Shattered Innocence: Transmigrated Into a Novel as an Extra - Chapter 541

Chapter 541: Meeting ‘her’ (3)
Lucavion’s hand moved in slow, practiced motions, his fingers gliding over Aether’s sleek black coat. The horse hummed softly, a deep, contented vibration, her piercing blue eyes half-lidded as she leaned into his touch.

Aeliana stared.

This horse—this wild, proud, untamed creature—was squirming under his touch like some affectionate pet?

And most importantly—

Lucavion’s gaze.

It wasn’t playful. It wasn’t sharp with mischief. It wasn’t filled with his usual arrogance or teasing amusement.

It was… gentle.

Soft in a way she rarely saw.

Aeliana exhaled lightly.

She knew how horses were usually treated. Especially ones raised for war.

They were valued, yes—but they were also tools. Weapons meant to carry their riders into battle, trained for endurance and command rather than affection.

And yet—

Looking at these two…

There was no command. No force. No sense of ownership.

Just… a bond.

Lucavion exhaled lightly before turning toward her, his smirk curling at the edges.

“Wanna hop on?”

Aeliana blinked. “Hop on?”

Lucavion patted Aether’s side, guiding her slightly. “This is our ride to return home.”

Home.

The word settled over her, heavier than she expected.

Right.

She had been away without informing her father.

For a brief moment, her thoughts flickered toward her father.

Had he expected her to return sooner? Had he even bothered to?

…Well. Whatever.

She glanced at Lucavion.

With this absurd man at her side, if anyone had an issue, they would need to be at least at the level of a knight commander to start trouble.

And—surprise.

There weren’t many people like that.

Which meant she would be fine.

Right?

Aeliana let out a slow breath, rolling her shoulders.

Going home.

She wasn’t sure if a scolding was waiting for her or something worse.

She had just gotten cured—the kind of miraculous recovery that should’ve made her father relieved, cautious, careful about her health.

And yet, she had left.

Without informing anyone. Without bringing any guards. Without a second thought.

And if she knew her father—there was a high chance he’d be furious.

But—

It’s fine.

She had at least this much leverage, didn’t she?

She wasn’t the same as before.

Aeliana exhaled, stepping closer to Lucavion.

“Do I have any other choice?” she muttered.

Lucavion smirked. “You could always take a carriage.”

Aeliana scoffed. “Alone?”

She gave him a flat look, because really?

A noblewoman taking a carriage alone at this hour—through the streets, all the way to her family’s estate?

Even she knew better than that.

The outcome would be dangerous, and she wasn’t naive enough to think otherwise.

Lucavion, of course, knew that.

Which was why his smirk didn’t waver when he said smoothly, “Of course not. I’d be with you. As your escort.”

Aeliana blinked.

Then—

She smirked.

“Like my little knight in shining armor?” she teased.

Lucavion exhaled sharply, straightening dramatically.

“My lady,” he said, placing a hand over his chest, tilting his head ever so slightly in mock reverence.

Aeliana laughed.

She couldn’t help it.

His tone, his expression—the way he fully committed to the ridiculous act—

It was so stupid.

And yet—

She shook her head, amusement flickering in her golden eyes.

“But,” she continued, stepping closer to Aether, fingers grazing against the sleek black fur, “I won’t be taking a carriage.”

Lucavion hummed, tilting his head. “Oh?”

Aeliana glanced at him. Because my intuition is telling me…’

She smirked.

‘That I’d be missing quite a lot.’

******

<This morning right after Aeliana left>

Thaddeus sat at his desk, his golden eyes scanning over the endless piles of documents stacked before him.

Letters from noble families. Reports from his retainers. Economic records detailing the losses from the recent expedition. Requests from the central government.

The weight of responsibility pressed down on him.

He had already wasted too much time today.

First with Lucavion. That damned reckless child had taken up hours of his time, dragging him into a conversation that left him with far more concerns than he had started with.

Then there was the search for Aeliana. Days spent at sea, hunting for any sign of his daughter, preparing for the worst, only to find her alive—changed, but alive.

