Chapter 18: Departure
The morning wind carried the chill of early autumn, coming in from the far end of the covered walkway and stirring the wind chimes hanging along it, sending out a faint, scattered sound.
Lucian stood at the estate's front gate, watching the butler Aldred direct the servants as they loaded the last few trunks onto the carriage.
The carriage was more modest than he had expected — dark body, no family crest anywhere on it, the wheel hubs still carrying dried flecks of old mud.
"Just a moment more, young master." Aldred came over and inclined his head slightly. "Everything needed for the road is prepared."
His mother Eleonora stood at the front of the group. She was wearing a pale grey morning gown, her hair pinned with her usual precision, the pearl ornament at her temple catching the morning light with a soft glow.
Her eyes were a little red, but she was still wearing her gentle smile.
"Lucian." She came over and bent down, reaching out to straighten his collar. "Take care of yourself at the domain. The mornings and evenings will be cold — remember to layer up. Don't read until too late at night. It's hard on your eyes."
Her fingers trembled, just slightly.
Lucian didn't pull away. He just looked up at her.
"I will, Mother."
Eleonora looked at him, her lips moving as if she were about to say something. In the end she only let out a quiet sigh and pressed a kiss to his forehead.
"Off you go."
She stepped back, making room for the people behind her.
Lucian nodded.
He turned and looked back at the estate.
The front gate stood open. Several people were on the stone steps.
The Count stood on the steps. He hadn't come down.
He simply stood there, hands clasped behind his back, wearing the expression Lucian knew well — composed, unreadable, never letting anything through.
Father and son looked at each other across the distance between them.
Silence.
Then the Count gave a small nod.
Not a single word.
But Lucian read it.
Travel safely. Write when you arrive. Don't embarrass me.
Something like that.
Lucian nodded back.
Enough.
Cecilia-sensei stood a little further back, behind his mother.
She wasn't wearing the dark teaching dress today. A pale brown everyday dress instead, the simple silver brooch at her collar.
She came forward.
"Young Master Lucian."
Her voice was the same as always — gentle, with a faint morning roughness to it.
Lucian looked at her and found himself thinking of every lesson morning over the past three years, every time he had pushed back, and Cecilia-sensei had never once lost her temper.
He opened his mouth.
"Cecilia-sensei."
"Yes?"
"I..."
Lucian paused.
Morning light fell on his face and made the hesitation there perfectly visible. He lowered his head and looked at the ground in front of his feet. A small clump of moss had pushed through the gap between two paving stones — a fresh, tender green, beaded with dew.
"I'm sorry."
His voice was quiet.
Cecilia went still for a moment.
"In our lessons," Lucian said, still not looking up, "I was always pushing back at you. And being late. And skipping out..."
As he said it, he found the whole thing a little absurd.
If he were honest with himself — why had he been like that?
Probably because Cecilia-sensei's lessons, every single time, had made him feel small. Mean-spirited. He had always wanted to argue her values into the ground, to find justifications for himself. To make his plan of aligning with the Bone King feel a little more reasonable than it actually was.
Genuinely childish, as it turned out.
He raised his head and met Cecilia's pale grey eyes.
They were the same as always — gentle, like a still lake in spring, holding everything without judgment.
"Cecilia-sensei." Lucian's voice steadied. "Thank you. For these three years."
Cecilia looked at him.
A few seconds of silence.
Then she smiled.
Not the polite smile she wore during lessons. Something softer. More genuine. The smile of someone who has finally been given an answer they had been waiting for.
"Young Master Lucian."
She spoke quietly.
"There is no need for that. I am proud of you."
Lucian went still.
The morning wind came in from the end of the walkway and moved the hem of Cecilia's dress. He looked at her, and in those pale grey eyes there was nothing now but warmth and something that looked like quiet satisfaction.
She meant it.
She genuinely —
Lucian's ears went hot.
He drew a breath and looked Cecilia straight in the eye. The Lucian who had already decided what to do about the Bone King was not going to be undone by this. He looked at her the way she had always looked at him — directly and without flinching.
"Cecilia-sensei."
His voice was steady.
"I'll do my best."
Just then —
A small figure pushed itself between them.
"Onii-chan!"
Lakyus's face appeared in front of him, blocking Cecilia from view entirely. Her eyes were wide and round, her cheeks puffed out just slightly, like a small animal guarding its territory.
"It's time to go!"
Lucian blinked.
"We agreed," he said, almost automatically. "I'll write when I get to the domain."
"I know!" Lakyus's voice came out muffled. "But — but if onii-chan doesn't leave now, you'll be late!"
She reached out and gave his shoulder a small push.
This girl...
Lucian almost laughed.
Yesterday she couldn't bear to let him go. She was ready to march along with him. And now here she was, pushing him out the door.
Lucian turned and gave a wave to everyone.
"I'm off."
His mother Eleonora's eyes had gone redder, but she was still smiling as she nodded. The Count stood on the steps, the same composed expression as always, but his eyes stayed on Lucian. Cecilia-sensei stood in the morning light and gave him a small nod.
Lakyus stood at the front, both hands twisted together before her, lips pressed tight.
Lucian smiled, turned, and walked to the carriage.
The door opened.
He ducked inside.
Someone was already sitting there.
A small figure.
The girl was sitting quietly in the corner of the compartment, making herself as small as possible. She was wearing a clean pale grey dress — simple cut, clearly something from the estate's maids that had been taken in to fit her. Her hair was no longer the tangled mess from the alley. It had been carefully combed into two small braids that hung at her shoulders.
At the sound of the door she raised her head.
Lucian's gaze settled on her face.
Blue hair, catching the morning light with a soft sheen. Amber eyes — the color of lukewarm tea — looking over at him with careful uncertainty. Her skin was pale, the line of her jaw a little too sharp.
This child had probably been hungry for a long time.
Lucian looked at the girl. "What's your name?"
"Siel. My name is Siel. I thought Lord Lucian already knew..." Siel's voice trailed off toward the end, carrying a small edge of hurt.
Ah. Right. She had given her name in the alley, to Lakyus. He had been occupied thinking about how to clean up the scene and had let it go right past him.
No problem. Lucian had his own reliable method for exactly this sort of situation.
"Of course I knew," Lucian said, with considerable dignity. "But last time it was Lakyus who asked you. Naturally I have to ask for myself."
Siel looked at him as though he had said something extraordinarily thoughtful. Her eyes were shining.
Lucian felt rather pleased with himself.
As expected.