Chapter 391: You can blame us

Layena’s first reaction upon seeing the redhead was to leave as quickly as possible. At first glance, she had mistaken her for Ava, which alone would have been enough reason to turn around.

A second look, however, made her realize that she was the second daughter of the Klaus family, and somehow, that was no better.

She was a Klaus, after all.

And if Layena wanted to stay out of trouble, a Klaus was precisely the sort of person she needed to avoid.

She had gone through experience where she learned the hard way what destination awaits if she crossed their paths.

That was why she was already preparing to slip past her before she could be noticed. But then...

"Layena."

Layena froze.

The voice carried a familiarity she could not ignore, and there was no mistaking the fact that she had been recognized.

Now, leaving would only make things more suspicious and problematic later.

She slowly turned around and offered a polite greeting. "Lady Elena."

Elena looked slightly uncomfortable at the formal address. However, she chose not to correct her and instead asked, "So you really were working here in Montclair. I heard you received a few offers. I thought you might have moved to the Central."

Elena had heard several words about Layena from many people, about how she was hailed as a prodigy. And that had left mixed feelings in her

Layena shook her head. "I didn’t think I was experienced enough to leave yet."

There was another reason, one she had no intention of sharing. Layena wanted to remain close enough to learn from the person she admired for as long as possible. She had quietly considered Veronica an idol for years, but there was no reason to reveal something so personal now.

"Hmm." Elena hesitated before continuing. "If you’re not busy, why don’t you join me for lunch? Well, only if you’re comfortable with it."

Elena had never been particularly close to Layena. Even during their childhood, Ava had always found some reason to oppose her, and because of that, Elena’s feelings toward Layena had mostly been sympathy rather than genuine familiarity.

"I understand."

Layena gave a small nod and took a seat.

Elena let out a quiet sigh as she sat across from her. "You know, you could have ignored my invitation, right?"

Layena didn’t respond.

Elena lowered her eyes.

She understood why Layena behaved this way. Layena had been part of the family, but she had never truly been allowed to experience what having a family meant.

By the time Elena had grown old enough to understand what had happened and why her mother had treated Layena the way she did, she had already become too indifferent to get involved. She had been absorbed in her own world, constantly trying to earn her father’s approval or spending time with her friends.

The next significant thing Elena heard about Layena was that she had received a scholarship to one of the country’s top boarding schools and would be leaving.

Recently, when she herself awakened, she heard that Layena had actually awakened back then, much like Ava, and had been sent away for training.

The last time Elena had seen her was nearly three years ago, when Layena returned for their grandfather’s funeral.

Even that reunion had ended in disaster.

Layena had been accused of attempting to murder the matriarch.

Things had quickly spiraled out of control, and she had been ordered to leave the family.

Not only Elena, but even the Patriarch knew that Layena could never have done something as absurd as trying to poison Maya.

And yet, no one had spoken for her.

Elena still remembered watching Layena walk through the gates that day, humiliated and alone, carrying the weight of an accusation she had never deserved.

She had watched her leave.

And she had said nothing.

"You have every reason to hate us," Elena said quietly, her head lowered.

Layena remained silent, unsure of what she was supposed to say to that. There was little point in denying it. Elena’s words carried a truth Layena had long since made peace with, even if she had never spoken it aloud.

Elena offered a wry smile. "It must have felt unfair to you, didn’t it? That despite being unable to awaken Genesis, I was still doted on by our father more than you ever were. You were more responsible, stronger, and far more capable, yet you never received even a fragment of the affection he gave me."

Layena was slightly taken aback. It had been a long time since she and Elena had spoken like this. She could not even remember the last time they had shared a proper conversation.

And certainly not one like this.

Her gaze settled on Elena’s face. There was something unfamiliar in her expression. Her eyes carried a hint of self-mockery, along with a trace of guilt that seemed almost too genuine to be feigned. Layena found herself unable to reconcile it with the Elena she had known all these years.

Shaking her head, Layena finally spoke.

"I don’t believe awakening Genesis determines a person’s worth. You are a good person, Lady Elena."

Elena’s smile faded slightly.

She shook her head. "The very fact that you address me like that, despite us having the same father, says enough about how well I treated you. Or how well anyone else treated you."

Layena fell silent at those words. She had never addressed Elena any differently. From a very young age, the head maid had drilled that formality into her, correcting her whenever she slipped and reminding her of the distance she was expected to maintain.

Still, Layena could not understand why Elena had suddenly brought up those things. It was not like her to speak so openly about the past, much less acknowledge the way Layena had been treated.

Before she could make sense of it, someone approached from behind and caught the tail end of their conversation. Layena did not notice him at first. By the time she turned her attention toward the newcomer, Elena had already risen from her chair.

Layena lifted her gaze.

For a brief moment, she caught sight of the man’s face.

Something about it stirred a faint sense of familiarity, though she could not immediately place it. Before she could even register what she was doing, the question slipped from her lips.

"Excuse me... do we know each other?"

The man paused for a moment and glanced at her.

For some reason, Layena could not shake the feeling that she had met him somewhere before. She searched through her memories, trying to find even the faintest trace of recognition, but nothing came to her.

Yet her heart remained strangely restless in his presence.

It was as though some part of her wanted to say something to him, something far more familiar than a simple greeting. The feeling was so strong that it almost seemed as though she had known him for years, despite every memory she possessed insisting otherwise.

The man continued to study her for a few moments before finally responding.

"I am the new cadet here, Miss Layena. I hope you will take care of me in the future."

"Ah..."

Layena lowered herself back into the chair and gave a slow nod.

"Okay."

Kyle lingered for another moment before turning to leave. Elena followed beside him, and the two soon walked out of the cafeteria together.

They had only gone some distance when Elena finally broke the silence.

"Are you, by any chance, familiar with her?" She paused briefly before adding, "She’s my half-sister, by the way."

It was a secret she had been explicitly told to keep to herself, yet Elena had revealed it to Kyle without a second thought, as though trusting him came as naturally as breathing.

There was definitely something wrong with that.

Elena knew it.

For now, however, she chose not to dwell on it.

Kyle hummed softly. "Well, she’s a good person. Quite lonely and shy, but she’s an incredible Nightwalker."

Elena gave a faint smile but said nothing more.

It was not long before they reached the office of the base commander. No one stopped them as Kyle pushed open the door and stepped inside, with Elena following closely at his side.

"What...?"

Elena froze.

A familiar blond man stood inside the room.

There was no mistaking him.

"Arthur... why is he here?" Elena asked, her voice carrying a note of caution as she watched him.

Arthur, however, seemed to have eyes only for Kyle. His gaze remained fixed on him, unwavering and solemn.

For a moment, an unusual tension settled over the room.

Then suddenly...

"Huh?"

Elena’s lips parted in disbelief.

Arthur lowered himself onto one knee and bowed his head deeply.

"I am honoured to be in the presence of my lord.

°°°

A/N:- Thanks for reading..if you have been enjoying the story so far please considering a review or comment to cheer me up.

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