“I’m going to marry Avey,” Arthur said, his voice calm but laced with intention. “I’ll send a formal proposal to the Startline family’s house soon.” His eyes were fixed on Lucian, searching for any crack in the facade, any sign of the reaction he was anticipating.
Lucian blinked slowly, his expression unreadable. He took a deep breath, exhaling softly as a forced smile touched his lips. “I see,” he said, his voice quiet, almost detached.
Arthur frowned, leaning forward slightly as he studied Lucian more intently. “Your reaction seems…”
“Dull?” Lucian interjected, finishing Arthur’s sentence with a faint smirk, though the smile didn’t reach his eyes.
“Yes,” Arthur admitted, his brows furrowing. “I thought you might be… angry. Maybe even sad. Or perhaps like a love-struck fool, you’d start spouting nonsense or lash out at me. After all, it’s been years you’ve been courting her for so long.” He tilted his head, genuine curiosity flickering in his gaze.
Lucian’s smile remained, though it wavered for a moment. “No. I won’t.”
Arthur raised an eyebrow, leaning back as if unsettled by the lack of emotion in Lucian’s response. “Why? Is it true then? Have you truly given up on her? After all this time? You were always so…” He searched for the right word. “…obsessed with her.”
Lucian chuckled softly, though the sound was hollow. He glanced away for a moment before meeting Arthur’s gaze again. “I guess you could say I’ve given up. Or maybe I’ve just realized… love isn’t for me. Not anymore.”
Arthur’s eyes narrowed, his confusion deepening. “That’s not like you. Even if you’ve given up, you should still have something to say. And even if you’d given up years ago, I would’ve expected you to be furious jealous even at the idea of me, of all people, proposing to her.”
Lucian shrugged lightly, his voice steady but low. “Honestly, even if I were still courting Avey, I wouldn’t stop you. Yes, it might hurt, but…” He paused, exhaling deeply. “If she chooses you, that’s her decision. What would fighting you accomplish? What’s the point of forcing a competition over something that should be her choice?”
Arthur’s frown deepened. “Her choice?”
Lucian nodded. “Exactly. Love isn’t about fighting for ownership or proving who deserves someone more. If she truly likes you, then… I’d have to accept that. It would be painful, yes, but it would be her decision. And who am I to interfere with that?”
Arthur leaned forward again, his expression skeptical, though there was a hint of intrigue in his eyes. “That’s… very noble of you, but it doesn’t sound like the Lucian I heard about. Why does it feel like you’re trying to convince yourself as much as me?”
Lucian let out a small, bitter laugh. “Maybe I am. Or maybe I’ve just grown tired of chasing after something that was never mine to begin with.” He looked at Arthur, his expression softening. “You’re right I used to be obsessed with her. She was my world. But somewhere along the way, I realized… I was just a one-sided lover. I loved her, but she didn’t feel the same.”
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Arthur tilted his head, his sharp gaze dissecting every word. “And you’re okay with that?
Lucian’s smile faded entirely, replaced by a look of quiet resignation. “It would be a lie to say it doesn’t hurt at all. But I’ve come to terms with it. She’s not mine. She never was. And pretending otherwise would only make things harder for both of us.”
Arthur was silent for a moment, studying Lucian with an expression that was equal parts curiosity and disbelief. “Even so… shouldn’t it bother you? You’ve spent so long chasing after her. Doesn’t it feel like… defeat?”
Lucian’s gaze hardened slightly, though his voice remained calm. “Defeat? No. It’s not about winning or losing. It’s about respect. Respect for her feelings, her choices. If she truly loves you, then who am I to stand in the way of that? And if she doesn’t… then there’s nothing to fight for, is there?”
Arthur leaned back, exhaling slowly as he processed Lucian’s words. The prince’s eyes searched Lucian’s face, looking for any crack in the facade, any hint of pretense. But all he found was a quiet, resolute sincerity.
“Hm,” Arthur murmured finally, a faint smile playing at the edges of his lips. “I have to admit, Lucian… I didn’t expect this. You’re either far more mature than I gave you credit for, or you’ve simply grown tired of it all.”
“There’s a big difference between fighting and competing,” Lucian said, his voice calm but carrying a certain weight. “I might fight for something I believe in, but I don’t compete. Competing feels like… dragging someone else into a game of egos. Fighting, though? That’s something I’d do, but only once only when it truly matters.”
