Chapter 551: Father-in-law
The first rays of dawn stretched across the sky, painting the fields of the Thaddeus Dukedom in muted gold and soft lavender. The world was still waking, the estate quiet save for the rustling of leaves and the distant call of birds. But amidst that silence, there was a steady rhythm—
Shhhk.
Shhhk.
The sound of steel slicing through the crisp morning air.
Lucavion stood in the open fields, his coat discarded, his shirt damp with sweat, his breathing slow yet deliberate. His hands, steady and sure, guided the blade through each arc, each movement precise. He didn't count how many swings he had done. He had lost track long ago.
Because he had been here for hours already.
Because he hadn't slept.
Because every single time he closed his eyes, he heard it.
I love you.
His grip on the hilt tightened.
I love you.
His blade cut through the air, sharper, faster.
I love you.
Lucavion exhaled sharply, his breath misting in the cool morning air.
His body ached, his muscles burned, but none of it was enough to silence the pounding in his chest. None of it was enough to clear his mind, to bring him the clarity he usually found in training.
Because this—this—was something he didn't know how to deal with.
He knew how to fight. How to adapt. How to outthink, outmaneuver, how to slip through cracks and play every angle until he got what he wanted.
But this?
This was different.
Emotions weren't like battles. There was no opponent to read, no strategy to dismantle. It was just there, raw and unrelenting, pressing into him no matter how much he tried to ignore it.
Lucavion clicked his tongue, setting his stance again.
Fine.
If he couldn't silence it, if he couldn't control it—then he would do the only thing he knew.
He would move.
His sword cut through the air again, relentless, his breath steadying only through sheer force of will.
Because if he stopped—if he let himself think—
Then he would have to accept it.
The fact that no matter how hard he tried to push it down, no matter how much he told himself that he wasn't meant for things like this—
His heart had already betrayed him.
A slow, lazy yawn cut through the crisp morning air.
Lucavion didn't pause, didn't turn—but he felt her presence settle beside him, as familiar as his own shadow.
Vitaliara curled up on the grass, her tail flicking idly, golden eyes half-lidded with the remnants of sleep. She stretched once before resting her chin on her paws, watching him with quiet amusement.
[You're training now?] she murmured, voice thick with drowsiness. [Shouldn't you be, oh, I don't know… sleeping?]
Lucavion swung his sword again, the blade whistling through the air before coming to a sharp halt. He inhaled, controlled, even. "Wanted to train," he said simply, rolling his shoulders before adjusting his grip.
Vitaliara blinked at him, unimpressed.
[Hah.]
She didn't need to say anything else.
Lucavion clicked his tongue, already knowing what was coming next.
[You couldn't sleep, could you?]
His fingers tightened slightly on the hilt of his sword. He exhaled slowly.
"...Yeah."
[Figured.]
She didn't sound smug. Didn't sound surprised. Just… resigned.
Lucavion let his arms drop for a moment, his free hand brushing against his damp forehead. His body was exhausted, but his mind refused to stop.
Vitaliara watched him in silence, her ears twitching as she considered him. He could tell she was still bitter. That much hadn't changed. But there was something else now, something lighter, like the edge of her resentment had dulled just a fraction.
[That girl cares quite a bit about you, you know.]
Lucavion's grip on his sword twitched.
He didn't respond.
Didn't need to.
Vitaliara huffed softly, shaking her head. [When she confessed to you, I thought she'd try to keep you here. Tie you down. Chain you to this place.]
She shifted slightly, curling her tail around herself.
[But she didn't.]
Lucavion inhaled sharply, his body stilling for a fraction of a second.
Vitaliara exhaled, stretching her paws out in front of her before lazily curling them back in. Her golden eyes, still half-lidded, flicked toward Lucavion as he resumed his swings.
[Let's get one thing straight,] she murmured, voice low, deliberate. [I still don't like her.]
Lucavion didn't react. Didn't stop. Just kept moving, his blade cutting through the cool morning air in smooth, precise arcs.
[She acts too arrogant,] Vitaliara continued, tail flicking in irritation. [Carries herself like she owns the place, like she's already at the center of everything.]
She narrowed her eyes slightly, ears twitching. [And the way she glares at me… tch. As if I'm some pest intruding on her territory.]
Lucavion exhaled through his nose, adjusting his grip.
[But,] Vitaliara added, her voice quieter now, almost begrudging, [I'll give her this—she has class.]
Lucavion finally paused, if only for a fraction of a second.
Vitaliara huffed, shifting her weight lazily. [She didn't beg, didn't demand, didn't try to clip your wings. I thought she would—I was sure she would. But instead, she just… let it be.]
She stretched her back, her golden gaze sharp yet contemplative. [Still don't like her. But I can admit that much.]
Lucavion remained silent.
Not because he had nothing to say, but because he didn't need to say anything.
Vitaliara knew him too well. Knew that if she pushed, he'd sidestep the conversation entirely. So she didn't push.
She just observed.
And so did Lucavion.
Not her, but something else.
A presence.
One that had been approaching for a while now.
Vitaliara's ears twitched first, but she didn't move. Didn't need to. Because she already knew—Lucavion had sensed it long before she had.
And sure enough—
"Good morning."
A voice. Calm. Controlled.
Lucavion lowered his blade slightly, turning just enough to meet the golden-eyed gaze of the man standing a few paces away.
Duke Anthony Thaddeus.
Lucavion smirked, tilting his head slightly. "Good morning, Mister Duke."
The Duke's expression remained unreadable, his gaze sweeping over him once, taking in the sweat-soaked shirt, the calloused grip on the sword, the slight tension still coiled in his frame.
Then—
"Couldn't sleep?"
Lucavion chuckled, shaking his head. "Something like that."
The Duke didn't look surprised.
Lucavion blinked.
Then, he grinned.
"Well now," he drawled, twirling his sword idly between his fingers, "if I didn't know any better, I'd say you're upset with me, Mister Duke."
The Duke's golden eyes remained steady. Unwavering. Unamused.
Lucavion expected the usual stern retort, maybe a warning or some carefully measured words about responsibility.
But instead—
The Duke pointed.
Not at him.
At his sword.
"Let's have a conversation."
Lucavion arched a brow, his smirk never faltering. "A conversation?"
"Yes," the Duke said simply. "Like a man."
Before Lucavion could respond, before he could even toss out some remark about how violent the Thaddeus family's methods of communication were—
Shhhk.
The unmistakable sound of steel being drawn.
Lucavion's smirk faltered just slightly as Anthony Thaddeus unsheathed his blade, the polished steel catching the early morning light.
A noble's sword. Ornate, yet built for efficiency.
Lucavion's grip on his own hilt tightened just slightly.
Then—
A quiet chuckle slipped past his lips.
"Ah," he murmured, tilting his head. "So that's how it is."
The Duke adjusted his stance, his expression still unreadable.
"I will limit my strength," he said evenly. "Don't worry."
Lucavion let out an amused breath, rolling his shoulders. "Now that is a sentence that does not inspire confidence."
The Duke said nothing.
Lucavion glanced at Vitaliara, who had stopped stretching and was now watching the exchange with mild interest.
[Hah.] Her tail flicked lazily. [Well, this is about to get interesting.]
Lucavion huffed out another laugh before lifting his sword, giving it a casual spin in his grip.
"Alright then," he mused, lowering himself into a stance, his dark eyes gleaming. "Let's talk."
Chapter 552: Father-in-law (2)
Lucavion's smirk widened, his fingers adjusting around the hilt of his black estoc. The blade, sleek and deadly, glinted under the soft light of the rising sun, its dark surface drinking in the dawn's glow like ink against gold.
"Well, now," he mused, tilting his head, his voice smooth, laced with easy amusement. "There's nothing I like better than talking with my sword."
The Duke exhaled through his nose, a subtle acknowledgment. Then—
"Good," he said simply. "Neither do I."
