_____
Lucina
My thoughts drifted sluggishly, wrapped in a soft haze, as the lingering warmth of healing magic continued to pulse gently through my body. It was as though invisible hands were carefully mending every ache, every strain I hadn't even realized I was carrying. My breathing steadied, my chest rising and falling with a renewed sense of strength.
"Thank you… Your Eminence," I said quietly, my voice still weak but sincere. A faint glow of returning vitality spread from my heart outward, like warmth after a long winter.
He smiled at me then—calm, composed, and endlessly gentle. The familiar serenity on his handsome face made it difficult to believe the power he wielded.
"You're welcome, My Lady," he replied softly.
A tight feeling welled up in my chest, something dangerously close to emotion. Gratitude alone didn't feel sufficient to express what I felt toward him.
"You've done so much for us," I murmured. "I don't even know how I could ever repay you…"
His expression softened further, his golden hair catching the light as he shook his head.
"I'm not doing this because I expect anything in return," he said, his voice warm and steady. "I simply wish to see you safe… and healthy."
The sincerity in his gaze struck me deeply. He was always like this—kind beyond reason, selfless to a fault, caring in a way that felt almost too profound.
It made me wonder, not for the first time, why he cared so much.
"It's strange…" I said slowly, my thoughts slipping out before I could stop them. "Is this how you treat all Brionians? The people of Brion must be truly happy. They're fortunate to be protected by someone like you."
For a brief moment, something flickered across his face. He shook his head gently, a faint flush blooming across his cheeks.
"That's… not entirely true," he admitted after a pause. "I was asleep for a very long time. I had to recover my holy power."
My curiosity vanished, replaced by concern.
"Asleep…? What happened?" I asked.
"It was nothing worth worrying about," he replied lightly, though a trace of weariness slipped through his composed tone. "It simply becomes more difficult to maintain my power as I grow older."
"Oh…"
I looked at him more carefully then. I always forgot—his youthful appearance was deceiving. Behind it lay countless years, burdens, and sacrifices I could scarcely imagine.
He adjusted his robes, as if concluding the conversation, then hesitated.
"Oh, and… I brought something for you."
From beneath his sleeve, he produced a small, exquisitely ornate box and placed it into my hands. With a soft CLACK, the lid opened.
Inside, nestled against dark velvet, was something that shimmered like captured starlight.
"It's… beautiful," I breathed, my eyes widening in awe. A blush crept up my cheeks, born of both surprise and the intimacy of the gesture. "But… why would you give me something like this?"
He met my gaze, his eyes steady and unyielding.
"It contains a portion of my power," he said. "If you are ever in danger, it will protect you."
The weight of his words settled heavily around me. This wasn't merely a gift—it was trust, concern, and promise all bound into one.
---
The Midwife's Treachery
As I rested, the faint CREAK of the door cut through the quiet. My attendant, a dark-haired woman who had rarely left my side, stepped inside and bowed slightly.
"The midwife wishes to check your condition, My Lady."
An older woman followed her in, her expression severe, her gaze sharp and assessing.
"How are you feeling, My Lady?" the midwife asked.
I opened my mouth to answer—
—but stopped.
His Eminence was approaching from behind them, his presence unmistakable. He entered with the attendant beside him, their footsteps barely making a sound. Two quiet STEPs. The attendant's lips curved briefly into a subtle SMIRK, so fleeting I almost missed it.
"Oh…!" I exclaimed, startled. "Your Eminence—I didn't realize you were here. If I'm in the way, I should—"
He didn't answer.
In the blink of an eye, he moved.
A sharp cry tore from his throat as his hand shot forward—GRAB—closing tightly around the midwife's arm.
"Y–Your Eminence?!" the attendant gasped, genuine shock flooding her face.
The midwife writhed, her features contorting in pain and fury as he continued to SQUEEZE her arm with merciless strength.
"You despicable creature," His Eminence snarled, all warmth gone, replaced by pure wrath.
"What are you doing—?!" the midwife shrieked. Then her voice twisted unnaturally.
PFFT… HAHAHA…
The sound was wrong—raspy, distorted, horrifying.
His Eminence's voice dropped to a dangerous murmur.
"Reveal your true form."
Suddenly, both the midwife and my attendant erupted into wild, manic laughter.
"AHAHAHA!"
My heart slammed violently against my ribs.
"What… what is happening…?" I whispered, clutching my gown.
I turned toward my attendant—and froze.
Beneath her panic, something dark lurked. Something evil.
Without warning, her hand clamped down on my stomach—SQUEEZE—and agony ripped through me. I cried out, my vision blurring.
His Eminence acted instantly.
With a sharp motion—SLOSH—he hurled a vial of clear liquid onto the midwife's hand.
The moment it touched her skin—
TSSSSS!
Smoke billowed as the disguise melted away, flesh sizzling as the glamour dissolved. I stared in horror.
Then I noticed it.
A necklace slipped free from beneath my attendant's robes. The gem at its center began to SPARKLE, pulsing with a dark, ominous light.
CLINK.
My body went rigid.
In that instant, the truth crashed down on me—I had never been safe at all.
They weren't here to help me.
