Even after Elias had left, his words continued to echo within Lucian's mind. The more he tried to push them away, the deeper they seemed to sink—taking root within him.
In an attempt to distract himself, he tried to sleep. But the moment he lay down, those thoughts returned with even greater intensity—as if something had seized his mind and refused to let it rest.
Frustrated, he suddenly sat up. His hair had fallen into disarray, spreading wildly like untamed brush, and his blue eyes held the restless storm of thoughts within them—like a deep, endless sea.
Time passed slowly.
At times, he would lie down—only to rise again moments later, pacing across the room. Then he would stop, staring at a single point, unmoving. One question kept circling in his mind—
If I already understand most of it… then why does this unease refuse to fade?
What is it… that I still fail to grasp?
Gradually, night descended completely.
Darkness wrapped the castle in its silent embrace, and the cold air drifting in through the windows began to spread across the chamber. There was a strange intoxication in that silence—something that soothed the mind, yet at the same time made it more sensitive… more aware.
Exhausted, Lucian finally collapsed onto the silk sofa.
His gaze drifted upward, almost unconsciously, toward the grand chandelier hanging from the ceiling. It shimmered faintly in the dim light. The intricate structure, adorned with blue stones, caught the soft glow of the night—giving it an almost hypnotic presence.
Lucian found himself drawn into that quiet radiance.
And within moments… the storm of thoughts within him began to dissolve—
as though they had never existed at all.
A soft knock suddenly broke the deep silence of the chamber. Lucian rose at once, the haze in his eyes disappearing as though it had never been there.
His gaze fixed on the door. At this hour… who could it be? For a brief moment, a thought crossed his mind—could it be his mother? Elias had said so. Yet another doubt followed immediately—…or someone else? That uncertainty stirred a quiet tension within him. He could not tell whether the one standing outside was his mother… or a danger he had yet to foresee.
He rose slowly from the sofa. His steps were no longer easy—each one measured and cautious, as though he were preparing himself for whatever awaited beyond.
Reaching the door, he paused for a moment, then carefully unlatched it. The door opened slightly, and he first cast a subtle glance outside, testing what lay ahead. Then, as he leaned forward just a little—
He stopped.
Before him stood his mother—the Queen of the Ravencrest Empire, Queen Seraphina.
Lucian steadied his breath at once. He suppressed the unease on his face and wiped the faint beads of sweat from his brow with the sleeve of his white tunic.
Then he opened the door fully and stepped aside, silently inviting her to enter.
Queen Seraphina entered without a word. The fan in her hand moved slightly as she raised it before her face, as if concealing half of her expression, yet her gaze remained fixed upon Lucian. There was the same composed royal grace in her movement—each step measured, each gesture controlled.
As soon as she stepped into the chamber, she walked forward in silence and took her seat upon the silk sofa. Her gown spread lightly across the floor, and with her presence, the very air seemed to grow heavier. Lucian quietly closed the door behind her.
With the soft sound of the door shutting, silence returned once more—yet this time, it was far deeper than before. Lucian brushed his hand lightly over his white tunic, steadying himself, before taking a seat on the sofa opposite her. The thoughts that had begun to fade earlier now rose within his mind once again. Gathering a bit of courage, he spoke softly,
"Mother… how did you come here?"
There was curiosity in his voice, yet the fear beneath it was unmistakable.
Queen Seraphina slowly folded the fan in her hand and placed it upon the table before her. Her gaze lowered slightly, yet the weight of her presence remained unchanged. Without haste, she lifted her head and looked at Lucian.
"Lucian… why do you seem so restless?"
Her voice was soft, yet carried a depth that struck directly at the mind.
"You have never been one to reveal your weaknesses… what troubles you, my son?"
Her tone was gentle, yet its weight was undeniable. At once, everything within Lucian stirred again—Elias' words, his manner, his presence. A chain of thoughts rushed through his mind. Is Mother here because she believes that some trace of that Evil Spirit still remains within me? Yes… perhaps that was the reason. If it were not so, she would never have sent Elias—she would have come herself. And Elias… who serves her… would never reveal that side of himself so easily. That meant one thing—somewhere, she doubted him. And if that was true… then—
"Lucian."
Her voice cut through his thoughts.
"I asked you something," this time there was a faint firmness in her tone, "do you not wish to speak with me?"
Lucian remained silent for a moment. He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. This does not have to be true… anyone would think the same in such circumstances… He stopped himself. Mother… cares for me. The thought eased the tension on his face, if only slightly.
At that moment, Queen Seraphina looked at him—as though she had read every page of his thoughts.
"Oh… so you are anxious, Lucian," she said with a faint smile.
