Chapter 21 - Chapter 3.1: Family Secrets II

𝟑.𝟏: Family secrets II

𝐖ay beyond the space hidden behind the metallic door was another flight of molded stairs, which Elysia descended with caution.

The stairwell groaned softly beneath her feet as she reached the final step, her breath escaping in faint puffs into the cold, stale air.

She clutched the flickering lamp closer, its golden glow casting long, jittery shadows along the rough stone walls.

The space before her faintly mirrored the grand library above.

Only faintly.

It was smaller. Tighter. Cloaked in gloom and steeped in the kind of silence that made your ears ring.

Dust coated every surface like a second skin, untouched for what felt like ages. The air was thick—heavy with the scent of aging paper, melted candlewax, and something older... something almost tangible.

Elysia's throat tightened as she willed herself to inch farther into the space.

Ancient shelves loomed ahead, carved from dark wood petrified with time. They encircled the chamber like sentinels, their frames sagging under the weight of records too precious—or too dangerous—to be housed above.

Each shelf bore a brass plaque, dulled by age, engraved with names unfamiliar to her. Names she instinctively felt she should recognize.

She stepped forward, lamp held high. Her eyes squinted at the inscriptions as she read them aloud beneath her breath:

"House Seravelle... House Thalvaran... Viremonthe... Ashcourne... Duskmere... Liorvain..."

The names rolled off her tongue like verses from a forgotten hymn. Each one carried a peculiar weight in the air—as if simply uttering them stirred something slumbering nearby.

As if...

'Yeah I don't know, but... these names... They sound familiar. Like House names. Only, I don't remember reading about them in the novel.'

Then her gaze landed on a plaque etched in fine calligraphy, the lettering striking against the tarnished brass:

Aerelion.

Her pulse stuttered.

That was her family name.

Of all the houses listed here, it was the only one she recognized—her single tether in a sea of unknown dynasties and ancient bloodlines.

She clutched the blanket closer and moved toward the shelf with cautious slowness, a tiny part of her starting to second-guess her choices so far.

The broken shards beneath her shoes creaked softly as she crossed the stone floor, each step stirring motes of dust that danced in the lamplight.

The documents before her were layered in decay and mystery. Parchment scrolls bound in faded ribbon. Leather-bound tomes with rusted iron clasps. Wax-sealed folders with crests cracked and half-melted by time.

She brushed her fingertips across a few curious titles:

"Whispers in the Wind: The Aerelion Pact with Caelondria's Mount Kin."

"The Lost Diaries of Lady Eiranor Aerelion."

"Thorns in Golden Soil: A Chronicle of Aerelion Alliances."

"Silent Bloom: The Forgotten Years of House Aerelion."

She paused at a narrow, unassuming book nestled between two larger tomes. Its spine was worn, the title barely legible beneath faded silver embossing.

"Of Glimmering Blood and Starlight: A Treatise on Faerie-Human Lineage."

Her brows creased deeply.

'Faerie-Human Lineage? Is this a work of fiction or an actual record?'

She pulled it free, wincing as a puff of dust rushed into her face. Coughing into her sleeve, she carried it to a nearby table beneath an old lantern fixed to the wall.

She adjusted the wick, coaxing more light, and opened the book. The parchment crackled like brittle leaves.

Her eyes widened at her discovery.

Ink illustrations filled the first few pages—elegant and precise. She turned them carefully, studying diagrams of family trees, heraldic seals, and pictorial depictions of people unlike any she had seen in her studies.

Fae.

Winged and ethereal. Cloaked in moonlight and adorned with flowers that shimmered like stars.

A single page held her gaze.

A hand-drawn family tree.

The line of Aerelion—traced farther than any public record. Beyond the known kings. Beyond the recorded wars. To something ancient. Near-mythical.

A union.

Between a human lord... and a faerie maiden.

Elysia's jaw slackened in disbelief as she hurriedly read the accompanying passage:

"Though redacted in most imperial records, the House of Aerelion is known among true scholars to be descended from a sacred accord with the Faerie Courts.

This bond, once honored in secrecy, bestowed upon their bloodline a dormant affinity—a magical inheritance hidden deep within the soul.

The Fae call it 'syl'vaern': the sleeping ember. It lies dormant until awakened by a wielder of mana."

Elysia hadn't realized she'd been holding her breath until her lips parted with a shaky exhale. But the weight of the revelation pressed against her chest like a boulder.

'I came here expecting to find fraudulent records—or anything useful I could use to hold this family accountable if necessary... Not a literal fairytale plot twist?!'

Her thoughts spiraled.

'No,' she fiercely shook her head. 'I just need to focus. Read further. I'm sure everything will be explained eventually.'

She flipped through more pages, her fingers trembling as they grazed sketches of glowing sigils and ancient ruins, of magical rites once used by Fae to bond with humans in secret.

