"Is it confirmed."

"Yes, she posses nocturne"

Sebastian answered carefully.

Silence followed.

Because of her appearance.Because of her power.Because of history.Adrian understood.

After a long silence, he placed the report down.

"We will invite her to Valemont."

Sebastian nodded.

"Immediately?"

"No."

Adrian looked toward the window.

"Not a summons."

A pause.

"An invitation."

The difference mattered.A summons was an order.An invitation was a choice.

Far away from the Grand Duchy, Evelyn Veyne received a letter bearing the crest of House Valemont.

A name she had never used.A family she had never known.An invitation into a world that had existed beyond her reach.She looked at the seal for a long moment.Then quietly folded the letter.

Because whatever awaited her beyond those gates...

it would be a life she had never.

Chapter 2 — The Daughter of Valemont

The news of Lucian Valemont's daughter did not leave the Grand Duke's study.Adrian Valemont had made sure of that.Not because he wanted to hide her existence, but because he understood the weight of a name before it became a weapon in the hands of others.

House Valemont had stood for centuries because they understood one thing above all else.Power attracted attention.And attention was not always kindness.

The existence of a Nocturne wielder connected to the Valemont bloodline would not remain a simple family matter for long. The moment the empire learned that the descendant of one of its greatest houses carried a power feared throughout history, opinions would form before Evelyn even had the chance to speak.

Adrian had no intention of allowing strangers to decide who she was before they met her.

"Are you certain about this?"

Grand Duchess Eleanor Valemont stood across from her husband in the study.

Adrian looked at the invitation letter that had already been prepared.

"Yes."

Eleanor glanced at the document.

"Even knowing what she carries?"

Adrian's expression did not change.

"I know what history says about Nocturne."

A pause.

"But history does not tell me who Evelyn Veyne is."

Eleanor remained silent.That answer was exactly why she respected Adrian.He was cautious.He did not ignore the dangers of the situation.But he also did not allow fear to make his decisions.

"Have you considered how the household will react?"

Adrian looked toward the window.

"I have."

"And?"

"They will be cautious."

It was not a question.It was a fact.

The Valemont children were informed that evening.

The conversation took place in the family sitting room, where the atmosphere was far less formal than the Grand Duke's study.

Leon Valemont, the eldest son, listened quietly.At twenty years old, he was already being prepared to inherit the Grand Duchy.He had his father's silver hair and violet eyes, the unmistakable signs of Valemont blood.

He was responsible, disciplined, and rarely allowed emotions to interfere with decisions.

But the news surprised even him.

"A sister?"

Adrian nodded.

"Your uncle Lucian had a daughter."

Leon looked down.

For eighteen years, another person carrying their blood had existed somewhere in the empire.And none of them had known.

"What is her name?"

"Evelyn Veyne."

Isabelle Valemont closed the book in her hands.

At nineteen, she was known as one of the most intelligent young women among the empire's nobility.Unlike Leon, she did not immediately focus on the blood connection.She focused on the situation.

"Does she know about us?"

"She knows now."

"And how did she react?"

Adrian looked at Sebastian.

The aide answered.

"She accepted the invitation."

Isabelle frowned slightly.

"That is all?"

"Yes"

Cassian Valemont, however, had a different reaction.

"So let me understand this."

He leaned back in his chair.

"We have a sister we never knew about, who apparently has one of the most feared powers in history, and everyone is acting like this is a normal family discussion?"

Isabelle looked at him.

"It is not normal."

"Exactly."

"Which is why you should stop treating it like an interesting story."

Cassian looked offended.

"I am not."

A pause.

"I am simply acknowledging that it is interesting."

Leon sighed.

"You are proving Isabelle's point."

The youngest member of the family, Lillian Valemont, had remained quiet.Unlike the others, she had no memory of Lucian.She had only known the Valemont family as the people who saved her.Twelve years ago, when she was five years old, Adrian and Eleanor had found her abandoned during a border conflict.

