Chapter 312: Alone (1/2)

The idea of someone standing against the world seemed like something great and valiant to do. Just thinking about it made one's blood boil. There were maybe few other things that could elicit a person's pride than this.

However, what if the person tasked with such a thing was just a little girl of barely ten years old? What if she was subject to the silence of all the most powerful men and women of a Kingdom, all of whom were staring down toward her with varying expressions…

Shock… Apprehension… Disgust…

The little princess stood in a flowing white dress, her innocent faint still smiling as she placed her little hands on a crystal three times the size of her body. Her large black eyes sparkled as she watched the flowing black lights. It all looked particularly beautiful to her.

She didn't seem to notice the reaction of those around her. She was simply ignorant to them. Her mind was still a blank slate. How could she ever think that she would be shunned by something completely out of her control?

”Wow, pretty!”

The little princess giggled.

It was the same giggle that caused the hearts of those around her to flutter. It even cracked the expressions of those that were looking toward her little body with disgust.

King Arthur and Queen Guinevere looked toward their daughter with shock, not able to understand what they were seeing.

King Arthur was a Light Magus, a talent rarely seen across several centuries.

Queen Guinevere was a Water Magus. She too was a rare talent and even awakened a Variant Affinity that tended toward ice.

How the daughter that was the product of their union could possibly be a Dark Magus was completely unknown to them. Was this what they called fate?

Tears fell down Guinevere's delicate features as she kneeled down and hugged her daughter who was still ignorant to how her life had just changed. As for King Arthur, he didn't know how to react.

His first instinct was guilt. It was he who insisted on making their daughter's affinity ceremony a public event. He thought that this would be a great opportunity to affirm the standing of their Royal Family.

Though he hadn't known his daughter's affinity, he was certain that she was very talented. Ever since Pope Margrave began to heal her, she displayed an intelligence and wit far beyond her age. There had never been a doubt in Arthur's mind.

Maybe somewhat ironically, he had been correct. Those halos of light and those cracks spreading across the crystal's face made it all very obvious. Not only was his daughter a Childe, she was a monster even amongst Childes.

But the reality of it was cruel.

”Mommy? Why are you crying?”

The little princess blinked, unable to understand what was happening. It was only then that she took her eyes off the pretty lights and saw the eyes everyone used to look at her.

Seeing the array of emotions, her little heart trembled. Even if she was mostly ignorant of the ways of the world, she was still an intelligent little girl.

”Mommy… Did I do something wrong?”

Hearing these words, Queen Guinevere felt her heart breaking.

”You're all dismissed.” King Arthur finally spoke, his expression not giving way for anyone to respond.

Those of the court left one after another.

Leonel shook his head, watching all of this from start to finish. Was this how superstition worked? Even to the point of forsaking one's own daughter? If it wasn't for the fact the little princess was in fact a princess, maybe she would have been killed on the spot...