Chapter 490: Guardian
Lucavion shook his head, exhaling softly.
"There's no need to dwell on the past anymore," he said, voice even.
Thaddeus' golden eyes snapped to him immediately, a glare sharpening his already severe expression.
"No need?" His voice was quiet, but it carried the weight of a storm on the horizon. "That's easy for you to say." His jaw tightened, his grip against his chair firm. "It wasn't your loved one who lost their life."
Lucavion didn't flinch. He didn't shy away from the anger radiating off the Duke like a furnace barely restrained.
Instead—
He nodded.
"That's correct."
His words were calm. Simple.
And that—
That only made the weight in the room heavier.
The Duke was feeling too much at once.
Too many emotions, all crashing together, all clawing at him.
Because if this was true—
If those things—those damned things from the sky—had been the reason for her death—
If it wasn't just fate, or misfortune, or some cruel sickness—
But something inflicted.
Something done.
His breathing slowed.
And then—
His voice came low, steady.
"These things… the ones you're talking about…" His gaze burned into Lucavion's. "Are there more of them out there?"
Lucavion smiled.
The kind of smile that wasn't playful. Wasn't teasing.
The kind of smile that meant he already knew what Thaddeus was thinking.
"There are."
Silence.
The Duke's fingers curled into a fist.
His blood—his very soul—burned.
With anger.
With the need for something more than just understanding.
With the need to do something.
Because this—
This was something he could direct his fury toward.
Something he could destroy.
And Thaddeus Duchy had never been the type to simply let things go.
Lucavion's dark eyes glimmered with something unreadable as he tilted his head slightly.
"Does that mean you believe me now?"
His voice was light, but the question wasn't casual.
It wasn't a taunt.
It was a test.
Thaddeus met his gaze, golden eyes unflinching.
They stared at each other, neither backing down, the weight of everything unspoken pressing into the silence.
The Duke let the moment stretch, let himself study the young man before him.
Lucavion.
'This boy… No. Not just a boy. A force of his own.'
At first glance, he was nothing more than a rogue—a skilled, troublesome swordsman who had shaken the empire for a brief moment before history moved on without him.
And yet—
No ordinary man carries the power to alter the tides of fate.
From the moment he had stepped into this room, Lucavion had moved like someone who was always ten steps ahead.
Confident, but not arrogant.
Mischievous, but never reckless.
And above all—
He never speaks without purpose.
The more Thaddeus listened to him, the more he realized—
Lucavion's words weren't just ramblings of a man looking to sound impressive.
They were calculated.
Measured.
As if he already knew the exact weight of each revelation before he said it.
And yet, for all his composure—
There is something dangerous about him.
The way he smirks, the way he weaves between humor and absolute certainty.
Like a man who has nothing to fear.
Or—
Like a man who has already lost too much to be afraid of anything anymore.
And Thaddeus—
He had spent enough years in war, enough years among men who carried scars both visible and unseen, to recognize someone who had been shaped by loss.
'You've suffered something, haven't you, Lucavion?'
But that wasn't the question at hand.
The question was—
Did he believe him?
Thaddeus exhaled, letting his thoughts settle into a single, undeniable conclusion.
"Yes."
His voice was firm. Unwavering.
"I believe you."
Lucavion blinked, just once, before his smirk returned, small but present.
"Oh?"
Thaddeus didn't let himself be pulled into whatever game Lucavion was playing.
"I've seen too much. Heard too much. And everything you've said so far aligns with what I have seen and what Aeliana has confirmed."
His gaze sharpened.
"Doubting you any further would not only be foolish—it would be dishonest."
He let his words settle before continuing.
"And I do not intend to be dishonest to the man who saved my daughter's life."
Lucavion chuckled softly at that, shaking his head. "Hah… How formal, Mister Duke."
Thaddeus exhaled sharply through his nose.
"Humph."
A short, low snort. Not quite amusement, not quite irritation—just something in between.
Then, with measured steps, he walked forward.
Closer.
Until he was standing directly before Lucavion.
The difference in their stature was clear—Thaddeus, the towering Duke, golden-eyed and imposing. Lucavion, ever at ease, leaning slightly, as if none of this weight truly reached him.
The tension in the room did not dissipate.
If anything, it sharpened.
Thaddeus looked down at him, arms folding behind his back.
"Now..."
His voice was low. Controlled.
"Tell me why you have revealed all these things to me."
Lucavion smiled.
Not his usual smirk.
Not something mocking or playful.
A small, knowing smile.
Like he had been waiting for this question.
Like it was always going to come.
The room was silent, the air thick with the weight of expectation.
Then—
Lucavion leaned forward just slightly, dark eyes glinting with something unreadable.
"Why, indeed?"
Thaddeus' gaze did not waver.
He had expected a vague response. Something evasive.
But that didn't mean he would accept it.
"What is your goal?" His voice was steady, sharp. "For what reason have you come here?"
