TBATE: CAERA | VALKYRIE ASCENSION

Chapter 7: A New Family

CAERA DENOIR POV:

A few days had passed without much happening, but today was different. Nessa had informed me that Scythe Seris had called for me in her office. As we made our way to her chamber, I couldn't shake off the unease that had settled in my stomach. I tried asking Nessa if she knew anything, but her only response was, "You will know once you arrive." Her words were simple, but her tone was off—strange, even—and it left me feeling unsettled.

We soon arrived at the door to Seris's office, and Nessa gently knocked. From within, I heard Seris's voice, firm but composed. "Enter."

Nessa and I stepped through the door, and the moment I saw her face, my unease deepened. Seris was looking at me with an expression that was hard to read, her emotions masked behind a strict demeanor.

"I see you have arrived, Caera," she said, her voice calm but distant.

"Y-Yeah," I stammered, feeling the weight of the room pressing down on me. "Is everything alright? Why did you call me? And why won't Nessa tell me anything?"

A heavy silence followed as Seris studied me for a moment, her eyes sharp but betraying something deeper. Then she spoke. "You are here exactly because of that."

I blinked, confused. "Because of what?"

Seris continued, her words steady and measured, "You are going to Highblood Denoir's house."

"Highblood Denoir?" I repeated, my confusion growing. "Why? Is something wrong?" Highblood Denoir wasn't a name unfamiliar to me. They were one of the most prominent and influential families in Alacrya, a house with power and prestige that spanned the entire continent.

"Nothing is wrong," Seris answered, her tone cool. "I have decided that you are going to be raised by them from now on, as their adoptive daughter."

Her words hit me like a physical blow. I stood frozen, staring at her, trying to comprehend what she had just said. Raised by them? As their adoptive daughter? My mind reeled, and my heart began to race. The woman who had cared for me my entire life, my Mama, was telling me that I would leave her house... that she was giving me to someone else.

"W-Why?" I choked out, tears already brimming in my eyes. "D-Did I do something wrong? I promise I won't do it again, please—"

My words faltered as Seris stood up, her mask of cold resolve cracking for just a moment. She stepped closer and knelt beside me, her hand gently brushing against my cheek. "You did nothing, child."

"T-then, why?" I whimpered, my voice barely above a whisper. "Why are you sending me away?"

Seris wiped away my tears with the back of her hand, her touch soft yet firm. "I am sending you there for your own safety."

"Safety?" I frowned, my mind racing. "But you're so strong, Mama. I'm safest here with you. Who would even try to hurt me?"

She let out a soft sigh, her gaze steady but filled with an emotion I couldn't quite place. "This isn't just about strength, Caera. Your talent... it's beyond what I imagined. And with that talent comes attention. Attention from people who would seek to control you or use you for their own benefit. I can't risk that."

Seris continued, her voice soft but resolute. "Once you are introduced as the adoptive daughter of Highblood Denoir and officially as my disciple, you will be protected by both their name and mine. No one will dare to mess with you, and I can ensure your safety more effectively."

I shook my head frantically, tears flowing again. "N-no, I don't want to stay away from you! I don't care about using mana or this talent if it means I'll be sent away. I don't need it, Mama." I clung to her, burying my face in her chest as I sobbed, my voice muffled by the fabric of her clothes. "I-I just want to stay with you."