Chapter 509: What is that 'promise' ?
Aeliana returned to her chambers, her mind weighed down by the conversation she'd just had with her father. The moment the door closed behind her, she exhaled sharply, as if expelling the sheer magnitude of everything she had just learned.
Then—without hesitation—she threw herself onto her massive bed, the silken covers billowing slightly under her weight.
Staring at the ornate canopy above, she let out a quiet groan, pressing the heels of her palms against her eyes.
'What the hell am I supposed to do with all of this?'
Her mother. The engagement. Lucavion.
Everything she had thought to be fixed, to be set in stone, had suddenly been upended with a few carefully spoken words.
Her father had been willing to break the engagement—just like that.
For years, she had assumed that the decision was unshakable, that she had no say in the matter. That her life had already been carved out for her, dictated by duty and necessity.
And yet, with a simple sentence, it had all been called into question.
'You may be wondering why I told you that story.'
Aeliana sucked in a slow breath, trying to steady herself, but her heart was still pounding from the weight of his words.
'You are free to do whatever you want with him.'
She clenched her jaw, her hands curling into fists against the soft sheets.
Free.
That was not a word she was used to.
And then there was Lucavion.
Her fingers twitched slightly at the thought of him—the reckless, infuriating bastard who had stormed into her life with no regard for propriety, who had treated her with a maddening blend of amusement and sincerity.
She had insisted that she didn't want him.
But when her father had spoken of ensuring Lucavion never troubled her again—
Aeliana had reacted before she could stop herself.
'No!'
That word had left her lips without thought, without calculation.
And now, she was left to deal with the consequences.
She groaned again, rolling onto her side and burying her face into the pillow.
'Damn it.'
She hated this.
She hated the uncertainty, the way her emotions warred with her logic. She hated the way Lucavion had somehow gotten under her skin, how she had allowed herself to become tangled in thoughts of him.
—it was as if Lucavion being the disciple of the Starscourge Gerald didn't matter to her at all, as if… it had never changed the way she saw him in the first place.
Aeliana pulled her hands from her face, staring blankly at the canopy above. The thought alone should have rattled her, should have made her question everything. Gerald, the infamous Starscourge, a name spoken in fear and awe alike. And Lucavion had been his disciple? It was the kind of revelation that should have sent her reeling.
And yet.
Yet.
She exhaled sharply, pressing her lips together.
She had been surprised, of course. But past that initial reaction, she hadn't felt anything shift in her heart. Lucavion had always been… himself. Reckless, infuriating, arrogant beyond reason. But also sharp, undeniably capable, and—frustratingly—someone she could not seem to push away, no matter how she tried.
Even now, recalling the way he had stood before her, that ever-present smirk shadowed by something unreadable as he revealed the truth—it wasn't fear or distrust that had settled in her chest.
It was something far more dangerous.
Understanding.
He never once pretended to be anything else.
She squeezed her eyes shut, willing away the unwelcome realization. Because the truth of it, as much as she despised admitting it, was that Lucavion had already long since taken root in her life. Before she had even realized it, he had slipped past every wall she had constructed, weaving himself into her thoughts with infuriating ease.
Perhaps that was what unsettled her most of all.
Not his past. Not his connection to Gerald.
But the fact that none of it had changed the way she felt.
Aeliana exhaled sharply, rolling onto her back as her thoughts tangled further.
Lucavion.
That bastard.
Somehow, despite everything, despite all the revelations and the sheer chaos he brought with him, she couldn't separate him from what she had always known him to be.
His identity, his past, the very name Starscourge Gerald—none of it had truly changed her perception of him.
And that?
That was dangerous.
Because it meant that no matter how much she tried to deny it, no matter how much she insisted that she didn't care—Lucavion had already carved a place in her life.
Her fingers twitched slightly against the silk of her sheets.
And then—
Her mind flickered back.
To that conversation.
To the moment she had almost forgotten about in the sheer weight of everything else.
"For another certain daughter."
Aeliana's entire body tensed.
That's right.
Lucavion had said that.
Another daughter.
She sat up, her amber eyes narrowing.
Starscourge Gerald had a daughter.
And not just anywhere—she had been here. Right under their noses, in her father's territory.
Aeliana's lips pressed into a thin line as the weight of that realization settled in.
Another girl.
Another girl.
And Lucavion was going to the Academy because of her.
