Dread and hope

Lucas slowly opened his eyes. The violet points briefly chased the haze of a dream still vivid in his mind, but within seconds, he found himself staring into a familiar ceiling.

'...what?'

He groaned, feeling his entire body protest as he sluggishly moved. Every muscle, every fiber, felt like they were being torn. Even his hair roots hurt.

His mouth was dry like he'd eaten nothing but sawdust.

The vision of his room's ceiling swam as Lucas barely managed to lift his head.

'What happened...?'

He **** a hand up. Feeling the side of his head, he could only confirm that the skin and ear he touched were alright. The strands of white hair tickled him, but the sensations barely registered. He relented the contact, slowly moving every part of his body under the covers. But he was alright. Unnaturally strained, but otherwise fine.

'Did I... faint after Deuce's training...?' he pondered whilst rolling on his side. His memory felt blank. The only thing he remembered was that it was Friday. That didn't explain a thing about his state.

But then, he noticed he was not alone.

Nimue sat in a chair next to his bed, back against the wall, as she had dozed off. The expansive, black hair enveloped her voluptuous body hidden under the familiar black-and-white maid suit.

Lucas blinked. Something felt amiss. He felt like he remembered a different Nimue... or maybe it was a dream after all...?

He grunted, forcing languid movement. Every bone in his spine shifted as though they hadn't been used in years, but he fought through the pain, sitting up.

She flinched.

Nimue's green eyes fluttered open, a visible daze of confusion washing over as the elf woman's lips moved, a whiff of air leaving before she breathed in deeply. A split second or so later, her entire form shifted, her body twitching to a better sitting position whilst she looked his way as if checking on him.

And then she froze.

For a moment longer than necessary, the two only stared at each other, a whirlwind of unspecified emotions between them. Concern, longing, pain, love, and everything in between. Nimue's ears twitched visibly. Lucas's breath was caught in his throat.

"Nimue...?" he asked, voice hoarse.

"Lucas?" she reciprocated, her tone as beguiling and soft as always. Then, immediately snapping herself out of confusion, she fixed her position, her hands gracing his as she inspected him. "How are you feeling?"

"Nimue?" Lucas repeated, his hand lifting to grace her cheek. "Are you... alright?" he asked hesitantly, feeling her smooth, warm skin under his fingertips. Images flashed in his mind like remembrances, but the texture under his skin bore no signs of claw-like marks. Her left eye was a beautiful emerald, not metallic gold.

Nimue gave in to his touch. Her hand covered his. "I'm fine. And you? How are you feeling?"

'...it... was a dream...?'

Lucas exhaled. Yes, this was the most sound explanation. After all, there was no way Nimue could've died. Of course. This was obvious. People couldn't just come back from the dead. If she died, she couldn't be sitting next to him.

A weak chuckle rumbled in his chest.

"I feel like I'm dying. Deuce really did a number on me. And I had the strangest dream just now," Lucas smiled, looking at his trembling hands.

"Dream...?" Nimue's brow lifted.

"We were at the Academy after Sera-- Princess Seraphina awoke her Origin Magic and ran from the mansion," he laughed weakly. "Damn. It felt like a whole goddamn war quest in there. I... I think I even used magic in an anti-magic field. Yeah... that was one crazy dream," he sighed.

'And... I had a sword... it's fuzzy, but I think I fought some people...' he grimaced inwardly. Most of the parts were extremely murky, but he could make out a sense of detachment that was unlike him.

"Lucas..." Nimue started, then quieted down. Her ears lowered, the pointy organs telling him she was not thinking of nice things.

"Nimue? What's with that expression? You look--"

"Lucas," she cut him off, her tone sharper. "What more do you remember?"

He frowned. Something was strange about the way she gazed at him, focused and ready. His guts twisted unpleasantly, a sense of guilt festering under his heart.

"I... something was happening in Weydan. And you... wait," the white-haired man focused on the elf woman. "What do you mean, 'remember'?"

