Chapter 27
The next three days following the royal carriage ride were a whirlwind of unexpected events for Lucien.
Valeria, with her radiant blonde hair cascading down her back like a golden waterfall and piercing blue eyes that sparkled like sapphires in the sunlight, had taken it upon herself to visit the Velebrandt estate's vacant mansion with an almost daily regularity.
Her smile, a masterful blend of warmth and nobility, seemed to light up the very atmosphere around her, making her presence both captivating and impossible to ignore. As she swept through the mansion's dusty halls, her footsteps echoed with a purpose, leaving Lucien to wonder what had prompted this sudden interest in a place that had stood empty for so long.
Though the estate was large, polished, and well-guarded, it was undeniably quiet, its grandeur tempered by a sense of stillness. Even with the discreet presence of housekeepers and the occasional patrol, the halls and rooms seemed to echo with the absence of life. But Valeria's visits were like a warm light breaking through thick clouds—lively, persistent, and impossible to ignore. Her presence infused the estate with a vibrant energy, her laughter and conversation weaving a spell of normalcy over the formal spaces.
Lucien, initially tense from their first awkward encounter, had slowly begun to relax around her—if only slightly—finding himself drawn into her orbit despite his initial wariness. Valeria, for her part, seemed wholly unbothered by the shadows of the past, her gaze fixed firmly on the present. Instead, she brought with her an infectious curiosity and an eagerness to talk, her questions and observations peppering their conversations like sparks.
As they walked through the estate's gardens or sat in its sunlit parlors, Lucien found himself responding to her warmth, his reserve slowly giving way to a tentative sense of ease. Valeria's presence was a gentle thaw, melting the frost of his solitude and bringing a sense of life to the estate's empty spaces.
Each visit was filled with snacks, short walks through the garden, or quiet moments on the veranda as the sun dipped low beyond the trees. But most of all, it was filled with her stories—stories from the Reinegard Empire Academy.
"You know," Valeria said on the second day, twirling her long golden hair between her fingers as she sipped a glass of chilled berry wine, "you'll be awakening soon. Which means you're probably thinking about Reinegard, aren't you?"
Lucien, seated beside her and poking at a fruit tart, looked up. "I've heard of it. But not in detail."
Valeria's eyes sparkled.
"It's the best academy in all of Aerithrall—maybe even the world," she said proudly, her voice light with enthusiasm. "Right in the middle of the continent. Every noble family, major guild, and empire sends their best there."