Chapter 27
Lesson
3 p.m.
Afternoon, at the front of the villa near the fountain. A car was already parked, ready to depart. Beside it, a small crowd had gathered because of someone's departure.
A somber tone lingered in the air.
"Eve, come on. Don't be like this."
Lucius smiled helplessly.
Sighing in resignation, he tried to comfort her by pulling her into a hug, not realizing that it only made Eve cry harder.
"Si-sister… hu—"
Knowing her personality, Lucius tightened the hug and gently caressed her back.
Only then did Eve begin to calm down.
Everyone could only smile helplessly. After several minutes, Eve finally steadied herself and released the hug on her own.
With swollen eyes, she stared into her 'sister's' eyes. Just seeing her face almost made Eve cry again. Wincing, she forced herself to hold back her tears.
Lucius' hand naturally reached up to wipe her cheeks.
"There you go, my cupcake. Don't cry again. It'll only make your face look ugly."
With a tender smile, Lucius patted her head.
Glancing to the side, he saw Sister Sophia standing there with a faint smile, looking somewhat lost. Seeing her expression, Lucius could only sigh inwardly.
"Sister Sophia, how about a hug?"
Sophia flinched and blinked a few times before realizing that her younger 'brother' was standing a few steps in front of her, both arms stretched out.
After seeing the smile on Lucius' face, she immediately smiled back, understanding what he meant.
Lucius stepped forward and wrapped her in a tight embrace.
Suddenly, flashes of memories flooded his mind—
their simple yet fulfilling daily life,
their late parents,
and everything that happened after the gender-change incident.
Memory after memory surged forward, trying to break through the last wall of defense he had built. Like a dam on the verge of bursting, tears gathered at the corners of his eyes.
But remembering his conviction and determination, he forced himself to hold them back. He didn't want to make the already painful separation worse by breaking down.
Because he knew—if he cried, Sister Sophia might break down too.
And he didn't want that to happen.
Tightening the hug, Lucius buried his face in Sophia's shoulder.
As the older sister who had raised her siblings alone, she understood exactly what Lucius was feeling. She felt the same. And so, she could only smile helplessly, knowing that if she cried, Lucius might cry as well.
The two of them stayed like that, unsure when to let go—
Until Eve suddenly wrapped her arms around them from the side, pulling both of them out of their trance.
Sophia and Lucius smiled and embraced her as well, allowing her to join.
At the side, Edward felt slightly left out—not because he wanted a hug from them, but because watching the scene made him suddenly miss his own parents.
Still… maybe he wouldn't mind getting something from his best friend.
Like a hug?
'Haha… what am I thinking?'
Shaking his head, Edward distracted himself by striking up a conversation with the female driver who would later drop Lucius off at a designated hotel.
Not long after, the siblings finally finished their heartfelt bonding.
Seeing that, Edward sighed inwardly.
'Now it's my turn, haha.'
Lucius also knew he hadn't properly said goodbye to his best friend.
When he saw Edward standing there with anticipation, the two of them exchanged a silent laugh before stopping at the same time, shaking their heads while sighing.
Still grinning foolishly, Edward approached Lucius and placed both hands firmly on his shoulders, patting them strongly.
"Knowing your character, I don't need to say a lot to convey my feelings. So… I'll just give you encouragement for your journey ahead.
And… you don't have to worry about your sisters. I promise to watch over both of them, so you can stop worrying.
Finally, don't forget to keep in touch with us here.
And good luck."
After saying all that, Edward felt a weight lift from his heart.
Looking at his best friend's face, he could only sigh inwardly. The journey ahead would be difficult for Lucius—especially with 'his' identity and appearance.
"Thanks a lot, dude… I'm really grateful to have a friend like you… huft… Your presence really helps calm my heart.
Then… I'll leave my sisters to you. Once again, thank you for everything. I don't know what would've happened if you weren't here…"
After pouring out his thoughts, Lucius felt emotional. He didn't know when he would see Edward or his sisters again.
Acting on instinct, Lucius suddenly pulled Edward into a hug—only to realize Edward had frozen like a statue.