The sensation grew in strength. New pieces began forming in his mind.

Nimue twitched. Her fingers curled into fists atop the bed as she leaned forth slightly. If not for the sadness of her expression, Lucas's attention would've been stolen by how her large breasts moved in the outfit.

"Nimue? What's wrong?" he inquired. A foreboding feeling nested itself in the back of his mind.

"Lucas... I... listen, this will be harsh, but... that wasn't... a dream," she said woefully, her eyes glazing. "It all happened yesterday."

"...what...? No, that's impossible," he shook his head. "I... no, there's no way, Nimue. I... you... if it was, you looked... different. And you had... some weird strings, and..." he mumbled. His mind was growing increasingly jumbled, with fuzzy thoughts intermingling with the already questionable clarity of his mind.

Nimue's hand lifted. Almost involuntarily, his eyes traced the lithe fingers, just before he saw them. Small threads of pale blue color stretched from each finger, shifting with her every shallow breath.

"...no..." Lucas felt his eyes water. He couldn't accept it. "That's... not possible. No... no..." he uttered, his voice a **** plea. No, this couldn't be true. His breathing hastened uncontrollably, the man beginning to hyperventilate as his entire body shook.

He barely noticed when Nimue sat on the bed, hugging him close. His face was buried in her chest as she lightly kissed his head, caressing his back daintily. The warmth of her contact was soothing to him.

"Lucas," he heard her whisper. "It's alright, now. You're fine. I'm fine. Everyone's fine. Breathe. In. Out. In. Out," she said repeatedly, slowly cradling him in his grasp. He felt so fragile.

...

He wasn't sure how long it took. Seconds blended into minutes. His mind, scrambling for answers, agonizing for release of pain and anguish in his spirit, eventually started returning to its rightful state. His sweaty palms released the hold of Nimue's back as he tried to calm the storm still raging inside.

But as he looked down at his fingers, new remembrances flashed. Warmth of bloody sprays covering his hands and the sword in his hand. Not his blood. Then, a faint memory of a dull feeling traveling up his arm resurfaced, together with a sight of his sword spearing a man's head.

The realization set in.

'I... killed someone. I... I killed a human being.'

His stomach lurched. Lucas didn't even realize when a bowl appeared before him as he bent forward. His breathing came in ragged. Nimue's hand traced along his back, rubbing his skin through the shirt.

'That wasn't me... that couldn't have been...'

Tears escaped.

"No... no no no..." he pleaded before Nimue hugged him again. She swayed back and forth with him, softly breathing on his cheek.

"Lucas, it's alright."

"N-Nimue, I... I k-killed some--" he didn't manage to end his sentence before he barfed again.

"You had ****, Lucas," she whispered gently, rubbing her nose in his temple. "It was you or them. It wasn't your fault."

He mewled, no coherence in the babble that left his mouth. With every next painful beat of his heart, he felt more memories surface. They were fuzzy and barely readable, but he could make out that he didn't end the life of one person. Two, five, ten... he wasn't even sure how many more. The colors of their clothes, the pained and afraid expressions. By the second, he could recall them more clearly. And that terrified him.

"No... I'm... I'm a monster... how could I have..." he spoke between ragged breaths, his vision blurring as his heartbeat surged ever higher.

"You're not a monster, Lucas," Nimue softly touched his cheek with her lips, planting a kiss. "You did what you had to. They left you ****."

Lucas's hands clawed at Nimue, holding her close. The elf maid continued whispering to him, her voice soothing. Like a lighthouse in the infinite black sea of the situation, her words helped him navigate the void of his mind. It was what she had always done. She had always been the beacon of light in his life.

...

...

...

Neither was certain how long it took. How many words were spoken, of reassurance, explanation, denial, affirmation, and everywhere in between? Anyone's guess was as good as theirs.

All Nimue knew was that, eventually, Lucas calmed down. He was still shaky, his complexion pale as he couldn't fully process everything that had happened, but he was more stable than before.

