CHAPTER 5
Rassia
Sa sobrang laki ng palasyong ito, hindi ko pa rin ito lubusang nalilibot. Every hallway feels like a maze, every door is like a secret waiting to be opened. And somehow, among all of it, one place keeps calling me. The library.
It’s been a long time since I last read a book.
Before the Emperor’s banquet begins, I want to at least arm myself with something, kahit kaunting kaalaman man lang tungkol sa mundong ito. Something real. Something that isn’t borrowed from memories that don’t even feel like mine.
Because yes… I have all of Rassia’s memories. But they’re incomplete. Blurry. Shallow.
After all, she was never the type to care about learning.
Tamad siyang magbukas ng libro, mas abala pa ito sa paghahabol ng atensyon ng Duke.
She also spent her days attending tea parties, not for leisure, but to bully, to assert dominance, to make sure everyone knew their place beneath her.
The Duke, father even sent her to the Academy, hoping it would fix her.
It didn’t. Hindi siya pumapasok. And on the rare days that she did, she would simply sleep through lectures, as if knowledge itself bored her.
And when a professor dared to raise their voice at her, she didn’t see it as discipline.
She saw it as treason. With a single command, she would threaten to have their tongues cut off.
When I arrived at the library, napanganga ako.
This wasn’t just a library, it was a kingdom of knowledge!
Sobrang laki nito, parang isang buong gusali ang inilaan para lamang sa mga aklat.
Towering shelves stretched endlessly, filled with volumes older than the empire itself, while white marble walls shimmered under gold and crimson details.
Above me, breathtaking frescoes painted the ceiling like silent stories waiting to be understood.
I knew it! hindi ko na kailangang pumasok sa Academy.
Everything I needed was already here.
Napalingon ako sa isang napakalaking pintuan sa dulo ng hallway, guarded by rows of knights standing like unmoving statues.
Out of curiosity, I walked toward it, and as I passed, they bowed one by one respectfully before opening the massive doors without questioning me.
Nanlaki ang mata ko sa gulat. Beyond it was a grand museum, seamlessly connected to the library.
As I stepped inside, a quiet realization settled over me! This was no ordinary museum. It was ours.
Nakahilera ang mga larawan ng aming mga ninuno sa malalawak na pader, at sa bawat isa, iisa ang kapansin-pansin, ang kanilang maitim na pulang buhok, tila apoy na hindi kailanman napapatay sa paglipas ng panahon.
No wonder it was so heavily guarded, this wasn’t merely a collection of the past. This was the very embodiment of the Quentin bloodline’s power, preserved in silence and reverence.
Sunod-sunod kong tiningnan ang bawat pigura sa mga paintings.
Duke Aurelius Quentin.
Duchess Seraphina Quentin.
Duke Cassius Quentin.
Duchess Elowen Quentin.
Duke Darelian Quentin.
Duchess Isolde Quentin.
Duke Octavius Quentin.
Duchess Morrigan Quentin.
Napakarami nila. Tanging mga Duke at Duchess lamang ang naroon, bawat isa’y tila mas mabigat ang presensya kahit nakapinta lamang sa canvas.
Habang nagpapatuloy ang aking pagtingin, bigla akong natigilan.
Nanlaki ang mga mata ko nang mapunta ang tingin ko sa isang painting na nasa harapan ko.
It was me.
Rassia Saint Quentin, The Beloved Daughter of the Current Duke, Cesare Fuegoleon Quentin.
I looked younger in the painting. I knew I had paintings in the palace, but to place this here, in a hall dedicated to our bloodline’s legacy… It felt strange. I stayed silent for a moment.
"Beloved daughter..." when I read the description below, I couldn’t help but shake my head.
When in reality… I was never truly loved by my father.
The next painting was Russel. Probably kakalagay lang nito rito.
Russel Silas Quentin, The Beloved Son of The Current Duke, Cesare Fuegoleon Quentin.
He looked exactly the same as he does now. He looked cold, composed, and almost untouchable. Walang kahit anong pagbabago sa kanyang expression, as if time had no power over him.
