“Fetch me a bag or a suitcase. As many as possible.”

  Lucien spoke with a voice calm as the sea breeze. The golems moved at once, silent and unquestioning.

  Within seconds, the soft clatter of stone and metal echoed through the room as they brought out travel packs, hard cases, and reinforced suitcases. Some hadn’t been touched in years.

  Lucien stood at the edge of the bed, arms crossed, staring at a sight no one who knew him would expect. His bed, usually bare and undisturbed, was scattered with clothes. It looked completely out of place.

  Clothes. Dozens of them, laid out across the sheets. Some were folded neatly. Others were tossed in uneven piles from earlier. Each piece belonged to a man who used to wear whatever he found first, if anything at all beyond armor and travel gear. Somehow, he always looked presentable. Mostly because of a few golems who specialized in tailoring.

  “How many would be enough?”

  There was no reply. He didn’t wait for one.

  His eyes moved across the options again.

  He reached for a long black coat. Worn leather. Faint scarring across the shoulder. A knife mark from a fight that ended quickly and violently. He tossed it aside without hesitation.

  Then came another. Deep red. Almost blood-like under the right light. He held it longer. It looked too new. Clean.

  "Too flashy," he said under his breath.

  The golems returned, placing the bags by the door. One opened the largest and set it beside the bed.

  Lucien began sorting. One pile for what would come with him. One for what would stay behind. At first, he moved without thought, but soon his hands became more precise. This wasn’t nostalgia. It was practical.

  “I thought starting with clothes would be easy. Turns out it’s the hardest part. I should just take all of it,” he said, stopping briefly.

  By the end, the bed was almost clear. The bags were lined up and half-packed, everything in order.

  “Next, I need to choose what devices and weapons to take. And what else.”

  A soft knock came at the door.

  Lucien didn’t turn. “Come in.”

  The door opened. Ultimare stepped inside. His presence was quiet, steady, and as usual, unbothered by the mess. He gave a small nod.

  “Lucien.”

  Lucien nodded back. Ultimare approached, glancing around the room.

  “So, what’s this chaos? Clearing your wardrobe?” His eyes moved from the bed to the bags, then back again.

  Lucien looked down at the half-sorted clothes. “No. I was trying to figure out how many I’d need. What to take. The rest... you can see.”

  Ultimare raised a brow. “So? Did you figure it out?”

  Lucien didn’t hesitate. “Yeah. I’m taking everything. It’s the safest option.”

  Ultimare gave a short laugh. “That’s going to be quite the load. Who knows where we’ll be staying or what the conditions will be. Gotta factor that in. Finn came to the same conclusion, by the way.”

  Lucien glanced over. “He did?”

  Ultimare nodded, a small smile forming. “Selena would probably know what’s worth packing. She travels more than the rest of us combined. Finn and I were on our way to see her. Want to come?”

  Lucien grabbed a coat off the bed and gave a single nod. “Sounds logical. Let’s go.”

  They stepped out into the corridor. The halls were quiet, still. Not peaceful—just silent. A kind of silence that came before something moved. Ultimare spoke first.

  “So, how are things with that girl?”

  Lucien didn’t miss a step. “Arika’s doing better. More than I expected, honestly.”

  Ultimare’s curiosity showed. “And why’s that?”

  This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Lucien kept walking. “Even with the kind of training I’ve put her through—she didn’t break. No signs of mental collapse. No shift into something twisted. I was ready for her to turned into something dark, but she hasn’t. She’s in the gray for now.”

  Ultimare tilted his head. “So she’s still the kindhearted girl who struggles to kill?”

  “Not exactly. I’ve dealt with that part.” Lucien’s tone was flat. “There is no hesitation in her strikes anymore. Infact I’ve been using the mercenaries and soldiers we captured recently as practice targets for her. She’s become efficient. Brutal when needed. A clean blend of instinct and discipline.”

  Ultimare narrowed his eyes slightly. “Then what’s missing? You expected her to turn into you in two months?”

  Lucien shook his head. “It’s her decisiveness. Or lack of it. That’s tied to her morals. She hesitates not in combat, but in judgment. Her conviction is strong, and I’ve made her dangerous—but she won’t act unless the enemy fits her idea of evil. That slows her down.”

  “One of those,” Ultimare muttered. “That’ll limit her growth. But maybe let her keep it. She got into this for revenge. As long as she gets that, I doubt she’ll care what lines she didn’t cross. Unless... you’ve got something else planned for her?”

