The Valentine mansion was already alive with the rhythm of morning. Sunlight poured in through the tall windows, casting golden beams over polished marble floors. The clinking of porcelain and the soft shuffle of footsteps echoed as maids crossed the hall carrying trays of fresh bread and tea. Butlers moved in perfect order, checking the vases, aligning paintings on the walls, ensuring not a corner of the vast home looked less than perfect.
Yet, all of it faded when Luca's gaze fell upon a familiar figure sitting calmly on the sofa, a teacup poised in his hand.
"…Brother?" Luca muttered, blinking in surprise.
Vincent Valentine sat with his usual composure, posture impeccable, silver eyes unreadable as he raised the cup to his lips. His presence was as unshakable as a mountain, his aura quiet but commanding.
So… are the third-year exams already over? Luca thought, his pace quickening.
