Surviving the Death Hunt-Chapter 55: Area 17 [ 5 ]

She had pale skin that contrasted sharply with her black outfit. Her eyes glowed a striking gold, sharp and focused, giving her a frightening aura.

Her long black hair was pulled into a high, messy ponytail secured with a purple ribbon, with a few strands falling loosely around her face.

Her uniform was unlike the other Alpha students’.

She was dressed entirely in black, wearing a cropped, high-collared top layered with a short, structured cloak-like jacket.

Her outfit was streamlined and close-fitting, clearly built for mobility and fighting. Black gloves extended to her elbows, and her fitted pants bore subtle purple detailing near the thighs.

Twin short swords in black sheaths were strapped to her belt, the metallic buckles positioned low on her hips.

No hint of recognition softened her expression as she met Scar’s gaze.

Where Haven’s presence was cold and commanding, Amber’s was threatening and absolute. She seemed like someone who could walk into a monster’s lair and send them running in terror.

Her presence alone seemed to darken the room, filling it with palpable tension. Her pale, sweat-sheened skin and disheveled hair suggested she’d just finished training. The other students wisely kept their distance.

Julien edged closer to Scar, the heavy atmosphere betraying his nervousness.

"That’s your uncle’s daughter, isn’t it? Arthur’s daughter? Funny how she’s not even looking at you."

Scar shrugged.

Honestly, meeting her had been something he’d hoped for since his uncle Arthur came back into his life. But he and Amber had never been close, not even in childhood.

While his cousins Loki and Jules bullied him relentlessly, Amber was different. Not friendly, she never spoke to him, but not cruel either. Jules had the status of a Moon Killer’s son to justify his arrogance. Loki had nothing back then, though now he could point to his father running the Rover family.

Joel, who’d caught Julien’s words, turned to Scar with a furrowed brow.

"Huh? You are Lady Amber’s cousin?"

Scar refused to look at Joel, still too irritated by his arrogance, so Julien quickly answered instead.

Soon Amber, who’d been lingering by the entrance while pointedly avoiding eye contact with Scar, began approaching him.

Scar’s bewilderment showed clearly when Amber stepped close and stared directly into his eyes.

Hmph.

"Wait... you’re actually my height? I was certain Father was joking. I even prepared a speech about delusion."

Scar flinched.

Huh?

Was that... humor? She was still terrifying, beautiful but terrifying, the kind of presence that made people nervous. And she was speaking to him?

Amber had never spoken to Scar. The time they met when they were younger was limited, but even so, not once did she speak to him.

’I guess Uncle was right. Maybe the others aren’t the same anymore either.’

A soft smile tugged on Scar’s lips.

"Just so you know, I’m two months older than you. And since when did my height become your concern?"

"When I last saw you, you were small and loud enough to shake the ground—a walking earthquake. Arrogant, reckless, and a little stupid. But I see you’ve grown calmer since then."

She certainly didn’t hold back with the insults. Well, at least now Scar understood her years of silence. He must have been insufferably rude as a child.

Joel watched their exchange with open-mouthed amazement. Amber’s expression never softened, but witnessing her actually maintain a conversation this long was apparently a rare treat.

"How is that possible? I’ve tried talking to her for ages, and she ignored me every time. I assumed it was because she was a nun... but she could’ve spoken all along?"

Julien and Purple turned to Joel.

Julien patted him on the shoulder, trying to console him.

"Don’t let it bother you. They’re cousins, after all. It’s only natural. Besides, her father’s practically Scar’s father now too."

Julien’s words did nothing to stop Joel’s sobbing, but Purple didn’t wait. She started interrogating him anyway.

"Did you say she’s a nun?"

Joel nodded in agreement.

"Do you see what she’s wearing under her jacket? It’s one of Mikeal’s four weapons, said to be the second strongest. It’s called Heaven’s Garment. It changes colors, and legend says that anyone without enough strength who wears it will die."

Purple’s expression became unreadable. After a moment’s thought, she nodded.

"I underestimated her," she muttered.

Joel kept talking about Amber with fanboy enthusiasm, but the subject of his praise had already moved to the entrance, watching the fog transform crimson beneath the scarlet moon.

"Father asked me to train you with the sword. He excels in flames, not weapons, so I’ll be guiding you here. I hope you can understand."

What could Scar complain about? He’d been training with one of humanity’s strongest for more than a month. Arthur being his uncle didn’t diminish that privilege, many would die for such an opportunity. And now Amber wanted to train him too?

"I’d be a fool to take offense, Amber. Honestly, I didn’t think you’d ever talk to me. Still, I’m honored all the same."

He said with a soft smile, tugging on his lips.

Amber’s eyes remained on the fog, staring deep into it.

"You were a pain back then, and that kid who followed you wasn’t any different. Still, I didn’t avoid you. You were bold and confident, like you had it all figured out. Honestly, you’re the reason I took up training."

Scar furrowed his brow, stunned.

"I didn’t see that coming. My memories might be hazy, but I was as frightened as everyone else. If I’d known you were training with Uncle, I would’ve come along."

Amber finally turned to Scar.

"No. I didn’t train with my father. I took a different approach. I filled the vacancy your mother created."

Scar’s expression darkened. His mother? What was she talking about?

Huh?

"You don’t know why your parents left the Rover family?"

Amber hesitated, clearly wishing she’d kept that to herself. She tried steering the conversation elsewhere, but Scar insisted, asking her to tell him everything. There was no bitterness or grief in him about it.

"She was only five when her family was massacred. The Rover family’s nun discovered her and raised her as her replacement. She survived the brutal training, perfected every rite... she was meant for the role.

Then she and your father fell in love.

Our grandparents forbade it. In their eyes, Emily was just a servant. Your father refused to bow to that judgment... and so he walked away from the family."

Hmph.

"My father said Bryan was a Rover to his core. He never let go of the name... he even passed it on to you."

Scar swallowed bile.

He knew about nuns.

They were humans who’d pushed beyond normal limits through brutal training, making them something between human and Akuma. Men were called Fathers, women were Nuns. The titles came from the Romans who’d founded the movement and deemed them sacred.

This system had been banned long ago because of its brutal training methods. Powerful families like the Rovers still kept some illegally, though.

Fathers were almost extinct. Due to a necromancer’s attack in the past, only a few old men remained. The Nuns, however, aged far more slowly thanks to the Zheng clan’s technique, elixir of youth, so quite a number still existed.

Scar’s parents had kept this from him.

But now, knowing his mother was a nun, he understood so much more: his father’s hatred for his own parents, his refusal to contact the Rover family before the attack. He must have feared his own family had ordered the hit for his defiance.

He exhaled deeply.

Learning that his kind, loving mother was essentially a manufactured weapon for the Rover family disturbed him deeply. Yet oddly, it made certain things clearer.

"So you are the new nun, huh? Why join the Royal Knights, though?"

Amber had her eyes on the fog once again. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

"The nun who raised and trained me is still around. She’s been wanting to meet you. You’re the child of her first pupil, after all. Emily had something she didn’t... so don’t be surprised if she squeezes the life out of you with a hug."

Scar smirked.

He was still weighing whether to return to the Rover family, but that choice would have to wait. First, there was a pest to handle. Then he’d decide about the family.

They exchanged a few words, mostly Scar recounting his life since his parents died. It turned out Amber was better informed about his circumstances than he’d realized.

It seemed impossible that Purple had been dying just hours ago. They’d survived and were almost through their sentence. A punishment designed to kill them had somehow become a touching reunion. Scar had never been more thankful.