The Million-Dollar Heart

Vivienne took a delicate sip of her herbal tea, her eyes signaling her mentor to continue. Whether to believe or not, she decided, was up to her to judge.

"Sasha must've mentioned it to you, that artifact has quite a history, tracing back about two centuries. The family in question was of noble military lineage, but due to their overwhelming power, they were eventually decimated under the guise of treason. If any descendants exist, they'd be from a side branch."

"But there's a piece of folklore about this family that might just align with the clues you're seeking."

"Folklore?" Vivienne looked up, her gaze cool and detached.

Master Finnian's cheeks flushed with a touch of annoyance, his teacup clattering slightly as he set it on the table. "My dear girl, your mentor here has a reputation and dignity to uphold. Would I really concoct a tale just to save a few dollars?"

"Don't forget, I gave a generous wedding gift, even parting with some of my prized possessions, things your fellow apprentices could only dream of."

Vivienne returned to her tea, clearly uninterested in the tangent.

The old man was stretching it. How could she possibly believe a tale spanning two centuries?

Besides, she knew the "generous" wedding gift was funded by contributions from her fellow apprentices, and the prized possessions? Merely some calligraphy he'd done himself...

Other than the framing costs, she wondered where the expense was.

"I could return those 'precious' items if you'd like," she retorted.

"You wouldn't dare!"

child. You have no idea of its worth; others would kill for such

Vivienne merely sighed.

in scandal due to a marriage. The sole heiress fell ill with a mysterious disease that

her until one night, a mystic offered a solution - a potion brewed with the blood from a maiden's heart, combined with sacred herbs, promised

maiden's heart?"

while it sounds macabre to us now, such beliefs were not uncommon in

and escape royal scrutiny. Others believe the blood was a decoy, that the family had indeed discovered the secret to eternal life but devised this myth to protect themselves

eyes. A maiden's heart,

Who was Abigail, really?

outcome?"

me some tea, will you? Can't you see

pout, Vivienne obliged, their long-standing

satisfying sip, Finnian continued, "Rumor has it, after regaining her health, the heiress sought the mystic

of the

at a loss for

was beyond her expectations. These "secrets" were nothing she couldn't find in a dime novel. Why had she even

she realized she had missed a crucial detail. "So, what was the

Finnian smacked his forehead, "The

out, "Leaving so soon? We've barely had a chance to

with