The room is filled with sobs and tears sound. The teenager cries all her heart begging love from the man who is standing coldly infront of her.
"Why won't you look at me father?" She asked again.
"What does it takes you just to love me as your daughter?" As she couldn't bare to be silent anymore, she finally shouts her real thoughts since she has bottled all her feelings.
"I am your daughter! I may not be bright just like Gabriel but I-"
"Stop." The duke coldly interupt her. "You sound like a maniac woman."
Silent.
Only the miraculous tears of Ayla drop on the floor.
Just how cold can this man be?
Duke of Weinberg, Oscar Weinberg. One of the strongest noble family because of the connection with the royals.
Oscar speak his daughter name softly.
"Ayla Weinberg."
A little hope appears somewhere in her heart hearing her father speak her name softly and not being harsh.
"Foolish woman."
The atmosphere of the room became dark.
Her hope shatter into pieces
"There is no day until you die, my love for Gabriel has changed for you." Her father say it without any emotion.
Her lips tremble. They were dry and cold.
"H-how come father? I am your daughter before Gabriel was!" Her words began to stutter. The Duke wouldn't even bother to look at his daughter face.
"Because-"
"Because?!" Ayla felt fustrated.
"Our Gabriel is different from you. She is lovely." The truth answer had answered all of her stupid question in her whole life.
Ayla chuckle bitterly. "So I'm the ugliest?"
The Duke couldn't came up with an answer so he stay quiet.
Suddenly, there's a voice sounded from a cute girl interrupt them. "Father!"
The teenager girl with a pinky hair tied two big ponytails with pink eyes ran to her her own father. "Father! It's our teatime!" She said.
Ayla's eye turned dark.
Sick.
She's sick of it.
Ha-
Gabriel.
"Ah, what a disgusting view." Ayla said that loudly.
"Come again, wench?" Gabriel smiles softly but her eyes shows many bad meanings. Like always, judge Ayla's look.
"The disgusting view is you. A dull brown hair, with those weird golden eyes that shouldn't even existed. It must be cursed? But the gist of it, your ugly. I feel embarrassed for being the same daughter of Eve with you." Gabriel devil mouth still didn't stop.
"Are you even a woman?" Ayla's voice dripped with mockery, her lips curling into a cruel smile. "For a moment, I thought you were a boy," Ayla said with a mocking look.
Gabriel eyes turns dark while mumble, "What."
"Oh! How rude of me, forgetting that you're a lady. A pink lady," Ayla sneered. Her words stirred her sister's buried trauma.
Gabriel eyes showed no emotion. Her body trembled as she hugged herself, lips quivering as the same word over and over.
"Mother..."
"Mother..."
"Mother-"
The Duke move in an instant, pulling his daughter away from Ayla, his hand hugs Gabriel protectively. "Ayla. You have crossed the line."
"Yes. I'm aware." Ayla rose from the ground, her voice laced with arrogance.
Duke Oscar exhaled a heavy sigh, the weight of exhaustion in his voice is clear. He ordered the guards who had been silently observing them for too long.
"Guards," the Duke commanded, his voice echoing through the hall. "Lock Ayla in the repent tower as usual."
But the moment the guards reach for her, Ayla's light magic crackled violently around them like a storm, forcing them to recoil in shock.
The guards staggered backward, shielding their eyes from the radiance. Ayla's chest felt heavy. Her golden eyes with a furious intensity shine brighter as she raised her right hand ready for the another unleash.
Duke Oscar stepped forward to stop her. His voice cutting through the chaos. "Enough! Stop your stupid action Ayla, and listen to your father!"
Ayla did not bother to look at her father.
"Father?"
Silent. It was as if all the chaos had been frozen in time.
"How foolish. You are not my father."
"Who are you to claim that you are my father."
"How shameful, desperately clinging to the title of father just because your afraid of me."
"And are you saying you've have licked back the spit that came out from your own mouth? How utterly disgusting."
Just Ayla's words alone could poison his father's heart.
"Well then. I shall take my leave." Ayla bowed before her father, every movement precise yet it screams defiance.