Lucavion's smirk curled further, but his eyes sharpened slightly.
The Duke's weapon was different from his own—where Lucavion wielded the slender precision of his estoc, the Duke held a standard longsword, well-forged and balanced. Practical. Efficient. But the true weapon was the one on his hip.
Lucavion's gaze flicked to it briefly.
A sword of status. The hilt, adorned with intricate engravings, was undoubtedly the work of a master craftsman. A weapon that was not just meant for battle, but for presence—for dominance.
But the Duke had chosen this blade instead.
Lucavion huffed out a soft laugh. "Hah. That fancy thing at your hip—is that just for show, Mister Duke?"
Anthony Thaddeus said nothing at first. Then, almost casually, he lifted his longsword, the edge gleaming under the morning light.
"For now," he replied.
Lucavion's fingers twitched slightly around his grip.
Interesting.
The air between them stilled, stretching thin, quiet.
Then—
Lucavion moved.
The moment stretched, a fragile thread of tension between them—then it snapped.
SWOOSH!
Lucavion blurred forward, his body vanishing from its spot as if the wind had simply carried him. A heartbeat later, he was right before the Duke, his black estoc already thrusting forward, a needle of death seeking an opening.
CLANK!
The Duke's longsword snapped into place with inhuman reflexes, parrying the estoc just enough to deflect its lethal trajectory. But Lucavion did not stop. His movements, a dance of calculated fluidity, shifted seamlessly as he twisted his wrist, redirecting the estoc into another stab.
SWISH!
The blade whistled through the air, aimed directly at the Duke's ribs.
THUNK!
The Duke pivoted, his coat fluttering as he shifted his weight just enough to avoid the thrust, his longsword already descending in a counter.
Lucavion's eyes gleamed. Ah, quick.
Instead of retreating, he stepped in, collapsing the space between them in a heartbeat. His estoc snapped upward, forcing the Duke to withdraw his strike lest he impale himself in the process.
Their weapons sang against each other, the ringing clashes echoing through the morning air.
CLANK! CLANK! CLANK!
Each blow was measured, precise—Lucavion, relentless in his offense, the estoc darting like a viper, exploiting every opening in the Duke's guard. But the Duke was no ordinary opponent. Even as Lucavion's reach and speed kept him on the defensive, his blade never wavered, his footwork impeccable.
Then—
CLINK!
A subtle flick of the Duke's wrist, and Lucavion's estoc was momentarily pushed off-course, his balance shifting ever so slightly. A normal swordsman wouldn't have noticed, but Lucavion felt it—his own momentum betrayed him for a fraction of a second.
Ah…
SWOOSH!
The Duke's longsword slashed down, capitalizing on that minuscule imbalance.
Lucavion's pupils constricted.
Instead of blocking—he leaned back.
The longsword missed by a hair's breadth, slicing only the air before his chin. But before the Duke could recover—
SWISH!
Lucavion's estoc lashed out from below, an upward stab aimed at the Duke's exposed underarm.
A clean hit—
Or it would have been.
THUD!
The Duke's free hand slammed against Lucavion's blade arm, shoving it just wide enough that the estoc barely grazed his coat. His strength—overwhelming.
Well, that's new.
Lucavion exhaled a quiet laugh even as he was forced back a step. He adjusted his grip, rolling his shoulder as the Duke lowered his longsword once more.
Their gazes met.
The Duke's golden eyes bore into Lucavion, sharp and unyielding.
"Your blade is faltering."
Lucavion raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
Thaddeus didn't blink. "I said, don't limit your strength. Come at me with everything you have." His voice dropped, cold and cutting. "Like in the battlefield."
Lucavion remained still.
The battlefield.
The place where he fought without hesitation, where survival demanded nothing less than absolute intent. The place where he had carved his name into the annals of war, not through nobility or status, but through raw, unrelenting skill.
And yet—
His fingers curled slightly around the hilt of his estoc.
Thaddeus exhaled through his nose, his next words striking with the weight of a hammer.
"Just because my daughter confessed to you, did you lose your roots as a swordsman?"
Lucavion twitched.
His grip on his estoc tightened, the muscles in his jaw clenching for the briefest of moments.
Thaddeus had noticed.
Of course he had.
The man before him was no fool. Aeliana's words, her presence—something had shifted in Lucavion tonight. Just enough for his blade to hesitate, just enough for the relentless instinct he prided himself on to waver.
He exhaled sharply through his nose, clicking his tongue. "Tch."
Thaddeus, unfazed, continued, his voice smooth but edged with quiet steel.
"I have been watching you train for a while already."
Lucavion remained silent, his smirk fading just slightly as he listened.
Thaddeus' fingers flexed over the hilt of his sword, his stance unwavering. "Your movements are precise, your strikes measured. You fight with skill, with refinement—but not with instinct."
Lucavion's gaze flickered.
"You are thinking too much. Holding back. Restricting yourself, whether you realize it or not." Thaddeus narrowed his eyes slightly. "The Lucavion I observed before never hesitated. His blade moved as if it had a will of its own, cutting down anything in its path. But now?"
A pause.
"You hesitate."
Lucavion let out a quiet chuckle, shaking his head slightly. "And what, exactly, do you think changed?"
Thaddeus studied him for a long moment. Then—
"Aeliana."
Lucavion went still.
Thaddeus tilted his head slightly, his expression unreadable. "And that is why I am testing you now."
Lucavion exhaled slowly, rolling his shoulders, letting the tension sink into his bones.
Thaddeus' voice cut through the air, steady and commanding.
"Remember your goals."
Lucavion's fingers flexed around the hilt of his estoc, but he said nothing.
"The Lucavion standing before me now is not the same man who appeared before me with confidence—requesting my guardianship as a noble," Thaddeus continued. His golden gaze burned with quiet authority. "Where is that certainty? That arrogance?"
Lucavion exhaled sharply through his nose, tilting his head. "Hah."
"You have been holding back," Thaddeus said, his stance unwavering. "But I know—" He lifted his sword slightly, pointing it toward him. "You want to release it."
Silence.
Then—
Something shifted.
Lucavion's posture remained loose, but the air around him grew heavier. The stillness, the restraint—the mask—began to crack.
And then—
He smiled.
Not his usual smirk.
Not the teasing, insufferable grin he wore in casual conversation.
This smile—
It was different.
It was sharp. Unhinged.
It was a smile that belonged to someone who had spent too much time dancing between life and death. A smile that spoke of chaos, of carnage.
A predator's smile.
For the first time, a flicker of something unfamiliar passed through Thaddeus' golden eyes.
Lucavion's voice came slow, smooth, but tinged with something wild beneath the surface.
"Sorry for the wait."
Chapter 553: Father-in-law (3)
"Sorry for the wait."
The air cracked with tension.
Then—
SWOOSH!
Lucavion vanished.
The space between them collapsed in an instant, his black estoc already driving forward—sharp, relentless, a needle of death aimed directly at Thaddeus' throat.
CLANG!
Thaddeus barely caught the thrust, his longsword angling just in time to divert the lethal strike. But Lucavion didn't stop. His wrist twisted, redirecting the estoc mid-motion—
SWISH!
A feint. A second thrust, sharper, aimed for the gap beneath Thaddeus' ribs.
THUNK!
Thaddeus dodged—just barely. But before he could step away—
Lucavion moved.
He twisted low, his foot sweeping out—
CRACK!
The Duke's knee buckled slightly, his balance thrown off for the first time.
Lucavion's smirk widened. That's more like it.
His estoc flashed upward, carving toward Thaddeus' exposed side—
CLANG!
Thaddeus intercepted at the last second, but his guard had slipped—his grip slightly off, his weight uneven.
Lucavion felt it. Exploited it.
SWOOSH!
He lunged, his blade slipping through the smallest opening—aiming straight for Thaddeus' heart.
CLANK!
