"You'll have to be my girlfriend!"
Aria froze for a moment, her expression unreadable.
Then—
She burst out laughing.
"Your girlfriend?" she repeated between laughs, holding her stomach. "You must be joking, right?"
Northern shrugged, his tone calm but eyes sharp. "I'm completely serious."
Her laughter died down, replaced with a look of disbelief. "You can't be serious, Lucas. I came here to discuss a deal, not to entertain your ridiculous fantasies again."
He met her gaze steadily. "And I told you, I'm not the same Lucas you knew before. That old me might've asked for one night—just lust. But I'm asking for something else. If I'm going to risk my life for that map, I want something real in return."
Aria crossed her arms, clearly irritated. "Something real? You expect me to believe that?"
"Believe what you want," Northern said, turning slightly toward the window. "But that's my condition."
Aria's jaw clenched. "You're unbelievable," she muttered. "I should have known better than to trust you. You just changed the wording of your filthy deals. That's all."
Northern looked over his shoulder. "You can call it whatever you want. But I won't move a finger until you agree."
Her eyes flared with anger. "You think you have the upper hand here?"
"No," Northern replied simply. "But I do have something you need—and you know I'm right. That's why you brought me here instead of reporting me for using forbidden magic."
Aria's lips parted, but no sound came out. He wasn't wrong.
Silence filled the room for a moment. The tension between them thickened, her green eyes locked onto his crimson ones. She wanted to say no. She wanted to slap that calm, smug look off his face.
But deep down, she knew she had no choice.
Without him, she could never get near the Ice Valley. It was sealed under several magical barriers only accessible by the academy's upper circle—and Lucas' father, happen to belong to that circle. And Lucas despite his reckless living, is both loved and pampered by his family, most especially his father.
She took a deep breath, closing her eyes briefly. "You really are a piece of work," she muttered. "You know that?"
Northern smiled faintly. "I've heard worse."
"Fine!" Aria snapped, glaring at him. "I'll agree. I'll be your 'girlfriend'—for now. But don't think for a second that this means anything."
"Of course," Northern said smoothly. "A deal is a deal."
Her expression softened just slightly, though her tone stayed cold. "Once I get the map, we're done. Don't expect me to hold your hand or play along with your nonsense."
"Fair enough," he replied, extending his hand with a faint grin. "Partners, then?"
Aria hesitated before slapping his hand away. "Partners, my foot. Just remember your end of the deal."
She turned toward the door, clearly flustered. Her cheeks were faintly pink—not from embarrassment, she told herself, but from anger.
"By the way," Northern said casually, dusting off his sleeves. "If we're pretending to be a couple, you might want to start acting like one in front of others."
She whipped around, glaring. "Try that again and I'll freeze you where you stand."
Northern chuckled softly. "Noted."
As she walked out, he sighed and ran a hand through his hair. 'So, she agreed. That's one problem handled. But what exactly is this Ice Valley that she's so desperate to reach?'
He looked at his palm, watching as faint red lines pulsed beneath his skin—the same glow from before.
"Devil's Bloodline…" he murmured. "Maybe it's time I find out what kind of power this body truly holds."
Outside the door, Aria stopped for a brief moment, pressing her hand to her chest. Her heart was racing for no reason she could understand.
"Lucas… no, you're not him," she whispered to herself. "Something's different about you."
Then she shook the thought away and continued down the hall, her expression hardening again. "But different or not, you'll get me that map—no matter what it takes."
--------
Northern soon found his way home and the moment he arrived, he was stunned for a moment.
It was a large Villa with beautiful majestic houses — Houses he had never seen before.
"So this is where the real owner of this body lives..." He mumbled and paused. He could not stop looking around the place. "No wonder he is bold enough to cause trouble and do whatever he wishes to. Unlike me who has to fight for everything, this one has everything in a platter of gold."
"Young master, you are back," someone said from behind.
He turned abruptly and was stunned to see a beautiful girl standing behind him. She was putting on a short black gown with an apron on top of it. Her pink hair was tied upwards.
"You are...?"
"Young master, are you drunk again that you have forgotten me?" She asked, tilting her head. She wasn't looking surprised as Northern had expected, instead, she sighed and replied. "It is me, Mia."
'Mia... She's a servant here but why does she look so gorgeous? This world is something else.'