Aeliana didn't realize she was scowling until she caught her own reflection in the mirror across the room.
Her expression was cold.
Irritated.
For some inexplicable reason.
'Why does that bother me?'
She clicked her tongue, shaking her head.
It didn't.
It shouldn't.
She exhaled slowly, willing herself to let it go.
And yet—
Her mind stubbornly circled back.
Who was she?
What was her connection to Lucavion?
Her fingers curled into the sheets.
'Tch. This is ridiculous.'
But as much as she tried to dismiss it, the irritation remained.
Aeliana's jaw tightened as she pulled her knees up, hugging them loosely against her chest. The more she tried to push the thought away, the more stubbornly it lodged itself into her mind, sinking its claws into her composure.
Who was she?
Her father's words had already thrown her world into disarray, but Lucavion—Lucavion—had managed to plant something even worse.
Doubt.
A name unspoken. A history undisclosed.
Another daughter.
Aeliana inhaled sharply, but it did nothing to steady the gnawing sense of unease curling around her thoughts. Because no matter how she turned it over in her mind, she couldn't find a single reason why Lucavion would care about someone like that.
Not just in passing. Not just out of obligation.
But enough to go to the Academy because of her.
She scowled.
Lucavion wasn't the type to be led around by sentiment. He was sharp, calculating. He never did anything without a reason. So what was his reason this time? What was his connection to her?
Had he promised her something?
Her fingers clenched against the silk of her sheets, and a quiet frustration swelled in her chest.
She could still hear the way he had spoken about it. Offhanded, but with that damnable ease he always carried, as if nothing ever truly shook him. And yet, there had been something else buried underneath, something just beneath the surface.
Aeliana bit the inside of her cheek.
Was that 'promise' for her?
Why did it matter?
Why did it matter?
She inhaled sharply, exhaling just as fast, trying to force the thought out of her head. But it was impossible. Lucavion had already carved his place into her thoughts—too reckless, too persistent, too damn himself—and now he had the nerve to toss a mystery into her lap without even explaining it.
Did he think she wouldn't care?
Did he expect her to simply let it go?
A bitter scoff left her lips.
'Infuriating bastard.'
And yet, the irritation remained, festering, an itch she couldn't scratch.
What did he think of her? This girl? This other daughter?
Why had he never mentioned her before?
And why—why did the very thought of her bother Aeliana so damn much?
Chapter 510: Mana
Aeliana exhaled sharply and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. Sitting here—brooding—would accomplish nothing. It reminded her too much of those long days spent trapped in this very room, too weak to even stand, too fragile to even consider stepping beyond the suffocating walls of her chamber.
But she wasn't sick anymore.
She had her strength back. Her body was no longer a prison.
And she would enjoy that.
Her clothes were already appropriate for the occasion—after all, she had just returned from speaking with her father. No need to change. No need to delay. She rose from the bed, smoothing out the slight wrinkles in her gown before striding toward the door.
The hallway beyond was quiet, save for the soft rustling of fabric and the faint sound of a brush sweeping across polished marble. A maid knelt near the far end, diligently cleaning the floors. She hadn't seemed to notice Aeliana at first, too focused on her work, but the moment Aeliana stepped into the corridor, the girl's movements stilled.
A brief moment passed before the maid quickly righted herself, standing and smoothing out the folds of her uniform before offering a polite bow.
"My lady." Her voice was soft but careful, carrying the respectful hesitation of someone wary of overstepping. "Did you need something?"
Aeliana glanced at her briefly, then shook her head. "Nothing," she said simply. "I'm just going for a walk."
The maid hesitated. Just slightly. But Aeliana caught it.
Even now, they were still treating her as if she were fragile. As if she were moments away from collapsing again, despite the fact that she had recovered weeks ago. It was suffocating.
The girl's concern was evident, though she tried to mask it. "My lady," she started hesitantly, "are you sure? The Duke instructed us to—"
"There is no need for anything," Aeliana cut in, her tone firm but not unkind. "I am no longer sick, as you all know."
The maid still seemed uncertain, shifting slightly where she stood. "But—"
"I wish to be alone."
This time, her voice carried the weight of finality. A tone that left no room for argument.
The maid immediately lowered her head, murmuring a quiet, "Of course, my lady," before stepping aside, retreating back into her work.
Satisfied, Aeliana turned, striding away without another word.
She had spent far too long cooped up in that room. It was time to reclaim something of herself.