A desperate parry. Sparks flared as the Duke barely redirected the estoc, but—
Lucavion was already moving again.
He pivoted, his body fluid, his estoc a flickering blur of silver and shadow. Thrust after thrust, each strike honed, merciless, targeting nothing but vital points.
Thaddeus grit his teeth.
Faster. He's faster than before.
SWISH! SWISH!
CLANK!
The Duke's sword trembled under the assault. For the first time, he was only defending.
Lucavion stepped in—
A thrust toward the Duke's wrist—
CLINK!
A twist—his estoc flicking toward his throat—
CLANG!
A feint—then the real attack—
SWOOSH!
Aimed for the soft spot beneath his jaw—
THUD!
Thaddeus wrenched himself back, the tip of Lucavion's estoc slicing past, grazing his collar.
Too close.
Lucavion grinned. "What's wrong, Mister Duke?"
He didn't wait for an answer.
Instead, he pressed forward, a relentless flurry of strikes, his estoc a storm of controlled destruction.
Thaddeus' sword arm burned under the force. His grip tightened.
Then—
A shift.
His golden eyes sharpened.
Enough.
His stance changed.
Lucavion's estoc shot forward—
THUD!
Thaddeus slammed his palm against the flat of the blade, disrupting its path, pushing Lucavion slightly off-balance—
SWOOSH!
He twisted, his longsword carving downward—
CLANG!
Lucavion barely caught the strike, steel shrieking against steel.
A second swing—faster—aimed at Lucavion's shoulder—
SWISH!
Lucavion ducked, the wind of the blade slicing just over his head.
Their footwork blurred across the clearing, neither giving an inch. The fight had shifted—
From a battle of skill—
To a battle of instinct.
Lucavion's estoc flicked toward Thaddeus' ribs.
CLANK!
Thaddeus countered, his blade sliding against Lucavion's with controlled force.
Lucavion smirked.
Then—
He let go of his weapon.
Thaddeus' golden eyes widened—
But in that instant—
Lucavion twisted his body, stepping inside Thaddeus' guard, his palm striking forward—
THUD!
A direct hit.
His fist slammed into the Duke's ribs, the impact forcing the older man back a step.
Lucavion caught his estoc mid-air, spinning it in his grip.
"Getting slow, Thaddeus?"
Thaddeus exhaled sharply.
He hadn't expected this.
Lucavion wasn't just fighting skillfully—
He was fighting to kill.
The younger swordsman tilted his head, his black eyes gleaming, his smirk widening ever so slightly.
"You wanted me to fight like I did on the battlefield, right?"
He lifted his estoc, the tip glinting under the morning sun.
"I hope you're not regretting it."
Thaddeus exhaled. Then—
For the first time—
He smiled.
The amusement was slight, just a flicker in his sharp, golden eyes.
"You're finally showing your fangs."
Lucavion's grin widened.
Thaddeus lifted his longsword once more, shifting into a new stance.
The morning air trembled.
Lucavion's smirk remained, but there was something sharper beneath it now—something untamed, eager.
Thaddeus exhaled, rolling his shoulders. Then, almost casually, he lifted his longsword, his golden eyes steady. "Enough of this."
Lucavion tilted his head, curious.
Thaddeus' voice carried something different now—not just challenge, but something deeper. A weight of the past.
"…At that time," the Duke murmured, "against Gerald—I never got to finish our fight properly."
Lucavion's smirk faltered for half a second.
Gerald.
His master.
The man who had shaped him, forged him, taught him how to wield a blade not just with skill—but with intent.
The thought settled, pressing against something deep inside him.
Then—he let out a quiet laugh, shaking his head.
"Mister Duke," Lucavion said, tilting his estoc forward. His voice was smooth, unwavering. "I am not Master."
Thaddeus chuckled under his breath, shaking his head slightly. "I know that."
His grip on his sword tightened. Mana rippled through the air around him, crackling with restrained force.
"But let this old man have his fill."
Lucavion exhaled, closing his eyes briefly—then they snapped open, pitch-black and gleaming.
"Any fight with a strong is welcomed."
Without hesitation, he pushed his sword forward.
The air around his blade rippled.
A cold, consuming darkness expanded from the estoc's tip—
Then—
Black starlight surged forward, streaking through the air like falling meteors.
「Void Starfall Blade: Starlight Needle」
A dozen spears of void energy launched from his blade, cutting through space itself, their edges glistening like fractured stars.
The ground beneath them cracked under the sheer force of it.
Thaddeus' golden eyes gleamed.
Mana howled around him—
Lightning surged.
⚡ [Storm Sovereign's Dominion: Thundering Aegis] ⚡
A barrier of storm and lightning erupted around the Duke, arcs of electricity intertwining, forming an unbreakable defense. The very air hummed with power, crackling with raw elemental force.
BOOOOM!
Lucavion's starlight needles crashed into the barrier, detonating on impact. Black and gold energy collided in a brilliant explosion, sending shockwaves through the clearing. The ground trembled, the sky above momentarily darkened by the sheer clash of power.
Dust and debris swirled.
Then—
A flash.
Lucavion moved.
Straight through the lingering explosion, his estoc already carving through the air—
And Thaddeus was waiting.
Their blades met.
The clash of steel and mana surged through the battlefield.
Lucavion's breath came steady, but his body knew the truth—his strength as a 5-star had yet to stabilize. Each exchange with Thaddeus forced him to adjust, to sharpen himself.
And the Duke?
He was relentless.
CLANG!
Lucavion barely dodged a sweeping arc of the longsword, his estoc flashing to parry. But the moment their weapons met, he felt it—
A pulse of mana, controlled, refined, bending the force of the clash in Thaddeus' favor.
Damn, he's folding the impact into his next strike…
Before Lucavion could react—
SWOOSH!
Lightning surged through the Duke's longsword, twisting through the air in spirals of crackling gold.
THWACK!
The flat of the blade struck Lucavion's side, sending him skidding back across the ground, his ribs flaring with sharp pain.
He clicked his tongue, rolling his shoulder as he forced himself upright.
That hurt.
But his eyes gleamed.
"…Not bad, Mister Duke," Lucavion muttered, rotating his wrist. His grip on his estoc adjusted, the blade humming with dark starlight.
Thaddeus exhaled, shifting his stance. "You're adjusting well."
Lucavion's smirk widened slightly. "Oh? A compliment?"
His mana surged.
The estoc glowed—darkness and starlight intertwining.
Then—
「Void Starfall Blade: Eclipse Star Trail」
A streak of void energy burst from Lucavion's blade, a cascading trail of blackened starlight searing through the air, splitting the battlefield in two. The very fabric of space bent, the attack curving unpredictably, seeking openings from all angles.
Thaddeus' eyes narrowed.
His blade shifted.
Golden lightning swirled.
Then—
⚡ 「Storm Sovereign's Dominion: Thunderous Horizon」 ⚡
A field of electric currents expanded around him, warping the flow of space itself.
Lucavion's Eclipse Star Trail bent mid-flight, its trajectory disrupted, forced away by the storm's dominion.
Lucavion's brows twitched. Tch… mana manipulation on that level?
But he was already moving.
His estoc flickered, starlight gathering at its edge—
「Void Starfall Blade: Starsurge」
A piercing thrust—this time, condensed. A single streak of absolute force, refined into one perfect strike.
Thaddeus exhaled.
「Storm Sovereign's Dominion: Arcwall Bastion」
⚡ BOOM! ⚡
A shimmering arc of storm energy manifested, intercepting Lucavion's Starsurge. The two forces met—
And for a moment, there was no sound.
Then—
CRACK!
The barrier fractured.
Lucavion grinned. Not perfect, huh?
Without hesitation, he pressed forward—
「Void Starfall Blade: Cosmic Steps」
His footwork blurred, warping the distance between them in an instant.
Thaddeus' golden eyes flickered.