Nimue sighed, halting her steps and leaning on a wall of the corridor. Her vision felt unsteady, pulses of a foreboding feeling traveling down her limbs.

She lifted a hand. Thin strands of mana were still connected to her fingertips, moving gently with every minute breath and twitch. A frown descended onto Nimue's face, followed by a hasty reach into a pocket. Within seconds, she downed the contents of the vial she held. Hiding the empty container, she sighed. It was the second one today. And worse yet, it no longer worked as effectively. The threads disappeared, but very faintly, at the very edges of her mind, she could feel the tiniest of pulls toward Nefrelith's consciousness. It wouldn't be long before it could no longer be denied.

Nimue's fist clenched. Right now, that didn't matter. She'd deal with it when it came to it.

Resuming her walk, she suddenly noticed a familiar face enter her view. Aveline's hand twirled around a silver strand of hair brushing her cheek, the motion visibly nervous even when the woman's robust body spoke otherwise. Her violet eyes immediately locked with Nimue's, her gait hastening as she ensured they were alone in the corridor.

"Nimue," she called out. "Did he wake yet? How is he?"

"In shock," the black-haired woman answered, halting as Aveline approached. "And overwhelmed. Can't say I blame him. He'll need time to process everything."

The blonde woman sighed. Whether the notion was one of relief or defeat was undeterminable. Nimue wouldn't be surprised if it were both.

"What about upstairs?"

Nimue's inquiry snapped Aveline out of the momentary pause. With that came an unpleasant grimace.

"Not much better. Everyone's on edge. Mother is royally pissed at Lucas, though I'm not fully sure what about. Ophelia is still recovering from mana exhaustion. Lis'te is almost back to full health, and the rest of the retinue is ready. The only person holding everyone back is Princess Seraphina, who wanted to meet Lucas for some reason."

Nimue almost growled. "When are they leaving?"

"In a few hours. That aside, are you doing alright?"

The black-haired woman sighed heavily. With a quick motion, she picked the empty vial from her pocket and handed it over to Aveline.

"You know the answer to that," she stated grimly, keenly aware that her words held true. The violet of the taller woman's eyes shimmered, confirming that.

"...how much?" Aveline **** out past the knot of apprehension in her throat. It was because she knew the reality behind the question.

Nimue broke the line of sight, a surge of emotions flashing on her pretty face before settling on clear hesitation.

"...I'm not certain," she began. Her emerald eyes sparkled for but a blink. "A few months, maybe. Half a year if I'm lucky."

Aveline's complexion darkened. "I'm sorry, Nimue."

"Don't be. We both knew this was coming," the elf woman responded calmly, like she was talking about the weather.

"Not this soon," the taller woman opposed. "You still had over two decades. Now, it's..."

"It's alright. I already lived way past my time anyway. But I'm glad."

"?"

"I had the opportunity to see two generations of Stormriders grow up. Iwo would be proud of how you turned out, Aveline," Nimue smiled warmly, almost like a mother watching her child.

Aveline's form twitched, her limbs shaking. Visible conflict brewed beneath her amethyst eyes as they glossed over before she rubbed the tears out.

"What will you do now?" she finally managed to **** out.

"Who knows?" Nimue shrugged. "I never made grand plans for retirement. Not sure if I want to start now."

"Will you tell him?"

Nimue's expression hardened, her eyes dimming. "I... I don't want to. But I can't just leave without a word, either," she admitted. "For now, I will make sure Lucas can process the situation as a whole. Then... I will tell him."

Aveline's shoulders slumped at the mention of her brother. With a casual motion, she fixed the long shirt, getting rid of any wrinkles before she straightened in her pose.

"I suppose I'll have to go and tell them upstairs he's awake," she slowly spoke. "Let me know if anything happens."