Aeliana walked at an unhurried pace, allowing the weight of the mansion to fall behind her with each step. The halls of the Thaddeus estate were vast, built with grandeur befitting one of the most powerful noble houses in the empire. The polished marble floors, the towering glass windows that stretched toward the high ceilings, the intricately woven tapestries that lined the corridors—all of it was meant to impress, to display strength, to remind those who walked these halls of the authority the Duke wielded.
But for Aeliana, these walls had often felt more like a cage than a home.
She continued down the long corridors, passing through the west wing until she reached a set of ornate double doors leading to the estate's backyard. The moment she pushed them open, a soft breeze greeted her, carrying the crisp scent of grass and the lingering fragrance of flowers still in bloom.
The backyard was vast, sprawling across the land with carefully maintained gardens, stone pathways that curved around elegant fountains, and a wide-open field beyond where the estate's training grounds lay in the distance. Even now, she could hear the distant clash of swords and the rhythmic shouts of soldiers training.
But it wasn't the training grounds that held her attention.
Her gaze swept over the gardens, and memories stirred.
Her mother had loved being outside.
The thought settled in her chest with a strange kind of weight.
Even now, she could recall it vividly—the way her mother would insist on taking morning walks, no matter the season, how she would always find an excuse to move, to do something. She had never been the kind of woman to sit idle within the walls of the estate, content with the comforts of nobility. No, she had been alive in a way that so many others were not.
Aeliana could still picture it. The way her mother would smile, eyes alight with something untamed as she would drag Aeliana by the hand, leading her through these very gardens, weaving between the flowers and trees with effortless ease.
"You spend too much time inside, little sparrow."
She could still hear her voice, clear as if it had been spoken just yesterday.
"Come now, let's see if you can keep up."
Her mother had always been physically active, always moving, always pushing. She had been a force of nature, someone who could never be contained.
Aeliana's fingers curled slightly at her sides.
Her mother would have hated seeing her confined to that bed for so long. She would have hated the way Aeliana had spent months trapped inside, withering away beneath heavy blankets and medicinal scents.
Aeliana inhaled deeply, tilting her head back to take in the open sky above.
She wasn't sick anymore.
She wouldn't let herself be confined again.
Without another thought, she stepped further into the garden, her feet following the familiar paths her mother had once walked.
Her footsteps were soft against the stone pathway as she wandered deeper into the gardens, letting the familiar scenery wash over her.
The colors of the flowers had not changed—vivid reds, deep blues, soft whites, all arranged with a careful precision that reflected the meticulous nature of the estate's upkeep. And tending to them, as always, was the gardener.
He was an older man, his back slightly bent with age, but his hands remained steady as they moved with practiced care, trimming the edges of the flowerbeds. Aeliana paused for a moment, watching in silence.
It had been a long time since she had last walked through here like this. But as she stood there, it was as if she could see the shadows of her past, flickering between the hedges and the trees—glimpses of herself as a child, laughter ringing through the air as she darted through the gardens, her mother's voice calling after her, warning her not to trample the flowerbeds.
'Heh…'
A quiet, breathless sound left her lips, almost a scoff, almost a sigh.
She wasn't that girl anymore.
She had grown. She had refined herself into a proper lady, one who no longer held any use for such strength. She had left that part of herself behind, tucked away like a childhood memory that no longer fit into the life she now led.
With that thought, she turned her head away and continued walking.
The gardens gave way to the wider estate grounds, and soon, she found herself near the knights' headquarters.
The sounds of training reached her ears before she even saw them—sharp commands, the clash of steel, the unmistakable hum of mana thrumming through the air.
Aeliana's amber eyes flickered toward the source.
A group of knights were training in the courtyard. These weren't just any knights—there were many stationed across the vast territories of the Duchy, but these men were different. These were the elite, the ones who served directly under her father's command. The Thaddeus Duchy's personal knights.
Today, it seemed, was mana training.
Their blades gleamed under the sunlight, their movements precise, each swing of their swords enhanced with a steady flow of mana. Aeliana could feel it, even from a distance—the way the air vibrated with energy, the way their mana pulsed through their strikes with trained control.
She lingered for a moment, watching.
'What is this…'
Feeling a small itch on her body….
Chapter 511: Mana (2)
Aeliana's breath hitched.
A strange sensation prickled along her skin—subtle at first, like the ghost of a touch, but then it deepened, sinking beneath the surface.
