Seraphina slowly turned her head toward Kanna, who stood a short distance away, her expression completely unreadable as she silently looked in their direction.
Then...
Seraphina shifted her gaze back to Lucian, her eyes gradually narrowing.
"Both of you... what were you doing just now?" she asked, directing the question specifically at Lucian.
Lucian, whose thoughts were still clouded by everything he had experienced inside the memory, looked at her blankly.
"What?" he blinked in confusion.
Seraphina’s lips twitched ever so slightly, wondering if he was trying to avoid the question, but she still repeated herself in the same calm voice.
"I’m asking what both of you were doing."
Hearing her words, Lucian instinctively glanced toward Kanna before looking back at Seraphina.
His mind was still unsettled by everything he had just experienced, so he didn’t immediately understand what she meant, tilting his head slightly in confusion.
Seraphina looked directly into those innocent-looking crimson eyes.
For a brief moment, she almost began doubting herself.
Had she misunderstood something?
But no...
Absolutely not!
She had clearly seen the two of them embracing each other.
It wasn’t just her imagination!
Taking a slow breath, Seraphina tried to compose herself.
"Dear...
I know you’re already an adult, and you might have your own... needs..."
Her voice gradually trailed off in embarrassment as she tried her best to maintain a calm expression.
Standing nearby, Kanna’s eyes widened almost imperceptibly.
The moment she understood the implication behind Seraphina’s words...
A faint warmth spread across her cheeks, embarrassment quietly creeping in.
’It’s nothing like that!
He’s the one who suddenly pulled me!
Blame your own son!’
She screamed inwardly in frustration, yet her face remained as stoic and emotionless as ever.
If someone could somehow hear her thoughts right now...
They would probably begin questioning whether she truly was the same cold, emotionless maid everyone believed her to be.
Lucian blinked several times.
Slowly, his eyes drifted toward Kanna once again before returning to his mother.
Only then did realisation finally dawn upon him.
"Mom, it’s nothin—"
"It’s okay. You don’t have to lie to me. You’re still young."
Seraphina didn’t even let him finish, unintentionally adding even more fuel to the misunderstanding.
"Mo—"
"Wait..."
Seraphina’s eyes widened in absolute horror.
"Didn’t you say you love Lia?"
She hadn’t thought about it before, but now that she did... Hadn’t Lucian already confessed that he loved Lia?
"Don’t tell me... you’re cheating on her?"
Her eyes widened even further.
"Lucian... how cou—"
"Mom!"
Lucian’s voice suddenly rose.
Almost instantly, his crimson eyes glowed, instinctively causing Seraphina to shut her mouth.
She blinked in complete silence.
The room fell quiet once more.
Seeing that she had finally stopped interrupting him, Lucian let out a long sigh before explaining that he had just experienced a terrible nightmare, and in that state, he had instinctively pulled Kanna into a hug.
It wasn’t Kanna’s fault.
Nor was it anything close to what Seraphina had been imagining.
"O-Oh..."
That was all Seraphina could manage to say.
A faint trace of embarrassment slowly crept onto her face as the misunderstanding finally sank in.
"You should’ve said earli...e...r..." Her voice gradually became quieter as she noticed Lucian and Kanna silently, intently staring at her.
Or rather...
Lucian had actually tried to explain.
She had simply interrupted him before he could even finish his sentence.
The tips of her ears gradually turned red as she inwardly cursed herself for jumping to conclusions.
After a few awkward seconds, the atmosphere finally settled.
"Anyways..."
Intending to change the subject, Seraphina spoke, only to notice Lucian still staring at her without looking away.
He didn’t even blink.
There was something unsettling within those crimson eyes.
Something she couldn’t quite understand.
It didn’t feel uncomfortable... rather... it felt far too intense, almost as though she was the only person he could see right now.
Deciding not to overthink it... again...
"When are we leaving?"
She asked, hoping to redirect his attention.
"Huh? Where?" Lucian asked, looking genuinely confused.
Seraphina stared at him for several long seconds, initially assuming he was teasing her.
But after looking into his eyes...
She realised he truly had no idea what she was talking about.
Seeing that...
"Just... what kind of nightmare did you even have?" she asked softly, her expression gradually shifting into concern as she stepped closer and gently cupped his face.
For some unknown reason, she couldn’t help but feel as though Lucian had suddenly become far more fragile than before. She didn’t know why that thought had suddenly surfaced, nor why she felt it now.
Feeling the familiar warmth of her touch, Lucian’s expression gradually softened.
"...About Father."
He said it simply, almost casually, as though it were nothing.
But the moment those words reached her ears...
Seraphina’s body visibly flinched.
Her fingers trembled almost imperceptibly, and for a brief moment, her gaze turned hollow as the memories she had desperately tried to bury resurfaced once again.
"Mom, don’t worry... it was just a dream," Lucian muttered softly, his fingers gently brushing against the back of her hand.
Seraphina slowly nodded.
"...Alright. But tell me if you ever have those nightmares again."
Lucian smiled faintly before giving her a small nod.
Shifting the topic away from his nightmare—or rather, the nine years he had just relived—Lucian once again asked what she had been talking about, still looking confused.
"You really forgot? We have to register for the awakening registration." Seraphina reminded him.
Only then did realisation dawn upon Lucian.
After living apart from the real world for what had felt like so many years, it was only natural that he had forgotten a few recent events.
Lucian walked over to the bedside table.
After briefly glancing at the black sunglasses resting there, his attention shifted across the tabletop as his eyes searched for something.
"...Where’s my phone?" he muttered to himself.
Then, all of a sudden, his eyes lit up.
"Right... I almost forgot about this."
Lucian slowly raised his hand.
The very next instant...
Seraphina’s smartphone suddenly materialised in his palm.
Both Seraphina and Kanna silently watched his clumsy actions.
Seraphina then glanced toward Kanna, silently wondering whether something was actually wrong with him.
After all, a nightmare shouldn’t make someone behave like this...
Right?
At least... she hoped so.
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