The next morning, before Ethan and Camille began their duties, Theo summoned them to the Duke's office. Sitting in his father's chair while Ethan stood beside Camille, the boy began:
"Father, Mother… I want to become an agent of Vagus."
"No!" Camille blurted out instantly. She hadn't expected that request, and her maternal instinct forced a swift answer.
Crossing his arms, Ethan sighed before giving his verdict.
"How?" Theo asked. "Why?"
A bead of sweat slowly slid down his forehead.
"Because no. Theo, you cannot become an agent of Vagus."
"And why not?"
"And why would I allow it? Do you really want to spend your life away from me, from your sisters, from our entire family—hiding in libraries and classrooms, running across the world and facing beings beyond comprehension? In exchange for what?"
"I'll find out," he shot back. That answer caught Liam's attention. "My instincts drive me toward this. I have something to fulfill as an agent…"
"No. You don't."
"Yes, I do!"
Raising his head and widening his eyes, Ethan cast an imposing look down at Theo. The boy immediately understood.
"Didn't you," Theo continued, "spend eighteen years becoming a renowned writer and painter? Then why can't I go after what I want—"
"Because you don't get to want things, boy!"
"Give me a reason!" Theo snapped back. Once again, Ethan's gaze pressed down on him.
"Because—"
"'Because not' isn't an answer."
Camille couldn't answer right away. As a last resort, she drew back her shoulders and turned to her husband.
"Ethan!"
She waited for him to respond. But she didn't get what she wanted; Ethan merely gave her a calm look and shrugged. To him, it was neither here nor there.
"And… Ethan! Are you serious?!"
"Yes. I'm the last person who gets to judge what he wants," Ethan said, scratching his arm.
"No! You're the one with the most authority to say no. You lived this, Ethan. You understand this path—this road that gets lost in the forest and ends seven feet underground."
Theo lowered his head, his wavy hair covering his eyes.
"And… which path doesn't lead us seven feet underground?"
Camille was startled by her son's stance. His father, however, supported the argument.
Letting out a low, muffled laugh, Ethan drew everyone's attention.
"Hey! Ethan! You should be helping me with this!"
"What?" Ethan said, uncrossing his arms. "That was a good argument for a child. Which path in our lives doesn't lead to death? I'll die, you'll die, he'll die—everyone will."
"I know! I just don't want to speed that up by letting my son walk a suicidal path!"
"I'm alive…"
Camille sprang up from the chair, kicking it back with her legs. Hands on her hips, she stared Ethan down.
"You're a special case! And seriously?! You're considering allowing this nonsense?!"
"Mom—" Theo tried, but she stopped him.
"No!" She pointed at him, signaling for silence. "What's been going through your head lately?!"
"Camille… He's a child," Ethan said, gesturing to Theo with an open palm.
"Exactly!"
"A child," the Duke repeated, keeping his calm. "Children dream of things they lose interest in a few years later. Until a few years ago, Thays wanted to be a veterinarian—now she wants to be a researcher. Do you understand?"
"I won't change!" Theo exclaimed, stamping his foot. His posture was resolute. "I'm certain of this!"
"Hey! Hey, hey, hey! You're not even old enough to think you can say that!" Camille scolded.
Taking his wife's hands, Ethan guided her to breathe deeply.
"There are positive points in this world…"
"Oh, of course. In a world with serpents the size of cities, lions the size of buildings, terrorist attacks, governments on the brink of collapse, inequality, hunger, misery, and a thousand creatures I can't even imagine—what could possibly be positive?!"
Ethan smiled.
"For me? You. The world is all that—but it's also where I found you, through love…"
"Yes, yes. And do you think it'll be the same for him?" Camille's voice gradually softened after her husband's peaceful words.
"Dad's got her," Theo thought, watching his mother lower her guard.
Nodding, Ethan confirmed it. He truly believed that men find gold in the mud.
Shaking his head, Theo returned to the subject.
"Stop it! My future is mine," he protested sharply.
"And who decided that, boy?"
"You've been saying that since the beginning! If you don't have arguments or reasons to stop me, then why are you trying?! If you don't have the courage to decide, then I'll decide for myself!"
"Hold it," Ethan said, raising a hand.
Theo pulled back, then sighed and calmed himself.
"Do you allow it?" Theo asked his father.
"Well… I've taught Edward for years, but now that I think about it, I've never taught a deviant who doesn't even have awareness of his own core," Ethan replied thoughtfully.
Camille turned to Ethan, incredulous at what had just come out of his mouth. She shook her head, trying to process it, but couldn't speak.
"Seriously?! Theo, no! His answer is no too!"
"Actually, it's a yes."
Camille's shoulders slumped.
"What?!"
"I allow him to become an agent of Vagus. But on one condition…"
An untamed gleam filled Theo's amber eyes. His back straightened in attentive posture—pride swelling in his chest.
"You will enter a Vagus academy in ten years. If I deem you worthy, you'll enter at thirteen. I will train you for ten years, within the limits of what can be taught outside an academy. I'll do everything to prepare you so that, in the end, you graduate from the best academy available."
Theo nodded in agreement.
"Wait—I'm not finished," Ethan continued. "While you're a student and my apprentice, I'll support you in every way: money, contacts, recognition—everything. But from the moment you're assigned to a squad and step outside my domain, I forbid you from even thinking about coming back home."
"Ethan…" Camille tried to intervene, frozen by the tense atmosphere.
"Relax. You'll only be allowed to return when you're strong enough to protect everyone in this duchy—and ready to turn it into a kingdom. That will be the consequence of your actions: acting as if you had responsibility and maturity behind your words; belittling your mother and yelling at her; your arrogant and greedy behavior. Do you understand what that means?"
"Yes…" Theo answered hesitantly.
"Good. Since you spoke like an adult—and even said you'd decide on your own—I'll treat you as one from now on."
"Love…"
Camille gripped Ethan's arm, worried.
"Do you understand? Do we have a deal?"
Theo considered it. In the end, it was what he wanted. All the maturity Liam Mason could provide, combined with Michel's and Ethan's teachings, had brought him to that moment.
He was willing to walk his personal purgatory to reach his Shangri-La.
"Yes!"
Extending his right hand, Theo went to shake his father's. Ethan didn't hesitate.
However…
Pulling Theo's arm and giving his feet a light nudge, Duke Lawrence stacked several books on the boy's back.
"For disrespecting your mother and yelling at her, you'll do one hundred one-armed push-ups—since the other arm is fractured. Every time you disrespect someone, you'll do this again, doubled. Next time, two hundred. Am I clear?"
"Yes… sir…"
Theo could barely speak under the weight of the books, but he found the strength to lift himself. Calmly, he began the exercise.
"One… two… three…"
Crossing his arms and returning to Camille's side—who was still in shock—Ethan added:
"Oh, and you'll be responsible for the duchy for the next six months, my love. I'll take care of it during that time. Depending on the results, I may continue training him—or I'll return to administration while I prepare him. Can you do that for me?"
It was a request… but when it came from Ethan, people couldn't refuse. After everything the Duke had done, there was only one possible answer.
"Yes… Of course I can, dear."
Theo began to falter around the twentieth push-up.
"If you fail, you start over."
Theo's eyes widened instantly.
"Don't you think that's too much for him?"
"Nah… He'll survive."
After all, true angels always survive hell.