Celine's eyes went wide. She immediately shoved Lucian toward the edge of the mattress.
Lucian slid his body underneath the large, canopied bed.
The stealthy way they had barged in was highly suspicious. He hadn't heard a single clatter of armor or heavy footsteps in the hallway until they were already at the door.
When he was with Celine, he preferred to shut Voice out and give her his undivided attention, otherwise he would have noticed them with his third eye.
"My Lady, it's an evacuation order from the Duke," the soldier bowed his head. He also scanned the room for intruders, his sword in hand. "The front line has fallen to the Southern Alliance. We must leave the Summer estate immediately."
Celine didn't betray a single hint of panic or reveal that a man was hiding mere inches beneath her feet.
She walked over to where Lucian's leather bag sat on the floor. Without a second of hesitation, she picked it up, turned it upside down over a nearby waste bin, and completely emptied it. She was using her body to hide the content.
Lucian watched in absolute horror as his spare clothes and the leather ledger tumbled into the trash.
Celine then casually swept the snacks and the gift Lucian had brought for their future child inside it, using his bag as her own personal carry-on.
A maid placed down a pair of boots for Celine to wear as she followed the soldiers outside, then draped a cloak over her mistress. She then returned to pack some necessities in a hurry.
Lucian was left behind, hiding under the bed, waiting for them to leave. He listened to the commotion outside, the servants running around, the carriages being prepared.
He crawled out from under the bed when the room was empty to retrieve his items into a bag he found in her wardrobe. He stole a few of her personal items, to make up for his stolen bag as well.
There were still people in the hallway, so he had to wait for the perfect moment to slip out.
He opened the balcony window and jumped out of it, landing softly on the grass.
He kept to the shadows, avoiding being seen by the guards while listening to the conversation between Celine and the soldier.
"What happened?" Celine asked from inside the carriage.
"Lord Edmund...has gone missing. Rochefort's army was called back to search for him," the soldier replied from outside the carriage, his voice low, "The Southern Alliance has taken advantage of the situation."
"Are my parents safe?" Celine asked, her voice steady.
"His Grace and Her Grace are safe," the soldier replied. "We must rejoin them as soon as possible."
Celine lifted her chin, the darkness of the night cloaking her expression. "Proof of it?"
The soldier quickly handed her a letter, which she took and read in silence.
Lucian's third eye caught the words on the paper.
The Duke's handwriting was rushed, the ink smudged in some places. The Duke was ordering his daughter to join the army and not leave their side for safety reasons. He didn't trust anyone but his own army to protect his daughter.
The carriage started to move, the wheels crushing the gravel under them.
Lucian's kidnapping plan was quickly cancelled by the turn of events. It seemed that fate had other plans for them.
'Of all the times...' Lucian cursed in his head. Just when he had gained some standing, Edmund had to ruin it. Again.
Lucian went to pick up the rest of his belongings, and then left the estate on the wagon he had arrived in. He ordered his people to report back if they found anything about Edmund's whereabouts.
They should have been keeping an eye on him in the first place, so he hoped they would have something to share soon.
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In the following days, news of the front line's collapse spread like wildfire, igniting panic among the people of the North.
The blame fell on the Rochefort family for abandoning their post at such a crucial moment. Their absence on the battlefield was a big blow to the army's morale.
It was said it was due to Lady Celine Rochefort demanding her father to marry her to the Crown Prince, and that her father was doing everything in his power to grant her wish.
Lucian hoped it was not the Duke, who was spreading such rumors to have his daughter marry the Crown Prince, to distract the public from the real issue. He wouldn't put it past the man to do such a thing.
Lucian got off his horse, making his way inside a local pawn shop when he noticed a strange sight.
A girl had entered the shop as well, her strawberry pink hair and eyes drawing attention to her. She started to argue with the shopkeeper, a determined expression on her face.
She was dressed in a simple white dress, her shoes worn out. She looked like a commoner, but there was something about her that made her stand out.
She was pretty, with delicate features and a petite figure, but there was a fire in her eyes that made her look anything but delicate.
The way she haggled with the manager would make Lucian want to recruit her for the Glory, had he not known who she was.
It was the heroine, Bianca Lacroix.
The same girl who was destined to bring ruin to the villainess, capture the hearts of many men, and unite the three Kingdoms together, bringing peace to the world.
From the looks of it, she must have just gotten her invitation to the Royal Academy, and was getting ready for her new life. She was trying to buy the necessary school supplies, but with a limited budget.
Lucian looked around the pawn shop, grabbed a bow and walked toward the counter, asking the shopkeeper for its price.
"Be careful," she warned and came to Lucian when she overheard their conversation. "It's thin, it's cheap, and it's not worth half the price he is asking for."