Helot

She was not born thirsting for blood. Once, she basked in warmth as fervent and fleeting as a night-blooming epiphyllum. Betrayal and imprisonment fanned the flames of her defiance; the fire of vengeance soon scorched Maysia. Steeped in endless resentment, she has since shuttered her heart to all...

Unlocks at: Awakener Level 1

The Evrotas archaeological team has been plagued by a mysterious illness for ten days, and the situation remains dire.

The illness strikes without warning and with ferocious intensity. Patients typically experience severe hallucinations, accompanied by a loss of bodily sensation and sensory deficits that worsen over time, eventually leading to partial or total paralysis. While the contagion appears confined to the archaeological site on the west bank of the Evrotas River, affecting mostly workers and resident scholars, authorities cannot rule out the possibility of further spread.

A former worker revealed to reporters that symptoms had already surfaced fifteen days ago, on the very day the "Evrotas Shackles" were unearthed. Readers following the news may recall these well-preserved, rust-free shackles that clearly originate from an ancient civilization. They arrived in the Kingdom of Leonia yesterday and have been handed over to Mythag University for further research. The link between the illness and the shackles, however, takes on a distinctly supernatural tone.

"Everything went wrong at the camp the moment we dug them up," the worker noted. "Many had nightmares of a girl bound in a cage by chains... This is a curse, the curse of the shackles! There is no other explanation."

As of today, relevant authorities have cordoned off the area. The Evrotas excavation has been completely suspended.

<Italic:The Ancient Curse? Mysterious Illness Sweeps the Evrotas Archaeological Team.>

Unlocks at: Affinity Level 3

Helot is a sharp, cold blade.

Awakeners who have worked with her say she's an effective weapon, strong and always mission-ready. Once given a kill order, no matter how powerful the enemy, she will break through and take the enemy's head.

But that's all.

She might protect her team, but it's just following orders, not out of care. She doesn't trust them; they can't trust her to guard their backs.

What they don't know is that to her, turning a blade on allies is despicable, contemptible, and deserving of punishment.

Having tasted the bitterness of betrayal herself, she would never turn her sword against her comrades.

Unlocks at: Affinity Level 5

The girl wears a plain dress, her skin still stinging from the rough scrubbing earlier. She doesn't understand why soldiers brought her here; a noble master's house is no place for slaves to come and go freely, and she is far too young to serve here.

The lady in the snowy white gown sits poised in the chair. The girl lowers her head, trembling with fear and nerves.

"I knew I wasn't wrong..." the lady says,"So much like her... truly."

Like? Does that mean she looks like someone else?

"Perfect. Simply perfect." The lady claps her hands happily,"It shall be you. From today on, I am your mother. Do you understand?"

Mother? But she already has a mother. Her mother was at home, crying out loud when she was taken away.

If so... what about her mother?

Confusion swirls in the girl's mind. She wants to ask, yet she understands all too well: a mistress's word was a slave's command, and disobedience meant severe punishment.

"I understand, Madam."

"What a good child. Let me think... I'll call you Helot. Do you like that name, Helot? I'm sure you do. Come, put on this dress and show it to mommy."

Unlocks at: Affinity Level 7

The lady who deigned to lower herself took her hand, promising to give her all the love in the world.

She believed in the lady's gentleness and the master's indulgence, trusted every smile and every hug, unaware that in their eyes, she was merely a pet, something to be discarded the moment it posed any threat.

They were the ones who cast her into a cage, shattering her trust to pieces. But neither the warden's whip nor the torment from her own people hurt as much as the betrayal from her loved ones.

Hate, such hate! She hated them for using lies to win her genuine heart, hated them for using her life to create this painful farce. If trusting others led to this, then she would forever rely on no one but herself.

Her trust is reserved for herself alone.

Unlocks at: Affinity Level 9