5. The Archmage, Seraphina

How can this woman look like me?

Every detail, from her face to her ruby red hair color except for the eyes other than that I'm like a splitting image of her. It's like seeing through a mirror, like a portrait of me that has never hung on the walls of this estate.

"Who is she?" I asked as look up at the old man.

"Seraphina Eckhart, Whitheld's strongest archmage, head of the Magic Tower, and your grandmother."

"What?" My whole body cringed and froze at this sudden outcome. "My grandmother? But my father is her son if she's my grandmother?"

Grandfather shakes his head. "No." He says firmly. "You are your father's daughter. Your mother, I did not know she was Seraphina's daughter."

Did not know?

If Seraphina is an archmage for this kingdom, a powerful one to be recognized, then why did her daughter, my mother, become a maid for the Rosen family?

Being an archmage is one of the achievements in the world. Some people possess magic given by dragons. It said in ancient times, those who drank the blood of a dragon would grant elemental powers. Depends on your energy.

"I know you seem a bit angry with me that I ignored your mother while she worked here. I had doubts about her since her character is similar to Sera." Cornelius touches the desk. "Before Seraphina became the kingdom's powerful archmage, she was raised here. No parents. No family. was an orphan my mother took in."

He continues to admire the desk as if it has a memory.

"Sera and I grew up together. We cared for one another as friends. I trained to be an heir of Rozen while she trained to become a great mage. Once we reached our teen years. I fell in love. Of course, it's not common for a noble man to marry an untitled woman, and she knows it. But I'm willing to do everything to be with her. She became my assistant and personal mage. Although her ambition was to be a powerful mage, having her by my side is enough. But once my brother, Alphonse, discovered my feelings for Sera, he would do everything to take what was mine. He was also fond of her. Alphonse threatened me for Sera's life and my feelings to our parents if I don't marry the daughter of Count Dorean."

Count Dorean's daughter. I only know he has one child, and that is his daughter, and she's Evagenline - my grandmother.

Cornelius walks away from the desk and sighs. "Once my marriage had been announced throughout the kingdom, it had broke Sera's heart. She left the family to be part of the Magic Tower with the other talented mages. We lost contact with each other. I became the Duke and revealed my little brother's schemes to take my position, and Sera became one of the most powerful mages. "

"So, how did she die?" I place the portrait down back on the desk. Cornelius has been speaking in past tense about my grandmother.

So, it means Seraphina is no longer alive.

"You know how dragons were extinct years before you were born." I nod my head. "Well, there is one that still lives. The evilest creature that lives in this world, the black dragon, Eldron."

I know that particular dragon. His name was the talk of the town back at the castle. It says he becomes powerful by sucking the negativity coated on nature made by the humans who show the obstructive from them. It's unknown how he became so evil, but for one thing, Eldron has a hatred for humans.

It said three hundred years ago, an archmage defeated Eldron and sealed him in on an island, never to reign terror on the world.

"I've heard of him. It said 50 years ago he was released from the seal. It was a crucial bloodbath battle. Every kingdom had sent out its best warriors. Windshield sent the mages from the Magic Tower, and the Holy knights from the church fought against a powerful dragon, but he was defeated easily and suddenly disappeared."

It wasn't on record how a giant dragon the size of a mountain could disappear like that. Nothing I found in articles and books says how.

"Do you know how he disappeared?"

Piqued my curiosity. "How?"

"Seraphina."

"My grandmother?"

Cornelius nods.

"Your grandmother may be the youngest archmage, but she was the most powerful. She created a seal that can put Eldron to another dimension, but there is a price."

"What's the price?" I asked.

He let out a sigh and could sense this topic seemed uncomfortable since he and my grandmother used to be lovers or so I think they are more than friends.

"You don't have to say if you're unwilling to."

"No," he pulls a grin. "I need to. It's right to tell you how much your grandmother was a hero that day. And I was there to witness it all."

Cornelius explained he and his men fought through a horde of monsters the dragon released. Once reaching a bright light, I see my grandmother in front of Eldron using all of her magic. Before she cast it, her spell told me she had a daughter and wanted me to take care of her.

"Sera told me her child was in a small cabin, hidden deep in the woods," Cornelius further explains. "I was taken back that Sera has a child and is unaware of who the father is. When I asked her, all she did was smiled before she released the magic as she and the dragon both disappeared. After the battle, I quickly went to the woods and found the cabin. But by the time I went inside, the child was gone."

My heart sank. "The child is gone?"

Cornelius nodded and rubbed his temple. "I looked at everyone and tried to find any lead. I even search at every orphanage looking for the child. But as I searched, I didn't know what she looked likes. I assume she's similar to Sera, but not all children look like their parents. I failed her. I failed Sera and didn't protect her daughter."

"So, you gave up the search?"

"I lost hope." He states.

"Did you ever look up the man my grandmother was involved with?"

Cornelius shakes his head. "I figured the father took the child and left the country. But no man with a child had left. The woman I love is gone, and her daughter is nowhere to be seen. But a miracle happened once you were born, and I knew the moment you opened your eyes that you are Sera's grandchild."

Cornelius steps in front of me and cups my face. He pulls on a smile. A soft smile is that of a man full of love towards the woman he can never be with.

"I failed to be with the woman I love and failed to protect her child, but the moment I held you in my arms, I vowed to protect you, but ever since you left, I seemed to have also failed." Cornelius pulls me in his large yet warm arms. "I'm so sorry, my child. This time I will protect you. I will never let anyone hurt you ever again."

What is happening?

My heart is feeling sad for this man. Of course, I'm not the honest Alice, but he did remind me of my grandfather back in my old life. Jesus Rivera wasn't a stud in his late fifties, but he was sweet and worked every night selling his famous candy mochi that is hot and steamy and melts in your mouth. That money was then used for my education.

In my other life, my mother passed away when I was young, and none of my relatives from my father's side acknowledged her as my father's wife. Because of her being of middle-class woman, she wasn't treated as one. They look at her as a gold-digger. They also see me as a daughter with dirty blood.

When my father remarried, and my stepmother gave birth to a daughter, she was treated as a princess. As a child, I wasn't allowed to go near my new baby sister, but I deeply cared for her when she grabbed my finger with her chubby hand. That's when I knew I would protect her. But my love for my sister changed when her true face was revealed. Because of Rebecca, my life was ruined. I was kicked out, and the only person to extend his hand was Jesus.

Sadly, I couldn't taste his sweet treats since my grandfather passed away.

The grandfather right now, Cornelius, may be known as the Black Knight in battle, but he's a caring grandfather who loves his granddaughter, and I should take advantage of this affection and trust him. I shouldn't involve him, but he's willing to use his power to protect me.

I'll use him in my revenge plot against those who wronged me.