~9 Months Later..

I stood at the window, gazing out at the empty street of the mansion, waiting for someone to arrive.

Hands in my pockets as the cool breeze brushed against my face, but my mind was elsewhere. I spoke softly to Serenu, the only one who could understand my pain. "It had been nine months since Hector had slipped through my grasp, taking nine innocent lives with him, including his beloved wife and my siblings."

I remembered the day when I had to fight Hector and the demon possessing him. It was a fierce battle, one that I thought I had won when I locked the demon in my mirror technique. But it was not to be, as the demon fled the moment I tried to extract it from Hector's body. I was left alone, the weight of my loss heavy on my shoulders.

But the King had come to my aid, announcing to the world that the demon was the one responsible for the massacre in my home. He had hidden the fact that one of his council members was involved with black magic, but he had given me all the support I needed. He had even allowed Irene to take control until I graduated from the academy in two years and took over everything.

As I continued to stare out the window, I thought about everything that had happened. I knew that I must stay strong, that I must continue to fight against the darkness that had consumed my life. I would do whatever it took to avenge the twins and Rowen's mother Herena.

Memories flooded my mind. I remembered the day of the massacre vividly, how I had been out of the mansion at that very moment..

"They don't really care about anything here," I looked at the servants who finally showed up in the street, walking around as if nothing had happened, oblivious to the tragedy that had occurred.

I kept on thinking and recounting how Serenu told me that he had rushed to the house as soon as he heard the explosion, but he was too late. His real boss, Herena, my mother, was battling a serious illness after the twins' birth and had hired Serenu to look after me. She knew the jealousy Hector had possessed towards the blood manipulation technique. Serenu couldn't come back in time to save Herena or my siblings.

I looked behind me and asked, "Any signs of Nari waking up?" Serenu replied, "About two more months." I sighed, knowing that her recovery would be a long and difficult road.

My thoughts turned inward again as Serenu spoke.

He had been too late to save the twins. Even if he had managed to bring them back to life, their corpses had been destroyed, and the demon had devoured their poor souls. There was no chance for them to survive.historical

I let a long and deep sigh out.

During those nine long months, I trained tirelessly to master my blood manipulation and mirror techniques with the help of Zuri and Serenu. Zuri still looked shady as she appeared and disappeared from time to time, but her knowledge of the dark arts was unmatched. She had promised to help me bring Hector to justice but I couldn't trust her anymore.

Serenu had rushed to my healing every time I would get hurt during training. He was always there for me, supporting me through the pain and pushing me to be the best I could be. I knew that I could count on him, no matter what happened.

I had spent countless hours honing my skills, seeking revenge for how Hector had fooled me into believing that the magic bowl was real. If only I hadn't been so foolish and had come back home in time, I would have destroyed Hector with my own bare hands before the demon had even managed to come out of his body.

But I had learned from my mistakes, and I was now more stronger and mature. My blood manipulation technique was at its finest, and my mirror technique was perfected. I was ready to face Hector and the demon once again, and this time, I would not let them slip through my grasp.

"He's in the north, still hiding," Serenu spoke.

I removed my hands out of the pockets and turned around, "I will let the king deal with it for now.."

Walking past Serenu, my mind raced with thoughts of the past few months. Dealing with the demon and Hector had been incredibly draining, both physically and mentally. It was a constant battle to keep my composure and not let them get the best of me.

Approaching Serenu, I couldn't help but ask about Carlo. "What about Carlo? Still no words?" I asked, hoping for some good news.

But Serenu's response was not what I wanted to hear. "Interrogation takes place every day, but he refuses to talk or say anything," he replied with a solemn look on his face.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, feeling a sense of frustration and helplessness flow through me. Carlo's silence was not just frustrating, it was also dangerous. We needed to find out what he knew before it was too late again but the fucker refused to speak.

Picking up my travelling suitcase, I reminded myself that today was not just any day - it was the day I turned 16 and the day I had to enroll into the academy. It was a day that marked the beginning of a new chapter in my life, one that would challenge me in ways that I couldn't even imagine.

I looked down at the black suitcase with a golden handle, wondering what the point of carrying it with me was. It was just a material possession, nothing more. My gaze turned to Irene, who stood nearby, looking at me with a mix of concern and sadness. I knew that leaving her behind with Serenu was the best option for her safety. If Hector were to come back, she would be safe with him.

Serenu and Zuri had cast a powerful magic shield to protect the mansion from demonic power, and Irene would be protected as well.

I turned my attention to the door, taking a deep breath. "I should leave current thoughts behind and face what's in front of me," I thought to myself. I knew that the moment I entered the academy, I would have to face the protagonist and the main villain of the story. It was no easy task, and I had to be mentally prepared.

"Let's go, Zuri!"

***

~Author here: And with that, the first volume of this story comes to an end. To all the readers who have followed along with Rowen's journey, thank you for your support and engagement. It has been a pleasure to take you on this adventure, and I hope that you have enjoyed it as much as I have.

As we close this chapter, I must inform you that the next chapters of this story will be locked. But do not despair, for there is more to come. Rowen's journey is far from over, and I can assure you that the next volume will be more exciting and action-packed than the first.

Once again, I thank you for your support and for joining me on this journey. Stay tuned for more updates and announcements, and until then, keep reading and keep exploring the exciting and magical world of Rowen.