They reached the estate, Ramiro carried Luzia inside without waking her. He laid her down gently on her bed, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face before pulling the blanket over her.
He lingered for a moment, watching the steady rise and fall of her chest. A sigh of relief escaped him, but a deeper unease settled in his heart. Something had happened in that forest—something beyond his understanding.
With one last glance at her sleeping form, he stepped away, quietly leaving the room as questions swirled in his mind.
Luzia's eyes fluttered open, her mind groggy as she registered the familiar canopy of her bed. Confusion flickered across her face. Wasn't I in the forest with Alicia? How did I end up back here?
She sat up slowly, her sharp gaze sweeping over her surroundings, taking in every detail as if searching for an answer. Just as she was about to swing her legs over the side of the bed, the door creaked open, and Elena stepped in.
Elena froze mid-step, her eyes widening in shock before softening with relief. "My lady, you're finally awake!"
Luzia arched a brow, unimpressed by the dramatics. "Yes… How long have I been asleep?"
"Two days," Elena said, her voice still laced with worry. "Everyone—especially His Lordship—has been worried sick."
Luzia exhaled sharply through her nose, already knowing where this was going. She crossed her arms. "Did my father cry again?"
Elena hesitated, suddenly very interested in the floor. "Ah…"
Luzia rolled her eyes. "Of course he did."
Elena, eager to change the subject, stepped closer. "Anyway my lady, let me help you get ready."
Luzia's brow furrowed. "For what?"
"His Lordship asked me to bring you to his study once you're awake."
Luzia clicked her tongue and threw off the blanket with little ceremony. "Wonderful..." she muttered, already mentally preparing herself for whatever nonsense her father had planned.
***
Ramiro leaned back in his chair, exhaling as he sifted through the final documents on his desk. Across from him, Esteban stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his posture relaxed yet attentive.
I wonder why his lordship asked me to wait here, Stephan thought.
"The Sunshine Orphanage redevelopment is almost complete," Esteban reported. "The new dormitories, classrooms, and infirmary are undergoing final inspections. The children will move in soon."
Ramiro nodded, flipping through the papers. "Good. And the funding? Everything accounted for?"
"Every coin," Esteban confirmed. "The additional donations you secured covered the final construction costs, and the remaining funds will sustain operations for at least a year."
A small, satisfied smile tugged at Ramiro's lips. "Then it's done."
Esteban nodded before adding, "The hiring process for the new orphanage staff begins tomorrow."
Ramiro waved a hand dismissively. "That's fine. Anything else?"
Esteban shook his head. "That was the last of it."
"Then we can move on to the next matter," Ramiro said, setting the orphanage documents aside.
A sudden knock at the door interrupted them.
"Yes? Come in," Ramiro called out.
His expression briefly flickered with expectation, but the moment he saw Aurelio step inside, a trace of disappointment crossed his face.
Aurelio approached, carrying a sealed letter adorned with the insignia of the Magic Tower. "My lord, a letter has arrived for you," he announced, holding it out.
Ramiro took the letter, his sharp eyes narrowing at the familiar seal.
"From the Magic Tower?" Esteban murmured, glancing at the emblem. His brows furrowed. Did his lordship do something?
Breaking the seal, Ramiro unfolded the parchment and swiftly scanned the contents. A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips as he read the verdict.
Arturo, found guilty of attempting to steal the Ignis and bringing harm to Ramiro and his family, had been stripped of his magical rank and permanently banished from the tower. His punishment was exile to a secluded monastery, where his magic would be sealed indefinitely, ensuring he would never wield it again.
Ramiro exhaled, setting the letter down. Justice had been served, yet the weight of it lingered in his mind. His gaze flicked to Esteban, who watched him expectantly.
"Arturo has been dealt with," Ramiro said simply. Without another word, he conjured a flickering flame in his palm, the fire crackling as it consumed the letter until only ash remained.
As Aurelio excused himself from the study, Ramiro's gaze lingered on the door, his eyes misting over.
Should I just leave all this work and stay by Luzia's side? he thought, his worry etched across his face.
Esteban sighed, watching his lord unravel. "She will be fine, my lord."
Ramiro opened his mouth to respond, but a knock at the door interrupted him.
"Come in," he said, quickly straightening.
Elena stepped inside, followed closely by Luzia. "My lord, I have brought Lady Luzia—"
Before Elena could finish, Ramiro shot up from his seat and rushed forward, scooping Luzia into his arms and hugging her tightly.
Luzia's eyes widened in shock. Her first instinct was to wriggle free, but as she felt the warmth of his embrace, she hesitated. It's not that bad… for some reason, I think I've gotten used to Ramiro as my dad, she admitted to herself.
Then she heard it—the quiet sniffles against her hair.
She groaned. "What did I say about crying, Dad?"
Ramiro pulled away just enough to look at her, his face a mess of emotion. He set her down on a chair, rubbing his eyes furiously. "No, I will not have that! How do you expect me not to cry? I almost lost you!"
