A maid guided Ariana toward the guest chambers, while Sebastian personally escorted me to a suite.

****

The door clicked shut, leaving me in blessed silence.

I didn't waste a second.

I peeled off the jacket—it made a wet, sticky sound as it left my skin. The shirt was ruined, stiff with dried blood and demon ichor. I kicked the trousers into a corner and walked into the attached bathroom.

Steam was already rising from the massive marble tub. The scent of lavender and mint filled the air.

I stepped in.

"Haaah…"

A long, ragged groan escaped my lips as the scalding water hit my skin.

I sank down until the water reached my chin. The heat seeped into my bones, melting away the tension in my shoulders, the ache in my legs, and the phantom recoil of the shotgun in my arms.

For the first time in hours, my heart rate slowed to a normal rhythm.

I closed my eyes, letting the silence wash over me.

Ding!

The sharp, digital chime shattered the peace.

My eyes snapped open.

A translucent blue window floated in the steam directly in front of my face.

[System Notification]

[Achievement Unlocked: Fate Breaker]

[Details:] You have successfully intervened in a Major Canon Event: "The Day of Shattered Glass." You have prevented the deaths of key political figures. You have prevented the death of a Major Antagonist (Infernus Leaders captured, not escaped). You have significantly altered the Empire's future trajectory.

[Reward Calculation...] Base Reward: 5,000 Points

Bonus (Monster hunted): 3,000 Points

Bonus (Demons hunted): 2,000 Points

[Total Reward: 10,000 Points]

I stared at the number, my jaw dropping slightly.

"SWEET."

I splashed the water, grinning like an idiot.

10,000 points!

I had spent months scraping by on daily quests and cooking bonuses just to afford a few skills and the shotgun. But this? This was a fortune.

With 10,000 points, I could upgrade my mana core. I could buy high-tier magic scrolls. I could stock enough ammo to fight a war.

My mood lifted instantly. All the exhaustion seemed worth it.

But then, the text on the screen scrolled down.

[Notice: Universal Correction Initiated]

The blue light of the window flickered, turning a menacing shade of red.

[Warning] You have gone against the Will of the World. The narrative flow has been violently disrupted.

The World has marked you as an: [Anomaly].

[Debuff Applied: Mark of the Outcast]

Description: The plot will attempt to correct itself. Probability will skew against you. Coincidences will become hostile.

Effect: You may experience periods of extreme Bad Luck.

I stared at the red text.

The smile slid off my face.

"The fuck…?"

I sat up, water sloshing over the sides of the tub.

"Bad luck? What does that even mean? Is a piano going to fall on my head? Is my toast always going to land butter-side down?"

The system didn't answer. The window simply faded away, leaving the ominous red warning burned into my retinas.

I sank back into the water, the relaxation gone.

I had 10,000 points… but now the Universe itself wanted to trip me.

"Great," I muttered, staring at the ceiling. "Just great."

My happy mood soured in an instant.

I was already destined to be the villain—the designated punching bag of the narrative. And now, the World itself had slapped an extra debuff on me just for trying to survive?

"Does this mean I'm going to trip over my own shoelaces during a duel? Or will a bird relieve itself on me during a speech?"

Sigh.

"Nothing is going to come from overthinking it now."

I slid back down into the water. If the world wanted to curse me, let it wait until I was dry.

I closed my eyes and let the heat soak into my tired muscles for another half hour.

****

After a proper relaxation, I stepped out.

An extra set of clothes had been placed on the bed—a loose, comfortable shirt of midnight blue silk and matching trousers. My mother clearly had a stash of high-quality loungewear kept for my father, or perhaps she had ordered them tailored instantly. Knowing the Ashborne staff, probably the latter.

Changing into them, I left the room and headed downstairs.

The Grand Salon was warm, lit by the soft glow of mana-lamps. My mother was already seated on a velvet sofa, sipping a glass of red wine.

