Lucas frowned, "What are you talking about?"
"Don't toy with me!" Sullen said sharply. Her voice trembled, carrying disbelief and a trace of lingering fear. "Are you pretending after nearly killing me? I can't believe this."
He stared at her, confusion carving deep lines between his brows as he searched his memory. The last few minutes felt fragmented, hazy, as though someone had torn a piece out of his mind.
"I'm not pretending," he said slowly. "I honestly don't understand what you're talking about. From what I remember, you dragged me here, and then…" He paused, frustration flickering in his eyes. "There's nothing after that. It's blank."
Sullen narrowed her eyes, studying him closely. Her gaze was sharp and probing, as if she were trying to peel him apart layer by layer.
"You're telling the truth?" she asked coldly. "You're not playing games with me?"
"Why would I?" Lucas snapped, impatience creeping into his voice. "Just tell me what happened."
Sullen fell silent.
For several long seconds, she watched his face. There was no mockery, no arrogance, only genuine confusion.
Finally, she spoke.
"Earlier, you grabbed my neck," she said quietly. "Your pupils turned an unnatural crimson. And your aura…" Her voice lowered. "It wasn't the aura of a magus. It was something else entirely."
Lucas frowned even deeper.
Crimson pupils. A foreign aura.
None of that made sense.
Even recalling everything he knew, nothing like this had ever happened before. He was supposed to be nothing more than a gifted magus with an unusually strong soul. Nothing more.
"I don't know anything about that," Lucas said flatly. "But one thing is certain." His eyes hardened. "I'm not returning the jade. Not to you, and not to Leon. It belongs to me now."
Sullen bit her lip.
She wanted the jade back. She needed it returned. But she couldn't push him further.
The memory of his grip and those terrifying eyes was still burned into her mind.
"Lucas," she said carefully, "it's just an ordinary jade. Why take it? There are countless rare artifacts in this world, worth millions of dollars. Why steal something that belongs to Leon?"
Lucas crossed his arms, unimpressed. "Then tell him I'll buy it. A million dollars should be enough."
Sullen shook her head. "It's not about money. That jade is his family heirloom. You know what that means. Please, return it."
Lucas laughed softly.
He crouched in front of her, lowering his voice.
"If you really want me to give it back," he said casually, "we could discuss it privately. In my room."
Sullen's expression darkened instantly.
"That will never happen," she said sharply.
Lucas stood, shrugging. "Then the jade stays with me." A faint smile tugged at his lips. "Besides, something inside it agrees."
He reached under his shirt and pulled out the jade pendant.
"Say something," Lucas said calmly.
The jade shimmered.
A dim green light spread across its surface.
"He speaks the truth," a woman's voice echoed softly from within.
Sullen's eyes widened in shock.
"What?" she whispered. "Why are you with Lucas?"
The jade fell silent.
No response followed.
Lucas smirked and slipped the jade back beneath his shirt.
"See?" he said lightly. "It's mine now."
Sullen said nothing.
She had known about the woman inside the jade. Leon had told her everything. For three months, the mysterious presence had guided him, taught him, protected him.
And now, it had chosen Lucas.
"I believe that settles things," Lucas said, turning away. "I'll be going."
He left her standing there, countless thoughts colliding in her mind.
---
Lucas returned to the school grounds, only to realize his friends were gone.
Riiing. Riiing.
His phone rang.
He glanced at the screen. Bailey.
He answered.
"Hey, Lucas," Bailey said quickly. "Sorry we left. Gavin fainted earlier, so we took him to the hospital. He's fine now."
"I figured," Lucas replied calmly. "Tell him to rest well."
"Will do."
Lucas didn't hang up.
Instead, he dialed another number.
After a few seconds, the call connected.
"Uncle Garran," Lucas said, his tone serious. "Can I meet you?"
"Of course, young master," Garran replied. "What do you need?"
"I want to go to the Creed Mountain Order," Lucas said. "Will you come with me?"
There was a brief pause.
Then Garran answered.
"…Understood."