Lucavion shrugged, his posture as relaxed as ever.
"I came here to deal with the thing my master told me to."
Thaddeus' golden eyes narrowed.
"That may have been a reason." His tone darkened slightly. "But that is not the only reason, is it?"
Lucavion stayed still.
Then—
A quick glance.
Not at the Duke.
At Aeliana.
It was fast, fleeting, but it was there.
And Thaddeus caught it.
Lucavion's smirk returned, just slightly.
"Indeed, it's hard to deceive you." He exhaled, tilting his head slightly. "Not that I tried."
Then—
He uttered a single word.
A word that made the tension in the room shift.
"Since I came forward as honest, I want a favor from you."
Thaddeus' expression darkened.
He knew this was coming.
"You have saved my daughter." His voice was low but absolute. "If it is within my power, I will do my best to honor your request."
Lucavion's smirk widened slightly. "That's just as expected from you, Mister Duke."
Saying that, he turned his head, his dark eyes shifting toward the window.
Outside, the sky was stretching into evening, the last remnants of sunlight painting the horizon in deep golds and purples.
And then—
His voice came quiet, smooth, yet undeniably firm.
"I want you to become my guardian."
Silence.
Heavy. Immediate.
Aeliana stiffened.
Thaddeus remained still.
Then—
His golden eyes burned.
"…What?"
Chapter 491: Guardian (2)
"Guardian."
It was a word steeped in history, in myth, in duty. A protector, a shield, the one who stood between chaos and order. Legends spoke of celestial beings who descended from the heavens to guide mortals, of ancient warriors who guarded sacred relics, of silent sentinels who watched over kingdoms from the shadows. It was a title that evoked power, reverence, and responsibility.
But here, in this world—his world—its meaning was far more precise.
To the common man, a guardian was simply one responsible for a child, a caretaker until they came of age. But in the political sphere, it was something else entirely. It was not about guidance or even personal protection. It was about legitimacy. About power.
Thaddeus knew exactly what Lucavion meant. This was no plea for mentorship, nor was it a request for safety. This was a move made with full awareness of its implications. In the empire, to be granted a guardian was to be acknowledged. A political orphan could become someone of importance. A nameless warrior could gain the weight of nobility. A rogue could suddenly find himself with standing.
Lucavion was not merely asking for Thaddeus to back him—he was asking Thaddeus to tie his own name to his existence.
This was not a favor. This was a gamble.
If Thaddeus agreed, it would mean taking Lucavion under his banner, ensuring that the empire saw him as more than just an anomaly. His victories, his failures—his very actions—would reflect upon the Thaddeus Duchy. It would mean that Lucavion, the Sword Demon, the disciple of Starscourge Gerald, would move through the empire not as a wandering swordsman, but as someone under his jurisdiction.
It was a request that no sane noble would grant lightly. It was one that could shift the delicate balance of power, that could set eyes upon him—dangerous eyes, questioning eyes. After all, the empire had never forgotten Starscourge Gerald. That man's name was whispered in war councils, studied in military academies, feared by those who had seen what he could do.
And now, his disciple was asking for a place in his house?
Thaddeus' fingers curled slightly at his side, his breath measured. This was not a small thing. This was dangerous.
And yet—
As he looked at Lucavion, at the unwavering confidence in his posture, the way he met his gaze without flinching, without waiting for permission—Thaddeus knew something else.
This boy did not make meaningless requests. He did not speak without calculation. And above all, he did not ask for things he did not intend to earn.
If Thaddeus granted him this, if he accepted—
There would be no turning back.
Thaddeus' expression hardened, his golden eyes narrowing as Lucavion's words sank in.
"What? What did you say?"
The sharpness of his voice cut through the air like a blade.
Even Aeliana, who had remained composed through most of the conversation, stiffened, her amber eyes widening in sheer surprise. For a moment, she almost thought she had misheard him—but no. Lucavion's posture, his expression, that irritating ease with which he carried himself—it all made it clear. He had meant exactly what he said.
And that was insane.
Aeliana knew how the political world worked. Even if she had been bedridden for years, she had not been absent from it. The children of noble families were born into it, raised in its currents, forced to learn the invisible lines of power before they could even wield a sword or hold a pen.
And to ask for this?
To ask for a Duke—a pillar of the empire—to become his guardian?
That was not something anyone with sense would dare say so casually.
Thaddeus felt the weight of her reaction mirror his own, but he schooled his expression quickly, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Yes. The word 'Guardian.'" His voice was lower now, more controlled. "What do you mean by that?"
If—by any chance—Lucavion had meant something else, something lesser, something different from what they understood in noble society—then it was better to clarify now.
Better to know for sure.
Because if he truly meant what Thaddeus thought he meant—
Then this was not a request that could be answered lightly.
Lucavion exhaled through his nose, his smirk still there but tinged with something quieter—something dangerously close to amusement.
"You both know what I meant."
