Greatest Legacy of the Magus Universe

Chapter 2095: House Fortuna

Genevieve’s eyes trembled.

”You... what?” She tried to find the right words. ”You and my father were with me when I was a child?”

She shook her head, eyes filled with disbelief. ”No. No, you’re lying. My grandfather would have told me otherwise—”

”Oliver?” Valentina scoffed. ”He was scared, obviously. Of your true identity. It’s why he named you after his own family name.”

”...What?” Genevieve was again at a loss for words.

If she ever doubted Valentina’s words, then they were almost cleared when she revealed her grandfather’s name. Oliver Saint Laurent. And the fact that the two of them looked so similar alleviated most of her doubts, naturally.

”What do you mean scared?” Genevieve murmured. ”Who is my father? Who... who are you?”

”Oliver was a good man,” Valentina said, expression softening. ”He raised you all by himself. Taught you everything he knew and more. And for that, he has my love.”

She paused, making sure Genevieve understood the weight of her words.

”Oliver believed revealing your true ancestry would put you in danger,” she said.

”But darling, we are the danger.”

”What... what do you mean?” Genevieve’s face turned pale. ”Why would revealing my name invite danger?”

”Your father and I. And you, of course.” Valentina smirked. ”We are from House Fortuna. You do know your history, don’t you, love?”

Genevieve gasped in surprise. Her hand subconsciously covered her mouth as she stared at Valentina in shock.

The Human Emperor was the first Emperor to be born of mankind.

He had twelve children.

They were legendary warriors who embarked on the Holy Crusade under the leadership of the Human Emperor, ushering in the Age of Man.

Those twelve legendary warriors became known as the First Sons.

They were the Angels of the God-Emperor.

The Great Noble Houses were descended from these twelve Angels.

House Fortuna was one of the Great Noble Houses.

Genevieve was so shocked by her pedigree that she could not speak for a long time.

Valentina stared at her with mild amusement. What reaction would one expect to see when someone was told they were descended from the God Emperor of Mankind?

Valentina experienced that for the first time today. Very amusing, indeed.

But Genevieve wasn’t amused at all. Her heart was churning with turbulent waves, and her mind was a mess.

”Then... my mother?” she asked softly.

Valentina’s expression soured a little. She couldn’t help but take the glass of wine from the table and finish it in one go.

”I’ll be honest, darling,” she said. ”I never really liked your mother.”

Genevieve was stunned. But quickly, anger rose in her chest.

Valentina raised a finger, preventing her from speaking. ”It has less to do with your mother’s character, and more to do with the faction she was a part of.”

”The Domina Occulta,” Genevieve muttered.

”Yes.” Valentina sneered. ”Those wretched things!”

She paused for a brief moment before asking with narrowed eyes, ”I heard you intended to join them.”

”Well...” Genevieve visibly fidgeted under her aunt’s gaze. ”I haven’t given them my word yet—”

”Good!” Valentina said intensely. ”And don’t you dare join them. They will ruin your life just like they did your mother’s.”

Once again, Genevieve felt as though lightning had struck her body.

”What...?”

Valentina snorted in displeasure. ”Looks like they didn’t tell you everything, did they?”

She poured herself another glass of wine and emptied it. ”Just thinking of them makes me angry!”

Only after she had finished the entire bottle of wine did she finally turn to her niece and reveal the truth. ”Your mother, Madeline, she ran away from the Domina Occulta. She eloped with your father, you know.

”The women of the Domina Occulta are forbidden from taking husbands. They are expected to devote their entire lives to the Imperium. Their minds, bodies, and souls belong to their order.

”They have some truly twisted ideologies about duty, loyalty, and sacrifice. To them, personal attachments are nothing more than weaknesses that must be cast aside for the sake of the Imperium.”

”Bloody arcana!” Valentina cursed. ”I despise them truly.”

”For-Forbidden from taking... husbands?” Genevieve murmured. She felt as though strength was leaving her body.

Valentina arched a brow, thinking, I explained so much, and all she heard was that part?

Then she thought of the boy Genevieve came here with, and she couldn’t help but roll her eyes.

So naive and in love, she thought.

These stupid little kids.

”Yes.” She nodded seriously. ”Join them at your own risk, my darling. And if you do, you can forget about love, marriage, and children, or whatever else you young couples have going on these days.”

Genevieve suddenly couldn’t help but blush in embarrassment. She quickly discarded such thoughts and asked what was important.

”But why did they elope? And is my mother truly dead?”

”Were you paying attention to what I just said?” Valentina shook her head, sighing. ”Your mother and my little brother were madly in love. Your mother knew she couldn’t marry him if she remained a Domina. So she ran away.”

She paused, her expression turning somber.

”And as fate would have it, you were born shortly after your parents were married. But sadly, Madeline was unable to survive childbirth.”

Valentina looked into her niece’s teary eyes and said gently, ”Genevieve, you being born was a miracle. Do you understand?”

Genevieve smiled bitterly, tears streaming down her cheeks. ”I was born, but my mother died. And my father can’t bear to see me because I remind him of her. It’s not much of a miracle. If anything, it’s a tragedy.”

Valentina stepped forward and knelt in front of Genevieve. She wiped her tears away and said softly:

”No, my darling. You must understand our House is unlike the other eleven. The Other Houses produce countless descendants with every generation. Their bloodlines spread far and wide with new members born in great numbers. But House Fortuna is different.

”It is extraordinarily difficult for us to bring new life into this world. Because we of House Fortuna wield tremendous power. The laws of the universe are fair, after all. And that is why our numbers are so scarce.”

Genevieve couldn’t help but frown at those words. They sounded so sincere. And so sad.

”What do you mean?” she asked.

”As I said.” Valentina smiled. ”The laws of the universe are fair. Such is the Way.”

”But isn’t that too great a price?” Genevive couldn’t help but ask. ”Not being able to conceive children in this world... this is a curse!”

Valentina rose to her feet, facing the moons in the night sky of Myrrandor.

”Too great a price?” She said. ”Perhaps. But there’s a reason the worlds fears House Fortuna despite our low numbers.”

Genevieve walked up to her, unable to curb her curiosity.

”What is it?” She asked impatiently.

Valentina turned to her niece and smirked. ”You ever get the feeling you’re a lucky girl?”

Genevieve frowned. ”Please do not jest.”

”Do you know who the ancestor of our House is?”

Genevieve slowly shook her head. And Valentina’s next words shocked her down to her very core.

”Mana bestowed upon Him the name Miracle Emperor,” Valentina said, pride and reverence evident in her voice.

”But to us, to the Imperium, He is far more than a title. He is beloved, revered. He is the God Emperor’s seventh son. He is the Angel of Miracle.”