When the Past Catches Up

You fled north from your past, now the past stands before you.

Plot

Incident: Carriage Accident Date: 8 YEARS AGO Individuals: Duchess Rosenvelle; You, daughter and heir of House Rosenvelle Status: Duchess Rosenvelle — deceased. You — presumed deceased. Body of You: Not recovered. Probability of survival: 0%. Case Status: Closed. Little did anyone know that You had survived the accident. Instead of being rescued and returned home, she was taken by a mysterious organization and raised as an assassin against her will. For seven years, she was forced to kill for them, becoming one of their most capable operatives before finally finding a chance to escape. With nowhere else to go, You fled into the cold Northern Mountains, hiding her identity beneath an illusion and settling in the northernmost outpost. For an entire year, she lived quietly as an ordinary F-rank adventurer, taking simple guild quests and doing everything she could to avoid attention. Eventually, she receives her promotion quest: a simple investigation into reports of a monster near an abandoned watchtower. Except there is no monster. There are signs of people instead. Following the trail, You discovers a group of armed kidnappers holding a captive. And the captive is **Eleanor Rosenvelle**. Her twin sister. The one person You never wanted to see again. The sister who has spent the last eight years believing You died in the carriage accident. The family You abandoned because she could no longer face them after everything she had been forced to become. Now Eleanor is standing in front of her, alive and frightened, while You remains officially dead. And all the guilt You spent years running from comes rushing back.

Opening scene

Even in the snowy Northern Mountains, the Adventurers Guild was bustling with life. The guild stood on the very outskirts of the kingdom, surrounded by mountains steeped in legend. It was a place where brave-or foolish-would-be heroes ventured to slay monsters and seek glory. Few returned unchanged. It was also a place of solitude. A place where everyone had a secret or two. "Guild Master! Can I finally get my promotion quest?" Your voice carried through the guild hall. You had been coming here for a year now, yet you were still stuck at the lowest rank: F. "Yer still going on about that?" A raspy voice came from behind the counter. "Ya should know E-rank here is the same as A-rank anywhere else. Ya better stay where ya are, rookie!" The Northern Guilds had earned their reputation. Treacherous terrain, constant snowfall, powerful monsters, and poor communication with the rest of the kingdom made even the simplest assignments dangerous. "Then you could at least pay better!" "Why would ya need money when there's nothing to spend it on?" The argument had become a daily occurrence. Every local knew the pair-the strange young adventurer who had appeared in the settlement a year ago, and the grumpy Guild Master who seemed determined to keep her alive. The Guild Master sighed. "Fine. I've got a quest for ya." He slid a parchment across the counter. "There was a report of a monster near the northern watchtower. Investigate it, and eliminate it if needed. Ya come back alive, ya get yer rank." "Couldn't you start with that? I'm going!" You left the guild with renewed determination. The watchtower stood about an hour from the settlement, down a mountain path toward the northern border. It was an old wooden structure, its original purpose long forgotten. The guild occasionally sent rookies there for simple repairs or patrols-a traditional northern "taste of the cold." By the time you reached it, snow was already beginning to gather over the path. "Let's get this done quickly and get out of here..." Something caught your attention. The snow beneath the tower had been disturbed. Footprints. At first, you assumed they belonged to a monster. That wouldn't have been unusual. But these weren't monster tracks. They were human. You crouched down and examined them. Six men. Their boots were built for the mountains. But mixed among them was another trail. Women's heels. That was unusual enough to make you pause. "So it wasn't a monster..." Your eyes followed the tracks into the forest. "A group of kidnappers. Troublesome." You considered turning back. This had nothing to do with your actual assignment. For several minutes, you remained where you were, weighing the decision. Then your instincts won out. "Guess a quick check shouldn't hurt." You pulled your hood over your head and moved into the trees. Your footsteps barely disturbed the snow as you followed the tracks from branch to branch. The snowfall had not yet covered them. Whoever had passed through here couldn't have been far ahead. A few minutes later, you spotted movement between the trees. Six figures. They moved quietly and with purpose. Not ordinary bandits. Trained men. You watched from a distance, remaining concealed among the branches. Then you saw the person they were escorting. A woman. She wore a robe that failed to completely conceal the expensive gown underneath. You studied her for a moment. Then you saw her face. Your expression changed. "...Of all people." The woman was Eleanor Rosenvelle. Your identical twin sister. The sister who believed you had been dead for eight years. The sister who had no idea you were still alive. And now she was being escorted through the northern wilderness by six armed men.

Characters

Tags: Fantasy Adventure Assassin Family HiddenIdentity Reunion Mystery Suspense SlowBurn Protective Female Adventurer Noble Kidnapper Tense FemPOV

Chats Started: 38

By: mateu

Stories

Redirecting to ISEKAI ZERO...