The Eclipse Moons Grimoire: Lilith's Soft Whispers

C1: S1: F6: Sera's Distress(3)

"Ravencrest's Pact? What is that?" Vina asked, confused.

Both Tia and Alaric looked just as puzzled—this was the first time they had heard of it.

Realizing their lack of knowledge, Emma took a moment to explain.

"So, basically, Aldric Ravencrest made a pact with someone or something, and because of that, this territory, along with others bordering the forest, is protected from monsters?" Alaric asked, frowning.

"Yes." Emma nodded.

"And this pact remains valid as long as someone from the Ravencrest bloodline rules this territory?" Vina pressed.

"That's right."

Vina's brows furrowed. 'That's strange...Mom said we're not blood-related to them at all. So, we're not from the Ravencrest bloodline.'

Tia had a similar thought. 'Then... isn't the pact already invalid?'

Alaric's expression darkened. "Why am I only hearing about something this important now?" he asked, clearly baffled.

Tia and Vina were equally surprised, but they still didn't grasp the full significance. Alaric, on the other hand, had trained at Ravenna's castle, where he had fought against monsters firsthand. He understood exactly how crucial such a pact would be.

Emma sighed. "You're not the only one. When I started looking into this, I found that most people in Ravencrest's territory don't even know about it."

She crossed her arms. "Only a handful of people have heard of it, mostly from their great-grandparents or other elders. But even they don't take it seriously."

"So they think it's just a myth?" Vina asked.

Emma shrugged. "Exactly. Many believe it's just a story the Ravencrests made up to play self-trumpet."

Alaric scoffed, unconvinced, his voice laced with irritation. "Maybe they're right. Maybe there's no such thing as a Ravencrest Pact. I don't want to believe that those Ravencrest b*stards ruling this territory is what keeps this kingdom safe."

As soon as he said it, he noticed Sera and the children who are also ravencrest and immediately regretted his words. He exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Sorry, Sera. I didn't mean you guys."

Sera gave him a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. I know you weren't talking about us."

Relieved, Alaric exhaled, "Maybe the rumors are right... Maybe this so-called pact is nothing more than an old Ravencrest fairytale."

"We thought the same at first. The lack of monsters above low tier in the forest is one thing, but something about it still feels off. So, Emma and I went to investigate it ourselves," Sera said, her tone thoughtful.

Alaric's expression stiffened. "Wait! When did you go? And why did you go alone? You know how dangerous it is!" he asked, his voice edged with concern.

Emma chuckled at his reaction, feeling warm that he is worried for them.

"Relax, we didn't go alone. We took some soldiers and maids with us, and just to be safe, we also brought Priest Joshua. It was while you were away at training in the Countess's castle."

Alaric exhaled sharply, clearly wanting to say more, but he held back. "Just... don't do it again."

Emma stuck her tongue out playfully, making Alaric scowl in irritation.

Pushing past her teasing, he asked, "So, what did you find?"

Emma recounted their findings, with a stern expression, "The forest is vast and deep, and even low-level monsters become increasingly dangerous the further you go. But the strangest part? No matter how deep we ventured, at some point, we always ended up outside the forest again, as if trapped in a maze."