Free Web NovelChapter 9: The Morning After
Morning light filtered through the tall windows of the castle chamber, casting pale golden streaks across the silk-draped bed. Dust motes danced in the beams, suspended in the quiet warmth of the new day.
The chamber was vast, yet warm. Heavy velvet curtains of deep crimson framed the windows, their edges embroidered with golden thread. The bed itself was a masterpiece, dark carved wood, silk sheets in shades of ivory and rose, pillows piled high like clouds. A fireplace crackled softly at the far end, casting a gentle glow across the room.
Seraphina’s eyes fluttered open.
She didn’t move at first. She simply lay there, her gaze settling on the figure beside her, Lucien, still lost in sleep, his breathing slow and even.
A soft smile crept across her lips.
She propped herself up on one elbow, her hair spilling over her shoulder like a cascade of molten gold. Her fingers hovered over his face, not quite touching, tracing the outline of his features in the air.
Lucien’s body shifted, his eyebrows twitching as his eyes fluttered open, meeting Seraphina’s gaze.
He froze and immediately kept his distance.
"What are you doing?" Lucien questioned, his voice carrying a hint of suspicion.
The last scene from the previous night rushed back to his mind. Who would have thought he had fallen asleep while watching Seraphina’s sleeping face?
A wave of embarrassment washed over him.
Seraphina, however, didn’t notice his internal turmoil. She rose from the bed, her movements graceful, but there was a faint stiffness in her posture.
She also hadn’t expected to fall asleep so easily in Lucien’s arms. At first, she had only been pretending, testing him. But the warmth of his presence had been... unexpected. She hadn’t planned to stay. Yet she had.
Now, the air between them was thick with an unspoken awkwardness. Neither could find the words to break the silence.
Seconds stretched into minutes.
Finally, Seraphina turned and walked toward the door. She paused at the threshold, her back still to him, as if she wanted to say something, but then she continued, disappearing into the hallway.
The door clicked shut behind her.
Lucien let out a long, heavy breath, the tension draining from his shoulders.
---
As Seraphina stepped out of the room, the nearby maids glanced at her figure in her nightgown. Their eyes widened slightly, it was rare to see their Empress in such attire, leaving a guest chamber.
"Good morning, Young Miss." They all greeted in unison, bowing their heads.
Seraphina nodded, a faint acknowledgment. It seemed they had heeded her words from the previous day.
They all watched as her figure disappeared from their sight, her silhouette growing smaller as she walked down the corridor.
Once she was gone, the maids exchanged glances. Murmurs began to spread.
"Did the Empress just leave from here?"
"This is the first time the Empress has slept over here."
"I wonder what the Empress was doing here. Her actions have been strange lately."
"If you want to face the wrath of the Empress, you can keep discussing," another maid snorted, her voice sharp. Her words made the others pale, their mouths snapping shut.
Silence fell. They returned to their respective chores, the topic dropped.
---
Meanwhile, in the room, Lucien stood up from the bed and walked toward the mirror, checking himself out.
His handsome face didn’t fail him, sharp features, dark eyes, the kind of face that had always drawn attention. His body, however, was a contradiction. Well-developed, yet still carrying the ghost of his frail past.
What a strange combination, he thought.
Ding!
[Host has shared the same bed for the first time with his wife, Seraphina. You are rewarded with 500 Eternal Devotion Tokens and 2 Random Gacha Tickets.]
The system notification surprised Lucien. He hadn’t expected that such simple actions could yield rewards.
He didn’t plan to spin the two Random Gacha Tickets just yet. For now, the rewards he had received were still unfamiliar, their functions and abilities were not yet fully understood.
"Darling, after taking a shower, I have a surprise for you. A servant will be waiting for you outside."
Lucien was startled, turning around, only to find nothing. But he had heard Seraphina’s voice.
"Pfft, it’s me, Seraphina, your wife. This is just a little trick." Her laughter resounded in his mind, light and teasing.
He calmed down and realized what had happened. Due to his inability to cultivate and his poor physical abilities, he had focused on reading about all the information of this world, gaining the air of a scholar.
This method Seraphina was using was called Mental Transmission, a technique used by Originators.
"And if you like, you can think of running away. Just know you can never escape from my hands." Her teasing laughter continued, echoing softly in his mind before fading.
Lucien snorted. For now, he knew he couldn’t make any move to leave the castle.
---
After dealing with his morning needs, he stood again in front of the mirror, dressed in a fresh dark tunic and fitted black trousers. The fabric was soft, cool against his skin, and fit him well. His dark hair, still slightly damp, fell loosely around his face.
He studied his reflection. The morning light softened his features, making him look almost different from the frail boy he used to be.
He let out a quiet breath.
Walking toward the door, it clicked as he opened it.
"Good morning, Young Master Lucien." As he stepped out, he heard a young male voice.
He turned and saw a young man dressed in servant’s clothes. He had his head bowed in a courteous bow.
Lucien nodded and waved his hand for him to rise.
"Young Miss asked me to lead you," the male servant said as he began leading the way.
Lucien was surprised but followed him.
---
They walked across the hallway, and the regality surpassed his imagination. The walls were adorned with grand murals depicting dragons soaring through storm-torn skies and phoenixes rising from seas of flame. The colors were vivid, crimson, gold, and deep azure, as if the scenes had been painted with the very essence of Originat.
Between the murals stood life-sized statues carved from marble and obsidian. Dragons coiled around pillars, their stone scales gleaming faintly in the torchlight. Phoenixes spread their wings in eternal flight, frozen mid-ascension. Their eyes seemed to follow anyone who passed, giving the hallway an almost watchful presence.
The floor was polished marble, inlaid with golden veins that traced the forms of intertwined dragons and phoenixes. Every step echoed softly, as if the hall itself was alive, breathing with ancient power.
Lucien’s gaze swept across the hall, momentarily lost in the grandeur.
"Nice. Nice. How old is this castle?" Lucien asked as they walked.
Suddenly, the male servant stopped. He turned and smiled at Lucien. "Young Miss has ordered that any questions Mr. Lucien has will be answered by her."
Lucien was startled by this response before he snorted.
He glanced at the male servant and appraised him.
---
Name: Jeff Drakon
Title: Head of Servant of the Castle (Male)
Race: Dragonkin
Cultivation Realm: ?????
Physique: ??????
Elemental Affinity: ????
Obsession: Wholeheartedly serving the Empress.
---
Lucien frowned when he saw the question marks filling half his view. There were many things that surprised and intrigued him.
Dragonkin, a half-human, half-dragon being. What intrigued him most was that he couldn’t see the servant’s Cultivation Realm or Physique.
And Empress? Was that Seraphina’s mother? Or was Seraphina hiding even more than he had realized?
"Young Master Lucien." Jeff’s voice disrupted his thoughts.
A large door stood before them, guarded by two armoured knights whose faces were hidden behind their helms.
Lucien glanced at them and realized they had reached their destination.
Jeff nodded at the armoured knights, and the door swung open, but all Lucien saw was darkness.
What’s happening? Lucien thought, his pulse quickening.
"Young Miss is waiting for you," Jeff said with a smile.
Lucien sighed. At least he knew Seraphina wouldn’t do anything that would lead to his death.
He took a step forward and entered the doorway.
As he stepped inside, he heard the sound of the door closing behind him. His vision remained filled with darkness.
Lucien stood in place, confused. He saw nothing.
He frowned, wondering what Seraphina was up to. He waited for a few minutes, but nothing changed.
As he planned to call her name, Lucien’s body sensed danger.
All he felt was something tearing through the air.
