Lucion stepped through the door, the weight of the day pressing on his shoulders.
The warmth of the house enveloped him, the rich scent of Elena's cooking filling the air.
His mother glanced up from the stove as the door creaked open, her expression softening the moment she saw him.
"Oh, dear! You're back." Her voice was gentle, a familiar comfort.
Lucion offered a tired smile in return, though his mind was elsewhere.
Her gaze lingered on his face, then flickered to his hair.
She stepped closer to him, her steps light but purposeful.
Hands on her hips, she narrowed her eyes slightly. "Did Selena do something to you?"
Lucion stiffened for a brief moment before replying casually, "No, she didn't do anything."
'If anything, I'm the idiot who asked her in the first place,' he thought, recalling the mess that had started earlier at the Sunfall City Central Clinic.
- - - - -
"Sis, where are we going exactly?" I asked as Selena steered me down the bustling street.
"Central Clinic," she said without breaking stride.
"What for?"
She grabbed my hand, turning it palm-up to expose the swollen red finger with its thin crust of dried blood.
"Ah, but it's just a normal wound," I protested. "I'll use a recovery potion. It'll heal instantly." My tone was light, dismissive, this barely warranted a bandage, let alone a clinic visit.
Selena's arms crossed, her stance immovable as iron. "No," she said, her voice leaving no room for debate.
"Save potions for real emergencies. If your body grows dependent, they'll fail you when it matters most."
I knew she was right, logically.
But I hadn't even touched a potion until now. The frustration simmered anyway. A clinic visit for this? Still, the stubborn set of her jaw warned me further argument was futile.
"Fine, fine," I muttered, surrendering as she dragged me toward the Central City healer.
After they healed the scar on my hand,
maybe foolishly, I mentioned getting a haircut on the way back to Sylopher.
"My hair's getting a little too long. Maybe we should stop by the barber?"
Selena stopped mid-step, staring at me as if I'd just suggested something outrageous.
Then, to my surprise, she suddenly smiled, a smile that was just a little too creepy for comfort.
It was the kind of smile that sent alarms blaring in my mind.
Before I could retreat, she'd seized my arm with iron-clad enthusiasm.
"Don't worry, Luci! I'll take care of it!"
I barely had time to stammer a protest before she pulled out a sleek device from her storage ring, something modern and gleaming.
"What... what is that?" I asked suspiciously.
"A smart groomer!" she said proudly. "It can install any hairstyle you want. Trust me, I know exactly what you need."
"Since when do you carry things like that?"
But before I could back away, the buzzing device was already closing in on my head.
- - - - -
Now, back home,
Elena's gaze didn't miss a thing. Her eyes softened, but the concern lingered.
"Why did you cut your hair, dear?" she asked quietly. "You used to adore it. What changed?"
Lucion scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "It's nothing, Mom. I... actually suggested it to Selena."
Elena arched a skeptical eyebrow. "You suggested it? Not her idea?"
Lucion laughed lightly, unable to meet her eyes. "Yeah. I just thought... it was getting a little long."
Elena studied him for a moment, and then her lips curved into a warm smile. "You know," she said, her voice growing tender, "This new haircut suits you."
A faint heat rose to Lucion's cheeks, but he couldn't hide the small, grateful smile tugging at his lips. "Thanks, Mom."
Before he could slip away, Elena moved, pulling him into a tight hug. Lucion froze in surprise.
"You'll always be my little boy, Luci."
Her whisper was warm against his hair.
'I'm an awakened now, and I still can't escape this…'
helplessly, he allowed himself to relax into her embrace. It was comforting, achingly familiar.
Just when he expected her to release him, Elena's grip tightened even more, making his eyes widen in alarm.
"Mom, I'm sweaty and dirty right now." He tried to step back, but her arms didn't loosen.
"Don't worry." Chuckling, she tightened her hold. "I won't get dirty."
Her next words, spoken with such quiet pride.
"You've changed, dear."
His breath hitched.
"But I like these changes," she added softly.
From the nearby sofa, Darius looked up from his book, a gentle smile playing at his lips.
"Let him shower first, dear," Darius said calmly.
Only then did Elena, reluctantly, release Lucion with a small, fond sigh.
"Fine," she said, laughing lightly. "Freshen up. And then we're eating together, I made your favourite stew."
"Got it," Lucion said, relieved, flashing his father a quick, grateful glance.
'Thanks, Dad.'
With a playful salute to his mother, he hurried down the hall toward his room, feeling a deep warmth bloom in his chest, a rare and precious feeling.
Clack.
The door clicked shut behind Lucion, leaving the house quiet once more.
After a few moments, Darius set his book aside, glancing at Elena, who was still fussing over the table.
"You noticed it too, didn't you?" Darius kept his voice low, though they were alone.
Elena exhaled, fingers tightening around a spoon. "So she's finally gone."
Her voice was quiet, but laced with something unspoken—relief, perhaps
"Yes... I noticed that new guard lurking in the shadows. She vanished right after bringing Luci here."
Darius nodded, thoughtful. "All those months... she's been secretly teaching him the basics of dagger handling. Honestly, we should be grateful."
At his words, Elena's face darkened.
"Grateful?" Elena's grip tightened on a dish. "Do you know that because of some unknown origin technique she taught him, he almost died? And she told him to hide it from us!"
Darius let out a long, slow sigh.
"You're right... but still, she also sought out a revitalizing elixir to save him afterward. And look at him now—stronger, more mature, and he's even broken through to the Awakened rank."
Elena's nails dug into her palm.
"But what if Luci hadn't woken up...? What then...? Would you have..."
Her voice faltered, the rest of the words catching in her throat.
"Would you have taken responsibility?"
For a long moment, Darius remained silent.
Then, the book snapped shut with a decisive sound. Darius' gaze was as cold and unyielding as winter itself.
"If he hadn't woken up… I would've made Selena pay with her life. Gratitude doesn't blind me."
A heavy chill settled over the room, the weight of their unspoken fears pressing down as both parents sat lost in troubled silence.
Finally, Elena exhaled and rubbed her forehead tiredly.
"We're too obsessed with him... It's not good for Luci."
"Hmm," Darius hummed in agreement.
Elena managed a soft laugh, breaking the tension.
"Still... she did help him a lot. I don't hold a grudge against her."
She fell quiet for a moment, "But let's be honest, we did somewhat believe in her. That's why we allowed him to train under her in the first place."
Her gaze lowered.
"What truly caught my attention was when he broke through from Mortal to Awakened... despite only having the average aptitude of a Bright Star. That kind of leap—"
She shook her head slightly, voice hushed. "Even though he took the Revitalizing Elixir, he still needs to train. That's not something normal training can explain."
Darius gave a small nod and returned to his book, his presence calm and steady.
"Still, the real surprise was his hair. He never let anyone touch it before."
Darius met her gaze, solemn. "Yes. He really has changed."
Elena's lips pressed into a thin line.
"Ha…"