The Dreamer's POV

Chapter 118: Night Troubles [Pt 2]

[00 Months: 12 Days: 17 Hours]

'Something must have happened here…'

My heart thumped as I took in the sight of tragedy, unable to really tell what was going on.

I approached them slowly, concern etched on my face.

"What's going on?" I asked, glancing from one tear-streaked face to another.

Drius looked at me, his gaze filled with an unusual mix of sadness and concern.

"It's nothing, Luke," he replied, his voice oddly steady. "Just some family issues. You shouldn't concern yourself."

'Family issues? Is it about the Head of the Family?' His reply did little to assuage my worry, no, it just made me more curious.

'Is he already dead? Ah, if that's the situation, then it's the worst case scenario!'

That would mean Seraphina's Uncle, Eugene, would take control over the Lyma Family, and my rewards wouldn't be guaranteed.

'But how can that be the case? From what Seraphina told me, there should still be considerable time left…'

Did something happen to speed up the process? Perhaps…!

'Could it be related to the assassin that wanted to kill me?' That would make a lot of sense if that was the case.

Killing the Lyma Family Head, and then killing me… that would eliminate two strong supporters for Seraphina and her siblings.

But going so far to eliminate me could only mean that they knew I was a major threat. As far as anyone else knew, I was just a no-name Adventurer from Terance.

The most anyone could decipher would be that I rescued the Young Lady Seraphina. But that wouldn't warrant such a drastic action.

'But how did they know that?'

Maybe they spied on us during my match with Drius. That seemed to be the only possibility.

'And I can only guess one person who would have enough of a motive to do something like this.'

But I was getting ahead of myself. All of this was speculative. Until I got the actual facts, I couldn't settle on any conclusion.

I cast a glance at Seraphina, her sobbing form causing a pang in my heart. I had to get more information to know what it was that caused this much pain.

"Maybe I can help," I suggested, cautiously. "You can confide in me."

Drius seemed hesitant, his gaze flitting uncertainly between his siblings and me.

Before he could voice his thoughts, Seraphina rushed towards me. I barely had time to react before she flung her arms around me, burying her face in my chest, her tears soaking through my shirt.

I instinctively wrapped my arms around her, patting her back gently.

"Can you... really help?" she asked, her voice muffled against my chest.

"That depends on the situation," I said, attempting to keep my voice steady despite the intense emotions gnawing at me.

"But we won't know unless you tell me."

Theo, until now unusually silent, finally voiced his disapproval.

"This is the business of the Lyma Family," he said, wiping the remnants of tears from his eyes. "An outsider has no need to know our secrets."

"But, maybe Luke can help," Seraphina argued, her voice growing firmer.

"Still… we can't go around telling people something like this." Theo remained staunch in his disagreement.

Seraphina tried protesting even further, but Theo didn't seem convinced, his lips set in a grim line.

Before he could argue further, Drius cut in. "Perhaps Luke could indeed help."

He seemed to be weighing his words as he spoke.

"We should give him a chance. All hope may not be lost."

The four other sisters, despite their tears, nodded in agreement.

Their hopeful gazes turned towards Theo, the final decision laying in his hands. He sighed deeply, closing his eyes as if contemplated the options before him.

"I... I need to think," he said finally, casting a long look at each of us. "Give me a moment."

The decision took a few moments but eventually, Theo sighed, nodding his agreement.

"Alright," he conceded. "I'll tell you. But it's better if you see for yourself."

I watched as he turned towards Drius and gave a quick nod. Drius returned it, the two clearly having reached an understanding.

"Follow me," Theo ordered, moving towards the grand staircase that spiraled upwards.

I did as he instructed, with Seraphina by my side and the other girls trailing behind us. We followed, our footsteps echoing in the silence.

We ascended multiple flights of stairs, finally stopping before a room marked by a grand and exquisite door.

Its extravagance caught me off guard and I couldn't help but gaze at it in awe.

"It's Theo. I'm coming in." He knocked gently, announcing his presence before slowly opening the door.

The room was even more impressive than the door, having an exquisite decor unlike any room I had seen in the entire mansion.

However, what truly drew my attention were the three people within.

The first was a man lying unconscious on a bed, his white hair and pallid complexion lending him an almost ghostly appearance.

His shallow breathing was the only sign that he was still amongst the living.

'This is bad. He's almost dead. Could this be… the Duke?'

Kneeling beside him was a woman, her hands clasped together as if in prayer.

I could hear her muttering pleas, begging the man to open his eyes. She seemed malnourished, and her shabby hair told me she hadn't been taking care of herself properly.

Even through her evident distress and gauntness, the family resemblance was clear.

'This has to be the Duchess. Has she been holed up here with her husband all this while?' I asked myself, moving my gaze to the third man in the room.

He was older man with long beards and glasses, donning what seemed to be a long white coat that made him resemble a doctor.

His expression was one of profound sadness, and the moment he saw us, he approached with steady steps.

His gaze fell upon me, a hint of surprise and hesitation flickering in his eyes.

'He must be surprised to see an outsider here. I can understand that.'

"Young Master," he greeted with a bow, his voice weary.

"Any changes?" Theo asked, his voice betraying no emotion.

The man shook his head slightly, glancing at me again.

"No," he admitted. "As I told you before, his condition is rapidly worsening. His body is breaking down at an unprecedented rate. If this continues, he'll most likely die before dawn."

'What? That quickly?' My eyes bulged in shock.

The room instantly fell into a tense silence, as if everyone was trying to process what that meant..

'It's not the worst case scenario yet since the Duke is still alive, but it won't be for much longer!'

My mind reeled at the implications. If the head of the Lyma Family died before dawn, the expedition would be cancelled and Eugene would take over the Lyma Family.

The impact on my own plans would be catastrophic.

Yet, on the other hand, if I could somehow save the Duke, my position in the family and my rewards would likely improve drastically. Your next chapter is on ???

It was a choice that required little consideration.

I had to somehow save the Lyma Family's Head.

The question that plagued me now was a simple one yet weighted with a profound complexity; how was I going to do it?

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[A/N]

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