The black-haired maid nodded. As the towering blonde turned around and walked away (while throwing a concerned look back mid-step once), Nimue felt her chest deflate, the breath she wasn't even aware she had been holding leaving her lungs. As Aveline left her vision, the elf woman cast a prolonged gaze across the entire corridor. A bitter, stinging feeling surged in her heart as she walked toward the kitchen.

-20 minutes later, Lucas's room-

Inhale, exhale.

...

Inhale, exhale.

A deep breath in, a slow expunge of air. Time and time again.

It was a rhythm that Nimue showed him, now done almost subconsciously as Lucas slowly moved about on his bed. Back against the wall, the white-haired man sat with his eyes closed, his mind racing.

It felt surreal. Impossible, even. A mere idea that what he held in his memories actually happened filled him with repulsion toward himself.

'I really killed someone. A living human.'

No matter how many times he tried, his mind inadvertently circled back to that spiraling thought. And the sensation like he wanted to vomit took hold again, only to be stifled by the rhythm of his breathing.

His thoughts escaped once more, seeking a way out. He thought of his group's leader, Alisha. Was the buxom blonde well now? From what Nimue told him, she was delegated to, but she didn't know more. What about Deuce? Seraphina? Countless people who no doubt took part in what had happened yesterday? He could barely even think about that.

His eyes opened slowly. The vision of his room in front of him felt somehow... off. It was almost like something was missing, but the man couldn't pinpoint exactly what.

Until.

'...didn't I make a note yesterday? About magic?' he frowned, seeing that his table was devoid of the item he'd left there. He was to hide it in a shelf, to ponder on it later, but he never managed to. 'And... where's the runestone from Alisha?' his thoughts diverged further as he noticed the lack of the small item she'd given him.

He shuffled. A chill ran through him as his feet touched the floor, and every fiber that could let him know of its existence did so with no restraints.

'This will take a while to recover...' he huffed, wobbily making his way to the table before slumping in a chair. 'Status.'

He summoned the half-translucent panel, his eyes looking exactly where the letters on a blue panel appeared...

...until he realized that nothing happened.

"?"

'Status.'

He called the status screen again. However, despite his intent being clear, the familiar panel refused to show.

"Status," he frowned. "What the hell...?"

And then, he remembered.

The vision of his fist smashing against the status screen, and its subsequent breaking, flashed in front of his eyes.

Lucas almost choked on his breath. It was impossible. The status screen was immaterial. It was a construct of the Outer Gods, and it couldn't be interacted with in any way other than through mental commands. His heart skipped a beat. Being unable to access his status screen...

'Does this mean... I'm Classless again...?'

No. This couldn't be.

He strived so long to have a class. Even if it were a support, even if it were a mind-meddler, he accepted it. But without a status screen to use it, it was useless. There was no class without a status screen--

'Wait.'

Lucas straightened in his position as a sudden thought bolted through his cranium.

'I've already used elemental magic without being a Mage or having the skill. Maybe... just maybe...'

His hand raised. The young Stormrider focused, his violet eyes scanning the straightened fingers. He recalled the sensations of casting magic. He now had many more to choose from. Not just the time he'd used magic on accident before facing Illan, or after. Although the details were muddy, he recalled 'part of himself' using magic, not just without a status screen, but also under an anti-magic field. If that was possible for him, then...

'Come forth, Lightning.' he called out in his thoughts, concentrating his energy. And just as he relayed his intent, a tiny bolt of electricity jumped between his fingers. It was no doubt smaller than he remembered, but it was undeniable proof.

He exhaled, relieved.

'So, I still can use magic. Though... I wonder if it applies to mental magic as well...? There's only one I can really try. Astral Projection.'

He called out, expecting a fuzzy feeling to overtake him. However, as a few seconds passed, the young Stormrider formed a displeased expression, seeing that he was, in fact, not displaced from his body.

Lucas wiped his brow.

'There will be time to think about this later. Now, I have to recollect myself and think the situation through.'

He leaned over a chair, his thoughts diverging further.

