After the king dismissed them, he turned away in silence and left the grand throne room through the gilded doors that led to his private chambers. His thoughts were heavy, burdened by the weight of uncertainty and the knowledge that the very foundation of his court might already be compromised. The golden hem of his robe swept over the polished floors, disappearing behind the closing doors.
Lucas and Henrietta walked slowly through the dimly lit halls of the palace, the silence between them filled with unspoken thoughts.
Henrietta finally broke the silence, "I’m going to start putting more eyes on Marquess Scott. Every movement, every conversation, every subtle shift in his behavior. I want to know about it."
Lucas glanced at her briefly and gave a slight nod. "That’s smart," he said, his tone even and thoughtful.
Henrietta didn’t respond immediately. She looked ahead, her thoughts racing, then slowly turned her gaze toward him. There was a softness in her eyes, a rare moment of warmth that rarely broke through her usually sharp exterior.
"You’re such a young boy," she said, almost in disbelief. "And yet, you carry yourself with the calm and focus of someone who has walked these halls for decades. You have great talents, Lucas. Not just in cultivation, but in your mind, your restraint, your ability to see ten steps ahead. You’re scaling up the ranks in the Royal Court faster than anyone I’ve seen."
Lucas remained silent for a beat, absorbing the words with the quiet humility he always maintained. He looked ahead, past the towering arches of the corridor, and replied with quiet conviction, "I’m only doing my best for Valerion."
Henrietta’s eyes lingered on him for a moment longer, then turned back ahead. "Good," she said simply, before her voice shifted into a more cautious tone. "But you should be careful at the Alchemic meeting. You’ll be among men and women who have studied the art longer than you’ve been alive. Elders who believe alchemy is their dominion alone. They’ll look down on you, question your presence, and make it known that you don’t belong. Most of them don’t believe there’s a place for someone your age among them."
Lucas didn’t flinch. He had expected as much. "I appreciate the warning," he said sincerely. "But I know how this game is played. I’ll respect them, even when they don’t respect me. But if they try to belittle me, I won’t argue. I’ll let my alchemy speak for me. That’s the only language they understand."
Henrietta allowed herself a faint, approving smile, and they continued walking through the long corridors of the palace.
Henrietta then left for her chamber, she had stuffs to do, she gently smiled at Lucas before she turned, her stride as confident as ever as she disappeared around the bend toward her quarters. Lucas, on the other hand, returned to his room with a mind full of calculations, thoughts shifting from cultivation progress to court politics, and the dangerous secrets still unraveling in the shadows of Valerion.
As he slid open the door to his chamber, his gaze immediately fell on Lira. She still sat cross-legged on the cultivation mat near the tall arched window, bathed in the silvery light that streamed in from the open sky above. Her aura had changed. It was denser now, more stable, and Lucas could instantly sense the powerful shift in her Qi. She had broken through. Her cultivation had successfully entered the Adept Rank, and from the way she remained immersed in deep concentration, it was clear that she was now working diligently to stabilize the foundation of her new level.
Lucas remained still for a long moment, watching her with a quiet, genuine pride in his expression. Her progress meant more than just power. It meant that she was safe, growing stronger, capable of defending herself if the time ever came. That assurance gave him a fleeting sense of peace. He turned away with a small, satisfied nod, stepping out of the chamber without disturbing her flow. There was something else he needed to do tonight.
The surge of power from dual cultivation was unlike anything he had experienced in this world so far. It was transformative, and he could still feel the lingering energy within his core, waiting to be refined and pushed further. But if he wanted to climb to the next level, he would need more Yin energy, pure, potent, and untainted. Lira was still busy and needed time. Henrietta had her hands full now, that left only one other person on his mind.....Selene.
He decided then that he would send for her. Turning toward the hallway once more, he spotted a servant not far off and raised a hand to call for them.
Before he could speak, however, a soft voice reached him from the garden path just across the corridor.
"Xavier" came the familiar voice, smooth and low like velvet in the evening breeze.
He turned to find Nyx stepping out from between the flowering hedges, her long dark hair cascading down her back, catching streaks of moonlight in every strand. She wore a light cloak, simple yet elegant, and her expression was soft, her eyes curious.
"I was hoping I’d see you," she said, her lips curving into a slight smile. "Will you walk with me again? The gardens are peaceful tonight."
Lucas paused, his mind caught between what he had planned and the unexpected presence before him. Then, slowly, he nodded.
He stepped toward her, leaving the servant behind, as the two of them disappeared quietly into the winding paths of the moonlit garden.
They began to stroll quietly through the moonlit garden, the gentle hum of nocturnal insects weaving into the soft rustle of leaves overhead. The cool breeze brushed past them, and the faint glow of cultivation lanterns floating in the distance gave the entire space an ethereal charm. Nyx walked beside him, her pace a little slower than usual, and her breathing less steady.
Lucas, ever observant, turned to her with a subtle frown. "Your voice," he said gently, "it’s tired. You need rest, Princess. That hit you took from the Grandmaster... it’s still affecting you."
Nyx let out a faint sigh and nodded, not bothering to argue. "I’ve been trying to meditate through it," she admitted. "But my Qi flow feels sluggish. It’s like my meridians aren’t responding properly... like something is blocked."
Lucas’s gaze remained calm, but his tone became warmer. "I can help with that," he said. "I know a few techniques, they’re designed to soothe your meridians, relax the body, and allow your Qi to flow freely again. It’s the kind of healing that works on both the physical and spiritual level."
She stopped walking for a moment and turned toward him, eyes narrowed slightly in curiosity. "Can you teach it to me?" she asked, her voice lighter now, the intrigue clearly growing behind her tired expression.
Lucas gave a quiet chuckle, one that lingered in the garden air. "It’s not something I can teach," he said. "It’s not a technique in the usual sense. It’s something I have to do. The Qi channeling involved is subtle....it requires precision."
Nyx raised a brow, but she said nothing. The way he spoke, so measured and composed, always left her feeling like there was more beneath the surface. She studied him for a moment longer, then looked away, the smallest smile tugging at the corner of her lips.
She resumed walking again, slower this time, thoughtful.
"I’ll trust you to do it," she said quietly.