CHAPTER 32: CHAPTER 31. SPIRIT’S OATH

One of the shadow knights began to notice something strange. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as he scanned the area, his eyes darting around in growing unease. Something isn’t right.

They’re still in the heart of the Dreadfang Mountains, a place that lived up to its name, a dreadful, terrifying land filled with nightmares. For days and nights, the shadow knights had been hunted endlessly by the ravenous beasts that prowled these peaks.

The creatures of Dreadfang didn’t care who their prey was, whether strong or weak, human or monster themselves; they attacked with a single instinct: to fight and devour. But now, there’s nothing.

Since they’d been discovered and captured by the Grand Duke’s forces, not a single monster had come close. The silence felt unnatural, suffocating. The knight’s hand tightened around the hilt of his dagger as he hissed under his breath, "Why... why are there no monsters coming after us?" His voice wavered, filled with confusion and dread.

Red, Roxanne’s ever-loyal aide, turned his head slowly toward the one who spoke. A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips, a dangerous glint in his eyes. His blade rested lazily against the neck of one kneeling shadow knight, sharp enough to draw a thin line of blood.

"Why, you ask?" Red’s grin widened into something sharp and unsettling. "Why do you think that is?" His tone is mocking, almost playful, but there’s an edge to it that sends shivers through the group.

"It’s because of the Grand Duchess," Marvessa said suddenly, her voice cutting through the tension like a blade.

Maxim, Roxanne’s head knight, immediately shifted his stance, his sword flashing as it redirected from one of the captives to point directly at Marvessa’s throat. His expression is cold and deadly serious. "And how," he demanded, his voice low and dangerous, "would you know that?"

Marvessa doesn’t flinch. Her back remained straight, her head tilted upward as she met Maxim’s piercing stare with a solid truth. "Because..." she said slowly, each word deliberate and certain, "the spirits told me so."

Maxim narrowed his eyes, suspicion etched deep into his features. In one swift motion, he reached out and yanked back the heavy hood that concealed Marvessa’s face. The reveal drew startled reactions from those watching.

Beneath the hood is a beautiful woman, her beauty sharp and haunting. Her hair tumbled around her face in wild, dirty-gray strands, while her eyes glimmered with an unnatural, deep violet light. It’s the unmistakable sign of someone with spiritual blood, a rare lineage capable of bonding with spirits, feared and revered across the empire.

Vivianne gasped softly as her gaze fell upon the revealed face; she then showed her face from Roxanne’s robe, which protected her. After seeing Marvessa’s full face, her chest tightened painfully, and the world seemed to blur around her.

She knew this woman; memories surged like a flood, the long, bitter days of her past when she had been hunted, cornered, and betrayed by people she thought she could trust. The king’s shadow knights had chased her relentlessly, but amidst that darkness, one person had been different: Marvessa.

The only one who had ever shown her kindness. The only one who had stood between her and the cruelty of others. When the rest of the world treated her as prey, Marvessa had sworn, whispered in secret, trembling with the weight of her defiance, that she would never harm Vivianne. That she would protect her, no matter the cost.

Vivianne’s throat tightened as she stepped forward, her amethyst eyes shimmering with emotion. She had believed she would never see her again, that the woman who had once been her silent protector in her past life was lost to her forever. Yet here she is, kneeling in the cold mountain air.

"So... your name is Marvessa." She said to her.

Marvessa’s cold, stoic mask broke for just a moment. A flicker of warmth passed through her violet eyes—reverence, devotion, and something almost like relief. Slowly, she bowed her head deeply, one hand pressed over her heart. This isn’t the submission of fear. It’s the vow of someone offering their very soul.

"Yes, Master," Marvessa said, her voice firm yet soft.

Vivianne’s breath caught as her heart pounded wildly. In that moment, she understood: Marvessa isn’t kneeling before Roxanne, nor before the Grand Duke’s authority. She had chosen her.

"Wife, don’t kill her," Vivianne said softly, her voice trembling as she clutched Roxanne’s sleeve.

Roxanne turned her crimson eyes toward her omega. There’s no hesitation in her expression, only calm certainty. "Okay," she replied without a trace of resistance.

Vivianne blinked, startled. She had expected Roxanne to argue, to reject her plea outright, but instead, her wife agreed instantly. Seeing Vivianne’s surprise, Roxanne gave a small, reassuring smile before glancing at her knights. "Undine seems to approve of her," she said firmly, her tone leaving no room for doubt. "She will not harm my wife."

Maxim, standing just behind her, tilted his head slightly. "And the rest of them?" he asked, his sword poised, his voice carrying a deadly calm.

Roxanne’s eyes hardened. "Kill the rest." The order is as cold as the winds of Dreadfang.

