Chapter 29
Realization
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"Huh?? You're a man? Sorry, let's stop right here."
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'Yes… I—'
'No… no, I'm not!'
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"Do you know? That girl over there used to be a boy!"
"Wow!"
"Shocking, right?! With that beautiful face and alluring body, you'd never guess! Ahh~ why is she more beautiful than us normal women?"
"Right~ right~ I know~ that's so infuriating~! Hey—how about we ask her the secret!?"
"You're a genius! Let's go!"
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'Y-you're wrong… I'm not like that… please… leave me alone…'
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"Lucius?? You?? But you're clearly a different person. Sorry, I'm busy. I don't have time for this prank."
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'Edward! It's me! Your best friend, Lucius!'
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"Bro-brother?? You're Brother Luci? S-sorry… I—"
"Huh? Evelyn, is she your sister?"
"N-no! I don't know her! Let's go, that boba over there is famous!"
"Wait, don't drag me like that! You're too strong!"
"Then you should keep going to the gym! Or you won't be able to handle me at night!"
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'Eve! Please! It's me! Your brother! Don't go! Please—!'
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"Luci… what are you doing? Why did you change so much? L-Luci… sob… why…? Am I wrong? Sorry, Father… Mother… I couldn't guide Lucius to the right path…"
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'Sister Sophia… I'm sorry… I'm sorry… sorry… sorry sorry sorry—'
'…'
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"Lucia~ My dear Lucia~ Ahhh~ what a perfect body… Mmm~ such a fragrant aroma… soft and delicate…"
"Hahaha! You're mine! Forever mine!!"
"Now—LET ME HAVE A TASTE!"
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'…'
'…'
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Warm light slowly crept into her vision.
Her eyelids fluttered.
Then gradually, her mismatched pupils came into focus. Color returned faintly to her delicate face, though she still looked pale and exhausted.
Lucia frowned slightly, trying to regain control of her body.
Fragments of the nightmare rushed back.
Her breathing grew uneven.
The thoughts from her dream didn't fade—instead, they lingered like poison.
Dangerous possibilities surfaced in her mind, one after another.
In her heart, she still saw herself as male.
The transformation had been too sudden. Too magical. Too unreal.
Somewhere deep inside, she had believed it was temporary—a trial she would overcome someday.
Wearing women's clothes?
Just survival.
Acting feminine?
A disguise.
Adjusting her name?
Necessary.
She had convinced herself that she was still "him."
But now—
Her body had betrayed that illusion.
Her menstruation.
Real.
Biological.
Undeniable.
Her body would react like any other woman's.
Pregnancy was possible.
That thought shattered the last wall of denial she had been clinging to.
If someone forced themselves on her—
Her body would respond normally.
Consequences would follow.
A child.
Responsibility.
Bondage.
What if she became pregnant before reaching her goal?
Would she be trapped forever?
What about the child?
Would she abandon it?
Run?
Destroy another life because she couldn't accept her own?
The weight of those thoughts crushed her chest.
Tears slipped down silently.
Her expression remained blank, almost detached, as the tears soaked into the pillow.
She didn't even notice the people in the room.
Doctor Dina had already attempted to speak to her several times.
No response.
No eye contact.
Just quiet tears.
Dina's expression grew more serious.
As a professional, she recognized the signs.
This wasn't just physical discomfort.
Lucia was dissociating.
Possibly shock.
Possibly identity crisis.
Possibly panic layered over hormonal imbalance.
"We need someone close to her," Dina said quietly. "Call her relative."
So she waited for Edward.
—
Not long after, Edward entered the room together with Han Ji-an.
The moment he stepped inside, he sensed something was wrong.
He exchanged a glance with Doctor Dina.
Then he looked at the bed.
Lucia was awake.
But tears were flowing silently from the corners of her eyes.
Concern, panic, and relief collided in his chest.
He rushed to her side and crouched down.
Gently, he held her hand.
"Luci… I'm here."
Her body stiffened slightly at the familiar voice.
Her eyes slowly focused.
They landed on him.
"Ed… Edward?"
Suddenly aware that she was crying, she fumbled awkwardly, trying to wipe her tears with both her hand and the blanket.
Avoiding his gaze, she grabbed a pillow and pressed it against her face.
Edward felt helpless for a moment.
Should he comfort her strongly?
Should he speak gently?
Should he act normal?
He chose honesty.
"Luci… it's okay. I'm here. If there's something you want to talk about, I'm here. I won't judge you. I won't pressure you. I won't expect anything from you."
His voice softened further.
"You still have me. And your sisters. No matter what."
He hesitated slightly.
"And… if it's not possible for you to leave today, I'll handle it. Don't worry about anything."
His sincerity was unmistakable.
Lucia felt her heartbeat accelerate unexpectedly.
Embarrassment mixed with comfort.
Since when could Edward speak like this?
Why did his words feel… warm?
Flustered, she answered quickly.
