𝐓𝐎 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐄𝐅𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐄𝐋𝐘𝐒𝐈𝐀𝐍 ↷ scaramouche x reader

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR . 語られない物語

That child grew understanding one truth - that the man responsible for his mother's death was a cruel, inhuman abomination upon this earth. A scum villain who deserved the worst death.

Nurtured by vengeance, that child swore a vow, an oath bound by blood. He would take back what was so rightfully his and carry on his mother's legacy.

And in Hualing's final few breaths, she uttered a name to the doctor who had helped deliver her child.

"Qianqiu..." She whispered, her eyes blurred with tears as she watched her newborn child be taken away from her. "Please... Doctor... My son...! Qianqiu— Qiu-er...! I must see him!"

Qianqiu, the child born under the star of misfortune now bore the emblem of vengeance upon his chest. His eyes set upon the sole goal to honor his mother's memory by taking what belonged to him. This was the only way... the only method to bring honor to his name, to his mother. It gave them what the mother-son has always sought after; a place to belong.

But for Qianqiu, he was far too blinded by his own vendetta against the cruel wheel of fate to see how his methods of cruelty will only bring fear. Crooked means of subjecting those responsible for his and his mother's suffering has led him astray. His desire to 'belong' became an obsession to take, to steal and rob and destroy. Instilling fear would bring submission and he would carve himself a throne. So long as the world feared him, no one would object to him.

He saw you as nothing more than an obstacle in his way; someone who had stolen his rightful place. Yet... frightening so, the two of you possessed similar origins and goals. A place to belong, to want to be loved; that was what connected to that row of you - even not by name nor blood. Estranged siblings who shared disdain for the world that had once robbed them of their youths.

So why is it that you get to live a life of normalcy and Qianqiu must bear the sinful cross? Why had the gods favored you over him? Why had the fates forsaken him...?

Why... was it that you are loved... and not him?

A child who possessed nothing except the blood of a man who despised him. Qianqiu never understood it. Had Li Chen disdained him so much that he had chosen someone as irrelevant as you who was without his blood to carry on the legacy...?

No matter, Qianqiu had already determined his revenge. There seemed no more room for argument nor negotiations as in his eyes, if he could not enact upon his own hatred - there was no purpose to his life. His life's work is all for the sake of belonging somewhere. And for that to begin - he threw away what little possession he had control over, his own life.

Having made contact with rogue Fatui, Qianqiu acquired himself a Pyro Delusion at the promise of repaying them once he had ascended to his rightful position. At the cost of his own life, he assured himself power that you did not possess. But of course, as fate would have it; you happened to marry such a troublesome man who hindered Qianqiu's plans. Thus one is led to wonder whether or not the approval of such an union was a deliberate move done on Li Chen's part to keep you safe... No one could say for certain.

No matter, Qianqiu's sheer determination had granted him what he needed to know most importantly. That there was still a chance to claim legitimacy to the ascension as rightful heir of the company - Ying Yue's dowry, the wife of that despicable man Qianqiu refused to acknowledge as his father. Her dowry symbolized their marriage and in turn would legitimize him once acquiring it...

But where it was located, he was uncertain.

As Qianqiu sees it, there are only two winding paths of success - one where he acquires the dowry and no bloodshed is necessary or two, where he kills you first. The second option seemed most unlikely based on your fiancé's strength alone - but not impossible. There are always some presenting opportunities and he will seize it once he finds it.