The world came back in fragments, whispers of reality slowly knitting together. I could hear sounds in the distance, blending into an indistinct hum. My senses struggled to merge, like a foggy window gradually revealing the outside world.

“Lucian, can you hear me?” A gentle voice asked.

The voice sliced through the haze, pulling me from the depths of unconsciousness. My eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the diffused light. Everything seemed muted and distant, and for a moment, I felt lost.

Blinking against the invading light, I looked around and realized I was in a room. My room. Which meant I was back in the palace…

“How are you feeling?” A soft hand rested on mine, and I turned my head to find Clair at my bedside. Her eyes held a mixture of relief and worry, a silent testament to the stress I must have caused her.

Feeling guilty for making her worry, I tried to sit up to show her I was okay, only to be met with a jolt of pain that rippled through my chest. Hissing, I grabbed my chest as I fell back onto the pillow.

Why does my body feel like it’s been trampled by a herd of rampaging beasts?

Clair’s concerned gaze deepened, her fingers squeezing mine. “Please take it easy, Highness. You still haven’t fully recovered.”

I furrowed my brow and clenched my teeth in an attempt to hide the pain. This was the first time I’d ever experienced such a strange sensation. The pain wasn’t the kind that stabs; it was more like an oppressive tension. Like having an insistent weight that refused to lift off my chest.

As I felt my mind slowly snapping back into focus, fragments of my memory started slotting back into place. The twins. Leonis. His broken core and my attempt to fix it… A chill raced down my spine as I recalled reciting Solomon’s incantation before everything turned dark.

“Clair,” I rasped, my voice scratchy from disuse. “What happened to Leonis?! Is he okay?”

“You shouldn’t be worrying about others, especially not in the state you’re in!”

I squeezed Clair’s hand, hoping she’d see the urgency in my gaze. “Please… Tell me what happened!”

Clair’s gaze softened, and she ran a hand through her hair. “Leonis is fine. Or at least he was, last time I saw him… I shouldn’t have left you alone with him.”

Ignoring her comment, I pressed on. “Where is he?”

“He’s in his house.”

“The last time you saw him, did he look different? Feel different?”

Clair shook her head.

“Did he say anything to you?”

Clair rubbed her chin thoughtfully before answering. “Now that you mention it, just before we rushed out of the house, he asked me to pass on his thanks to you… Pretty strange, considering the circumstances.”

A rush of adrenaline rushed through my body, making my hands twitch in excitement. If those were his last words, then surely the spell must have worked.

No, no, no… It’s too early to celebrate.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I needed to calm myself. Jumping to conclusions was dangerous, especially if I wasn’t certain.

After a few seconds, I opened my eyes and clenched my fists. I’d made up my mind. The moment I was strong enough to move, I’d visit Leonis. The only way I could be sure that the method had worked, was by seeing Leonis with my own two eyes.

“How long have I been out for?” I asked, turning to Clair.

“You’ve been asleep for about twelve hours, Highness.”

I stared at the ceiling and let out a sigh of relief. It was comforting to know I hadn’t been out for long. Considering I’d been unconscious for a couple of days the last time I was gravely injured, this was nothing. I felt much better compared to back then…

“I’m going to bring you something to eat,” Clair announced. “With some food in you, you’ll be more than fine in the morning.”

I watched in silence as Clair stood up from her chair and replaced the pack of ice on my chest. Judging by the dark bags under her eyes, I realized she’d been watching over me the entire time I was out. Not to mention, she was still wearing the same outfit from this morning.

Just as she reached to open the door, I cleared my throat, hoping to anchor her attention. “Before you go, there’s something I want to say…”

Clair came to a standstill, facing the door.

I held my breath and clasped my hands together, hopeful that I’d chosen the right words to convey what I was trying to say. Truth be told, conveying emotions was something I’d never been good at…

“I’m sorry for making you worry today, Clair. I can’t even begin to fathom the stress I must have caused you… You must be exhausted from taking care of a brat like me, and to be honest, I wouldn’t blame you if you hated me… I want you to know that I’m grateful. Your hard work and care don’t go unnoticed.”

Several seconds passed, yet Clair remained motionless and silent, resembling a statue. An uneasy feeling started to grow in my chest, exacerbated by the fact that I couldn’t see her face. I had no way of knowing what she was thinking.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Clair yanked the door open and turned to me. Her eyes held an intensity I’d never witnessed before. “If you promise not to scare me like that again, I’ll forgive you.”

