As Seria stepped back onto the ship, her composure visibly slipped, her polite mask cracking as she released a frustrated huff. Her usually neat movements were slightly rushed as she walked briskly toward Madeleina and Aeliana, the tension in her frame evident.
“My lady,” Seria began, her voice tight with irritation. “That man is… infuriating.”
Aeliana tilted her veiled face slightly, her curiosity momentarily overshadowing her unease. “What happened?”
Seria exhaled sharply, her hands clenching at her sides. “He speaks as though the words coming out of my mouth mean nothing. I implied, hinted, even outright suggested things that any sensible person would understand, and yet he acted as if it all flew over his head.”
Madeleina, standing composed as ever, nodded in agreement. “He certainly presents himself as someone ignorant of decorum or implications. It’s as if he’s oblivious to the importance of the Thaddeus Duchy… or worse, he simply doesn’t care.”
Seria’s lips thinned into a tight line. “Exactly. Either he’s an uneducated fool who doesn’t recognize the weight of your name, my lady, or he’s so insolent that he dismisses it entirely.”
Aeliana’s fingers drummed lightly against her armrest. “Interesting,” she murmured, her tone calm but with an edge of thoughtfulness. “And what’s your assessment, Madeleina?”
Madeleina tilted her head slightly, her hands folded neatly in front of her. “It is difficult to say. On the surface, he appears to be nothing more than a charlatan, someone skilled in combat but lacking refinement or respect for noble authority. However…” Her voice trailed off, her brows furrowing.
“However?” Aeliana prompted, her curiosity piqued.
“However,” Madeleina continued, her tone measured, “there is something deliberate about his demeanor. His flippancy, his mockery—it feels less like ignorance Stay connected with empire
“However,” Madeleina continued, her tone measured, “there is something deliberate about his demeanor. His flippancy, his mockery—it feels less like ignorance and more like deflection. He knows exactly what he’s doing, and it is not by chance.”
Seria scowled, crossing her arms. “If that’s the case, then he’s even more intolerable. Mocking the authority of the duchy so brazenly—it’s insulting.”
Aeliana leaned back slightly, her veil shifting as she tilted her head in contemplation. “Perhaps. But if he truly doesn’t care about the Thaddeus name, or if he’s deflecting as you say, that makes him even more curious. He’s not like the others, and that much is clear.”
Her voice dropped slightly, her tone more to herself than her companions. “Still, that doesn’t explain why I feel… like he’s looking straight through me.”
Madeleina gave her a reassuring glance. “My lady, it’s likely your imagination. The device is undetectable.”
Aeliana nodded, though the tension in her chest didn’t ease. “Perhaps,” she said softly. “But keep observing him. I want to know more about this ‘Mister Luca.'”
*******
Lucavion watched Seria retreat, her composed stride a little too stiff, her back just a little too straight—subtle signs of someone carefully masking their irritation. His smirk lingered as he murmured under his breath, “How interesting.”
[She looked rather annoyed by your demeanor,] Vitaliara chimed in, her tone tinged with amusement. [You’ve really mastered the art of getting under people’s skin.]
Lucavion chuckled softly, his dark eyes glinting with mischief. “If I’m not compatible with someone, what other choice do I have? It’s not as if it’s my fault.”
[Of course not,] Vitaliara replied dryly. [It’s never your fault, is it?]
Lucavion shrugged, his smirk broadening. “Naturally.”
He leaned back against the nearest railing, his gaze drifting toward the horizon where the faint silhouette of the Thaddeus Duchy’s ship lingered in the distance. His expression softened slightly, thoughtful rather than amused. Miss Seria’s questions were pointed, but her interest wasn’t casual. And then there’s that veiled girl, watching from the shadows…
[Still thinking about her?] Vitaliara asked, her voice breaking into his thoughts. [You’ve been unusually interested in that ship.]
‘It’s hard not to be,’ Lucavion replied inwardly. ‘They’re playing a game, and they’ve chosen me as one of the pieces. I can’t help but wonder what their next move will be.’
[Don’t get too comfortable,] Vitaliara warned, though her tone was light. [Watchful eyes like those rarely mean well.]
Lucavion’s smirk returned, his eyes narrowing slightly as he glanced toward the projection device that had been used to monitor him. “Oh, I’m counting on that.”
