Chapter 49: Who Are You?

“Dai Lina…who exactly are you?”

Luna couldn’t hold back her curiosity and finally asked the question that had been troubling her.

Although she had learned from Eliza that Dai Lina was a demon and knew her name, she still longed to hear more about her story from Dai Lina herself.

Dai Lina looked at Luna’s eyes filled with curiosity, and a trace of hesitation flashed in her heart.

She didn’t want her past to become gossip for others, but Luna’s sincerity and kindness made her feel a long-lost warmth.

So, she decided to share some of her story with Luna.

“Are you really that curious?”

Dai Lina asked softly, her tone carrying a hint of barely noticeable gentleness.

“Yes—!”

Luna answered without hesitation, her eyes sparkling with excitement as if she couldn’t wait to hear Dai Lina’s story.

Dai Lina smiled slightly, then gently took a sip of the crimson blood.

At that moment, her gaze became deep and distant, as if she had crossed the boundaries of time and space and returned to that faraway past.

“Alright, then I’ll tell you about my origins.”

Dai Lina spoke slowly, her voice low and magnetic, as if every word carried endless power and emotion.

“Actually, you already know. My real name is [Viviana Bessa Selina]. Dai Lina is just a fake name I use here.”

“And I was once a noble princess in the Demon Realm’s Meimon City.”

“In my name, ‘Bessa’ is not just a simple word. It carries my deep family bonds and represents my homeland—Bessa City. That was where I grew up and laughed.”

“Bessa…’Once’?”

Luna keenly caught the deeper meaning in those words.

“Yes. Before that city was conquered by the enemy, I was the beloved princess there. However, after the city fell, the name ‘Bessa’ seemed to be completely severed from me.”

A trace of indescribable sorrow and loss flashed in Dai Lina’s eyes as her thoughts drifted back to that distant past.

“Conquered? What exactly happened?”

Luna listened with growing confusion, feeling that the story behind all this was far more complex and profound than she had first imagined.

“…It was a long time ago…”

Dai Lina’s tone carried a hint of hesitation and struggle, clearly showing that this part of her past was a pain she did not wish to touch easily.

Deep inside, she weighed whether she should share those heavy memories with Luna.

In the end, she chose to trust Luna.

After all, in this unfamiliar world, aside from the loyal but hard-to-understand maids at her side, Luna was almost the only person she could truly open her heart to.

“This involves some political strife in the Demon Realm. I wonder if you’re interested in hearing a brief version?”

Dai Lina asked softly, her eyes carrying a hint of inquiry.

“Uh…could you keep it as short as possible?”

Luna looked a bit hesitant, but curiosity still shone in her eyes.

Dai Lina nodded slightly, thinking about how to sum up that complicated history in the simplest words.

“In short, a coup changed everything. My father supported the ‘Royalist Faction’, while the current government sees them as ‘rebels’.”

“And my homeland, Bessa City, was conquered by the ‘Reformist Faction’ because of it.”

Her tone held a touch of helplessness and sorrow.

“After that, my father led the remaining ‘rebels’ into the forest and began a long guerrilla war against the government army.”

“And because my father feared I’d be captured and used as leverage, I was secretly sent here with another important figure to seek refuge.”

“Now, I have to constantly avoid the Empire Secret Guard’s searches and live in fear every day. I thought I could find some peace here, but I never expected…”

Dai Lina’s voice gradually became low, her eyes flickering with complex emotions in the dim light—deep worry for her father’s safety and anxiety for her own uncertain fate.

The heaviness of it all seemed to make the surrounding air stagnate.

Luna listened quietly, her eyes filled with sympathy and understanding.

She realized that the seemingly ordinary yet extraordinary girl before her was bearing a burden far heavier than anyone could imagine.

That pressure was enough to suffocate anyone.

Dai Lina’s tone revealed an unmistakable anxiety.

She knew well that if she fell into enemy hands, the consequences would be unimaginable.

That fear hovered over her heart like a shadow, making it impossible to let go.

“So that’s how it is…Dai Lina, you’re actually a princess…”

Luna spoke softly, surprise and emotion in her voice.

She deeply felt the burden Dai Lina carried, as if it weighed on her own heart as well.

Worry for Dai Lina filled Luna’s eyes.

She knew that beneath the strong exterior, this girl was enduring unimaginable hardship.

She wanted to comfort and encourage Dai Lina, but didn’t know where to start.

“Then your father…is he alright now?”

Luna asked with concern, her eyes filled with worry for Dai Lina’s father.

“He’s still fighting guerrilla battles against the ‘Reformist Faction’ in the forest. He said that once the time is right, he’ll sound the call to counterattack.”

Dai Lina’s voice held a trace of determination, but her eyes couldn’t hide the worry.

However, deep in her heart, a voice told her that the so-called ‘right time’ might already be fading into the distance…

But she didn’t want to show this thought, not wanting to add more burden to Luna.

“I once considered persuading my father to surrender to the ‘Reformist Faction’, thinking maybe that would let us live a more peaceful life.”

Dai Lina continued, her tone tinged with helplessness.

“But after going through certain things, I completely abandoned that idea. I’ve decided that no matter how hard the future is, I’ll fight alongside my father to the end.”

“I still keep in touch with him from time to time, so as long as I know he’s safe, I can be at ease.”

Dai Lina forced a slight smile, but the sorrow and bitterness behind it were hard to completely hide.

Sitting across from her, Luna keenly noticed this.

“You’ve been through so much…Selina.”

Luna suddenly spoke.

The change in her address made Dai Lina’s heart tremble!

She was surprised to find Luna calling her by her real name.

More importantly, Luna’s words were filled with understanding and sympathy—a warmth Dai Lina had never received from anyone before.

“Thank you…Little Lu.”

Dai Lina’s voice quivered with genuine gratitude.

She was truly thankful that Luna could offer such encouragement and support at this time.

Luna gently shook her head and smiled.

“It’s nothing. Besides this, I really don’t know what else to say. But seeing you be so strong, I really admire you.”

“It’s alright. Your words alone are enough…”

Dai Lina’s eyes turned slightly red, but she tried hard not to let the tears fall.

She knew that at this moment, she had to be even stronger—for her father and for herself.

This was Dai Lina’s most heartfelt gratitude.

She understood that no matter how hard the future would be, as long as someone was willing to understand and support her, she would have the courage and strength to keep moving forward.

And Luna was that person.