The Anomaly Beyond The System

Chapter 170: Just like how he didn’t

"Let’s go."

Without another word, Lucian immediately reached out and gently grabbed her wrist before walking forward.

"Lucian...?"

Seraphina muttered quietly, momentarily confused by his sudden action, but still followed two steps behind him as they walked through the quiet corridor.

For several long seconds, Lucian remained silent.

His footsteps made almost no sound against the polished floor while he kept his grip firm around her wrist.

"You can talk to me if something is burdening you," he finally replied, his voice quiet, almost gentle.

Seraphina’s expression instantly stilled.

Her gaze slowly lowered.

"You were awake."

Lucian didn’t give any response, but he didn’t deny it either. And that silence alone was enough of an answer for her.

Her fingers trembled faintly.

A shadow passed through her eyes, a flicker of horror surfacing deep within them.

Did he understand what she had meant?

Did she say something that might make him understand?

Just as countless thoughts began swallowing her whole—

Lucian’s fingers tightened firmly around her wrist, enough to remind her of his presence.

That simple gesture somehow steadied her trembling.

Lucian had long since known that his mother carried deep scars within her heart.

Even before the apocalypse, after bringing her out of the mental facility...

Even then, he had noticed her trauma, especially because of the countless nights he had slept beside her.

Almost every night during those first few months, she would suddenly begin trembling in her sleep.

Sometimes she would wake up gasping, with a horrified expression, before suddenly pulling him into her embrace.

Holding him tightly, almost desperately...

As though she had seen something terrifying in her dreams.

Later...

He realised that her situation was far more concerning.

He had even tried taking her to several psychological consultants, but that didn’t change anything.

Because, according to every single one of them, she was perfectly normal whenever she spoke to them.

Maybe... even a bit too normal—almost as if she were hiding behind a flawless mask, acting well enough to convince even those psychological experts.

"Mom, I’ll always be there for you.

Even if you don’t tell me what’s wrong.

Even if you want to hide something...

And...

Even if you think you cannot trust me...

I’ll still be there."

Lucian spoke while continuing to walk forward.

Seraphina slowly lifted her gaze toward his back.

Her lips parted. She tried to speak...

But feeling her throat tighten, the words refused to leave her mouth.

’I know you’ll hate me after knowing...

Or maybe...

Maybe you won’t even believe me...

Just like how he didn’t.’

She didn’t speak another word, and neither did Lucian turn around to see her expression.

In the end...

"Hm."

A quiet hum escaped her lips.

Slowly, she moved a little closer until she was walking properly beside him instead of slightly behind.

Neither of them spoke again, and silence quietly accompanied them both through the corridor.

As they continued walking, several maids appeared before them, cleaning different sections of the castle, dressed neatly in black-and-white maid uniforms, briefly looking up at the sound of approaching footsteps.

The moment they noticed Lucian, they were briefly confused by his presence, since they had never seen him inside the castle before.

But seeing him holding Seraphina’s wrist while walking so closely beside her, they quietly exchanged glances before giving a polite bow, then quietly returned to their work without a word.

Lucian was slightly surprised since he hadn’t really seen any maids other than Kanna... and that shameless peeping maid.

But already occupied with his own thoughts, he didn’t really pay them any attention and continued walking.

That, however, wasn’t the case for Seraphina, who was feeling strangely awkward about the current situation.

"You can let go of my hand now..." she muttered quietly.

And Lucian...

He merely glanced at her from the corner of his eye.

Then—

"No."

He answered without looking back again, simply continuing to walk forward, and after a while, even Seraphina had to give up.

A quiet sigh escaped her lips.

The atmosphere remained quiet. Only the faint sound of their footsteps echoed around them as they walked.

Several more long minutes passed before they finally arrived at the enormous double doors leading to the training room.

Without slowing down, Lucian pushed the heavy doors open with ease, stepping inside alongside his mother.

The very first thing his eyes landed on was Lia and Vivienne, who were casually talking, probably discussing something.

Seeing that sight...

’They really got along well,’ he thought, both amused and slightly surprised.

The sound of the opening doors immediately drew every woman’s attention, making them turn toward the entrance.

Vivienne’s softened expression immediately turned neutral the moment she saw him.

Meanwhile—

"Brother...!"

Lia’s eyes sparkled brightly.

She immediately rushed toward him, closing the distance before crashing straight into his chest and hugging him tightly with all her strength.

Rather than getting surprised by her sudden enthusiasm, Lucian smiled gently, softly patting her head.

"It hasn’t even been an hour since I left," he muttered, but Lia didn’t respond and only tightened her embrace even further, breathing in his scent as if she had been missing him for years.