Napatingin ako sa painting ko at sa painting niya. We looked almost like twins! same features, same sharp gaze. Even in my portrait, I wasn’t smiling. Napangiti ako nang bahagya sa naisip.
I looked around again, searching for another presence, maybe a painting of my mother… or my father. But I found nothing.
Until I turned. And there it was. My mother and father.
Together in a single painting, placed right at the very center of the museum, as if everything in this room revolved around them.
The Duke, Cesare Fuegoleon Quentin The Late Duchess, Nadea Saint Quentin.
Nakaupo ang aking ina, may malumanay na ngiti sa kanyang mga labi, habang ang aking ama ay nakatayo sa likuran niya na may pilyong ngiti, parang bihirang pagkakataon na makita siyang ganoon ka-buhay.
There was something almost warm in that moment…
something that felt distant from the present I knew.
Napadako ang tingin ko sa tiyan ng aking ina. Napangiti ako nang bahagya. Na sa sinapupunan na niya ako sa panahong ito. She had blonde hair and dark, deep, beautiful eyes. She looked soft, almost gentle, like she carried an entire world of calm within her.
But then, behind my mother's innocent face was once my father’s rival in their youth.
A woman feared and admired in equal measure.
They called her the Barbarian Girl whenever she wielded a sword, not because she lacked grace, but because of how fierce and untamed her fighting style was.
Her skills were equal to my father’s, each clash between them said to be like a storm meeting steel.
She wasn’t an Elemental holder. She did not command air, fire, water, or earth like the others.
But what made her truly terrifying… was her holy power.
She possessed Divine Healing. A gift that allowed her to rapidly heal wounds, whether her own or others.
Cuts would close in seconds, broken flesh restoring itself as if untouched.
Even injuries that should have been fatal meant little to her.
She could keep fighting… even after death should have claimed her.
And that alone made her nearly impossible to take down.
Napatingin ako ulit sa aking ama. He was smiling here genuinely, freely, as if nothing in the world could weigh him down. Dito ko lang siya nakitang ganito. Because when he smiled at me last evening… he looked different. May mga lungkot sa ngiti niya.
My father is an elemental holder, wielding both air and fire, yet he never fought like the others who rely on such power.
Instead, he devoted himself entirely to the sword.
They called him a beast on the battlefield, like a lion unleashed whenever he swung his blade.
What made him truly different was how he used his mana; he didn’t cast it, he poured it into his sword, as if the weapon and his very being were one.
While others separated magic and steel, he fused them into a unique fighting style no one else could replicate. Because of this, he earned the title of Great Swordmaster and was even chosen to become the master of the Crown Prince.
Napaisip tuloy ako sa love story ng aking mga magulang, siguro enemies to lovers ang eksena nila noon. Natawa nalang ako sa aking naisip.
Napatingin ako sa ibaba ng painting, may nakasulat doon.
The House Quentin is a ducal house known throughout the empire for their unwavering loyalty to the imperial line.
Long before the current emperor ascended the throne, it was the Quentin ancestors who played a decisive role in securing and stabilizing the empire’s rule, helping place the rightful heir on the throne during a time of political unrest.
Because of this legacy, the Quentin family was granted high ducal status and entrusted with immense influence within the empire. They are not merely nobles by title, but kingmakers in reputation. Respected, feared, and deeply tied to the foundation of imperial authority itself.
Even generations later, their loyalty remains unbroken.
Quentin. From Flame We Rise.
Ang mga Quentin ay kilala sa taglay nilang kapangyarihan ng apoy at hangin, isang bihirang dual affinity na tanging iilang dugo lamang sa buong imperyo ang mayroon. With fire that destroys and wind that commands, they are both chaos and control, destruction and precision intertwined.
Dahil dito, kinikilala ang House Quentin bilang pinakamalakas na angkan ng mga swordmans at mages. Walang ibang noble house ang nakapapantay sa kanilang husay sa pakikipaglaban at kapangyarihang mahika.
It is for this reason that the Quentin house has long been entrusted with a sacred duty to serve as the imperial shield. They are the force that protects the royal bloodline, standing as both sword and barrier between the empire and those who seek its downfall.
"We can take the throne if we wished, huh..." Napailing ako sa naisip.