But looking around, the room was empty.

I sat beside her.

"Has Ariana not come down yet?" I asked.

Lyriana lowered her glass, looking me up and down with an amused expression.

"She came out long ago," she said dryly. "I wonder who is the real woman here? What took you so long? Did you fall asleep, or were you admiring yourself in the mirror?"

I felt my ears burn slightly.

"Well… I was too tired, so I was relaxing for a while there. The water was… effective."

"Mmm-hmm."

I cleared my throat, changing the topic immediately.

"Since she is down, where is she?"

Lyriana smirked, swirling her wine.

"What? Can't stay calm without your little lover for five minutes?"

"Mom! I said it's not like that," I protested, though the protest felt weaker than usual.

"Then make it happen."

Lyriana set the glass down, her teasing tone vanishing, replaced by a serious, motherly warmth.

"I like that girl, Lucien. And I saw her today. While you were out fighting those monsters, she didn't fear for herself. She was terrified for you. She only calmed down once you returned through those doors."

She reached out and patted my hand.

"She loves you, son. It's written all over her face. Don't break her heart. She is a nice girl."

I fell silent.

I stared at the fireplace, the dancing flames reflecting in my eyes.

"I know she is a good girl," I spoke softly. "And… it's not like I don't like her either."

I paused, struggling to find the words.

I was a novice when it came to relationships. In my last life on Earth, I was a loner gamer. I had no female friends, let alone a girlfriend. My interactions were limited to raid chats and forums.

And in this life?

I got close to Ariana initially because she was a resource. She was the future Alchemy Queen. I wanted her talent. I wanted her potential. I got close to use her.

But somewhere along the line—between the cooking lessons, the alchemy experiments, and the quiet moments in the kitchen—I started liking her.

I genuinely liked her.

But I didn't know how to express it. And worse…

"I don't know what she will say if I confess," I admitted, my voice low. "What if she rejects me? What if I ruin what we have?"

Hearing that, Lyriana smiled. A soft, knowing smile.

"So, you are saying you like Ariana too. But you aren't strong enough to confess?"

I nodded a little, looking down.

"You fought an Orc Commander today, but a girl scares you," she chuckled softly. "Well, that's enough for now. You will get around to it soon. You are an Ashborne, after all. We get what we want eventually."

She leaned back, her eyes gleaming with a hidden scheme.

'I think I will have to invite Duchess Solmere for tea,' Lyriana thought inwardly. 'We have much to discuss regarding the future.'

Just then, a voice rang out from the hallway.

"Food is ready!"

I turned around.

Ariana walked in, beaming. She was holding a large covered silver tray. She wore a simple, elegant cream dress that my mother must have lent her, and her hair was damp from the bath.

Behind her, a maid followed, looking distressed—as if her job had been snatched away and she was fearing for her livelihood.

I chuckled at the sight.

I turned towards my mother, looking at her, puzzled.

"Why is she serving?"

Lyriana shrugged elegantly.

"Why are you looking at me like that? She insisted on cooking herself. She said you taught her cooking and wanted to show off her craftsmanship to me. She was quite adamant."

Lyriana grinned, delivering the final blow.

"How could I reject my daughter-in-law's request?"

She went straight to 'daughter-in-law.'

I opened my mouth to argue, saw the mischievous look in her eyes, and closed it again. It was a losing battle so I didn't even bothered saying anything.

Behind Ariana, more maids arrived with trays of side dishes, filling the room with the savory scent of stew and fresh bread.

"Let's go," Lyriana said, standing up. "I'm starving."

We stood up from the sofa and walked to the dining area.

Ariana set the main dish down on the table—a rich beef stew that smelled exactly like the recipe I taught her. She looked at me, eyes sparkling with anticipation.

"I hope… it's good," she whispered.

I looked at the food, then at her.

"I'm sure it's perfect," I said.

And for tonight, despite the blood, the system warnings, and the demons… life felt good.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.