His dark eyes flickered between Aeliana and Thaddeus, taking in their shock, their disbelief, before settling fully on the Duke.
His meaning had been crystal clear from the moment he spoke.
And he had no intention of pretending otherwise.
Lucavion let the silence stretch, letting the weight of his words settle in the room. Then, with a lazy roll of his shoulders, he exhaled, tilting his head slightly.
"But if you want me to elaborate, then let that be."
His voice remained light, but there was no mistaking the deliberation behind it.
Thaddeus said nothing, merely watching, waiting.
And then—
"I want the Duke to back me up for the future things that I am going to cause."
Silence.
A heavy, suffocating silence.
Aeliana inhaled sharply, her expression caught somewhere between disbelief and outright frustration. She knew it. She knew Lucavion was insane, but to hear him say it out loud—with that casual, almost amused tone—it was enough to make her fingers twitch.
Thaddeus, on the other hand—
He exhaled slowly.
Then—
A hand went to his forehead.
His fingers pressed against his temple, his jaw tightening as he closed his eyes for a brief moment.
Not in anger.
Not in fury.
But in sheer, undeniable frustration.
'What kind of person have I brought into my house?'
It wasn't enough that Lucavion had already entangled himself in Aeliana's fate. It wasn't enough that he was the disciple of that man. It wasn't even enough that he carried an energy that did not belong to this world.
No.
Now, he wanted the Duke of Thaddeus to back him up for whatever madness he was planning to unleash in the future?
Thaddeus exhaled again, slower this time.
Lucavion's voice echoed from the side, his tone light—almost too light.
"Now, now… Of course, I am not someone who would drop such a word without any context, right?"
He said it as if he were a reasonable man.
As if the absurdity of his request wasn't hanging in the air like a storm cloud.
Thaddeus slowly lowered his hand from his forehead, exhaling through his nose.
Aeliana, arms crossed, fixed Lucavion with a look of pure disbelief, her amber eyes narrowing.
And in that moment—
Both father and daughter stared at him.
Not with anger.
Not even with shock anymore.
Just a single, unwavering look that carried one very specific thought—
"You are absolutely the kind of person who would do something like that."
Lucavion met their eyes.
Paused.
Then sighed dramatically, lifting his hands in mock surrender.
"Well, I might be one…" he admitted, lips twitching in amusement. Then, before either of them could respond, his tone shifted, just slightly.
"But, let me ask you a question."
His dark eyes flickered back to Thaddeus, studying him, waiting.
"Duke."
A pause.
"What do you think about the current Royal Family?"
The room, already heavy with tension, seemed to still.
Thaddeus' golden gaze sharpened instantly.
Aeliana, who had been moments away from snapping at Lucavion, fell silent.
Because that—
That was not an idle question.
Chapter 492: Guardian (3)
Thaddeus' expression hardened at Lucavion's question. He had been prepared for many things during this conversation, but this?
This was dangerous.
He exhaled slowly, his gaze sharpening as he regarded the young man before him.
"The Royal Family of Lysandra."
The name alone carried weight. Power.
Right now, they were the ones who controlled the entire Arcanis Empire. That had always been the case. Since the unification of the kingdom into an empire, the Lysandra bloodline had held the throne, ruling over the continent with an iron grip veiled beneath centuries of divine right.
And at the center of it all—
"The current emperor is Clades Lysandra," Thaddeus said, his voice measured. "The man responsible for the recent changes in the empire."
The name alone stirred countless opinions across the nobility. Clades was not just another ruler born into privilege—he was a reformer, a strategist, and above all, a man who had reshaped the empire's very structure.
He had strengthened the central power of the monarchy, stripping away much of the autonomy that the noble houses once wielded. Where previous rulers had balanced their authority with the influence of the ducal families, Clades had taken a different approach—one that leaned toward absolute control.
He was neither loved nor hated entirely. Some admired his vision, calling him the emperor who sought to bring stability to an empire that had been fractured by noble rivalries. Others despised him, calling him a tyrant in the making, one who would reduce even the greatest noble houses to mere extensions of the throne's will.
Thaddeus had seen it firsthand. The shift in power. The silent but undeniable consolidation of authority into the imperial family's hands.
"An ambitious man," Thaddeus muttered. "And one who does not take kindly to those who stand in his way."
His golden eyes flickered toward Lucavion, studying him.
"Why do you ask?"
Lucavion smiled. A slow, knowing smile that carried the same weight as his words.
"Indeed, all of the words you have said are correct," he mused, his tone light yet deliberate. "Nearly everyone knows this about the emperor, don't they?"
Thaddeus remained silent, watching him carefully.
But as he listened—
As he really listened—
Something felt off.
There was something about the way Lucavion spoke, the way he phrased his words, that sent a quiet unease creeping into the Duke's mind.
It was subtle. Almost imperceptible.
But it was there.
Because this young man—
He wasn't just speaking about the emperor as someone who understood him.