Lucavion was already behind him.
The estoc struck forward.
For the first time—
The Duke turned his head slightly, eyes sharp.
And smiled.
⚡ 「Storm Sovereign's Dominion: Ruler's Gale」 ⚡
A burst of wind exploded from his body, knocking Lucavion off his feet.
THUD!
Lucavion's body twisted mid-air, but—
SHNK!
A sharp pain flared across his arm.
Blood dripped.
Lucavion landed, his breathing steady but his expression momentarily blank. He looked down. A cut—clean, precise. The Duke's blade had grazed him in that exchange.
"…Heh."
Lucavion exhaled, his lips curving upward.
This is good.
His body was adjusting, his control sharpening—
And Thaddeus?
He wasn't holding back.
Lucavion exhaled sharply, rolling his injured shoulder. Then, raising his estoc once more, his eyes gleamed with untamed excitement.
"This is getting fun."
Chapter 554: Father-in-law (4)
SWOOSH!
Lucavion shot forward again, his estoc a blur of blackened light.
CLANG!
The Duke met him, their blades shrieking against one another. Sparks danced between them—golden lightning against void-starred steel.
Lucavion's strikes came fast, unpredictable, a relentless storm of piercing thrusts and feints. His footwork was wild yet precise, his blade weaving an erratic yet lethal pattern.
It was chaos. But it was controlled chaos.
And Thaddeus—
He understood now.
The way Lucavion fought, the way his instincts drove him—it wasn't just technique.
It was survival.
This boy has danced with death too many times to count.
His golden eyes gleamed with quiet acknowledgment as he met the onslaught head-on.
CLANG! SWOOSH! THUNK!
Lucavion's estoc flicked toward his throat—
Thaddeus sidestepped, his longsword sweeping in response—
Lucavion dodged, twisting mid-motion, already adjusting—
And that was what made him terrifying.
Every exchange, every clash—Lucavion absorbed.
He was learning. Adapting.
Each time their blades met, the Duke could feel it—Lucavion was pulling something from him. Not just skill—knowledge.
He's using my own mana flow against me.
Thaddeus smiled.
This child is a swordsman.
Not just a warrior, not just an elite combatant—he was something else entirely.
A monster born for the blade.
But—
His mana control?
It wasn't there yet.
Lucavion had the foundation, but his energy was still raw. Too wild. Too unstable. There were a hundred minor adjustments, a thousand refinements he could make—
But Thaddeus said nothing.
Because he knew—
This boy would figure it out on his own.
Lucavion thrust forward again, his estoc a streak of darkened light.
「Void Starfall Blade: Crescent Divide」
A horizontal cut, space itself tearing in its wake.
Thaddeus moved.
⚡ 「Storm Sovereign's Dominion: Thunder Waltz」 ⚡
His body vanished in a burst of crackling speed—
And reappeared behind Lucavion.
SLASH!
Lucavion twisted—
But not fast enough.
A sharp line of red appeared across his back.
His coat, sliced open.
Blood trickled down his spine.
Yet—
Lucavion only grinned.
THWACK!
His boot lashed out, catching Thaddeus in the ribs, forcing the Duke to take a step back.
Lucavion spun his estoc in his grip, exhaling through his nose. "Heh… That was clean."
Thaddeus merely lifted his sword in response.
Lucavion moved again.
Swords spoke where words did not.
And right now—his sword was speaking volumes.
CLANG!
Another exchange.
CLANK!
A counter.
SHNK!
Another cut—this time across Lucavion's shoulder.
More blood.
But Lucavion didn't stop.
His black eyes burned.
This was a trial by fire.
His 5-star strength was raw, unpolished. He knew that.
But as the fight raged, as pain seared through his body, as the clash of blades carved deeper into his muscles—
He could feel it.
His instincts sharpening.
His body adjusting.
His control refining.
This fight…
It's tempering me.
THUNK!
Thaddeus' blade slashed forward—
Lucavion dodged—barely.
But—
SHNK!
A deeper wound this time. His side.
Blood splattered onto the ground.
His coat, stained. His breathing, heavier.
But his smirk?
It didn't fade.
Instead—
It widened.
"I can now try this to its full potential."
Lucavion inhaled slowly, lifting his estoc to the right. His fingers tightened around the hilt, the blackened blade humming with power.
Memories flickered—visions from when he first broke through.
A dance, unfinished.
A technique he had glimpsed but not yet understood.
Until now.
The Void Starfall Blade wasn't just about destruction. It wasn't just about power.
It was about flow.
He could feel it now—how the void element intertwined with his strikes, how it erased resistance, how each step in this dance was meant to lead into the next.
He exhaled.
And then—
His body moved.
「Void Starfall Blade: Dance of the Celestial」
The first movement—
Stellar Prelude.
His blade flickered, stepping into the first strike—smooth, fluid, a slash that erased the air in its wake.
SWOOSH!
Thaddeus' golden eyes flickered. He shifted, meeting the attack head-on.
⚡ CLANG! ⚡
A burst of electricity surged from his longsword, intercepting the void-forged strike. The force behind Lucavion's attack pushed him back slightly.
But he did not waver.
Instead, he smiled.
The second movement—
Nebula Spiral.
Lucavion's footwork twisted, his estoc carving through the air in an unpredictable arc. The void around his blade expanded, warping space itself, making the trajectory seem distorted.
Thaddeus narrowed his eyes.
He read the movement—
And countered.
⚡ 「Storm Sovereign's Dominion: Tempest Coil」 ⚡
Lightning crackled, spiraling around his longsword as he rotated his wrist, redirecting Lucavion's void-infused strike away from his body.
CLANK!
A perfect counter.
But Lucavion was already onto the third movement—
Falling Astral Spear.
His estoc shot forward, a single thrust imbued with all the momentum of the dance. The void compressed, refining itself into a pinpoint strike.
A fatal attack.
Thaddeus reacted instantly.
⚡ 「Storm Sovereign's Dominion: Thunderclad Parry」 ⚡
Instead of dodging—
He met the attack directly.
His longsword glowed white-hot with lightning, absorbing the force of Lucavion's strike before redirecting it sideways.
BOOM!
The ground split apart where the excess force was discharged.
Lucavion's brows twitched.
Even this was getting countered?
But he wasn't done.
The fourth movement—
Ecliptic Waltz.
A blur of motion.
Lucavion twisted mid-step, his estoc tracing an elegant circle of starlit void before crashing downward—
A cut that severed the very air between them.
⚡ CLASH! ⚡
This time, Thaddeus was forced to block.
The impact sent a shockwave through the battlefield, his boots grinding against the dirt as he held his ground.
Heh.
Lucavion could feel it.
Even the Duke had to defend now.
His smirk widened.
This was it—
The fifth and final movement.
Eventide Descent.
Lucavion exhaled, raising his estoc high—
Void starlight flooded around his blade, the energy coalescing into a shape far beyond a single strike.
For a moment, it was as if the night sky itself had descended into his hands.
Then—
He moved.
A downward slash, all the power of the Void Starfall Blade condensed into a single, unstoppable execution.
The air collapsed beneath the force—
Space twisted.
This was no mere attack.
This was a celestial phenomenon.
Thaddeus gritted his teeth.
He could not take this lightly.
⚡ 「Storm Sovereign's Dominion: Heavenly Surge」 ⚡
Golden lightning exploded from his body, his sword radiating divine power as he met Lucavion's descent.
The battlefield shook.
The two collided.
And then—
BOOOOOOM!
The clash of void and lightning sent a massive shockwave tearing through the battlefield. The earth shattered beneath them, energy distorting the very air as the final strikes met in a collision of raw, untamed power.
Lucavion's estoc descended like a falling star, its void energy consuming everything in its path.
Thaddeus' blade rose, golden lightning crackling as it split the heavens.
And then—
CLASH!
A burst of energy erupted outward, swallowing the clearing in a blinding explosion of black and gold.
