She was always tiptoeing around Arlen's estate.
Her father's fear was something that Ilyin always had to deal with, that he didn't have much of a reason for and he would always ask her for something out of the blue when he was drunk or excited, which left her terrified in those moments.
The viscount never liked Ilyin and this made her live a life in a constant state of stress at Arlen's estate.
She would have lived like this until her death if she hadn't seen her first night with Aden.
Ilyin had always thought that this was the only place she could be.
“You didn’t talk about your childhood, right?” The viscount looked serious as he asked Ilyin.
She lowered her face and closed her eyes; the floorboards, which were more familiar to her than the people, were now replaced by darkness.
‘This is a dream.
This isn't happening.' She thought about the mansion she had seen so far.
The mobile was nowhere to be found and even though the dream was so realistic, that was its saving grace.
“You seem to have at least thought about it,” the viscount sighed heavily at Ilyin's silence.
"A mysterious woman who sees death.
How surprised His Highness would have been.
I heard there are many superstitions in the North..."
Ilyin heard the viscount click his tongue and remembered that he was dreaming.
"However, we still have a chance.
You spent a night with him, right?" He continued.
The viscount grumbled that Ilyin should have done it since she had been there for over a month.
Gritting her teeth, she let the words flow with her eyes tightly closed.
“Is there anyone out there?” The maid who took Ilyin entered while the viscount spoke:
“Show it to the doctor and be silent.”
His voice was fierce when he spoke to Ilyin:
"Be quiet until you die.
I might say something to His Excellency if you have a son." The maid pulled Ilyin's arm at the viscount's beckoning, telling them to go: "Let's go." Ilyin grumbled, feeling his arm hurt.
"I told you to be silent.
Is this because of your mother's common blood?"
Ilyin did not open his eyes.
This was an extremely realistic dream, one she had had a few times before.
She only looked for one thing whenever she found herself in a dream like this and allowed herself to be treated mercilessly while doing so.
Ilyin opened his eyes and searched the room one last time before leaving.
She didn't see the mobile.
If it wasn't there, she wouldn't be abandoned.
***
Aden went through his first succession ceremony when he was eleven.
The repeated rituals were not as complex as the name suggested and the ceremony only needed four Divine Objects and someone of the Biflten bloodline.
The mirror on the round table would shine brightly for a moment when he placed his hand on the Divine Objects.
He wanted to know what the light was when he was young, because he thought he saw something strange during the first ceremony.
However, Aden became indifferent to them over the years as he grew tired of what the three elders asked for each ceremony.
He just wanted it all to end.
While the elders said the power would protect Biflten, they forced him onto the battlefields because of this power.
Lidan had once said that although it was easy for Aden to kill a hundred monsters, it would take many knights, risking their lives, to do the same.
While Aden had gone to battle for this reason before, now he did not; his childhood ended when the elders tried to divide the Delroses.
Aden was calming Ilyin during Lidan's spellcasting.
The old man was speaking in an ancient Biflten language that had been passed down by the elders who had begun this ceremony before.
He didn't care about that.
Ilyin's hand was cold and shaking as he held it, but he knew nothing would happen.
She took a deep breath and his scent seemed to calm her.
Aden gently stroked the back of her hand, reminding her that she would calm down and breathe normally while they were in bed if he did so.
She reacted the same way now and Aden heard her breathing return to its normal rhythm.
He then guided Ilyin's hand to the round table after Lidan finished speaking.
Sensing her surprise at the light, he hugged her shoulders.
"It's okay.
It'll be over soon," he whispered.
But the light shone for much longer than usual and she seemed to be in a trance.
Aden saw the elder's surprise and they observed Ilyin who was rigid, staring at the mirror.
“Ilyin?” Aden called as he felt his panic rising.
She remained motionless despite the flashing light.
“Something is wrong!”
The Mille elder approached her and at that moment the light went out along with something else.
“Ilyin!” Aden shouted.
He liked to hear her heartbeat whenever he hugged her.
It was the same now, but suddenly her breathing and heartbeat stopped and she fainted, falling to the ground.