“Did El see it just now?” Valeria quickly walked away, leaving El standing there silently as if pondering something. 
“No! I hope he didn’t see the Umbra symbol on my forehead.” Valeria ran faster. Her breath was ragged.
“I don’t want him to know that I—”
“Valeria!” Lucien was surprised to see Valeria running through the school corridor. She had to stop because she could get in trouble for breaking school rules.
“What’s going on?” Lucien asked, concerned. “Why are you running here?”
“It’s nothing, Professor. Sorry if I startled you,” Valeria said regretfully. She was afraid of disturbing Professor Lucien’s peace while he was reading in his office.
Lucien never minded that. He was only worried about Valeria.
“Are you sure you're okay?” Lucien asked once again, just to make sure. 
Valeria nodded slowly. 
“Come on! Sit here first!” Lucien said, inviting Valeria into his office. 
“Thank you, Professor. It's not necessary. I just want to go home,” Valeria politely declined. 
As they accidentally chatted in front of Lucien's office, Valeria glanced around; there were many eyes on her, watching. 
Rumors about Valeria and Professor Lucien spread quickly throughout the academy. Too quickly, and it caused misunderstandings. 
“They say they’re often alone together in the music room.” 
“Professor Lucien even escorts her home.” 
“Disgusting.”
Those whispers were heard everywhere and made Valeria dizzy dealing with them. 
"Can we talk for a moment?" Lucien hoped Valeria would allow him. 
"Alright," Valeria replied. They both went into the room. 
"I'm sorry," Lucien said suddenly. 
Valeria slowly lifted her head. "Sorry for what, Professor?" 
Lucien stood in front of his desk in the room with his usual calm gaze. The afternoon light made the man's face look even more handsome and mysterious. 
"About the night at the dance party," he continued softly. "Did I scare you?" 
Valeria held her backpack gently. "A little." 
Lucien gave a faint smile. "I didn't mean to hurt you." 
There was a brief silence. Then Lucien sat in the chair across from her.
“I won’t force you to explain anything.”  
Those dark eyes were so gentle. Too gentle. That’s what slowly made Valeria start to lower her guard. Because Lucien never forced her to be normal.  
Lucien never looked at Valeria like she was a monster. Not like anyone else.  
“I know there’s something different about you,” Lucien said softly.  
Valeria immediately tensed. But the man just gave a small smile.  
“I’m not afraid of your dark side. So, you don’t have to feel uncomfortable,” Lucien said.  
Valeria’s heart immediately pounded. That sentence sounded so dangerous. Yet strangely, it also felt reassuring.  
***  
In the following days, Lucien spent more and more time by Valeria’s side. He helped with her schoolwork. Taught her to understand difficult lessons. He even secretly replaced Valeria’s damaged books.  
“Your favorite professor is here again.”
Alexis immediately rolled his eyes when he saw Lucien sitting next to Valeria in the cafeteria. El, who was sitting across from them, just had a blank expression. However, his blue gaze clearly showed displeasure.  
Lucien didn’t seem bothered at all.  
“Valeria, about yesterday’s math, is it done?”  
“Yes.”  
“Good.”  
Alexis immediately gave a sarcastic grin. “You two are really close. Are you dating?”  
“Alex,” Valeria snapped.  
Lucien just smiled casually. “I don’t mind.”  
“HEY!”  
Valeria immediately choked on her drink.
Meanwhile, El stared at Lucien with the coldest bombastic side-eye ever. 
"He's way too old for you," El said flatly. "He should be more like your dad."
Lucien raised an eyebrow. "Age isn't a problem."
Alexis immediately pointed at Lucien, annoyed. "See! He's clearly seeking attention!"
Valeria covered her face in frustration. "Why is my life like this? It's just giving me a headache," she complained.
A few days later, the rumors got worse.
"A slut."
Someone intentionally whispered as Valeria walked down the school hallway.
"Gets close to a lot of guys, even professors."
"What is she even aiming for here?"
"She's just seeking attention. Just because she's really pretty."
Valeria froze. Some girls started giggling.
"No wonder all the guys are always around her."
"Such a cheap girl."