Silence.
For a moment, nothing moved.
Then—
THUD.
Lucavion's knees hit the ground.
His breathing was heavy. His body burned. Blood dripped from the fresh wounds across his arms, his side, his legs. His coat was in tatters, soaked with crimson.
And yet—
He was smiling.
A quiet, breathless chuckle left his lips.
"I did land a hit."
The words were smooth, tinged with amusement. His fingers adjusted around his estoc, tilting the blade slightly—
A single drop of blood slid down the dark steel.
Not his.
Thaddeus' blood.
The Duke exhaled, rolling his shoulder, his gaze shifting to the thin but deep cut carved into his upper arm.
The fabric of his coat had been sliced cleanly, and beneath it—a wound that had not been there before.
Thaddeus let out a low chuckle, his golden eyes glinting with something between respect and amusement.
"Yeah…" He turned his arm slightly, inspecting the blood running down his skin.
"Not bad."
He exhaled, shaking his head slightly before returning his gaze to the young man before him.
Lucavion was still kneeling, catching his breath, his body exhausted but his smirk unfazed.
The fight was over.
Chapter 555: Father-in-law (5)
The dust settled. The echoes of their clash lingered in the air, a silent testament to the storm that had just passed.
Lucavion remained on his knees, his breathing heavy, but his smirk never fading. Blood stained the ground beneath him, his body marked with fresh wounds—yet, despite it all, his eyes burned with something fierce. Something unyielding.
Across from him, Thaddeus flexed his fingers slightly, rolling his shoulder as he examined the wound on his arm. A thin, clean cut—precise. Purposeful. Lethal, had it been just a fraction deeper.
He exhaled through his nose, golden eyes gleaming with something unreadable. He had suspected, of course. He had watched Lucavion fight before, had observed the way the young man carried himself, the way his blade never hesitated, the way he read his opponents with an instinct honed through something far beyond formal training.
But seeing it firsthand—feeling it—was different.
That black estoc of his was more than just a weapon. It was an extension of him, a mirror of his mind and soul. It did not simply strike—it spoke. Each movement, each shift, each calculated adjustment—it was the language of someone who had never been allowed to fight for anything less than survival.
A swordsman like Lucavion did not fight for sport. He did not fight for pride.
He fought to kill.
He fought to win.
And more than that—
He enjoyed it.
That final moment, when he had let himself go, when the restraint had shattered and something deeper had emerged—Thaddeus had seen it. That unhinged, terrifying smile. That spark of madness lurking beneath the refinement.
'This child was born for the blade.'
And, more importantly—
He had proved himself worthy of everything he had claimed.
Thaddeus inhaled deeply, then exhaled, letting the tension in his body ease. He flicked the excess blood from his blade with a swift motion before lowering it.
Then—
He spoke.
"You are befitting of all that you have requested."
Lucavion chuckled, tilting his head up to meet the Duke's gaze. "Oh? You doubted me?"
Thaddeus shook his head slightly, the ghost of a smirk tugging at his lips. "No word can speak clearer than the sound of a blade."
Lucavion let out a low, breathless laugh, amusement flickering in his dark eyes. "Now that—" He exhaled, adjusting his grip around his estoc as he finally pushed himself back onto his feet. "—is something I cannot agree with more."
Thaddeus watched as Lucavion straightened, rolling his shoulders despite the obvious ache in his body. He was bleeding. He was winded. He had been forced to his knees.
And yet—
He stood as if he had won.
Because in a way—he had.
A lesser man would have broken under such pressure. Would have faltered, lost control, succumbed to the overwhelming weight of battle.
But Lucavion?
He adapted.
Even mid-fight, he had learned. His movements had sharpened with every exchange, his footwork adjusting, his energy refining, his very presence shifting into something even deadlier than before.
'Give him a month, and he will have countered every technique I used against him today.'
The thought was almost amusing. Almost.
Because Thaddeus knew exactly what that meant.
Lucavion wasn't just talented.
He was dangerous.
Aeliana had chosen well.
Thaddeus exhaled again, rolling his wrist as he studied the young man before him. "You learn quickly."
Lucavion grinned, tilting his head. "Was that a compliment?"
Thaddeus scoffed. "Merely an observation."
Lucavion chuckled again, shaking his head slightly. "Well, I'll take it as one." He shifted his weight, his smirk turning just a touch more thoughtful. "You know, Mister Duke, for all your talk of 'testing' me, I think you enjoyed that fight just as much as I did."
Thaddeus did not deny it.
Because, if he was being honest—
He had.
It had been a long time since he had faced someone like this. Someone who did not simply fight, but understood the sword. Someone who could stand in the chaos of battle and thrive.
A rare breed of swordsman.
One that, perhaps, he had underestimated at first.
Thaddeus took a slow breath, the weight of his own words settling in his mind before he spoke them aloud. His golden eyes, sharp and unwavering, met Lucavion's dark gaze.
"You are befitting of all that you have requested," he repeated. Then, after a pause, his voice carried something heavier. "Including my daughter."
Lucavion's smirk faltered for just a second.
Thaddeus did not miss it.
"I tested you, Lucavion," the Duke continued, tone measured but firm. "Not just as a swordsman. Not just to see the extent of your skill." He tilted his head slightly. "I wanted to know if you could protect her."
Lucavion inhaled slowly, his fingers flexing around the hilt of his estoc. His expression remained unreadable, but Thaddeus could see the shift beneath his carefully crafted exterior.
"…And?" Lucavion finally asked, his voice smooth, but lacking its usual playful arrogance.
Thaddeus sheathed his sword, his golden eyes unwavering. "You have answered that question yourself."
Lucavion's smirk returned, slow and sharp. "Hah. You really do like making things dramatic, don't you, Mister Duke?"
Thaddeus exhaled through his nose, unimpressed. "And you deflect with humor when the subject gets too heavy."
Lucavion let out a low chuckle. "What can I say? It's a habit."
The Duke studied him for another long moment before shifting the conversation.
"Aeliana," he said.
Lucavion's posture straightened ever so slightly, his smirk dimming just a fraction. "What about her?"
Thaddeus clasped his hands behind his back, expression composed. "She is already gone."
Lucavion's gaze darkened. "Gone?"
"She has been sent to train," the Duke clarified. "It was always the plan. She needs to polish her control over her mana."
Lucavion remained silent for a moment, his fingers lightly drumming against his weapon's hilt. He wasn't surprised—he had expected something like this. But still…
"She didn't mention it," he said, his voice quieter than before.
Thaddeus arched a brow. "Would you have let her go so easily if she had?"
Lucavion clicked his tongue, looking off to the side. "…That's a cheap assumption."
Thaddeus didn't press the matter. Instead, he continued.
"You were the one who cured her." It wasn't a question. It was a fact.
Lucavion's jaw tightened slightly. Then, after a moment, he nodded. "I was."
"Then you must have sensed it."
Lucavion exhaled. "Yeah."
Aeliana's mana had not simply returned—it had been forced back, flooding into her system like a dam that had been held back for too long. It was wild. Untamed. More than what she should have been able to handle.
Something had concealed it for years. And now, with the seal broken…
Lucavion narrowed his eyes slightly.
"She's strong," he murmured. "But that mana isn't natural."
Thaddeus nodded, his expression unreadable. "That is why she must train. She needs to master it. Before it masters her."
Lucavion let out a slow breath, rolling his shoulders as he processed the information. Then, after a moment—
Lucavion exhaled, rolling his shoulders as if shaking off the weight of the conversation. Then, with his usual casual ease, he spoke.
"Well, if that's the case," he said, adjusting his grip on his estoc before slipping it back into its sheath, "then I suppose I no longer have any reason to stay here."
Thaddeus raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
Lucavion nodded, already turning slightly as if preparing to leave. "I was staying in your mansion to look after Aeliana a little. Now that she's gone, I have no reason to."