"Wait—please, wait!" Marvessa’s voice rang out, desperate yet commanding. She shoved herself forward, the chains of her duty rattling in every word.

Maxim snarled, his blade lifting. "What? Are you going to deny your master’s command?!"

"My master isn’t the Grand Duke!" Marvessa roared, her voice cutting through the chaos like a blade. With a swift motion, she slapped Maxim’s sword aside and stepped forward, her violet eyes blazing with defiance. "My master is the Grand Duchess!"

Maxim’s rage flared. He lunged forward, his sword thrusting toward her heart. But he never reached her. Roxanne’s overwhelming alpha power slammed into the clearing like a wave of crushing heat. Maxim froze mid-motion, his body locked in place, muscles trembling under the sheer force of her command. His breath came ragged as sweat dripped down his face.

"Enough," Roxanne said, her voice low and dangerous as her gaze settled on Marvessa. She lowered her massive longsword, its dark blade gleaming ominously. "What are you planning to do, Marvessa?"

Marvessa dropped to one knee, her hands clenched tightly at her sides. "Let me be the one to kill them," she said, her voice steady but laced with grief. Her hands moved to her sword, drawing it in one smooth motion as she turned to face her comrades—no, her former comrades.

"Lead! You’re not serious, right?" one of the shadow knights cried, disbelief and fear etched across his face.

Marvessa’s expression remained cold, unreadable. "I told you before," she said, her voice carrying the weight of finality. "Run—or fight me." Before the knight could respond, her blade flashed. In a single, merciless strike, she severed his head from his body.

Vivianne gasped, a sharp, broken sound tearing from her throat. Her hands flew up to her ears as she buried her face against Roxanne’s chest, clinging tightly to her wife. She didn’t want to hear the screams and didn’t want to see the blood. Roxanne’s strong arms wrapped protectively around her, shielding her from the carnage even as the sounds of battle erupted around them.

The remaining shadow knights screamed in rage and despair, their voices mingling with the sickening sound of steel meeting flesh. Marvessa moved like a wraith among them, silent, efficient, and utterly lethal.

Her face showed nothing, but her heart is a storm of sorrow and regret. These are the comrades with whom she had bled and shared hardships, yet now, for the sake of her new master, she cut them down one by one.

When it was over, silence fell.

The snow beneath them is stained crimson, the metallic scent of blood heavy in the air. Marvessa stood in the center of it all, her body trembling slightly, her blade slick with gore. Her cold mask cracked for just a moment, showing the grief buried beneath her resolve.

She turned and strode toward Roxanne’s horse, her boots leaving deep, bloody prints in the earth. Dropping to one knee, she sheathed her sword and lowered her head. "They will never return to chase you again, Master. Your Grace," Marvessa said, her voice hoarse but steady.

Roxanne studied her carefully, crimson eyes sharp as a blade. Then, slowly, a satisfied smile curved her lips. "Will you truly be loyal to my wife?" she asked, her tone low and commanding.

Marvessa raised her head slightly, meeting Roxanne’s gaze with fierce determination. "I swear upon my heart," she said, her voice carrying the unshakable weight of truth. "As long as the Grand Duchess lives—"

She stopped, her eyes flickering to Vivianne, who still hid her face in Roxanne’s chest, trembling from the horror she had just witnessed.

Vivianne’s muffled voice came next, soft yet firm. "Give her my name. She... she needs my full name to complete her oath by the spirits."

Roxanne’s crimson eyes softened for a brief moment as she nodded. She tilted her head back slightly and spoke with clear, commanding authority. "Vivianne de Borgia."

Marvessa’s voice rang out like a bell, each word sharp and binding. "I swear upon my heart, as long as the Grand Duchess, Vivianne de Borgia, lives, my life will be spent protecting her. Should I break this oath, may my very soul be destroyed." As the final word left her lips, a faint silver glow flared around her chest—the manifestation of a spirit’s oath, ancient and unbreakable.

Roxanne’s smirk widened in satisfaction. She flicked her fingers, releasing a ripple of magic. The blood coating Marvessa vanished instantly, leaving her pristine as though untouched by the slaughter she had wrought.

"Mara," Roxanne commanded, her voice smooth and regal, "take her."

"Yes, Your Grace." Mara, a tall and powerful female beastman knight, stepped forward with her horse. She helped Marvessa to mount onto her horse, seating her securely behind her.

With the matter settled, Roxanne adjusted Vivianne gently in her arms and turned her gaze forward. "Let’s move. We’ve wasted enough time."

They continued their journey, leaving behind the silent, blood-soaked clearing, a grim testament to Marvessa’s loyalty and the power of a master’s claim.