An itch.
Not the kind that could be ignored. This was something else, something buried within her core, a pulse, a shift, a pull.
Her brows furrowed as she pressed a hand against her chest, fingers curling slightly against the fabric of her gown. It was faint but unmistakable.
Mana.
Her mana.
Her heart pounded as realization struck.
It had been nearly a decade since she had last felt this. Since the first time she had awakened, still just a child, still brimming with the potential of something new and unknown. But back then, she had only barely begun training, still learning the foundation of control, still trying to grasp the shape of the power within her.
Then came the illness.
Her body had failed her. Had swallowed her strength whole, leaving her nothing but weakness and exhaustion. The mana that had once stirred within her had faded into silence, lost, unreachable.
Until now.
What is this…?
Aeliana's fingers twitched as the sensation grew, the itch turning into something deeper, hotter, like a storm pressing against the inside of her ribs, begging to be released.
And then—
A flicker of light.
It came from her hands.
Her breath caught as she stared, her amber eyes widening. A faint, shimmering glow danced along her fingertips, like embers catching in the air.
For the first time in years, her mana was responding.
The realization sent a sharp jolt of both excitement and fear through her. This wasn't supposed to be possible. She had accepted it—had lived with it. The girl who once dreamed of wielding mana had been forced to become something else entirely.
So why now?
Why was it surging?
The moment stretched, barely more than a handful of seconds, but it was enough for others to notice.
A shift in the air. A ripple of energy, unfamiliar yet unmistakable.
The knights turned.
Their training halted in an instant, their focus snapping toward her with sharp, trained instincts.
And then—
"My lady! Careful!"
A powerful voice rang out, cutting through the courtyard like a blade.
Aeliana barely had time to react before she heard the thunderous steps closing in.
Captain Edran Vaughn.
The leader of the Expedition.
The very man who had once been charged with her safety—until he failed.
She knew why he was here. Why her father had placed him in charge of training rather than letting him take the missions he once led. It was a punishment, though an unfair one. Edran had never been responsible for what happened to her. It had been Madeleina who had ensured her downfall, who had driven her to ruin.
But the Duke needed someone to bear the weight of it. And so, Edran had been sent back, stationed here, watching over the knights rather than standing on the frontlines where he belonged.
Now, he was charging toward her.
"My lady—step back!" His voice was sharp, commanding.
She saw it the moment his instincts took over—mana surging around him as he prepared to stabilize whatever anomaly was happening.
And in that instant—
Something snapped.
The moment his mana flared, her body reacted violently.
Aeliana barely had time to gasp before the pressure inside her burst outward.
A storm of energy surged from within her, raw and unchecked, colliding with Edran's presence like a clash of opposing forces. The air around her cracked with power, shimmering with an unstable brilliance.
Aeliana's breath came in short, uneven bursts. But—strangely—she felt no pain.
No harm.
Only the lingering hum of power in the air, the faint crackle of mana still dissipating around her.
Cautiously, she opened her eyes.
And there—
A thin veil of energy surrounded her, shimmering like a translucent shield.
Not her mana.
Someone else's.
Her gaze flickered downward, taking in the faint glow that pulsed along the air around her—a color familiar, controlled, steady.
The same color as Edran's mana.
Aeliana's head snapped up.
Edran stood before her, his stance firm, his hand still raised, fingers curled slightly as if guiding the very energy that encased her. His dark brows were furrowed in concentration, his breath heavier than before—but his expression was composed.
He had protected her.
He had reacted instantly, shielding her before the mana surge could spiral into something worse.
Aeliana swallowed, trying to steady herself. "What… what just happened?"
Edran exhaled, lowering his hand as the protective barrier around her dissolved into nothingness. He studied her carefully before speaking, his voice measured yet firm.
"You experienced a mana backlash," he explained. "Your core reacted to an external mana source—mine and the knights'—and because you've never properly controlled your own energy, it surged out of you without restraint."
Aeliana's fingers twitched at her sides.
A mana backlash.
It was a known phenomenon, but it typically only happened to those who advanced too quickly, to those whose mana exceeded their control.
She had never advanced.
She had never even used mana since her childhood.
So why now?
"Then… why did it happen?" she asked, her voice quieter, but there was an edge to it—an uncertainty she wasn't used to feeling.
