Chapter 46 - Everyone wants to talk

Luca stood in front of Seraphina’s office door, staring at the polished wood like it had personally wronged him.

"Again? What did I even do this time?"

he muttered under his breath. "I don’t

think

I caused a scene. Unless accidentally kissing someone in front of a crowd now counts as a criminal offense."

Uhh, I need to forget about it, forget it, forget it.

He sighed, ruffling his hair.

"No point thinking about it. Let’s just get it over with."

He raised his hand and gave two short knocks.

"Come in," came Seraphina’s voice—smooth, composed, and as unreadable as ever.

He stepped inside, shutting the door gently behind him. The room smelled faintly of lavender and parchment, the afternoon sun filtering in through the tall windows.

Seraphina sat behind her desk, a cup of tea steaming beside a neat stack of books and papers. Her blue hair was tied back in its usual elegant twist, her gaze sharp and thoughtful as she looked up at him.

"You wanted to see me, Professor?" Luca asked carefully.

She gestured to the chair across from her. "First, sit down."

He blinked. "Right."

He lowered himself into the seat, posture stiff like he was awaiting judgment.

Seraphina gave him a once-over, eyes flicking down his figure as if checking for injuries. "How are you feeling? There are no... lingering effects from the dungeon incident, are there?"

Luca straightened. "No, I’m fine. Just a bit sore in the arms from training."

A small nod. "That’s good."

Then—silence.

A long, awkward silence.

She looked at him again, opened her mouth—closed it—and then finally, after another heartbeat of hesitation:

"Would you like to go for dinner with me?"

Luca’s brain stopped working.

He blinked.

Once.

Twice.

Wait, what?!

For a second he thought he’d misheard. Or maybe passed out from aura exhaustion and was hallucinating.

Seraphina, however, looked serious—well, almost. There was a tiny shift in her usual mask of composure. A nervous flick of her eyes. A slight tightening of her fingers around her teacup.

"If you’re free tonight," she added, voice quieter but still firm, "we could go then."

Luca opened his mouth.

Then closed it again.

His thoughts were a tangled mess of

Is this a test?

and

Is this allowed?

and

What the hell is happening?!

Seraphina, sensing his frozen state, cleared her throat gently. "There’s something important I want to talk with you about. It’s... easier over dinner."

That, at least, helped snap Luca out of his daze.

Ah. Not a date. A serious talk.

Probably about beast contracts. Or game-breaking plot holes. Or the kiss. Gods, not the kiss—

Still, his voice came out oddly neutral. "I’m free tonight."

She nodded. "Good. Then that’s settled."

He stood up automatically, already halfway to the door when her voice called out again:

"Ahem."

He turned.

She looked away, just for a second. "And... make sure you wear something formal. Presentable."

"...Formal?" Luca echoed dumbly.

Seraphina raised a brow, recovering her usual poise. "You’re not showing up in practice robes, are you?"

He nodded stiffly. "No. Of course not. Presentable. Got it."

And then, before anything else strange could be said, he slipped out of the office and shut the door behind him.

Once outside, he leaned against the hallway wall, running a hand through his hair.

"What... just happened?"

Luca wandered slowly through the stone paths that led back toward the dormitory, hands tucked in his coat pockets, his thoughts spiraling in every direction.

Dinner with Seraphina.

"There’s something important I want to talk with you about."

He didn’t know what bothered him more—

the mystery

, or

how formal she’d sounded

. It wasn’t exactly framed as dangerous, but why did it feel like it

could

be?

What if it was about his sword techniques? His strange growth? Or worse...

The kiss.

Ohh why my thoughts always turn to that.

He groaned quietly, running a hand through his hair.

But just as he turned a corner, a quiet voice—firm and cold—cut through his thoughts.

"What are you thinking about?"

Luca nearly jumped.

Standing just ahead, arms crossed, was a tall figure in black—his black coat fluttering faintly in the breeze, sharp eyes fixed on him like a hawk.

Vincent Valentina.

"...Brother," Luca said, collecting himself with a nod. "You startled me."