Releasing him, Lucius laughed awkwardly and patted his shoulder before suddenly bolting toward the car.
Edward watched as Lucius ran off without even bringing his suitcase.
He nearly burst out laughing.
Naturally, Edward picked up the suitcase and carried it to the car, placing it in the trunk.
After that, the two of them laughed at the ridiculous scene they had just created.
Eve and Sophia approached.
Edward nodded toward Lucius. Lucius nodded back.
"Bro—… Sister Lucia, don't forget to call us after you settle overseas!"
Eve, though her eyes were still swollen, managed a warm smile.
"Lucy… don't forget to take care of your health. Don't sleep too late. Be careful around strangers—after all… it's your first time…
"And don't forget to call us if anything happens."
Like a mother, Sister Sophia nagged gently. Lucius didn't feel restricted by it—in fact, it soothed his heart because he could feel the love behind every word.
"Don't worry. I'll do all of that…
Alright, we've already wasted too much time. Let's end it here.
See you soon, guys!"
The siblings hugged one last time, while Edward simply gave a firm nod.
The driver smiled warmly and opened the passenger door for Lucius. After he got in, she closed the door and walked to the driver's seat.
Not long after, the car drove toward the gate.
Lucius silently watched his sisters and best friend through the window. Slowly, their figures grew smaller and smaller—
Until they disappeared from view.
The mood turned somber, but Lucius forced himself to remain calm.
"Ma'am, please take me to the best hotel near the military airport."
He spoke respectfully, glancing toward the driver.
The best hotel? Wouldn't that be expensive?
Well… Edward had already given him funds for the journey. He had even tried to give Lucius a black card—but Lucius refused, feeling it would be too heavy a burden to accept.
It wasn't like he was poor. He had his own savings. Though not as much as what Edward gave him, it was still enough to live on for several months.
"Understood."
The driver nodded. After confirming the exact address, she input the destination into the GPS.
"Thank you for helping me, ma'am."
Lucia gave a warm smile and a small nod.
"It's my job, miss. You're welcome."
After bowing slightly, the driver left.
Even though it was normal for someone to arrive at the lobby like that, it still attracted attention—especially with someone like Lucia.
Curious eyes followed her, wondering if she was someone important or perhaps a celebrity.
Fortunately, no one acted on their curiosity.
The security guard approached her.
"Miss, would you like to check in, meet someone, or have you already booked a room?"
"I'd like to book a room, please."
The guard nodded and escorted her to the receptionist.
After booking a single room, Lucia received her key card and was guided upstairs by a staff member.
Upon arriving at her room, she thanked the staff before locking the door behind her and dropping onto the bed.
'Huft… let's send a message to Chief Song, then go eat dinner.'
Opening her phone, Lucia tapped on her chat with Chief Song and began typing.
Lucia: Sir, I have already arrived at the hotel.
The reply didn't come immediately, which was understandable. While waiting, she decided to play a video game.
About an hour later, a notification popped up.
Song-Im Hyun: Alright, our agent has just departed. After arriving, they will stand by at the airport and escort you inside around 9 a.m. tomorrow.
Lucia immediately replied.
Lucia: Thank you for the arrangements, sir.
Song-Im Hyun: Haha, don't worry about it. It's our job. Alright, see you soon.
Lucia: Yes, sir.
After closing the chat, she noticed it was already past 5 p.m., so she decided to look for dinner.
Fortunately, the hotel had its own restaurant for guests.
Naturally, she chose to eat there.
After confirming the location, she left the room, making sure to lock the door behind her.
Not long after, she arrived at the restaurant, found a seat, and ordered a meal set.
While waiting, she noticed several glances directed at her. She had already grown used to being the center of attention.
She didn't mind much. In fact, it felt somewhat pleasant to be admired—though she didn't consciously dwell on that thought.
About forty minutes later, she finished her dinner and headed back to her room.
On the way, a man with a flushed face staggered down the corridor toward her.
Like someone spotting treasure, he smiled in a way that made her skin crawl.
