Chapter 31 - 30: The Night Lucan Disappeared

Chapter 31: Chapter 30: The Night Lucan Disappeared

No one spoke.

For several seconds, the only sound in Reception Hall Three came from the soft mechanical hum of the medical drone treating Roland’s injuries.

Lucan stood near the doorway.

Completely still.

His face had gone blank in a way Arin had never seen before.

Not calm.

Not controlled.

Empty.

Roland’s final words seemed to hang in the room.

Lady Elara was the one who gave you to the Hollow Crown.

Arin watched Lucan carefully.

The older brother had taken insults, threats, accusations, even the revelation that Founder Authority had been carved from a corpse with unsettling composure.

This was different.

"Say it again," Lucan said.

Roland looked toward him.

"Young Master—"

"Don’t call me that."

The words were quiet.

Roland stopped.

Lucan took one step forward.

"Say it again."

Roland’s expression tightened.

"Lady Elara ordered me to open the northern gate."

"That isn’t what I asked."

Lucan’s voice remained level, but something violent lived beneath it now.

"You said she gave me away."

Roland closed his eye.

"Yes."

Lucan laughed.

One short sound.

No amusement.

"Good."

He nodded slowly.

"Excellent."

Arin frowned.

"Lucan."

"Not now."

Arin’s expression hardened.

Wrong tone.

Lucan noticed.

For a moment, they stared at each other.

Then Lucan looked away.

That alone told Arin how badly the revelation had affected him.

Roland tried to stand.

The medical drone pushed him back into the chair.

He ignored it.

"I did not say she abandoned you."

Lucan turned sharply.

"Then choose your words better."

"I said she gave you to the Hollow Crown."

"Those sound very similar."

"They are not."

Lucan’s hand moved toward his sword.

Arin caught the motion.

"Don’t."

Lucan looked at him.

"He’s not the one you’re angry with."

"How observant."

"And cutting down a wounded man won’t make Mother appear."

Lucan’s jaw flexed.

Then his hand dropped.

Roland watched the exchange silently.

Arin looked at him.

"Tell the whole story."

Roland nodded.

"It began three days before Lucan disappeared."

Lucan’s expression tightened again.

Arin crossed his arms.

"How old was he?"

"Six."

That surprised him.

Lucan had been old enough to remember.

Yet he claimed almost nothing from infancy or childhood.

Memory removal.

Again.

Of course.

Roland continued.

"At the time, House Valerius had not yet publicly acknowledged Lucan."

Lucan looked sharply toward him.

"Why?"

Roland hesitated.

Arin saw the hesitation.

"Don’t start hiding things now."

The old knight exhaled.

"Because Duke Aldric believed someone was watching the bloodline."

Silence.

Arin felt the pieces move again.

"So Father knew."

"Some of it."

"How much?"

"Less than Lady Elara."

Lucan’s laugh returned.

"Convenient."

Roland ignored him.

"Your mother had discovered records suggesting children from certain noble bloodlines were disappearing shortly after birth."

Arin frowned.

"Founder candidates."

"We didn’t have that name."

"But that’s what they were."

Roland nodded.

"Probably."

Lyra stood beside EVE now, unusually quiet.

Arin glanced toward her.

She was listening.

Good.

He had promised she would not be excluded anymore.

Roland continued.

"Lady Elara believed Lucan had been identified."

Lucan’s face hardened.

"By the Hollow Crown."

"Yes."

"Then why give me to them?"

Roland looked at him.

"Because they were already inside House Valerius."

The room went still.

Arin’s eyes narrowed.

"Who?"

"We never confirmed everyone."

"Names."

"Two servants. One healer. A branch-family tutor."

"Only them?"

Roland looked toward the floor.

"No."

There it was.

"Who else?"

"The northern estate commander."

Lucan’s expression changed.

Roland continued.

"And someone inside the Duke’s personal council."

Arin immediately thought of Theron.