Vincent inclined his head slightly in greeting. "Do you have time to talk right now?"

Luca blinked.

Another one?

He glanced up at the sky—still a while until the sun dipped low. Plenty of time before dinner.

"...Sure," he said, forcing a small smile. "Why not."

They stepped off the main path and into the quiet shade of an empty courtyard, the muffled noise of students fading behind the ivy walls.

Vincent looked at him for a moment—long enough that it felt like the silence might crush him.

Then—

"You’ve changed."

Luca’s breath caught.

His chest tightened.

Did he figure it out?

Was there something he did that gave him away? Did he suspect that the real Luca was...

Gone?

Vincent’s gaze didn’t shift, but his tone softened—just barely.

"But it’s not a bad change."

Relief flooded through Luca so fast he almost stumbled.

No... He didn’t know.

Still, he didn’t say anything. He waited. Watched.

Vincent’s voice was lower now, more thoughtful.

"From childhood, you were always the silent one. Or maybe the weaker one. The one we constantly worried about."

"Especially Mom. And Lisa."

Luca blinked.

Lisa?

Who the hell is Lisa?

Vincent didn’t seem to notice the flicker of confusion in his face. His eyes were elsewhere—looking at something far in the past.

"When you said you saw visions or whatever strange things... we didn’t know what to do."

"But now... after seeing what happened in the dungeon. After hearing how clearly you spoke, how you explained everything... it makes a kind of sense."

Then, to Luca’s surprise—

Vincent stepped forward and placed a steady hand on his shoulder.

The grip was strong. Grounding. Familiar.

"We’re a family,"

he said.

"No matter what happens. We’ll be with you. Always."

Luca’s heart clenched.

Just five words.

We’re a family.

But for someone like him... someone who had died alone in another life, in another world, with no one at his side—

It wasn’t just a phrase.

It was everything.

His vision blurred slightly. Not from pain. From something deeper. Softer.

In two lifetimes, no one had ever said that to him.

Not truly.

His throat tightened, but he pushed through it—facing Vincent with a bright, watery smile.

"Yes, brother."

Maybe... now I’m not alone anymore. Maybe... I finally have something to protect. People to come back to. A family.

And for the first time since he’d arrived in this world, that thought didn’t scare him.

It made him feel strong.

Vincent, ever composed, allowed the faintest smile to tug at the corner of his lips. Cold or not, it was a smile—and it was real.

He gave Luca a light tap on the shoulder, then turned to leave.

"Ah. Make sure to contact Mother and little sister once in a while," he added, almost casually. "They worry more than they let on."

And with that, he walked away—long coat fluttering behind him like a shadow in the wind.

Luca stood there for a long moment, blinking slowly.

"...Sister?"

He turned toward the sky, stunned.

"I have a little sister too?"

***

I stood before the mirror, still as stone, my eyes drifting over the reflection I’d spent far too long staring at.

A single-slit black dress hugged my frame—tasteful, elegant, and maybe just a touch too... daring for a professor. The fabric shimmered faintly beneath the light of the enchanted orbs floating above. The soft hem brushed past my knees with every slight movement.

Around my neck, I fastened a black diamond choker. Simple. Controlled. A statement that wouldn’t say too much... I hoped.

Gods, what am I doing?

I exhaled, slowly.

This wasn’t a date.

No.

It was a discussion. A necessary conversation I need to have with him.

And with that, I turned away from the mirror and headed out.

The sun had dipped into a pool of twilight by the time I reached the outer courtyard. Soft lamplight flickered in the distance, casting golden auras across the path stones and tree leaves.

Then I saw him.

A boy with violet hair stood beneath one of the large crystal lamps near the fountain. He wore a fitted black blazer over a white buttoned shirt, his collar neat, his black formal trousers tucked into dark leather boots that looked far too clean for his usual clumsy self.

He shifted from foot to foot, glancing around like someone trying

not

to be noticed while... obviously being noticed.

Trying to avoid attention and somehow drawing all of it.

I couldn’t help it.

I smiled.

So he really did take the ’dress well’ part seriously...

I stepped forward, the sound of my heels light against the stone path.