That same night, in a dim alley, a hooded figure dressed in black approached a carriage parked at the end of the narrow street. The figure glanced around to make sure no one was watching, then quickly climbed inside.
Inside the carriage, the air felt thick with tension. Arturo sat in the shadows, studying his guest with a slight smirk.
"Sorry I'm late, my lord," the hooded figure said, bowing slightly.
Arturo waved a hand, his voice calm but sharp. "What is it?"
The figure straightened. "Ramiro brought back his daughter, Luzia."
Arturo's smile twisted into something darker. "Really? And he didn't think to tell me... How rude."
The figure hesitated before adding, "It seems like he does whatever she wants. It's like she's in control of him."
"Of course," Arturo replied, his voice laced with amusement. "Ramiro would do anything for his only child, from the woman he loved. This is why mages shouldn't fall in love."
The figure stayed silent, watching Arturo as he leaned in slightly.
"Should I get rid of her, my lord?"
Arturo chuckled softly, shaking his head. "No need to hurry. I have no interest in Luzia. She's just a child." He paused, his eyes gleaming with something darker. "Just make sure Ivan gets the Ignis. That's all that matters."
The hooded figure nodded. "Understood, my lord."
"Alright, you can go now," Arturo said, his voice cold and final.
The hooded figure bowed again, slipping out of the carriage. The soft sound of their footsteps faded into the night as the door clicked shut behind them.
---
Luzia stepped inside, her footsteps light on the wooden floor. She looked around the dark study, the dim light from a single candle casting long shadows. Ramiro lay on the sofa, his breathing steady but heavy. She glanced at Ramiro, sprawled on the sofa like a disheveled mountain, his snoring soft but steady.
Luzia narrowed her eyes, a hint of annoyance creeping in. 'Sir. Aurelio was right. He is sleeping here instead of his room. How troublesome. Because of this, I've walked farther than I intended to.' She sighed inwardly, her gaze flicking to the rest of the study.
The room had papers scattered across the desk, leather-bound books stacked haphazardly in one corner, and the soft scent of old wood and ink lingering in the air.
She hesitated, eyeing the desk where Ivan had been in her vision. 'If he was here, the Ignis must be here too.'
Luzia stood there for a moment, her lips curled into a tight, calculating frown. "Even if I search now, I'd only waste my time. And worst case scenario? I wake up Ramiro, and the man is unbearable when he's wake."
She glanced over at Ramiro, sprawled on the sofa like a disheveled mountain, his snoring soft but steady. "Truly... he is insufferable."
Luzia stood there, eyes fixed on Ramiro's peaceful face, a mix of exasperation and a hint of something else crossing her thoughts. "He's quite handsome, I suppose," she mused, taking in the sharp angles of his jaw, the dark, steady eyes. But as much as she could admit that, she knew one thing for sure: 'luzia doesn't look like him. Not at all. She certainly didn't have his features. The only thing she got from him was the color of her eyes. Everything else? All luzia's mother. '
Lost in her thoughts, Luzia didn't notice when Ramiro's eyes suddenly snapped open, locking onto hers with a sharp intensity.
"Why do you just stare at me like that? It makes me uncomfortable, my dearest daughter."
Luzia gasped, her breath catching in surprise. Her heart skipped a beat as she stumbled backward, her mind racing. "W-What?!"
Ramiro remained still, watching her with a slight arch of his brow. He had caught her in the act, and for a brief moment, there was a flicker of amusement in his gaze.
Luzia's face flushed, and she stammered, trying to recover her composure. "I wasn't—I mean, I wasn't staring, I was just... lost in thought!" She waved her hand dismissively, hoping to dismiss the awkwardness that had suddenly engulfed her. "You just looked so... peaceful! I was thinking about something, and then—"
Ramiro raised an eyebrow, his lips curling into an amused smirk. "Hm. So peaceful, huh?" He leaned back, propping his head up with one hand. "Next time, maybe choose a less obvious way of thinking about it."
Ramiro raised an eyebrow, his grin only widening at her jab. "Ah, so it's my fault, is it?" He leaned in slightly, the mischievous glint in his eyes never fading. "You know, if I weren't so irresistible, you wouldn't have to put up with it."
Luzia threw her hands up in mock exasperation. 'Ugh!' she groaned in her mind.
"Anyways, that's not why I'm here," Luzia said, rolling her eyes and shaking her head as though she were dealing with something beneath her notice. She crossed her arms and shot a quick glance around the study, taking in the familiar clutter of papers and books. "I came here because I have something—"
Ramiro's smile spread slowly, mischief flickering in his eyes. He tilted his head, watching her with that unsettling, almost predatory curiosity. "Come here."
Luzia blinked. "Eh?" she squeaked, thrown off guard by the sudden shift in his tone. Was he messing with her? Or was there something else? The nerve of him!
