The Stained Blood Tale Part One

Serene Eleison

In the Year 2897 After the Unification March

Serene Eleison

In the Year 2897 After the Unification March,

the Eleison residence in Fonta Aria was blessed with a daughter,

Serene Eleison. Born to the sole heirs of the Eleison family, Eugene Eleison and Filanora Eleison, Serene was a cheerful child.

She greatly admired her parents, both members of the Loyal Swords Paladin, serving the country of Fonta Aria.

Since Tamura Yarinaga, the ruler of Ukataka, began his military campaign and launched an invasion westward in 2895, Serene's parents were frequently away, assisting with various military activities.

With Tamura's relentless invasion, dozens of kingdoms and countries had fallen to Ukataka. Hundreds of thousands of refugees from various races and kingdoms crowded the continent of Ivovnia, striving to help the remaining nations survive the onslaught.

At the age of five, Serene's parents adopted Taki, a 12-year-old half-elf girl who was also a war victim.

By the year 2902 AU, Tamura's forces had reached the southern parts of the continent of Ivovnia.

They managed to land at the Bardos Peninsula, under the control of the Balrog Empire—a kingdom of nomadic people. Within three weeks, the Balrog Empire surrendered. Once renowned as the center of intercontinental trade, its collapse disrupted resource availability and broke international trade chains.

Within two years, nations began to experience a deep economic downturn.

By then, Tamura had already taken over the Numen Kingdom and Siofia, preparing for an invasion of Fonta Aria through Numen. In response, all the remaining forces in Ivovnia united to make a final stand.

The alliance consisted of:

The Mage Society

The Twelve Heroes

Fonta Aria

The Whiteford Kingdom

The Paladins' Order

Starsbough Country

The Rimba Republic

Remnants of the Numen Kingdom, Merida Republic, and Lorenstein Kingdom

A combined force of 300,000 soldiers guarded the Aria Strait at Katya Port and Ronjenovenn City.

Meanwhile, 345,000 soldiers defended the western seas of the Ivovnia continent at White Harbor.

Despite their numerical superiority—outnumbering the enemy 5:1—the lack of coordination between the nations made their resistance difficult and fraught with challenges.

However, alongside the twelve heroes, Fallion Drake Blood successfully halted the advance of Tamura's forces, despite suffering significant casualties.

In the final battle of 2905, Fallion led the alliance's defense at White Harbor.

There, alongside the twelve heroes, four Grand Master Paladins, and numerous champions, he faced Tamura and his four personal bodyguards directly.

Though they ultimately managed to mortally wound Tamura and force Ukataka's retreat after significant losses, the alliance paid a heavy price. The war left deep scars across generations.

Among the fallen was Serene's father, Eugene Eleison.

By 2907, Serene was blessed with a younger sister, Irene Eleison. Tragically, their mother, Filanora Eleison, passed away only four months after Irene's birth.

From that day on, Serene, Irene, and Taki were raised under the care of the Eleison family's loyal servants. Taki, as the eldest sibling, dedicated her life to the Eleison family—or at least, that's what everyone believed.

In the Year 2910 AU:

At the Eleison residence, early morning.

"Hey Taki! Taki!" shouted Serene, trying to wake Taki, who was still asleep in her room.

Taki woke up with her hair in a mess. "Ugh… Serene, it's only 4 in the morning."

But Serene persistently tried to wake her older sister.

"Come on, today is my first day as a Paladin! I need to get ready!"

"Alright, alright! But keep it down; Irene is still asleep," Taki grumbled.

The two of them started preparing Serene's uniform, equipment, and even her bag. By 6 in the morning, as the sun began to rise, 13-year-old Serene was fully dressed in her distinctive Paladin uniform.

After saying farewell to the Eleison household's servants, Taki and Serene headed to the Paladin Order. There, the Paladins warmly welcomed their arrival.

Shortly after, Serene and Taki parted ways as Serene headed into the main hall while Taki watched her from the second-floor balcony.

Today marked the induction ceremony for new Paladin members.

The Grand Master of the Loyal Swords Paladin, Angelus Michael Anderson, personally greeted the initiates.

"Welcome, Initiates. Today, you are ready to bear the title of Loyal Sword Paladin. Many challenges and obstacles await you, but with each step you take, your courage and conviction will only grow stronger," he declared.

From the second floor, several Paladins observed the ceremony while discussing among themselves, though Taki remained focused on the proceedings.

"These initiates are showing incredible potential this year," one Paladin remarked.

"Yes, especially Lord Eleison's daughter. She bypassed the initiate and squire phases at such a young age," said another.

"I heard she's only 13, yet her abilities rival senior Paladins," another added.

"She was trained by the 28th Division Captain herself," someone noted.

"Captain Taki? I heard she was adopted by Lord Eugene Eleison before his passing."

"Adopted? That's unusual. I also heard some odd rumors about her. Elves supposedly have weak mana adaptability, yet Captain Taki is renowned for combining unique magic with her light magic. Strange, isn't it?"

"Do you think she's a half-elf?"

A senior Paladin approached the gossiping group.

"Hey, are you two done gossiping? Have you finished your tasks?"

"Ah, Senior Launcent! We'll get right on it," they replied hastily, scurrying away.

Launcent approached Taki, who remained engrossed in the ceremony.

"Apologies, Captain. You know how people love to gossip about everything," he said.

"I don't mind. On the contrary, I'm quite happy. It seems Serene will have many friends," Taki responded, her gaze still sharp and unwavering before she finally looked at Launcent.

"But… you haven't shown significant progress, Launcent. You know what'll happen if Serene becomes a captain before you…"

With a sad and resigned expression, Launcent replied, "Yeah… she'll keep mocking me."

Taki laughed. "Haha! You two really are a unique duo. She's your junior—don't let her surpass you!"

As the ceremony concluded, each Paladin received their badge and title, joining their respective teams. Serene's team was placed under Taki's leadership.

When Serene received her official letter and saw Taki's name listed as her captain, she was puzzled that Taki's name didn't include "Eleison."

Later, as she wandered near the senior officers' meeting room, Serene overheard a heated discussion between the council and emissaries from the Balrog Empire.

"Angelus Anderson, we request your support," said a Balrog representative.

"I can't make any promises. This will not sit well with the other Grand Masters, especially with the nation still recovering from the war," Anderson replied.

"We are merely asking for aid. Eighty percent of the Balrog Empire's territory has fallen due to the war. Without trade routes through Fonta Aria and Whiteford, our nation faces long-term starvation," the emissary pleaded.

"I will do my best for now, but again, I cannot provide any guarantees," Anderson said.

As Serene eavesdropped on the conversation, she didn't notice Taki standing behind her.

"Wow… on your first day as a Paladin, and you're already breaking the rules," Taki said mischievously, her expression teasing.

"Ah, Sister… I mean, Captain Taki. Haha… I was just looking for you," Serene stammered, her face flushing from being caught.

As punishment, Taki made her do 50 push-ups on the spot.

Despite her protests, Serene complied. Taki watched over her, amused, before both headed off to meet the rest of their team.