The soft glow of the valley’s artificial sunlight was starting to dim, dipping into that comfortable twilight Lucian had designed to mark the end of a day. The fields were quiet except for the rustle of crops in the breeze and the faint hum of the fairies drifting in the distance.
To any outsider, it might have looked idyllic—peaceful, even. But Lucian’s gaze lingered on the cages at the far end of the valley, where four intruders lay slumped against the bars.
The powder had done its work. Their breaths came slow and steady, still weighed down by unnatural sleep.
But Lucian knew the effects would fade soon. He straightened his small frame, brushed the dirt off his hands from the fields, and began walking toward them.
Berry had offered to watch over the prisoners, but Lucian wanted to handle this personally.
There were too many unknowns. And unknowns, in his experience, had a way of becoming disasters if left unchecked.
By the time he reached the cages, one of the figures was already stirring. A woman. Her head lolled to the side as she groaned, and then her eyes snapped open.
A sharp gleam flashed there as memory returned. She jerked against the bindings around her wrists, muttering something under her breath.
Her body tensed, preparing to summon fire.
Lucian saw it—the flicker of confusion, then disbelief. The flame wielder tried again, harder this time.
Panic flickered across her face before she masked it with a hard glare.
Lucian’s voice cut in.
The woman’s eyes darted toward the sound, and she froze when she saw him.
A child. Just a boy no older than six, standing calmly in front of her cage with arms crossed. For a heartbeat, she looked baffled. Then suspicion narrowed her gaze.
Lucian didn’t flinch.
"That plant I fed you while you were unconscious—it strips away your strength. You won’t be able to use your powers or push your body past normal human limits. As long as you’re here, you’re just... ordinary."
Her jaw clenched, but she didn’t thrash against the bindings again. Instead, she studied him carefully, as if piecing together a puzzle she didn’t quite understand.
She finally said, her voice low with disbelief.
Lucian’s lips twitched, not quite a smile.
"Don’t let this body fool you. It’s the result of a curse. I’m a little older than I look."
The woman’s expression faltered. Somehow, his words rang true. Instinct clawed at her spine, warning her that whatever this boy was, he was not to be underestimated.
Slowly, her breathing steadied.
Lucian tilted his head, watching her.
"Better. Now, let’s skip the nonsense. You walked into my valley with weapons drawn. Why?"
The silence stretched. She seemed to weigh her words, as if each one might cost her more than the binds already had. Finally, she exhaled and spoke.
"My orders. "I came to gather resources. Our settlement is running low, and this storm... it hides something valuable. I was told to explore and secure what I could for our people. That’s all."
Lucian’s eyes narrowed slightly, but he said nothing, waiting.
The woman continued, her tone softening just enough to sound convincing.
"I’m not your enemy. My name is Jamie Light, from the Everett Settlement. If you release me, I’ll go back quietly. I won’t say a word about what I’ve seen here. You have my word."
Lucian regarded her in silence, his golden eyes faintly glowing in the dim light. His system’s interface shimmered faintly before his vision.
[Lie Detection Active]
So that was it. A lie dressed in soft words.
As soon as she left, she’d report everything. And then... the storm would not protect them. More would come. Stronger, better prepared, hungry for what lay inside this valley.
Lucian let the silence stretch until Jamie shifted uncomfortably under his unblinking stare. He didn’t move, didn’t speak. Inside, his thoughts spun cold and methodical.
’Ten percent. That’s all she meant. Unfortunately, this is not good enough for me to let her go.’
The boy’s expression didn’t change, but the air around him seemed to weigh heavier, pressing down on the cage.
Even bound, Jamie’s instincts screamed at her to look away, to stop meeting those eyes.
She had fought men twice her size, and even beasts that had more than enough power to tear her apart, but this child—no, this cursed being—looked at her and it made the fire inside her chest flicker uncertainly.
Lucian finally spoke, voice quiet but edged like a blade.
"You’re asking me to believe that someone who threatened my people yesterday would suddenly turn meek and walk away? That you’d keep this valley a secret? Do you take me for a fool?"
Jamie swallowed hard.
"I... I only did what I had to. For survival. For my settlement. I am sure you understand me."
"And what about mine? Do you think your survival outweighs ours?"
Lucian asked, his gaze hardening.
She bit her lip but didn’t answer.
Lucian sighed softly, though the sound carried no warmth.
"Then let’s be honest with each other. You would report everything you’ve seen here. And if I let you leave, more intruders will follow. That’s the truth, isn’t it?"
Jamie’s eyes flickered, betraying what her lips didn’t say.
Lucian’s system blinked again.
The boy’s shoulders straightened. His decision was already made.
’Tsk, how did this kid see through me? Did I let anything show on my face? Or maybe it was my body language?’
Never in her life had Jamie faced such a situation before. She felt speechless and angry at the same time. ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ Nove1Fire.net
She almost wanted to abandon her mission, but in the end, she could not make herself do that.
She had sacrificed her life for her mission up until now, and abandoning it would feel like abandoning her life up until now.
’Let’s try to find a way out of here. I am sure an opportunity would arrive soon. After all, my opponent looks weak.’