'Mother will no doubt have questions. Aveline, Ophelia, and everyone else will, too. The problem is, I can't exactly say what's happened... I honestly don't know what did. It was similar to what happened with Illan, but also different, more... distant?' he frowned, unsure if the word fit. But he couldn't find a better one to describe the state he was in back then. It felt like he was a distant, unrelated person, rather than a participant in the events that unfolded, while simultaneously having been right then and there. 'I don't know if I can explain any of that... no, in the first place, I don't think I should mention any of it. I'd have to start explaining meeting Eamon and all else, and that would not end well for me for sure.' he winced at the remembrance. 'Given the situation, I wouldn't be surprised if Mother orders me to check my class and show her. After the situation with Illan, that's for certain. Gods, this is a really problematic outcome... I don't even want to think about it.'

He sighed.

*Knock Knock!*

A soft, delicate knocking on the door brought Lucas out of his thoughts. Violet eyes scanned the entryway. Who could it be, at this time no less? Several names flashed in his mind. Nimue would've already entered. The same likely went for Aveline. He wouldn't put it past Ophelia to approach, or even Tessa, but neither of them sounded feasible at the moment. And his mother was most certainly out of the question.

The knocking repeated. A soft voice reached from behind the wooden surface, but it was hard to recognize the tone. Perhaps something with his ears was still off.

Lucas didn't think much. Before two more seconds passed, he was already by the door, holding the handle. And as the door came ajar, he noticed a familiar swirl of green hair. Half of Seraphina's face came into view, her blue eye scrutinizing him immediately.

"=Seraphina?=" he blurted out. "=Why... are you here?="

The elf woman flinched, almost as if taken aback by the question. "=I... I heard you were awake,=" she said, voice hesitant. It was a vastly different side of her, one that radiated nervousness, or perhaps guilt, eating at her. "=Y-Your mother agreed to let me see you... I...=" she trailed off, visibly uncertain. "=I-Is... May we speak?="

'Mother agreed to her visiting?' Lucas frowned deeply. The thought that this could happen, especially given yesterday's (or rather, Thursday's) events, bordered on the sheerly impossible. A warning manalamp lit up in the back of his mind like a beacon.

Seeing his expression, Seraphina's complexion darkened. Her pretty contours twisted.

"=I... I understand i-if you don't want t-to see me...=" she said, the beguiling voice almost cracking as she had visible difficulty keeping herself together. "=I... s-should be going, then...="

"=No, wait...=" Lucas suddenly said. Seeing her expression, he realized that his reactions to his thoughts likely sent a wrong message to the elven beauty. "=It's alright. Would you... like to enter?=" he asked, pushing the door slightly more open to take a better look at the woman.

The first detail he noticed about the elven woman was a bandage obstructing the left side of her face. It was mostly concentrated around her eye, though it did little to conceal the voluminous hair that was pinned to hide it at her temple. Likewise, the alluring, delicate shape of her face was impossible to ignore for more than a second. The intelligent gaze of the remaining blue eye held untold emotions, from easily recognizable hesitation to something less nameable, like a mix of admiration and something else that beamed when she scrutinized his posture with attentiveness.

A relatively conservative, teal dress descended Seraphina's frame. It flowed around her moderately endowed bust, capturing the rapturous nature of how her figure thinned out toward her waist before widening considerably as it did its best to contain the voluminous backside.

However, before Lucas looked at her for more than two seconds, a grunt entered his ears. His eyes snapped sideways, toward a taller elf, Seraphina's escort. His silver hair flowed gently on his shoulders as his brown eyes stared at him warily. Lucas didn't need to sit in Ginis's head to know he did not think many pleasantries toward him, especially after no doubt hearing him address Seraphina by name.

The white-haired man cleared his throat, almost staggering back as he swung the door open further, allowing the two inside. But before they entered, Seraphina turned.

