Chapter 65: Selena Marlion Part 2
“My dream?” Selena smiled brightly, holding a romance novel in one hand while her other hand gently caressed Francesca’s silver hair. Francesca was resting her head on Selena’s lap, idly trying to read a rather boring history book. “I want to build a grand library someday, one filled with magic artifacts so that anyone, no matter who they are, can freely use them.”
“Then Lady Marlion won’t have any work left to do as a Magic Researcher. That’s bad for business, you know,” Ivan remarked from where he was sitting next to them on the sofa, holding a music book in his hands.
“Always such a downer... humpf,” Selena remarked with a cute pout.
Ivan let out a quiet sigh seeing her expression, then turned and pointed toward a large map of the LeonCraft Duchy hanging on the library wall. “We could build it out in the remote border region after we grow up... and get married.”
Selena’s pout instantly morphed into a joyful laugh. But right after, a subtle, sorrowful expression lingered across her face for a brief second before she quickly slammed her book shut.
“Let’s think about what we should do next instead! We’ve been cooped up in this library for far too long.”
Ivan looked slightly confused at her sudden change in mood, but he didn’t pry further into it, simply gesturing downward. “Well... Francesca is already fast asleep.”
Both of them looked down to see Francesca deeply asleep on Selena’s lap, the heavy history book resting flat over her face.
“Pfft~” they snickered in unison.
Trying their best to hold in their laughter so as not to wake her, they carefully lifted Francesca’s head, laid her down comfortably along the soft cushions of the sofa, covered her with a warm blanket, and quietly left the library side by side.
“You have to sing for me, play the guitar, and maybe even write a song for me! I want to play and do just about everything I want as much as I possibly can over the next two months,” Selena said excitedly as they stepped outside into the grassy courtyard, where the dipping sun painted the sky in vivid hues of deep orange and crimson red.
Looking out across the estate grounds, she added softly, “Maybe I should start by gazing at the Silver Flowers first?”
Ivan walked beside her, a gentle smile on his face. “Sure... but Selena, why are you speaking as if you won’t ever get another chance after these two months?”
Hesitating for a brief moment, he looked at her with a hint of worry in his golden eyes and continued, “The curse is gone, right? Lady Marlion is the greatest magic researcher in the empire... she must have found a cure by now, right?”
Selena didn't answer right away. She simply turned to him with a soft, bittersweet smile as the cool evening breeze blew through her dark hair.
The low setting sun behind her painted a brilliant golden halo around her silhouette, framing her figure like a fleeting memory.
“Let’s just enjoy every single moment together... shall we?”
The weeks that followed were genuinely the happiest the three of them could ever remember.
They spent whole days running and playing across the grand estate grounds, engrossed in board games late into the night until the candles burned down to nothing. Ivan tirelessly practiced new melodies on his guitar, and Selena delightfully made him play them over and over again until every single note was nothing but perfection.
Francesca even took extra care to embroider a small, delicate silver flower onto Selena's silk handkerchief. Selena wept softly when she first saw it, before breaking into a tearful laugh and teasingly calling Francesca a sentimental fool.
They never brought up the topic of the curse. They never spoke about the uncertain future. They simply existed together in the present, as if time itself had graciously stopped just for them.
Then, on one quiet morning... Selena didn't get out of bed.
Francesca was the one who found her first, carefully balancing a tray of breakfast she had proudly convinced the kitchen staff to let her carry.
Selena was propped up against her white pillows, her dark black hair spread across the pristine linen like spilled ink. She was paler than Francesca had ever seen her in her entire life.
“It's time,” Selena said in a soft, faint whisper. “I can feel it, Francesca...”
Francesca dropped the tray. The sudden, violent clatter of shattering brought Ivan running down the corridor.
“No!” Ivan yelled, the word sharp and immediate as he burst through the doorway.
Crossing the room in three quick strides, he gripped Selena's trembling hand tightly, as if he could anchor her soul to this world through sheer, desperate force of will.
“No! You promised us! You said we had two whole months! There is still—!”
“I'm so sorry...” Selena whispered, her fragile voice cracking under the weight of her tears. Closing her eyes tightly, she added, “I just... I wanted more time with you two, as well.”
Drip... Drip...
Tears fell steadily from her closed eyes onto the blanket.
“Please don't cry,” Selena said softly, though heavy tears were streaming down her own pale cheeks. “I have had a good life... because I had the two of you.”
Ivan's grip on her hand tightened until his knuckles turned completely white.
“I will build it!” he declared, his voice breaking with overwhelming emotion. “Your library... I swear I will build it! I'll fill it with every magical artifact I can possibly find in this world! I'll make sure anyone and everyone can freely use magic! I swear it on my life!”
“I know you will...” Selena smiled through her tears, reaching up with a trembling hand to gently touch his cheek.
Suddenly, Ivan cupped her hand against his face as a desperate realization struck him. “Wait...! The silver flowers! You still haven’t seen them! I heard from the gardeners that the Silver Flowers are finally blooming over in the eastern garden!”
Ivan was already moving toward the door, his heart pounding in his chest. “I'll go get them for you right now!”
“Ivan...” Selena called out in a low, weak whisper. “Ivan, you don't have to—”
“I'll be right back!” he yelled, already at the open doorway. “Francesca, stay here with her!”
“No!” Francesca insisted, struggling to her feet with her cane, her knuckles white around the wooden grip. “I am coming with you!”
“You can't walk that far or that fast!” Ivan shouted back, an edge of raw desperation creeping into his voice. “Stay here with her! Please!”
“I am coming!” Francesca insisted fiercely, tears streaming down her face. “I also want to do this for her! How can I possibly just sit here?!”
Ivan's jaw tightened in agonizing conflict. He turned to look back at Selena, who was quietly watching the two siblings with an expression of profound sadness, warmth, and unconditional love.
“Go...” Selena urged them in a low, gentle voice. “Both of you, go get them together. I'll wait right here.”
As the two hurried out of the room, their frantic footsteps echoing down the hallway, Selena let out a soft, bittersweet whisper into the quiet, empty bedroom...
“I already saw the two most beautiful Silver Flowers in the world, anyway...”