Thaddeus' mouth twitched.
Lucavion, oblivious at first, continued, stretching his arms as he spoke. "I mean, I did what I came here to do. Kept an eye on her, made sure she was alright—y'know, spent some time with her. Now that she's off training, there's not much else keeping me here—"
His own words finally caught up to him.
Wait.
Wait, wait, wait.
Thaddeus' expression remained unreadable, but there was something dangerously neutral about the way he was watching him now.
Lucavion's mind whirred.
Had he… just implied he had been staying in the Duke's estate just to woo his daughter?
His own mouth twitched.
"I—wait. No. That's not what I—" He cleared his throat, quickly backtracking. "I didn't have such intentions."
Thaddeus said nothing.
Lucavion pressed on. "Really. If anything, Aeliana was the one who pushed me down."
The Duke's golden eyes narrowed.
Lucavion froze.
Oh.
Oh no.
A slow, deliberate silence stretched between them.
Then, Thaddeus tilted his head slightly. "Are you saying my daughter is… an inappropriate lady?"
Lucavion opened his mouth—then shut it.
He opened it again.
Nothing.
Panic flickered in his mind for the first time in years.
His options:
Deny it, which might sound like he was insulting Aeliana.
Admit it, which might get him murdered by the Duke.
Run.
…No, running wasn't an option.
Lucavion exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair, trying to gather himself. Then, finally, he spoke.
"…I am saying that Aeliana is very assertive in what she wants."
Thaddeus merely stared at him.
Lucavion sighed. "I should just stop talking, shouldn't I?"
Thaddeus nodded. "Yes."
Lucavion pinched the bridge of his nose. "Right. Noted."
Chapter 556: Information
Three Days Later—Corvina's Office
Corvina exhaled as she set down another stack of reports, her fingers massaging her temples as the weight of exhaustion settled in.
She had been working non-stop on Lucavion's request, pulling favors, contacting informants, and digging through war records that weren't meant to be easily accessed.
The War of Valerius Plains had been monumental—a decisive turning point for the Arcanis Empire, not just in strategy but in its military evolution. It was the war that had introduced the newly renovated mage units, shifting battlefield tactics in ways the world had never seen before.
A war that should have had countless records of the Awakened warriors who participated.
And yet—
Lucavion's request had proven to be both easier and more complicated than she had anticipated.
At first, she had assumed it would take months to filter through the vast records of knights who had fought in the war.
But as she dug deeper, she realized something odd.
The number of Awakened individuals who had participated in the war was far lower than she expected.
At least… on paper.
Her fingers drummed against the desk as she stared at the open documents before her.
'Why?'
Why were the numbers so low?
Awakened individuals were the most valuable assets in any war. Their presence on a battlefield could shift tides in an instant, their abilities capable of taking on entire units.
And yet, the number of recorded Awakened fighters in the Valerius Plains War was minimal.
At first, she had assumed it was simply a matter of classification—that some fighters weren't officially listed as Awakened due to their lesser abilities.
But no.
Even in the final battle—the one Lucavion had specifically pointed her toward—there were almost no Awakened warriors recorded.
Only a handful.
And most of them were either high-ranking officers or mages assigned to Arcanis's experimental divisions.
Which meant one thing—
'Whoever Lucavion is looking for…'
She exhaled slowly, her fingers pressing against the parchment.
'…He wasn't just anyone.'
He was important.
And the fact that he disappeared right after the third year of the war—after appearing just once—made it even more suspicious.
Her gaze flickered to a separate report—one of the documents she had personally had to pull strings to obtain.
It listed the wind-based Awakened knights in the war.
And among them—
Only one fit the criteria Lucavion had given her.
Her fingers tightened slightly around the paper.
This was it.
She had found him.
Now the question was—
Did she really want to tell Lucavion what she had just discovered?
'This is important to him,' she thought, exhaling slowly. 'Which means it's dangerous.'
But danger didn't scare her.
It just made things more interesting.
Without wasting any more time, Corvina reached for the small, smooth [Emberwood Summoning Paper] beside her desk.
It was a common artifact, widely used thanks to the unique properties of Emberwood, a rare magical tree. When one side of the parchment was burned, its twin—no matter how far away—would ignite the same way, signaling the recipient.
A simple, reliable way to send an urgent summons.
She picked up a nearby candle, the flickering light casting a warm glow across her desk, and without hesitation, touched the flame to the edge of the paper.
The fire caught instantly, curling at the edges as the parchment blackened and disappeared in mere seconds.
Somewhere, wherever Lucavion was—
His copy of the Emberwood Paper was burning too.
Now, all she had to do was wait.
And knowing Lucavion—
He wouldn't take long to arrive.
******
The knock came exactly when she expected it.
Not rushed. Not impatient.
But deliberate.
A calculated gesture—one that told her Lucavion was in control of his arrival, even if she already knew that he had come the moment he saw the summons burn.
Corvina exhaled slowly, leaning back into her chair as she spoke. "Come in."
The door opened, and Lucavion stepped inside.
His usual air of arrogance followed him, the smirk barely gracing his lips, but Corvina didn't miss the sharpness in his eyes—the anticipation just beneath his composed exterior.
He didn't waste time.
"Did you find him?"
His voice was smooth, calm.
Too calm.
She had expected that.
Lucavion was a man of control—but he was also a man of volatility. And she was about to hand him something that would test just how much of that control he actually had.
Corvina reached for the folder beside her, flipping it open with slow, deliberate movements. She let the silence stretch just long enough to make sure he felt the weight of what she was about to say.
Then—
"I found him."
The words left her lips without hesitation.
Lucavion's fingers twitched.
Not much—but just enough for Corvina to notice.
She didn't linger on it, though. Instead, she continued, lifting her eyes from the document and meeting his gaze.
"The man you're looking for… His name is Aldric Veltorin."
She set the folder down in front of her, the crisp parchment inside detailing everything she had managed to find in the past three days.
"A noble-born knight," she began, her voice even, measured. "Thirty years old. Formerly a Captain in the Arcanis Military, currently unaffiliated—but still very much active."
Lucavion's eyes darkened slightly.
Corvina continued, watching him carefully.
"Ranked 6-star Awakened."
A beat of silence.
Then—Lucavion exhaled sharply through his nose, running a gloved hand through his dark hair. His smirk twitched—but it wasn't amusement this time.
Corvina had expected as much.
A 6-star Awakened was not insignificant
And yet, this was the man who had vanished from the war after appearing just once?
Something wasn't adding up.
She tapped her fingers lightly against the desk. "He left the military after the third year of the war. Officially, it was marked as an honorable discharge—but I wanted to dug deeper."
Lucavion's gaze snapped back to her.
Corvina tapped her fingers against the desk, exhaling sharply as she looked at Lucavion. "It wasn't just any noble who was thrown onto that battlefield. Aldric Veltorin belonged to House Veltorin—a once-powerful noble house with deep military roots. But three years into the Valerius Plains War, the family was torn apart by internal strife."
Lucavion remained silent, but Corvina could see the sharp glint in his eyes—the way his fingers curled slightly, as if already piecing together the puzzle in his mind.
"Their lord at the time—Marquis Elarion Veltorin—was caught in a bitter succession conflict with his younger brother, Callidus Veltorin," she continued. "It was bloody, political, and riddled with schemes from both sides. But Callidus had the upper hand—not because he was stronger, but because he had the favor of the Royal Family."
She slid another document toward Lucavion, the parchment crisp, the ink still bold despite its age.
"Aldric was Elarion's most trusted knight. A 5-star Awakened at the time—fiercely loyal. And because of that, he was a threat. Callidus needed him gone. So, with the Royal Family's backing, he orchestrated a punishment disguised as duty."
Corvina leaned forward, her voice lowering slightly. "They sent him to the battlefield, not as an honored knight, but as a man stripped of his titles—thrown into the war as a means to ensure he never returned."
