Chapter 78 — Madwoman
"Hmm... it does seem to be a democore," the elderly man remarked, adjusting his glasses as he scrutinized the piece of black steel in his hands.
"I thought so as well," Lucian responded, offering a nod of acknowledgement.
"But isn’t it smaller than the ones we’ve encountered before?" Adrian interjected, raising a curious eyebrow.
"It’s significantly smaller, yes. How did you know it was a democore, Your Highness?" the man inquired.
Lucian hesitated for a moment, then replied."
"I’m not entirely sure, but the moment I saw it, something told me it had to be connected to demons," his voice dropped to a near-whisper, as if speaking the thought aloud was almost too much.
He couldn’t admit that what had triggered his suspicion was Cynthia’s earlier words—when she mentioned seeing a demon. He had never witnessed one himself, yet something in her tone, or perhaps the conviction in her eyes, had stayed with him.
[That’s what you call blind trust. Disgusting, Lucian. You’re really going to trust her now?]
Keal’s voice rang in his mind, grating against his thoughts and unsettling the brief sense of clarity he’d found in Cynthia’s words. Lucian pressed his lips together, unwilling to let Keal’s taunt derail his focus.
The elderly man’s voice broke through his inner conflict. "I’m glad you brought this to me. I’ll need a couple of days to determine its age, though. In the meantime, why not enjoy your stay in the capital?" The man chuckled and leaned in with a wink. "The women here are far better company than those on the battlefield."
Lucian forced a polite, if strained, laugh. "I’ll have to pass," he replied, sidestepping the man’s implication. It wouldn’t do any good to offend someone who had once been close to the emperor—a former general who had lost his legs in a brutal conflict against the Eldorians.