Chapter 165: Reading Minds

By the time Cassian finished his morning exercises, sweat covered his body, and his muscles finally felt as though they had accomplished something worthwhile.

?He glanced at the five shadow rings hovering nearby before dismissing them. The tremendous weight vanished, leaving his limbs feeling remarkably light.

?’Much better. I’ll have to increase the weight next time.’

?Unfortunately, he wasn’t the only one who had benefited from the morning’s activities. Nyxara had spent the entire session watching him with an enthusiasm that had very little to do with combat training.

?Cassian had noticed, of course.

?He simply chose not to embarrass her.

?Instead, he turned toward his Champion and smiled. "Come on. Let’s take a bath."

?Nyxara’s ears twitched. "My Lord, I can prepare the bath for you."

?"That isn’t what I meant."

?The undead elf froze as Cassian approached her.

?Several minutes later, the two were in the bathroom together.

?By the time they emerged, Nyxara’s cheeks were faintly flushed, while Cassian appeared entirely satisfied with how his morning had progressed.

?After dressing, they made their way to the dining room.

?Seraphina had already prepared breakfast, and Ruby was seated at the table, looking considerably more energetic than someone who had supposedly gone to bed early should have been.

?The moment Cassian sat down, he turned toward his daughter. "Ruby, I heard you were wandering around the apartment last night."

?Ruby nearly choked on her drink.

?She quickly composed herself and looked at her father with an innocent expression. "I just wanted to check something."

?"Really? What was so important that you had to leave your bed in the middle of the night?"

?Ruby hesitated. Her gaze briefly drifted toward Nyxara before returning to Cassian. "Nothing important."

?"Is that so?" Cassian nodded thoughtfully. "Then perhaps you should listen to your grandmother next time. Obedient children grow up to become wonderful people. And who knows? Perhaps you’ll even awaken as a Lord one day."

?Ruby stared at him, then narrowed her eyes. "Dad, I think you’re lying."

?Cassian raised an eyebrow. "Why would you think that?"

?"Because you always say things like that when you don’t want to answer a question."

?For a moment, Cassian was speechless. Then he laughed. "You’re getting too clever for your own good."

?"I have always been clever, Dad. I got it from you."

?"Of course you did."

?Ruby puffed out her cheeks, evidently satisfied with the acknowledgment.

?Across the table, Seraphina silently watched the exchange. Her gaze shifted from Cassian to Nyxara, who was doing her best to concentrate on her breakfast, then returned to her son.

?A strange thought crossed her mind.

’?This boy really will use any excuse he can find if it means getting another child.’

?She sighed inwardly. She had raised him herself, yet there were moments when she genuinely wondered whether she had done too good a job.

?Breakfast ended peacefully enough.

?Nyxara immediately helped clear the table, while Ruby joined her, carrying the lighter dishes to the kitchen.

The little girl seemed unusually determined to behave herself, although Seraphina suspected that her earlier attempt to investigate Cassian’s bedroom had not been entirely forgotten.

?Once the two had left, Cassian remained in the dining room with his mother.

?He waited until they were alone before speaking. "Mom, can I ask you something?"

?Seraphina looked up from her teacup. "Of course, sweetheart. What is it?"

?"Do your abilities have any weaknesses?"

?Her hand paused halfway to her lips. For a moment, Seraphina simply stared at him. "Weaknesses?"

?"Yes. Limitations, conditions, anything that might prevent you from using your abilities effectively."

?She lowered her cup and considered the question. "To be honest, I’m not aware of any particular weakness I possess." She tilted her head. "Why do you ask?"

?Cassian fell silent.

?He had been thinking about this for a while.

?After witnessing Seraphina manipulate the perceptions of an entire Council chamber, he had begun to wonder just how far her abilities extended.

Her powers didn’t rely on mana, and her interaction with [Psions] appeared to let her bypass limitations that affected ordinary Lords.

?Yet in his past life, she had not only been extorted but had died in the rampage of the Tier VII Sovereign Lord.

?More importantly, there were unresolved questions about his previous timeline, questions that had haunted him since he realized just how powerful his mother might truly be.

?Cassian looked at Seraphina. "Mom, I want you to read my mind."

?The room fell dead silent.

?Seraphina blinked. Then she shook her head. "I’m sorry, sweetheart, but I can’t do that."

?Cassian wasn’t surprised by her response, but he did raise an eyebrow. "Why not?"

?"Because I made a promise to myself." Her expression softened. "I would never use my abilities to invade the privacy of my family. I can protect you without knowing every thought in your head, and I don’t want my powers to become a reason for you to distrust me."

?Cassian watched her quietly.

?For all the terrifying abilities his mother possessed, there was one thing she had always tried to preserve above all else: the trust between them.

?He appreciated that deeply.

?However, he also knew she was holding herself back for his sake.

?"Mom, you don’t need to worry about that."

?Seraphina looked at him.

?Cassian offered her a small, reassuring smile. "I’ve used [Soul Gaze] on you before. I can already perceive certain things about your soul and presence without asking for your permission every time. If you keep holding back while I use my own abilities freely, won’t that make it seem as though I’m the only one taking advantage of your trust?"

?Seraphina paused. "That’s not the same thing, sweetheart."

?"Perhaps not. But I’m asking you to do this because I want you to. You aren’t violating my privacy if I’m the one inviting you in."

?She studied his expression, searching for any indication that he was acting out of simple curiosity.

?There was something else behind his request. She could sense it even without reading his mind.