Luzia blinked at him, wide-eyed. I… I have never seen Ramiro like this…
Before she could even open her mouth to respond, he went on, "No, it was my fault for letting you go without a guard—"
Luzia exhaled sharply and crossed her arms, already sensing this was going to take a while.
Luzia watched as Ramiro paced in front of her, running a hand through his already disheveled hair.
"I should have been more cautious! What kind of father lets his daughter wander off into the forest alone?!"
"Dad, stop it..."
Ramiro ignored her, continuing his frantic pacing. "No, no, I failed as a father! What if something had happened to you? What if—"
"Enough!" Luzia snapped, crossing her arms. "You're being dramatic again."
Ramiro turned to her, his face a mess of worry and barely restrained tears. "Dramatic? Luzia, you were missing! Do you have any idea how much I—"
"Let me guess," she interrupted flatly, "you cried until Sir Esteban threatened to throw a bucket of water on you?"
Elena, who had been trying to stay invisible, covered her mouth to hide a giggle.
Ramiro gasped, placing a hand on his chest like she had mortally wounded him. "I was worried! My baby was lost in the dangerous, unforgiving forest!"
Luzia rolled her eyes. "It wasn't that dangerous."
"Do not say that! Do you know what could have happened?"
She let out a slow, exaggerated sigh. "And yet, none of that happened. I'm sitting right here, perfectly fine."
Ramiro sniffled, looking at her with glossy eyes.
Luzia pinched the bridge of her nose. "Dad, if you start crying again, I swear—"
"But I almost lost you!"
Esteban, who had been silently observing, finally spoke. "My lord, if you cry any harder, we'll need a new set of documents because the ink will smudge."
Ramiro huffed but finally sat down, rubbing his temples.
Luzia crossed her legs and tilted her head. "So? Are we done, or do I have to wait for another dramatic speech?"
Ramiro sniffled again. "At least let me hug you one more time."
Luzia groaned but didn't resist when he pulled her into a crushing embrace. She rolled her eyes but allowed a small smirk.
"...Fine. But just for a second."
After a while, Ramiro pulled away, wiping his eyes. "That's it. I'm assigning Stephan as your personal guard."
Stephan's eyes widened. 'Is that why he asked me to come here?'
Luzia blinked, her smirk faltering as she processed her father's words. "Wait—what?" She looked up at Ramiro, narrowing her eyes. "Are you serious?"
Ramiro's expression was stern, though still laced with concern. "I am serious. After everything that happened, I can't just let you roam around without protection. I need to know you're safe."
Stephan, standing quietly off to the side, stiffened at the mention of his name. His eyes widened in surprise, but his face quickly masked any sign of shock. "My lord, I—"
"No, Stephan," Ramiro interrupted, a hint of finality in his tone. "It's settled. You're now Luzia's personal guard. You'll stay by her side at all times. I trust you to protect her."
Luzia looked at Stephan, who met her gaze, and she thought, I'm glad I could save his life.
"Take care of me, then," she smiled, her tone teasing yet with a hint of sincerity.
Stephan blinked, slightly taken aback by her words. A smile tugged at the corners of his lips, though he quickly masked it with a neutral expression.
"I will, my lady," he said, his voice calm and steady, though there was an unmistakable hint of respect in his tone. "That is my duty."
Late that night...
Elena had tucked Luzia in and left the room after she thought Luzia had drifted to sleep.
A soft rustle came from the balcony moments later, and the mysterious silver-haired boy appeared, slipping into her room with eerie quietness.
He walked silently toward her bedside, his pale face lit by the dim moonlight streaming through the curtains. He sat at the edge of the bed, a faint smile curving his lips as he reached out, fingers just hovering above her hair, about to touch it.
Suddenly, Luzia's eyes snapped open. In an instant, their gazes locked.
Luzia's eyes widened as she took in the boy's crimson eyes, slit-like pupils glinting in the darkness. Got him, she thought, her heart pounding.
The boy froze, his eyes also widening in shock. She saw me?
In an instant, he shot up from the bed, his movements swift and almost frantic. He rushed toward the balcony, but Luzia wasn't far behind. She threw off her blankets and jumped out of bed, quickly catching up.
The boy reached the balcony railing, his silver hair shimmering as he gripped the metal with one hand, standing on it as if ready to leap into the night.
Luzia stopped just short of him, narrowing her eyes. "Who are you? Why do you keep coming to see me? And why did you show me those memories?"
The boy tilted his head slightly, his long silver hair cascading over his shoulders, and gave a small, knowing smile. He looked to be around twelve years old, dressed in a dark mage-like outfit, his crimson red eyes as striking as ever. He remained silent, the corners of his mouth curving upward.
Before she could press him further, the boy suddenly let himself slip from the railings.
Luzia's eyes widened in alarm. Is he crazy?!
Without thinking, she rushed toward him, her hand outstretched, but as she moved too quickly, she lost her balance and fell alongside him, tumbling into the darkness.
The boy's eyes widened in shock. What is Master doing?!