TW: Mentions of drugs and rape, bullying and abuse.
Fifth Month, the 2nd day, 1386. 19:21.
COR missed his ever-so-expressionless little sister, Adela. It was a normal thing for a proud older brother to be like that. The last time they saw each other and bonded properly was the hour after her graduation from the Academy. For the past five years, it was hard to even have a proper conversation.
As much as he missed her, he missed their banters as well.
Their wooden swords clashed and Cor's strength overpowered Adela's. She then stepped back and fixed her stance before charging toward him once again, only for him to swiftly deflect her attack.
Adela's left side was open and Cor immediately took that chance to attack her right there. Adela, on the other hand, couldn't keep her balance. She let her upper body fall back and bend, until her palm touched the ground.
Adela effortlessly flipped behind two times and landed firmly on her feet, avoiding his attack. Cor then immediately charged, taking the opportunity again where she's most open, but Adela blocked his sword with hers and tightened her grip, pushing the sword on his.
"You're still annoyingly agile, little sister, " he then says, grinning in excitement and a bit of frustration. His sweat was visibly dripping down his face as he firmly stood his ground.
"And you're still strong for someone who hasn't held a sword for a long time, big brother," she hits back, giving all her current strength into gripping the sword. After gathering enough strength, she pushes and swings her sword forward.
The sudden amount of strength she released caught Cor off guard and he was pushed back. Adela took that chance to bend down and swing her leg to make Cor lose his footing.
"Ugh!" Cor grunted as he fell down on solid ground. Before he could even look up, Adela's wooden sword was pointed at his face.
He saw the arrogant look in her eyes, sweat dripping down her forehead as she pants and caught her breath. It was normal for her to feel tired, both of them have been dueling for two hours straight. The adrenaline rush was real, Cor haven't felt this tired and exerted in forever.
"You win, Adela." Cor surrendered as he let himself lie down on the cold cemented floor and Adela was finally able to relax her body. She then walked to one corner and chugged a glass of water down. It was left by a maidservant earlier, but they were too occupied with wanting to not lose to each other.
They were inside the training hall of the mansion, this was the room they often use for home training. It was a nostalgic place.
Adela then took another glass and walked towards her brother. She handed him the glass and he accepted it.
"Why did you resign?" Cor asked in curiosity. He thought of so many reasons as to why his sister would step down from being a knight.
Maybe she's injured? No, she is stronger than before. Maybe Hael told her to rest? No, Cor has witnessed how much Hael doesn't want Adela to leave him. Maybe Adela has a problem with Hael? Yes… that's the only possible answer.
"It's for the better. Nicaea doesn't like it when I linger around him either," Adela blatantly responded. It's true, but it's far from her own reason.
There was no way she could tell her older brother that. She knew he would go crazy. That's the least she wants him to do after she did so much work to help Hael secure his position.
"Nicaea and you have never gotten along, why the decision to comply now? That's your job to serve the emperor, and she's merely a lover," Cor was spitting facts, but Adela remained silent because it was true.
Adela and Nicaea never got along. Why? Because while Adela was a full-blooded Oleander, Nicaea was a bastard child that the Earl Oleander had with a woman who drugged and raped him.
The father was a victim but took the great responsibility to take in Nicaea at the age of nine and raise her after the mother died. The Countess, who whole-heartedly loves her husband, grew to love the pitiful child who didn't belong to her, and both parents ended up neglecting the child who actually belonged to them.
Cor has been upset about this for so long, while Adela doesn't seem to care at all. Just like now.
"I don't need the job anymore, brother. What I need is rest and complete peace of mind," Adela answered with honesty. Cor could only look at her, and he can tell she wasn't lying.
Deep down, his guilt has begun to grow. He knew he should've taken her with him instead of letting her go under the emperor.
That damned emperor doesn't deserve Adela's loyalty, Cor thought to himself.
"Have I satisfied your curiosity?" Adela asked and Cor smiled. He knows she's hiding something from him, but he can't force her to spill it now, can he? At the very least, he knows she doesn't lie straight up to his face and the answers he got now are enough.
They were then interrupted with a knock.
"Pardon me, young masters." Rouche was the one who opened the door. "The Earl is home along with the Countess and young lady Nicaea. Dinner is to be served in a few more minutes as well."
"Thank you, Rouche. We'll come out now," Adela responded and offered her hand to her brother. Cor gladly took it and pulled himself up.