His father’s younger brother.

But he didn’t say it.

Not yet.

Roland looked at Lucan.

"Your mother realized hiding you inside the estate had become more dangerous than moving you."

Lucan stared.

"So she sent me directly to them."

"No."

Roland’s voice hardened.

"She sent you to someone she believed had infiltrated the Hollow Crown."

Lucan froze.

Arin leaned forward slightly.

"Who?"

Roland looked toward Lucan.

"A woman named Mara Veyne."

Lucan’s face went pale.

Arin noticed immediately.

"You know her."

Lucan said nothing.

"Lucan."

His voice finally came out.

"She raised me."

Silence.

That changed everything again.

Roland closed his eye.

"Then she succeeded."

Lucan took one step back.

"No."

His breathing had changed.

Arin watched him.

"Lucan."

"No."

He shook his head.

"Mara was Hollow Crown."

"Apparently."

"She trained me."

"Yes."

"She gave me the Founder fragment."

Roland looked confused.

Arin answered for him.

"Years later."

Lucan turned toward Arin.

His eyes were no longer controlled.

"She told me Elara gave me away because I was defective."

Arin said nothing.

"She said House Valerius didn’t want a failed heir."

His hand curled into a fist.

"She said my mother never asked for me."

Roland’s face twisted with pain.

"That was a lie."

Lucan stared at him.

"Prove it."

Roland reached slowly inside his cloak.

The security drones immediately shifted.

Arin raised one hand.

"Let him."

Roland removed a narrow chain from beneath his shirt.

A small silver pendant hung from it.

Old.

Scratched.

The crest had nearly worn away.

A tree surrounded by seven stars.

Elysium.

Lucan went completely still.

Roland placed the pendant on the table.

"She made me swear never to lose this."

Lucan did not move.

"Why?"

"Because it was yours."

The silence became heavy.

Roland continued.

"Lady Elara placed it around your neck the night you left."

Lucan’s hand slowly rose toward his own chest.

Nothing there.

Roland looked at him.

"She said if the plan failed, someone should preserve proof that you belonged to her."

Lucan’s face became unreadable again.

But Arin could see his hand trembling.

Barely.

Lyra stepped closer to the table.

"Can I see?"

Lucan looked at her.

For a second, Arin expected him to refuse.

Instead, he nodded.

Lyra picked up the pendant carefully.

The moment her fingers touched it—

Her Family Band flashed.

White light spread across the silver tree.

Everyone froze.

«LEGACY FAMILY OBJECT DETECTED.

ORIGINAL OWNER:

ELARA ELYSIUM.

REGISTERED RECIPIENT:

LUCAN ELYSIUM.

STATUS:

FAMILY CLAIM VALID.»

Lucan’s breath stopped.

Arin stared at the message.

Lucan Elysium.

Not Valerius.

The System had recognized him through Elara.

Lyra looked up.

"You’re really family."

Lucan did not answer.

She held out the pendant.

He took it slowly.

The metal rested in his palm.

Then another notification appeared.

«DORMANT FAMILY CONNECTION DETECTED.

CURRENT STATUS:

DAMAGED.

CAUSE:

EXTERNAL AUTHORITY MODIFICATION.

RESTORATION:

POSSIBLE.»

Lucan looked at his scarred Founder mark.

His expression changed.

"They damaged my Family Authority."

Arin nodded.

"Probably when they implanted the Founder fragment."

Lucan laughed bitterly.

"So they couldn’t make me a real Founder."

"No."

Arin’s eyes hardened.

"They made you easier to control."

Lucan went silent.

That truth seemed to hurt more.

Roland looked toward Arin.

"Lady Elara believed she could retrieve him later."

"But she didn’t."

"No."

"Why?"

"The operation collapsed."

Roland’s face darkened.

"The safe house burned three days later."

Lucan’s eyes snapped toward him.

"Mara survived."

