Chapter 30
Request
Previously, her main goal had been to revert her transformation — to reclaim the body she was born with. Even so, she didn't hate this body or this appearance. Actually… maybe she even liked it a little.
Though she still preferred her true self — a man, with the mind and heart of a grown man.
But knowing that her journey would be long and full of unknowns, she had to reshape her way of thinking. Not everything would go according to plan. The future was unpredictable, and she had already experienced that firsthand more than once.
So she changed her approach, her mindset, and her goals.
First — she still preferred her male body, and that remained her main goal and drive.
Second — if the first goal proved unachievable, she would accept the outcome and adapt. Accepting fate wasn't new to her.
Third — to achieve any of her goals, she had to become strong. She never wanted to feel as powerless as she did now. She never wanted to experience anything like what she had seen in that nightmare.
Now she finally understood: she had to accept herself as she was — but one thing that must never change was her heart. She would do everything in her power to keep it intact. As the person known as Lucius, not Lucia.
She signed thinking about her future, full of unknown.
Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a knock at the door.
A voice followed — a staff member asking for permission to enter. After receiving Lucia's answer, the staff came in pushing a trolley loaded with dishes and cutlery set for two. They arranged everything neatly, excused themselves, and left the room.
Not long after, Edward knocked and stepped inside.
Seeing Lucia's face looking clearly better than before, he smiled quietly to himself.
"Luci, let's eat! Eating is the best way to forget bad thoughts."
He gestured dramatically as usual and sat down at the table.
Lucia, watching Edward be his usual silly self, finally felt a wave of relief wash over her. This friend of hers really did have a gift for warming the atmosphere.
Slowly, she got up and walked toward the table on the other side of the room.
She was still wobbly on her feet and nearly stumbled — clearly still weakened from the fever and everything she'd been through. Edward immediately rose to help, but Lucia gestured for him to stay.
"Don't worry, I'm fine," she said with a soft smile.
After she settled into her seat, Edward enthusiastically introduced each dish with great detail. He even went as far as plating the food for her, like a gracious host serving a guest.
Lucia could only chuckle watching him carry on like this. She knew his behavior wasn't far from his usual self — it was just the sheer enthusiasm he poured into it that made it so amusing.
Edward, hearing her chuckle, smiled at once. He could finally feel reassured about his friend.
That's the Lucius I know, he thought. Even with an obstacle this big, still able to smile and laugh.
They ate in comfortable silence — not the awkward kind, but the kind that lets two people breathe after tension. The kind that felt like rest.
Lucia glanced at the spread in front of her, every dish something she liked, and gave a small nod of appreciation.
Real bro, she thought.
Still, because of the lingering nausea, she couldn't enjoy the meal as fully as she normally would.
Even so, she forced herself to eat more — not out of greed over the expensive spread, but out of her lifelong habit of never leaving food on her plate.
So after what was at least a great meal for Edward, they finally started talking.
Edward opened with a question.
"Luci, are you feeling better now?"
Even though he could already see she was doing better, he wanted to hear it from her directly — not just rely on his own assumption.
"Don't worry, I'm fine. It was just too sudden — it caught me completely off guard. But I've already come to terms with it." Lucia smiled weakly as she said it.
Edward nodded and gave his encouragement without hesitation.
"Good, good. But don't forget — you have me and your sisters by your side. So if anything happens, remember that you always have another option.
"How about your body, though? Do you think you're up for the flight? It's not a short one — maybe resting here another day would be better? I can speak with Team Leader Han and help persuade her."
Lucia shook her head.
"It's fine, Edward. Thank you for the concern. But I think it's better to take the flight tonight, like Team Leader Han suggested. You know the situation with the government isn't exactly stable right now — we might get entangled in something else if we wait. Better to move while we can. Besides, there's still time before the flight. I can get some sleep or rest before then."
Hearing this, Edward could only sigh inwardly. His best friend could be a little stubborn sometimes, and there was no point fighting it.
Since they had both finished eating, Edward stood up and reminded Lucia to get some rest and to take her medication as prescribed.
"Alright, see you in the afternoon. I have to go and keep Team Leader Han and her team company. If you need anything — call me, or message me.
"Have some rest, Luci."
Edward left the room.
Lucia, now alone again, began to feel drowsy almost immediately — whether from the meal, or from the weight of her previous ordeal finally settling, she couldn't say.
After getting up to lock the door, she sent Edward a quick message letting him know she'd be sleeping for a couple of hours, and asked him to pass along her apologies to Team Leader Han.
Yawning, she shifted into a comfortable position on the bed.
Not long after, she was fast asleep.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the hotel, Edward made his way to the private dining room where Han Ji-An and her team were waiting.
'She's probably asleep by now. I hope she'll be okay… Huft. I should arrange a few things with Team Leader Han.'
He knocked and waited.
An answer came from the other side.
The door opened to reveal Han Ji-An and her team already done with lunch, settled comfortably around the room, talking and resting.
The moment they recognized Edward, the conversation stopped simultaneously.
Edward could only sigh inwardly at that. He lowered his head a few degrees as a show of sincerity.
"Sorry for interrupting your time, ladies and gentlemen. I hope you can spare me a moment."