Valeria's gaze immediately turned cold. Before she could respond, a deep voice came from behind.  
"Who are you talking about?"  
The whole corridor went silent.  
Lucien was standing there. His black eyes had turned ice-cold. For some reason, the air around them felt much heavier.  
The girls went pale immediately.  
"We were just joking."  
Lucien stepped closer to them slowly.  
"Then joke again." His voice sounded soft. Too soft.  
No one dared to speak. For a moment, they genuinely felt like they might die.  
***
Meanwhile, in Ravencall, Lyra woke up screaming. 
“Nyxara!” 
Her body was shaking violently. Draven immediately hugged her. 
“What did you see in your dream?” 
Tears fell from Lyra’s eyes. “Something is chasing her.” 
Her breathing was chaotic. “I heard her calling me, asking me to protect her.” 
Draven immediately tried to calm her. “Don’t worry. I’m here, with you.” 
The next day, Lyra went to see Seraphina at the Moon Palace. 
“I have to go to the human world,” Lyra said, half forcing herself. 
Seraphina immediately refused. “No.” 
“Nyxara is in danger. I have to go save her.” 
“You’re pregnant.”
Lyra froze. Her hand slowly touched her own stomach. But a mother’s fear is far greater than anything else. 
"I don’t care." 
"You have to care," Seraphina’s voice hardened. "If something happens to you, Ravencall will lose everything." 
Lyra clenched her fist. "But I could also lose my daughter." 
"Nyxara will be fine. Elion is there with her," Seraphina told her. 
"Really? They’re together there?" Even though she sounded relieved, Lyra was still worried about both of them. 
On the other side of Ravencall, Draven tightened the palace security all around. No one from Nightfall or any other alliance is allowed in anymore. Especially Kael. 
The biggest threat comes from someone else. Selene Ardyn.
When Lyra returned to Ravencall from Lunar Gate, she accidentally ran into Selene at the border of the Ravencall-Nightfall forest.
“I’ll destroy Nyxara before Kael finds her,” Selene said, starting the conversation.
Those words made Lyra’s aura explode instantly. “No one can touch my daughter. Including Kael.”
Lyra’s Moonborn power slammed Selene into the border wall. With full speed, an enraged Lyra chased Selene. Selene’s eyes widened as Lyra’s Moonborn-Umbra energy choked her neck.
“How dare you intend to destroy my daughter.” Lyra’s voice sounded terrifying. Cold and deadly.
“If you touch Nyxara, your son will bear the consequences. Noir will suffer for the rest of his life,” Lyra threatened. Her gaze turned full of rage.
Selene froze.
Lyra slowly approached, whispering into her ear. "Your son will never be able to live without Nyxara."  
That sentence shattered Selene’s defenses instantly. Because deep down, she knew it was true.  
***  
In the human world, Valeria once again became the target of bullying from girls who were jealous of her. Someone poured red paint on her school locker.  
Written in big letters on her locker: PROFESSOR'S WHORE.  
Valeria just stared at the words without saying anything. But her hands were trembling.  
A few seconds later, Lucien arrived. His gaze immediately turned dark.  
"Let’s go home!" Lucien said. "It’s not safe for you here."
Valeria didn’t refuse. For the first time, she was too tired to pretend to be strong.  
Ophelia slowly opened the front door when she saw Valeria coming home with a man. The moment she saw the man, her instincts froze. There was something off about the closeness Valeria showed with him.  
“Valeria, what’s wrong with you?” Ophelia asked, surprised to see Valeria looking a bit down.  
“It seems she’s not feeling well. She’d better rest at home for a few days,” Lucien replied.  
“Thank you for bringing her home,” Ophelia said cautiously.  
Lucien smiled politely. “She’s a special student.”  
That sentence made Ophelia even more alert.  
As Valeria entered the house, Ophelia accidentally noticed something. Lucien’s eyes.  
For a split second, the deep black color filled his entire eyes. Not human. Not an ordinary creature. But darkness itself.
Ophelia's breath caught immediately. 
Meanwhile, Lucien slowly gave her a slight smile, as if he knew her secret had just been revealed.