CHAPTER 104: CHAPTER 104 - A COLD NIGHT

The night air was unusually heavy—dense with awkward tension, like a taut string ready to snap.

The silver moon cast a pale glow over the academy’s central fountain, its waters gently rippling under the soft breeze. The rhythmic splash of droplets hitting the surface was the only sound that accompanied the silence... until the word that broke it all:

"Papa?"

Luca froze.

Completely still, baby dragon still in his arms, water clinging to her hair and scales, her small finger pointing toward him with that innocent, damning word.

He slowly turned around, his eyes locking onto a familiar figure standing behind him.

White hair. Violet eyes.

Her cold gaze pierced through the shadows like a blade of frost.

Selena.

She stood tall and composed as ever, her arms crossed under the violet shimmer of moonlight, but her sharp eyes were narrowed and suspicious.

The atmosphere tensed further. Even the fountain’s cheerful gurgling seemed to quiet down, as if nature itself was holding its breath.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. What the hell is she doing here?

Luca’s mind went into panic mode.

So much for stealth. So much for not getting caught.

Why now? Why her?

But after a deep breath, he reeled himself in.

Wait. Calm down. It’s Selena. She’s not a gossip... I can maybe explain this. Hopefully. Probably. She might zap me first though.

He raised one hand nervously while keeping the other arm around the baby dragon.

"C-Can I explain?"

A faint crackle echoed.

A whip of pure lightning had already formed in Selena’s hand, the energy dancing between her fingers.

Luca paled. "Let me at least explain! She’s not my daughter!"

"Papapa?" the baby dragon tilted her head, water dripping from her soaked blond curls, crimson eyes blinking innocently.

Luca glanced at her and sighed, muttering, "You’re really not helping your papa right now..."

CRACKLE.

The whip glowed brighter.

"Wait! She’s not human," Luca blurted out quickly.

Selena blinked. The glow faded just slightly.

"...What do you mean?" she asked, her tone flat but curious enough to pause her spell.

Luca gently shifted the dragon in his arms to face her. "Look here."

He brushed back her wet hair and turned her around, revealing the small tail swaying lazily behind her.

Selena’s eyes widened ever so slightly—not in fear or anger—but with new confusion.

"Explain," she said again, more softly this time.

Luca sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as he began, "Okay, so... remember Beastridge Mountain? During the whole demonic dragon mess?"

Selena nodded, arms crossed again but more relaxed now.

"Well... that dragon. The big one. Before it died, it gave me this egg."

He glanced at the baby dragon affectionately. "It hatched two days ago. She imprinted on me the moment she saw me. And now... well... she calls me papa."

"Papapa~" the dragon chirped again with a wide smile, splashing her tiny claws in the fountain.

Luca smiled wryly and muttered, "It’s not like I told her to..."

He paused briefly, deciding not to mention the Empress’s role in the hatching.

That’s a whole different can of worms I’m not opening. She might actually kill me for mentioning her if some weird rumours spread.

Selena silently studied both of them—her gaze shifting between the baby dragon’s tail and her glistening red eyes. The moonlight caught in her soaked hair, the scales faintly shimmering. The girl looked up at Selena with quiet curiosity, snuggling closer into Luca’s arms.

The tension slowly melted.

Selena’s expression softened for the first time, her cold exterior cracking ever so slightly. She stepped forward and—hesitantly—raised a hand.

Luca blinked.

She gently patted the baby dragon’s head. Once. Twice.

The child blinked up at her, then gave a sudden delighted giggle and squealed:

"Papapa!"

Luca groaned. "You’re still not helping me."

They sat down on the nearby bench.

Luca tilted his head, his voice soft yet genuinely curious.

"What are you doing here at this time anyway?"

Selena, who had been staring blankly into the distance with her arms folded and her long white hair fluttering slightly in the breeze, stiffened at the question. Her already cold expression somehow hardened further, eyes narrowing ever so slightly as she turned her face away.

The silence lingered between them like a thin sheet of frost. Even the baby dragon beside Luca stopped shifting and simply blinked at her, sensing the tension.

Luca blinked slowly and thought to himself,

Hmm... judging by what I know of her from the game, she must be thinking about the duel today.

He leaned back slightly on the bench, resting one arm behind him as he sighed.

Professor Seraphina was right. If it had been just a week more—if Lilliane had reached the fifth circle in time... then today’s outcome might’ve been different.

His voice broke the stillness.

"Thinking about the duel today?"

The words seemed to jolt Selena out of her thoughts. Her eyes widened for a second in surprise, and she turned toward him with a faint start. Her cold mask cracked—just a little. The smallest downturn of her lips, the faintest furrow of her brows. Then slowly, she gave a small, reluctant nod.

Luca gave her a soft look.

Well, someone helped me yesterday when I needed it. Let me do it too.

He leaned forward a little, resting his elbows on his knees, his tone calm but firm.

"There’s no point in thinking too much about it. Lilliane is a genius in her own right... and you won anyway, right?"

Selena didn’t respond. Her eyes flicked downward, then toward the forest path ahead. Her jaw tightened just slightly.

Luca watched her, then continued, a bit more earnestly.

"Look, it’s the fact that you won. I agree with what Professor Seraphina said—but it was ’if’ Lilliane had reached the fifth circle. That’s not reality. There’s no ’if’ or ’what if’ in the outcome."

Still, there was no shift in her expression.

So he leaned back again, running a hand through his hair, thinking of the words he’d heard the night before—words that had comforted him when he’d needed them most. His voice softened.

"I was troubled by some things yesterday too. But someone told me something great."

He looked at her, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

"She said there’s no point in thinking about this and that. You just have to focus on yourself, on your own strength. In front of that, no if’s or what’s matter. So believe in your strength more... and keep getting stronger."

Well it was something similar.

There was a pause.

Then, finally, he saw it.

The tension slowly faded from Selena’s face. Her shoulders relaxed, the frost in her gaze melted into something warmer—faint, but visible. A flicker of clarity replaced the doubt. She met his eyes, and for once, there was something human in them. Something vulnerable... and grateful.

She gave a faint, rare smile.

"That person must be someone wise," she said, her voice quiet.

Luca nodded, smiling back.

"She sure is."

Selena stood up, brushing down her skirt as the cool night breeze ruffled her long coat. She glanced at the baby dragon curled beside him and gave its tiny head a gentle pat.

"Well then... I’ll be leaving. You should leave too."

Her tone was back to its usual calm, but the edge was gone.

"She might catch a cold."

And with that, she turned and walked away, her white hair glinting in the moonlight as her footsteps faded down the stone path.

Luca watched her go, a faint, thoughtful smile playing on his lips.

"Well... she also has her own troubles, it seems," he murmured, gently stroking the baby dragon’s back as it cooed softly and nuzzled his side.

***

Next morning in class A

"Due to the recent increase in Devil Cult activity across the continent," she began, her voice clear and firm, "the Arcadia Academy has asked been asked to assist in investigation and disruption efforts."

A wave of tension rippled through the class as Seraphina announced it. Luca straightened slightly, his instincts kicking in.

"Therefore," Seraphina continued, "while senior students may undertake solo missions if they wish, for first-years, it is mandatory to form pairs. If you believe you can catch up with the missed content later, you are encouraged to accept these field missions."

Selena approached Luca as she said,"Want to pair up for the mission?"