Edran's sharp blue eyes locked onto hers. There was a flicker of hesitation there, as if even he wasn't entirely certain of the answer. But when he finally spoke, his words carried the weight of someone who had seen enough to recognize something unnatural.
"I am not entirely certain," he admitted, his voice measured, "but it appears that your body has been accumulating mana for years—without any proper outlet for it." He exhaled, studying her carefully. "Since you never trained it, never circulated it properly, it remained dormant. And now, it's reacting on its own."
Aeliana's fingers curled slightly against the fabric of her gown.
Accumulated mana.
Dormant, waiting, and now suddenly surging because she had never learned how to control it properly.
Her father had once told her that her mana had faded entirely. That it had vanished after her illness, leaving her without the ability to wield it. But if what Edran was saying was true… then that had never been the case.
It had always been there.
Sleeping.
Waiting.
Edran straightened, crossing his arms over his chest. "I should report this to the Duke."
Aeliana's head snapped up. "No."
Edran's brows furrowed slightly at her immediate response.
"That isn't necessary," she continued, voice firm. "This was just… an accident."
Edran's expression darkened slightly. "My lady, this isn't something that should be ignored. If your mana is reacting like this, it's only a matter of time before it happens again. The Duke should be informed."
Aeliana's lips pressed into a thin line.
Her father would take this as another excuse to control her. Another reason to watch her even more closely. And she refused to give him that.
"I can handle it on my own," she said, her voice carrying an edge of defiance.
Edran held her gaze, searching her expression, before he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "This is for your safety, my lady. I understand that you may not want the Duke involved, but this isn't something you can simply ignore."
Aeliana remained silent.
Seeing her reluctance, Edran shifted his approach. "This kind of phenomenon can happen naturally," he stated, "and the solution is something you wouldn't hate."
Aeliana narrowed her eyes. "Which is?"
"You just need to train mana accumulation," he explained. "Nothing complex. Just simple exercises to circulate your energy so that it doesn't build up uncontrollably. If you do that, this shouldn't happen again."
Aeliana exhaled slowly, absorbing his words.
He made it sound simple. Manageable.
And yet, something inside her resisted.
She had abandoned that path a long time ago.
Seeing her hesitance, Edran added, "For the time being, you should also be careful about where you are. Stay away from places where Awakened individuals are actively using mana."
Aeliana frowned.
So, in other words, she had to be cautious around half the people in this damn mansion.
Edran didn't give her a chance to argue. With a curt nod, he stepped back. "That is all for now. Take care, my lady."
And just like that, he turned and strode away, leaving Aeliana standing there, her thoughts tangled.
The quiet hum of the courtyard settled once more. The knights, though discreet, had clearly taken notice of the event, but none dared to approach her.
Aeliana inhaled sharply and turned on her heel.
Her feet carried her forward, her mind too tangled to focus on where she was going.
She walked past the gardens, past the towering pillars of the estate, past the familiar corridors that had once enclosed her.
And then—
She found herself standing before the entrance of the mansion, and there she saw someone she didn't expect
Chapter 512: You are taking me with you
Aeliana stopped in her tracks.
There, seated casually on one of the luxurious couches in the entrance hall, was Lucavion.
The sight of him alone was enough to stir irritation within her, but it wasn't just him that caught her attention.
It was the small creature perched on his shoulder.
A cat.
A sleek, white-furred feline with sharp, intelligent eyes, its tail flicking idly as it balanced effortlessly beside him.
'That cat…'
Her gaze lingered. She hadn't seen it in the duchy before.
But she had seen it with him.
Back on the expedition's ship.
Right…
She had completely forgotten about it until now.
Her eyes narrowed slightly as she observed him further. He was no longer wearing the formal attire he had been forced into during his time in the mansion. Instead, he had returned to his usual clothes—the kind he seemed far more comfortable in. Dark, durable fabrics fitted for travel, for movement. An adventurer's attire. His estoc hung at his waist once more, the weapon swaying slightly as he leaned back against the couch with effortless ease.
'Is he going out?'
Aeliana's curiosity sparked before she could stop it.
He had mentioned he would be leaving soon, but this soon?
Now?
Had he been planning to just slip away without a word?
For some reason, the thought bothered her.
Aeliana straightened, schooling her expression as she took another step forward, her voice cutting through the quiet of the entrance hall.
Aeliana didn't speak immediately.
Instead, she allowed her presence to settle first. A deliberate step forward, the faint sound of her heels tapping against the marble floors. A measured glance, taking in every detail before offering acknowledgment.