He was speaking like someone who knew more.
Much more.
Thaddeus' fingers curled slightly at his side, his golden gaze never wavering.
Then—
Lucavion's smirk deepened, his dark eyes flickering with something unreadable.
"But the question is…" His voice dipped lower, quieter. "Duke, don't you already know what I'm asking?"
A pause.
"Why are you trying to beat around the bush?"
Thaddeus' gaze sharpened.
Aeliana stiffened slightly beside him, her breath hitching ever so slightly.
There was no mistaking it now.
Lucavion was leading him somewhere.
And he was doing it deliberately.
Thaddeus exhaled through his nose, his expression unreadable. "Then ask your question plainly."
Lucavion chuckled.
"Alright then."
He tilted his head, watching the Duke carefully.
"For instance…"
Then, with precise, cutting ease, he asked—
"What does the Royal Family think about you?"
The air in the chamber shifted.
Aeliana's amber eyes narrowed.
Thaddeus' golden gaze darkened.
For a single moment, there was silence.
Then—
Thaddeus exhaled slowly.
Indeed, this kid knew more than he let on.
The way he spoke, the way he carefully guided the conversation—Lucavion was no fool. He wasn't merely speculating.
He was implying.
And what he was implying was clear.
Thaddeus exhaled slowly, his gaze unreadable.
"What does the Royal Family think about me?" He repeated the question, his voice calm. "I have no way of knowing that."
Lucavion let out a small chuckle, shaking his head slightly.
"Come on, Mister Duke. We both know that's not how politics works," he said, his tone almost chiding. "In politics, actions speak louder than words, don't they?"
Thaddeus narrowed his eyes slightly, but he could not deny the truth in those words.
And as Lucavion continued to watch him, waiting, the Duke knew exactly what he was implying.
Because the truth was—
The relationship between the Royal Family and the Thaddeus Duchy was not good.
That was obvious.
It was a silent conflict, one not openly discussed, not yet acknowledged as a true power struggle, but it was there. A tension that had been growing for years.
And the reason for that was painfully simple.
The Thaddeus Duchy held too much power.
The Duke took pride in his lineage. His family had stood as one of the empire's greatest pillars for centuries. The strongest noble house outside of the Royal Family itself.
And why?
Because they controlled the entire naval force of the Arcanis Empire.
They were the commanders of the sea, the holders of the official Head of Naval Forces title—one of the most critical positions in the empire's military structure.
That authority had been granted generations ago. A reward, an acknowledgment, for the contributions of the past Thaddeus family heads. Their victories had secured the empire's dominance over the oceans, had expanded its reach beyond the mainland, had made the Arcanis Empire what it was today.
And yet—
Power was a dangerous thing.
And when one family held too much of it—
Even the throne itself grew wary.
Thaddeus knew this.
And judging by the sharp gleam in Lucavion's eyes—
So did he.
Lucavion's dark eyes gleamed, watching the Duke carefully, as if reading every thought that crossed his mind.
"And the problem," Lucavion continued smoothly, "is that the current emperor doesn't like that very much, does he?"
Thaddeus' expression didn't change, but Lucavion didn't need it to.
Because he was right.
"Clades Lysandra may be a reformer," Lucavion went on, his tone casual, but his words deliberate, "but he's also a man who doesn't tolerate threats to his control. And let's be honest, Duke—you and your family? You are very much a threat to the throne's absolute rule."
Aeliana inhaled slightly beside them, but she remained silent, listening.
Thaddeus exhaled through his nose, crossing his arms. "That is quite the bold claim."
"But is it wrong?" Lucavion tilted his head. "Let's talk about actions, then. Not words, not speculation—actions."
Thaddeus said nothing.
Because he knew what Lucavion was going to say.
"The emperor has been actively trying to reduce your family's power, hasn't he?" Lucavion leaned back slightly. "Not directly. No, that would be too obvious. But the signs are there."
Thaddeus remained silent, but his fingers curled ever so slightly at his side.
"Many of the economic pacts your family made with the capital are being quietly nullified," Lucavion continued, his voice deceptively light. "Trade agreements that were once guaranteed are now being 'restructured'—and funnily enough, they never seem to favor you, do they?"
Aeliana stiffened slightly.
Because that—
That was true.
The Duchy had seen a slow but undeniable shift in its standing within the empire's economic structure. Deals that had been honored for generations were now being questioned, renegotiated, or outright dismissed.
It hadn't happened overnight. It had been a gradual thing. Small changes. Small denials.
But the pattern was clear.
And more than that—
It wasn't just economic pressure.
The Royal Army had started requesting more authority over the naval fleets, questioning why the Thaddeus Duchy alone held dominion over the empire's waters. Imperial envoys had become more frequent, their questions more probing.
Clades Lysandra was testing them.
Slowly, carefully.
Seeing how far he could push before outright confrontation became necessary.