Han Ji-An spoke up immediately. "Ah — please, don't worry about it, Sir Edward. We're free right now, there's nothing to feel bothered about.
"Actually… we should be the ones thanking you for arranging this lunch and the accommodation. I hope we haven't been an inconvenience." She lowered her head to match his gesture.
Then someone interjected.
"Can you just state your purpose already?"
The tone was unmistakably condescending. The speaker made no effort to hide his dislike for Edward — it was written plainly across his face.
Edward, however, stayed calm and composed.
The same man immediately received a sharp look from Han Ji-An and quickly turned his gaze sideways, not daring to meet her eyes directly.
He had a feeling he'd be hearing about this later, once they were alone.
Still, even that prospect didn't seem to soften his disdain toward Edward by even a fraction.
Before Edward could begin, Han Ji-An stepped in with an apology.
"I'm sorry for my teammate's behavior. Please, Sir Edward — go ahead."
Edward smiled politely and stated his request.
"Team Leader Han, I have a request regarding Lucia's arrangements inside the research facility.
"I hope you can look after her and guide her so she can adapt to the environment comfortably. She's a bit shy and quiet, and she tends to keep her problems to herself rather than ask for help.
"I'm aware this may conflict with certain policies, or simply be a burden on you — and I have no intention of forcing anything. So please, tell me what conditions would make this possible. I'm prepared to compensate however is necessary."
Edward bowed — close to ninety degrees.
It was worth noting who Edward was. He came from an extraordinarily affluent family with deep influence and strong government connections. And yet he understood perfectly well that his family name carried no weight here, not for something this personal. So he set it aside entirely.
Han Ji-An, watching him, was genuinely impressed — more than she expected to be. She had checked his background just an hour ago and knew exactly who he was. His family had a considerable reach across multiple industries in the country. Seeing someone of that standing bow his head like this — to her, of all people — was something she hadn't encountered before. In her country, people like him simply didn't do this. Even on the rare occasion they showed courtesy, it was never to this degree.
She rose immediately from her seat.
"Sir Edward, please — there's no need for that.
"As for your request, I'll accept it. And you don't have to offer anything in return. Consider this… a personal favor."
Edward straightened up, visibly relieved.
He was fully aware that a "personal favor" from someone in Han Ji-An's position — given his family's standing — could snowball into something far larger down the line. But he had already weighed that. Even if it did, this request was still worth it.
He genuinely wanted to look out for Lucia. She would be alone for an extended stretch of time, in an unfamiliar place. Having one more person watching over her — someone with access and authority — was the kind of insurance he needed to feel at ease.
"Thank you for accepting my request, Team Leader Han."
Han Ji-An gave a polite nod and a warm smile. "You're welcome."
With that settled, Edward didn't linger. He could still feel one person's open hostility from across the room and saw no point in extending his welcome.
"Sorry again for intruding on your rest. Excuse me."
He gave a small nod to Han Ji-An and her team, then left.
The door clicked shut behind him.
Inside the room, Han Ji-An's expression shifted the moment it did — her polite composure dropping into something considerably sterner. Her gaze landed squarely on her teammate.
"Colleague Jung. Care to explain your behavior just now?"
The one who had spoken out of turn — Jung Si-Woo — frowned. He knew this was coming. He had known even while it was happening. But knowing didn't mean he liked it any better.
"Why? Because I hate him. That's all."
Even the delivery was mocking.
Han Ji-An's eye nearly twitched. She wanted to deal with this properly, the way this situation deserved. But she knew who was behind Jung Si-Woo — and that knowledge kept her hand in check. It was the very reason he could act like this so freely, always without concern for consequences.
Still, she could at least remind him of where he stood.
"Jung Si-Woo. Pull something like that again and I'll have you on logistics duty for a month."
Jung Si-Woo scoffed.
He didn't even bother trying to look like he cared.
Heh. Like that's going to happen. She can't touch me — not with my uncle where he is.
His thoughts drifted. 'That Edward guy… so unbelievably lucky. That should've been me. And Lucia…'
A slow smile crept across his face.
'She really is something, based on that video. I'll see her in person soon enough. I hope she's just as pretty.'
Han Ji-An could only exhale quietly. There was nothing more she could do about Jung Si-Woo — not without consequences she wasn't in a position to risk.
"Alright. It's only one o'clock, so the rest of the afternoon is yours. Just stay within the hotel building and be back before five."
She dismissed the team and slipped out of the room herself, setting off in search of Edward. She genuinely wanted to know more about both him and Lucia — her curiosity wasn't professional obligation, it was personal.
Part of what puzzled her was Lucia's file. Her personal information sat behind layers of security clearance that Han Ji-An — as a senior researcher — simply couldn't access. That alone was unusual enough. And she suspected that "Lucia" was either a nickname or an alias, because when the mission was assigned to her, the higher-ups had told her nothing beyond a name and a destination.
What she did have was the video.
It had already circulated quietly within the research institute, and it had caused quite a stir — Lucia's flying figure silhouetted against the sunrise, her wings spread wide, looking for all the world like an angel descending from somewhere far above the clouds.
Between the extraordinary power on display and the veil of secrecy surrounding her identity, it was no wonder people were talking.
Han Ji-An intended to find out more.