"Laontel, tell me anything you want."

"Break Ser's seal."

It was even harder for me to speak now, but I forced myself to say those words. Phillip's expression hardened.

"I can't grant that wish."

I wasn't disappointed. I expected that from him.

"Then, please give me a rock."

"Rock?"

"Yes. A very big rock."

"Why?"

"I thought it would make me feel like I'm in the mountains because I can't go there."

"I told you I'll heal you! We can go to the mountains together!"

He cried as he hugged me.

I wanted to push him away but I couldn't even lift my arms.

Even if I got better, I'd never go to the mountains with Phillip.

Phillip really gave me a rock. It was quite big too.

That day, I put the necklace I received from Ser in my maid's hand.

"Give the necklace and this letter to Count Bellacian. Keep it a secret from the Emperor."

"What? But I..."

She became my maid under Phillip's instructions, so she was reluctant to accept my request.

"It's my first and last request. Please help me."

"Lady..."

I handed her a jewelry box containing the jewels Phillip had given me before.

"I'll give you this too."

"Really?"

"Yes, so you have to do my request well."

"Yes, I understand!"

After I die, the Power of Light that Ser gave me would be inherited by one of the Bellacians.

I wanted to entrust this necklace to the Heir of Light since this necklace would connect them to Ser.

And one day, they'll be able to release Ser.

It would be nice if I could write everything down in a letter but there was a high probability that Phillip would intercept on the way.

Even if it was a secret, there was a chance he'd discover it. But I still hoped that it would reach my father's hands without anyone knowing.

Phillip would read the contents of my letter.

So I only wrote a letter of gratitude and apologized to my family.

I also left a small letter about the necklace.

-I've never been a good aunt and given my nephew a proper gift, so give this necklace to Athen. It will be my first and last gift, so I hope that you cherish it.

Since the content was vague, Phillip wouldn't catch on to it.

I wanted to hand over this necklace to my nephew, Athen.

Athen was a smart boy. He'd realize the meaning of this necklace.

"Ser, I'm sorry,"

As I looked at the maid leaving with the necklace, I apologized to Ser.

I couldn't save her after all.

The maid left and gave me the big rock.

I poured my last strength into the rock. The big rock broke into pieces and took the shape of a stone plate.

I carved sentences on it.

***

As I was sitting on a chair in the garden, Phillip suddenly came inside.

"Laontel, what are you doing out here? It's cold. Let's go in."

"I've been waiting for you."

"Me?"

Phillip's voice trembled.

What exactly did this man expect from me?

"Phillip, do you love me?"

"Yes, I love you! I've only ever loved you!"

"Then put this in front of the Emperor's palace."

I pointed to the stone plates I created.

Phillip had only just noticed the stone plates.

"This..."

-On September the 5th year, the 3rd prince, who was cursed by the Goddess, died. Immediately after that, the curse was transferred to the 6th prince.

-On November the 5th year, the sentence engraved on the 6th prince's body changed. The 6th prince died. Soon after the curse was transferred to the 7th prince.

When Phillip saw the inscriptions on the stone plate, he froze.

"You didn't write anything about your son, so I made it myself."

"Laontel, what is this?"

"Why? Is there something wrong? The information is correct though."

"What the hell are you thinking? What are you planning to do?!"

"You said you love me. Just do me this favor once. It's not even the full truth. I only said that the sentences of the curse had changed."

"You!"

Phillip was about to blow his top now.

"Scaredy cat."

"What?"

"Even if some vague sentences are enough to scare you? Why did you do it if you were going to be like this?"

"I didn't do it because I wanted to! It was because of Ser!"

He blamed someone else again.

I didn't have the time to listen to his excuses.

"Phillip, break Ser's seal."

"No."

"You have to do it for your own good. Ser's going to do it again to your heirs. Your descendants will suffer."

"I already covered it with another curse. Moreover, there will be no one who can read Zelcan left soon. No one will know what Serphania is talking about!"

"Your descendants will suffer. The curse won't end until Ser's seal is broken."

"When Ser returns, the truth will be revealed. Everything I have built will fall apart. The Asteric Empire will be destroyed. It's better to sacrifice her for the greater good instead."

"No, you're sacrificing her to satisfy your own selfishness."

"...let's go in first. It's cold."

Phillip covered me with his coat first before heading to the stone plate. He was thinking of breaking it first before we went inside.

But, it wouldn't break no matter what. Afterall, I put the last bit of my power into it.

"No matter what you do, it won't break."

"You really are annoying."

He gritted his teeth.

However, he was not that angry compared to before.

"Even if I can't break it, I can hide it."

He put his hands on the stone plate and he poured his powers into it. However, the letters only lost their shape but did not disappear.

He grinned triumphantly at the sight.

"I poured my powers into this. I can't believe you fooled me like that."

He used his powers to erase the letters, but he couldn't.

"It would be a piece of cake for anyone with the Power of Light to understand it."

"Serphania is sealed, now there's only two of us who have it."

"You don't know what'll happen in the future."

"If anyone approaches this, I'll kill them."

He put a spell on the stone plate and threw it into the lake.

The stone plate soon disappeared into the lake.

I had already expected it, so I didn't feel any emotions.

I just wanted to irritate Phillip with the last of my powers.

"It won't work."

As soon as I opened my mouth, blood poured out of my mouth and I staggered.

"Laontel!"

Phillip hurriedly held me in his embrace before I could fall to the floor.

"Laontel, no! Hang in there! I'll find a way to save you. Hang in there just a little longer, I'll..."

He cried and begged like I did to Rakshul before.

"Phillip..."

"Laontel, speak. I'll listen to you."

I spat out my last words

"I hate you."

***

Turns out, the stone plate under the lake was made by me.

I poured the last of my powers into that stone plate.

The moment I closed my eyes, I could still hear Phillip's scream.

Phillip said he loved me, yet, he was the one that drove me to my death.

Did he really love me?

I don't know.

But I could say one thing for sure.

He was terrible and evil.

Every single memory of Laontel resurfaced in my mind.

From those memories I learned about everything that happened so far. I now knew what happened all those years ago.

When I died, the power went to Athen, my nephew.

Phillip really gave the necklace and letter to Count Bellacian.

But neither Athen nor the other heirs who received the powers successfully unsealed Ser.

Rather, the heirs gradually forgot how to use the Power of Light, and after a thousand years, the powers gradually weakened.

Over the years, the necklace came to be called 'The Tears of Light' and became rumoured as a tool to identify the Heir of Light.

Phillip was a very thorough person.

He sent the necklace to Count Bellacian, but didn't let go of his doubts until the last minute.

After that, he kept an eye on the necklace and ordered his subordinate to hide it after he died.

Hence, the necklace was sealed in a secret warehouse under the western tower.

Phillip wanted to be known as a hero.

And as time went by, his wishes came true.

All those who knew of the truth and doubted him were gone while Phillip's heroic deeds became a fact to the people.

Meanwhile, Ser was still sealed in the Valley of Chaos.

She gathered her strength to escape on her own, but every time she managed to open the door a crack, it was once again sealed shut.

Phillip called the place where he sealed Ser the Door of Darkness and only those with the Power of Light could close it.

He said that if the door opens it would bring destruction to the world.

There was only one mistake he made.

Phillip used most of his powers to hide Ser's message.

In the end, his descendant who inherited his Power of Light was none other than the 'Heir to the Curse'.

And so, Phillip created another method to close the door.