And Lucavion—
This damned young man—
Knew it all.
Thaddeus' jaw tightened, his golden eyes darkening. "Where are you getting this information from?"
Lucavion smirked.
"That's not the important part, is it?"
Chapter 493: Guardian (4)
Ah.
This was exactly as I remembered.
The moment Aeliana died in the novel, that was when the decline of the Thaddeus Duchy truly began.
It was the turning point.
Because after that—after losing his daughter—the Duke himself had taken on a suicidal task.
He had confronted the Kraken.
And he had lost.
Not his life—no, not immediately.
But his arm.
Even as an Awakened, even as a man who had reached the peak of an 8-star, he could not regrow something severed by an otherworldly being like that Kraken.
The wound had been permanent.
A mark of failure that could never be undone.
And that? That had changed everything.
The loss of his right arm had been more than just a physical handicap. It had been a symbolic defeat.
A reminder that the once-unshakable Duke Thaddeus was not invincible.
The Duchy's reputation had suffered a staggering blow.
And then—like wolves scenting blood in the water—the Royal Family had moved.
Because with the Duke weakened, with Stormhaven—the Duchy's capital—still recovering from the Kraken's rampage, with public faith in Thaddeus shaken beyond repair, the Emperor had taken his chance.
Stripping the Duchy of more power.
Pushing Imperial influence deeper into naval control.
Slowly, carefully, piece by piece, eroding the authority that the Thaddeus bloodline had held for centuries.
And in the end?
By the time the dust had settled, by the time Thaddeus had realized what had happened, it was too late.
The Thaddeus Duchy—once the strongest noble house outside of the Royal Family itself—had been reduced to nothing more than a shadow of its former self.
I had read this.
I had seen how it played out.
And now, sitting here in this chamber, watching the Duke, watching the tension in his shoulders, watching the way his golden eyes darkened ever so slightly at my words—
I knew.
Even without Aeliana dying this time.
Even without that exact sequence of events playing out.
The same threat was still looming.
The Royal Family was already making its moves.
I exhaled lightly, my fingers tapping idly against the armrest of my chair.
I didn't like the Royal Family.
But that wasn't really the issue, was it?
It wasn't about personal dislike, nor was it about some moral stance against their tactics.
Because, in the world of politics, things like this happened all the time.
When one faction grew too powerful, the other would move to counter it. When an empire sought absolute control, it would chip away at the autonomy of those who held too much influence. It was nothing personal. It was just the game.
And who was I to criticize them?
After all—
Wasn't I doing the exact same thing?
Albeit differently, of course. But at the core of it, I had done to Aeliana what Clades Lysandra was doing to the Duke.
I had capitalized on a weakness.
The Duke's weakness.
The difference was that the emperor had done it quietly, patiently, like a slow-moving tide eroding a shoreline.
And me?
I had taken the direct approach.
I had saved Aeliana. Would I still save her if she was not the daughter of the Duke?
Or would I still save her if she didn't appear in the novel, and I didn't take a liking to her?
Most likely not.
But there is still this factor that no one can deny. I had saved Aeliana, not out of some grand kindness alone, but also because it allowed me to shake the balance of power in this mansion. It forced certain conversations to happen. It made it so that truths could no longer be buried, that history could no longer be rewritten in the way Madeleina wanted it to be.
It was a power play.
Not unlike what the emperor was doing to the Duke.
Which meant the problem wasn't what was being done—it was who was doing it, and why.
I smirked slightly, leaning back against my chair.
'After all, I myself also need quite a bit of power for the future.'
I couldn't do everything on my own, could I?
Even if I wanted to, even if I deluded myself into thinking I could waltz through this world without any backing, without any allies—
The reality was simple.
Not just strength. Not just skill.
Power.
Influence. Protection. Resources.
And right now?
The Thaddeus Duchy was still standing. Still strong. Still the only noble house in the empire that could challenge the emperor's creeping control.
'And well, in the academy it will be quite useful.'
I am not the most respectful person, so I need some backing.
Master's silhouette can only cover up to this much for now, isn't it?
But if things continued as they were—
If history played out the way I knew it would—
Then that would change.
And I had to decide.
Would I let it?
Or would I shift the course of this game before the board even recognized what I was doing?
*******
Thaddeus exhaled slowly, his golden eyes never leaving Lucavion.
Now that everything was slowly being laid bare—now that Lucavion had spoken the words that most nobles only whispered behind closed doors—the Duke knew one thing for certain.
This was no idle conversation.
Lucavion wasn't here for curiosity.
He wasn't here just to test his patience, to trade clever remarks and hidden implications.
He had come here with a purpose.
And if Thaddeus was going to be dragged into this, then he needed something in return.
A sharp silence settled in the chamber.
Then, slowly, Thaddeus shifted his stance.
His presence, already heavy, became denser, more imposing.
His next words were not a question.
They were a demand.
"So what if the Royal Family is pushing the Duchy?"