"Young master?" Mia called, tilting her head. "Your father wants to see you."
"My father?" Northern asked.
"Yes, young master. He is in his study," Mia replied.
'What does he look like? Is he intimidating? What if he finds out that I am no longer his son?'
As if sensing Northern's inner worries, Mia was confused. "Young master, what is the matter? You don't look calm."
"No, it is nothing. Just a slight headache probably from drinking too much," he lied.
"I see," Mia muttered. She didn't seem to believe him yet, she didn't ask further. "Let's go, your father is probably waiting for you now."
"S-sure," Northern mumbled and followed Mia.
She led the way through the long marble corridor, her soft footsteps echoing faintly in the quiet of the villa. The walls were adorned with paintings—portraits of ancestors and landscapes Northern didn't recognize but each brushstroke hinted at wealth, legacy, and power. The air itself carried an invisible weight, one that reminded him this was no ordinary family.
At last, they stopped before a tall wooden door, its surface engraved with the family crest—a phoenix surrounded by flames. Mia turned slightly to him. "He's inside, young master," she said softly, bowing her head before pushing the door open.
Northern took a slow breath and stepped in.
The room was warm, filled with the faint scent of burning wood. The fire crackled in a marble hearth, and shelves of old books lined the walls. Behind a large mahogany desk sat a man with gray streaks in his black hair, his sharp eyes reading through a thick pile of documents.
'So this was Lucas' father.'
"My Lord, young master is here," Mia said politely and bowed before leaving the room.
When she shut the door behind her, silence filled the space. Northern stood awkwardly for a few seconds, unsure of what to do.
The man finally raised his head. His expression wasn't as stern as Northern had feared—it was calm, composed, even gentle in a strange way.
"Lucas," he said, his voice deep but not unkind. "You've been causing trouble again, haven't you?"
Northern froze. "T-trouble?"
The man leaned back in his chair, giving a tired sigh. "You disappeared from the training arena in the middle of your duel. The academy headmaster personally sent a messenger to ask where you went. Do you know how embarrassing that is for me?"
'So that's what happened,' Northern thought grimly. 'This is why he's looking for me? Thought it was something important.'
"I… uh…" he began, scratching the back of his head. "I wasn't feeling too well, so I left early."
His father's eyes narrowed slightly—not angry, but sharp enough to make Northern feel exposed. "Not feeling well, or you were kidnapped by a woman?"
Northern blinked, unsure how to respond.
Then, unexpectedly, the man chuckled. "You really haven't changed," he said, shaking his head. "Reckless as always. But I suppose that's part of your charm."
The tension in Northern's shoulders eased a little. His father didn't seem intimidating at all—more like a patient, weary man used to dealing with his son's antics.
"Come, sit," his father said, gesturing to the chair across from him.
Northern obeyed, trying to act natural.
"I've been hearing rumors," his father began. "That you've been spending time with a certain girl from the academy. Aria Voss, I believe?"
Northern's pulse quickened. "Aria?"
His father raised an eyebrow. "So it's true. You two are… close?"
"Well…" Northern hesitated. If I say no, it'll sound suspicious. If I say yes, it might sound worse.
He forced a small, calm smile. "You could say we're… getting along."
His father's lips curved into a faint smirk. "I see. Just remember, Lucas, the Voss family isn't one to trifle with. They hold influence in the Northern Council, and that girl is said to be quite dangerous. Keep your head clear. The last thing I need is you getting dragged into some political feud again."
"Again?" Northern repeated quietly.
His father chuckled. "You've forgotten already? Last time, you almost got engaged to a duke's daughter by mistake."
Northern's mouth opened slightly. "…How does one accidentally get engaged?"
"That," his father said dryly, "is a question I've been asking myself since the day you were born."
Northern let out an awkward laugh, scratching his cheek. 'So the old Lucas really was hopeless.'
Then his father's tone softened. "Still, I'm glad to see you in one piece. Your mother worries about you, even if she doesn't say it."
"I… I'll keep that in mind," Northern said quietly.
His father nodded once and stood up. "Go and rest, tomorrow is school."
"Yes father but before I go, there is something I'd like to ask you about," Northern said.
His father raised a brow, the look on his son's face made it clear that whatever he was about to talk about was important.
"What could that be?" He asked him.
"I want to know about the Ice valley."