Just a few paces behind the Baroness, a pattern of light flickered into existence.

Lucas's eyes went wide. He knew that sigil—it was a dead ringer for the one he'd seen during the bandit raid. The seal began to spin with an eerie rhythm, mirroring the way the Baroness had twisted her hand like she was unscrewing a lid back then. Slowly, the translucent glow solidified, turning brittle before splitting at the edges, as if the very fabric of space was being torn open.

From the heart of the rift, a magnificent horse stepped out. It was draped in shimmering metallic armor, its long silver mane flowing beautifully in a phantom breeze.

The Baroness winced. She whipped her head around, her rage momentarily giving way to pure confusion.

"Ferri'el? What on earth are you doing here?" she asked, her voice laced with disbelief.

The silver horse didn't neigh. Instead, a calm, commanding female voice rang out, filling the gray room.

"Have mercy on him, my Queen," Ferri'el said.

At those words, the Baroness's face fell. She lowered the tip of her lance just a fraction, though her gaze remained razor-sharp.

"Why? Why are you taking his side, Ferri'el?" she demanded. "He's a demon from the north, isn't he?!"

Ferri'el stepped forward, closing the distance and meeting the Baroness's eyes steadily.

"My Queen, he is nothing more than an unfortunate soul."

Tears streamed down the Baroness's face, wetting her skin beneath her partially open visor. Her sobs were now laced with pure, unadulterated rage.

"Still!" she shrieked, her voice hoarse with grief. "He has no right to occupy my son's body! He's nothing but a thief who stole Lucian's vessel!"

Baron Aleric stood stunned, his eyes widening as the implications of his wife's words and Ferri'el's presence finally sank in. Nearby, Silvara let out a low groan, her body trembling violently as she fought to move against the Baron's shadow binds. Lucas was no different; his face was flushed, the veins in his neck bulging as he struggled against the crowd control skill locking him in place.

Seeing the situation spiral out of control, Baron Aleric's left hand move toward Lucas and Silvara.

Whoosh.

In an instant, the shadow binds vanished.

Within milliseconds of the bonds breaking, the Baroness lunged. The tip of her lance gleamed, aimed straight for Lucas's heart with a speed far beyond what any normal human eye could track.

Thud!

A single stomp from Ferri'el's hoof struck the gray floor.

Miraculously, the space around Lucas and Silvara shifted. In the blink of an eye, both were warped far back, completely out of the attack's path.

CLANG!

Instead of piercing Lucas's chest, the tip of the lance slammed into the silver armor on Ferri'el's side. Sparks flew from the metallic impact, but the horse didn't even flinch.

"Calm yourself, my Queen," Ferri'el's voice rang out, steady and firm. "Do not be reckless."

"Get out of my way, Ferri'el!" the Baroness screamed, gasping for air, her emotions pushed to the brink. "I won't let this creature continue to insult my son's memory!"

Ferri'el stood her ground, her wise eyes locking onto the Baroness. "If you kill him now, you will be killing your own son."

The Baroness froze. Deep confusion clouded her tear-streaked face. "What do you... What are you saying? Lucian is... he's already..."

Ferri'el let out a long sigh—a sound that seemed remarkably human coming from a legendary horse.

"The soul inside your son's body... is a branch of the very same soul," Ferri'el explained. "In essence, this soul is your son. However, it still cannot be said to be a hundred percent the same as the Lucian you once knew."

"Then... what is he, exactly?" the Baroness asked, her voice trembling with a mix of confusion and frustration.

Ferri'el shifted her stance, her silver mane glowing faintly beneath the shadow of the gray dome. "It is complicated. He was an unfortunate soul in his own world. He was sent here because of... a mistake by the Absolute Being."

The Baroness knit her brows, her face looking more puzzled by the second. "A mistake? What kind of mistake do you mean? How could an entity like that ever make a mistake?"

Ferri'el looked slightly awkward, lowering her head as if the details were too embarrassing to explain. "It would be easier to explain if you calmed down. Dispel your lances first if you truly wish to see the reality of it."

The Baroness fell silent. She looked at Lucas, who was still in a state of shock, then back at Ferri'el. With a heavy sigh and trembling hands, she retracted her weapon. The tip of the lance faded and vanished into thin air.

