SWDnovel Chapter 24
Chapter 24
Chapter 24 - 24Lucien 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,
Before Lucien could ask anything, Vale clapped his hands.
> "Ah! So you two have met already. Great!"
He pointed at the maid.
> "That's my daughter—Valeria Aurum Vale. Your cousin. Talented in spell theory, excellent grades in Reinegard Academy, and has been trained in both combat and court manners. Isn't she stunning? Hey Valeria!"
Valeria raised a brow at her father. "What is it, Father?"
Vale smirked.
> "What do you think about marrying your cute little cousin here?"
Lucien choked on his own breath.
Valeria blinked, taken aback for half a second—but then slowly turned to Lucien again.
He was still blushing furiously. His mismatched eyes sparkled, lips tight, clearly trying to act unaffected while definitely enjoying the contact. She watched as he subtly tried to shift his arm again—less convincingly this time.
She smiled.
A gorgeous, slow, dangerous smile.
> "I'd be delighted to marry my cute little cousin," she said sweetly, leaning a bit closer.
Vale's grin exploded. "Perfect! You'll make a fantastic imperial couple. He'll be Emperor, and I'll retire somewhere sunny, rich, and peaceful. Maybe start painting. Or breeding wyverns."
Lucien blinked. "Wait—WHAT?"
Before the chaos could settle, Vale turned triumphantly to his father, preparing to throw his arms in the air and shout victory—
But found a giant palm flying toward his face.
"YOU—!"
"OH Shi—!"