Free Web NovelInside the quiet hall, sunlight filtered through the colorful stained glass, falling upon the empty seats and floor.
Dust particles rose and fell gently within the beams of light, allowing people to see their shapes clearly.
With a creak, the heavy doors of the hall slowly pushed open. A golden-haired girl, covering her face with her arm, ran in sobbing.
She paid no attention to the beautiful stained glass paintings on the windows or the ancient murals along the walls. She ran straight to the podium at the very front of the hall, where there was a small space she could crawl into to hide, a place no one would find her.
Curled up in this tiny corner, she buried her head in her arms, letting out soft, intermittent sobs. Her body and chest heaved, and her voice had turned somewhat hoarse, no longer the clear tone of usual days.
Even such small sounds were crystal clear within this hall.
After a while, she gradually calmed down.
Having probably finally tired herself out from crying, the girl wiped away her tears, leaned back against the cabinet under the podium, and gazed up at a faded mural overhead.
The paint on it had already lost its color, but one could still discern the grand spectacle of the past from the exquisite artistry.
The monarchs of the Blood Dynasty, dressed in ceremonial robes and holding scepters, accepted the worship of thousands of their kin, bestowing "True Crimson Blood" upon those with merit, making them members of the Blood Clan.
This was the greatest reward and the most glorious moment. Beneath the fluttering rose-blood banners, the recipients would kneel piously on one knee while maidservants brought forth golden goblets, longswords, and cloaks to celebrate them.
Unfortunately, such a magnificent scene was already a distant memory.
The girl in the hall stood up again, leaning her body against the cold wall. She rose on her tiptoes, reaching out to touch the figures on the faded mural, a look of longing and expectation appearing on her small face.
This peace was shattered by the sudden sound of a door being pushed open.
An elderly maidservant walked in quickly, her brow deeply furrowed. Her gaze caught sight of the girl at the far end of the hall, and her sharp voice immediately rang out.
"Colleti!" This voice made the girl flinch. She turned her head.
"You've skipped class again, haven't you!?" Her tone was severe as she strode quickly toward the girl and grabbed her by the arm.
"Don't you know this is a very ill-mannered and disrespectful behavior?" she demanded loudly.
"But... they were mocking me again and trying to draw on my body..." the girl explained weakly.
"Others are just joking with you. Who told you to be so unsociable?" The maidservant paid no attention, pulling the girl along as she walked out.
All the way, the girl was dragged forward, crying out again. But this could not shake the maidservant's resolve.
Afterward, she was taken to a classroom within the palace, dragged in front of everyone, and made to apologize. Only then, with reddened eyes, did the girl head to her seat.
Later, the instructor and the passing palace nobles showered the maidservant with praise, saying she was worthy of being the late Princess Leanna's reliable attendant, tirelessly loyal in raising the only daughter of Princess Leanna into an excellent heir.
The pages of time turned one by one, and the crying girl gradually grew and transformed, from her initial pleas and tearful begging to later silence and indifference.
...
A mirror. A golden mirror entwined with rose vines.
Colleti stood before the mirror, allowing the maidservants on either side to attend to her grooming and help her put on an elegant, deep crimson gown.
Her emerald eyes, gazing at the mirror, closed, then opened again, as if awakening abruptly from a long slumber.
Yes, the young woman in the mirror lifted a finger, gently pressing on her collar. A delicate sensation came from her neck, and the folds of the fabric at the collar also transmitted to her awareness, pulling her thoughts back from chaos.
It seemed that the current "her" had entered the identity of some character in the dream.
She sat up again, looking around at the classical palace adorned with gold and red, recalling the records of history.
If she wasn't mistaken, this should be the palace of the Blood Dynasty era. As for her current identity, she should be some member of the royal family.
She had heard that the Blood Clan could rely on bloodline inheritance for memories. Was she seeing a scene from the past Blood Dynasty within Carmilla's dream?
"Your Highness, it is time to go to the 'Crimson Hall.'" The maidservant beside her put down the neatly arranged hair bundle and reminded her respectfully.
"I understand." She let out a somewhat unfamiliar voice, one tinged with an indescribable aloofness, as if it came from a very distant place.
