A sharp knock at the door interrupted the charged atmosphere between Valeria and Lucavion. The sound reverberated through the room, immediately drawing their attention. Valeria stiffened instinctively, her body tensing as her mind raced to assess the situation.
Lucavion, for his part, glanced toward the door, his smirk fading as he straightened in his chair. His posture shifted subtly, his relaxed demeanor giving way to one of cautious readiness.
The door creaked open, and a figure stepped inside with an air of calm authority. Marquis Ventor, clad in a tailored coat that spoke of wealth and power, entered the room with measured steps. His gaze swept across the space before settling on Valeria, and then Lucavion.
“Ah,” he began, his voice smooth yet commanding, “so this is where I find our two rising stars.”
Valeria immediately rose to her feet, her movements deliberate and precise. She bowed slightly, her expression carefully neutral as she greeted him. “Marquis Ventor,” she said, her tone even. “To what do we owe the honor?”
Lucavion stood as well, his posture casual yet respectful, though his sharp eyes didn’t miss a single detail of the Marquis’ presence. “You must be the famous Marquis Ventor,” he said with a slight grin. “I’d say it’s an honor, but I’ve learned to save that for when I know someone a little better.”
Marquis Ventor’s lips curved into a faint smile as he regarded Lucavion, clearly unperturbed by the man’s boldness. “And you must be Lucavion, the so-called Sword Demon.” His gaze shifted briefly to Valeria. “And, of course, Lady Valeria Olarion, whom I’ve had the privilege of meeting already.”
Valeria inclined her head slightly, her expression composed. “Marquis,” she replied, her tone calm. Though inwardly, she couldn’t help but feel a subtle ripple of tension under his scrutinizing gaze.
Marquis Ventor’s gaze swept the room once more, lingering briefly on Lucavion before he spoke again. “After all, Lucavion, you’ve made quite the name for yourself—and quite the scene, if I may say so. It isn’t every day someone collapses after such an extraordinary match and ends up brought to my estate. It’s only proper for the host to pay his respects.”
Lucavion’s smirk returned, though it was tempered by a glint of curiosity. “Marquis Ventor, you’re too kind,” he said, inclining his head. “Thank you for your thoughtfulness and, of course, for your hospitality. I have to admit, it’s been… interesting waking up here. And your healer, Miss… uh…” He paused, scratching the back of his head as if searching for the name. “Miss Healer, I suppose? She’s quite talented. Apparently, I managed to injure myself more than I thought, and her treatment worked wonders.”
The Marquis’ lips curved into an amused smile, his tone light. “Ah, I see you’re referring to my wife, Nadoka. She is indeed talented.”
And the moment Marquis mentioned that the healer was his wife…..
Well….
Cough!
With a dramatic sputter, he spat the water across the room, quickly setting the glass down as he tensed, his eyes wide with a mix of disbelief and alarm.
Marquis Ventor raised a brow, his expression unreadable as he observed Lucavion’s sudden reaction. “Hmm?” he intoned, his tone light but questioning.
Lucavion quickly recovered—or tried to. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, his trademark smirk faltering into something more awkward. “Ah, well, uh…” He laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head as he avoided the Marquis’ gaze. “I, uh, didn’t realize she was your wife. That’s… that’s certainly something. Ahem. Wonderful lady. Very professional. Top-notch healer.” Stay connected with empire
Valeria turned her head slowly toward Lucavion, her brows lifting in bemusement as she took in his rare display of unease. Her earlier tension was momentarily forgotten as she watched him squirm under the Marquis’ calm scrutiny.
The Marquis, to his credit, didn’t press the matter, though a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips. “Indeed, she is all of those things,” he said evenly. “It’s good to know her efforts are appreciated.”
Lucavion cleared his throat, nodding rapidly as he regained some semblance of composure. “Absolutely. Appreciated is an understatement.”
As Marquis Ventor’s words lingered in the air, Valeria’s mind jolted back to the scene she had witnessed earlier. Her eyes widened slightly, betraying her shock. Wait… The muffled voices, the occasional laughter, and the healer—Nadoka? The woman who had just walked out of the room moments ago was the Marquis’ wife?
Her thoughts spun wildly. What in the world was going on?
She turned to Lucavion, her gaze sharp and questioning. He caught her eye almost immediately and, without a word, raised a hand to his lips, gesturing subtly for her to stay silent.
