The Daughter of Valemont

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.

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