We were the ones who placed the Vacardi's on the throne and we remain the ones who guard it. Our strength stands equal to the imperial family itself, not beneath it, but beside it. In silence, in shadows, and in flame, we uphold the empire… and we ensure it never falls.
I am the daughter of Nadea Saint and Cesare Fuegoleon, with Quentin blood running through my veins. A descendant of powerful elemental holders and unmatched swordsmen.
And yet…
bakit wala akong ni isang kakayahan?
Wala akong elemental affinity, wala akong ideya kung may kapangyarihan ba ako ng apoy, hangin, tubig, o lupa. Wala rin akong talento sa espada, wala ring kahit kapirasong mana na maipakita.
Wala rin akong holy power gaya ng aking ina.
Mas lalong lumala ang insecurities ko. Lalo kong naramdaman na wala akong kapantay sa kanila. Wala akong kahit anong kapangyarihang maipagmamalaki. Kahit anong pilit kong intindihin, hindi ko pa rin maunawaan kung saan ako lulugar sa mundong ito.
I found myself back at the Library, kailangan kong mag aral ng mahika! Impossible na wala ako no'n dahil isa akong Quentin! I should do something!
I found a section in one of the books that immediately caught my attention. It was labeled as Mana Fundamentals for Noble Bloodlines.
Umupo ako nang tahimik, at binuksan ang bawat pahina ng libro.
Mana is described as the life energy present within all living beings. It flows inside the body like an invisible current, and mages do not create it, they learn to sense, guide, and control it.
The first stage is Awareness, where one must feel mana within their core through stillness and controlled breathing. Without focus, it cannot be sensed.
The second stage is Circulation, where mana is guided smoothly through the body. Emotional instability can disturb its flow and cause blockage.
The third stage is Compression, where mana is gathered into a single point for control. This requires strong mental discipline, as unstable mana may collapse or backlash.
Huminto ako sa pagbabasa at napatitig sa pahina.
So ganito pala gumagana ang mana. Pero bakit kapag sinusubukan kong damhin ito, wala akong maramdaman?
Mariin akong napakapit sa libro. Kailangan ko itong matutunan… After the Emperor’s banquet, doon ko ito pag-aaralan nang maayos.
When I decided to turn back the book, may napansin akong bata na pilit inaabot ang isang libro sa mataas na shelf. He kept stretching, tiptoeing, pero halatang kulang pa rin siya sa tangkad. Napangiti ako nang makilala kung sino ito. It was Russel.
"Here, ito ba?" sabi ko habang inaabot ko sa kanya ang libro, may mahinang ngiti sa labi.
"Y-yes, salamat—!" he started, then suddenly froze the moment he looked up and realized who was standing in front of him.
"L-lady Rassia!" he blurted, agad na umatras ng konti. "W-what are you doing here? Do you plan to make fun of me?!"
Napailing ako at natawa. "What? No."
Humigpit ang hawak niya sa libro at nakakunot ang noo habang nakatingin sa'kin na halatang may pagdududa. "You’re lying… bakit ka nandito sa library?"
"Hmm..kasi gusto ko." I answered simply, then tilted my head. "Why? Bawal ba?"
"Hindi…" he muttered, still tense. "It’s just… you don’t usually go to places like this."
I leaned slightly closer, "Places like this?"
Russel’s face turned red. "I-I mean—quiet places! Places with books! You’re always—"
"Always what?" I cut in, teasing.
He hesitated, then looked away. "Always at tea parties… or… causing trouble."
I blinked, then let out a small laugh again. "Ganyan ba talaga kasama ang tingin mo sa'kin?" I acted as if may masakit sa puso ko.
That made him panic. "I-I didn’t mean it like that!"
I straightened up, still smiling. "Relax, Russel. I’m not offended." I patted his head. "Honestly," I said quietly, "You’re cute."
His eyes widened. "W-what?!"
I smirked a little.
"Y-you’re just making fun of me!" he snapped, his face fully red now.
Before I could respond, he suddenly turned around and bolted.
"Hey—Russel!" I called after him, but he was already running between the shelves. I stood there for a moment, then shook my head slightly, still smiling.