And now?

Now it was time to face the fallout.

The expedition had been a disaster. The Kraken’s appearance had not only resulted in massive casualties but had also thrown the entire region into political disarray. Many of the noble families had invested heavily in the venture, and they would demand answers. Compensation. Justifications for their losses.

Then there was the Crown.

Clades Lysandra had already been watching the Thaddeus Duchy with scrutiny, waiting for any excuse to tighten his grip. The expedition’s failure would only add to the pressure. He could already imagine the letters waiting for him from the capital—polite on the surface, but filled with thinly veiled demands.

The Duke sighed, rubbing his temple.

Politics.

It was a game he had played for years, a battlefield just as treacherous as any war. And yet, today, he felt more exhausted than usual.

A sharp knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts.

He glanced up. “Enter.”

The door swung open, revealing a familiar figure.

Captain Edran Vaughn.

His trusted knight. The man who had once led countless expeditions under his banner. The man who had failed to protect Aeliana—but who had still remained, bearing the weight of that failure in silence.

Thaddeus studied him carefully.

Edran was a man of unwavering discipline. He did not come without reason.

Something had happened.

Thaddeus set down his pen. “What is it?”

Edran stepped forward, his stance firm, his sharp blue eyes steady.

“My Lord,” he began, “there is something you need to know. It concerns Lady Aeliana.”

Thaddeus leaned back slightly, his golden eyes sharp as he listened.

Edran did not waste time.

“My lord, today, during training, Lady Aeliana experienced an unexpected mana backlash.”

Thaddeus’ fingers, which had been lightly tapping against the wooden desk, stilled.

“She what?” His voice was quiet, but there was an edge to it.

Edran remained composed. “It appears her body has been accumulating mana for years without an outlet. When she was exposed to external mana sources—my own included—it triggered an uncontrolled surge.”

Thaddeus exhaled sharply through his nose, his jaw tightening.

He had already been aware of Aeliana’s talent. He had suspected, from the moment she had recovered, that there was more to her potential than what was immediately visible.

But this—

This changed things.

It meant her mana had never truly disappeared. It had remained within her, dormant, building pressure over time.

But this is not true.

Thaddeus’ golden eyes darkened.

No. That wasn’t it.

This wasn’t a case of accumulated mana due to lack of training.

He had checked. Again and again, over the years, he had personally verified it.

Aeliana’s mana had not been there.

It had been gone.

Or rather—something had concealed it.

But now, it wasn’t just back.

It was overwhelming.

He clenched his jaw, his mind racing. This kind of reaction didn’t happen to just anyone. Aeliana’s mana wasn’t simply wild because it had been left untrained—it was naturally immense. The kind of raw, untapped power that only appeared in true prodigies.

Aeliana was a genius.

A realization both satisfying—and dangerous.

His father—Aeliana’s grandfather—must not know about this. Not yet.

The old fox would throw her into grueling, merciless training before she had even grasped her own abilities. His methods, while effective, would break her before she could fully grow into her power.

Thaddeus exhaled sharply. He had no time to guide Aeliana himself. Not with the situation at the capital, not with the pressure from the Royal Family, not with everything else weighing upon the Duchy.

But she needed training. Now.

And there was one person fit for that task.

His decision was instant.

He reached for the silver bell beside his desk, ringing it twice.

Within moments, the door opened, and Lysander Whitmore, the head butler of the Thaddeus household, stepped inside.

“You called, my lord?”

Thaddeus turned his sharp gaze toward him. “Summon Aeliana. And…”

He hesitated for only a moment.

“Bring Doran.”

Lysander’s expression barely shifted, but there was a flicker of surprise in his normally impassive gaze.

“My lord,” the butler said carefully, “are you certain? He retired.”

Thaddeus exhaled, rubbing his temple. “Bring him here. Now.”

Lysander bowed. “At once, my lord.”

As the butler exited the room, Thaddeus leaned back in his chair, fingers tapping against the wood.

His father could never know.

Not until Aeliana was strong enough to handle him.