Lucavion raised a brow.
"So what?" Thaddeus repeated, his voice steady but unforgiving. "What does that have to do with you?"
Lucavion's smirk remained, but Thaddeus saw the faintest flicker of calculation in his dark eyes.
"That," Thaddeus continued, "is the important part, isn't it?" His golden gaze bore into Lucavion. "You speak as if this concerns you. As if my conflicts are yours. But why?"
Lucavion said nothing.
And that was what made Thaddeus' irritation grow.
"You have laid my situation bare," the Duke continued. "You have dragged out all these truths, tested my reactions, measured my stance." He exhaled sharply, fingers tightening against his sleeve. "Now it is your turn."
Lucavion tilted his head slightly, listening.
Thaddeus' jaw clenched.
"Who are you, Lucavion? What are you trying to pull off?" His voice lowered, but it did not soften. "And most of all—what is your reason for doing all of this?"
Because this—
This was becoming too big to gamble now.
The weight of it, the scale of it—
It was no longer just a matter of simple favors, of political positioning.
Lucavion knew too much.
He had moved too carefully.
And Thaddeus Duchy did not entertain uncertain gambles.
Not unless they knew exactly what was at stake.
Chapter 494: Guardian (5)
Lucavion looked at the Duke, his expression unreadable. For a moment, he said nothing, merely watching him with that same lazy confidence that had been irritating from the very beginning.
Then—
"If I were to speak to you about my reasons," he murmured, almost to himself, "you would look at me like I'm crazy."
Thaddeus narrowed his eyes.
Lucavion exhaled lightly, shaking his head.
"Yes. You would look at me just like that."
The Duke was glaring at him. His patience, already thin, had been steadily eroding throughout this entire conversation.
What the hell is this guy?
He says I'd look at him like he's crazy—am I not already doing exactly that?
What logic is this?
Thaddeus' jaw tightened. He was a man who dealt in strategy, in clear cause-and-effect reasoning. Politics, battle, governance—all of it relied on understanding the motives of those around you.
But this boy—
This boy was something else entirely.
Before he could press further, Lucavion spoke again, his voice taking on a rare seriousness.
"Mister Duke."
There was no mockery, no teasing smirk this time.
"Regardless of my reasons for doing this, I hereby swear that I have no intention of trying to damage your family or your authority."
His dark eyes gleamed as he continued.
"I care none for them."
A heavy silence settled in the room.
Thaddeus' fingers twitched slightly at his side.
He had heard a great many things in his life. Pleas, bargains, declarations of loyalty and deception alike. But this?
This was not the voice of a man looking to align himself with power for the sake of it.
Then what was it?
Thaddeus exhaled through his nose, his golden eyes narrowing once more. "Then what do you care about?"
Lucavion chuckled softly at that.
"What do I care?" He tilted his head slightly, as if the answer was obvious.
Then—
"It's simple."
His smirk returned, small but absolute.
"I want to do whatever I want to."
A pause.
"And for that to happen, I need your backing."
The sheer boldness of the statement was staggering.
Not power. Not titles. Not wealth.
Simply the freedom to do as he pleased.
"Everyone wants that," Thaddeus muttered, rubbing his temple. "But there are reasons why one's freedom is limited."
His golden eyes, sharp despite his growing exhaustion, locked onto Lucavion once more.
"For instance," he continued, voice edged with restrained irritation, "what kind of crazy things do you want to do, that you need my—the Thaddeus Duchy's—power to back you?"
That was the question.
The real question.
Because no matter how much Lucavion danced around his reasons, no matter how frustratingly vague he was being, the one truth was clear—he needed something big. Something no ordinary faction could provide.
Thaddeus sighed, inhaling deeply as he studied the young man before him.
Because regardless of what Lucavion wanted to do, there was one undeniable fact—
He had been truthful from the start.
Questionable? Absolutely. Reckless? Often. But dishonest?
No.
He had not paved his path through deception. He had not tried to weave a web of lies to manipulate the Duke into agreeing.
No—he had simply laid his cards bare.
Blunt. Transparent.
And that…
That made it all the more difficult to refuse him outright.
Thaddeus exhaled again, slower this time.
"Sigh…"
Aeliana shifted slightly beside him, watching the exchange carefully, but she said nothing.
Even though Lucavion was eccentric.
Even though he was childish far too often.
Even though he was crazy most of the time—
He was honest.
And most of all—
He had saved her.
Thaddeus' fingers curled slightly at his side.
Then, finally—
"What if I refuse?"
Lucavion blinked, then let out a soft chuckle.
"If you refuse…" He trailed off, tilting his head as if considering the question properly. "Well, then what else?" He shrugged. "I'll just leave this place and look for something else."
Thaddeus narrowed his eyes. "Look for something else, or someone else?"
Lucavion threw his head back and laughed.
