Mornings in the MorningStar palace were supposed to be peaceful.
Calm.
Quiet.
Lucien lay in his cradle, staring at the ceiling like it had personally offended him.
Same ceiling. Same crack. Same disappointment.
His tiny hand reached up.
Missed.
Tried again.
Missed again.
At this point, I'm not even aiming. I'm just
hoping.
He shifted.
Rolled.
Halfway.
And got stuck.
"…."
…I refuse to believe this is my life now.
"Lucien?"
His mother's voice floated in gently.
She walked in, already smiling like she expected to find him awake.
Which—unfortunately—she did.
"You're awake again," she said, bending slightly.
Lucien blinked at her.
She paused, noticing his position.
"…Were you trying to roll over?"
Lucien froze internally.
No. I was conducting advanced mobility experiments.
She laughed softly and picked him up.
"Well, you're improving," she said, adjusting him in her arms. "Even if you look a little… determined."
I am fighting for my dignity.
From the doorway, his father spoke,
"He's been trying more often."
Lucien's eyes shifted.
Why are you monitoring me like a project report?
His mother glanced at him. "That's normal."
"…He doesn't give up easily," his father added.
Lucien paused.
…Okay, I'll take that.
Before anything else could be said—
A sound echoed through the hallway.
"Waa…"
Lucien blinked.
"…WAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!"
He froze.
…No.
The sound grew louder.
More aggressive.
More… committed.
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!"
Lucien's soul quietly exited his body.
That is not crying.
That is a declaration of war.
His mother sighed, already knowing.
"…Our guests have arrived."
Guests.
Lucien had a very bad feeling.
Moments later, the door opened.
A servant stepped aside, and a well-dressed couple entered.
Behind them—
Chaos.
The woman held a baby.
A very loud baby.
"…WAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!"
Lucien stared.
Oh.
So that's the enemy.
"Lady MorningStar," the guest woman said with a slightly embarrassed smile, trying to bow while holding a screaming child. "I apologize for the noise…"
Lucien's mother smiled warmly. "No need. Please, come in."
The guest man chuckled awkwardly. "He's… energetic."
Lucien slowly turned his head toward him.
That is not 'energetic.'
That is a natural disaster.
His father nodded politely. "Children are like that."
Lucien snapped his gaze toward him.
Excuse me?
The crying baby kicked its legs violently.
"WAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!"
Lucien flinched internally.
Do something! Anything! Turn it off!
The guest mother tried rocking the child.
"It's alright, it's alright—please stop crying…"
The baby responded by crying louder.
Lucien stared.
Ah. Yes. Negotiation has failed.
His mother stepped closer. "Would you like to sit?"
"Yes, please," the woman said gratefully, clearly struggling.
They sat.
The crying did not stop.
At all.
His father spoke calmly,
"How old is he?"
"Three months," the man replied.
Lucien blinked.
Same model… completely different performance.
His mother gently glanced at Lucien.
"Lucien has been very quiet."
The guest woman looked over, surprised.
"Really? He hasn't cried?"
Lucien stared at her.
Why are we discussing this like it's a defect?
"Not much," his mother said with a soft smile.
The guest woman looked down at her own child—
Still screaming like the world was ending
"…I see," she said slowly.
The guest man coughed.
"Perhaps… he's just very expressive."
Lucien:
Sir.
Please stop lying to yourself.
The crying baby was brought closer.
Too close.
Lucien could now feel it—
That strange, messy energy.
Unstable.
Leaking everywhere.
What is that…?
He focused.
The baby's energy surged and dropped randomly, matching its cries.
No control.
No balance.
So even here… some people are just inefficient.
"WAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!"
Lucien's eye twitched.
This is unbearable.
The guest mother looked like she was about to cry too.
"I'm so sorry… he usually isn't this loud…"
The baby screamed louder.
Lucien:
Ma'am.
Respectfully.
I don't believe you.
His mother chuckled softly. "It's alright. Truly."
She gently rocked Lucien, who remained perfectly calm.
The contrast was painful.
The guest father stared.
"…Why is your child so quiet?"
Lucien turned his head slowly toward him.
Because I have standards.
His father answered calmly,
"He's just like that."
Lucien:
Wow. Very helpful.
Then—
Something clicked.
Lucien's attention shifted.
Not to the noise.
Not to the chaos.
But to the energy.
…Copy.
He focused.
On the pattern.
On the movement.
And gently—
Silently—
He understood it.
Something settled within him.
No flash.
No sound.
Just—
Clarity.
Lucien blinked.
…That's it?
The baby screamed again.
"WAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!"
Lucien frowned slightly.
Then—
He turned inward.
Focused on his own energy.
And slowly…
Carefully…
He adjusted it.
The chaotic pull inside him—
Smoothed.
Controlled.
Lucien's eyes widened slightly.
…Oh.
It worked.
Meanwhile—
The chaos continued.
"…I think he's hungry," the guest mother said desperately.
"No, I fed him earlier—" the father replied.
"Then why is he still crying?!"
Lucien:
Excellent question.
His mother tried to help. "Maybe he's uncomfortable?"
The baby screamed louder.
Lucien:
He's uncomfortable with existence.
Eventually—
After a long, painful struggle—
The guests stood up.
"We… should go," the father said weakly.
"Yes," the mother agreed, exhausted.
The baby, as if satisfied, cried one last time.
"WAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!"
Lucien watched them leave.
And stay gone.
The door closed.
Silence.
Beautiful.
Sacred.
Silence.
Lucien lay back in his cradle.
I survived.
His mother sat beside him, gently stroking his head.
"You did very well," she said softly.
Lucien blinked.
"At least you're calm," she added with a small smile.
He looked at her.
…Yeah.
His fingers curled slightly.
Let's keep it that way.
Inside—
Everything felt different now.
Balanced.
Controlled.
He tested it again.
Nothing happened.
…One time only.
A slow smile formed.
So I have to choose carefully.
He closed his eyes slightly.
Outside—
The Netherworld remained chaotic.
But here—
In silence—
Lucien had taken his first step.
And no one noticed.
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