It was something obvious, but only after Avelyne mentioned it did Nyx realize how lax he had been.
What she wanted from him was immediate action.
Not that he didn't understand her worries but…
He couldn't help but sigh. Nyx had hoped he could enjoy his time at the estate a bit longer.
"So when are we moving? Where are we going?"
Avelyne grinned.
"Smart boy. Well, the most obvious location for the inheritance would be your old territory."
Nyx wasn't dumb. He knew Avelyne was redirecting his attention, sidestepping the real topic. Still, he played along. If she wanted something he wasn't willing to give, then she simply wouldn't get it. As simple as that.
Caelia chimed in.
"It's dangerous though. Most of it has already been reclaimed by abominations. And let's not forget—whatever it was that killed the whole Veylin family might still be there."
Nyx's expression turned grim, a low hum escaping his throat.
Whatever lurked there now had to be extremely powerful. He knew Caelia was strong, Selene and Serra didn't seem weak either—but this was on a scale that had eradicated an entire household.
No, not just the household. The whole territory. No one had survived.
It was a big risk—but he didn't plan to die.
If the worst happened, he would just run away. Caelia should be able to stall enough time for him. At least, that's what he told himself.
Nyx was a wicked being without a doubt, a traitorous bastard. But if that was what helped him survive, he would follow that path with joy.
Of course, there was still the risk that he would die before anyone even noticed. True. But sometimes you had to take risks. And this seemed like such a time.
Lost in thought, Nyx didn't realize the room had gone completely silent. Caelia and Avelyne were looking at him as if waiting for something.
Noticing their gazes, Nyx cleared his throat.
"What?"
Both remained silent for a moment before Caelia spoke.
"You would need to go there personally. We suspect that only a Noctari—or someone of Veylin blood—can reach the inheritance."
"Figured as much."
Nyx had a feeling it would be like this from the start. Otherwise, the inheritance would already be in another noble house's hands.
Avelyne stood from his lap and stretched before turning to Caelia and Nyx.
"I will prepare things on my end. If possible, we should leave tomorrow morning."
Caelia nodded.
"That should be manageable."
Avelyne left first. Nyx thought she would return to her estate, but it seemed she simply sent her subordinates to prepare the mission.
Caelia was next. She told Nyx not to worry too much before leaving him alone in the study with his two maids.
Now that everyone was gone, Selene finally had free reign to fuss over him. She clung tightly, refusing to let go no matter how much he insisted he was fine.
It took two hours for her to finally release him. By then, Nyx was exhausted beyond reason. Her devotion was cute, sure, but also exhausting as hell.
Finally free and with nothing else to do for the rest of the day, Nyx returned to his room.
Some might have thought he was slacking off, but that was far from the truth.
Nyx entered his soul realm, meditating, trying to understand more about himself and the chains that bound him.
He had hoped to find memories of the old Nyx, the original host of this body. But all he found was… nothing.
Nothing of the past. But something else—something fascinating.
He had already noticed he could see at night as clearly as day, but that wasn't all. Shadows felt like home, as if they recognized him as one of their own. It was still faint and unfamiliar, but the kinship was undeniable.
And then there was the veil.
It felt as if something cloaked him, veiling him from reality itself. Everyone perceived him normally, and he saw them the same. So what did the veil do? What did it hide?
Even stranger was his blood. It no longer held the healthy red of a human's. Clear shades of gray ran through it.
Fascinating—and terrifying.
It meant he had once been human, but the trial had changed him. If being a Noctari was closer to his true origin, then this made sense.
Changes like these were rare even among the awakened on Earth—but not unheard of.
He thought back to his trial. He had been lucky in more ways than one.
Most trials were illusions—shadows of the past, or of one's desire.
If that was true for his too, then what did it matter to become a noble in an illusion?
What was the point?
A deep sigh left his lips. If this was all just an illusion, then the trial truly sucked. He had grown attached to Caelia and the others. They were the first to treat him kindly.
Still, there was no point in overthinking.
Satisfied with his meditation, Nyx left his soul realm and lay down. Sleep claimed him fast, the moonlight pulling him under like a lullaby.
Serra woke him early the next morning. They had to leave soon if they didn't want to spend the night in the wilderness.
Nyx bathed, Serra and Selene helping him wash and dress in a black kimono of the finest silk.
It felt comical, being dressed like this before heading into danger.
But Selene explained that this was no ordinary silk. After yesterday's incident, Caelia had ordered clothes that could not be cut or pierced.
The moment he heard that, Nyx could barely contain his excitement to test them out.
They weren't heavy armor, but they would do the job.
If he'd worn them yesterday, Edric's cane never would have pierced his shoulder.
A few minutes later, a knock sounded at the door. Caelia had come personally to fetch him.
When they arrived at the carriage, Nyx was surprised. Not one. Not two.
Five carriages.
Nyx looked at Caelia, who stood beside him nonchalantly, as though this was nothing unusual.
Guards moved around the carriages. Some wore the same black-and-silver armor as those inside the mansion, sharp lines and layered plates making them look both majestic and intimidating.
Others—likely Avelyne's knights—wore deep-blue armor, sleek and form-fitting, built for both protection and mobility.
It didn't take long for everything to be arranged. The wheels rolled, and the convoy slowly left the estate behind.