Lucavion noticed her, of course.
He always did.
His gaze flickered toward her without urgency, his expression unreadable save for the faintest hint of amusement lurking beneath his usual confidence. He didn't move—didn't straighten or adjust his posture—but there was something in the way he regarded her that made it clear he had been aware of her the moment she stepped into the hall.
The cat on his shoulder twitched an ear, its sharp eyes flicking toward her as well before returning to its lazy, regal posture.
Aeliana took another step closer before finally speaking, her tone light, but intentional.
"Lucavion," she greeted smoothly, her expression composed. "I didn't expect to see you here."
A statement, not a question.
She had no intention of asking outright what he was doing—not yet. If there was one thing she knew about Lucavion, it was that he was prone to dodging direct inquiries with irritating ease.
Lucavion's lips curled into the ghost of a smirk. "And yet, here I am."
Aeliana arched a delicate brow, unfazed. "So it would seem."
A pause.
She tilted her head slightly, her gaze flicking toward his attire before meeting his eyes again.
"You look… ready," she remarked, the words casual, almost idle. "Quite the departure from the formal wear."
Lucavion exhaled in amusement, adjusting his sleeve with an air of practiced ease. "It was something the maids forced on me," he said, tilting his head slightly. "I couldn't just refuse a lady wishing to change my clothes, could I?"
Aeliana's expression immediately hardened, her amber eyes narrowing into a glare. "So you would let any woman touch you, then?"
Lucavion blinked once, then let out a soft chuckle, clearly entertained by her reaction. "You're making it sound like I was doing something inappropriate," he countered smoothly. "Surely, the maids of your mansion know their etiquette."
"They do," Aeliana shot back, her tone dry. "But I'm not sure you do."
Lucavion placed a hand over his chest, feigning an expression of wounded innocence. "Now that is unfair," he said. "You make me sound like some scoundrel who lays hands on every woman without consent."
Aeliana's glare sharpened. "I wonder why."
He grinned, entirely unrepentant.
"What?" he asked lightly. "I did get permission from you."
Her expression darkened. "You lied to me and drugged me."
Lucavion paused, his smirk faltering for the briefest of moments. Then, with an overly deliberate cough, he glanced away.
"...Ahem. I did not lie."
Lucavion's lips parted slightly, as if he intended to say something in his defense, but no words came.
Aeliana's smirk widened.
"So you accept that you drugged me?"
Lucavion remained silent.
For once, he had no immediate retort.
She took a step closer, her amusement barely concealed as she watched him, waiting. The slight narrowing of his eyes, the subtle shift of his posture—he hated conceding anything, even when caught red-handed.
Her smirk curled further. Good.
But she had no intention of letting him escape the conversation so easily.
"Now," she continued smoothly, folding her arms, "what exactly are you waiting for here?"
Lucavion's expression relaxed back into nonchalance, though his silence a moment earlier had not gone unnoticed. He leaned further into the couch, tilting his head slightly as he regarded her.
"Are you curious?" he asked, voice laced with knowing amusement.
Aeliana met his gaze without hesitation. "I am."
Lucavion hummed thoughtfully, drumming his fingers against the armrest. "Hmm… Why?"
Aeliana clicked her tongue, her patience thinning. "Bastard," she muttered. "After all those things, are you really asking why?"
She huffed, shifting her weight slightly as irritation flickered across her expression. "Wherever you go, trouble follows."
Lucavion's smirk deepened, but he made a show of tilting his head, as if considering her words.
"Hmmm…"
Aeliana's eye twitched.
Infuriating.
Aeliana's breath hitched.
Something was off.
It wasn't just Lucavion's usual infuriating nonchalance, nor was it the lazy amusement that he always carried in his voice.
It was the air itself.
Something was about to happen.
She could feel it—just as she had felt the mana surge earlier, just as she had felt the weight of uncertainty pressing down on her since stepping into the entrance hall.
Lucavion must have noticed the way her posture shifted, the way her eyes sharpened, because the teasing lilt in his voice faded.
And then—
His gaze locked onto hers, the smirk on his lips curving into something unreadable.
"Are you afraid that I'm going to leave completely?"
Aeliana flinched.
Her entire body tensed before she could stop herself, the reaction immediate, instinctual.
Her fingers curled slightly at her sides, her breath caught somewhere between denial and something far more dangerous.
