5

Chapter 5 — The Secret of the Valemont Bloodline

For several seconds, Arin couldn't understand what Noel had said.

The words had entered his ears.

His brain had registered them.

But somehow, they refused to become meaningful.

“You can carry a child.”

Arin stared at Noel.

Then at Lucien.

Then back at Noel.

“No.”

Noel lowered his eyes.

“Master—”

“No.”

“I understand that this is difficult—”

“No, you don't understand.”

Arin stood abruptly.

“I woke up in another world yesterday.”

Noel blinked.

Arin continued counting on his fingers.

“I discovered I'm inside a novel.”

“One that you were reading?” Noel asked uncertainly.

“Forget that part.”

He continued.

“I discovered I'm inside the body of a man who is supposed to die.”

Noel remained silent.

“I discovered the saintess is apparently cursed.”

Another finger.

“The four men who are supposed to love her might actually be magically compelled.”

Another.

“Lucien is supposed to kill me, but instead he keeps following me around.”

Lucien raised an eyebrow.

“I don't follow you.”

Arin turned toward him.

“Not now.”

Lucien almost smiled.

Arin returned his attention to Noel.

“And now you're telling me this body can become pregnant?”

Noel nodded.

“Yes.”

Arin slowly sat down.

“Why?”

Noel pulled a chair closer.

“The Valemont family has always hidden this from the outside world.”

“Why?”

“Because your ancestors were not ordinary nobles.”

Noel looked toward the pendant on the table.

“They were guardians.”

Arin glanced at it.

“Guardians of what?”

“The saintess.”

Lucien immediately became serious.

“Explain.”

Noel looked at him.

“The first Valemont was chosen during the founding of the empire. He was supposed to serve as the saintess's counterpart.”

Arin frowned.

“Counterpart?”

“The saintess possesses divine creation magic. The Valemont bloodline possesses life-bearing magic.”

Arin's face became blank.

“Life-bearing?”

Noel nodded.

“Your family can create and sustain life in ways ordinary humans cannot.”

Arin stared at the floor.

“So that's why…”

“Yes.”

“That's why my body is different.”

“Yes.”

Lucien asked:

“Why was the bloodline hidden?”

Noel's expression darkened.

“Because people wanted to control it.”

He explained that centuries ago, rulers had attempted to use Valemont descendants to produce heirs with extraordinary magical abilities.

The family resisted.

Many Valemonts were imprisoned.

Some disappeared.

Eventually, the family erased their records and pretended the bloodline no longer existed.

Arin listened silently.

Then he asked:

“Why did the previous Leon know nothing?”

“Because most descendants never awakened the bloodline.”

“When does it awaken?”

“Usually between twenty-three and twenty-five.”

Arin swallowed.

“And mine?”

Noel hesitated.

“It has already begun.”

Lucien looked at him.

“When?”

“About three months ago.”

Arin remembered.

That was when the saintess had arrived.

The same time the story had started.

A strange thought entered his mind.

“Could my bloodline have awakened because of the saintess?”

Noel shook his head.

“I don't know.”

Lucien looked thoughtful.

“I think it is connected.”

Arin looked at him.

“Why?”

“The pendant reacted when you touched it.”

Noel stared.

“The guardian pendant?”

“Yes.”

Noel immediately stood.

“Master, you shouldn't touch it again.”

“Why?”

“Because it only responds to awakened Valemonts.”

Arin looked at the pendant.

“Then it proves I'm one.”

“Yes.”

Lucien picked up the pendant.

Nothing happened.

He handed it to Arin.

The moment Arin touched it, silver light spread across his palm.

The room became cold.

A symbol appeared briefly on his wrist.

Noel dropped to his knees.

“The guardian mark.”

Arin stared at his hand.

The symbol disappeared.

“What does it mean?”

Noel whispered:

“You are the first awakened Valemont in two hundred years.”

Lucien's eyes narrowed.

“And what does that mean for the saintess?”

Noel looked frightened.

“That is what we don't know.”

---

The following morning, Arin returned to the palace.

He had barely entered the courtyard when he heard shouting.

“Where is Lord Leon?”

Arin stopped.

Several royal guards were searching the grounds.

A servant rushed toward him.

“Lord Leon, the emperor requests your presence immediately.”

Arin frowned.

“Why?”

“I don't know.”

He followed the servant.