I took a deep breath and lowered my head. “I promise…”

Clair stared at my eyes for a moment, before nodding approvingly. Without another word, she smiled at me before stepping out into the hallway.

* * *

“My BABY!!”

Any hope I had of having a peaceful morning went down the drain the moment I heard her voice.

Before I could even open my eyes, I felt my mother’s arms wrap around my throat like a snake suffocating its prey.

My eyes snapped open and I yelped in pain. “M-mother… Can’t… B…Breath…”

“CYNTHIA, stop that!” Valtair yelled from the doorway. “Can’t you see you’re strangling the poor boy?”

Cynthia sighed, releasing me from her hold. “Stop exaggerating. I was just hugging my baby boy.”

“He’s not a baby anymore!” Valtair snapped.

“Yes, he is!”

“No, he’s not… So, stop treating him like one!”

“I don’t care if he’s nine, twenty, or five hundred years old! Lucy will always be my baby boy.” Cynthia turned back to me and pinched my cheeks. “Isn’t that right, dear?”

“If you want to play with a baby, play with him,” I said, gesturing toward Julius.

Julius crossed his little arms and threw daggers at me with his eyes. I could tell he wasn’t pleased with my suggestion.

“You are both my babies,” Cynthia said after a moment. “Disregard what your father has said.”

Ignoring my mother’s irritating remark, I turned my focus on Valtair. I was eager to know why he was here. “To what do I owe this pleasure?”

Valtair bent down, lifting Julius into his arms. “We wanted to check up on you. Clair informed us of what happened.”

“Did she?”

“Yes, she did!” Cynthia replied, cutting into the conversation. “She told us everything.”

As inconspicuously as possible, I slipped my hands under my sheets and clenched them into fists. This wasn’t good. Judging by the look in her eyes, I knew she was upset. Very upset. I didn’t even have to look at Valtair to realize how big of a pickle I found myself in.

Oh, crap… What in the world did Clair tell them?!

Solomon snorted. “Instead of panicking, why don’t we find out what she knows first?”

Ok, ok… Good idea!

“So… What did Clair say?” I asked, forcing a smile.

“I’ll be asking the questions today, young man!” Cynthia barked.

I felt a shiver crawl up my neck as Cynthia straightened her back and crossed her arms. I couldn’t tell what was more scary. The fact that my mother was angry or that her attitude had shifted so rapidly. One moment she looked happy, and the next she was upset.

Maybe Valtair isn’t the only sociopath in this family…

Solomon’s laughter echoed in my mind. “Oh, I wouldn’t worry about that… We all know you’re the other sociopath.”

Shut up!

“Where did you go yesterday?” Cynthia asked.

My throat tightened, and I couldn’t help but lean away from her as if creating distance would somehow diminish the intensity of her gaze. The air thickened, and I felt like a common criminal under the harsh scrutiny of a seasoned investigator.

Seeking a lifeline, I flicked my gaze toward Valtair, only to see an unreadable expression on his face. His gaze was a locked door that revealed nothing.

I’m screwed.

A sigh escaped my mother’s lips, and she snapped her fingers in front of my face. “Looking at your father won’t save you this time. Focus on me!”

My fists unclenched impulsively, and I lowered my head in resignation. There was no escaping it. I was trapped. I was going to have to face her questions head-on.

“I… I went to the slave market,” I admitted reluctantly.

“What were you doing there?”

A dry silence hung in the air as I struggled to come up with a response. To be precise, it wasn’t the answer I was struggling with, but the wording. I needed to provide just enough information to satisfy her, without revealing my true intentions.

Cynthia cleared her throat, her voice snapping me out of my thoughts. “There’s no point in lying, son. I know more than you think. Now, please be honest.”

Wait a moment… Is it just me, or is something off with her tone?!

“I didn’t think you’d notice,” Solomon chuckled.

Okay, so it’s not just me!

It isn’t.

Staring into my mother’s eyes, I instantly caught a whiff of disappointment in her gaze. No, it wasn’t just disappointment. There was something else I sensed— something I couldn’t quite put my finger on… Something more complex.

“She seems uncomfortable,” Solomon noted. “Whatever she thinks you did, is making her uncomfortable… Extremely uncomfortable.”

Shut up already! I get the point!

Just as I opened my mouth to speak, my mother let out a sigh, running a hand through her hair. “I can’t believe you’re making me say it… Your father and I know you like elves.”

