Chapter 2
The smooth click of polished shoes against marble echoed softly as Lucien Caelum Velebrandt followed his maid through the halls of the mansion that now belonged to him.
The Velebrandt Estate was not just a home—it was a kingdom in miniature.
Towering archways carved from dark obsidian stone rose above him, laced with filigree gold trim that caught the morning sun from high windows, scattering it like divine light across the gleaming white floor. Massive crystal chandeliers—each one the size of a carriage—hung from vaulted ceilings etched with murals of forgotten wars, celestial beasts, and the proud ancestors of House Velebrandt. Red carpets embroidered with black roses and silver thorns guided the way down the endless corridors like veins through a living monument.
Lucien's small hands swung as he walked, his childlike body failing to match the regal dignity the hall demanded. He glanced left and right with growing awe—and maybe just a bit of a smirk.
> "Bro, I feel like I'm walking through a museum made by gods... Where do they even get chandeliers that sparkle like mana crystals?"
He resisted the urge to touch the towering antique vases lining the walls, taller than him and probably older than most empires.
Ahead of him walked Marie, the short-haired brown-eyed maid from earlier. She moved with elegance and awareness, her posture straight, steps light, yet her head slightly bowed in respect. Her black-and-white uniform fit perfectly with the estate's high-class theme—modest, but tailored, with the subtle silver-rose pin on her chest marking her as a senior attendant.
As they moved deeper into the heart of the mansion, they passed other maids, some dusting towering statues with long-feathered poles, others kneeling as they scrubbed the marble tiles with enchanted cloths that shimmered faintly. Each servant who saw Lucien paused their work to bow deeply.
> "Good morning, Young Master."
Lucien grinned and nodded, but inside, he whispered to himself:
> "Okay... this is next level. I went from microwave ramen to... continental brunch with magical candles."