Chapter 234: Chapter 234 – The Warmth of a Mother! (Finale)

The lantern’s glow painted the room in pale gold, and there he was—Luca.

Completely bare.

My entire body froze. My eyes widened before I caught myself, snapping them away so fast my neck ached.

W-what the… w-what the hell is he doing… sleeping like that?!

Heat bloomed across my face, an involuntary blush prickling up to the tips of my ears. I clenched my jaw, willing the color to vanish, but the warmth wouldn’t leave. My chest rose too sharply as if even breathing had become a betrayal.

Don’t look. Don’t look. Don’t—

And yet my gaze slid back, unbidden, stealing a glance… then jerking away again. My fingers fidgeted with the edge of my sleeve, restless, traitorous. My lips pressed thin.

This is absurd. Absolutely absurd.

W-what should I do now? W-why did I come here a-again?

I turned toward the door, steps sharp and hurried. I should leave. Right now. Before this humiliation eats me alive—

But my feet stopped. Locked.

A single thought clawed its way into me.

What if someone else comes in?

My mind conjured the image in an instant—Lisa , Luca’s little sister stepping through this very door, her innocent eyes widening at… at this.

N-no. No, I can’t allow that.

If anyone were to see him like this—especially her—it would be…!

I bit down on my lower lip, hard enough that it stung. My throat tightened with a strange mixture of irritation and… something I refused to name.

Straightening, I drew in a sharp breath. My face cooled, settling back into its familiar calm mask. No blush. No falter. Just ice. My steps carried me back toward the bed, each one too deliberate, too stiff—as if my body itself resisted what my mind had already decided.

How careless. How utterly careless. Just lying here like this… naked. Without even locking the door.

I stopped at his bedside, staring at his sleeping face. His chest rose and fell in slow rhythm, oblivious to the storm churning inside me. My hand hovered in the air for a moment, trembling—before I forced it forward.

Just cover him. Nothing else.

I’ll take the towel, cover him, and this will be done.

I squeezed my eyes shut, reaching down until my fingertips brushed fabric. Rough, thin, the edge of the towel. Relief eased into my chest as I curled my hand around it.

There. Done.

But…

…why does it feel so heavy?

My brow furrowed. The weight wasn’t right. Too firm. Too solid. The warmth seeping into my palm didn’t belong to cloth.

H-huh?

Confusion prickled down my spine. My grip tightened instinctively, testing it—

—and a jolt of realization shot through me like lightning.

…Wait.

W-wait, this… this isn’t…

My eyes snapped open, amethyst widening in stunned disbelief. My breath hitched, caught painfully in my throat.

WHAT… what am I… holding?

The icy mask I wore cracked, my entire body stiffening as my gaze locked on the truth in my hand.

My fingers… wouldn’t let go. Instead of releasing, my grip only tightened.

“Mmh—!” My breath caught in my throat as my eyes widened, locked on the shameful scene before me. Heat prickled across my skin, and a faint layer of sweat began to form along my temples.

W-what’s happening to me? Why… why am I not letting go?!

The warmth against my palm shifted, pulsing, alive—like it had a will of its own. My eyes trembled as I stared in disbelief, my throat dry. And then—

It’s… g-growing?

My fingers slowly spread apart, my grip unable to keep up as it swelled against my hand. A sharp gasp escaped me as my lips quivered, eyes darting helplessly from my palm to the rest of his body.

W-why is it growing now?

A nervous gulp slid down my throat, the sound loud in my ears. My chest rose and fell in uneven beats, and before I knew it, my entire face had gone hot, burning like fire.

W-why is it this big?! I-is everyone t-this big? A-and do they all grow l-like this?!

My fingers twitched, still frozen, refusing to release. My gaze crept up despite myself—past the steady rhythm of his breathing, past his chest that glistened faintly with the soft glow of sunlight seeping through the curtains, until finally—his face.

He was still asleep. Calm. Peaceful. Unaware.

My lips trembled. D-does he have three sabers or what…?

And then—his body flinched. Just the faintest tremor, but enough to make my heart stop.

“—!” My eyes flew wide. Realization crashed into me all at once, tearing me free from whatever haze had gripped me.

I quickly released my hand, stumbling back a step, clutching my palm against my chest as if it had been burned. My entire body shivered.

W-what did I just do?! What was I even thinking?!

Panic swallowed me whole. Without another thought, I spun toward the door, my steps clumsy, unsteady. I shoved it open, my fingers fumbling against the handle as I slipped out and slammed it shut behind me.

THADDD!

The sound echoed down the quiet hall.

I didn’t stop. My legs carried me in a frantic dash toward my room, my breath ragged, my heart beating like war drums. I didn’t dare look back, not once, as I vanished into the safety of my own chamber and pressed my back against the door.

I slammed the door behind me and pressed my back hard against it, chest heaving. My palms were damp with sweat, my legs trembling so badly I nearly sank to the floor.

My hand… it still tingled. I stared down at it, horrified, as though it belonged to someone else.

W-what did I just do?! Why did I even touch him like that?!

I pressed both hands to my face, trying to smother the heat burning my cheeks. But the more I tried to erase it, the more the memory replayed—his warmth, the way it… moved, the terrifying size that didn’t leave my mind.

