The Emperor's Secret Luna

The sun had unknowingly disappeared while the calm and tranquil river beneath was now roaring deafeningly like a water hose. This was an imminent sign of high tide. There had been recurring natural disasters for years and ordinary people had no food to fill their stomachs at that time. Under the banner of freeing them from the calamities, the Imperial City searched high and low, gathering children born on the fifth day of the fifth month, claiming that these children were possessed by evil spirits and there were prophecies that these children would succumb to the werewolf clan, which was the mortal enemy of the humans. Many children died on that day and as Grand Duke Chantrea feared for his child’s life, he sent his wife and daughter away from the Imperial City to protect them. It was to hide that his daughter was born on that same day. However, on their way out of the city, they were ambushed by a pack of werewolves separating them from their daughter, Alvira, who was still at a young age at that time. That young teenage girl ran as fast as she could despite the injuries she had to save herself. Deep in the mountain forests, the cliffs towered over the rest of the terrain. In the middle of the mountains, the snow had not yet melted, and the snow and ice were piled half a foot high. With every step, one’s foot sank into the snow, and the cold attacked one’s bones like stabbing needles. The rain fell incessantly, and the icy wind grew colder, as did one’s body. Alvira walked with an uneven gait on the valley floor of the cliff. The mud and snow had rendered her clothes exceedingly dirty, and she cut an extremely sorry figure. Born under the Grand Duchy of Chantrea, who had command of the largest military army in the Islomore Empire, she was taught how to be tough and brave from birth. She paid no heed to her eerie surroundings and simply kept walking, only stopping when she saw a small cave appear in the distance. She pulled her pink clothes tightly around her as she searched for the entrance to the cave and finally entered it. The cave was not big, and there were dense bushes at the entrance, which were barely able to block the icy wind. As the sky gradually darkened, Alvira sat down in the depths of the cave entrance leaning against the wall, and let out a sigh of relief. Then, she pulled up her sleeves to expose the wound on her shoulder. Her plain clothes were completely sodden and clung tightly to her arms, and there was a faint reek of blood. She rubbed her forehead and was contemplating going outside to gather some rocks in order to block up the entrance of the cave more tightly when she heard light footsteps. The expression on Alvira’s face changed and she sat bolt upright, listening attentively to the movement outside. The footsteps were heading straight for the mountain cave. Alvira reached into her sleeve. This dagger was personally made for her under the strict orders of her father, Grand Duke Chantrea. She clutched the cold dagger tightly and stared at the mouth of the cave hidden by the bushes. In the next moment, more than a dozen werewolves unexpectedly appeared out of thin air in the cave. They had followed her scent, especially the blood smell from her heavy wounds. One werewolf launched an attack and approached Alvira at a fast speed and as it approached her, Alvira raised the dagger in her hand for defense. Although she was uncertain about the result, she would not give up and fight until her very last breath. Giving up was f*******n in their family! Suddenly, a black figure leaped towards the werewolf, approaching Alvira. The long sword sprung out unexpectedly and went toward the werewolf’s chest. The other werewolves saw that their companion was dead and angrily ambushed an attack on the unexpected arrival of that unknown man. However, the man’s expression did not change and he altered his footwork and glided behind them at a speed that simply wasn’t discernible. Turning his body sideways, he slashed through the approaching enemy without mercy. The leader of the pack clenched his teeth and was about to order them to withdraw when a hand grabbed his shoulder as he turned around and a steel-like claw almost crushed his bones. “Want to retreat?” The voice had barely waned off when he felt numbness in his waist and soon after was unable to move anymore. Before he could spout a word, a long sword slashed through his neck, separating it from his body. Dead bodies of werewolves are everywhere. Blood spilled on the cold ground and an eerie silence spread throughout the cave. In the hazy light, his face was clearly imprinted on Alvira’s pupils. In that split second, both of them looked at each other. One was expressionless, the other was slightly startled. Alvira stared at him fixedly. The man was amazingly handsome. He