"We didn’t know."

"Elara?"

"Injured."

"Father?"

Roland hesitated.

Arin noticed.

"What did he do?"

"Duke Aldric wanted to send soldiers."

Lucan laughed.

"How heroic."

"Lady Elara stopped him."

That silenced him.

Roland continued.

"She believed any open search would expose Lucan’s survival."

Arin understood.

"So she let everyone think he was dead."

"Yes."

Lucan stared at the pendant.

"For eighteen years."

Roland’s voice softened.

"She searched."

Lucan did not look up.

"How do you know?"

"Because I helped."

That finally made Lucan raise his head.

Roland continued.

"We followed rumors. Missing children. altered bloodline registries. illegal Hunter laboratories."

His good eye hardened.

"We found nothing."

"Because Mara kept me inside the Hollow Crown."

"Yes."

Lucan’s voice became cold.

"And after Elara disappeared?"

"The search stopped."

"Because Father gave up?"

Roland looked at Arin.

Then Lucan.

"No."

Another bad pause.

Arin’s patience thinned.

"Then what?"

Roland exhaled.

"Duke Aldric ordered every record of Lucan destroyed."

Lucan’s expression became murderous.

Arin stepped slightly between them and Roland before anything happened.

"Why?"

"I never received a full explanation."

Lucan laughed.

"Of course."

Roland continued quickly.

"But I believe he discovered someone was still monitoring the archives."

Arin frowned.

"Meaning erasing Lucan protected him."

"Possibly."

Lucan’s eyes hardened.

"Or erased the embarrassment."

Roland didn’t argue.

He couldn’t.

There was no proof either way.

Arin looked toward the bloodstained letter.

His father had more to explain than ever.

Too much.

But thirty thousand civilians still came first.

Arin looked at Roland.

"How long until the Coalition attacks again?"

"Maybe thirty hours."

"Why maybe?"

"They were waiting for reinforcements."

"From where?"

"The Royal Hunter Guild."

Arin’s expression changed.

"Royal?"

Roland nodded.

"Officially they’re there to stabilize the territory."

Lucan laughed.

Arin didn’t.

He understood exactly what that meant.

Once the Royal Guild entered, the conflict stopped being a noble dispute.

It became something the Crown could justify controlling.

House Valerius could lose its lands legally.

Or what passed for legally.

"Who commands the Guild force?"

"Grandmaster Vaelor."

Lucan’s head snapped up.

Arin caught it.

"You know him."

"Yes."

"How?"

Lucan’s expression turned cold.

"He is Hollow Crown."

Roland stood so quickly the drone complained.

"What?"

Lucan looked toward him.

"Or he was."

Arin felt the situation sharpen.

"How high?"

"Inner Circle."

Roland swore.

Arin didn’t.

Swearing wouldn’t help.

The Coalition.

Royal Guild.

Theron controlling part of the estate.

His father politically stripped.

A Hollow Crown Grandmaster arriving with legal authority.

That wasn’t an attack.

It was an acquisition.

They were trying to take House Valerius cleanly.

And if they believed Arin would return—

They might be waiting for him.

Good.

That was useful.

Arin stood.

"Roland."

"Yes?"

"You return."

Lyra immediately looked at him.

"Big Brother?"

Roland frowned.

"Alone?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because they need to believe I’m not coming."

Everyone went quiet.

Lucan slowly smiled.

There.

He understood.

Arin continued.

"Tell Father exactly what happened here."

Roland blinked.

"What?"

"He asked for me."

Arin picked up the letter.

"Tell him I refused."

Roland stared.

"Arin—"

"Use those words."

The old knight’s face changed.

Arin continued.

"Tell Theron too."

Lucan’s smile widened.

"And the Guild?"

"Especially the Guild."

Roland understood now.

"You want them confident."

"I want them preparing for the son they remember."

The classless exile.

The passive heir.

The boy who left with one bag and an eight-year-old sister.