“Arghhh!” I muffled a frustrated groan into my palms, sliding down until I was half-sitting against the door. My knees pressed together tightly as I shook my head.

No, no, no! Stop thinking about it! I wasn’t… I wasn’t doing anything indecent. I was just—covering him up. That’s all. That’s all!

I dragged in a shaky breath. My lips trembled, my heart wouldn’t calm down. Every time I forced my eyes shut, I saw it again, felt it again.

W-what’s wrong with me?

I clutched my chest, biting down on my lip until the sharp sting forced me back to focus. Finally, I whispered to myself, “…Enough. I can’t… I can’t think about this anymore.”

And as if fate had heard me, the sound of hurried footsteps and muffled voices echoed faintly down the hall. A small commotion—students, perhaps, or something else stirring.

I blinked, sitting up straighter, grateful for the excuse.

Perfect… a distraction.

I pushed myself up, smoothing my hair, schooling my expression back into its usual calm. “Yeah,” I murmured, almost to myself, “let’s check this out.”

Without another glance at the door, I stepped out into the hall, letting the noise pull me away from the storm inside my head.

The moment I stepped into the hall, Selene’s gentle voice welcomed me.

“Ah, Selena, dear. What are you doing out there? Come, join us.”

Her smile was warm, the kind that carried a mother’s ease. But my composure cracked the instant my eyes found him.

Luca.

He sat there so casually, glancing over at me with that easy, clueless look of his. My breath hitched, and before I could stop myself, my lips parted ever so slightly. Heat pricked the tips of my ears. I turned my face away at once, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear to cover the betraying flush.

Calm down, Selena. It’s nothing. Don’t think about… that. Don’t.

I walked forward, measured steps, stiff spine—everything perfectly controlled on the surface. But inside, my pulse rattled against my ribs. Every time I tried to focus on Selene’s words, my gaze betrayed me, flicking toward him, remembering that reckless, stupid, impossible image burned into my mind.

When Selene asked us why we were gathered here for the holidays, I felt my throat tighten. Her tone was too sharp, too knowing. Luca fumbled, his voice cracking as he tried to explain, rubbing the back of his neck in that nervous way. He even looked at me, desperate for help.

My lips pressed together. I wanted to answer, but… my mind wouldn’t obey. His frantic eyes, his boyish panic—it pulled me back to morning. My hand. His warmth. The way it—

Stop! Stop thinking about that!

I folded my arms to anchor myself, forcing out the only word I could manage. “…Same.”

Flat. Cold. Empty. The safest choice.

I barely heard Aurelia’s sly comments, Lilliane’s nervous fumbling, or even Kyle’s idiotic blunder that shattered everything. I only caught glimpses—Aurelia dragging him out by the collar, Lilliane fleeing in a panic. My eyes kept drifting back to Luca’s face, to his tense jaw, the sheen of sweat at his temple.

Why am I even noticing these things? This isn’t me. I came here for one reason—to grow stronger. To focus. Not… not this nonsense.

And then Selene’s gaze fixed on him, cutting straight through his excuses, her voice calm yet terrifying. Luca looked cornered, trapped, and for a flicker of a second, my chest tightened.

I straightened. No. This was the moment. Enough of this weakness.

Selena, you are here to become stronger. That’s all. Forget those thoughts, forget that image—you came here because you wanted to strengthen yourself, and for that it’s important to know how he’ll deal with his mother. That’s what matters. Ask him. Now.

So I did. I forced my voice steady, my tone clipped and clear. “There is something I want to talk about,Can you come with me?”

Luca blinked at me, startled, scratching his neck like he always did when nervous. Yes! Absolutely—yes, of course!” and he looked at me like some kind of a goddess.

The others faded from my awareness. It was just him, and the roaring in my head. My resolve had already cracked once when I saw him, but this time—I clung to it.

And then, before I could say more, Lisa’s little voice drifted in, innocent as ever. Selene’s sharp gaze shifted to her, and in that heartbeat of distraction—

Luca grabbed my hand.

“Perfect timing, Lisa!” he barked, and before I could react, he yanked me into a run.

My eyes widened. “W-What are you—?!”

But he didn’t stop. His grip was firm, urgent, dragging me along the polished halls as if his life depended on it. Curtains snapped in the wind of our escape, the marble floor echoing with our footsteps.

I stumbled once, twice, breath caught in my throat—not just from the sprint, but from the warmth of his hand around mine, the recklessness blazing in his eyes when I dared glance at him.

And even as my mind screamed at me to pull away, my fingers didn’t let go.

As we reached the balcony…

He doubled over in laughter, thanking me like I’d pulled him from the gallows. I only stood there, hand brushing the spot where his grip lingered, confusion stirring beneath my calm.

“What did I help you with?” The words slipped out before I could stop them.

His laughter broke, faltering into awkward stammers. He thought I’d only been saving him. Just that.

“No,” I told him, steady, deliberate. Not an excuse. Not a cover. “I really wanted to talk with you.”

His smile wavered, curiosity tightening his gaze. The air shifted, heavier, closer. Then his voice—so careful it almost trembled:

“Then… what is it you want to talk about?”

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