Lucavion's jaw tightened.
Corvina smirked, but it wasn't out of amusement. It was out of understanding. "And then, just as planned—Marquis Elarion was assassinated. Callidus became the new head of House Veltorin, and Aldric disappeared from the records."
She tapped the last page. "But he didn't die."
Lucavion's gaze darkened.
"Aldric Veltorin survived the war," Corvina said smoothly. "And now? He's unaffiliated, unbound to any banner—but still active."
She leaned back in her chair, watching as Lucavion processed the information. "The real question is, Lucavion… What exactly do you plan to do with this information?"
Because from the look in his eyes—
She already knew the answer.
Chapter 557: Information (2)
"The real question is, Lucavion… What exactly do you plan to do with this information?"
Lucavion's fingers tapped once against the folder, a slow, measured movement that barely made a sound. His expression was unreadable—his usual smirk absent, his posture still. But his eyes—ah, his eyes—were sharp. Too sharp.
Corvina knew that glint well.
'So, you do have history with him.'
Still, she said nothing. Whatever tangled past existed between Lucavion and Aldric Veltorin, it wasn't her business. She had done her part. The rest? That was his burden to carry.
Lucavion finally looked up, locking eyes with her. And just like that—his usual demeanor slid back into place, as effortless as a mask being lowered. The ghost of a smirk tugged at his lips, his voice smooth, easy. "I'll do what I want with this information."
Corvina rolled her eyes. "Obviously."
She leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms as she let out a long-suffering sigh. "You better use it, considering what I had to go through to get it. You have no idea how hard it was to pull these records." She gestured at the folder. "You think this was just lying around in some neatly organized archive? No, I had to pull favors. A lot of favors."
Lucavion's smirk deepened, clearly entertained. "Corvina, are you complaining?"
"Yes," she snapped, drumming her fingers against the desk. "Because I don't enjoy having to contact people who now think I owe them something." She shot him a look. "Do you know how many people I had to convince that I was just doing a favor for a certain arrogant bastard and not prying into restricted war records for my own gain?"
Lucavion hummed in amusement, resting his chin against his gloved hand. "Ah, but you did it so well."
She groaned. "Unbelievable."
Then, she straightened, her expression turning more serious. "But you should know… someone didn't want these records found."
Lucavion raised an eyebrow.
"The moment I started digging too deep, certain files suddenly became… difficult to access. I had to get creative." Corvina narrowed her eyes slightly. "It's like someone deliberately scrubbed traces of him away."
Lucavion didn't react immediately. He simply tilted his head, as if considering the weight of her words. Then, after a beat of silence, he asked, "Where is he now?"
Corvina exhaled. "Last known location? The border region between Arcanis and the independent territories. No official allegiance, but if the rumors are to be believed… he's been seen in Varenthia."
Lucavion's smirk didn't waver, but there was something colder beneath it now. "Varenthia."
Corvina nodded.
Lucavion repeated the name again, rolling it over his tongue like a foreign taste. "Varenthia."
A beat of silence.
Then—he blinked. "Where is that?"
Corvina let out a sharp exhale through her nose, pinching the bridge of it as if she were fighting off a headache. 'Right. I almost forgot—this bastard is also a country bumpkin when it comes to geography.'
She shook her head, muttering under her breath before fixing him with a flat stare. "Varenthia is one of the independent city-states near the Arcanis border. Technically neutral, but only because it's run by mercenaries, exiles, and opportunists who refuse to pledge allegiance to any major power. It's not lawless, but it's not exactly… stable either."
Lucavion hummed, clearly unbothered. "Sounds lively."
Corvina ignored him. "More importantly, the Royal Family was involved in whatever happened to Aldric. Are you sure you want to get involved in this?"
Lucavion's expression barely shifted. Then, in a dramatic display, he widened his eyes, placing a hand over his chest as if struck by a sudden realization. "Oh no. The Royal Family? Me, offending them? Perish the thought."
Corvina didn't even blink.
He tilted his head, lips curving into something utterly insincere. "I am but a humble, law-abiding citizen. I wouldn't dream of stirring trouble."
Corvina just sighed. 'This absolute liar.'
She leaned back in her chair, waving a dismissive hand. "Fine. Do whatever you want."
Lucavion's smirk widened slightly. "That's the plan."
Corvina sighed loudly, pinching the bridge of her nose as she glared at Lucavion. "You know," she began, her tone dry, "you've managed to create an entirely different kind of problem for me."
Lucavion blinked at her, looking entirely too pleased with himself. "Have I?"
"Yes."
She exhaled, dragging a hand through her hair as she gestured vaguely at the stack of reports piled high on her desk. "You know how, in normal guild operations, adventurers take quests, earn money, and we keep the economy flowing?"
Lucavion nodded, pretending to listen. "Yes, I've heard of such a thing."
"Well, congratulations," Corvina deadpanned. "You've effectively put my guild out of work."
Lucavion paused, then tilted his head. "Ah," he said after a beat. "That explains why the quest board was looking rather empty."
Corvina just stared at him. "Looking rather empty"?
She clenched her jaw, inhaling deeply through her nose before snapping at him, "Lucavion, you wiped the quest board clean in three days."
Lucavion let out a soft chuckle, looking far too unbothered for a man responsible for a total quest drought. "Oh, well, that is impressive, isn't it?"
Corvina shot him a deadpan look. "No. It is not impressive."
"The guild's running fine, isn't it?" he mused, sipping at the tea she had already forgotten was there.
"Oh, sure," she said, voice dripping with sarcasm. "The guild is running great. Except for the part where adventurers have no jobs because some self-righteous lunatic has been clearing every dungeon, wilderness, and monster nest within a hundred-mile radius."
Lucavion shrugged lazily. "Well, they were there."
"That's not an excuse."
He hummed, his smirk deepening. "What would you have me do, Guildmaster? Leave the poor monsters alone?"
Corvina rubbed her temples. Why did she even bother?
"The problem isn't just that you cleared a few dungeons," she muttered, eyeing him with open frustration. "The problem is that you cleared all the dungeons. And all the surrounding wildernesses. And every notable monster threat that's supposed to be handled gradually by adventuring parties, not a single damn man."
Lucavion sighed, shaking his head in faux disappointment. "You'd think the Guildmaster would be more grateful for my contributions."
Corvina glared daggers at him.
Then, slowly, she took a breath, leaning forward and pointing at him.
"Lucavion," she said, dead serious, "you cleared the quest board so thoroughly that I had adventurers arguing over a lost cat mission."
Lucavion paused.
Then, in the most genuinely entertained tone she had heard from him in weeks—
"A lost cat mission?"
"Yes." Corvina did not blink. "A lost cat mission. Four adventuring parties fought over it."
Lucavion leaned back, letting out a low whistle. "Hah. That's unfortunate."
"Unfortunate?"
"Yes." He took another sip of tea, completely unfazed. "I should've taken that one too."
Corvina nearly threw something at him.
She inhaled deeply, exhaling through her nose, clenching her fists before forcing herself to speak in a measured tone.
"…You," she muttered, her tone dangerously calm, "are a menace."
Lucavion chuckled. "I've heard that before."
Corvina sighed sharply, rolling her shoulders. "Alright, fine. I'll handle it. But I swear, Lucavion—" she narrowed her eyes at him "—if you keep this up, I'll have to start charging you an environmental tax."
Lucavion laughed at that, tilting his head slightly. "Now that's just cruel."
"You," she said, leaning back in her chair, dragging her fingers through her hair, "have no idea."
She needed more tea.
Or a drink.
Preferably both.
Chapter 558: Information (3)
Corvina let out a tired sigh, tapping her fingers against her desk as she pushed another document toward Lucavion. "Regarding the monster carcasses," she began, her tone returning to its usual business-like sharpness, "I've already finalized the deal with the Magic Tower. They were more than eager to purchase them for research."
