The Useless Extra Knows It All....But Does He?

The maid had barely closed the door behind me when I turned away from the room without a second thought. My feet moved of their own accord, silent against the polished floor, until I found myself back down the hall. I slipped into the shadows, far enough that no one would notice me—yet close enough that every word reached me as clearly as if I stood among them.

I told myself it was wrong. That I was prying. That it wasn't my place.

And yet… I stayed.

The chandelier's glow spilled across the marble, casting long shadows as silence pressed in.

Lady Selene's voice broke it, calm yet sharp enough to make even me straighten in instinct.

"Lisa. You left this house… ran away to the academy without telling anyone. Do you understand what you did?"

Lisa's shoulders folded in instantly, her hands twisting into the fabric of her cloak. That tiny, trembling voice carried through the vast hall.

"…I just wanted to see my brother."

The weight in Lady Selene's tone didn't ease. Instead, it pressed harder.

"That is no excuse. You frightened everyone in this house. Do you know how your father and I felt when we realized you were gone?"

Lisa flinched, bowing her head. "I… I'm sorry, Mother. I didn't mean to… I just…" Her voice cracked, the apology breaking apart in her throat.

And then—Luca.

He stepped forward, hand resting atop her head with a gentleness that made my chest twist. His voice was steady, shielding. "Mother, it's enough. Lisa has already realized her mistake. Please forgive her."

For a moment, I almost believed Lady Selene would relent. But her gaze shifted to him, and it changed—no longer warm, but unyielding, the way only a mother who cares too deeply can be.

"You. You should not even speak of forgiveness."

The air shifted. Luca stiffened under her words.

"From the moment you left for the academy," she said, her voice rising like steel barely sheathed, "all we hear are stories of you throwing yourself into danger. Of you getting injured again and again. Do you think we feel no fear every time news of your recklessness reaches us?"

The reprimand struck him silent. His eyes lowered, his hand pausing on Lisa's hair. For once, Luca had no clever retort, no easy smile to soften the blow. His voice was quieter than I had ever heard it when he finally spoke.

"…I'm sorry."

That word, so simple—yet he said it with a sincerity I could feel even from where I hid.

Lady Selene's earrings swayed as she shook her head. Her voice softened but did not waver.

"No. I don't want your apologies. From today onward, I've decided. You will stay here. There is no need to do anything else."

The decision rang absolute, final.

I caught the faint tremor of Luca's jaw, the sharp breath he drew as if ready to argue—only to still when she raised her hand. He obeyed. No rebellion. No fight.

A strange ache coiled in my chest as I watched. That firmness, that worry buried beneath stern words—Selene Von Valentine wielded both reprimand and protection in the same breath. And Luca accepted it, not with resentment, but with the quiet smile of someone who knew he was loved.

…Is this what it means to have a mother?

To be scolded not because of status, or expectation, or duty… but because someone fears for you, because they cannot bear to lose you?

My hand gripped my sleeve tightly, nails biting into the fabric. Envy flared sharp and bitter, but beneath it lingered a yearning so raw it frightened me. Even if I never felt it myself—just to witness it was enough to make me ache.

Selene's voice gentled once more. "Go. Both of you. Rest in your rooms."

Lisa nodded quickly, relief breaking through her shame. Luca's shoulders eased, his smile faint, quiet, but undeniably warmed by her words.

I exhaled silently, forcing the knot in my throat down.

Stay here? No return to the academy?

My thoughts flickered, sharp and practical even through the ache. Then… how will we travel together? Although I didn't want to go back to the magic tower….the reason I agreed to travel with Luca was to get stronger. If his own mother chained him to this house, then…

I shook my head. I will confirm it with him later.

Still, as I turned back toward my room, one thought clung stubbornly to me.

That warmth… that bond…

Would I ever find anything like it for myself?

Selena closed the door behind her, leaning back against it as if the quiet of her room could shield her from the turmoil inside her chest. She had washed her face, changed into something comfortable, and laid on the soft bed… yet the image of Luca's mother lingered in her thoughts. That gentle smile. The way her hand brushed over Luca's hair with such affection.

The warmth of a mother.

Selena's fingers curled into the sheets. I don't need it. I've lived this far without it. I don't need it. But no matter how firmly she told herself that, the hollow ache in her heart throbbed stronger. That simple scene—so ordinary for others—was something she had never felt. Never once.

She forced herself to sit upright, clutching her knees for a moment before exhaling sharply. No… I can't dwell on it. I came here to grow stronger, to find my path. That's what matters. That's what I should be focusing on.

But even as she whispered it to herself, another thought surfaced—Can my mother ever become something like this? That nagging curiosity, that yearning she couldn't smother, clawed at her. Before she could slide more into this thoughts, she rose from the bed.

Her footsteps were quick, almost restless, as she stepped out of her room. A maid was just passing by, and Selena stopped her, keeping her voice as steady as possible.

"Excuse me… could you tell me the way to Luca's room?"

The maid smiled politely and gave her directions. Selena nodded with a soft "thank you," then turned down the hall.

Her pace quickened. The silence of the mansion's corridors only amplified the rhythm of her hurried steps. Her heart pounded—not from fatigue, but from the storm of emotions she was trying to push down.

I'll ask him. I have to know. What is he going to do about what his mother said to him?

With every step closer to Luca's room, her resolve hardened.

Selena finally stopped before the carved door, her footsteps falling silent on the polished floor. She drew in a breath, smoothing away every trace of hesitation, forcing herself back into the familiar calm mask she always wore. Her face was composed, almost sculpted from ice, her long white hair shimmering faintly under the lantern light. Her amethyst eyes, cool and unwavering, revealed nothing of the storm in her chest.

She raised her hand and knocked. Tok. Tok.

Silence.

Her brows twitched slightly. She waited a moment, then knocked again, firmer this time. Still nothing.

Hmm? Is he not inside? she thought, tilting her head just slightly, her tone in her mind dismissive, but a thread of impatience tugged at her. Her hand lingered on the doorknob. Should I… go in?

Before she realized it, her fingers had already turned the handle. The door creaked open softly, and she slipped inside, her voice as cold and composed as ever.

"Are you here Luca? I want to talk about something.."

She stepped further into the room, her sharp gaze scanning the interior. Then she turned toward the bed—

—and froze.

Her eyes widened, her carefully constructed mask cracking in an instant. There, lying on the bed, was Luca.

Her heart skipped, and for a moment she couldn't even breathe. The icy look melted away into pure, stunned disbelief. She hadn't expected to find him like this