“What!?”

“There’s no use in trying to lie,” my mother said, taking a seat by my bed. “We know you have… a thing for elves.”

“I have a thing for elves?” I asked, hoping I’d misunderstood what she was trying to tell me.

Valtair placed a hand on Cynthia’s shoulder and whispered something into her ear.

I watched in pain-staking silence as the two conversed in secret, about God knows what. After a few seconds, Valtair kissed my mother on the forehead and nodded approvingly. He’d just given her the go-ahead.

My mother took a deep breath before meeting my gaze. “I want you to know that I’m not angry at you.”

“WE’RE not angry,” Valtair added from behind.

“Good to know,” I whispered under my breath.

“We’re just a little disappointed,” my mother explained. “Or at least I am… You know me, Lucian. I’m all about transparency. How do you think I felt when I found out you’d been snooping around the slave market?”

“Not good?” I replied.

My mother nodded. “Yeah, it didn’t feel good… I mean, I’m your mother. I’m supposed to know you better than anyone else, right?”

“Right…”

“Good. Now that we’re on the same page, I’d like to meet the elf girl you freed.”

“Huh?”

“The girl that you freed,” my mother stated. “The one you have a crush on. If my memory serves, Clair told us her name was Nalia…”

I shook my head in disbelief. I honestly couldn’t believe Clair had fed my mother such an absurd lie. The moment I was done sorting this mess, I was going to find her and have a serious conversation with her. But before that, I needed to deal with the nuclear bomb that was my mother.

“Mother, before we do that, can I just ask a few things?”

“Of course, dear.”

Using the pillow for support, I sat up on the bed and crossed my arms. “So you think that I, your nine-year-old son, have a crush on a girl?”

“Yes.”

“I see… And you also believe that I have some sort of thing for elves?”

“Yes,” my mother responded. “Which is fine. After all, it’s normal for boys your age to be curious about such matters…”

What in the world is happening?!

“Let me get this straight… You believe I went to the slave market yesterday and ended up falling for a dark elf girl, all because of some fetish… Oh, and to make matters even more interesting, I then proceeded to buy this girl’s freedom?”

“Isn’t that what happened?” my mother asked, her gaze filling with confusion.

“Of course that didn’t-”

“Yes, dear, that’s what happened,” Valtair replied, cutting me off.

Just as I turned to give him the yelling of a lifetime, Valtair scratched the back of his head and winked. It was subtle, but I caught it.

Oh… I get it now. He’s the bastard behind this lie.

“I think you should play along,” Solomon advised. “Your old man seems to know what he’s doing.”

Shut it…

Gathering my thoughts, I took a deep breath and steadied myself. As much as I wanted to dismantle this stupid lie, I knew he probably had a good reason for lying. Or at least I hoped he did.

“You win, Mother,” I said after a moment. “I’ll talk to Nalia and invite her for dinner one these days. Happy?”

“I’m happy! Very happy!” My mother squealed. She was practically bouncing up and down in excitement.

Suppressing the urge to speak, I summoned all the strength within me to remain silent. My mother, blissfully unaware of my turmoil, enveloped Julius in a warm embrace and murmured to him how excited she was to meet my first girlfriend.

As they sauntered toward the door, the soft murmur of her excitement lingered in the air, leaving me grappling with a mix of emotions that I dared not to articulate.

The instant the door to my room closed, I let out a shaky breath and turned to Valtair. “You better have a damn good explanation for that!”

Valtair furrowed his brows and sighed. “I do… But don’t be angry with Clair. I was the one who told her to tell to lie.”

“I figured…”

“Well, you shouldn’t be angry with me either.” Valtair chuckled as he took a seat next to me. “I couldn’t necessarily tell your mother the truth, could I?”

“What truth?”

He leaned forward, his gaze turning serious. “The truth of how her nine-year-old son somehow managed to convince a Sword King to sign a master-servant pact with him.”

I clenched my fists and gritted my teeth. Even though I knew he’d eventually find out, I still hadn’t come up with a rational explanation as to how or why I’d done it.

“Just in case you’re wondering,” Valtair said. “It wasn’t Clair who told me.”

“Arachnus?”

“Bingo! We are business partners, after all.”

A tense silence fell over the room. The two of us looked at each other, but nobody spoke a word. I couldn’t tell what Valtair was thinking. I never could. To me, he would always be an unsolvable matrix.