"=Ginis, please wait,=" she said, her tone a bit more composed as she looked straight at her retainer. "=I will be back in a few minutes.="

"=You know I can't, Princess,=" he replied, voice firm, although his gaze spoke of a different tale.

"=It's a private talk.="

"=I still cannot. As your escort, I am to keep an eye on you at all times,=" Ginis cleared his throat, shooting a glance toward Lucas.

Something stirred in the white-haired man. He could notice the conflict brewing beneath. Ginis appeared to understand Seraphina's desire for a private talk, but keeping her safe took precedence.

'Even if it means intruding on a private talk... though, why would she insist on privacy? Everyone knows we spoke with each other...'

"=Ginis, I beg of you,=" Seraphina pleaded. "=Five minutes. That's all I'm asking.="

"=That's still a no.="

Lucas frowned gently. As the two in front of him exchanged more words of push-and-pull, he felt something in his guts stir. It felt... strange. On one side, he understood the taller elf's concerns, but on the other, he could sympathize with the need for privacy Seraphina wanted, even if he didn't particularly perceive why she opted for that.

'Ginis, please...' he pleaded, scanning the man. Deep within him, he wished he could interject in the talk, but he kept his tongue tied. 'It's only five minutes... It's not like this room has any other entrances...'

Then, he felt it.

A tiny, almost disconnected part of himself moved, deep in his mind. If it wasn't for how fast and sudden the shift was, Lucas would've probably reacted to it sooner.

He could not describe it. It felt fluid, yet solid, a tiny, normally imperceptible part of his mind that moved on its own, forming an impossibly thin thread of something within his mind. A remembrance flashed in front of his mind. He had felt this once already. Or rather, 'a part of him' did.

It didn't even take a split second. Lucas's eyes barely had the time to look at Ginis, instinctively following the invisible thread. It hit something in the depths, like a wall, before slithering within.

He wasn't sure how it happened. He wasn't even sure what exactly happened. All he knew was that, seemingly fed up with the argument he and Seraphina were having, Ginis suddenly sighed.

"=Lis'te is going to kill me...=" he murmured before focusing his gaze on the smaller woman. "=Five minutes, Princess. And not a second longer. And I want the door to remain ajar.="

'Did...'

Lucas could barely form a thought as he saw Seraphina's expression relax.

'Did I just...?'

He blinked, stunned by what just happened. It took him a second or two to register that Seraphina had passed by him, having nearly closed the door as requested, glancing around the room curiously.

"=So... this is your room,=" Seraphina stated somewhat flatly. "=Much less... furnished than I had imagined.="

Lucas shrugged, mentally shaking himself out of his brief shock. "=Vanity never truly sat right with me,=" he admitted. "=I prefer things simple. Feels more, uh...="

"=Practical?="

"=Yes, that's the word I was looking for, thank you,=" he nodded. Already, he could feel that the so-far tense atmosphere was melting, evident in how Seraphina's pose relaxed as she slowly turned. If he didn't know better, he'd say she was aiming to have him watch her.

Lucas cleared his throat.

"=That aside, are you well?="

Her gaze snapped back to him, a hand instinctively rising before she flinched halfway and lowered it.

"=I... it could've been far worse,=" she replied hesitantly. "=I was certain I was going to die. Losing an eye feels... like a small price to pay instead.="

"=I see... I'm glad you're alive,=" Lucas nodded, a small, benign smile showing on his lips. He wasn't sure what to say, but given the fact that Seraphina reciprocated, his words weren't taken at all badly.

"=And you?="

"=I'm alright. A bit stiff, but otherwise well.="

"=That's good to hear.="

A moment of silence stretched. Lucas couldn't help but feel as though Seraphina stole glances at him, her eye snapping toward him for fractions of a second at a time whilst she was seemingly changing her focus point around the room. He, likewise, didn't dare openly stare at her, but he most certainly didn't stop himself from an occasional glimpse of her. Somewhere in him, between all the chaos and unwellness, he felt a bit proud. Now, seeing her, he realized. Eamon was speaking about her all along.