"…Ang bilis talaga niyang mainis, palibhasa may pinagmanahan..." Lumitaw ang mukha ng aking ama sa isipan ko.
I decided to walk around the ducal palace. Narinig ko ang mga maids na nagbubulungan sa kabilang dulo ng hallway, kaya bahagya akong huminto at nagtago sa likod at pinakikinggan sila nang tahimik.
"Lady Rassia seems different lately…"
"Right? She used to ignore everyone."
"Maybe it’s another scheme. You know her reputation."
"I heard she bullied ladies at tea parties before… is that really the same person?"
"She looks calmer now, but… it doesn’t feel real."
"…Still, I hate her. Kung makatingin siya, akala mo papatayin ka."
So that's how they see me now. Napatingin ako sa isang maid na huling nagsalita. I should get rid of everyone who hates me in this Palace.
"My lady?" Nagulat ako nang biglang lumitaw si Elena sa likuran ko.
"Anong ginagawa mo rito? Diba dapat nasa Laurent Manor ka ngayon?" She continued, halatang nagtataka habang sinusuri ako mula ulo hanggang paa.
"Elena," I said calmly. "Caspian and I broke up."
"What?!" She froze for a second, then literally gasped like she couldn’t believe what she just heard. "You what?!"
"I broke up with him," I repeated, more firm this time.
"Pero bakit?!" she exclaimed, stepping closer. "Kumusta ka? Are you okay? Kaya pala nong isang araw ay ang laki ng eyebags mo! Wala kang maayos na tulog, ‘no? My lady, bakit hindi mo sinabi agad sa akin?!"
She was practically panicking now, hands flying everywhere as if she was personally affected by the breakup.
I blinked slowly. What…? Iniisip niya ata na sobrang broken hearted ako. But still… this might be useful. Elena was, after all, the fastest source of information in the entire noble circle.
So I lowered my gaze slightly, acting softer.
"Y-yes," I said quietly. "I am deeply hurt, Elena."
Her expression immediately changed.
"Aww, my lady!" she cried dramatically, grabbing my hands. "Halika rito!" before I could even react, she pulled me into an exaggerated, almost suffocating hug.
When I decided to go back to my room, I heard a noise to the other room. Napahinto ako sa paglalakad. Lumingon ako rito at tila nakabukas ang pinto ng kaunti.
"Hindi ka na nga anak ng Duchess Nadea," matalim na boses ni Corazon ang umalingawngaw sa tahimik na hallway, "pero kung umasta ka, parang may karapatan ka pa ring magkapalpak nang ganyan?!" Natigilan ako. Nagkatinginan kami ni Elena sa narinig.
"Sa tingin mo matutuwa ang Duke sa'yo?!" she continued.
"Even a simple math problem, hindi mo magawa. Ano ka ba talaga? A Quentin in name only?!"
"This is all because you are a fool! Ang bobo mo!"
Tahimik si Russel, pero kitang-kita ko kung paano nanginig ang kanyang mga daliri habang hawak ang papel. Pilit niyang pinipigilan ang sarili, pero may luha nang nagbabantang pumatak sa mga mata niya.
"Do you think anyone here actually expects anything from you?" Corazon scoffed. "They only endure you because of your name. Because you are the heir. Pero kung wala ‘yan, you’re nothing!"
Sandali siyang humakbang palapit kay Russel. "Hindi ka kakain hangga’t hindi ko sinasabi," malamig niyang dugtong. "At huwag ka ring lalabas ng kwarto mo. Ayusin mo ‘yan, kung may utak ka pa!"
"No! Isusumbong kita sa ama ko!" Napasigaw si Russel at napatayo.
"Aba'y lalaban ka na?! Subuka—!" I pulled her hair at tinulak siya. Hindi ko na napigilan ang sarili ko nang makita na sasampalin niya na si Russel.
"What are you doing to my brother?!" Hinila ko si Russel at itinago sa likod ko.
"Big sister!" Napaiyak nang malakas si Russel at napayakap sa bewang ko.
Natigilan si Corazon. Halatang nagulat.
"Corazon… I hope you remember I warned you." I smirked.