She walked down the long corridor of the palace. On one side, she could overlook the manor below, where light was bright. A few birds perched on the branches, and clusters of roses bloomed—their beautiful red, bathed in sunlight, seemed almost alive, as if burning.
Passing through corridor after corridor, palace after palace, the areas she went through gradually filled with more and more palace knights. They wore silver-trimmed, blood-red armor, majestic and solemn.
At this point, she also encountered graceful beauties around her age, all dressed solemnly and formally.
It seemed today was a very important day.
Together with these people, she entered the magnificent and grand palace. On both sides stood Blood Clan nobles, some beautiful, some imposing, all dressed in resplendent attire, whispering as they watched the young figures step into the hall.
"I wonder whom His Majesty will choose as the heir?"
"Even if someone does become the Crown Prince, given His Majesty's current state, it might take a hundred years before they could possibly inherit the throne."
"This process is too long. Based on past experience, the position of Crown Prince is hardly safe. Not many have actually succeeded to the throne in the end."
"Who doesn't know that? But who could refuse that position? Look at these princes and princesses—each one harbors expectations."
"His Majesty currently has 106 adult princes and princesses. Excluding the many incompetent ones, there are still over twenty quite excellent candidates who could be chosen."
"I still think Prince Hossa is the most likely. His uncle is the current Grand Duke Fieren, who commands the 'Thias Legion,' and he has nearly a hundred Fifth-Tier 'Blood Seal Knights' under him. His strength far surpasses the others."
"In terms of military power, that's true, but Princess Eve's background is nothing to sneeze at either. Her maternal grandfather is Duke Lars of the southern territory, also the master of 'Blue Harbor Port.' That place is a key node for reaching the Second Continent. Relying on shipping routes, he has amassed inexhaustible wealth—even the royal family is somewhat envious of them."
"Prince Reed isn't bad either. His mother is the 'Wound-Eroding Sorceress,' who has been by His Majesty's side the longest. She knows many secrets of the dynasty. Rumor has it she has a team of assassins under her command—no one dares to provoke her."
"Princess Mia won't inherit the throne, but as a descendant of the 'Swan King's' bloodline, she will surely marry another royal member in the future, ensuring that the 'Castle' Path remains under the dynasty's control."
The crowd discussed quietly. Though they mentioned many names of princes and princesses, no one mentioned Colleti. And in this palace, the young woman kept her head down the entire time, greeting no one.
Arriving before the throne in the Crimson Hall, the young woman bowed alongside the other princes and princesses, then listened to the emperor's declaration from above.
"My children, today I will grant three of you 'True Crimson Blood.' This is the blood of a ruler, which also carries the supreme authority of the dynasty. He who ascends the throne must be True Crimson."
"Now, those whose names are called, step forward." Having spoken, his majestic gaze swept over the crowd. The princes and princesses respectfully knelt on one knee.
"Hossa." He spoke the first name.
"Yes, Your Majesty." A handsome young man stood up smugly and walked to the front.
"Eve."
"Yes, Your Majesty." The princess, with a beautiful face and wearing layered silk skirts, also walked forward slowly.
"Colleti."
Upon hearing this name, the assembled dynasty nobles were in an uproar of confusion.
"Who is that?"
"How come I've never heard of her?"
"Seems like the daughter of the late Princess Leanna."
Among the kneeling figures, the young woman slowly raised her head and stood up, looking at the emperor wearing the crown of thorns.
"Yes, Your Majesty." Her voice was calm as she answered, then she stepped forward.
Under the astonished gazes of the other two heirs, she stood shoulder to shoulder with them, accepting the "True Crimson Blood" granted by the emperor. The blood droplets, like crimson marrow, fell upon the blind heart, coiling and transforming.
At that moment, the blood throughout her entire body boiled. Countless cells seemed to cheer and rejoice. And along with the falling of that drop of blood, a myriad of information entered her mind—this was the dynasty's inheritance blood, recording countless secrets.
Everything in her vision gradually turned blood-red, and her emerald eyes, at that moment, transformed into a magnificent true crimson.
