Averielle's POV
The sting on my cheek still throbbed, but the Duke's order to join the breakfast table left no room for hesitation.
I followed silently, cataloging everything. the hallway, the polished floors, the faint scent of wax and early sunlight. In my old life, I had survived far worse dangers, yet this… this was a completely different battlefield.
As soon as we reached the dining hall, the space was bright and the table was long and polished, laid with delicate ceramics that glinted in the morning sun.
Four sisters were seated, their gaze immediately landing to me.
Lucinda, eldest, bore an expression of boredom.
Sandra leaned forward with curiosity and a thinly veiled edge.
Amelia's frown was obvious, and Selene smirked, as though she already knew she would have fun today.
The Duke gestured for me to sit. I lowered myself carefully into the chair, folding my hands properly.
Lucinda's voice sliced through the quiet. "Finally decided to show up, the little fifth daughter," she said, faintly mocking.
I tilted my head as my lips curled into a small, polite smile. "Apologies, sister. Father insisted I must grace you with my presence. You should consider yourself grateful."
Lucinda's brow furrowed. "Grateful? Oh please. You've never done anything remarkable in your life."
I blinked slowly, voice even and measured. "True. But sometimes even small appearances can leave a lasting impression."
Her jaw tightened.
Sandra's eyes narrowed seeing how I am talking back at them. "Do try to sit still today. It would be a shame if you embarrassed yourself again."
I inclined my head lightly, as if considering her words. "I wouldn't dream of embarrassing myself… but I am ready to embarrass anyone who provokes me."
Her hands twitched slightly on the table as irritation flickered across her features.
Amelia huffed, muttering loud enough for me to hear. "Invisible all these years, and now suddenly bold. Do you think you can just… step into our world and speak as you please?"
I turned my gaze to her, calmly and faintly amused. "Yes. Just like you do. You're a good role model." I simply answered.
Amelia's frown deepened, and I could see she had understood the bite perfectly.
Selene leaned back, smirking, her voice teasing. "Well, this is… new. The youngest finally has something to say. Tell me, are all your words this… sharp, or is today special?"
I gave her a sweet, innocent smile. "Quietness is overrated. Words are only useful when they count. Perhaps you'll notice that sooner than you expect." Her smirk faltered.
Lucinda's patience snapped. "You think you can talk to us like that? Do you have any idea who you are?"
I let a soft, harmless chuckle escape. "Yes, I do. Unfortunately, I'm your sister."
Sandra slammed her hands lightly on the table. "Enough of this nonsense! Do you even know your place?"
I leaned forward slightly, voice calm, almost conspiratorial. "Oh, I know my place perfectly… it's just not where you think it is." The sisters flinched almost imperceptibly, eyes narrowing, mouths tightening.
Amelia's fists clenched. "You will never–"
"Stop," the mother's voice cut through like a whip, sharp and commanding. "Seraphyne, enough. Enough all of you, behave. I will not tolerate this insolence at the breakfast table."
The sisters froze. Their eyes turned sharp and lips were tight, but none dared speak. I inclined my head slightly into an innocent tilt, as if nothing had happened, letting the silence stretch like a taut wire across the table.
If they hated Seraphyne this much, why insist on having me sit here? Every instinct screamed that this wasn't just disdain, that they wanted more.
My hand hovered over the cup of tea, the porcelain delicate, steam curling in soft spirals. My senses were alive, every subtle movement, every twitch of a hand, every glance a potential signal.
Just as I brought the cup closer, a faint, acrid scent hit my nose. My heart stuttered, and my fingers froze. Poison. Of course. It had to be. The subtle hatred was here, laid bare in this morning ritual.
So this is how the real Seraphyne died.
Before I could react, glowing text appeared before me.
[ALERT! HOST, YOUR TEA HAS BEEN POISONED! ONCE CONSUMED, THE BODY SLOWLY DETERIORATES AND FALLS ILL. POISON IS DESIGNED TO APPEAR NATURAL.]
My pulse quickened, but my face remained calm, serene, and innocent. Smiling faintly, I tilted the cup, pretending to fumble. The liquid swirled dangerously near the edge.
And then, I let it tip just enough. Tea sloshed over the rim, spilling across the table and dripping onto the polished floor.
The room froze.
My family's eyes widened, as their jaws tightened, all suspicion and tension in their gaze now squarely on me.
"Oh! I–I am so clumsy," I murmured, keeping my voice calm and composed, with the tiniest trace of innocence. "How… unfortunate. Such a shame about the tea." My eyes flicked casually over each sister, noting every flicker of panic, irritation, and horror.
Lucinda's hand twitched, caught between outrage and disbelief. Sandra's lips pressed tight, Selene's smirk faltering, Amelia's jaw tightening. They had intended to poison me, and now the table, the tea, and the room itself had turned against them.
I pushed the cup gently back toward the center, as if to correct my "accident," still smiling faintly, every movement deliberate.
"It seems my sisters were right," I murmured, letting a soft, almost rueful sigh escape. "I did embarrass myself." I made my voice small, fragile, tilting my head as if weighed down by shame. Slowly, I stood, letting the chair scrape lightly against the floor.
"I… I have to excuse myself. I could no longer face such… embarrassment," I said, hiding my face in my hands for effect. With that, I turned and left the dining hall, letting my retreat seem meek and defeated.
The moment I stepped into the hallway, away from their eyes, the facade melted. My back straightened, my fingers curled into tight fists, and my eyes darkened.
Now, I had to act. Now that I was Seraphyne, the least I could do for both her and myself was ensure justice.
How could her own family plot against her?
How could they hate her enough to attempt murder over… what? A seat at the table, a trivial name, a life they had already discarded? It didn't make sense. And that made it all the more infuriating.
My mind replayed the slap, the insults, the poison I had narrowly avoided. The betrayal, so ordinary in their eyes, only fueled the fire within me. Whatever reason they had, it would not go unanswered.
Suddenly, a soft chime sounded in front of me.
[MISSION COMPLETED! HOST, YOU HAVE SUCCESSFULLY MET ALL FAMILY MEMBERS.]
[REWARD: +5 CHARM]
[BONUS REWARD: ENHANCED SENSES UNLOCKED! DETECTION OF HIDDEN DANGER NOW IMPROVED.]
[ACTION RECOMMENDED: UTILIZE NEW SKILLS TO NAVIGATE SOCIAL INTERACTIONS AND POTENTIAL THREATS. REWARDS MAY BE EARNED THROUGH STRATEGIC OBSERVATION AND COUNTERMEASURES.]
I exhaled slowly to calm myself. This was no longer just about surviving the chores, giving out polite smiles, or morning teas I had to endure.
I would learn their weaknesses. I would expose their intentions. And when the time came, those who sought to harm Seraphyne would answer for it.