---
I stared, utterly frozen, my breath trapped somewhere between my lungs and my throat, as the midwife's human form began to TWITCH unnaturally. Her skin rippled as though something beneath it was struggling to break free. Then it started to melt—features sagging, limbs distorting—until the frail woman I had known dissolved into a towering, shadow-soaked silhouette that seemed to swallow the light around it.
A voice echoed from within that darkness, layered and hollow, as if several throats were speaking at once.
"That's no way to treat someone you haven't seen for a very long time."
The sound crawled over my skin, cold and mocking.
From the shadows stepped another figure—a woman with pale hair that shimmered faintly, her smile sharp and glittering with unmistakable malice. She moved with deliberate elegance, eyes fixed solely on His Eminence.
"I missed you, Andrea," she purred, her tone intimate in the most disturbing way.
My heart lurched violently.
Oh my goodness… how could this happen…? Panic surged through me, tightening my chest until breathing became painful. I stared at her face, searching my memory desperately.
That woman… I had seen her before.
A flash of recognition struck me like lightning—an image of a painted portrait hanging in a noble hall, a refined lady gazing serenely outward.
Lady Lierre… of the Lumarouh Principality.
My blood ran cold.
His Eminence stood rigid, his entire body TREMBLING with barely restrained fury. The air around him seemed to quiver under the pressure of his anger.
"Ha…" he exhaled sharply, his voice thick with contempt. "How utterly preposterous."
His glare cut straight through the monstrous silhouette and locked onto the woman wearing Lierre's face.
"Are you still going around pretending to be her?" he snarled. "You foul creature—"
The demon tilted her head, lips curling into a slow, taunting smirk.
"Filthy?" she echoed mockingly.
Before anyone could react—before I could even gasp—she moved.
In a heartbeat, she closed the distance between them and KISSed His Eminence squarely on the mouth.
Time seemed to shatter.
His eyes flew open in pure shock. With a violent motion, he SHOVEd her away from him, his face contorting in raw disgust.
"—!"
He dragged his sleeve across his mouth again and again—WIPE, WIPE—as if trying to erase the very sensation of her touch.
Behind him, the demon threw her head back and burst into wild, manic laughter.
"HAHAHA!"
"Stop pretending to be so noble," she sneered, her voice dripping with mockery.
A blinding radiance erupted from His Eminence. Holy light flared around him, pushing back the shadows as his fury crystallized into unyielding resolve.
"We have endured far more than this," he declared, his voice thunderous. "THAT'S ENOUGH!"
Power surged outward in waves.
"Titi," he commanded sharply, without looking back. "Take Lucina and get away from here. Now. I will deal with this demonic creature myself."
"YES, YOUR EMINENCE!" Titi answered instantly.
There was no hesitation in her movements now—no trace of deception. She was all urgency and resolve as she rushed to my side, gripping me firmly.
The door groaned open—CREEEKAK—and before I could protest or even look back, Titi practically shoved me through the doorway. The chamber vanished behind us as the door slammed shut with a resounding SLAM.
The sound echoed through my chest.
On the other side, muffled noises erupted—bursts of power, clashing forces, the beginning of a battle I could not see. My breath hitched painfully as I realized His Eminence was facing that terrifying demon alone.
Titi didn't slow down. She was strong—far stronger than I had realized—and she half-dragged, half-supported me as we hurried down the corridor. The echo of the door's SLAM still rang in my ears, my heart pounding in frantic rhythm with it.
I leaned heavily against her, my legs weak and unsteady, every step feeling unreal. The further we moved from the chamber, the quieter the sounds of struggle became—but the dread only grew louder in my mind.
When we finally reached a side room, Titi helped me lower myself onto a nearby divan. The moment I sat down, the tension I'd been holding shattered. My hands trembled uncontrollably, my body still locked in shock.
"It will be okay, My Lady," Titi said, though her voice was tight, strained with worry she was trying to hide. "Nothing is going to happen."
"Yes… you're right," I murmured, forcing myself to inhale slowly. I tried to steady my breathing, to cling to her reassurance—but the images wouldn't leave me.
The melting flesh.
The shadowy form.
That smile.
That kiss.
"She transformed…" I whispered, my gaze unfocused. She must be one of those demonic shifters Puka mentioned. I squeezed my eyes shut, as if that might drive away the terror clawing at my thoughts.
But another question gnawed at me.
Why was she pretending to be Lady Lierre?
A sudden chill ran through me. I clutched my chest instinctively, my fingers tightening over my gown.
"I don't know what's going on," I said softly, fear threading every word, "but I have a very bad feeling about this."
My eyes drifted downward—to my hands, still resting protectively over my stomach.
"It's as if…" I swallowed hard. "As if that shifter and I are somehow linked."
Before Titi could respond—
KNOCK. KNOCK.
The sound was soft. Polite.
Both of us FLINCHed violently.
Titi spun toward the door, positioning herself slightly in front of me.
"W-who's there?" she demanded, her voice sharp with suspicion. "Show yourself!"
The handle turned slowly.
The door began to open—
CREEEKAK—
The sound stretched unbearably long as we held our breath, bracing ourselves to see whether another enemy awaited us… or whether salvation stood on the other side.