As Ayla walked into the forest, the sunlight was so bright that it hurt her eyes so she lifted her hand to block it."So bright..."
Well, it's the Weinberg after all. Of course they build their mansion on a hill.
For generations, Weinbergs have been counted as among the wealthiest noble families in all of history.
They possess their own land.
Their wealth seems endless.
Weinberg's are renowned for their mesmerizing beauty.
A doll-like face.
But they carried a dark history, nearly starting a war committing a grave crime against the royal family.
Dark magic.
Weinberg are also known for their fierce ambition that burns within their hearts-
A relentless desire to be the strongest.
Their cunning moves are something not just anyone can read.
Betrayal, battles for power, and ignorance toward those who the people who sacrificed everything for them.
'I'm sick of it.
What a sin it is, for this endless greed of ours.
But that is human nature.'
As soon as Ayla saw the Repent Tower, she stop walking. She wondered-
'How many years has it been since I lived in that old tower?
Eight years? I've been locked away in that place for eight long years.
Perhaps, that's why I never noticed the roses growing along its wall...
If I recall it correctly, the first time I came here, there's were no roses in at all.
Ugh. Red roses.
I don't like them.'
Ayla walked into the tower and went straight up to her room. She quickly changed into her pajamas to and lay down on the bed. It wasn't very comfortable, but at least it was warm enough to soothe her tired body.
'The Repent tower... It's just a secret prison for those who dared to defy the Weinberg's plan. Even the Weinberg's themselves are afraid to set their foot here.
But for me, this tower is peaceful.
No one will interrupt you.
No one will scold you.
No one will hurt you.
You can even see the constellations clearly just by sitting on the window.
There's a bed, a bathroom and even a perfect view. What more could I possibly want?'
"Ah... I wanna sleep now..." She muttered while turning back her body face the wall.
Ktang! Ktang!
Ayla eyes fully awake because of the loud sound. She quickly stand on her feet and try to earsdrop from the door. The sound is almost like a metal hitting the wall...
Just where is this sound came from?
I don't think its from the door...
Then where is this sound from?
Her eyes turn dark.
Ayla mumbled hearing the sound are getting louder. "The window..."
'Oh no! They're coming!' She panicked and hide in the closet because its close with the window.
Ktang! Ktang! Ktang!
There's a teenager boy in hoodie entering the very high tower by using the window.
He closes the window. Then he take a quick look in his sling bag. Thought he's save by enter the old tower, he let down his guard.
"Fyuh. I'm safe-" BANG! Being hitted by something make him passed out on the floor.
Turns out-
Ayla is the one who hit him using a old thick book. "W-WHO ARE YOU?! WHERE DID YOU COME FROM?"
But the boy remain silent.
"U-umm are you alright?" Ayla keep poke his cheek using the broomstick nearby them.
'A-ah.. I think I can see a bright soul smilling came out of his body...'
Creepy.
Then Ayla noticed theres a purple bruise forming on his forehead.
No way... Did I do this?
Gotta heal him I guess.
'But of course! Safety comes first so...' Ayla tied the boy on the chair by using her magic rope. Then she reached out her hands, letting her power flow. A soft purple bloomed from her palms, spreading over the young man's hand and start to treat the wounds.
From her lips, a spell slipped forth like a command.
The truth is... I don't even have healing powers. Instead, I possess the opposite.
I can transfer every curse I've received from people suffering from any illnesses.
Actually, it all began with a simple misunderstanding.
There was one time when a maid had a small cut on her leg from a sharp piece of plate.
Wanting to check her, I reached out my hands my hand to touch her leg- and a purple light flowed from my palm, instantly healing the injury.
But something felt strange in my body.
Because even I didn't know I possessed such a strange ability.
Of course, all the maids saw what I had done.
Feeling exhausted, I hurried to my bedroom to rest.
But then, something sharp pricked my leg. I tried to shift, to sit up and-
Blood.
I saw that my legs bore the same injury as the maid that i had touched earlier.
There were times I tried to heal others who were hurt.
But as soon as their injuries vanished,
I would receive the same wound in return.
And then... I realized.
I realized that I wasn't healing them.
To save someone,
I had to pay the price.