Let them prepare for him.

Arin looked toward EVE.

"Can Phantom-01 transport me through terrain faster than normal roads?"

"Yes."

"Can the System map a route into Valerius territory without passing the main checkpoints?"

"Likely."

"Good."

Then toward Lucan.

"You know Hollow Crown field procedures."

"Yes."

"You’re coming."

Lucan raised an eyebrow.

"I thought you didn’t want Roland seeing me."

"Too late."

Roland stared at Lucan as though still trying to reconcile the child he had let escape with the man before him.

Arin continued.

"We enter separately."

Lucan’s expression sharpened.

"You want me inside their camp."

"Yes."

"As one of them."

"Can you do it?"

A slow smile appeared.

"Probably."

"Not good enough."

"Yes."

"Good."

Arin looked toward EVE.

"What equipment can I unlock without exposing House Elysium technology to outsiders?"

A menu appeared.

«CURRENT FIELD OPTIONS:

MK-I COMBAT SUIT

BASIC ENERGY SIDEARM

RECON DRONE ×2

PHANTOM-01

PORTABLE SENSOR NODE

NONLETHAL SHIELD EMITTER

FIELD MEDICAL KIT»

Not overwhelming.

Good.

This wasn’t the moment for orbital weapons or armies.

Arin wanted people to understand that the classless exile had become dangerous.

He didn’t want them to understand how dangerous House Elysium could eventually become.

"Prepare all of it."

EVE nodded.

Roland watched.

"What are you planning?"

Arin looked toward him.

"First, civilians."

"Then?"

"Expose whoever is manipulating the estate."

"Then?"

Arin’s expression became colder.

"Grandmaster Vaelor."

Lucan leaned against the table.

"And if your father asks you to return?"

Arin looked toward the letter again.

"No."

Roland frowned.

"Even if he apologizes?"

Arin’s eyes shifted toward Lyra.

She was still holding Mr. Buttons beneath one arm, listening quietly.

The little girl who had walked away from everything because her brother had been discarded.

Arin looked back at Roland.

"An apology doesn’t restore what he threw away."

Roland lowered his head.

"But if he tells the truth..."

Arin continued.

"...I’ll listen."

That was all Aldric would get.

Not forgiveness.

Not obedience.

A chance to speak.

Arin turned toward Lyra.

"I’ll be gone briefly."

She frowned.

"How briefly?"

"I don’t know."

"Bad answer."

"I know."

"You come back."

"I will."

"No trying."

"I will."

She studied him.

Then nodded.

"Okay."

Arin looked toward EVE.

"Mother first."

EVE understood.

"The medical upgrade completes in approximately four hours."

"Do not begin separation until I return unless Elara becomes unstable."

"Confirmed."

Lucan frowned.

"We’re leaving before the procedure?"

"No."

Arin looked at him.

"We leave after."

The older brother raised an eyebrow.

"That costs four hours."

"Yes."

"Your old territory has thirty hours."

"Yes."

"So why wait?"

Arin’s gaze hardened.

"Because I’m not abandoning one family member to save thirty thousand strangers."

Lucan watched him.

Arin continued.

"And I’m not abandoning thirty thousand strangers for one family member either."

He looked toward the workshop.

"We have enough time to do both."

That was the difference.

No false choices.

No easy sacrifices.

Find another solution.

The Elysium Covenant wasn’t active yet.

But Arin realized he had already started living by it.

---

Four hours later, the Level Two infirmary activated.

White doors opened.

Elara lay inside the medical chamber.

Black veins still crawled beneath her skin.

Seraphine remained silent.

Perhaps waiting.

Perhaps preparing.

Lyra stood beside Arin.

Lucan remained near the far wall.

Serena sat near Elara’s head, gripping her hand.

Guardian Zero watched through the reinforced outer window.

A-01 stood at the medical controls.

EVE looked toward Arin.