  Lucien didn’t answer.

  Ultimare glanced at him but let it go.

  They reached the west wing and found Selena seated beside Finn, a low table between them, scattered with maps and open scrolls.

  Selena looked up as they approached. “Let me guess—Lucien, you don’t know what to pack either, do you?”

  Ultimare gave a shrug. “I caught him standing over his clothes like he was mourning the dead. Figured we’d ask the expert. You’ve got the most experience here.”

  Selena’s eyes narrowed. “You’re terrible at flattery, Ultimare. Cut it out before I cut you off.”

  “My apologies, dear sister.”

  Finn added, “Even if it was flattery, it’s still true. You’ve traveled more than any of us. This mission matters, and your advice would be a great help.”

  Without changing her expression, Selena motioned for them to sit. “Fine. Sit down. I’ll sort you out.”

  The three of them sat across from her at the low table.

  “Only one of you speaks. I don’t want to hear a chorus of incompetence.”

  “In that case, I will—” Finn began, but a sharp blade shot past his cheek, slicing the air cleanly. He froze.

  “I’ll just sit here and keep quiet,” he muttered, rubbing his neck.

  Ultimare turned to Lucien, who spoke up.

  “I’m not sure what to pack. First, how many clothes should I even take?”

  Selena sighed, dragging a hand down her face. “This is worse than I thought. Three grown men can’t even pack for a trip. Lucien, you’re supposed to be the head of the family. Max doesn’t have this problem. He knows what to take.”

  Finn leaned over and whispered, “Because he only takes one set. The one he’s wearing.”

  Selena ignored him. “Twelve. That’s the maximum. At least three should be fit for formal events. And don’t overthink it—you can buy more if needed. Shops are everywhere. Or we can send supplies later, but frankly, that’s a waste of manpower.”

  The three of them stayed quiet.

  Lucien raised a hand. “Could you just… pick it for me?”

  Another knife flew across the table. This time, Lucien caught it mid-air without blinking.

  “You’ve got some nerve. First, you ask the dumbest question of the day, and now you want me to play housekeeper? What’s wrong with you?”

  Ultimare leaned in and whispered, “Leave it. I’ll ask Ava to do it for us.”

  Lucien gave a small nod. “Problem solved then.”

  “I second that,” Finn added quickly.

  Selena raised a brow. “Problem solved? Great. Then explain your entire travel plan to me.”

  Finn straightened up. “We’ll use the carriage. I’ve already had our golems build a solid one—comfortable and discreet. Load our supplies and head out. Book a mansion or something once we arrive.”

  There was silence. Then they all stared at him.

  Ultimare broke it. “Even you can be that dumb, huh?”

  “What?”

  Selena cut in. “He’s right, Here’s a piece of advice you must follow when you’re in the Empire: avoid standing out, drawing unnecessary attention, or revealing any kind of information.

  The three of you stand out—by nature and behavior. Especially you, Lucien. When we’re outside, try not to be such an antisocial nightmare.

  There are a lot of rules and social expectations here, especially when dealing with nobility. Don’t forget, you’ll be walking straight into enemy territory. You won’t know how many enemies you’re facing, or even who they are.

  The moment you step outside, you’re already on a battlefield. They’ll be looking for any excuse to come after you. So be smart, and be careful.“

  Finn rubbed his temples. “I didn’t think it through. I figured it was a minor task. I’ll do better.”

  Selena continued.“Oh, by the way—you said you’re planning to rent a mansion. Sure, that sounds comfortable, but do you really think it’s going to be that easy? Especially for former heretics like us?”

  Finn’s shoulders slumped. “Another detail I missed. A random inn it is, then.”

  Ultimare muttered, “I’d rather sleep in a forest.”

  “You think I want to stay in a filthy inn?” Finn shot back.

  Lucien spoke up. “If renting a mansion draws too much attention, what if we find a commoner’s home and rent it privately, under the table? Then search for better options.”

  Selena glanced at him. “Why not stay with Uncle’s family?”

  Lucien gave her a look. “You already know the answer. Why ask?”

  Finn added, “We don’t know if we can trust them. They might be allies—or enemies.”

  Ultimare groaned. “This is getting exhausting.”

  Selena’s eyes narrowed again, a sudden mischievous glint in her gaze. “Good. Stay here a little longer. I’m not done drilling the basics into you three.”