"Ahahahah… Mister Duke," he said, his voice carrying the faintest note of amusement. "Do you really think I'd spread my legs for anyone?"
Thaddeus stiffened ever so slightly at the phrasing, his patience visibly wearing thin.
"This kind of offer," Lucavion continued, smirking, "is only for you. Only."
His dark eyes gleamed as he leaned back slightly.
"If you refuse me—then I'll do everything alone."
Lucavion stretched slightly, rolling his shoulders as if this entire conversation were nothing more than a casual exchange. Then, with a small exhale, he added,
"But well… it could definitely be overwhelming."
His voice carried no hesitation, no false bravado—just a simple, matter-of-fact statement.
"And, very likely," he continued, a lazy smirk tugging at his lips, "I could be buried underneath the things I put myself under."
Aeliana narrowed her eyes slightly at that.
Even he acknowledged it? That the things he was getting involved in were far too dangerous—even for him?
But of course, he said it like it didn't bother him in the slightest.
Lucavion leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees. His dark eyes gleamed with something almost amused as he continued,
"Though, at the very least, I wouldn't go down as someone who bowed his head."
His smirk widened.
"A fitting title, don't you think?"
Thaddeus' jaw tightened slightly.
Because damn this boy.
Damn his recklessness. Damn his absurd confidence. Damn the fact that every word he spoke made it harder to simply turn him away.
But Lucavion wasn't finished yet.
He tilted his head slightly, watching the Duke's expression carefully before adding—
"But, of course—that wouldn't concern you, would it?"
His voice was smooth, casual, but there was an undeniable weight in those words.
A challenge.
An unspoken question.
If Thaddeus refused—
Then Lucavion would walk away.
He would face whatever came next alone.
And the Duke?
Thaddeus did not answer immediately.
What was he supposed to think about this?
What would his future self think?
The logical answer was clear.
He could not—should not—tie the name of the Thaddeus Duchy, the very foundation of his family's legacy, to a reckless, unpredictable young man with no known allegiance, no clear plan, and no reason to be trusted beyond his own words.
He had fought too hard for the power he held.
He had built his house into something unshakable.
To leave its future entangled with this madman?
It was absurd.
And yet—
Why did it feel like rejecting Lucavion outright would be a mistake?
Why did it feel like this moment—this choice—would be something he would look back on for years to come?
Thaddeus inhaled, preparing to speak—
But before he could—
"Father."
Aeliana's voice cut through the tension, sharp yet controlled.
The Duke's golden eyes flickered toward her.
Lucavion, too, turned his gaze, his smirk faltering just slightly—just for a moment.
Aeliana stepped forward.
Aeliana stepped forward, her amber eyes locked onto her father's with quiet determination.
Lucavion raised an eyebrow.
Oh? Now this was interesting.
She had been silent for a while, observing, measuring—but now she was stepping in?
Thaddeus frowned slightly. "Aeliana—"
"You should agree," she interrupted, her voice firm.
Chapter 495: Guardian (6)
Aeliana had listened to the entire conversation. Every word. Every calculated pause. Every shift in tone between her father and Lucavion.
And the more she listened—
The more convinced she became.
This guy…
He knew too much.
Too much about her. Too much about her condition. Too much about the Kraken, about her so-called illness, about the very thing that had tormented her for years.
And on top of all that—
He was the disciple of that legend. Starscourge Gerald.
If she were like the nobles in court, she would have seen this for what it was. A grand opportunity. A way to secure a powerful ally, to gain insight into something that no one else in the empire had access to.
But for Aeliana—
None of that mattered.
For her, there was only one thing.
The bastard in front of her.
Lucavion.
Someone she would never forgive.
And someone she would never let go.
Which meant—
She couldn't let him get away.
Because she knew.
If her father refused him right now—if he let Lucavion walk out of this room, if he turned him away—
That would be the end of it.
Lucavion wasn't the type to grovel.
That was something she had come to understand about him.
Lucavion was weird. Pushy. Sometimes he spoke without thinking, sometimes he played games with his words, twisting things just enough to make people uncomfortable.
But once he laid things bare—
He wouldn't stay.
He was the kind of person who, once rejected, would walk away without looking back. The kind who never begged, never pleaded, never tried to convince anyone beyond a certain point.
And that?
That was something Aeliana could not risk.
She refused to let him go.
If her father refused him now—if he dismissed Lucavion, if he let him slip through his fingers—
That would be it.
Gone.
And Lucavion would never return.
Which meant—
The moment her father accepted him, the moment he acknowledged Lucavion and tied his fate to the Thaddeus Duchy—
He would be bound to them.
Bound to the Duchy.
And more importantly—
Forever tied to her.
Aeliana's lips curled slightly, the ghost of a smirk hidden beneath her composed expression.
Heh… Who would have thought you'd give me such an opportunity, you bastard?
She had no intention of wasting it.
Aeliana inhaled slowly. Then, with a composed yet deliberate voice, she spoke.