"Hi, beauty~ How about playing some games with this gentleman?"
Disgusted by both his expression and tone, Lucia tried to walk past him.
She assumed a normal person without abilities wouldn't be able to catch her due to the difference in stats.
She was wrong.
The drunken man moved faster than expected—his reflexes even sharper than hers.
Caught off guard, her right hand was suddenly seized.
A shiver ran down her spine at the contact. Emotions flooded her mind—
Lust.
Greed.
Excitement.
Arrogance.
"Let me go!"
Lucia raised her voice, hoping to attract attention.
"Hahaha, why? You don't want to spend the night with this gentleman? Why? Am I not handsome enough? Or… do you want me to pay you? Don't worry, I have plenty of money. Here—ten million!"
He pulled out a stack of cash and waved it in front of her face.
Her expression darkened.
"Stop playing around! Release me. Now!"
Her rejection froze his expression.
He wasn't used to being refused. With his money, power, and influence, he usually got what he wanted. Even if someone resisted at first, they changed their attitude after learning who he was.
But this time—
He felt insulted.
Anger flickered across his face.
This was bad.
Not only was he influential, but Lucia realized something else—
He was awakened.
Sensing the shift in atmosphere, Lucia tried to pry his hand off hers. After several failed attempts, her eyes darted downward—
A vital target.
The man raised his free hand, about to strike her—
But Lucia acted first.
She drove her knee straight into his groin.
The pain was immediate and overwhelming. Awakened or not, a man was still a man.
With a strangled cry, he released her.
"B*tch! Don't run! Do you know who I am?!"
Lucia was already sprinting toward the elevator.
Once inside, she didn't press the button for her floor. Instead, she selected the one above it.
As soon as the doors opened, she rushed to the staircase and ran down to her own floor from there.
After slipping inside her room and locking the door, she finally leaned against it, breathing heavily.
"Who the f*ck does he think he is…? Huft… That was dangerous. If I were just a normal girl, I might've had to scream… But that doesn't mean I'm safe. If he uses his power…"
A shiver ran through her body.
The thought of being pinned down, helpless against someone consumed by lust, made her stomach churn.
Only now did she fully grasp the vulnerability of being a woman—especially alone.
Just imagining it made her feel sick.
"From now on, I have to be cautious. I can't underestimate anyone."
With that resolve planted in her mind, she went to take a shower. The memory of his touch still lingered, and she wanted to wash it away.
After a long, refreshing shower, she changed into the silk pajamas she had brought from Edward's villa.
They were brand new—soft, smooth, and unmistakably feminine. Very different from the oversized shirts and loose pants she usually wore.
Surprisingly, they were comfortable. The cool fabric against her skin eased her earlier tension.
Looking at herself in the mirror, a small smile formed unconsciously.
'Cute…'
She blushed faintly at her own thought and shook her head.
After drying her hair, she lay down on the bed.
Before sleeping, she usually scrolled through her phone—watching YouTube or reading manga and manhwa she followed.
After two hours of relaxing, she set her phone aside and stared at the ceiling.
It was a habit from long ago—reviewing the day before falling asleep.
She replayed everything in her mind, analyzing what she could have done better.
'Hmm… when that bastard grabbed my hand, I felt his emotions clearly… Is it because of my traits? Let's check.'
'Status.'
The familiar panel appeared before her eyes.
Scrolling through her abilities, she searched for anything related to emotions.
Finally, she found it.
'Sympathetic Heart… This is the only trait related to emotions. But the description doesn't mention sensing strong negative emotions through physical contact. Maybe it has a hidden function.'
She paused.
'If this trait has a hidden function… maybe my other traits do too.'
After a moment of silence, she exhaled.
'Alright, that's enough for tonight. I'll discuss it with Chief Song after I meet him.'
Fatigue finally caught up to her.
Closing her eyes, Lucia drifted into sleep—
Unaware that the drunken man from earlier was not just an ordinary awakened.
He has power and influence.
And he was already planning what to do the next time she stepped outside her room.