"You have always had the habit of thinking too much… and entangling yourself within it."
She paused, studying him.
"It seems… Elias has said something to you. That must be the reason for your state."
Lucian rubbed his eyes lightly and ran a hand across his face before looking at her again—this time fully aware.
"Mother…" he said calmly, yet directly,
"How is it that you see through everything so clearly?"
He kept his words simple—this time, he did not wish to complicate things.
Queen Seraphina looked at him calmly. There was no haste upon her face, no trace of impatience—only a steady, controlled stillness. After a brief pause, she spoke,
"Yes… yet it seems to me that your actions suggest you do not place complete trust in me."
Lucian leaned slightly forward. His hands came to rest near his knees, as though he were holding himself in place while trying to speak clearly.
"Why would I not trust you, Mother? You are my mother…"
There was a restrained tension in his voice.
"I only wish to understand… what is truly happening."
Queen Seraphina crossed one leg over the other with quiet grace and rested her hands upon her knee as she leaned forward just a little. Her gaze grew even more steady—direct, deep… as though it could see through him.
"I have come to explain exactly that, Lucian," she said in a low yet clear tone.
"For the way you are seeing things… is not how they truly are."
"What?" The word slipped from Lucian before he could stop it. His face showed clear surprise, though he quickly restrained himself.
"What do you mean… what are you trying to say?"
His voice sharpened slightly.
"What am I misunderstanding? You were the one who sent Elias to me… and from his words, from his manner… I understood what is happening. The way he spoke— as though everything had already fallen apart…"
He paused, then spoke more sharply,
"And now you say I am mistaken? How can I be mistaken… when all of this concerns me?"
His breathing had grown heavier now. With each word, his restraint was beginning to crack.
"Calm yourself, Lucian."
Her voice was soft, yet carried such control that the very air seemed to still. For a brief moment, she turned her gaze aside, as though suppressing a passing thought.
"That Elias…" she murmured faintly, almost to herself,
"He is still the same… I should have let him die that day… that was my mistake."
The next moment, her focus returned—as if those words had never been spoken. She picked up a book from the table beside Lucian and ran her fingers lightly over its cover. Her voice returned to its calm composure.
"Listen carefully, Lucian… what happened in Sylvian Village… was not your fault."
She paused briefly, then looked at him.
"And your father has been informed of this directly by Elder Vyom."
Lucian's gaze shifted for a moment, as if trying to grasp her words.
"Is that… truly so?"
He straightened at once. The next moment, his body tensed.
"Did Elder Vyom come here?"
His hand struck the table as he looked at her—his voice sharp, almost accusing.
Queen Seraphina met his gaze without the slightest disturbance, a faint smile forming upon her lips.
"No," she replied calmly,
"He did not come himself. He sent word through a spirit of his village. Your father read it personally."
She continued without haste,
"And we are certain… that the Evil Spirit has completely left you."
Lucian slowly withdrew his hand from the table and leaned back against the sofa. He took a deep breath, as though a weight within him had suddenly lessened.
"So… I was troubled for nothing…" he murmured, though he stopped himself at once. His brows drew together again.
"No… it is not that simple."
He looked at her again.
"If you already know all this… then why is the atmosphere in the castle like this?"
His voice was now more controlled, yet the concern remained.
"And I am certain… this will spread through the entire kingdom soon. The nobles… they will not miss such an opportunity—to bring me down… to remove me. After all… it is they who spread this."
Queen Seraphina listened to him carefully. A faint smile appeared upon her face—one of quiet satisfaction at the change within him.
"It seems… you have grown quite perceptive, Lucian," she said.
Then her tone turned more serious.
"That is precisely why you must understand this— for some time, you will remain within this castle. You are not to meet anyone… nor speak to anyone… until this matter is fully resolved."
A faint smile appeared upon Lucian's lips—a cold, ironic one.
"Hm… it is not as though I ever mingled with others… or stepped beyond the castle walls," he said calmly, though his eyes remained sharp.
"So this is nothing new to me."
He leaned forward slightly.
"But tell me, Mother…"
His voice was now direct—without any concealment—
"Where has Father gone… and why?"
Queen Seraphina answered without hesitation,
"Your father has gone to the Aetheris River. Something unusual has occurred there… a disturbance that must be understood. A message had also come from the Divine Kingdom… and thus, your father went to see the matter himself."
She paused briefly, then looked at him. "This has no connection to you, Lucian."
Queen Seraphina fell silent for a moment. The composure on her face remained unchanged, yet a faint hardness surfaced within her eyes. Then, in a low voice, she continued,
"As I said, Lucian… we have complete trust in you. However… it is now known throughout the kingdom that the Evil Spirit, which Ravencrest sealed long ago… has left behind a fragment of itself within you before its departure."
