Chapter 276: Recounting of the Fight

Seraphina let out a quiet chuckle, though it lacked her usual confidence. "You always were perceptive," she murmured, her voice softer than before. She turned her gaze forward, her fingers still curled around his arm.

Adrian remained silent, waiting for her to continue.

She exhaled slowly. "The Abyssal Harbinger… was stronger than I expected." Her tone was even, but he could sense the weight in her words. "Not in terms of raw power, but… in its methods."

Adrian's expression darkened. He had already guessed that much. The Harbinger wasn't just another cultist or abyssal creature—it had been something more, something capable of holding its own against Seraphina. And for it to have rattled her even after she destroyed it…

"What did it do?" he asked, his voice gentle but firm.

After hearing his question, she began recounting her encounter.

When she had faced the Abyssal Harbinger alone, she knew she had to end it quickly. The creature, twisted by abyssal corruption, radiated a vile energy that threatened to seep into everything around it.

She wasted no time, raising her staff as golden runes flared to life. "Radiant Judgment."

A surge of light descended upon the Harbinger, burning away the darkness that writhed around its form. It howled in agony, its wraith-like body twisting as the holy energy seared through it.

But instead of collapsing, it merely laughed. A deep, guttural sound that sent chills racing down her spine.

"You think light alone will cleanse the abyss?" the Abyssal Harbinger rasped. "Foolish. Let me show you the truth of despair."

Dark tendrils erupted from its form, coiling toward her like living serpents. Seraphina reacted instantly, conjuring a radiant barrier around herself. The tendrils struck against it, hissing as they disintegrated upon contact.

Yet the Harbinger didn't stop. It raised its skeletal hands, chanting in a guttural, ancient tongue. The air trembled. The cavern darkened. And then—

A wave of abyssal energy crashed against her, bypassing her shield and invading her mind.

Seraphina gasped as her vision blurred. Her surroundings shifted, melting away into something else entirely.

When she blinked, she was no longer in the cavern.

She stood in the grand halls of Everhart Manor. The golden chandeliers flickered, casting elongated shadows. Everything was eerily quiet.

Then she saw them.

Adrian stood at the far end of the hall, his back turned to her. Beside him, Isabella, Sophia, Rosalyn, Chris, and even Eve surrounded him, their gazes cold and unfeeling.

Seraphina stepped forward, her heart pounding. "Adrian?"

He turned.

But the warmth in his crimson eyes was gone.

"There you are," he said, his voice devoid of emotion. "I was wondering when you'd finally show up."

A sharp pain stabbed through her chest at his tone. "What's going on?"

Sophia crossed her arms. "Isn't it obvious?"

Isabella stepped forward, her expression unreadable. "Did you really think he cared for you?"

Seraphina's breath hitched.

Adrian regarded her with cold amusement. "You were useful, Aunt. But now that I've obtained the legacy that enabled you to quickly become 3rd class awakened, I have no need for you anymore."

Seraphina's blood ran cold.

No. That wasn't true.

Adrian wouldn't—

He stepped closer, his presence overwhelming, but instead of warmth, she felt nothing but an abyssal void.

"You were always too naive, Seraphina," he whispered, his hand gently caressing her cheek before roughly pushing her away. "You thought the moments we shared meant something?" He chuckled darkly. "It was all an act."

The others nodded in agreement, their eyes void of warmth.

"She actually believed it," Chris murmured with a laugh.

Eve smirked. "Pathetic."

Seraphina clutched her chest as the walls of the manor seemed to close in on her. "No… this isn't real…"

But it felt real. The betrayal, the pain—it was suffocating.

"Now," Adrian continued, unsheathing his blade. "Be a good girl and disappear."

Seraphina's body trembled as the abyss clawed at her mind, whispering that everything she saw was the truth. That she was never loved. That she was merely used.

That she was alone.

But then—

A flicker of warmth.

Deep within, something burned bright. A memory. A promise.

Adrian's true self.

The way he looked at her, full of admiration and warmth. The way he always noticed when something was wrong, just like earlier. The way he protected his loved ones without hesitation.

This wasn't real.

The Abyss was lying.

With a sharp inhale, Seraphina's eyes blazed with golden fire. "Enough."

The illusion shattered.

She was back in the cavern, the Harbinger looming over her, its violet eyes wide in surprise.

Seraphina didn't give it a chance to react.

With a flick of her wrist, golden chains erupted from the ground, binding the wretched entity. It screeched, writhing as holy light seared through it.

Seraphina's staff ignited with celestial radiance. "You dare show me such a pitiful illusion?" Her voice was steady, cold, and full of wrath. "You underestimated me."

With one final incantation, she sealed the Harbinger's soul within the crystalline orb, ensuring it would never torment another soul again.

As she finished recounting the battle, Seraphina let out a slow breath. "That's what happened."

Adrian listened intently, his fists clenched at his sides. His red eyes burned with fury—not at her, but at the Harbinger for daring to manipulate her like that.

"You knew it wasn't real," he finally said, his voice low. "But… it still affected you."

She scoffed lightly. "Of course it did. Even knowing it was an illusion, it felt real. For a moment… I almost believed it."

Adrian's expression softened. Gently, he reached out, cupping her cheek with surprising tenderness. "Don't worry, I... no... we will never betray you."

Seraphina blinked, startled by his touch.

"There's nothing in this world that could ever make me betray you," Adrian said, his voice firm. "You're part of my family. Part of my life. That won't change—no matter what."

Something warm bloomed in her chest.

She let out a shaky breath, then smirked. "Careful, Adrian. If you keep saying things like that, I might fall even harder for you."

He rolled his eyes. "You already have."

Seraphina burst into laughter, the weight on her heart lifting just a little.

Even after facing the abyss, Adrian's presence was enough to bring her back to the light.