Chapter 49: Departure
The kitchen was filled with laughter and a warm, romantic atmosphere.
Lucien continued cooking, preparing the same dish she had made earlier, but this time guiding her through each step of the process. And when he finally finished, they had the same food before them.
"Now you can taste your husband’s food for the first time," Lucien said as he placed the served dish before her on the kitchen counter.
Seraphina looked at the food with watery eyes, the aroma had been tormenting her since morning. She had been waiting desperately for this moment.
She grabbed her cutlery and dove into the food, taking a generous spoonful into her mouth.
"So how is it?" Lucien watched her in anticipation as she chewed. This was the first time he had ever cooked, even though he had the experience from the system, he still felt that familiar nervousness.
Seraphina, who was chewing the food, had her eyes filled with stars. It was too delicious. It had been a long time since she had eaten something this good. She didn’t reply to Lucien, instead, she kept eating with insanely fast speed, completely lost in the flavor.
Lucien immediately got his answer from her reaction and the way she devoured the food. Seeing her eat like that, he didn’t know when he burst into laughter.
"Take things easy. The food isn’t running away."
Seraphina seemed not to hear him until she had completely finished the entire plate.
"That was delicious," Seraphina said, licking her lips as she set the plate down.
It was then she remembered her actions. Her entire face flushed crimson when she finally felt Lucien’s amused gaze fixed on her.
Lucien was trying his hardest to suppress his laughter. This was the first time he had ever seen her like this. Someone so cold and obsessive could behave like this? It was utterly endearing.
"What are you looking at?" Seraphina snorted, attempting to regain her usual composure.
"I never expected you were such a foodie," Lucien teased, a playful glint in his eyes.
Seraphina felt her embarrassment deepen. "Which foodie? You’re talking nonsense."
Lucien didn’t argue with her, but the smile never left his face. "Was the food that good?"
Seraphina didn’t reply directly. Instead, she moved closer, her eyes curious. "What special ingredient did you add to the food?"
Lucien laughed. "Didn’t you watch me cook it?"
"Yes, I did. But it’s the same ingredients I used, just some minor differences. So that shouldn’t be what made your food this delicious."
"So tell me the special ingredient," she pressed, her voice insistent.
Lucien was having a hard time containing his laughter, seeing how serious she was.
He told her to bring her ear closer, and she obediently did.
"The secret potion is obsession," Lucien whispered teasingly.
Seraphina’s face became instantly flushed when she realized Lucien was playing with her. She pulled back, her cheeks burning, but a small, shy smile tugged at the corner of her lips despite herself.
---
Seraphina finally learned how to cook with Lucien’s help. Her food gradually improved, gaining a taste that was genuinely enjoyable.
After a bit of playful time together, Lucien’s parents appeared, giving him a knowing look which Lucien pretended not to notice.
"Mum, Dad, I’ve been asking about you," Lucien chuckled.
"We went to prepare a gift for our daughter-in-law," his mother, Valyra, chuckled in response.
Her words made Seraphina’s face light up with delight. After a brief, warm conversation, his parents’ expressions turned serious as they found themselves in the hidden room.
His father, David, waved his hand as a formation rune activated, concealing their actions from any prying eyes.
"About your bloodline," his father said, his tone measured. "We would like to check it."
Lucien’s expression remained unchanged. Since they were there to witness the phenomenon, he had expected this request. He nodded, giving them free will to examine what they wished, and this time, he didn’t conceal anything.
His father held his hand as he used an unknown method, wanting to gauge the depth of his bloodline’s power.
Suddenly, Lucien’s entire being transformed into that of a blade, every organ of his body, his hair, his skin, they were all like sharpened steel.
Blood drizzled down the corner of his father’s mouth as he looked at Lucien in shock.
"How can your bloodline be so strong?" his father mouthed in disbelief.
Valyra was equally surprised. She quickly seized his other hand, attempting to detect his Draconic bloodline. But as she probed deeper, she retracted with immense speed, faster than before, as a domineering, arrogant draconic roar erupted from Lucien.
Both David and Valyra exchanged stunned glances.
How powerful was their son’s bloodline? They had never heard of anything like this before. And yet, such powerful bloodlines coexisted within him without conflict.
"What happened to you? How is your bloodline so powerful, even stronger than our Ancestral bloodline?" his father mouthed, still in disbelief.
Lucien shrugged his shoulders with a helpless expression. He too was surprised that his bloodline exceeded even their ancestral lineage.
"System, is there a reason for this?" he asked internally. He couldn’t think of anything that could have caused such a transformation.
Ding!
[Due to Host consuming the Primordial Reforging Elixir and the Primordial Anchor Body, Host’s bloodline has evolved.]
"Then what’s the rank of my bloodline now?"
