Chapter 47: Valerie's Hidden Potential
The sun was rising slowly over the mist-veiled hills surrounding the hidden Agares estate, casting long shadows across its fortified stone walls.
The morning dew clung to every leaf, and the crisp mountain air buzzed faintly with magic—a tranquil illusion over the secrets stirring within.
In the chamber woven with aura-concealing enchantments and bloodline-stabilizing seals, Valerie Tepes stirred beneath silk sheets.
Her breathing was steadier now, no longer ragged from the aftershocks of Sephiroth Graal's spasms. Her golden-blonde hair glimmered faintly in the light filtering through enchanted crystal windows.
Volundr sat beside her, silent. Observing. Thinking.
Flickers of Power
Over the past few days, he had quietly tested Valerie's responses—low-tier enchantments layered around her, specialized aura fields designed to gently stimulate dormant power. The results had been staggering.
Despite her fragile mental state, Valerie's Sacred Gear responded instinctively to trauma or distress, sometimes purging corrupted mana from the air without conscious thought
. Once, when a protective ward shimmered under strain, Valerie's hand twitched in her sleep—and the ward stabilized instantly.
"She's not just compatible," Volundr murmured as he examined her. "The Grail has bonded to her deeply… almost parasitically."
But it wasn't just Sephiroth Graal. Her vampire heritage, coupled with her human side, created a strange hybrid foundation. Her life force didn't just recover—it adapted.
"If she survives this," he thought, "she'll be more than just a support. She'll be a cornerstone."
Training in Secret
Valerie's eyes opened that evening, dazed but clear. And for the first time, she sat up on her own.
"Where am I?" she whispered.
"Safe," Volundr answered, stepping into view with a calming presence. "You've been resting. Healing."
Her eyes, the color of faded roses, drifted over the chamber—then returned to him.
"I know you… from the dream. Or… maybe before."
"You remember?" he asked gently.
"Not much. But… you feel real. Not like the others."
In the following days, Volundr began guiding her through basic focus exercises—not strenuous, just enough to see how well she could tether herself to the present.
Though mentally weary, her spirit was persistent. Under his instruction, she gradually learned to contain the Grail's overflowing energy, to close her aura when asleep, and to silence its reflexive responses.
"Small steps," he told her one night, "are still steps."
And Valerie, seated cross-legged on a stone platform with her hands clasped at her heart, nodded.
"I want to be more than a burden. Even if it takes years."
"You'll have that time," Volundr said. "And when you're ready, you'll choose how to use your power."
A Bishop Worth Waiting For
Later that night, alone in his study, Volundr penned another entry in his private journal:
"Valerie Tepes. Sephiroth Graal confirmed. Potential Bishop candidate. Not yet stable—but her aura flow is maturing faster than expected.
Long-term value: High.
Risk: Contained with proper treatment.
Convincing her to join the peerage must not rely on pity or obligation—it must be her choice, grounded in trust."
He paused, then added:
"Approach: Give her purpose. Let her decide her own path. Only then will she accept the bond."
He closed the journal, sealing it with layered encryption, and stood. Outside, the wind rustled through the trees of the Agares sanctuary.
Valerie Tepes was no longer forgotten. She was no longer just a broken vessel.
She was potential—wrapped in silence, shadow, and hope.
And Volundr would ensure that when the time came, she would rise on her own terms.
End of Chapter 47