The world blurred into streaks of stone and shadow as Luca sprinted through the streets — faster, faster, each heartbeat pounding like thunder against his ribs. Wind clawed at his coat, the ground cracked beneath his accelerating steps. Shopkeepers and pedestrians barely registered as colors — startled voices chasing after him:

"W-What was that?! Did someone just—?"

He didn't stop.

He couldn't stop.

The familiar outer walls of Valentine Estate came into view — towering, proud, unmoved by time. Luca skidded to a halt, his shoes burning against the cobbled path as sparks flickered under him.

He gasped.

The mansion stood perfectly still.

No smoke.

No destruction.

Not even a single cracked window.

Luca's chest heaved as confusion swallowed him whole.

How…? I clearly saw lightning strike… The sky darkened for a reason!

His heartbeat rattled in his ears.

A sudden gust — and golden light shimmered beside him.

Celestia appeared like a descending divinity, her cape whipping dramatically in the warm afternoon wind. Crimson eyes narrowed as she scanned the mansion with sharp vigilance.

"What happened?"

Her voice, low and urgent — but controlled.

Luca swallowed hard, forcing words out.

"I… I don't know. But— Baby Dragon is inside."

That changed everything.

Celestia stiffened — worry flickering into her eyes, so subtle that only someone familiar with her would notice. She didn't waste a single breath.

"Let's go."

Together — hurried, but poised — they pushed open the mansion doors.

Light poured into the entrance hall—

A tiny figure stood there.

A little girl, maybe five or six, unsteady on new legs.

Golden hair in messy twin-tails, small dragon-like horns peeking out adorably from between strands. Red eyes — bright, innocent — widened when she saw them.

Then, a giggle — pure, delighted.

"Mama!"

She sprinted — legs wobbling adorably — and leapt straight into Celestia's arms.

Celestia caught her with one hand on instinct, cradling her gently against her chest. The Empress of Astravia — feared by armies — felt her expression soften into something entirely unguarded.

The little dragon turned to Luca next, her smile wide enough to stretch to her ears.

"Papa! Mama h-here!"

She tapped her own chest and declared proudly:

"Ha-ppy-y!"

Her speech broken and stuttering — but her joy needed no translation.

Luca's tense shoulders finally relaxed as a tired, relieved smile tugged at his lips.

"So that's what it was…"

Celestia raised an eyebrow at him — silently demanding an explanation.

He rubbed the back of his neck, chuckling sheepishly.

"I may have… given her the Dragon Blood Essence last week."

Celestia blinked. Then her eyes widened very slightly.

"That explains the sudden growth…"

Her tone mixed exasperation and relief — like she expected nothing less from Luca at this point.

Luca shrugged, still panting slightly.

"I didn't think she would refine it so soon…"

The little dragon wriggled happily — nuzzling into Celestia's neck, then leaning toward Luca. A tiny tail fluttered weakly behind her, still too small to be harmful.

"Mama… Papa…"

And then…

CLINK

The sound cut sharply through the wholesome moment.

Luca and Celestia snapped their heads toward the source.

A silver tray had hit the floor — pastries scattering across the polished marble.

Every maid.

Every butler.

Every household guard—

—stood frozen in place.

Eyes wide.

Hands shaking.

Mouths hanging open.

As if they had just witnessed something that rewrote the history of the Empire.

Finally — a trembling voice came from the entrance back — Luca's mother, Selene Valentine, stepped forward. Her feasts clenched so tight to her dress that it might tear.

"W-what's going on here…?"

Luca locked eyes with her.

Then with Darian.

Then with the terrified staff around them.

And then at his friends one by one…

A drop of sweat slid down his face.

One thought echoed violently through his skull:

I am absolutely… completely…

so very fucked.

The world outside the mansion did not stay quiet for long.

Footsteps thundered across the courtyard — fast, uneven, fueled by panic. The doors burst open as Vincent, Aurelia, Selena, Kyle, Lilliane , Sylthara and Elowen stormed in.

They froze.

Time… stopped.

Their eyes fell upon the scene: Celestia Dragonair — Empress of the Empire — casually holding a tiny dragon-horned girl in her arms. The baby dragon giggling while wrapped around both the Empress and Luca like she belonged there. And Luca — standing beside the Empress looking… familiar… too familiar.

A stunned silence heavier than any battlefield tension filled the entrance hall.

Selene's pupils shook — her hand instinctively flew to her mouth as if to physically stop the scream rising in her throat.

Darian's usually unreadable eyes went sharp, darting between Luca and the Empress — jaw clenching as the implications hit like a falling castle.