As he turned back toward the camp, his posture relaxed and his stride unhurried, Vitaliara’s voice echoed faintly in his mind, her tone playful but edged with sincerity. [You can’t resist stirring the pot, can you?]
‘It’s not about stirring the pot,’ Lucavion thought, his smirk curving into something sharper. ‘It’s about making sure the pot doesn’t boil over without me knowing why.’
The expedition pressed onward, the icy platforms shimmering faintly under the dimming light of the horizon. The steady rhythm of the ship’s motion and the occasional hum of mana from the mages maintaining the platforms formed a backdrop to the tense quiet that had settled over the group.
Lucavion used the time to center himself, his focus turning inward. The residual energy from his recent breakthrough still coursed through him, faintly volatile but undeniably potent. It was a sensation he couldn’t quite describe—a newfound lightness in his body, as if the weight of his previous limits had been shed, replaced by a sharper edge of strength.
‘Much better,’ he thought, flexing his fingers and feeling the subtle hum of mana responding to his will. ‘Everything feels… enhanced.’
Though he hadn’t yet pushed his [Flame of Equinox] to its limits, he couldn’t ignore the difference in its density. The flames, when called upon, coiled around his blade with an intensity that was almost alive, flickering brighter, hotter, more focused than before. Even a brief coating of the flames ignited monsters far faster than he was accustomed to, the heat searing through their defenses as if drawn directly to their weaknesses.
During the smaller skirmishes that punctuated their journey, Lucavion wielded his enhanced power sparingly, testing its edges without revealing too much. He danced through the battlefield with an ease that surprised even him, his blade slicing cleanly through the monstrous foes as though they were no more than shadows.
One creature—a particularly grotesque amphibian with scaled, mucus-covered limbs—lunged at him from the side. Lucavion’s estoc moved in a blur, the blade coated in a faint sheen of the [Flame of Equinox]. As it struck, the monster ignited almost instantly, the flames spreading like wildfire across its body and reducing it to smoldering embers in moments.
Lucavion paused, watching the aftermath with narrowed eyes. ‘This isn’t just stronger. It’s… hungrier.’
[Your flames are different now, aren’t they?] Vitaliara’s voice broke through his thoughts, her tone both curious and approving. [Faster, more destructive. It’s as though they’re waiting for you to let them loose.]
‘They feel denser,’ Lucavion replied inwardly, his smirk faint as he examined the faint flicker of flames lingering on his blade. ‘More refined. Like they’ve been tempered somehow.’
[That’s the result of the breakthrough,] Vitaliara said, her tail flicking playfully in his mind. [You’ve pushed past your old limits, and now your power is evolving to match. But be careful—strength like this can draw attention.]
Lucavion chuckled softly, sheathing his estoc as he glanced toward the next wave of monsters gathering in the distance. “Attention isn’t a bad thing, Vitaliara. It’s what you do with it that matters.”
[Typical,] Vitaliara muttered, though there was no mistaking the faint amusement in her tone.
As the expedition continued, Lucavion settled into a rhythm, honing his new strength while keeping his true potential just beneath the surface. Each clash was an opportunity—a step toward mastering not just his power but the balance between control and chaos.
******
The evening sky was painted with hues of deep crimson and gold, the aftermath of battle reflected in the dim glow of the horizon. The battlefield had finally quieted, the monstrous roars replaced by the faint crackle of torches and the murmur of exhausted voices. The expedition had succeeded in its objective—countless monsters had been slain, their carcasses strewn across the battlefield or dragged off to be dealt with later.
Captain Eryndor stood at the center of the gathered adventurers and knights, his silver-gray hair gleaming under the flickering light of the torches. Around him were the other station leaders, their armor battered but their postures upright and commanding. Among them, Captain Edran’s presence was particularly notable. His stern expression was softened slightly by the satisfaction of a hard-fought victory.
“This marks the end of today’s efforts,” Eryndor began, his voice carrying over the tired but attentive crowd. “You’ve all done well. The sea routes are safer, and the monsters that threatened our trade have been culled. For now.”
A ripple of murmurs swept through the crowd, a mixture of relief and pride. Some adventurers exchanged glances, their exhaustion momentarily forgotten as the atmosphere shifted to anticipation.
“And now,” Captain Edran said, stepping forward, his voice steady but firm, “we come to the matter that most of you have been waiting for.”
He said as she signaled the porters to come forward.
“The rewards.”