Arthur chuckled, a sharp sound that echoed in the room. “Quite foolish, if you ask me. I’ve heard the stories, you know. How you nearly won her over, only to reject her in the end. It’s almost… comical, really.”
Lucian’s expression didn’t change, though something flickered briefly in his eyes. “Yes, yes,” he replied dismissively, waving a hand as though brushing the comment aside. He didn’t want to linger on that subject it was a wound he had no intention of reopening.
Instead, he leaned forward slightly, his tone shifting. “But let’s cut to the chase, shall we? You didn’t bring me here to ask for my permission to marry her, did you?” His voice was sharp now, almost accusing, as his gaze bore into Arthur’s.
Arthur smirked, leaning back in his chair as he crossed one leg over the other. “Permission? No. I couldn’t care less about your blessing, Lucian.” His eyes narrowed, a dangerous glint flashing in them. “I brought you here to warn you. Stay away from her. Whatever these little games of yours are, they end now. I don’t want you coming anywhere near her again.”
Lucian exhaled deeply, tilting his head back as though the weight of Arthur’s words was an annoyance rather than a threat. “Sigh… Arthur,” he said, his tone tired, almost bored. “Let me make this clear: I’ve already decided to stay away. I’ve thought about it a lot, and honestly… I don’t see the point anymore. Spending time with her will only hurt me in the end.”
He paused, his gaze softening slightly as if speaking more to himself than to Arthur. “I’ve tried more than you can imagine. I gave it everything, and I know now that pushing my feelings further is pointless. It’s stupid, even. So don’t worry I’m not going after her. I’ve given up, Arthur. I’m moving on.”
Arthur’s smirk faded slightly, his sharp eyes narrowing in suspicion. “And yet, I find it hard to believe you’re truly done. People don’t just let go of years of obsession so easily. Or are you putting on a show for me?”
Lucian’s eyes hardened, his forced smile slipping. “Believe what you want,” he said quietly, his tone colder now. “But let me give you a warning of my own: don’t try to boss me around. You may think you’ve already won her over, but you and I both know you don’t have any genuine feelings for her. And as for her? She’s not going to accept you. That much is clear. Still, it’s your choice, not mine. I won’t stand in your way.”
Arthur leaned forward, his voice dripping with disdain. “Watch your tone, Lucian. I’m not acting like a villain here. I’m the hero of this story the next king of this nation. It’s my right to court whomever I choose.”
Lucian’s expression shifted, a faint smirk playing on his lips as he looked at Arthur with a knowing glint in his eye. “Hero? You?” He let out a soft, humorless laugh. “Arthur, let me give you some advice not as an enemy, but as someone who knows how this kind of story ends. Don’t become the villain. That’s the one role you don’t want to play.”
Arthur flinched slightly, though he quickly recovered. “Villain?” he repeated, his tone sharp and incredulous. “I’m not a villain. I’m a hero the rightful heir to the throne. How dare you”
Lucian cut him off with a wave of his hand, his voice calm but firm. “Of course, of course,” he said lightly, almost mockingly. “You’re the hero, Arthur. Whatever you say.”
But as Arthur turned his gaze away, Lucian’s smirk faded, replaced by a thoughtful expression. He leaned back in his chair, his mind drifting as his eyes unfocused.
“Hero,” huh? he sighed . If only you knew, Arthur. You may think you’re the hero, but in the end, you’re just another piece on the board. A villain in someone else’s story. And when Victor finds out the truth, he’s going to destroy you. Brutally, completely. And the worst part? None of it will even be your fault.”
Lucian’s thoughts wandered to the narrative he knew all too well. The tragedy of Arthur’s downfall wasn’t born of malice or cruelty but of circumstance. Arthur was the son of those who had killed Victor’s parents a legacy of blood and revenge that would seal his fate. The first conflict between Arthur and Victor would arise because of Avey. Victor’s planning for her and Arthur’s pursuit of her would spark the flames of their rivalry.
And yet, despite knowing all of this, Lucian couldn’t bring himself to care. His role in this story was different well…not even the part. He wasn’t the hero or the villain no he wasn’t even in this plot. He is just nobody for this world an outsiders.
…..