'I'm glad she's alright. Though...'

"=Where is Cileres?="

"=He's upstairs, with Lis'te.="

And silence fell again.

Lucas could tell that Seraphina was growing increasingly troubled, distressed even, her expression sinking by the second. He could imagine the gears of her mind turning, searching for a way to express what she wanted to say.

"=Um, Seraphina, is--="

"=Lucas,=" she cut him off. "=Sorry, but... may I?="

He nodded.

"=I... I came to check on you, because... I...=" tears welled up in her eye. "=I'm s-sorry. All of this was my fault.="

He flinched, his expression showing a glint of surprise. "=That wasn't your fault, Seraphina,=" he opposed. "=What happened in Weydan, those people...=" a pause lingered momentarily, stifling his voice like a lump in his throat as he remembered the images once again. "=...They were attacking the Academy and the whole Weydan. You aren't at fault for their actions. You were caught in their schemes, is all.="

The green-haired elf focused on him, breath hitching. "=But if I had just... listened to Lis'te... if I had just not been so childish to jump between you and your mother, none of this would've happened. Spirits above, I'm so stupid.="

Lucas felt a lurch in his heart. For just a moment, a second, he felt aligned with Seraphina. He, too, had done stupid things in recent days. The situation with Tessa flared up in his mind. Because of him, she was going to be thrown out of the mansion. He would not go unpunished either, no doubt.

Yet, seeing how shaky Seraphina was, barely keeping her composure whilst wiping a tear, he thought back to what Nimue had told him yesterday.

"=That's not how I see it.="

His voice nearly stunned Seraphina out of weeping.

Lucas continued, "=You did what you thought best. You tried to save me from my mother. I'm sure Lis'te did what he believed was in your best interest, as well. What happened wasn't your fault. You wanted freedom, so you went out. It happened that Weydan was going through... that. But... that's just life. We can't be aware of everything. You make a mistake, and you learn from it. What's important is that you're alive.="

Seraphina remained silent for a few seconds after he finished speaking. Visibly mulling over his words, she unconsciously twirled a strand of hair around a finger.

Then, unexpectedly, she smiled.

"=...thank you,=" Seraphina said. "=This feels strange to say, but... this might've been the nicest thing anyone's told me all day today. It's strange... but in a good way,=" she added. "=It's... reassuring. I... I was afraid you would hate me for what's happened.="

"=I... no. You're not responsible for other people's actions. That you were in the Academy when they made that field was a coincidence,=" 'Although... something about that stinks.' he mused in his thoughts, but decided to put it off for now. There would be time to ponder that in-depth later.

Seraphina made a strange expression, something between relief and an unnamable emotion that appeared to surge when she locked gazes with him. A spark in her eye danced.

"=Cileres told me what happened after I passed out. He told me how you fought and protected us,=" Seraphina's gaze lowered. "=I... also came to thank you for that personally. You... did so much for us. For me. I... really don't know how to thank you.="

"=You don't have to. That's what friends are for. To save you when you do something stupid,=" Lucas snickered.

Seraphina paused in surprise before giggling. "=I... suppose so. Thank you, Lucas. For everything. It means a lot to me. I won't forget you.="

"=Me neither. I'm glad you felt good in here,=" he nodded. "=That being said, when are you leaving?="

"=In a few hours, at sunset. Will you see us off?="

Lucas's lips tightened briefly. "=I don't know. Mother-- Well, I'm surprised she allowed you to visit at all. Maybe she'll let me see you off.="

"=I see... If... you ever find yourself in Rigus, perhaps visit our family home. We will be happy to welcome you to our court.="

"=My, a royal invitation. A discourtesy to refuse.="

Seraphina chortled. She stepped slightly closer, less than a meter of distance between the two. Something in her eye shone, perhaps a bit of mischief or contentment, as she sighed gently.