Lucavion saw it. Of course he did.
His eyes gleamed with sharp amusement, but beneath it, something else lurked. Something heavier.
Aeliana willed herself to recover—to smooth out the flicker of emotion that had slipped through the cracks. But it was too late.
Lucavion had already seen too much.
She inhaled sharply, lifting her chin. "Don't flatter yourself."
Lucavion's smirk remained, but he tilted his head slightly, as if studying her. "Oh? So you wouldn't mind if I walked out those doors right now?"
Aeliana's jaw tightened.
He was baiting her. As always.
But this time—this time, it worked.
She did mind.
And that realization infuriated her.
"You…" She took a step forward, the space between them narrowing. "You have a habit of leaving chaos in your wake, Lucavion."
He smiled. "So I've been told."
Aeliana glared. "You think it's amusing?"
"Only a little."
Her eye twitched.
Lucavion leaned back slightly, tilting his head toward the entrance. "Then I suppose I should get going. You did say trouble follows wherever I go."
He moved to stand.
Aeliana's hand shot out before she could think.
Fingers curled tightly around his wrist.
Lucavion blinked.
Then, slowly, he glanced down at where her hand gripped his arm before his gaze flickered back up to meet hers.
"…Aeliana?"
Her grip tightened.
"You're not leaving without me."
Lucavion stared at her for a moment, something unreadable flashing behind his eyes.
Then, slowly—infuriatingly—his lips curled into a grin.
"…Ah," he murmured. "So you are afraid."
Aeliana's glare burned.
"Shut up," she snapped. "You're taking me with you."
Lucavion exhaled a soft chuckle, shaking his head. "Forcing yourself into my plans, are you?"
"Yes."
His amusement deepened. "My, my. How bold."
Aeliana's eyes darkened. "Do you want me to make it an order?"
Lucavion sighed dramatically, though the glint in his gaze told her he had no real objections. "Well," he said, "I suppose I can't refuse a lady when she asks so nicely."
Aeliana scoffed.
But her grip didn't loosen.
And Lucavion didn't pull away.
Chapter 513: Bloody annoying
Lucavion tilted his head, studying her with that insufferable mix of amusement and knowing. Then, in a voice laced with deliberate exasperation, he muttered, "Reckless."
Aeliana's brows furrowed. "What?"
He sighed, shaking his head as if she had just proven a point. "Just like a certain someone," he continued, his smirk deepening. "Always acting before listening to the full story."
Aeliana immediately knew who he was referring to.
Her father.
Right.
She could still recall the moment clear as day—the Duke's mana curled around Lucavion's face, his voice laced with anger, with warning
And now Lucavion had the audacity to compare her to him?
Aeliana's glare sharpened. "Oh, please," she shot back. "If I ever want to learn something from you, I have to jump through hoops and drag the truth out of you." Her voice dipped with irritation. "It's bloody annoying."
Lucavion exhaled a soft chuckle, completely unbothered by her frustration. "That sounds like a you problem, Aeliana."
She scoffed. "It's a you problem."
"Mm. Disagree."
Aeliana clenched her teeth, her grip still locked around his wrist.
Why—why was talking to him like trying to catch smoke with her bare hands?
She had half a mind to actually make this an order. But something in Lucavion's eyes told her he was enjoying this far too much, and she refused to let him have that satisfaction.
Instead, she inhaled sharply, tightening her hold.
"You're still taking me with you," she stated, unwavering.
Lucavion let out a quiet hum, tilting his head slightly. "Alright," he said, his tone carrying an easy acceptance. "But do you even know where I'm heading?"
Aeliana's glare remained fixed on him.
"What if I really am leaving?" he continued, watching her carefully. "Would you leave everything behind just like that?" He paused, letting the weight of his words settle between them before adding, "Wouldn't the Duke just kill us both?"
His smirk was still there, but his eyes gleamed with something sharper—assessing, testing.
But Aeliana wasn't so easily shaken.
She had spent enough time around Lucavion to know when he was toying with her. And this—this teasing, this mock concern—only proved that he wasn't truly leaving.
Not yet.
Because for all his unpredictability, for all his reckless charm and infuriating antics, there was one thing about Lucavion that remained consistent.
When it mattered, he was always serious.
Even if he hid it behind that damnable smirk.
Aeliana's amber eyes gleamed as realization settled in.
Her grip loosened just slightly.