Yes.
I was gifted with the ability of transfer.
Which means I have to take their pain to myself.
The pain was unbearable, far too much for my body to handle.
I feel like dying everyday.
So I made the decision never to do it again.
But-
Those who witnessed it...
They began spreading false rumors, saying-
"Lady Ayla is the Flower Princess that everyone has waited for a centuries!"
"She is the one chosen by prophecy!" They say.
The rumors eventually reached Duke Weinberg's ears.
Even though I had always been close to the Duke, he-so-called perfect daughter. He rarely ever smiled at me,
But when he heard the rumors...
For the first time. He smiled.
But.
What a smile he has...
But I didn't care. I was happy, basking in the rare recognition from him, even if it was only as a Flower Princess title.
But things only grew worse when Gabriel lived at the mansion. Especially with her frail, delicate body.
The Duke spoke to me in an uncharacteristically gentle tone.
"My dear perfect daughter... Can you do me a favour?"
"What is it father?" I asked him.
He needs my help to heal Gabriel.
Knowing I had not fully recovered, I politely refused.
Suddenly, the Duke's smile vanished.
"Come now. I'll grant you anything you want if you succeed in healing Gabriel."
Only one thought echoed in my mind.
Family.
I want a place that was called home. I want to know where I truly belong even though I am happy here.
I was foolish-so desperate for a real family that I agreed.
But when I tried to heal her, to take the illness into myself...
It backfired.
It became the opposite.
I accidentally gave her even more injuries.
Turns out what makes Gabriel illness is worse is because of a curse.
At that time, I still couldn't control my power so instead of lifting her curse...
I transferred her even deeper wounds onto her.
Of course, as her father, the Duke was furious with me.
And it didn't take long.
Everyone in Weinberg household began whispering that I was a broken Flower Princess.
They even gave me a new name as-
The broken angel.
From that day on, I swore never to use my ability again.
'But this man might have a really bad bruise. Maybe I can transfer a bit of blackberry into it.'
Sure, blackberry fruits are the most poisonous fruit in Vega. But they also have their uses.
If you drink blackberry juice, you'll suffer a long illness.
But if you apply the juice as medicine on your skin, it becomes the most effective treatment for small injuries especially swelling.
I once transferred poison to myself from a patient who accidentally drunk blackberry juice, completely unaware of how dangerous its toxins were.
'Maybe I could try it on him. After all... I've already tasted that poison for myself.'
"Nigrum Bacca."
It's actually a poison spell. But it can heal too.
Bittersweet huh, me?
Then young man groaned as he slowly opened his eyes. "Where... am i?"
Ayla was left momentarily speechless. His eyes were the purest shade of blue she had ever seen- like the real sky itself.
What a beautiful color. Is it because I've never seen blue eyes before?
And his hair.
What a unique reddish orange hair he have...
His hair looked good. Was it a short, loose curls hairstyle?
'Wait, no! Don't get distracted!'
Swosh!
Ayla raised her broomstick and pointed it right on his nose.
"J-just who are you?! How do you know about this tower? Are you here under Duke Weinberg's order?" Ayla couldn't stop the questions from spilling out.
"Woah! One at a time, please!" the young man chuckled.
'Somehow he looks so relaxed. Most people would've freaked out by now.' Ayla frowned. This was not what she expected.
"How did this happen..." He muttered, struggling, but the ropes held him tightly.
"Well," Ayla smirked. "I have my ways of dealing you for enter in my territory."
She used the broomstick's handle to tilt his chin upward, forcing him to look at her. "What is your name?"
The young man gave her a boyish smile as he met her gaze.
"Don't you know that asking for someone's name without introducing yourself is considered rude?"
Ayla grew embarrassed.
"A-Ayla Weinberg... What is your name?"
He gave her a handsome, cheeky grin. "Nara Campbell."
Suddenly, the ropes loosened. Then he rose up from the chair.
Ayla jolted in shock, stepping back quickly. "What?! How?!"
Nara smirked then swiftly pushed Ayla into the chair, pinning her in place.
"Well girly," he said it calm but in tease tone. "I have my own ways too."
She gulped.