Vincent simply… blinked. Once. His sword-calloused fingers twitched near the hilt at his hip — pure reflex. His eyes narrowed: analyzing, assessing, calculating what on earth this situation meant.

Aurelia's expression was a masterpiece of chaos — shock, disbelief… and a tiny spark of jealousy flaring in her amethyst eyes. Her hand tightened over her chest.

Selena's arms hung limp at her sides, magic crackling and dissipating from her fingertips — she had come ready for a battle, not— whatever this was.

Kyle's eyes slowly widened to saucers. Bro… what have you done now?

He didn't dare say it — but his slightly dropped jaw screamed it loud enough.

Lilliane's breath hitched — her gaze bouncing between Luca, Celestia, and the child clinging to them. Her face turned red — confusion and embarrassment blooming together like wildfire.

Not a single one of them dared speak.

The maids and butlers still stiff as statues behind Luca and Celestia — their souls practically leaving their bodies.

In the center of it all…

Luca exhaled sharply, shoulders dropping just a fraction — there was no escape from this.

He looked sideways at Celestia… She was calm. Completely unfazed. As if this were the most normal, everyday situation in the world.

Luca rubbed the back of his neck, leaned slightly forward — expression caught between guilt and deadpan resignation.

"I…"

Luca raised his hands slightly, trying to contain the situation before it erupted.

"I can explain—"

But he didn't even finish.

Because a small, excited voice cut him off like a divine judgment.

"Mama!"

Baby Dragon proudly pointed at Celestia.

Everyone froze.

Heads snapped toward the Empress.

Celestia remained perfectly composed…

but the tiny twitch in her brow betrayed her.

Before anyone could recover—

Baby Dragon pointed at Luca.

"Papa!"

A collective gasp rippled through the room.

Selene stumbled back — clutching her chest like the world had betrayed her.

Vincent's eyes went wide — actual emotion registering on his face for the first time in years.

Aurelia's jaw hit the floor — expression breaking between What?! and I WILL MURDER SOMEONE!

Kyle choked on his own breath.

Lilliane covered her mouth in utter shock.

Selena blinked rapidly like her brain rejected the input.

And then…

Baby Dragon proudly poked her own chest with a beaming smile:

"Happy!"

She giggled and wrapped her tiny arms tighter around Celestia's neck, nuzzling into her armor with pure affection.

Silence.

A silence so heavy it could crush continents.

Darian's hand slowly rose to his forehead — as if begging the heavens to smite him instead.

Selene opened and closed her mouth like a stunned goldfish.

Vincent's eye twitched.

Aurelia?

Her eyes narrowed into laser beams aimed directly at Luca.

If looks could kill…

Luca would have died a thousand times already.

Luca let out a defeated sigh.

Meanwhile, Celestia…

She stood flawless, regal, as if the chaos swirling around was beneath her notice — not even a blink out of place.

Luca could feel every stare burning into him.

He shot Celestia a desperate look — an intense silent scream of "Please explain!"

Celestia merely raised a brow, utterly unfazed.

Luca's heart sank into his stomach.

Oh… I am so unbelievably dead.

He raised a finger helplessly.

"W–wait, it's not what it looks like—"

Everyone:

It is EXACTLY what it looks like.

He could literally feel the judgment piercing every inch of his existence.

Baby Dragon, unaware of the chaos she detonated, happily slapped her tiny tail against Luca's arm like:

Look Papa! I did good!

Luca stared into the void.

Why does fate hate me?

Everyone stood frozen — staring at Luca, Celestia… and the baby dragon with tiny horns peeking through her hair.

Luca swallowed hard and looked around desperately, hoping someone — anyone — would say something that could save him.

Aurelia folded her arms, turning her face away with a sharp exhale:

"Hmph"

Kyle raised his eyebrows, lips curling into the most bro-you're-dead grin:

"Man… you really did it this time."

Selena's eye twitched as she clutched her staff tighter:

"…Are you insane?"

Lilliane shrank back a little, voice barely above a whisper:

"I… don't know what to say…"

Sylthara's ears drooped, cheeks heating in second-hand embarrassment:

"This… is awkward."

Senior Elowen, still fragile from her loss, whispered with a trembling voice:

"Now is… really not the time…"

His father slowly sighed with stres— eyes wide with disbelief:

"Son… what's the situation?"

Luca's gaze finally reached his mother — Selene — who stared at the scene with horror, her voice

cracking:

"…Luca… what… did you do…"

Her eyes rolled back.

Selene collapsed into his father's arms.

Luca's soul left his body.

Anyone, Please let me explain!

Next chapter will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.