They had taken her in.Not as charity.As their daughter.Even though she carried no Valemont blood, she had never been treated as anything less.

Perhaps that was why her first thought was different from everyone else's.

"Is she coming here because she wants to?"

Everyone looked at her.

Lillian continued softly.

"Or because she has nowhere else to go?"

The room became quiet.

Meanwhile, far away from the Grand Duchy, Evelyn Veyne was reading the same invitation for the third time.

The letter was elegant.Carefully written.Polite.It did not demand anything from her.That was the first thing she noticed.Most people who wanted something from her usually made their intentions clear.This was different.

House Valemont was not ordering her to appear.They were asking.

Evelyn rested the letter on the table.For years, the Valemont name had been nothing more than a distant connection.A name attached to a father who had never wanted to claim her.Now, suddenly, they wanted to meet her.It was strange.Suspicious, even.But refusing would not answer anything.

"You really are going?"

The question came from the village woman standing at the doorway.Evelyn looked up.The woman had known her for years.Not everything about her.Nobody did.But enough.

"I think I should."

The woman hesitated.

"Are you worried?"

Evelyn looked at the letter again.She considered giving an easy answer.Something reassuring.Instead, she smiled faintly.

"A little."

It was honest.Then she folded the letter carefully.

"But curiosity is stronger."

The woman laughed softly.

"That sounds like you."

Evelyn smiled.Maybe it was.

The journey to Valemont would take several days.A journey into a world where people knew her blood before they knew her.A world where her appearance would speak before she did.A world where the name Valemont carried expectations she had never asked for.

But Evelyn had spent her entire life facing things she had not chosen.This would simply be another one.

Back at the Grand Duchy, preparations began.Rooms were prepared.Servants were informed.The household adjusted.But behind every preparation was the same question.

Who was Evelyn Veyne?Was she only the daughter of Lucian Valemont?

Was she only a Nocturne user?

Or was there more to the girl who had lived eighteen years beyond the reach of the empire's most powerful family?

Soon, they would find out.

Chapter 3 — The Girl Beyond the Rumors

The journey to the Grand Duchy of Valemont was longer than Evelyn had expected.

The Aurelian Empire was vast, and the Valemont territory stood near the heart of the empire, far from the quiet northern region where she had spent most of her life.

What made the journey feel long was the unfamiliarity of it.For eighteen years, Evelyn Veyne had known a very small part of the world.Not because she lacked curiosity.Quite the opposite.She had always been interested in the world beyond the place she called home.

But curiosity and belonging were different things.

A person could know about a place without ever imagining themselves there.

And the Grand Duchy of Valemont was a place she had only ever known through stories.The strongest noble family beneath the Imperial Crown.

The Empire's Shield.

The family of the father who had never acknowledged her.

The carriage moved steadily along the imperial road.Across from Evelyn sat a stack of documents she had been given before leaving.Information about House Valemont.The structure of the Grand Duchy.The names of important members of the household.She had read through them carefully.

Not because she was nervous.

Because arriving somewhere unprepared had never been a habit she allowed herself.Evelyn closed the document and looked outside.

The scenery had changed several times during the journey.The quiet villages had slowly been replaced by larger towns, then by roads maintained specifically for noble travel.

Everything became more organized the closer they came to Valemont territory.Even the roads carried the feeling of the family that controlled them.

Disciplined.Reliable.Difficult to approach.A little intimidating.

Evelyn understood that feeling better than most.

The knight escorting her glanced toward the carriage window.

"Miss Veyne."

Evelyn looked up.

"Yes?"

"You have been reading those documents for almost an hour."

She looked down at the papers.

"Have I?"

The knight nodded.

"Is there something you are trying to memorize?"

Evelyn considered the question.

Then she smiled slightly.

"I was trying to figure out how many ways I could accidentally offend a Grand Duke."

Evelyn laughed.

The knight blinked.

"That was not what I expected."

"It seemed practical."

"Practical?"

"Of course."

Evelyn lifted the document.

"These pages explain noble etiquette, political expectations, and family history."