The emperor was waiting in the council chamber.

Prince Adrian stood beside him.

Duke Cassian was there.

Rafael too.

And Lucien.

All four male leads were present.

Arin's stomach sank.

The emperor looked at him.

“Lord Valemont.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“You were seen with the saintess last night.”

“Yes.”

“You were also present when she collapsed.”

“Yes.”

“And she specifically requested to speak with you.”

Arin remained silent.

The emperor leaned forward.

“What did she tell you?”

Arin thought carefully.

If he revealed the truth, Elara could become a political target.

If he lied, he might be accused of conspiracy.

“I don't believe I should discuss a private conversation with the saintess.”

The emperor's eyes narrowed.

“That was not a request.”

Lucien stepped forward.

“Your Majesty.”

Everyone turned.

Lucien's voice was calm.

“The saintess's condition is related to an external magical force.”

The emperor frowned.

“Explain.”

“I cannot yet.”

“Then don't make accusations.”

“I am not.”

Lucien glanced at Arin.

“I am investigating.”

Arin noticed something.

Lucien had deliberately avoided mentioning the bloodline.

Good.

The emperor looked toward the other men.

“Adrian.”

“Yes, Father.”

“Do you believe Lord Valemont is a threat?”

The prince hesitated.

“No.”

The emperor turned to Cassian.

“No.”

Rafael shook his head.

“No.”

Finally, he looked at Lucien.

Lucien answered without hesitation.

“No.”

The emperor stared at all four men.

“That is interesting.”

Arin felt uncomfortable.

The four men who were supposed to protect Elara were now defending him.

The emperor dismissed them.

Outside the council chamber, Arin walked quickly.

Lucien followed.

“You didn't need to defend me.”

“Yes.”

“Why did you?”

“Because they were wrong.”

Arin sighed.

“You're making this harder.”

Lucien stopped.

“What?”

“Everything.”

Arin turned toward him.

“You're supposed to be interested in the saintess.”

“I know.”

“You're supposed to be her strongest protector.”

“I know.”

“And yet you're protecting me.”

Lucien looked directly into his eyes.

“I told you.”

“What?”

“I choose.”

Arin looked away.

“You can't keep saying that.”

“Why?”

“Because I might start believing you.”

Lucien became silent.

Then he said:

“Maybe you should.”

Arin's heart skipped.

Before he could respond, someone called his name.

“Leon!”

He turned.

Elara was standing at the end of the corridor.

Her face was pale.

She hurried toward him.

Lucien immediately stepped between them.

Elara stopped.

“Lucien.”

He didn't move.

“Please.”

Lucien looked at her.

“What?”

“I need to speak with Leon.”

Lucien glanced at Arin.

Arin nodded.

“It's fine.”

Lucien reluctantly stepped aside.

Elara approached.

Her voice was barely audible.

“The mark appeared, didn't it?”

Arin froze.

“What mark?”

“The guardian mark.”

His eyes widened.

“How do you know?”

“Because I have seen it before.”

“Where?”

“In my dreams.”

Arin's blood ran cold.

Elara looked at Lucien.

Then back at Arin.

“The Valemont guardian is the only person who can break the curse.”

Arin stared at her.

“But if I can break it, what happens to you?”

Elara's expression became sad.

“I don't know.”

“That doesn't sound reassuring.”

“It isn't.”

She reached for his hand.

Arin hesitated.

Then allowed her to touch him.

A faint golden glow appeared.

This time, however, something different happened.

The silver mark on Arin's wrist appeared.

A golden thread emerged from Elara's hand.

It touched Arin.

Then suddenly snapped.

Elara gasped.

Lucien stepped forward.

Arin grabbed his arm.

“Wait.”

The golden light disappeared.

Elara stared at them.

Her eyes filled with tears.

“He chose you.”

Arin frowned.

“Who?”

“The fate inside me.”

Lucien's expression darkened.

“What does that mean?”

Elara looked at him.

“It means the story has lost its chosen ending.”

Then she looked at Arin.

“And now everyone who was supposed to die…”

She whispered:

“has a chance to live.”

Arin stood silently.

For the first time, he understood the true danger.

Changing the story didn't simply mean saving himself.

It meant changing the fate of everyone.

And somewhere far away, the person who had created the curse had just realized that the Valemont guardian had awakened.

The hunt had begun.

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