Chapter 24
Lucien stood frozen, forgetting that he had a nosebleed minutes ago, his feet seemingly rooted to the spot as if an unseen force had anchored him to the ground. The words echoed in his ears, a haunting refrain that refused to fade away, as if they had been spoken in another language – yet, they were too loud, too real to be misunderstood. The syllables still lingered on the air, vibrating with an almost palpable intensity that made his skin prickle with unease.
He felt as though he was drowning in the silence that followed, the only sound the heavy pounding of his own heart in his chest. The words replayed in his mind, each repetition like a knife twisting in his gut, leaving him breathless and disbelieving. For a moment, time itself seemed to stand still, and all that existed was the echo of those words, resonating deep within him like a death knell.
> "What do you think, Lucien? How would you like to be the Crowned Prince?"
He blinked, his eyes fluttering closed and open again as if hoping to clear the haze from his mind. Did I just hear that right? he thought, a wave of incredulity washing over him as he stared up at the golden-haired man whose hand still rested on his shoulder like they were about to celebrate something outrageous. The warmth of the man's hand seeped through his clothing, a gentle reminder of the impossible words that had just been spoken. Lucien's gaze was drawn to the man's face, searching for some sign of jest or mockery, but the golden-haired man's expression was dead serious, his eyes gleaming with an intensity that made Lucien's heart skip a beat. The room around them seemed to fade into the background, becoming a distant hum as Lucien's entire focus narrowed to the man beside him, and the impossible, unbelievable thing that he had just said.
He tried to replay the conversation, connect the dots. My mother did say she had a brother in the imperial palace... then that means this man in front of me—
Lucien looked up, eyes squinting in disbelief.
Vale Aurion Aurum Vale.
Vale Aurion Aurum Vale. A man who looked like he had stepped out of a heroic legend, straight from the pages of a dusty, leather-bound tome, and landed in the most mundane of settings – a job interview, of all places. Tall, radiant, and undoubtedly powerful, he exuded an aura of confidence that bordered on arrogance. Yet, despite the air of authority that surrounded him, there was something about him that screamed "I refuse to take anything seriously."
A mischievous glint danced in his eyes, hinting at a sharp wit and a tongue that could charm the wings off a butterfly. His smile, when it broke across his face, was like a flash of sunlight on a cloudy day – bright, dazzling, and utterly captivating. It was as if he was perpetually amused by some private joke, one that only he was privy to, and the rest of the world was just along for the ride.
Despite his heroic appearance, there was something undeniably roguish about him, a sense that he was always pushing the boundaries, always testing the limits, and always, always looking for the next great adventure.
Behind him, two more figures now drew Lucien's attention.