Ding!
[That’s up to Host to find out. Not all questions are meant to be answered by the System.]
Lucien shook his head at the system’s blunt reply. It was as unhelpful as ever.
He turned back to his parents, who were still staring at him in shock. Then, without warning, his mother burst into tears of joy.
"Thank Heavens," his mother mouthed through her tears. This showed that Lucien’s journey was destined to reach the peak, and as his parents, they were beyond happy for him.
They had stood by him when he was talentless and frail, never once complaining. They had warned everyone not to speak of it, though they couldn’t stop the whispers behind their backs.
"This is your own fortune. Just make sure you keep it a secret, even from your brother," David admonished in a serious tone.
Lucien was surprised by his father’s words, not expecting him to suggest keeping it from his own brother.
His father shook his head. He should have felt happy for birthing such a son, but now that Lucien’s talent seemed to surpass their eldest son’s, he didn’t want them to clash, or for their brotherly bond to be destroyed over the position of clan head.
Lucien just chuckled, finally understanding where his father was coming from.
"Dad, don’t worry. Didn’t I say before that I’m not interested in the clan head position? My words still remain the same."
David and Valyra exchanged a glance before nodding, their expressions softening. They turned to Seraphina, who offered a warm smile.
"Don’t worry, Dad and Mom. This is safe with me," Seraphina said, her voice gentle but firm.
His parents visibly relaxed at her words, the tension in their shoulders easing.
"So what are you planning next?" Valyra asked, her tone curious. "Would you like to stay here?"
The room fell into silence. Even Seraphina turned to look at Lucien, waiting for his answer.
Lucien shook his head slowly. "I can’t stay in the clan. Wouldn’t it spoil your plans? And with my current strength, I would only be a weakness to you if I remained."
"You knew?" His father’s voice carried a note of shock, his eyes widening.
Lucien simply smiled. "I’m sure I’m not the only one who knows. Big brother should know too."
David and Valyra glanced at each other, surprise flickering across their faces. They hadn’t expected that what they had been carefully keeping from their sons had already been discovered.
For a moment, relief washed over them. At least their sons wouldn’t blame them for their actions.
"Since when did you know?" David asked, genuine puzzlement in his voice.
Lucien shrugged his shoulders casually. "Don’t know exactly. But why did you think I agreed to this marriage and went along with all those rumors outside? So Dad, Mom, there’s no need to concern yourselves with this. Just make sure you survive..."
He paused, a teasing grin spreading across his face. "You know we wouldn’t want to be parentless at such a young age. You can’t leave us alone just yet."
A light chuckle escaped his lips, breaking the tension that had settled over the room.
"You brat," his father laughed, the warmth in his voice filling the space. Valyra and Seraphina smiled as they watched the scene unfold, their eyes soft with affection.
"So what are you planning to do?" his father continued, his tone growing curious.
"Well, for now, I’m planning on enrolling into the Aethel Academy," Lucien replied.
"Aethel Academy? Do you need any help with that?"
"Everything has been taken care of."
David and Valyra exchanged a glance, studying their son. They felt as though a veil of mystery had settled over him, concealing depths they couldn’t quite fathom.
"So when are you planning on leaving?" Valyra asked, her voice carrying a hint of reluctance.
Lucien shook his head and spoke in a serious tone. "Now."
Everyone was taken aback. Why was he leaving so suddenly, so quickly? Lucien saw their confusion and offered a small, reassuring smile.
"It’s better if my return isn’t widely known. And Mom, Dad, you should focus on your enemies."
All Lucien did was glance at Seraphina, and they immediately vanished from sight.
His parents stared at the empty air where their son had just stood. He hadn’t even given them a chance to say anything.
Valyra turned to David, her voice trembling slightly. "Do you think he’s angry at us?"
David’s gaze settled on his wife, his expression thoughtful. "He’s just giving us space. Let’s just survive this, and we’ll become one family again."
Valyra hummed softly and nodded, finding comfort in his words.
Meanwhile, Seraphina and Lucien’s figures materialized outside the hidden island of the Veyrion Clan.
"You didn’t even say goodbye," Seraphina said, her voice laced with bafflement.
"Why do I need to say goodbye? It’s not like we aren’t going to see each other again," Lucien replied. But if one looked closer, his eyes glistened with unshed tears.
He took one last glance back, as if he could see his parents through the distance. In the end, it all came down to one undeniable truth; he was still weak.
A/N: Well, this is the end of Volume 1: Hell of Obsession. I hope you’ve been enjoying the journey so far and if you are, I’d love for you to drop a review on the book. I need your feedback to keep improving.
Continue to support this author with golden tickets, gifts, and power stones. And let’s not forget the missions we have lined up ahead.
Enjoy the journey.