Valeria clenched her jaw, her thoughts still racing, but she nodded slightly. She couldn’t possibly bring it up now, not in front of Marquis Ventor. Whatever had transpired earlier, she would have to address it later—preferably when the Marquis wasn’t standing right in front of them.
Completely unaware of the silent exchange—or perhaps choosing to ignore it—Marquis Ventor continued, his composed demeanor unshaken. “Once you’ve made a full recovery, Lucavion, I believe it would be prudent for us to have a proper discussion. There is much I would like to discuss with you, given the… remarkable impression you’ve made so far.”
Lucavion’s smirk returned, more controlled now, though Valeria could still detect the faint awkwardness lingering in his posture. “I’d be honored, Marquis Ventor. I’ve already received your invitation once before, and now that I’m here, how could I refuse?”
The Marquis inclined his head slightly, his expression satisfied. “Good. Then I will leave you to your rest for now. Lady Valeria, Lucavion,” he said with a polite nod to each of them. With that, he turned and exited the room, his footsteps echoing softly down the hallway.
The moment the door clicked shut, Valeria turned to Lucavion, her arms crossed and her expression a storm of barely contained questions. “You—”
“Cough…”
Lucavion could only cough….
*****
Lucavion coughed awkwardly, raising a hand to his mouth as he leaned back in his chair, his usual confidence visibly shaken. “I… uh… It’s not what it looked like,” he said quickly, his voice unusually defensive. “I was just trying to tease her a little. You know, lighthearted fun. Who would’ve thought she was the Marquis’ wife? If I’d known that, I wouldn’t have dared even to try.”
Valeria’s eyes narrowed, suspicion and disbelief mingling in her gaze. “Just teasing? What kind of teasing was that?” she asked sharply, her tone laced with incredulity. “Touching her here and there?”
Lucavion blinked, clearly caught off guard by her accusation. “Touching?” he repeated, his brow furrowing. “I wasn’t touching—”
“And the sounds,” Valeria cut him off, her cheeks heating slightly as she continued, her voice quieter but no less pointed. “You were making quite a bit of noise. Laughing, muttering… squirming.”
Her mind churned as the earlier scene played back in vivid, embarrassing detail. In her imagination, fueled by the muffled sounds and her own restless thoughts, she had conjured scenarios far beyond what had actually occurred. The idea of Lucavion behaving so boldly with the Marquis’ wife had seemed almost plausible—after all, he was Lucavion.
But now, as he stared at her with a mixture of confusion and mild amusement, doubt began to creep in.
Lucavion rubbed the back of his neck, his smirk returning, though it was tinged with exasperation. “Valeria,” he said dryly, “she was just examining my injuries. That’s it. What else would it be?” freeweɓnovel.cm
Valeria froze, the heat in her face intensifying as realization struck her like a bolt of lightning. She had… misunderstood. Terribly.
“Of course,” she muttered under her breath, her voice barely audible as she tried to suppress the embarrassment rising within her. “It’s… that makes sense. Why would it be anything else?”
Her shoulders stiffened, and she turned her gaze toward the fire, desperate to avoid his piercing eyes. It’s Lucavion, she reminded herself. Even he wouldn’t… no, he couldn’t possibly… Right?
The silence stretched for a moment before Lucavion’s grin widened, a glint of mischief flashing in his eyes. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he regarded her with a knowing look. “Heeeeeeh…” he drawled, drawing out the sound. “Valeria… What was going on in that mind of yours, hmm? Wanna share?”
Valeria’s head snapped toward him, her face now fully red as she glared at him, equal parts mortified and furious. “Nothing,” she snapped, her voice higher than usual as she struggled to maintain her composure. “Absolutely nothing.”
Lucavion’s chuckle was low and amused, the sound of someone thoroughly enjoying himself. “Nothing, huh? Sure didn’t sound like ‘nothing.’ Come on, you can tell me. I’m dying to know.”
Her fists clenched at her sides, and she shot him a glare so sharp it could have cut steel. “Lucavion,” she growled, her tone carrying a warning.
“Alright, alright,” he said, raising his hands in mock surrender, though his grin didn’t waver. “I’ll drop it. For now.”
Valeria exhaled sharply, still avoiding his gaze. She could feel his eyes on her, brimming with amusement, but she refused to give him the satisfaction of a reaction.
Inside, though, her thoughts remained in chaos. I’ll kill him later, she thought grimly, though the faintest hint of a smile tugged at the corner of her lips despite herself.