Seraphina, who stood beside Lucian, couldn’t help but feel slightly awkward watching the scene unfold.

Even though she had seen a similar closeness between them before, there seemed to be something else between them now... something she already knew.

Lia briefly lifted her gaze toward her.

Their eyes met.

Then—

Her eyes slowly—almost absentmindedly—lowered.

And suddenly...

A scowl formed between her brows as she noticed them holding hands, something both of them had completely forgotten about.

Lia immediately reached over, grabbed her brother’s hand herself, and gently—but possessively—pulled it away from Seraphina, looking toward her with a faint glare.

Seraphina let out a quiet sigh, not even feeling offended anymore.

"So... what were you talking about?" Lucian suddenly asked, breaking Lia’s attention and drawing her gaze back toward him.

Lia looked at him for a brief second, then reluctantly loosened the hug before taking a small step back.

"I’m not going back home."

"Hm?"

Lucian frowned.

"You’re not coming?

Why?"

Before Lia could even answer—

"That’s because she has started to get annoyed by you."

Vivienne abruptly interrupted their conversation.

Lucian turned his head toward the red-haired vampire.

He tilted his head.

"Don’t use the word ’annoying’ when you’re the best example of it."

Vivienne’s eye twitched violently, her fist slowly clenching.

"Also... Sister Vivienne..."

The moment those words left his mouth—

Vivienne completely froze, and her entire body visibly stiffened.

"...I’m talking to my Lia.

Not you."

Lia, who had been stunned as well, suddenly felt happy hearing him casually call her my Lia...

"Sister...?"

Vivienne repeated in a shaky voice, the word echoing softly as her shoulders trembled with fury.

She had accepted Lia calling her sister, but that in no way meant this brat could do the same.

Just as she was about to explode—

"Can’t you keep yourself from running toward trouble?"

Valentina’s voice suddenly cut through the brewing argument as she stood to the side with a slightly annoyed expression.

Her gaze shifted toward Lucian, who simply shrugged as though none of this had anything to do with him.

Valentina helplessly shook her head.

Then...

Her golden eyes slowly shifted toward the woman standing beside him.

Seraphina.

After looking at her for a long moment—

"Your eyes look just like that woman’s."

The words escaped her mouth almost unconsciously.

Seraphina blinked.

She hadn’t expected the Duchess’s attention to suddenly fall on her.

Unlike her son, who spoke to Valentina surprisingly casually... Seraphina understood exactly who the woman before her was.

She wasn’t simply the Duchess of the Scarlett Family.

She was one of the strongest vampires alive—perhaps even the strongest, standing just a step below the Vampire Queen herself.

Someone capable of wiping out an entire nation with ease.

And right now, even though Valentina wasn’t releasing even the slightest trace of her aura, the moment those golden eyes settled upon her—

A cold chill instinctively ran down Seraphina’s spine.

As for Lucian...

A small frown formed between his brows.

"Who?"

He didn’t understand who she was talking about.

Valentina continued staring directly into Seraphina’s icy-blue eyes.

Her naturally cold face...

Her indifferent expression...

"Nivelle Frostborn."

She spoke calmly.

"The Frostborn Duchess."

Realisation immediately appeared on everyone’s faces.

Even Lucian understood upon hearing the name, prompting him to glance toward his mother.

During these two months, Valentina had taught him a bit about the Duchies—at least to the extent his lazy master had bothered to teach him.

"That disgustingly cold face..." Valentina muttered.

"It’s exactly the same."

Her expression remained completely unchanged, yet everyone present could clearly hear the faint dislike hidden beneath her words.

Silence followed.

"..."

Seraphina simply stood there quietly, not knowing how to react.

Well, honestly...

What exactly was she supposed to say?

Especially when the person insulting her was someone infamous for killing people simply because they had insulted her once.

Or simply didn’t entertain her enough?

Compared to that, ignoring it seemed like the wiser option.

But...

That was only Seraphina’s reaction.

"Valentina..."

A heavy voice suddenly echoed throughout the enormous training chamber, causing everyone to instinctively turn toward Lucian.

The atmosphere changed instantly.

Both Seraphina and Lia felt a shiver travel down their bodies, caused by the heavy pressure radiating from him.

His bright crimson eyes settled upon Valentina, no longer carrying their usual warmth.

"Don’t disrespect my mother."

His voice was strangely distorted, and Lia, Vivienne, along with even Kanna, who stood quietly in the distance—

All three of them suddenly felt an overwhelming force pressing down upon their shoulders, instinctively forcing Lia to lower her head.

But then...

Their eyes widened.

Absolute horror instantly spread across every one of their faces as the meaning behind his words finally sank in.

He...

He had just threatened Valentina.