Lucian's expression didn't change as he spoke casually, "Oh… that man. His name is Christopher Kay, isn't it?"
Nathan froze on the spot. His eyes widened, suspicion quickly flooding his face.
"What?!… How do you know that?"
Aurora's eyes also went wide. "Huh... Could he be the one behind all this?"
Lucian didn't answer. He simply turned his back and started walking away.
Without thinking twice, Nathan and Aurora followed right behind him.
But then—
A knife plunged straight into Lucian's chest. His body jerked forward, blood spilling from his mouth. Yet he merely turned slightly, a faint smile forming—calm, almost bitter.
"So…" he muttered, his voice low and trembling. "How did you know I wasn't your friend?"
Nathan narrowed his eyes, his tone firm.
"That child I saw earlier… He showed me something. A code—one only Fenn and I would recognize."
At that moment, something shifted.
"I knew it. That person must be behind all this," Aurora muttered coldly, her eyes sharp.
A subtle vibration rippled through the air. The strange presence that had been clouding Lucian's vision vanished in an instant. His true consciousness returned to his body, and the boy's soul that had taken over was pulled back to where it belonged.
The body that had been possessed—now pierced by the blade—started gushing blood from its wound.
Without wasting a second, Nathan caught the collapsing figure and turned to Aurora with urgency in his eyes.
"We need your help. Now."
Aurora, who had sensed the shift from the very beginning, immediately led them to one of her hidden places—one she had kept secret for moments just like this.
Hours passed…
One of Aurora's secret chambers.
Hidden behind crumbling brick walls and overgrown weeds, the chamber was quiet. The scent of dried herbs, wilted flowers, and damp earth filled the air. A hanging lantern flickered softly, casting shifting shadows against the stone walls.
Lucian, now back in his true body, lay wrapped in linen. Color had begun to return to his face, and his breathing had steadied.
The stab wound in his chest had been treated by Aurora with a mix of healing elixirs and light magic, but clearly… his body was far from fully recovered.
Slowly, his eyes fluttered open.
Heavy breaths escaped his lips before he spoke—quiet, but with resolve,
"I have to find that person… the one who entered my mind… who used my body like a puppet."
Nathan, seated not far from him, immediately turned. He inhaled deeply before answering.
"You said his name… when you were still under that thing's control."
Lucian squinted. "I said a name?"
Nathan nodded. His eyes carried both worry and determination.
"Christopher Kay."
Suddenly, the room felt colder. That name lingered in the air like a veil of unseen mist—cold, clinging.
Lucian fell silent, trying to connect the blurred fragments of memory. And yet, as the name was spoken again, something in his expression shifted… a strange familiarity settled in.
"Christopher Kay…" he murmured. "That name… it feels like a shadow that keeps following me."
Aurora, who had remained silent until now, slowly rose to her feet. Her voice calm but sharp.
"If that name came from the mouth of something that possessed your body and mind… then we're dealing with something much bigger."
Nathan nodded slowly.
"This isn't just soul manipulation. It feels like part of something… that hasn't fully awakened."
Lucian clutched the wound on his chest. His gaze hardened again.
"I don't care who he is. But if he's toying with me… I'll find him."
Aurora looked at the two of them. "Then where do we begin?"
Nathan stared at the flickering lantern above. Then he whispered, "We start with the memories… the ones that may not belong to us, but will lead us to him."
Lucian lowered his gaze. Nathan's words echoed in his mind, stirring something deeper than mere curiosity. He knew their journey was no longer just about chasing remnants of the past—it was about uncovering a truth long buried, even from himself.
He didn't come from this world. From the start, his only goal had been to return home.
But everything changed the moment the curse struck.
A curse that scarred more than his flesh—it left unseen wounds in his soul.
And yet, the curse was just the beginning…
Now, something deeper—far more dangerous—had surfaced. Soul magic. Someone had tried to take over his being. And the name that kept appearing from every direction, from both the one who possessed him and the friend who knew him, was one:
Christopher Kay.
Lucian clenched his fists. He didn't yet know who this man was or where he came from. But he knew one thing:
Before he could lift the curse and go home, he had to find Christopher Kay.
And face whatever lay at the end of that name.
Lucian turned to Nathan, who was still sitting nearby. His body was weak, but he slowly got to his feet, wincing as the pain in his chest pulsed. Still, the wound that had once threatened his life had begun to mend, thanks to Aurora's healing concoctions.
With eyes heavy yet resolute, Lucian spoke.
"For now… don't follow me. Not tonight, and not on the nights to come."
Nathan, who had always stayed by his side, stood up immediately. His face was etched with deep concern.
"I'm coming with you. I won't let you face this alone," Nathan declared firmly.
But Lucian shot him down without hesitation.
"No." His reply was cold, sharp, and left no room for argument.
No explanation. No justification.
Lucian turned and walked away from them both, his steps swift despite his still-recovering body.
Aurora and Nathan exchanged silent glances. They understood—Lucian was walking toward something far greater than pain or injury.
Tonight, he had one goal:
to uncover the one who had taken over his soul.
He would infiltrate the kingdom, move through the shadows, slip through hidden corridors.
He wanted to know who orchestrated the soul magic.
Who toyed with his body and mind.
He no longer just wanted to return home.
He wanted an answer.
He needed to understand the secrets of this world—the truths hiding behind human faces and foreign names.
And he would uncover them all… even if he had to walk through the dark alone.
. . .
Night cloaked the city in silence, but behind that calm, someone was watching from above.
Lucian stood atop an old building, his cloak fluttering in the night breeze. His sharp eyes locked onto a grand structure not far from the palace—a tall building with towering spires and wide glass windows that shimmered beneath the moonlight.
This wasn't just any building.
It was the Narami Library, believed to be the kingdom's central vault of knowledge—not just books, but forbidden spells, hidden histories, and ancient artifacts kept far from public eyes.
With a steady breath, Lucian crouched and leapt from the rooftop, landing on a lower structure before darting across the tiles, his shadow flitting through the dark like a phantom. The wind followed him, swirling around his body like a loyal shield.
Then, he raised his hand.
The air sliced sharply as wind magic surged from his palm—CRACK!
One of the glass windows on the library's eastern side shattered, the cracks blooming like ice flowers before the pieces silently scattered.
To keep the shards from making noise, he used his wind magic to hold them in place, then gently moved them to a safe spot.
Lucian slipped inside without a sound, landing between tall shelves filled with aged tomes and scrolls. The room was silent, lit only by the faint glow of crystal lamps that hung like frozen stars.
He began weaving between shelves, his fingers brushing over cracked bindings, eyes gleaming with intent. Searching. Searching for a clue that might reveal who cursed him… and who had truly struck him down.
But then—he froze.
"You know, stealing knowledge comes at a price."
The voice was cold but calm, echoing softly through the vast room.
Lucian turned sharply.
At the edge of one of the tall shelves stood a woman. Her long hair was tied to one side, cascading elegantly over her shoulder. Her violet eyes were sharp as blades of ice. She wore a gothic-style dress—black lace layered with shimmering dark fabric that reflected the ambient light.
Her gaze was unwavering, perhaps even… intrigued.
"And you're not just any intruder, are you?" she said, a faint smile playing on her lips.
Lucian didn't answer—he simply stared.