Ramiro raised an eyebrow, that infuriating smirk still plastered on his face as he sat upright. "What? Afraid of your old man?"
Luzia rolled her eyes, but despite her irritation, she couldn't deny the temptation to mess with him right back. She stepped forward but made sure to wear the most exaggerated, unimpressed expression she could muster. "You're lucky you're my father," she muttered under her breath, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
Ramiro chuckled softly, clearly entertained by her sharp tongue. "Oh, come on. You love me." He leaned back in the chair, stretching out his arms as though he'd just won some minor, ridiculous victory.
She shot him a deadpan look. "I tolerate you," she muttered.
Ramiro grinned, clearly pleased with her response. "Tolerate me, huh?" he said, feigning offense. "Well, I guess that's better than nothing." He winked, stretching even further as if lounging in the comfort of his victory.
Luzia rolled her eyes and sighed, though a small part of her appreciated how much he doted on her. "I swear, if you keep this up, I'm going to start charging you for my time."
Ramiro laughed even harder, the sound full of warmth and affection. It was impossible for Luzia to stay annoyed for long, not when he was like this. "You're a tough one, Luzia."
Luzia rolled her eyes again, but this time, a grin tugged at the corners of her lips. "Well, you've got a lot to answer for, Dad."
With a deep breath, she climbed onto the sofa, settling next to him with all the grace of someone who knew she was in control. "Now, let's talk business," she said, trying to sound all business-like.
Ramiro pouted dramatically, his lower lip jutting out in an exaggerated manner as he looked at Luzia. "Luzia..."
Luzia groaned, already knowing where this was headed. She threw up her hands in mock defeat. "What is it?" she asked, her voice laced with the faintest trace of annoyance.
Ramiro's pout deepened, and he spread his arms wide in an almost comical display of longing. "Come here," he said, his voice a little softer, tinged with the hint of a request. "Sit on my lap... just for a minute. I haven't seen you all day, and I missed you."
Luzia blinked, giving him a flat stare. "Seriously?" She raised an eyebrow, not entirely sure whether to laugh or roll her eyes. "You're a grown man, Dad. You don't need to act like a little kid. And besides, you saw me this morning."
But Ramiro didn't budge, his gaze soft and pleading as he leaned back into the couch. "Please, Luzia. Just this once?" He even added a little pout for good measure, which, of course, was enough to make Luzia's resolve falter, though she'd never admit it out loud.
She let out an exaggerated sigh, crossing her arms. "Fine, fine. You're lucky you're my father," she grumbled, but before he could say anything else, she hopped up and perched herself carefully on his lap, trying to look as unimpressed as possible while secretly feeling the warmth of his embrace.
Ramiro grinned in victory, wrapping his arms around her with a contented sigh. "See? Not so bad, huh?" he teased, his smile playful as he hugged her tightly.
Luzia huffed but couldn't suppress the small smile tugging at her lips. "You're insufferable," she muttered, though there was no real heat in her words.
"Okay, let's talk now, like serious talk," Luzia said, her expression turning more serious.
Ramiro raised an eyebrow. "Umm, okay. What do you want to talk about?"
"Ignis..." Luzia said, her gaze fixed on him. "I want to know about it."
For a brief moment, Ramiro's expression darkened, but then he flashed a smile when he noticed Luzia watching him intently. Luzia couldn't help but think, 'I swear, I thought I felt chills.'
"You were eavesdropping?" Ramiro asked, his tone curious but teasing.
"Yes," Luzia replied without hesitation.
Ramiro let out a small, incredulous laugh. "You're not even ashamed of it?"
Luzia shrugged, unbothered. "Look here, Dad. I was curious. I wanted to know what you and that man were talking about."
She studied him for a moment before asking. "So, who is he? What is the Ignis about? And why was he being mean to you?"
'Why is she so curious about it?' Ramiro thought as he observed her, a furrow in his brow.
'He doesn't seem to want to discuss it. Time to use that.' Luzia's thoughts raced as she tugged gently at his shirt, her voice shifting to something softer. "Dad, I'm sorry... I was just curious. You don't have to tell me..." She added a pout and big, pleading puppy eyes.
Ramiro stared at her, and it was like Cupid's arrows had struck his heart a dozen times. 'So cute…' His expression remained neutral, but inside, his heart melted.
He sighed, torn. 'I don't want to say anything to her yet, but I can't disappoint her either.'
His expression softened, and he pulled Luzia into a hug, his embrace a quiet surrender.
Luzia's eyes widened as she thought, 'Maybe it is hard for him.'
"Dad, you don't want to..." she began, her voice soft with understanding.
Ramiro paused, then shook his head. "No, it's fine. Just give me some time," he replied, his tone steady but tinged with a hint of reluctance.