And then—she smirked.
Lucavion's expression faltered, his eyes widening—just a fraction, just enough for her to see.
And that was all she needed.
"What, you bastard?" she taunted. "Did you think you were the only one who could talk as if you knew everything?" Her smirk curled further. "I already figured you out."
Lucavion cleared his throat, leaning back slightly. "Ahem… I was just surprised. Also, who said you figured me out?"
Aeliana's eyes sparkled with amusement.
"Your eyes did."
For just a split second—so brief that most wouldn't have caught it—Lucavion tensed.
It was there in the slight shift of his shoulders, in the way his smirk faltered before quickly recovering.
And Aeliana saw it.
Oh, she thought, he's flustered.
She was right.
Lucavion exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck before letting out a small, resigned sigh. "You win this time…" He met her gaze, a flicker of something unreadable in his expression before he added, "Little Ember."
Aeliana's smirk widened.
"Heh."
The satisfaction was instant.
But Lucavion wasn't done.
His smirk returned, slower this time, almost contemplative. "Still," he mused, "it's quite reckless, isn't it?"
Aeliana arched a brow.
Lucavion tilted his head slightly, watching her with that knowing gaze. "Even if I'm not leaving completely, what if I were going somewhere dangerous?" He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice just enough to make the words feel heavier. "Would you follow any man like this?"
Aeliana scoffed, rolling her eyes. "I am not you."
Lucavion chuckled. "Mmm, fair."
But Aeliana wasn't done. She crossed her arms, her expression turning smug. "And listen to you talk—acting like you couldn't refuse when a woman offered to dress you."
Lucavion hummed, pretending to think for a moment before he gave her a lazy grin. "Ah, but that would mean you see me as someone special."
Aeliana didn't even hesitate.
She nodded.
Lucavion blinked.
Aeliana smirked. "Of course you are."
Lucavion recovered quickly, his grin deepening. "Oh? Finally admitting it, are we?"
"Yes," she said smoothly.
He raised a brow, clearly waiting for her to continue.
And she did.
"You are the biggest troublemaker I have ever seen," she said, exasperation laced into every syllable. "And someone needs to oversee you, or else who knows what would happen under my duchy's rule."
Lucavion let out a low chuckle, shaking his head. "Ah… so I require supervision?"
"Yes," Aeliana deadpanned.
Lucavion sighed dramatically, pressing a hand to his chest. "How tragic. And here I thought it was because you couldn't get enough of my handsome face."
Aeliana's glare sharpened, but for the briefest moment, her thoughts betrayed her.
When she had first met him, she had thought Lucavion's face was… average.
Not unpleasant, but certainly not remarkable. She had attended countless banquets in her youth, surrounded by nobles whose beauty was polished to perfection. Lucavion hadn't come close to them.
At least—
That's what she remembered thinking.
But now…
Now, she found herself lingering on the way his dark eyes caught the light, how they seemed almost impossibly deep—like the kind of abyss that could pull her in if she wasn't careful.
No way.
She refused to let that thought take root.
Instead, she scoffed, tilting her head with practiced disdain.
"Narcissistic bastard," she muttered. "Who said you were handsome?"
Lucavion tsked, shaking his head. "Stingy."
But he didn't press the matter further.
Instead, he sighed and settled back onto the couch once more, stretching slightly before casting her a sidelong glance. "If you're so determined to supervise me, why not send someone stronger?" He gestured vaguely toward her with a lazy wave of his hand. "Do you really think you could stop me if anything happened?"
Aeliana didn't hesitate.
She smirked.
Then, without warning, she took a deliberate step forward, closing the distance between them.
Lucavion's brow arched slightly in intrigue, but he didn't move. Not when she stopped just before him. Not when she leaned in, close enough for him to see the fire in her amber eyes.
And then—
She raised her right hand, extending her index finger until it pressed lightly against his nose.
"You better try me," she murmured.
The challenge was clear.
Her eyes glinted, daring him.
Because truthfully?
She wanted him to make a move.
Because then she would have a reason to lock him down here.
To keep him from slipping away again.
Lucavion stiffened for a split second. Not from fear—but from the sheer, sudden realization that this woman was dangerously unpredictable in a way he hadn't quite accounted for.
A shiver ran down his spine before he could stop it.
He exhaled slowly, eyes flickering over her expression before settling back onto her gaze.
"…I better not," he muttered.
Smart choice.