Shattered Innocence: Transmigrated Into a Novel as an Extra - Chapter 545

Chapter 545: A ride and confession (2)
The wind howled around them, the night stretching endlessly before them as Aether surged forward, untamed and unrelenting.

Lucavion didn’t slow. Didn’t react.

But Aeliana felt it.

The tension in his body. The way his grip on the reins had tightened just slightly. The way his breath had hitched for just a moment before he forced himself back into ease.

She smirked.

‘You heard me.’

She leaned in closer, her lips near his ear, her voice smooth, quiet—undeniable.

“I know you heard me.”

Lucavion stiffened again.

Aeliana chuckled under her breath.

“Don’t try to act like you didn’t.”

She felt him swallow, could practically see the gears turning in his head as he scrambled for an escape.

And then—

“Aha… ahahaha—”

Lucavion laughed.

The bastard laughed, easy and light, as if she had just made a passing joke, as if nothing had happened.

“What did you say?” he mused, his tone playful, infuriating.

Aeliana’s eyes narrowed.

‘Oh, so that’s how you’re going to play it?’

She smirked.

“Don’t try to divert the topic,” she murmured. “You can’t escape from me.”

Lucavion’s laughter continued, but it was forced.

She could tell.

Even without seeing his face, even without hearing the subtle shift in his breath—

She knew.

He was trying to dodge.

He was trying to pretend like he hadn’t heard, like those three words hadn’t hit him the way they clearly had.

Aeliana chuckled softly.

“Tch. Coward.”

Lucavion didn’t speak.

Didn’t laugh. Didn’t throw out some witty retort.

He just stayed silent.

And that—

That was how Aeliana knew she had him.

Her smirk widened.

She inhaled lightly, then—

With perfect mockery, she deepened her voice into something smooth, arrogant, and terribly Lucavion-like.

“I, Lucavion,” she drawled, “am afraid of nothing.”

Lucavion exhaled sharply, but he didn’t take the bait.

So Aeliana continued.

“Where’s that courage now?”

Lucavion scoffed. “I’m not afraid of anything.”

Aeliana tilted her head, feigning innocence. “Oh?”

She tightened her grip around his waist, pressing just slightly closer.

“Then why,” she mused, “are you trying so hard to dodge the topic?”

Lucavion let out a short, forced laugh. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Aeliana raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

Lucavion kept his eyes forward. “Really.”

Aeliana clicked her tongue.

‘Tch. This bastard.’

Fine.

If he wanted to pretend—

She would make sure he couldn’t.

She leaned in again, her breath warm against his ear.

“If that’s the case,” she murmured, her voice smooth, unwavering, “then let me repeat myself.”

And then—

Soft. Clear. Unmistakable.

“I love you.”

SCREEEEECH!

Aether suddenly screeched, hooves skidding against the dirt as Lucavion yanked hard on the reins.

The sudden shift sent Aeliana lurching forward, but she reacted instantly—

Arms tightening around him, pressing against his back, keeping them both steady as Aether slowed to a halt.

Lucavion sat frozen in the saddle, his breath heavy.

“Haa… haa…”

Aeliana felt it.

The way his entire body was shaking beneath her fingertips.

She blinked.

Slowly, carefully, she lifted her head—

And smirked.

His ears—

Bright red.

His cheeks—

Flushed.

Lucavion—the ever-unshakable, ever-composed, ever-infuriatingly confident—

Was shivering.

And Aeliana had never seen anything so adorable in her entire life.

Aeliana tightened her arms around him, her grip unyielding, possessive.

She wasn’t letting go.

Not now. Not ever.

Because this—

This man, this adorable, ridiculous, absolutely flustered man—

Was hers.

Lucavion inhaled sharply, his breath still uneven, his body still trembling beneath her fingers. His usual composure, that infuriating smoothness, was completely shattered, and Aeliana—

Aeliana couldn’t think of anything aside from this man.

Every minuscule detail—

The heat radiating off his skin.

The way his ears were still burning red.

The way his hands, always so steady, were gripping the reins just a little too tightly now, as if he needed something to hold onto.

The way his breath shuddered every time she so much as moved against him.

She chuckled, low and smug, her chin pressing lightly against his shoulder.

Lucavion was done for.

And the best part?

She knew he cared.

She knew.

The way he had gone back for this hairpin, the way he remembered something so small, something she herself had brushed aside—

He paid attention.

Lucavion, for all his arrogance, for all his playful, teasing remarks—

Noticed.

He always noticed.

Aeliana smirked, leaning in closer, her lips brushing just near his ear.

“Tch.” Her voice was a whisper, smooth and teasing. “So cute.”

Lucavion twitched.

His breath hitched, his body tensing all over again.

“Aha… hahaha…” His laugh was strained, forced. “Wh-what are you—”

Aeliana hugged him tighter.

Mine.

She felt him stiffen, his entire frame locking up, and it was—

It was the most delightful thing she had ever experienced.

Lucavion, weak to her.

Lucavion, shaking in her grasp.

Lucavion, utterly losing to her advances.

She grinned.

“Oh, Lucavion…” she murmured, her fingers gripping the fabric of his coat. “Where did all that confidence go?”

Lucavion swallowed hard.

“…Aeliana.”

His voice came out weaker than usual.

And she—

She loved it.

Lucavion was—

Flushed.

Bright red from his ears to his neck, his hands gripping the reins like they were his only anchor to reality. His breath uneven, his composure shattered.

And Aeliana—

Aeliana was thrilled.

This was delicious.

She tilted her head slightly, golden eyes gleaming as she watched his profile—the sharp jawline, the dark eyes flickering with something panicked, something hesitant.

Her lips curled.

‘He really can’t handle this, huh?’

She bit her lower lip lightly, suppressing the laugh bubbling in her throat.

“This is…”

Lucavion’s voice was barely above a whisper, shaky, uncertain—so unlike his usual self that it sent a shiver of excitement down Aeliana’s spine.

She lifted her head, tilting her chin up with a slow smirk.

“This is what?” she mused, her tone laced with mischief.

She pressed closer again, letting her breath tickle against his ear before—

Burying her face in his shoulder.

“I love you.”

Lucavion flinched.

Again.

Just like before. Just like every time she said those words.

And gods, she was enjoying this too much.

She felt him trying to compose himself, trying to piece together some kind of response, some kind of deflection—

But then—

“…I…”

His voice came out shaky.

Aeliana stilled.

Her smirk softened, just a fraction.

Because—

She knew.

She knew why he hesitated.

Lucavion wasn’t just some carefree wanderer, some aimless flirt who could toss his heart around on a whim.

This man—

This ridiculous, infuriating, wonderful man—

Had his own ambitions.

His own goals.

His own plans.

And there were many things she still didn’t know about him.

What he was truly after.

What he was planning.

What future he was carving out for himself—

And that future—

It wasn’t here.

Not in Stormhaven. Not in Thaddeus Duchy.

She had known from the start.

Lucavion had made an agreement with her father. He wanted the Duchy’s support, wanted Thaddeus’ backing for whatever plan he was weaving. And her father—stern, calculating, always watching—had agreed.

Which meant—

Lucavion wouldn’t stay.

The Academy. His ambitions. His master’s daughter.

All of it—things she knew were part of the road ahead of him.

And maybe—

Maybe she wasn’t part of that path.