"Do you think Father is furious about your resignation?" Cor stated a fact with a silly smile.
"Surely he is. I'm expecting a slap later." Adela casually responded as she did see his eyes full of disdain for herself in that very moment. They both laughed it off.
It's not to say they never hated the physical training they suffered from their father, they're at least glad that he doesn't vent out on his fragile wife Cordelia or his lovely daughter Nicaea. They fixed their mindset at a young age and have always thought of the abuse as a form of punishment.
It was twisted because they were trained to be heirs of the house, but now that they've grown and experienced the world, it was time for them to stop pretending being under such a father.
They arrived by the lobby, which was merely a few meters away from the training hall. They then saw the fair wife with lavender eyes and dark locks, the lovely daughter who had blue doe eyes and long wavy blonde hair, and finally, a middle-aged man with sharp ocean eyes and blonde hair.
It was the Earl of Oleander, Nathaniel Oleander, with his wife, Cordelia Oleander, and his youngest daughter, Nicaea Leilani Oleander.
That same man is now headed in a certain direction, to his other two children.
He stopped at arms length, right in front of Adela, his first daughter, and did not hesitate to slap her across the face.
Cor was about to react, but he felt Adela holding and pulling the hem of his sleeve. It was her own way of telling him to not do anything. Adela knows how dangerous it will be if she lets Cor go out of control and let his emotions get the best of him.
Adela's eyes turned back to her father. His face was full of contempt, disgust, and disappointment. His eyes glaring directly to her soul.
"I let you become a knight all because I wanted you to serve His Majesty, and you had to disappoint me by resigning the moment he was crowned?"
Cold, but at this point, she's gotten used to it. She took a quick look towards her mother and her sister, they both looked beyond shocked from what they just heard.
Adela let out a snicker.
The House of Oleander has been the biggest supporter of Hael from the beginning, even though they remained neutral for so long. They've been backing him up and helping him even as a seven-year-old prince. Nonetheless, the Earl had chosen a ruler, not a mere prince. It's as if he had already seen his potential at a young age.
They've built a relationship as close as family with the young emperor, but with Adela resigning, it was as if that connection was severed.
"Why is my resignation from being a knight of His Majesty a big deal? You still have Nicaea, his beloved, in this house."
Adela's words were true, but Cor had a bad gut feeling about what's coming next.
"Of course, it's a big deal! While you carry the name of Oleander—"
Just then, Adela punched her own father in the face, so hard that he fell on the floor. Gasps around them we heard. They could not hold it in, because it was the first time someone dared to even hit the head of the family.
"Adela! Oh my gods!" The Countess couldn't help but sound out her shock and worry of what's happening as she rushed to help her husband up. Her own daughter and her husband are getting into a fight.
Damn, that had to hurt, Cor thought to himself as he held back his laugh. The entirety of the empire knows how strong Adela Rosalie Oleander is. She is considered one of the strongest knights in the empire.
"You insolent child—" the Earl was about to erupt in anger when Adela cut his sentence off.
"Oleander this, Oleander that…"
She was sick of it. She herself is now confused about everything she did for Hael. Was it really because of her own free will and devotion? Not because of this name and blood that ties her with these people…?
"By tomorrow morning, I will leave this mansion…" she looked around, to the people who she grew up to be with… then, to the man who was her father.
"By then… I will be abandoning the Oleander name."
Her shocking statement made Cor froze in his place, he turned his head to Adela, and he actually hesitated to say anything.
Her eyes… she's determined to do this, he thought as his hands turned into balls of fists, holding himself back. All her family members actually were speechless by her decision, even the Earl himself was unable to put it in words.
However, you can tell from his face. It turned pale, as well as the Countess. It was as if they were drained of blood. Adela couldn't care less about them feeling the guilt of a parent. It was too late.
"You can consider Adela Rosalie Oleander dead, for all I care. I will be living for myself from now on. So…"
With her shaking hands, Adela can feel her emotions welling up bit by bit, she had to urge to stop this tantrum… but it wasn't a tantrum. This was the first time she had naturally felt something.
The first time she expressed herself. The first time she looked human.
"...Farewell."
She glanced up, and there, she could see her holding back her smile. Her eyes are definitely screaming delight. Adela was barely surprised.
No wonder they're lovers… They're so alike. They have so much in common… like wanting me six feet underground, Adela thought and simply walked away to her room.
Everyone was silent, unable to process that they'd just lost a precious lady in a matter of seconds.