Lucian sighed.
“At least let me explain. Why are you all”
He shook his head, taking a step back, creating distance between himself and the others.
“Say nothing. I will explain.”
Celestia remained silent on the side, her thoughts a storm of conflicted emotions.
I almost lost control… I should’ve paid attention. How did I even think of that? I shouldn’t hurt darling… It’s women’s… but if he really no, no, no, Celestia, how can you be so senseless?
Her golden eyes flickered with hesitation, battling with herself internally.
Rose is Lucian’s sister. You should be showing concern for him first… But he… he goes there at night secretly…
“Go on,” Olivia said, looking at Lucian.
Lucian hesitated for a moment before continuing.
“Rose’s friend invited her last night, right? I don’t know why she went, but” He took a breath. “At some point in the night, she called me. She said she was feeling weird.”
He met Olivia’s gaze nervously.
“So, instead of worrying you guys, I went there secretly to see what was going on and bring her back.”
Olivia had many questions she wanted to ask, but she held back, choosing to listen first.
Celestia, however, was frowning on the side. She was already finding loopholes in his story. But she stayed silent, deep in thought.
Lucian swallowed. He could feel the weight of her scrutiny.
“But when I got there…” His voice tightened. “I saw some guy shoot her in the back.”
The room fell silent.
“Wait what?! She was shot?!” Olivia, who had been listening quietly, suddenly snapped, her eyes widening.
She had seen the bandages on Rose’s back, but she had assumed it was an accident—maybe she fell.
But a bullet wound?
Her gaze darted to Rose in shock.
For a moment, Olivia forgot all her doubts.
“Who shot her?! Wait are you okay? Were you hurt? How did you two get out of there?”
Her voice wavered between stress, tension, confusion, anger, and worry all at the same time.
Celestia’s expression shifted as well. A flicker of extreme concern crossed her eyes as she scanned Lucian from head to toe.
Was he injured?
Her heart skipped for a second. But when she saw that he was fine, she let out a quiet breath.
Even so, her wariness didn’t fade.
“How did you survive?” It wasn’t Olivia who asked this time it was Celestia. Her sharp voice cut through the air as she narrowed her eyes.
She took a slow, careful look at Lucian from head to toe, relieved that he was unharmed.
But something wasn’t right.
She was getting suspicious.
She wanted answers.
“Did you save her?” Her gaze darkened. “Did you kill them?”
There was something unsettling in her tone. A quiet confidence like she knew he could.
When she had stepped into this operation room, she had already noticed something off.
Too many people were here who shouldn’t be.
She was suspicious, to say the least.
And for some reason… she had a feeling that
Olivia frowned at Celestia’s questioning but chose not to comment.
Lucian felt a flicker of relief.
So far, so good… Just keep going.
He forced a casual shrug. “Oh, that? No, no, it wasn’t me.”
He pointed directly at the general.
The moment he did, General Damian flinched.
Celestia and Olivia’s sharp gazes immediately turned to him.
“Marshal Damian? You’re here?” Olivia’s eyes narrowed, only just now realizing his presence.
At her side, Doctor Murphy nearly choked.
Repeating… Marshal?!
This old man… he’s a freaking Marshal?! What the hell is a man like that doing here?!
“Hello, Miss Olivia,” the general greeted stiffly. Then, hesitating, he bowed lightly toward Celestia. “Your Highness, Princess Celestia.”
A tense silence filled the air.
Meleonora, standing off to the side, felt her jaw drop.
“Princess??”
“Wait… Princess Celestia?! From the Valentino royal family?! That Celestia?!”
Of course, she had heard of the princess. But she hadn’t recognized her face.
Then, realization hit her like a brick.
“Wait, wait, wait… I thought she was Avey Starline!”
If Celestia wasn’t Avey… but she was the princess…then…
“Didn’t she call that monster ‘darling’?! And didn’t she just call Olivia Kane ‘mother-in-law’?! What the hell is going on?!”
Bug-like question marks flooded Meleonora’s mind.
Meanwhile, the general straightened and spoke quickly.
“Yes, it was me. I personally witnessed the scene.”
Lucian glanced at him from the side, giving him a barely noticeable warning look. The general stiffened but immediately launched into his prepared explanation.
“I was nearby when I heard gunfire. I rushed over and saw a drug addict losing control. In order to stop him, I had no choice but to shoot.”
His voice was steady, neutral. Too neutral.
“But, unfortunately… he died, so we weren’t able to interrogate him.”
“And, unfortunately, Miss Rose was injured in the crossfire.”
Silence.
Celestia and Olivia both blinked.
Something about that explanation was… too perfect. Too rehearsed.
Lucian’s hands clenched at his sides. His body trembled not in fear, but in anger.
This… THIS was the “acting” he was talking about?!
It was stiff, unnatural, like a soldier reading a script.
Damn it… I trusted him, and now look! If Celestia or Mother start getting suspicious
Lucian felt cold sweat trickle down his spine.
The room remained silent until Olivia finally spoke, her expression shifting.
“…At a nightclub? At your age, Sir Damian?”
That was the first thought that came to her mind.
Now that Rose was safe and well, she wasn’t as stressed. Instead… she just felt weird.
The Marshal… in a nightclub…?
“I… I… I” The general stammered.
Lucian wanted to slap his forehead.
And just like that, suspicion began creeping back into the room.
“I was the one who helped take care of Miss Rose back there.”
Meleonora, seeing the situation taking a bad turn, quickly stepped forward.
Olivia’s eyes narrowed.
“Wait… I know you. You’re the Secretary of Defense Minister.”
Meleonora stiffened.
“You were there too? At the nightclub?” Celestia’s voice came from the side, her sharp gaze landing on her.
Meleonora felt her face heat up.
Pressing down her embarrassment, she cleared her throat.
“Yes… I was there too.”
Her lips trembled slightly as she forced herself to continue.
“When I saw what happened… I helped her, alongside the General.”
Just how far have I fallen for this?
My dignity…
Meleonora wanted to cry, but no tears came.
Olivia and Celestia exchanged a glance before their gazes slowly shifted toward the purple-haired man standing beside her.
“And you?”
The man, who had been trying his best to stay unnoticed, stiffened as both a princess and Olivia Kane turned their piercing gazes onto him.
“Ah… yes, me…” He coughed, rubbing the back of his neck.
“I was there too… as, uh, a non-filtered stand-up comedian.”
A beat of silence.
Then, as if realizing he should actually answer the question properly, he quickly added,
“It was my car that got Miss Rose to the hospital safely.”
Aghhh…
Celestia and Olivia fell silent for a few seconds, processing everything.
If they said they didn’t think something suspicious was going on, it would be a lie.
There was definitely something going on in here.
Both women thought the same thing.
—