Lucien sat on the sofa, one hand resting on his chin, deep in thought.
Seris, lounging on the bed, leaned closer to Nyssa beside her and whispered, "Nyssa, what's up with him now?"
Nyssa glanced at Lucien, then whispered back with a knowing smile, "Probably thinking about Lilith and Zara."
Seris chuckled softly at that.
Suddenly, Lucien turned his head toward Nyssa. "Wife, you haven't taught any students in over a decade, right?"
Nyssa raised an eyebrow. "Well, ever since I married you, I haven't taught much. Why?"
A sly grin formed on Lucien's face. "How about you teach that girl, Zara?"
Nyssa's eyes lit up with interest. "That's actually not a bad idea. I've been itching to teach again."
But her expression darkened slightly as she added, "Though... all my previous students ran away after just two years. Only you and a few others stuck around."
"That's exactly why I want you to teach her," Lucien muttered under his breath, grinning.
Nyssa narrowed her eyes and stared coldly at him. "What did you just say?"
Lucien waved his hands quickly, sweating. "Ah—nothing! I said your teaching is fantastic! You turn anyone into a master of weapons!"
Nyssa gave a smug, satisfied smirk. "Of course I do."
Meanwhile, Seris covered her mouth, trying to stifle her laughter at the whole exchange.
Nyssa nodded firmly. "Alright then, I'll start teaching her tomorrow."
Seris, still lounging comfortably, looked at the two with a soft smile. "Seriously? She hasn't even officially met us yet. Let's have dinner together tonight. After that, you can start your training sessions with her, okay?"
Lucien said nothing, only giving a silent nod, while Nyssa agreed with a shrug.
Then Seris turned toward them again and asked with a hint of curiosity, "So, how was your day with Thalia, Nyssa?"
Nyssa smirked. "Our day went... happily."
Lucien, wearing his usual calm expression, added dryly, "Yeah, Nyssa just dragged her to the training ground and beat her up all day."
Seris burst into laughter at that.
Nyssa shot Lucien an annoyed look. "So what? She's my daughter—of course I'll train her hard. It's for her own good."
Lucien held up his hands in surrender. "I didn't say it was a bad thing."
Nyssa crossed her arms but couldn't help a faint smile forming at the corner of her lips.
Zara, unaware of the fate awaiting her that evening, was peacefully dozing off in the courtyard. Her silver and red hair spread softly over the stone, rising and falling gently with each breath.
Suddenly, she felt a tug on her arm.
Her eyes fluttered open to find Lilith sitting beside her, a playful glint in her silver eyes.
Before Zara could speak, Lilith leaned down and pressed her lips against hers. Zara's eyes widened in surprise—but she didn't resist.
Just as Lilith pulled back from the kiss, she casually began unbuttoning her shirt, letting the fabric slip down her shoulders.
Zara's eyes snapped fully open.
She jolted upright, realizing it had all been a vivid dream. Her cheeks burned crimson as she covered her face with her hands.
"W-what kind of dream was that?!"
As Zara was still lost in her flustered thoughts, a sudden shimmer of energy sparked beside her. A glowing portal opened, swirling with violet light. From it stepped a tall woman with sleek black hair and a model-like figure, her posture elegant and confident.
The woman scanned her surroundings until her eyes landed on Zara. A puzzled expression crossed her face.
"Huh? Who are you, girl?"
Jolting out of her daydream, Zara blinked and turned to face the stranger.
"Ah—hello! I'm Zara. And you are...?"
The woman crossed her arms, her chin tilted slightly upward in a prideful stance.
"My name is Jane. I'm a princess. Hmph."
With that, she turned her head away with a dramatic huff.
Zara scratched the back of her head, confused and mildly amused by the sudden attitude.
"Okay... that was kind of random," she muttered under her breath, glancing sideways at the mysterious self-proclaimed princess.
Jane, noticing Zara hadn't moved an inch, furrowed her brow. With a sharp flick of her wrist, she pointed directly at her.
"Huh? Why are you not bowing to me?" she demanded, her voice full of indignation.
Zara opened her mouth to respond, slightly bewildered by the woman's arrogance—when suddenly, a calm but firm voice cut through the courtyard.
"Because she doesn't need to bow to a werewolf princess."
Jane's eyes snapped toward the voice, her confident smirk faltering.
Zara turned as well, recognizing the voice instantly—Lilith stood at the edge of the courtyard, arms crossed, her expression calm but laced with subtle threat.
A tense silence followed.
Jane narrowed her eyes. "What did you say, bloodsucker?"
Lilith stepped forward, her presence radiating cold authority. "I said—she bows to no one. Especially not a pampered werewolf princess trying to throw her title around."
Zara looked between the two, her heart thudding. Oh no… why does it feel like I'm in the middle of a supernatural girl drama now?
Suddenly, Zara clutched her head, a sharp pain pulsing behind her eyes. She looked down at her hands, confused.
What... is a supernatural drama?
Her vision blurred slightly, mind spinning with fragmented thoughts that didn't belong.
Lilith's eyes widened the moment she saw Zara wince in pain. In a blink, she was at her side, kneeling and grabbing her hand tightly.
"Zara! Are you alright? What's wrong? Is it your head?" Lilith's voice trembled with worry, her usual coolness replaced by panic.
Zara slowly opened her eyes, blinking away the haze. She forced a soft smile, even as the pain lingered. "Ah... it's nothing, Lilith. My head just hurts a little. I'm okay."
Jane, who had been watching the exchange with mild curiosity, now raised an eyebrow. Her lips curled into a mocking smirk.
"Well, well. Looks like the bloodsucker's gone soft," she said with a laugh. "Fell in love, huh?"
Lilith's concern snapped into a glare. She stood slowly, placing herself between Zara and Jane. "At least I can love. You, on the other hand, mutt—you've probably never even been kissed."
Jane scoffed and stepped forward, eyes narrowing. "What did you just call me?"
"A dog," Lilith replied coldly. "Though I suppose 'pampered pup' fits better."
Jane's face twitched, her claws itching to shift. "I'm. A. Wolf."
Tension crackled between them like a storm about to break.