The Path to the True Ancestor

“Can you… can you revive my father?”

Iqiyah Scarlett’s eyes were filled with a profound sense of loss.

“Even though I don’t feel much affection for him, there are so many questions I want to ask.”

“…”

Confronted by Iqiyah’s conflicted emotions, Seraphina Scarlett offered no reply, merely sighing before extending a hand towards Godia Scarlett’s corpse.

[Divine Resurrection]

Light surged, gradually converging upon Godia’s form until it completely enveloped him.

A few seconds later, the light receded. Godia’s severed limbs and the gaping wound across his chest were entirely restored.

The sheen on his skin was so pristine, it seemed even smoother than a newborn’s, almost too perfect.

Concurrently, Godia’s chest began to rise and fall with a faint, steady rhythm.

“!”

Witnessing her father’s return to life, Iqiyah’s eyes suddenly blazed with intensity.

“Hey, old man! How does it feel to take a stroll through hell?”

Tearing open the glass coffin, Iqiyah seized her father’s body and began to shake him with such force that it seemed she might scramble Godia’s brains.

Yet, for some inexplicable reason, no matter how vigorously she shook him, Godia remained utterly unresponsive.

“Stop pretending, you old geezer!”

A bead of sweat trickled down Iqiyah’s forehead.

“Old man!”

She shook him for another prolonged moment, but Godia’s body still maintained only the faintest breath.

Not even a groan escaped his lips.

“OLD MAN!!!”

“Stop shaking him.”

Unable to bear the sight any longer, Seraphina grasped Iqiyah’s shoulders, halting her increasingly frantic actions.

“He won’t wake up… at least not yet.”

Even as the battle concluded, Seraphina had already used her [All-Seeing Eye] to discern Godia’s true physical state.

“Do you remember? Your father consumed Cardo’s body and willingly embraced the [True Ancestor’s Blood].”

“The True Ancestor must have seized his consciousness.”

This was commonly known as ‘body snatching.’

Indeed, Godia’s body was now merely an empty shell, devoid of its soul.

Though he breathed and possessed life, his soul had long since been plundered by the True Ancestor, its whereabouts unknown.

“…”

Like a marionette with severed strings, Iqiyah’s hands dropped limply.

Without a word, she sank back onto the wooden bench, gazing dejectedly at the floor, as if all her strength and resolve had abandoned her.

“Next month, on the first… I’m supposed to attend my first Royal Court Council.”

Iqiyah murmured, her head still bowed.

“And then next week… next Monday, I have to return to the old man’s estate to sort out the mess he left behind.”

“But… Seraphina, you know I have no desire to attend any Royal Court Council, nor do I care to be a Prince.”

“To me, none of those things hold any value.”

“All I’ve ever wanted was to stay within the Blood Manor and live my own quiet life.”

Watching Iqiyah ramble, Seraphina felt a pang of sorrow in her heart.

She knew Iqiyah wasn’t merely complaining; she was using her grievances as a facade, trying to deceive herself and divert her attention from her father’s death.

But if this continued, Iqiyah would sink into complete despair, and that simply wouldn’t do.

Seraphina needed to find a way to help her overcome this.

“Iqiyah.”

“Actually… there might be a way to revive your father.”

At these words, Iqiyah’s lowered head shot up instantly.

“Quick, quick, tell me more!”

‘You… just a moment ago, you said you didn’t have much affection for him, didn’t you?’

Confronted by Iqiyah’s fervent gaze, Seraphina couldn’t help but feel a little apprehensive.

After all, her method was merely a possibility; she didn’t have a hundred percent certainty.

However, words spoken were like water spilled; it was too late to conceal anything now.

“Find the True Ancestor.”

Seraphina feigned an air of confidence.

“Do you remember those black blades? They absorbed the physical bodies of the bloodkin.”

“But when the True Ancestor possessed me, I transformed into a soul state.”

“At the same time… countless souls also encircled me.”

“If there’s a connection between the two, then perhaps it means the True Ancestor’s possession is actually a form of soul usurpation.”

“While I don’t know the specifics, she likely stores the usurped souls in some hidden place.”

“Oh, well, anyway,” Seraphina stammered, her immense apprehension making it difficult to continue fabricating, “I think your father’s soul was probably just stolen, not truly dead.”

“So…”

“So!”

Iqiyah suddenly lunged forward. “So, if we just find the True Ancestor and give her a good beating, we can rescue my father!?”

“Probably…”

Startled by Iqiyah’s sudden enthusiasm, Seraphina no longer dared to make any guarantees.

Fortunately, the effect was successful; Iqiyah was now fully engaged.

“Alright! Then!” When it came to matters she cared about, Iqiyah was never one to hesitate. “Let’s pack our bags immediately; we’re going to find the True Ancestor right away!”

“Whoa, whoa, hold on…” While Seraphina didn’t want Iqiyah to fall into despair, she also didn’t want her to become overly zealous. “You’re getting too ahead of yourself!”

“Do you even know where the True Ancestor is hiding?”

“…That’s true, I suppose.”

Iqiyah fell silent instantly.

“If you don’t even know where the True Ancestor is, where would you even begin to look for her, then…?”

Just as Seraphina was mid-sentence, before she could utter the words ‘where would you look?’

The next second—

“Go to the Scarlett Manor.”

“Huh?”

Seraphina’s pupils contracted sharply in an instant.

‘What’s happening?’

‘I clearly… had no intention of saying “Scarlett Manor”… but how… how did my mouth move on its own?’

“I didn’t, I didn’t…!”

Again, mid-sentence, Seraphina’s mouth snapped shut uncontrollably, refusing to open.

“Mmph mmph mmph mmph!”

“…Seraphina?”

Observing Seraphina’s conflicted expression, Iqiyah’s brows furrowed, and she tilted her head, casting a bewildered glance at her.

“I-I-I… I’m fine!”

It was out of her control again.

This time, however, it wasn’t just Seraphina’s mouth; her nose, eyes, ears—her entire body—had completely slipped from her command.

“The True Ancestor once resided in your father’s manor… I believe she’s highly likely to return there.”

“Even if she isn’t at the manor, there should still be clues regarding her whereabouts.”

“Hmm… that makes sense.”

Cupping her chin, Iqiyah nodded in agreement.

“In that case… let’s use the opportunity next week to deal with the inheritance and make a trip to Scarlett Manor.”

****

“Who exactly are you?”

After Iqiyah voiced her agreement, Seraphina’s body returned to her own control.

Now, she lay beside Iqiyah on the enormous eight-meter bed.

Cuddled next to the soft, fragrant maiden, and feeling the cool, comfortable velvet sheets, Seraphina found sleep utterly elusive.

With her eyes closed, facing the darkness before her, Seraphina questioned endlessly within her mind.

“Tell me! Speak!”

“…Don’t get agitated, don’t get agitated.”

Suddenly, the darkness before her was engulfed by a flood of white, and Seraphina found herself back in that familiar white space.

“It’s me…”

A golden figure materialized, instantly sending a shiver of goosebumps down Seraphina’s spine.

Seraphina had seen far too many golden figures in the past few days.

And every time they appeared, it was never for anything good.

“What’s wrong? What’s with the silent, staring act?”

Facing Seraphina, who remained silent with a deeply troubled expression, Cardo cheekily teased her.

“It’s only been two days; have you forgotten me already?”