Ferri'el then glanced toward Baron Aleric. The Baron gave a slight nod, a faint, history-laden smile appearing on his face. "Ferri'el... you haven't changed a bit," he murmured.

He followed suit, dissipating his black bow. However, the gray dome isolating them remained standing. "It's best if this information doesn't leak out. Let this dome keep our secrets," the Baron said in an authoritative tone.

Tap.

Ferri'el stomped her hoof once more. In an instant, Lucas and Silvara were warped, now standing directly in front of the Baroness.

The Baroness looked like she wanted to strike Lucas again, her arm muscles tensing, but she fought desperately to restrain herself. Meanwhile, Lucas was still reeling, his eyes darting around as he tried to process the madness.

"Just explain it," Ferri'el said, her soothing female voice ringing out. "Calm down. Your friend and I are well-acquainted."

Lucas frowned in confusion. "Friend? Who—"

Suddenly, a transparent screen popped up in front of his eyes, visible only to him.

[Hehehehe(⁠づ⁠￣⁠ ⁠³⁠￣⁠)⁠づ]

Lucas's eyebrow twitched violently. This bastard... he cursed inwardly. He knew he had no choice but to be honest. Taking a deep breath, he finally spoke.

"I... was struck by lightning in my world," Lucas said curtly.

The Baroness snorted in disbelief. "Just from lightning? That's not a 'mistake.' That's just fate or a common accident. Don't lie to me!"

Lucas closed his eyes, feeling incredibly stupid for having to reveal this truth in front of the realm's highest authorities. "The lightning happened... because the Absolute Being accidentally sneezed."

Silence.

SMACK!

Without warning, a raw punch landed square on Lucas's face. The Baroness had just swung with the last of her lingering rage.

Silvara just stood there like a statue. She didn't move to parry or react instinctively like before. She knew this was a deeply personal moment for her master.

Ferri'el, on the other hand, gave a faint smile. Even though the impact looked heavy, the blow didn't hurt Lucas's face at all—it didn't even scratch his skin. It was more of an outlet for the Baroness's nonsensical frustration.

"So, where is my son?" the Baroness asked.

Ferri'el answered softly, "Your son has fulfilled his destiny. He is gone."

The Baroness stood still, her shoulders trembling slightly. She lowered her head, letting her hair veil her expression.

"That's how ridiculous it was?" she whispered, her voice sounding hollow. "You filled his body just because of a sneeze?"

Lucas nodded slowly, feeling a twinge of guilt. "That's the reality of it. It's completely beyond logic."

After a long silence, the Baroness looked up. Her swollen eyes stared at Lucas with a different kind of intensity. "Show me... show me your real face. I want to see who is behind my son's mask."

Lucas flinched, his hand reflexively going to his throat. Wait, am I going to get choked in a sad moment like this? he thought awkwardly.

"Calm yourself," Ferri'el's voice interrupted his worry. The horse bowed her graceful head toward Lucas. "Pluck a strand of my hair, then tie it around your neck."

Lucas obeyed. He plucked a strand of Ferri'el's silver hair—it felt as strong as wire yet as smooth as silk—and tied it around his neck.

Shing!

Instantly, his brown hair turned pitch black. His facial features sharpened, and his fierce eyes now looked directly at the Baroness without any magical obstruction.

Baron Aleric, who had been watching from a safe distance, took a long breath. "He really... looks quite a bit like Lucian."

The Baroness stepped closer. She reached out her right hand, touching Lucas's cheek gently—a stark contrast to her death-grip from minutes ago. As her hand touched his skin, her full plate armor began to shatter into particles of light, vanishing to reveal her elegant noble gown.

"You do look like him," the Baroness said with a small, painful laugh. "But something is different. Are you a hard worker?"

"Your face looks a bit... cynical," she added, the strange remarks continuing to flow.

She brushed Lucas's black hair, caressing it with deep affection. "This hair is so thick."

"And your eyes... your eyes are very fierce," the Baroness gasped for air.

Lucas remained silent, unable to do anything but look down. That gentle touch and those words sent an unexpected emotional jolt through his chest. Suddenly, he remembered his late mother from his old world—the one who used to ruffle his hair while joking that his thick black hair looked like a model's from a shampoo commercial.

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