Memories of that rainy day flooded her mind, and she couldn't help but reflect on how much had changed since then. 'He was not so talkative before,' she mused to herself, 'but I still couldn't help myself from falling.'
In her pocket, she clenched the handkerchief she had kept from this day, a simple memento that held sentimental value beyond words. It was a tangible reminder of their shared moment in time.
Inside the car, Airi, the principal's granddaughter, sat beside Thanatos, their familial connection apparent in their casual banter. Airi couldn't resist teasing her cousin, a sly grin on her face. "Cousin, don't you really have a thing for the goddess?"
Thanatos remained silent, his gaze fixated on the figure standing by the road, his thoughts shrouded in a veil of mystery. "Shut up," he responded tersely, the tension in his voice revealing his reluctance to delve into such matters.
Airi, undeterred, continued to chatter animatedly. "Ah... I really admire the goddess! She is so cool, and she can fight well. I heard she has three handsome brothers! I want to meet them and maybe..."
But her cousin cut her off abruptly, his tone firm and protective. "You already have Stephen as your fiancé, so stop harming innocent boys!"
Aira pouted, her playful demeanor giving way to a momentary sulk. "You are really strict! This should be the reason why you never had a girlfriend!"
As the car glided through the rain-soaked streets, Lucienna watched them from a distance, her heart a mixture of emotions. 'He must have gone home with her again.'
She had come to appreciate the complexities of their world, a world where privilege and hidden desires intertwined. And in that moment, she couldn't help but wonder what destiny had in store for her and Thanatos, the boy she had once allowed and whose presence still stirred her heart.
When Thanatos finally arrived home, the mansion's imposing facade welcomed him, a silent sentinel guarding the secrets of his family. The moment he stepped inside, he was immediately attended to by the family doctor, a figure who had been a constant presence in his life.
"Young Master," the doctor implored with genuine concern etched across his features, "Please be considerate. You cannot stand in the rain, or your body will suffer."
Thanatos, his face marked by a melancholy acceptance of his fate, met the doctor's eyes. "I am already at the late stage of evolution," he admitted, his voice tinged with resignation. "My genes will no longer be stable, and I doubt I'd still be conscious after that. I should cherish my remaining days."
The doctor's eyes betrayed a deep empathy as he attempted to offer comfort. "Young Master, the Master, and the Mistress are looking for a cure everywhere in the world. Don't lose hope. You will be cured soon."
Thanatos, however, offered a bitter smile in response, his thoughts drifting into the realm of uncertainty. 'Will that day come?' he pondered silently, his gaze fixed on the world outside the window.
Beyond the confines of the mansion, the rain continued to fall, a relentless downpour that seemed to mirror the internal struggle within Thanatos's heart. The weight of his condition, the instability of his genes, and the relentless pursuit of a cure had become the defining elements of his existence.
The mansion, once a symbol of privilege and power, now harbored the echoes of hope and despair, a place where the quest for a cure became an unending journey, and the rain constantly reminded of the fragility of life itself.
'I feel...'
The atmosphere inside the mansion grew heavy with foreboding as Thanatos continued to stand by the window, his mind a stormy sea of thoughts and emotions. He felt the weight of his condition bearing down on him.
As he stared at the rain-soaked world outside, a sudden, sharp pain seared through his body, causing him to clutch his chest. His vision blurred, and he staggered backward, gasping for breath. The family doctor rushed to his side, panic evident in his eyes.
"Young Master!" the doctor exclaimed, his voice laced with concern. "Please, lie down. You need rest."
But Thanatos, his face contorted in agony, refused to yield to the pain that wracked his body. His breathing grew erratic, and he could feel the volatile surge of his unstable genes coursing through him like a relentless storm. At that moment, he was no longer in control.
A sudden, overwhelming rage overtook him. He lashed out with a primal ferocity, his fists striking the nearest piece of furniture with an explosive force. The room around him seemed to blur as his vision became distorted, his once-controlled demeanor giving way to an uncontrollable frenzy.
The family doctor and the mansion's staff watched in shock as Thanatos went berserk, his attacks growing more frenzied and destructive with each passing moment. Furniture was overturned, priceless artwork was defaced, and the walls seemed to tremble in response to his unchecked rage.
Desperation filled the air as they struggled to restrain him, but Thanatos's strength had become bizarre, his primal instincts overriding reason. It was a battle against an unstoppable force, and the mansion itself bore witness to the chaos that had been unleashed.
Outside, the rain continued to fall, a relentless backdrop to the vortex that had consumed the mansion. Thanatos's berserk episode showed no signs of abating. The family's hopes for a cure seemed to slip further and further away, lost in the storm of his uncontrollable genes and the raging tempest of his emotions.
When Lucienna arrived home, the grandeur of the mansion enveloped her as she stepped through its ornate doors. The air inside was filled with the comforting aroma of home-cooked meals, proof of the dedication of the household staff.
'It's good to have servants at home! At least I won't feel so alone.' Her first order of business was to seek out Butler Kenneth, a figure who had been a constant presence in her life.
"Young lady, welcome home!" Butler Kenneth, an old man with a warm and welcoming demeanor, greeted her with genuine affection as he stood by the entrance. "Snacks are prepared for you in the kitchen."
Despite her eagerness to enjoy the refreshments that awaited her, Lucienna's thoughts were consumed by her earlier encounter with the lost kitten. She inquired with a gentle tone, "Butler Ken, have you dropped the cat off at the office of lost and found pets?"
The old butler's face transformed into one of genuine regret and sympathy as he lowered his gaze. "Young lady, this old man is sorry for you," he confessed with a hint of sadness.
"We fed the kitten as you instructed, but it only wanted fresh milk. I left it to play, but nothing happened. It slept the whole morning. When I was about to send it to the office of lost and found, I did not find it in your room."
The butler continued, "I even asked all of the servants to help and search for one little black cat, and we even reviewed the security footage, but he was still not found."