But the tale turned darker.

She found depictions of battles—bloodstained and chaotic. Maps of ravaged lands and Faerie territories overtaken by humans.

An entry, dated centuries ago, read:

"The humans, drunk on ambition, turned against their allies. Seeking to harvest Faerie magic for themselves, they broke the Accord. With shackles and steel, they bound the Fae, turning their gift into a weapon.

The Faerie Courts, betrayed, vanished into the wilds—never to forgive."

Elysia swallowed thickly.

And it didn't stop there.

The book chronicled how, in retaliation, the Fae aligned themselves with an ancient power feared even by humans: the Vampire Empire.

Together, they fought against the human kingdoms during the First and Second Global Wars.

Her hands shook as she turned another page.

"Of all the houses, only the Aerelion's ancestors kept their vows to the Fae. Quiet protectors of forgotten magic, they were spared the full wrath of the Courts, though inevitably disconnected from the Courts of Old.

With each generation, their bloodline dimmed. Their magical core, untouched and asleep, was lost to knowledge and time."

A sketch followed—an early form of the Aerelion crest. But it was different. Behind the usual sword-and-star motif, faintly inked, were wings.

Not angelic. Not avian.

Faerie.

Elysia traced the lines with the tip of her finger.

Suddenly, it felt as though something shifted within her. Not physically—but deep, spiritually. Like a knot slowly unraveling. A spark catching in the stillness.

She turned the page.

Right before her was a map.

Hidden chambers beneath the eastern wing of the palace. Annotations curled around it in hurried script:

"Only a Reawakened may pass."

She had no idea what that meant. Not yet. But instinctively, she knew—whatever lay beyond was a major plot giant.

'How is this even a side mission, Winfred? How?! They're talking about magic here!'

[ Host, this is the perfect time to inform you that magical abilities aren't new to the humans of this world. ]

It was a revelation to Elysia—but not entirely. The Vampire King's Obsession Leads to Ruin wasn't the only web novel of its genre she devoured in her past life.

She'd read many others that featured supernatural humans with evolved talents and elemental affinities.

But this one had always been different.

The novel's setting wasn't Velmoria, the human territory—it was Noctavaria, the domain of the vampires.

To put it simply, Elysia was the only human character in the story. At least, until the female lead—Cassian's ill-fated human love interest—appeared.

Because of that, the idea of humans wielding magic felt far-fetched. There were no resources. No clues. Nothing to hint at it.

And Elysia herself wasn't depicted as anything transcendent. The novel never so much as hinted that she possessed any form of magical ability.

'Or maybe it was a major plot twist meant for later on. Who knows at this point? The author stopped updating at chapter 150 and screwed their nonexistent readers over.'

A thought crossed her mind.

'So if human magic isn't extraordinary in this world… does that mean the kind mentioned in this record is the real deal?'

'Syl'vaern, was it?' She pondered. 'I wonder how many members of the Aerelion family know about it. King Zachary? Luke? Lucas? Maybe even distant relatives…'

Elysia pushed back the raw curiosity gnawing at her insides. 'Just stay calm... keep reading.'

She reached for another record. The title on its cover gleamed faintly:

"Mana Resonance and Awakening Protocols: An Initiate's Guide."

The introduction was terse, yet heavy with implication:

"The dormant core of a mana possessor—particularly those of Fae lineage—can be stirred to life through contact with pure mana from an awakened user. A charged wave of energy surging through the recipient's veins unlocks long-buried potential, often at the cost of physical strain or emotional upheaval. Once reawakened, the bearer will never return to dormancy."

Elysia stared at the swirling diagram in the corner of the page—a core, shrouded in shadow, suddenly flaring to light.

But before she could turn to the next page—

A distant sound broke the silence.

A soft thud.

Then another.

Footsteps.

Muffled voices.

Above.

Her heart lurched. She blew out the lamp in one swift motion, plunging the room into velvety darkness. The only light now came from above, seeping faintly through the cracks around the sealed door.

She held her breath.

The voices sharpened—two, maybe three. Male. Speaking in low tones. She heard the scrape of a boot on stone. A clipped whisper. Then—

A clink.

Metal on metal.

They were testing the door.

'I locked it… didn't I?'

Panic surged, slicking her palms with sweat. She slipped the treatise into the folds of her blanket and tucked the second book under her arm.

Her gaze flicked around the room.

No exits.

No hiding places.

Just shadows.

The doorknob rattled softly.

She ducked behind a shelf, pressing into the corner as tightly as she could. Her heart thundered with every movement. Dust tickled her nose, and she fought the urge to cough.

Then came another sound.

A click.

No…

The lock.

'Someone found a key? But how? No one else was supposed to know about this place.'

She clutched the books tighter, bracing herself.

The door creaked open.