"Father," she began, her amber eyes steady. "Do you understand what this means?"
Thaddeus narrowed his gaze. "Speak clearly, Aeliana."
She didn't hesitate.
"This guy—this bastard—has already reached a level that nearly no one in this generation has ever touched," she stated, her voice unwavering. "You weren't there, but I saw it. He was able to achieve something… something that no one else could."
Lucavion chuckled softly at that, leaning his chin into his palm. "Oh? Praise from you? Now that's rare."
Aeliana shot him a glare before turning back to her father.
"Fighting against that monster… standing against that thing." She clenched her fists slightly. "And that cut—Father, that cut at the time…"
Thaddeus' golden eyes sharpened.
"What cut?"
Aeliana's breath was steady as she recalled the moment.
"The one he made when he struck the Kraken." Her voice lowered slightly, as if recalling the very air around it. "At that time… it felt like the world itself was being slashed."
The chamber stilled.
Thaddeus stiffened.
Because—
He remembered it.
At the time, when he had been searching for Aeliana, when he had been aboard the ship, he had felt it too.
A cut that had split the sky.
A moment where even the sea seemed to hesitate, as if unsure whether to move forward or retreat.
He had dismissed it back then, focusing entirely on recovering his daughter, on ensuring she was safe. But now—
Now that he thought about it—
Who could have made such a cut?
Who else could have done that?
The answer was crystal clear.
There was only one person in that battle capable of such a feat.
His golden eyes slowly turned back to Lucavion.
"I see."
Lucavion merely smiled. "It took you that long to piece it together? I'm disappointed, Mister Duke."
Thaddeus ignored the remark, his mind already weighing the risks, the real risks of this situation.
Because as much as Lucavion's sheer ability gave him an edge—it also posed a threat.
This boy…
This young man was the disciple of Starscourge Gerald.
And that?
That was both an advantage—
And a potentially devastating weakness.
Because everyone knew.
Everyone in the empire knew.
Starscourge Gerald had been affiliated with the Lorian Empire.
The enemy.
And sooner or later, people would come to know about that.
That Lucavion—this reckless, sharp-tongued swordsman—was the disciple of Starscourge Gerald.
Then what?
How could this situation possibly be explained?
Would it not look like he himself—Duke Thaddeus—was working with someone tied to the enemy nation?
That was not a minor issue. That was not something that could simply be overlooked.
It was treason.
And that—
That certainly sounded like something that could be weaponized against the Duchy.
Especially by the Royal Family.
Thaddeus exhaled slowly. Clades Lysandra would not ignore something like this. He had spent too much effort tightening his grip on the noble houses—too much effort ensuring that none of them could rise high enough to challenge him.
If this information leaked—if it spread in the wrong circles—then the Royal Family would have its excuse.
To strip the Thaddeus Duchy of power.
To dismantle everything.
To erase his family's legacy.
His jaw tightened.
But at the same time…
This kid.
Lucavion.
He must know that.
He wasn't an idiot—he had proven that time and time again throughout this conversation.
So what was he thinking?
What made him so confident?
Did he truly believe that his skill alone would be enough to erase the political consequences? Or did he have something else—some unknown factor that gave him such unwavering certainty?
Thaddeus could not comprehend it.
And that, more than anything—
Made him intrigued.
But whether or not he understood Lucavion's reasoning—
The fact remained.
This young man had saved his daughter.
And no matter how reckless he was, no matter how frustratingly insane he seemed at times—
Thaddeus exhaled sharply.
The logical side of him—the part that had spent years navigating politics, war, and power struggles—was screaming at him to reject this madness outright.
Lucavion was a risk. A walking, unpredictable ticking bomb of a man, one who had no clear allegiance, no restraint, and a past that could very well bring the entire Duchy down if handled incorrectly.
But—
The other side of him, the side that had seen his daughter standing at death's door, the side that owed this young man more than mere words—could not simply cast him aside.
He had given his word.
A favor.
And the Thaddeus Duchy was not one to break a promise.
Thaddeus lifted his golden eyes to Lucavion's dark ones.
This boy.
This bastard.
He had seen through everything.
And despite his reckless words, despite his arrogance—he knew exactly what he was asking for.
And he knew exactly why Thaddeus could no longer refuse him.
Thaddeus exhaled once more, this time in resignation.
"Fine," he said.
Lucavion blinked. Then—his smirk widened. "Oh?"
"You heard me." Thaddeus' voice was firm. Absolute. "You wanted my backing? You have it."
Aeliana remained silent, but he could feel her amber gaze watching him closely.
Lucavion hummed, tilting his head slightly, his dark eyes glinting. "Well, well… That was faster than I expected."
"Don't make me regret it," Thaddeus muttered, fingers pressing against his temple.
Lucavion chuckled. "Oh, Mister Duke, I can't promise that."
Thaddeus sighed.
'My god… please don't make me regret this decision.'