Lucien emerged from the walls of the Sea Kingdom, his steps heavy, his mind reeling with what had just transpired.
The words of the princess's brother, Atlas, still echoed in his ears: "He must prove himself by defeating me."
He clenched his fist tightly, his icy spear flashing before his eyes, then raised his head to the heavens, his eyes blazing with determination:
"If I cannot face him now… I will grow stronger. I will not allow anyone to take her from me. Wait for me, Selena."
One name echoed in his mind: "Saruto…"
Without hesitation, he changed course toward the Luin Kingdom. The journey was brief, and he stood before the gates of the magnificent palace, where the Saruto family crest flew high.
Servants, who recognized him instantly, ushered Lucien into the upper floor, to the heir's quarters. He stood before the door, knocked lightly, and called out, "Saruto?"
There was no reply. He opened the door slowly and saw his friend sitting on the edge of the bed, his head bowed, his eyes lost in thought. He seemed to be in another world altogether.
Lucian approached cautiously until he stood before him, but Saruto didn't move, oblivious to his presence.
Inside Saruto mind, the words of the Queen of Hell echoed:
"My daughter and the daughter of the King of Light… they are sisters. You must choose only one."
He pressed his hand against his chest, remembering the faces, the tears, the confusion… then another image surfaced. The palace of the Kingdom of Stars. He sat there before the King of Light, who looked at him with eyes full of awe:
"Saruto… do you love my daughter?"
It was as if the scene was repeating itself, the same question, the same weight. Saruto snapped back to reality, his breath ragged.
He felt a warm hand on his shoulder. He turned with a start, and there was Lucian standing before him. His eyes widened in surprise: "Lucian…! How long have you been here? I didn't even notice you."
Lucien smiled faintly, despite the weight of his own heart. "It didn't matter… you were lost in thought."
Saruto lowered his head. "I'm sorry… I didn't mean to ignore you," he said shyly.
But Lucien waved his hand dismissively, his gaze sharp and unwavering.
"There's no need to apologize. In fact… I came to you to ask for something. I want you to help me… to become stronger."
Then Lucien sat on a sofa opposite his friend's bed, nervously fidgeting with his fingers as he recounted what had happened at the Sea Palace: how Selena's brother, Atlas, had suddenly appeared and nearly crushed him against the pillars of the hall, and how that moment had become an existential test between him and his love. His voice wavered between anger and despair, but he tried to maintain his composure in front of Saruto.
Saruto smiled as he listened, then tilted his head slightly and said, in a sarcastic tone meant to comfort his friend, "If I were in your place?" "I would have crushed his head and snatched it from his hands, leaving him with nothing but shame."
The two laughed together, a short but genuine laugh, like a safety valve amidst all that pressure. Then Lucien paused for a moment before saying seriously,
"Help me, Saruto. I want to train with you. I need to become stronger."
Saruto looked at him for a long time, then nodded in agreement. But inside, he wasn't at ease, for the "Time Room," which only members of his family were allowed to enter, immediately came to mind. He worried: how could he truly train Lucien without revealing this secret? He considered alternatives but found none.
Lucien's voice broke through his thoughts calmly, as if he had read his unease:
"Don't worry about it now. We'll deal with that later… Night is approaching, and you need to rest. We have a long day ahead of us at the academy tomorrow."
Lucien stood up, draped his cloak over his shoulders, and patted Saruto on the shoulder with a friendly smile.
"Sleep well, my friend, for we have a busy day tomorrow."
Saruto smiled in return as he watched him leave the room. He stood for a moment, looking at the door after it closed behind him, then exhaled a deep breath, as if bearing a secret too great to speak.
Outside, Lucien walked through the corridors of the Leon family mansion, his footsteps fading into the silence of the night, while within him burned a burning determination to prove himself, not only to the princess's brother, but to the entire world.