Shattered Innocence: Transmigrated Into a Novel as an Extra-Chapter 525: Date ?

The door creaked open, and Lucavion stepped out, adjusting the cuff of his glove with slow, deliberate ease. His expression was, as expected, entirely unbothered—his usual smirk already in place, his eyes gleaming with barely concealed amusement.

At least that was how it looked to anyone else, he looked the same as always—entirely unbothered, his usual smirk resting easily on his lips, his eyes gleaming with that familiar amusement.

But Aeliana had started figuring him out.

She had seen it before.

And she could see it now.

He was masking it.

Again.

Lucavion loved to act as if nothing touched him, as if everything was some grand game he could play at his leisure. He would smirk, tease, and sidestep anything remotely uncomfortable with ease.

But Aeliana had been watching.

She had seen the way his expression had shifted when Corvina questioned him earlier—when she asked why he hadn’t saved the others. He had laughed, sure. Had played it off, sure. But the weight behind his words, the way his voice had gone quiet, too calm—it hadn’t been as effortless as he pretended.

And now?

Now, as he walked out of that room, looking as smug as ever, she could see it again.

Lucavion wasn’t in the best condition right now.

Oh, it wasn’t physical—there were no signs of injury, no sluggishness in his movements. But something was weighing on him, just beneath the surface.

It wasn’t obvious. Not unless you were looking.

But Aeliana was looking.

And the more time she spent around him, the more she realized—

This man never let himself sit with his own thoughts for too long.

If something was bothering him, he would smirk through it. Play the fool. Shift the focus onto someone else, turning it into a joke or a passing remark.

Aeliana wondered, briefly, how long he had been doing that.

And why.

Lucavion exhaled dramatically, placing a hand over his chest as if he were gravely wounded. "You know, Aeliana, I hate making a lady wait… but unfortunately, I didn’t have a choice."

He tilted his head, his smirk deepening. "I’m really sorry for that."

’Again….he is doing it.’

Aeliana watched him carefully.

He was acting as if nothing was wrong—just like always. But now that she had started seeing through him, she wanted to confirm it.

She wanted to see it more clearly.

Lucavion was good at lying. Good at twisting words, at weaving half-truths into something that sounded real. But she had already figured out one thing.

He never outright lied.

Not when it came to things that mattered.

So she decided to test him.

"Why?" she asked, tilting her head slightly. "If you’re that sorry, why did you make me wait?"

Lucavion blinked, and for just a fraction of a second, she saw it—

The faintest flicker of discomfort.

A crack in his mask, brief and fleeting, before he smoothed it over with an easy chuckle.

"Ahaha… well," he drawled, rubbing the back of his neck with exaggerated ease, "that was kind of important."

Aeliana caught the way his smirk didn’t quite reach his eyes this time. The way his body remained too measured, too casual.

He doesn’t want to talk about it.

And she understood.

She had been in that position before—the weight of something pressing down, the reluctance to speak of it, the desperate need to move past it before it could linger too long.

And Lucavion…

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Lucavion never let things linger.

So, fine.

If that was how he handled things, then she would simply do the same.

Aeliana let out an exaggerated sigh, placing a hand against her hip as she gave him a slow, appraising look. "Kind of important, you say?" she repeated, feigning disappointment. "And here I thought you had some real regret."

Lucavion’s smirk twitched slightly. "Oh? You doubt my sincerity?"

Aeliana let out a dramatic hum, tapping her chin in mock thought. "Well, you did make me wait, and now you’re refusing to tell me why. I’d say that’s enough of a crime to warrant compensation."

Lucavion chuckled, the weight in his eyes shifting just slightly—lightening, even if only a little. "Compensation, hmm?"

Aeliana nodded solemnly. "A proper apology."

Lucavion sighed, shaking his head as if deeply troubled. "Hah… You drive a hard bargain, Little Ember."

Aeliana smirked. "I know."

Lucavion exhaled dramatically, placing a hand over his chest once again. "Very well. What would you have me do?"

Aeliana pretended to consider it.

Aeliana tapped her chin thoughtfully, letting the moment stretch just long enough to keep Lucavion waiting. Then, with a small, deliberate sigh, she said, "It’s been a while since I’ve been out here… in the streets of Stormhaven."

Lucavion’s smirk widened immediately, the glint of mischief returning to his eyes.

"Ah…" he murmured, tilting his head slightly. "How rude of me."

Before Aeliana could react, he moved.

With the dramatic flourish of a man who lived for theatrics, Lucavion placed one knee on the cobblestone street, resting a hand over his chest as he lowered his head slightly in mock reverence.

Aeliana barely held back a scoff.

’Oh, so he’s doing this now.’

Lucavion lifted his gaze to hers, his expression a perfect picture of poetic devotion.

"Lady Aeliana," he intoned, his voice rich with exaggerated elegance. "Would you grant me the honor of accompanying you on this beautiful day?"

The way he said beautiful—slow, deliberate, entirely over-the-top—made it very clear he was enjoying himself far too much.

Several passersby glanced their way, their expressions a mix of amusement and confusion. A few of them even whispered among themselves.

Aeliana inhaled deeply, composing herself before she tilted her head slightly. "Hmm… You’re certainly putting in the effort," she mused, crossing her arms. "But I don’t know… Is that all you can offer?"

Lucavion gasped dramatically. "My, my. You wound me."

Aeliana smirked. "Then I suppose you should try harder."

Lucavion chuckled, his amusement evident. But instead of standing, he remained on one knee, reaching for her hand.

Aeliana narrowed her eyes slightly, but she didn’t pull away.

Lucavion’s fingers brushed against hers lightly, his touch warm and measured, and then—

He lifted her hand just slightly, bowing his head over it, stopping just shy of pressing his lips against her knuckles.

Aeliana felt the faintest prickle of awareness at the deliberate pause.

Lucavion smirked against her skin, though he didn’t close the distance.

Then, in a voice softer, smoother, undeniably teasing, he murmured, "Is this enough effort for you, Little Ember?"

Aeliana exhaled through her nose.

She hated how good he was at this.

Still—she had already committed to playing along.

So, with the ease of someone completely unfazed, she tilted her chin slightly and said, "Hmm… I suppose it will do."

Lucavion chuckled, finally rising to his feet, his smirk never wavering.

"Then let’s go," he said smoothly. "Stormhaven awaits."

And just like that, they walked forward—Lucavion at her side, ever the insufferable menace, and Aeliana, who absolutely refused to acknowledge the way her hand still faintly tingled.