Lucavion gave a satisfied nod, reaching out to skim through the documents before him.
"Good," he said simply, flipping through the pages without much interest.
Corvina tilted her head slightly, watching him closely. "When should I arrange the meeting for the final exchange?"
Lucavion smirked slightly, but his response came without hesitation.
"You can do as you see fit."
Corvina raised an eyebrow. "You're leaving it entirely to me?"
Lucavion leaned back in his chair, resting his chin lazily against his hand. "I won't be there."
The words settled in the air for a moment before Corvina blinked, her fingers stilling against the surface of her desk.
"…Not be there?"
"That's right," Lucavion confirmed, standing up from his seat and stretching his shoulders slightly. "I'm leaving this city now."
Corvina's eyes sharpened slightly.
She had expected him to leave eventually, but not so soon.
Not this quickly.
"You're leaving already?" she asked, her tone carrying a hint of disbelief.
Lucavion simply smirked, unbothered as ever. "I have what I need."
Corvina tapped her nails against the desk, narrowing her eyes slightly. "You're not even going to oversee the deal? After all the effort you went through to bring back those creatures?"
Lucavion chuckled, waving a hand. "I trust you."
A brief silence followed.
Corvina let out an amused hum, resting her chin against her knuckles. "Trust?" she repeated, a rare smirk flickering across her lips. "That's quite a bold statement for a man who just let himself get ripped off three days ago."
Lucavion's brows lifted slightly, but he didn't argue.
Corvina couldn't help but feel a flicker of greed rise in her chest.
'He really doesn't care about the finer details, does he?'
The idea of skimming a little extra from the deal crossed her mind—after all, Lucavion was notoriously bad at haggling.
A small price adjustment here. A little "unexpected fee" there. He wouldn't even notice.
She almost allowed herself to indulge in the thought—
Until Lucavion looked at her.
Gazed into her.
A cold, piercing stare—one that carried weight, a silent warning wrapped in amusement.
"Guildmaster…" Lucavion murmured, his voice smooth but edged like a blade.
"Let's hope you don't try anything funny."
Corvina's smirk faltered ever so slightly, her fingers pausing mid-drum against the wood of her desk.
She lifted an eyebrow, feigning ignorance. "Oh?"
Lucavion's next words, however—
Made her flinch.
"I am heavily related to the Thaddeus Duchy. If I sense any dishonesty…"
His smirk deepened, but his eyes remained sharp.
"I may send a word or two."
A sharp, suffocating silence filled the room.
Corvina exhaled slowly, rolling her shoulders back as she forced herself to relax.
'So, he's playing that card.'
She should have known.
Lucavion was many things—a menace, a reckless fool, an absolute headache to deal with—but he was not stupid.
And he knew exactly how to make people reconsider their actions.
Her fingers curled slightly before she finally let out a short laugh, leaning back into her chair. "I should have figured," she muttered, shaking her head. "You really don't let your guard down, do you?"
Lucavion chuckled, slipping his hands into his coat pockets. "Not when money's involved."
Corvina scoffed, then smirked slightly, shaking her head. "Fine. Your deal will be handled properly."
Lucavion winked. "Good choice."
Corvina's gaze flickered toward him, assessing. "Then I suppose this is where we part ways, for now."
Lucavion nodded slightly. "For now."
Corvina sighed, but something in her expression softened—just a little.
As much as he was a headache…
This city was going to be a lot quieter without him.
s Lucavion and Corvina stepped out of her office, the usual buzz of the guild hall filled the air—clinking mugs, the shuffle of parchment, the low murmur of negotiations.
But the moment Lucavion emerged into the main hall—
Silence.
Then—
The unmistakable sensation of dozens of glares drilling into his skull.
Lucavion paused, blinking as he surveyed the sea of adventurers. Their faces ranged from irritated to outright murderous, jaws clenched, arms crossed, eyes screaming the same unspoken accusation:
This bastard.
Ah. Right.
He had, after all, wiped the quest board clean.
Lucavion exhaled through his nose, lips twitching in amusement. "Now, now," he murmured smoothly, tilting his head as he regarded them. "Why the hostility?"
A hulking man at the front of the crowd, clearly one of the veteran adventurers, let out a sharp scoff. "Don't play dumb. You know exactly why."
A smaller rogue-like adventurer jabbed a finger toward him. "You took all the high-paying quests! Even the mid-tier ones! Do you know how long it's been since we've had actual work?!"
Lucavion hummed, rubbing his chin in mock thought. "It's been… what, three days?"
The room collectively bristled.
Corvina sighed beside him, muttering, "For normal people, three days of no work is a problem, Lucavion."
A woman from the crowd, clearly a seasoned spellcaster, huffed. "We had to argue over a lost cat mission. A lost cat. Do you understand the humiliation?"
Lucavion's smirk deepened, delighted by the sheer frustration aimed at him. "Ah. So I did leave some work for you."
Corvina pinched the bridge of her nose.
Someone in the back of the crowd shouted, "You enjoyed this, didn't you?!"
Lucavion placed a hand over his heart, his smirk widening as he spoke with feigned remorse. "What a cruel accusation."
The rogue who had spoken earlier narrowed his eyes. "Don't act innocent! You knew what you were doing!"
Lucavion chuckled. "Did I?"
"Yes!"
Lucavion turned to Corvina, smiling as if he hadn't just incited a mob. "You hear that, Guildmaster? They seem very passionate about this."
Corvina, exhausted beyond belief, waved a dismissive hand. "Lucavion, if you don't leave this city soon, I will start charging you a disruption fee."
Lucavion tsked, shaking his head. "So cruel."
The adventurers grumbled among themselves, but none dared actually approach him. Even in their frustration, they knew better than to pick a fight with someone who had single-handedly handled every major monster threat in the region.
Still, the glares didn't lessen as he and Corvina made their way to the entrance.
Lucavion turned back one last time, raising a hand in an exaggerated farewell. "I'll miss you all."
A random voice in the crowd muttered, "We won't."
With a final amused chuckle, Lucavion stepped out of the guild, the heavy doors swinging shut behind him.
Corvina exhaled, rubbing her temples. 'This bastard really does enjoy being a menace.'
Just as Lucavion took another step forward, Corvina's eyes widened slightly in realization.
'Damn it. I forgot.'
"Wait."
Lucavion paused, glancing over his shoulder with an arched brow. "Hm?"
Corvina sighed and strode toward him, pulling a small, folded piece of parchment from inside her coat. She grabbed his hand without ceremony and slapped the paper into his palm. "Contact this guy."
Lucavion lifted the paper, eyeing it with vague amusement. "You do love handing me mysterious notes, don't you?"
Corvina ignored him. "His name is Kael Draven. He's an old acquaintance of mine, and more importantly—he knows Varenthia inside and out."
Lucavion hummed, rolling the name over in his head. "Kael Draven."
Corvina nodded. "You'll need guidance in that place, and Kael can help you navigate it. He's… let's just say he has connections—ones that might make things easier for you."
Lucavion smirked, slipping the paper into his coat. "How thoughtful of you, Guildmaster."
Corvina rolled her eyes. "Don't make me regret this."
Lucavion chuckled before offering a small, almost genuine nod. "Still—thanks."
Corvina blinked at him. 'Huh. That almost sounded sincere.'
But before she could process that rare moment of decency, Lucavion tilted his head with that infuriatingly lazy smirk. "And when I return, I'll make sure you have another staple number of monster carcasses to sell…"
Her eyes twitched.
"…And, of course, another three-day vacation for your adventurers."
Corvina groaned, dragging a hand down her face. "Lucavion."
He simply grinned, giving her a two-fingered salute before turning on his heel and strolling off.
Corvina stood there for a long moment, watching his retreating figure.
Then, exhaling deeply, she muttered to herself, "I need a drink."