She paused.

"But they do not explain what to do if I accidentally call the Grand Duchess by the wrong title."

The knight looked like he was trying not to laugh.

"I believe that would be considered a mistake."

"Very helpful."

"My apologies."

Evelyn smiled.

"I appreciate the honesty."

The knight was surprised.

Most people who met Evelyn for the first time reacted the same way.

They noticed her appearance before anything else.

Her black hair.Her crimson eyes.The traits associated with Nocturne.Even those who tried not to stare usually did.The empire had spent centuries teaching people to fear certain things.

Nocturne was one of them.

Evelyn had learned that lesson early.People often decided what she was before she spoke.She did not blame them.Fear was rarely created overnight.History had built it.Generations had passed it down.The only thing Evelyn could control was how she responded.

As the carriage approached the capital district near Valemont territory, the atmosphere changed.

The knights escorting her became more formal.The servants accompanying her became quieter.The closer they came, the more obvious it became that this was not an ordinary visit.This was the return of a forgotten bloodline.

A person connected to one of the empire's greatest houses.

A person carrying one of its most feared powers.

At the Grand Duchy, preparations continued.

Leon Valemont stood in the courtyard watching the knights organize themselves.

"Are they here?"

A servant shook his head.

"Not yet, Young Master."

Leon nodded.

Beside him, Cassian leaned against the stone railing.

"You know, you look like you are preparing for a battle."

Leon glanced at him.

"We are receiving someone we know nothing about."

"She is our sister."

"She is also a Nocturne user."

Cassian was quiet for a moment.

Then he sighed.

"Everyone keeps saying that."

Leon looked at him.

"What?"

"That she has Nocturne."

Cassian looked toward the entrance.

"But nobody seems to be asking what kind of person she is."

Leon did not answer.Because he had wondered the same thing.

Inside the manor, Eleanor Valemont was speaking with the servants.

"Remember."

The servants listened carefully.

"She is not arriving as a guest."

A pause.

"But she is also not arriving as someone who must immediately prove herself."

The Grand Duchess knew how quickly people formed opinions.

Especially when fear was involved.

"Treat her with respect."

The servants bowed.

"Yes, Your Grace."

The carriage finally entered Valemont territory.

Evelyn felt it before she saw it.A presence.Not a person.

Magic.

The land itself carried the influence of Celestia.The protective barriers surrounding Valemont territory were unlike anything she had encountered before.

Strong.Ancient.Carefully maintained.

She looked toward the distant estate.

"So this is Valemont."

The knight followed her gaze.

"Yes."

Evelyn was quiet for a moment.

Then she said:

"It is more intimidating than the documents described."

The knight hesitated.

"Is that a bad thing?"

Evelyn thought about it.Then smiled faintly.

"No."

A pause.

"I suppose I just expected the family famous for protecting the empire to have a slightly less terrifying entrance."

The knight looked away, hiding his expression.Evelyn noticed.

"Are you laughing?"

"No."

"You are."

"I would not dare."

That answer made her smile.

When the carriage finally stopped before the Grand Duchy gates, Evelyn remained still for a moment.Not from fear.

Simply because she understood the importance of what was about to happen.Beyond those doors was a family connected to her by blood.A family that knew her existence only through a report.

They knew her father's mistakes.They knew her power.They knew her name.But they did not know her.And she did not know them.

The carriage door opened.Evelyn stepped down.Immediately, the atmosphere changed.The knights standing nearby straightened.The servants lowered their heads.Not because she had demanded it.Because they felt the weight of what she carried.

The power sleeping within her.The history attached to her name.

Evelyn noticed.She always noticed.

But she simply adjusted her expression and looked toward the entrance of the Grand Duchy.

For the first time in eighteen year,she was standing before the place she was supposed to have belonged to.

The doors opened.And on the other side stood the Valemont family.The people who shared her blood.

And the people who would eventually have to decide whether Evelyn Veyne was simply the bearer of Nocturne...

or someone far more important...