She paused briefly, looking at him—her voice growing heavier.
"And that is why… this is no longer a mere rumor. It has become a threat. There may even be unrest within the kingdom. People may begin to demand your removal from Ravencrest…" her fingers curled slightly, "…or even call for your execution."
The air in the chamber seemed to grow heavier.
"And above all…" she added quietly,
"there are nobles who have never favored you. They will seize this opportunity to remove you from their path. Therefore…"
She stopped.
Lucian grew restless at her sudden silence. He leaned forward slightly, his eyes fixed directly upon hers.
"Therefore what, Mother?"
The tension in his voice was clear.
"I already know… they despise me for my weaknesses. They believe someone like me is not even worthy of bearing the name of Ravencrest."
A faint laugh escaped him—but it was bitter.
"Yet every time… you have protected me." His voice softened.
"And this time… you are doing the same. So tell me… what must be done now?"
He met her gaze directly.
"I trust you. Whatever you say… will be right for me."
He leaned closer.
"So tell me… what comes next?"
For a brief moment, something stirred within Queen Seraphina. Her heart trembled—but her expression remained controlled.
"You…" she said softly,
"…must undergo a Soul Ritual."
For a moment, complete silence filled the chamber.
"This ritual… will be conducted in the heart of the capital. And for it, a High Priest from the Divine Kingdom has been summoned."
Her voice remained steady, though the tension beneath it could be felt.
"This proposal was brought forth by members of the Raven Council and certain among the Seven Pillars. They believe… that I may interfere with the laws to protect you."
A faint bitterness entered her breath.
"And since my relations with the Divine Family are… not favorable, they have been called instead—so that I cannot aid you in any manner."
For a brief moment, her control broke.
She suddenly reached forward and held Lucian's face in both her hands. The calm in her eyes vanished—replaced by helplessness, pain, and the deep love of a mother.
"You know, Lucian…" her voice trembled slightly,
"the Ravenians have always had the right to raise their voice… and this time… we cannot silence them."
Lucian listened in silence. There was no clear expression on his face—yet everything within him was shifting.
Whenever he thought… it could not get worse—
something worse always followed.
For a few moments, he remained quiet.
Then he asked softly,
"When… is the ritual?"
Queen Seraphina immediately turned his face toward her. Fear was clearly visible in her eyes.
"What… are you saying?" she asked in disbelief.
"Are you not afraid?"
Lucian gently removed her hands from his face. His eyes were calm—strangely calm.
"What has happened to you, Mother?" he said evenly.
"Just a while ago, you spoke as though nothing was wrong… and now suddenly… you are behaving like this."
He straightened slightly.
"I only have to undergo a ritual… to prove that my soul is pure. And you fear that… the Divine Energy may harm me because of Dark Energy within me?"
He tilted his head slightly.
"For that… there must first be Dark Energy within me."
He paused—then met her eyes directly.
"And even if there is… they would not attack Dark Energy. They would only destroy Evil Energy."
A brief silence.
"And if you know all this… and still you are worried…"
His voice lowered—sharper now—
"then it means… you doubt me."
The air seemed to freeze.
"You believe… that the Evil Spirit still exists within me… and that is why I may die."
He spoke softly—
"That is it… isn't it, Mother?"
Queen Seraphina could not respond for a few moments. The truth in Lucian's eyes made it impossible to look away.
She slowly held her own wrist, tightening her grip—as if trying to steady herself.
"Forgive me… my son…" her voice trembled.
"Yes… it is true… I am afraid."
She closed her eyes briefly, then opened them again.
"But it is also true… that I trust you… and that I care for you."
She struggled to continue,
"I do not trust… that Evil Spirit… what if it truly left something behind within you…"
Lucian reached forward and held her hand. His grip was firm—yet gentle.
"I understand, Mother…" he said calmly.
"And forgive me… for speaking to you in such a manner."
He took a soft breath.
"I understand… why you are worried."
Then he asked quietly,
"When will the ritual take place? And when will the priest arrive?"
He paused, then added,
"Will he come with Father? If Father has left the kingdom… perhaps he has gone to bring him… not merely because of the river."
His brows drew together slightly.
"And this gathering…? The event being held today… what purpose does it serve? If the kingdom faces such a grave matter… then why this display?"
Queen Seraphina tightened her hold on his hand. Her voice was still heavy.
"Lucian… my son… your father has indeed gone to meet the priest… but the incident at the Aetheris River is the primary cause. He has not gone to bring him… only to confer."
She spoke softly—
"The priest… will arrive tomorrow. Not today."