Chapter 805: I must do this
Julian smiled. He reached out and gently tucked a strand of her blonde hair behind her ear.
“Yes, I do.”
Seraphine’s face brightened noticeably.
Julian paused for a moment, then leaned in closer. His voice dropped to a low whisper, meant only for her ears.
“I need you to deliver a message to your grandfather,” Julian said, his tone calm but firm. “Tell him that a great war is approaching… one that will shake the foundations of everything we know. He must begin preparing immediately and have him train the soldiers of the Easvil Duchy in plete secrecy. No one outside his most trusted circle can know.”
He paused for a brief moment, as if carefully choosing his next words.
“He may find this hard to believe at first,” Julian continued. “In fact, he will likely be shocked. But make sure he understands this – everything will be explained when I return. Until then, he must trust my judgment.”
Seraphine listened without interrupting, her eyes fixed on him with unwavering focus. The brightness that had filled her expression moments ago slowly faded, replaced by something far more serious.
Once he finished, she gave a slow nod. Under her breath, she began repeating the key points, mitting them carefully to memory, as though even the smallest mistake could lead to disaster.
After a moment, she exhaled softly.
“Wow… you’ve really thought this through, Father” she said, her voice carrying a mix of admiration and unease. “You’re planning to involve the soldiers of another kingdom in the War of Hermes…”
She hesitated briefly, as if weighing her next words.
“Forget the enemies,” she added quietly. “Even our own allies would be shaken if they learned something like this. What you’re suggesting… it’s not just bold, it’s dangerous in ways most people wouldn’t even begin to understand.”
Julian laughed softly and nodded at her reaction.
“Yes. But this is only an end-game plan, Seraphine. If we reach the point where we have to mobilize the soldiers of our Easvil Duchy, then remember… the situation would have already spiraled far out of our control.”
As Julian spoke those words, his mind automatically drifted over everything that was about to e. This would really be a long battle… perhaps the longest and most dangerous one he had ever faced. One wrong move and everything could crumble.
Seraphine watched him closely, sensing the weight behind his silence. She stepped closer again and reached out to gently place a hand on his arm.
“Father… for how long will you remain in this body?” she whispered, her voice filled with worry. “Is it really necessary? Your real body is still lying unconscious at the Silver Moon Inn. I check on it every few days. It’s stable, but… it feels wrong seeing you like this.”
Julian turned back to face her fully and smiled, though the expression carried a touch of exhaustion. He took her hand in his, squeezing it reassuringly.
“Being in the body of Kraven increases our chances of taking the upper hand in this war, Seraphine. I have formed connections with the Astran family. I’ve gained their trust — to some extent — and I’m extracting valuable information from within. If I returned to my original body too early, I would lose this vantage point. I need to stay here until I uncover the full truth about the Servant of Death and the Fragment of Eternity.”
Seraphine raised an eyebrow at his words, her expression shifting almost instantly. A slow, cunning smile spread across her lips… the kind that only appeared when she believed she had uncovered something intriguing. There was a spark in her eyes now, as if she were quietly piecing together a puzzle only she could see.
“And who exactly might those ‘family’ members be?” she asked, her voice laced with a soft, playful tone. Beneath the lightness, however, there was a clear layer of implication—one that suggested she already had her own suspicions.
Julian caught the subtle challenge in her question immediately. His gaze met hers without hesitation, though the faint twitch at the corner of his lips betrayed a trace of amusement.
“Kraven’s mother, his sister, his aunt…” he replied evenly, pausing just long enough to let the words settle. “And a few others.”
Seraphine let out a quiet chuckle, clearly entertained by his answer. Instead of pulling back, she leaned in closer – closer than before – until the distance between them nearly vanished. Her presence was impossible to ignore now, her warm breath brushing lightly against his face.
“And… have you seduced them?” she asked, her tone direct yet teasing.
Julian raised an eyebrow at that. “What makes you think I would go around seducing them?” he replied.
Seraphine waved her hand dismissively, as though the answer was obvious and didn’t require much thought. She stepped even closer and her body now nearly brushed against his, closing whatever little space remained between them.
“I know exactly what kind of man you are, Father,” she said, her voice calm yet laced with certainty. “You married your own mother. You had children with your sister… and even your grandmother. And then you brought us into this world, your daughters, with the intention that we would one day carry your child as well.”
She tilted her head slightly, her expression unreadable for a brief moment before a faint smile returned to her lips.
“Do I really need any more reasons than that?”
A brief pause followed, just long enough for her words to settle in the air between them. Then her smile sharpened, taking on a more playful, almost teasing edge.
“And if I had to guess…” she added lightly, “you’ve probably already succeeded in getting close to them in that way too.”
Julian burst into laughter. There was something almost genuine in it, as though he found her boldness endlessly entertaining rather than shocking.
Seraphine had always been like this… fearless with her words and unafraid to cross boundaries others wouldn’t even approach. But more than that, she was intelligent. Among his three daughters, she stood out as the most perceptive, the most capable of seeing through layers that others would never even notice.
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