"I-it's fine… I just had a really bad nightmare."
She still refused to lower the pillow.
Afraid of what her expression might reveal.
Edward, half convinced, unconsciously began to caress Lucia's hand.
Lucia, feeling dread and a somewhat disgusting sensation, immediately retracted her hand under the blanket.
The memory, images, and sensations from her nightmare came back.
That image of her getting assaulted by a man made her stomach churn, shivers running down her spine.
Now the previous fluttering feeling and happy heartbeat changed into dread and panic.
Calming herself, she began to take deep breaths, stopping herself from thinking about the nightmare — and also her previous night encounter.
'It's just a dream… just your imagination.'
'Stay positive. You're not alone, and it's not the end… Even though the journey ahead seems a bit different and more difficult than my previous expectations, it's still doable.'
'Just stay vigilant and careful, like what Sister Sophia said.'
From the side, Edward startled when Lucia suddenly retracted her hand.
'Ahaha… Maybe I've done too much. It's clearly gay, but…'
'Sorry, Luci… It's hard for me to treat you like before…'
After a long silence, Lucia finally lowered the pillow that had covered her face. Feeling a bit embarrassed, she shyly smiled at Edward — then suddenly remembered that there were many other people inside the room.
Panicked, she almost tried to cover her face again, but held herself back.
The color of her face turned bright red like a tomato.
Putting on a blank expression, Lucia waited for someone to speak first, because she really couldn't say anything. She was still trying to hide her embarrassment.
Doctor Dina, who had already been waiting, immediately asked a question.
"Lucia, right? I'm your doctor, Dina Purawana. How are you feeling now?"
Lucia had already anticipated a question and answered softly.
"Yes… I'm fine, Doc…"
Nodding, Doctor Dina continued.
"How about your stomach? Do you feel any discomfort?"
Lucia began to realize that the previously intense cramps were almost gone. She only felt slightly nauseous, with a dull numbness around her stomach.
"I only feel a bit nauseous, and my stomach doesn't hurt as much as before."
Seeing that Lucia was responding normally, Doctor Dina smiled.
"Good. Looks like the medicine is working wonderfully. Alright, if you have any discomfort or questions, you can ask me now. Otherwise, here is my business card."
She handed her business card to Lucia and Edward, then gave instructions to her staff.
It looked like she was prescribing medicine for Lucia. After everything was finished, she handed over the prescription along with the medicine and instructions, then said farewell to everyone in the room.
The hotel manager also excused himself.
Now only three people remained.
Lucia felt confused seeing an unfamiliar person — a very beautiful woman with a friendly smile, looking at her with a warm gaze.
Noticing Lucia's confusion, she introduced herself.
"Hello, Miss Lucia. I'm Han Ji-An, the team leader of your escort operation. My official title is Program Manager from the Magical and Power Transformation Ability Research Center, Korean Branch."
"Originally, I was supposed to pick you up two hours ago together with my team, but we rescheduled until you're comfortable and ready."
Hearing that the person in front of her was important for her plan, Lucia immediately sat up and introduced herself properly.
"Sorry for the inconvenience. I'm Lucia… Thank you for giving me another chance!"
Seeing her adorable yet serious expression, Han Ji-An chuckled softly.
"Don't worry about it. Unexpected incidents are within our expectations. We have a one-day buffer time, so you can rest comfortably for now. And at the same time, you're also giving my team a good rest."
A gurgling sound suddenly interrupted the conversation — someone's stomach protesting for food.
Embarrassed, Edward laughed sheepishly.
"Haha… I guess skipping breakfast was a bad idea. Umm, Luci, want to get some food?"
Lucia smiled in response.
"Hmm… I'm not too hungry, and I'm still somewhat nauseous and weak. I'll stay in the room. Maybe you can bring me something from downstairs?"
Edward nodded warmly.
"Alright. I'll ask the staff to bring us a meal. Umm, how about you, Team Leader Han?"
Han Ji-An felt it might not be appropriate to join them and politely refused.
"Thank you for the invitation, Sir Edward, but sorry — my team is waiting for me at the airport."
Edward, feeling a bit bad, voluntarily invited her and her team to eat at the hotel restaurant.
"How about this? Team Leader Han can go with your team to eat at the hotel restaurant. I know the manager here, so you don't have to worry about the meal — it's all covered."
Han Ji-An didn't think it was proper for her — especially as an official business team — to receive such a favor, so she tried to refuse.
Yet Edward kept insisting. After a brief "battle," Han Ji-An finally admitted defeat and accepted the offer.
Edward then escorted Han Ji-An toward the restaurant. On the way, he stopped an idle staff member and gave instructions about delivering meals to Lucia's room.
Left alone in the room, Lucia used the time to change her clothes and tidy her bed. She realized that the mattress cover, bedsheets, and blankets had all been replaced with new ones.
She really caused a lot of trouble today.
Feeling melancholic, she looked at the panoramic view outside the window.
And began to ponder her life and goals.