"All requirements satisfied."

«HOST CONSCIOUSNESS:

ELARA ELYSIUM — 31%.

ADMINISTRATOR CONTROL:

40%.

EXTERNAL ROOT LINK:

29%.

ESTIMATED SUCCESS:

67%.»

Arin frowned.

"Why only sixty-seven?"

A-01 answered.

"Administrator resistance unpredictable."

"Can we improve it?"

"Yes."

"How?"

A-01 looked toward Lucan.

Everyone followed.

Lucan frowned.

"What?"

«ADDITIONAL FAMILY CONNECTION DETECTED.

DAMAGED BUT VALID.

FAMILY STABILIZATION MAY INCREASE HOST RETENTION.»

Lucan looked at the pendant in his hand.

Elara’s pendant.

His.

He stared at his mother.

For several seconds, he did nothing.

Then slowly approached.

Arin moved slightly aside.

Lucan placed one hand against the medical chamber.

"I don’t know if you can hear me."

Elara’s eyes remained closed.

Lucan swallowed.

The confidence vanished again.

"I spent eighteen years hating you."

Serena looked down.

Lyra remained silent.

Lucan continued.

"I became very good at it."

A bitter smile.

"It was easier than wondering why you didn’t come."

The silver pendant began glowing.

White light traveled from it into the medical chamber.

The System responded.

«FAMILY CONNECTION RESTORATION:

4%...

9%...

16%.»

Lucan’s scarred Founder mark burned.

He flinched.

Arin stepped forward.

"Stop if it hurts."

Lucan shook his head.

"No."

The mark cracked.

Black fragments of stolen Founder Authority flaked from his palm.

«EXTERNAL AUTHORITY CONFLICT DETECTED.

RESTORING ORIGINAL FAMILY IDENTITY.»

Lucan clenched his teeth.

The pendant became brighter.

«REGISTERED FAMILY:

LUCAN ELYSIUM.

STATUS:

RESTORED.»

The entire room flashed white.

Elara’s eyes opened.

Green.

Only green.

For the first time since Arin found her, Seraphine wasn’t visible behind them.

Elara looked toward Lucan.

Her lips trembled.

"My boy."

Lucan broke.

Not dramatically.

He simply lowered his head against the medical chamber and closed his eyes.

Elara lifted one weak hand.

The barrier opened enough for her fingers to reach him.

She touched his hair.

"I’m sorry."

Lucan’s shoulders shook once.

Arin looked away.

Some moments did not belong to him.

The System updated.

«HOST STABILITY IMPROVED.

ELARA CONSCIOUSNESS:

49%.

ADMINISTRATOR CONTROL:

26%.

ROOT LINK:

25%.

SEPARATION SUCCESS PROBABILITY:

84%.»

EVE looked toward Arin.

"Founder?"

Arin met his mother’s eyes.

She saw him.

Really saw him.

"Arin."

He stepped closer.

"You ready?"

Elara smiled weakly.

"You grew bossy."

Lyra immediately said:

"Yes."

Arin looked at her.

"Not helping."

Elara laughed.

A small sound.

But real.

Arin felt something inside him loosen.

Then his expression hardened.

"Let’s get her out of you."

Elara nodded.

A second voice whispered from her mouth.

Seraphine.

"You will regret this."

Arin looked down.

"No."

The medical chamber closed.

"You’re going to regret staying."

EVE activated the procedure.

White light swallowed Elara.

The black Authority Band began screaming.

And outside House Elysium, far beyond the hidden valley, Sir Roland rode back toward the estate carrying the message Arin had ordered him to deliver.

The classless heir would not return.

The nobles relaxed.

The Guild lowered its guard.

Lord Theron smiled.

Grandmaster Vaelor ordered the assault to begin at dawn.

None of them knew that Arin had already marked every road leading into Valerius territory.

And when the Phantom-01 finally left House Elysium...

It would not approach from the road.