Chapter 88: A Week Later
One week later.
In a simple room, adorned with ornaments and having two windows which were at two different corners of the room, a young man was sleeping soundly on the bed. His handsome face was the delight of every woman. His black hair scattered across the pillow.
The room was quiet. Sunlight streamed through the windows, casting soft golden rays across the floor. Dust particles danced in the light. The air was still.
The young man’s chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm. His face was peaceful, relaxed. For the first time in a long time, he looked like he was at rest.
But even in sleep, there was a tension in his brow. A faint crease between his eyes. As if even in his dreams, he couldn’t fully escape the weight of the world.
His fingers twitched slightly. His lips parted. A soft murmur escaped his mouth. Then he settled back into silence.
The door creaked open.
A figure stepped inside, moving quietly. Golden hair caught the light. Golden eyes fixed on the sleeping figure with an intensity that bordered on obsession.
Seraphina stood at the bedside, watching him sleep. Her lips curved into a soft smile.
"Darling," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "You’ve been asleep for so long."
She reached out, her fingers brushing against his cheek. Her touch was gentle. Tender. Loving.
Lucien stirred. His brow furrowed. He shifted slightly, turning his head toward her.
Seraphina pulled her hand back, her smile widening.
"Wake up soon," she said softly. "I miss you."
Behind her, the door creaked again.
Lilith stepped into the room, her silver-white hair catching the light. Her crimson eyes fixed on Seraphina with a cold, possessive gaze.
"Step away from him," Lilith said, her voice sharp.
Seraphina’s smile didn’t falter. She turned to face Lilith, her golden eyes burning.
"He’s my husband, Lilith. I have every right to be near him."
Lilith’s eyes narrowed. "He’s also my darling. I have just as much right."
The two women stared at each other. The air crackled with tension. The room grew colder.
Lucien’s brow furrowed deeper. His lips parted. A soft groan escaped his mouth.
Both women immediately turned to him. Their rivalry forgotten. Their eyes filled with concern.
"Darling?" Seraphina whispered.
"Lucien?" Lilith breathed.
Lucien’s eyes fluttered. His fingers twitched. His lips moved, forming a single word.
"...water."
Seraphina moved instantly. She grabbed a glass of water from the bedside table and held it to his lips.
Lilith glared at her, but said nothing.
Lucien drank slowly, his eyes still closed. His voice was hoarse, barely a whisper.
"What... happened?"
The two women exchanged a glance.
Then Seraphina smiled, her voice soft and loving. "You suddenly collapsed, darling. You’ve been asleep for a week."
Lucien’s eyes opened.
He felt weak, but it wasn’t that his body was weak. He just had the feeling of weakness. A strange sensation, like his body was still catching up with his mind.
After some moments, that weakness began to disappear little by little. His thoughts cleared. His senses sharpened. He processed the information he had just heard.
A week. I’ve been asleep for a week.
Curiosity stirred in his mind. What had happened while he was unconscious? He tried to recall the events before he had collapsed.
Then everything clicked in.
The encounter with his bloodline. The dragon. The masked figure. The pain. The heat. The boiling blood. The awakening. The fear. The confusion.
All of it came rushing back.
The encounter with his bloodline still left a mark on his soul. The weight of that experience pressed down on him. But beneath the weight, there was something else.
Excitement.
He felt how powerful his bloodline was. How deep his potential went. How much he could grow. No one wished ever to be trash. And now, he knew he had the power to rise far beyond that.
He pushed the thought aside. There would be time to explore his bloodline later. Right now, he had other concerns.
He remembered something. He was in the assessment before his wives caused it to be cut short.
"How’s the assessment of the Aethel Academy? Since it’s a week, does that mean I failed?" Lucien creased his brow together. Even though it didn’t weigh him down, he might have failed. He felt a bitter taste in his mouth.
It was the best place to learn more about Originat. To train his combat skills. It was also the best form of protection from his parents’ enemies. He could receive cultivation resources which would remove a huge burden from him.
Losing that opportunity would be a heavy blow.
Suddenly, his wives’ giggles startled him into annoyance. Seeing them hold their stomachs as they tried to hold their giggles caused him to feel like spanking them. Weren’t they the ones that caused all of this and landed him into this? And here they were, laughing at him.
But honestly, what was funny?
"Sorry, darling. Your expression just now felt cute and..." Seraphina couldn’t continue as she giggled.
Lilith also giggled. "Seeing that face of disappointment, while thinking of our surprise for you, it’s a bit funny."
Lucien wasn’t getting the sense of what they were saying. What did they mean? What surprise was that? What surprise did they have?
His heart and curiosity perked up about this surprise.
"You need not worry about your enrollment to the Aethel Academy. I have taken care of it," Seraphina said.
Lucien’s eyes brightened. "What do you mean?"
"Using my connection, I was able to enroll you in the academy," Seraphina said, instantly feeling proud as she saw the excited expression of her darling.
"It’s not your connection. It’s my connection I used," Lilith rebutted instantly.
"Who said so? What did you do?" Seraphina snorted.
"I said so, you bitch," Lilith said.
"What did you call me?"
Before one knew it, these two were almost already fighting. Their voices rose. Their auras flickered. The air in the room grew tense.
As for their husband, he was busy joyous about the fact he was enrolled, not minding the wives that were almost fighting each other.