was clad in black robes and his tall figure was slim and elegant. His already outstanding appearance was enhanced by his naturally gracious disposition, which also manifested itself in his bearing. Thus, he brightened the dark and dirty mountain cave with his mere presence. Even in a blooded pit, the unmarked golden hair sparkled to the point of ecstasy, reflecting light on a broken piece of glass, and the eyes beneath it shone cold and clear, like a clear ice lake. It was so enchanting as it was Alvira’s first time seeing a person with ocean-blue eyes. The gentle and calm face was so harmonious and well-balanced that she could not believe it was a piece of art. His flawless face and sacred beauty made her feel as if she were in a cathedral of pure white, not a b****y cave. His face and body were covered with red blood. “Who are you?” After quite a while, Alvira came to her senses and asked. “You’re hurt?” The man seized her up and saw the stains of blood on her dress. Alvira did not answer as she became suspicious of the man in front of her. Whether he was an enemy or a foe, nothing was certain as of that moment. Hearing no answer from her, the man removed his huge black robe and threw it toward her before saying, “It’s cold. The weather outside would worsen your condition.” Alvira held the black robe but instead of wearing it, she asked coldly, “Why did you help me? Who are you?” Her alertness and braveness made the man slightly astonished. Even though she was still of a young age, her demeanor did not seem to be like one. Other ladies of her age would have already cried after seeing those pack of werewolves but he had not heard any forms of cries from her. Instead, he saw her standing bravely with a dagger in her hand, ready for battle. She was extraordinarily different from the others. Although the illumination provided by the moonlight was faint, her face was clearly visible. It was delicate and smooth, and her aura was captivating. Her big eyes were alert, clear, and glistening. For the first time in his life, the man appreciated a woman’s beauty. The man had turned to look at her. His beautiful eyes were like the ocean glistening in the night sky, bright and sparkling, “False bravery can kill a person, didn’t you know that?” “You’re wrong. The greatest weakness lies in giving up. I would rather die fighting than wait for my death.” Alvira corrected him. The man kept quiet, he was surprised that this young lady would say such words. Alvira coughed and her entire body suddenly felt extremely cold as she teetered on the verge of fainting. The man walked forward and took the robe in his hands. Before Alvira could gather her thoughts, she felt warmth enveloping her body. The man’s black robe fell light over her. Then, the man walked out of the cave, leaving a startled Alvira behind. Alvira wrapped the robe around her. This act of receiving the robe at the moment felt like receiving coal in the middle of winter. Not long later, the man walked back in, carrying some dry firewood that he had picked up from somewhere. With his head and body dusted with snow and frost, the man placed the firewood on the ground and used a fire starter to start the fire. The firewood crackled into flame and the dark cave immediately gave way to light, and it was so warm and cozy that it felt like an illusion. The man said, “Sit over here to dry your clothes. Otherwise, the cold will seep into your body and cause many illnesses in your body.” Alvira did not decline his invitation. Holding the robe firmly around her, she walked to sit in front of the fire. Sure enough, once near the fire, her body became much more comfortable. She could not stop herself from holding out both hands in order to warm them further. In the next moment, the man retrieved a small porcelain bottle from within his clothes and handed it to her. Alvira picked it up and removed the lid after a moment’s hesitation. A refreshing scent wafted out, and the man said indifferently, “Apply it to your wound. It would stop the bleeding.” Alvira smiled faintly and said, “Thanks.” The light in the cave flickered. The surroundings were crude, but the firelight made the scene somehow move. Alvira leaned against a rock in front of the fire and closed her eyes in weariness. At such a tense time, they were a single teenage man and woman together in a secluded setting. After using the man’s medicine, Alvira’s body gradually warmed up. After rushing for so many days, she was extremely exhausted. It was quite baffling that she somehow felt at ease with this stranger of a man with her. Thus, she could not stop herself from drifting into slumber. Before she fell asleep, she thought about the question she had asked the man, but instead of answering, she heard him say something else. “When the time comes, return the favor to me.”