The Girl Beyond the Rumors

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The scenery had changed several times during the journey.The quiet villages had slowly been replaced by larger towns, then by roads maintained specifically for noble travel.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

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