Rise of the Lustful Evil Monarch (Re)

Velcy's POV

I was nervous hearing her as I had already imagined all the worst possibilities.

Were there dangers in this castle that I am not aware of? I was also skeptical as I knew the worst thing in this world was a person's nature and not some supernatural being. But I was proven wrong.

I had slept early after a simple dinner had been provided to me. But at an unknown time in the night, I was woken by scraping and scratching noises that sounded from the gateway that led out of my room.

It was not loud at first but as I had removed the bear hide quilt covering me, the noises had grown louder.

Even incoherent whispers started sounding inside my head and I had felt as if innumerable eyes had been staring at my exposed face at that moment.

I had been totally paralyzed and frozen from fear but I also remained inside and followed the busty woman's advice.

From that day, I slept early at night and totally covered myself from head to toe in my huge quilt. The next day after my arrival, I began my arcane language lessons.

Unfortunately, the experience was far from pleasant.

My teacher who was supposed to be an arcane linguist as explained by the busty last Virellle looked at me with thinly veiled disdain and his eyes brimmed with a poorly disguised disgust whenever they landed on my face.

His harsh words and condescending attitude made each lesson an ordeal. But I bore it all and focused instead on learning as much as I could.

I had bigger problems and loftier goals than worrying about the opinions of a snobbish elitist whose behavior reminded me of those evil people of the Blackwell family.

Every lesson was a struggle, not only against his disdain but also against my own insecurities. His ridicule reignited old memories of the sneering and cruel faces of the Blackwell family and their mocking laughter echoed in my ears.

Yet, I gritted my teeth and pushed through. These experiences would become my path to getting stronger like that dragon lady.

For that I needed knowledge. This knowledge would pave the path I needed to find my family and become strong enough to survive in this brutal world.

In my free time, I spent hours pouring over one of the ancient books I had borrowed from the castle's vast library.

The symbols and scripts written in the Aegaryn language danced across the pages and seemed to be whispering secrets that I was desperate to unravel.

With every passing day, my understanding of it grew incrementally and I found a strange solace in those solitary moments of study. Read latest stories on My Virtual Library Empire

I hadn't seen the shadowy duchess or the other girls I had been separated from, nor did I feel a desire to meet them. Their expressions when they saw my feline form were burned into my memory and it became a stark reminder reminding me of the cruelty of the world.

The world is a dark and lonely place, I thought grimly. I can only rely on myself to grow stronger and find my family.

But the memory of the dragon lady's gentle encouragement lingered in my mind and it offered a glimmer of solace.

Her gaze had been kind as she had urged me to learn and grow stronger. And while the busty woman, Virelle wasn't particularly gentle at least she didn't regard me with hatred or disgust.

Not everyone in the world is bad, I reminded myself with my bittersweet thoughts in mind.

As I made my way to my underground room, a shadowed doorway caught my attention. The passage had appeared beside the stair wall, and I hesitated briefly before entering, clutching a thick bronze book to my chest.

I had come here many times in the past week to sneak in to observe the dragon lady's disciple. I wasn't sure what drew me to him, but seeing him brought a strange sense of comfort.

Perhaps it was because his actions had led to my freedom and the downfall of the Blackwell family or maybe it was something else.

The dragon lady had disappeared after introducing me to Virelle, but her words from that fateful day haunted me. When I was in my room, I often stared at Ethan's sleeping face as I tried to decipher their meaning.

Once, I had even mustered the courage to poke his cheek and I felt an uncharacteristic giddiness and nervousness like I was testing a new toy. But he didn't react, leaving me disappointed and more confused than ever.

What does Heartshadow mean? I wondered. Will I have to care for him like a maid for the rest of my life? The dragon lady had promised he would treat me fairly and fulfill my wishes, ensuring my safety and growth.

Yet, her words were enigmatic and my thoughts spiraled in circles whenever I dwelled on them.

Shaking my head, I descended the narrow staircase and once again eager to catch another glimpse of him. But when I reached the room, I froze in shock.

The bed was empty.

Panic set in as I scanned the room frantically. Where did he go? I wondered, my heart pounding. Did he wake up? Or did someone take him away?

I had grown used to the sight of his still form lying peacefully on the bed. Now, the empty space felt like a gaping void. My mind raced with possibilities but each was more troubling than the last.

Anxious and unsure, I searched for clues. According to the dragon lady, Ethan was supposed to be my partner and someone who would help me grow stronger and ensure my safety.

His sudden absence left me deeply unsettled but I calmed down as I remembered the security of the castle and the depth in which this room was located.

Who could come here? Also, there are no signs of struggles on the bed or in the room as a whole.