"Sir, how can I help you?" the receptionist asked. Her polite smile faltered as she noticed the tension around the young man's eyes.
"I'm here to see Seraphina Cross," Lucian replied, forcing his voice to stay steady.
"How are you related to her?" she asked, eyes narrowing with suspicion.
"I'm… a distant relative of hers. I just found out she was admitted here."
For a moment, the woman scanned his face, searching for lies. But Lucian's expression—calm, controlled, unreadable—made her exhale and nod.
"I'll call a guard to escort you to her cell."
He followed down a long, dim hallway. The air smelled of medicine, bleach, and a hint of hopelessness.
Every step felt heavier. When they reached the door, the guard unlocked it with an unceremonious click.
The woman in the cell didn't even look up.
"Mrs. Cross, you have a visitor," the guard said.
Silence.
Lucian stepped inside. His heart tugged painfully at the sight of her—long, unkempt black hair hiding part of her face, her once-beautiful posture now hunched and weak.
Her deep ocean-blue eyes stared blankly at the corner of the room.
"Mo—… Mrs. Seraphina, I've come to meet you," Lucian said, his voice trembling despite everything he tried.
No response.
He sat on the small metal chair beside her bed. His eyes lifted for a brief second—there was a camera in the corner of the ceiling. He swallowed the words he so dearly wanted to say.
He couldn't tell her who he truly was.
Not here.
Not yet.
[Ding!]
[Quest Completed!]
Objective:
– Find who the woman is in your dreams.
– Meet her.
Reward Granted: None
—
Lucian dismissed the message immediately.
A faint, cracked voice suddenly broke the silence.
"…Who are you?" Her voice sounded hoarse since she hadn't talked in a long while.
Lucian's chest tightened.
"I'm a distant relative of yours," Lucian answered gently. "I recently found out that you were… here."
Her gaze flickered toward him for the first time.
Her eyes scanned him slowly—as if searching for the slightest hint of malice, deceit, or cruelty. She found none but still didn't speak.
"I heard you have no visitors," Lucian said, trying to keep his voice calm, ignoring her cold assessment.
She stared at him blankly.
"Who would want to meet a person the world sees as a crazy woman?"
"…Are you?" he asked quietly, jaw clenching.
"What?" she whispered.
"Crazy."
"What do you think?" She asked in a cold and flat tone.
"It doesn't matter," he murmured.
"Being crazy isn't the worst thing in the world."
[That is… absolutely not comforting.] Akasha muttered.
'I can't think of anything else,' Lucian replied internally.
She tilted her head, trying to understand what he was trying to say.
"What do you want from me?"
"Nothing."
Her head snapped toward him, her eyes suddenly sharp.
"Nothing? Don't lie."
Her voice rose, cracks breaking through her coldness.
"People always want something."
"I just wanted to talk," Lucian said softly.
"Talk?" Something in her broke.
She stood abruptly, her thin hands trembling as they grabbed his collar.
"Who are you?! Why are you talking like—"
Her voice died, replaced by shaking breaths. Anger, grief, confusion—all tangled.
Lucian didn't move. Didn't resist.
He simply looked at her… with a gentleness she hadn't seen in years.
"Someone you know," he whispered.
That triggered her.
"DON'T TALK IN RIDDLES!!" she shrieked, her entire body shaking violently.
She should've been relieved—someone had come to see her—but fear, grief, and madness tangled together inside her until she couldn't recognize anything anymore.
"Ma'am, what are you doing?!" A nurse burst in, grabbing Seraphina by the arms. Another staff member entered moments later.
"Sir, you have to leave now!"
Lucian looked at his mother—HIS mother—being restrained by strangers.
His eyes dimmed.
[Don't do anything reckless. Think about Lia too, you idiot.]
Akasha's voice echoed softly in his mind.
His breath steadied. His eyes regained their calm.
Lucian fixed his collar, stood up, and walked toward Seraphina despite the staff trying to hold him back.
"Sir— please—!" A nurse tried blocking him, but he stepped past her.
Seraphina's breathing quickened as he approached, her eyes wide with fear and confusion. She squeezed her eyes shut, bracing herself for a blow.
Lucian smiled gently—so gently it hurt.
He raised his hand.
Seraphina flinched, squeezing her eyes shut, expecting the worst.
But his hand simply rested on her head.
A soft, warm head pat.
Her entire body froze. Her mind blanked. Tears pooled in her eyes, trembling uncontrollably.
Something deep within her—something buried under years of grief—recognized that touch.
Why?
Why did it feel so familiar?
Lucian's lips curved into a sad, tender smile.
"I'll come tomorrow," he whispered, withdrawing his hand.
He turned and walked out, but before leaving, he paused. The staff members were staring—astonished, guilty, almost ashamed.
[They were expecting you to hit her, and still didn't try to stop you.]
Lucian's gaze turned sharp and deadly.
'Do they mistreat her?'
The silence from his mind was telling.
'Akasha?… DO. THEY. MISTREAT. HER?!!'
[…No, they don't. Just…]
'Just what?'
[The staff doesn't—but the other patients do. And the staff only intervenes when it becomes… extreme.]
Lucian's fist clenched so tightly his knuckles went white.
'Can't I bring her out of here?'
[You have to do it legally. If you do anything reckless, you might be locked up yourself.]
She paused.
[And you can't afford that.]
Lucian closed his eyes for a moment, burying the storm within him.
No.
He couldn't afford that.
Not yet.
But soon.
Very soon.
He would bring her out of this place—no matter what it took, even if he had to burn this entire facility.