"=That reminds me. Can I have your personal opinion on something?="

Lucas's brows raised as he nodded. Immediately, Seraphina took a strand of hair in her hand.

"=Do you think, uh...=" she paused briefly, a flush spreading across her face. "=Do you think I'd look b-better with some hairstyle? O-Or with shorter h-hair?="

The white-haired man blinked in surprise. The question was so far away from what he expected that he sincerely had to take a second or two to even ponder its meaning. The silence he provided was accompanied by an increasing flush on Seraphina's face. Her composure immediately faltered, and for the first time ever, he saw her act genuinely nervous, if not apprehensive.

"=I-I mean, I-I thought I'd ask you as a f-friend, is all!=" Seraphina stammered a response.

Her hasty speech snapped Lucas out of his thoughts. With an uncertain chuckle, he rubbed the nape of his neck.

"=R-Right, haha... well, if you're asking me, I'm not really an expert,=" Lucas admitted, if a little sheepishly. "=I think your hair looks great the way it is. I mean, it must've taken a long time to grow it that much, right? It'd be a shame to cut it.="

"=Right, right... Sorry, I just... n-never mind that.="

"=No, it's alright, I just didn't expect that.="

A long moment of nervous chuckling filled the air between them. Lucas could tell that Seraphina looked... a little disappointed. It was almost like she expected him to give her an answer.

'I suppose I shouldn't leave it at this.'

"=I, uh... I normally think everyone should look as they see themselves comfortable with, but have you ever considered a braid? I think I'd pair well with your length.="

She looked at him, a curious surprise written on her beautiful face. With a clear ponder, she rubbed her hair.

"=A braid...? Is that w-what you lik-- I-I mean! Yes! A braid! T-That's a great idea!=" Seraphina corrected herself, straightening in her position. "=I'll be sure t-to try it s-sometime.="

"=I, yes, uh... that's great to hear.="

A sound of knocking disrupted the beat of nervous silence that followed. The door creaked open, Ginis leaning into the room.

"=Princess, the five minutes are up. We should return upstairs.="

Seraphina looked at her retainer before nodding. "=Yes, Ginis. J-Just one second.="

The man frowned, his brown eyes meeting Lucas's violet. The young Stormrider could immediately read wariness from within, as if Ginis suspected him of something. Then, the elf stepped away from the door, turning to inspect the corridors.

Lucas rolled his eyes.

'Gods, please let me off the hook for once.'

"=I suppose this is a goodbye, then.="

He turned around, hearing Seraphina speak. For a brief moment, he took in her details.

Her pretty face was painted a vivid pink-red, especially evident on her smooth, refined cheeks. The cascade of green hair enveloped her whole, making her dress emphasize her voluptuous figure all the more. The unchanging intelligence of her stare scrutinized him much as he did her. Even the bandage did nothing to hide the beauty that beamed from her.

"=I suppose so. Take care, Seraphina.="

"=Thank you, Lucas. You too, stay safe.="

He nodded.

Seraphina passed by him, barely a step before turning.

"=O-One last thing before I go.="

"?"

Suddenly, she turned toward him. Before Lucas reacted, Seraphina was on her toes, hands cupping his face as her lips clumsily pressed against his. Her eye was closed, the woman letting herself go as his lips parted, her tongue darting out to lap at his. The movements were wild and uncoordinated, but the sensual, primal need in the act was evident.

Lucas didn't even realize when he responded in full, hands embracing Seraphina's waist as he pulled her closer. The two spent at least a few seconds like this, lapping at each other's mouths before they parted, taking in short, ragged breaths.

Without a word, the green-haired elf finally stepped back, her face even redder than before, and walked toward the door. Shooting one last, longing look toward the white-haired man, she smiled at him, which he almost involuntarily reciprocated.

And then, with a soft motion, she closed the door behind herself.

Lucas blinked hastily, a shallow exhale leaving his mouth.

'What... just happened?'

---

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