Upon arriving at the mansion, Sophia did not allow him even a moment of respite between the end of the journey and what was inevitable. With firm determination, she led Lusian directly to his room.
The air smelled of mint incense, clean. Heavy golden curtains hung on both sides of the windows, filtering the light from outside.
Sophia closed the door behind them.
Lusian stopped pretending. His doubts were exposed, and Sophia did not take even a second to notice.
They sat.
Lusian sank into the armchair, which felt far too large for the tension he was feeling. Sophia sat beside him, upright, trying to transmit a calm he did not possess, while also making sure he did not completely collapse.
Sophia's maternal side surfaced; she looked at her son with a mixture of tenderness and a slight urge to laugh. She was the kind of woman who would tear everything apart if anyone dared to touch even a single hair on his head.
—In six days —she said calmly, without raising her voice—, in the Temple of Sangus, god of loyalty and truth, the engagement oath with the Carters will be held.
The name of the god brought back memories of the game. If you failed a mission related to him, you were instantly cursed. Lusian sank deeper into the chair, as if his own body no longer obeyed him.
His hands gripped the armrests tightly.
—Mother... —his voice broke halfway through the word—. Is it mandatory? All of this... the oath... Is there no way to cancel it?
He could not control the trembling of his hands. The idea of dying, just like in the game, churned his stomach. Is fate truly unchangeable?
Sophia watched him in silence. She almost felt like laughing at how adorable he looked, but instead she leaned in and wrapped him in a long embrace.
—My son... listen to me —she said softly—. I know you're afraid, but you don't need to worry.
Lusian swallowed, his throat dry. How could he explain that he already knew what was going to happen? That the girl he was meant to be engaged to was destined to kill him?
—Breathe —she whispered, leaning a little closer—. I'm here.
Lusian lowered his gaze and simply nodded.
Sophia smiled and gently fixed his hair, as if he were still the small child from years ago.
—Don't worry —she said quietly.
A pause.
"This oath is serious. Sacred before Sangus. Unbreakable."
Her fingers rested softly on him, anchoring him to reality.
"But you are not the one who bears that responsibility."
Lusian looked at her. That wasn't it; what he truly wanted was to stay away from the heroes, to put as much distance as possible between them and himself.
Sophia did not look away.
"Emily Carter... will swear loyalty before the god. She is the one who seals the contract."
Silence.
Lusian blinked slowly.
Then she took his hand.
Firm and warm.
"Your duty is to accept her," she continued. "To marry her. To give her the place she deserves as the future duchess of the Douglas family."
Her thumb gently brushed his knuckles.
A small gesture.
"That is all."
Lusian stared at her. He had a thousand things on the tip of his tongue, but he could not find the words. In the end, he swallowed what he was going to say and tried not to show any emotion.
—I've never seen anything like this... —he murmured—. It's terrifying.
Sophia looked at him with that silent understanding only mothers have and replied in a whisper, almost just for the two of them.
"I know."
She gently stroked his cheek.
"But that is growing up, Lusian."
A pause.
Her eyes never left him.
"This does not threaten your life."
When Sophia left the room, silence returned immediately.
Lusian could not just sit still. He had to plan something, or death would catch up to him sooner or later. He could not simply watch events unfold; he had to act, even if everything went wrong. At least, he had to try.
"In six days," he told himself, "the oath will take place in the Temple of Sangus."
Six days.
Finally, he let himself fall back into the armchair.
If he could change anything... the first thing would be to prevent the death of the crown prince.
Lusian stayed still for a moment.
Then he exhaled.
He could not remain like this.
He had to do something.
If not... he was going to die.
He closed his eyes.
In the game, everything began with the death of the crown prince.
Officially, an accident.
Wild beasts.
A lie.
It was a murder.
But...
how could he warn about something like that without revealing too much?
He could not speak of a murder that had not yet happened.
They would take him for a conspirator.
Or for an idiot.