Chapter 47
The golden glow of the late afternoon sun spilled across the polished marble steps of the Velebrandt mansion, catching the faint shimmer of the crest above the doors—the winged lion standing proudly at the center of a shield. In the courtyard, the prestigious Velebrandt family stood surrounded by the loyal retainers of their household, the crisp wind carrying the scent of pine and distant smoke from the training grounds.
Lucien stood beside his mother and father, his newly grown stature and refined features a stark contrast to the boy who had left a week ago. The transformation had been subtle, but undeniable—his posture was firmer, his presence more composed, and his eyes, once brimming with juvenile defiance, now held the sharp glint of silent calculation.
A soft, velvet silence lingered as Aldric Thorne Velebrandt, the Grand Duke himself, stood tall and contemplative, his white hair flowing like winter silk, eyes like tempered steel fixed on his eldest son.
"The system has remained inactive for three days now," Aldric said, voice calm yet laced with concern. "We must be certain of what power you’ve awakened, Lucien. Whether it be mana, aura, or holy power, we can’t proceed without confirmation."
Seraphina Lysandra Velebrandt, standing beside her husband, gently adjusted Emilien in her arms. Her gray eyes, so often enigmatic, were unusually soft today.
"There are probably rituals," she murmured, her voice like flowing satin. "That may the caster’s feel the power lying inside of you. But they’re... archaic. And may not be accurate."
Lucien’s gaze wandered to the horizon. "I understand," he replied quietly, eyes thoughtful. "We’ll do what must be done."
Knight Rex, ever silent at Lucien’s flank, maintained a soldier’s posture. His ash-gray hair shifted slightly with the wind, eyes alert. He had seen many noble scions return from awakenings, but none so changed. None who carried the aura of someone reborn.
He’s no longer just a child. He walks with purpose.
Before more could be said, Lucien tilted his head slightly, having just noticed something.
His gaze settled on his mother’s figure—slender as ever, but her stomach, once round with pregnancy, was now as it had always been.