Side Story Chapter 2
Lucas’ Test
Rebecca wavered for a moment.
Fortunately, Bianca, who was seated right next to her, prevented her from falling, but Cedric’s expression was tinged more with concern than relief.
Vincent and Bianca, too, wore similarly worried expressions.
“Somehow, you haven’t looked well lately.”
Cedric, now standing right beside Rebecca, gently moved her hair aside and murmured in concern.
Indeed, Rebecca herself had noticed that her complexion had been gradually darkening over the past few days.
Still, she forced a smile, as if to reassure Cedric.
“I’ve just been getting a bit less sleep recently. It’s nothing serious.”
At this, Cedric’s expression grew even more concerned, while Vincent pursed his lips slightly.
“Less sleep? Are you worried about something?”
“Not particularly…”
Rebecca’s words were interrupted by a shout from the gatekeeper.
Prince Lucas had finally arrived at the reception room.
Cedric quickly sent word for him to enter, and before long, Lucas stepped into the room.
“Oh, Lucas! You’ve finally come!”
A mischievous smile spread across Vincent’s face as he spotted his nephew.
Lucas let out a small sigh at the sight of his uncle’s mixture of joy and teasing.
“We just saw each other a week ago, and yet you seem excessively happy to see me.”
Though Lucas’s tone and expression clearly conveyed annoyance, Vincent only chuckled more at his nephew’s attitude.
“Exactly! It’s been a whole week since I last saw you, my dear nephew. I missed this adorable little face so much!”
Lucas and Cedric’s faces instantly registered shock at Vincent’s overly sentimental words.
Yet Vincent seemed even more delighted seeing the father and son make the same faces in perfect sync.
Lucas passed by his uncle’s playful antics and went straight to his mother Rebecca.
“Mother.”
He seated himself between Rebecca and Cedric with a confidence bordering on audacity.
Cedric’s single eyebrow slowly furrowed at his son’s brazen behavior.
“There’s plenty of space… Why sit right in the middle?”
He muttered in mild displeasure.
Meanwhile, Rebecca’s eyes were filled with affection as she looked at Lucas.
She gently stroked his small head and said,
“That’s how much you love us. As parents, there’s only so much time we can receive such spoiled attention, Cedric. It’s just now.”
“Yes, Mother.”
Lucas responded with a bright, childlike smile.
Cedric let out a small scoff.
No matter how many times he saw Lucas, usually so stoic, suddenly transform only in front of Rebecca, it never failed to surprise him.
And yet, Lucas’s innocent, oblivious expression made him appear entirely unaware of his father’s reaction.
Cedric’s expression hardened in quiet frustration.
Vincent, witnessing the Twins father and son, both mirror each other so perfectly, found it endlessly amusing.
Just then, Lucas turned to Vincent and asked,
“By the way, my birthday banquet is tomorrow. Why did you come so early? Do you have urgent business to attend to here?”
At Lucas’ question, Vincent gasped, as if remembering something he had forgotten.
“Oh, well, that too. Lucas, your father and I had someplace to go together, so we came early.”
“Me too?”
Cedric and Vincent often traveled together for matters related to the family business.
Lucas, who had always thought that such responsibilities were far in the future, blinked in mild confusion.
Cedric nodded slowly on Vincent’s behalf and answered,
“Yes. There’s a test you must take before your seventh birthday. Today, we’re going to meet the one who will administer it.”
“A test I have to take?”
Rebecca spoke up before Lucas could respond, a note of concern in her voice.
Seeing Lucas still very much a child, she worried, even knowing Cedric would be by his side.
“There’s no need to worry, Rebecca. All heirs of the Twins and Norman families must go through this process at least once.”
Vincent nodded in agreement and added,
“Cedric is right. When Lucas eventually becomes the head of the family, he’ll meet this person often. There’s no need to worry that they’ll harm him in any way.”
Finishing his words, Vincent rose from his seat.
Cedric, gesturing for Lucas to stand, rose slowly as well.
The faint smile that spread across their faces as they looked at Lucas’ confused expression was telling.
“We should get going. That old lady seems to have been quietly waiting to meet you today, even if she doesn’t show it.”
Lucas looked around constantly.
Though born as the heir of the half-demon Twins family, accustomed to entering the demon realm as if it were home and witnessing countless rare sights, he had never seen anything like this.
Through the large frame hung in the lobby of the House of Darkness, he could see the demon forest, as usual.
The difference, however, was that instead of heading toward familiar places like the Demon King’s castle, the city’s market, or the nearby Norman mansion, they were walking in the exact opposite direction.
Unlike the well-kept paths leading to the demon forest from the city, the path Lucas now walked on was dark and rugged.
Having grown up in consistently clean, high-quality environments, whether in the human or demon realm, Lucas naturally found this thorny, difficult path unpleasant.
Perhaps the incessant teasing from his uncle Vincent as they followed only made it feel worse.
Silently keeping pace with his father Cedric, and subtly protected by his uncle Vincent, Lucas continued forward until they reached the entrance of a massive cave.
Though Lucas was rarely surprised by the size of buildings, even he felt momentarily dazed at the overwhelming sight.
“We’re here. Walk a little further into this cave, and you’ll meet Manakin.”
“Manakin?”
Vincent answered for Cedric.
“Yes. A dragon who has guarded certain treasures alongside the heads of our family since ancient times. Your great-great-grandfather also worked with this creature. Do you understand what that means, Lucas?”
“I suppose not.”
Lucas’ indifferent reply prompted Vincent to raise a finger emphatically and say firmly,
“Manakin is a very, very old lady. And as old as she is, she’s just as stubborn.”
Cedric rolled his eyes at Vincent’s usual nonsense.
“As long as you don’t act like Vincent, nothing will go wrong, Lucas. That fool has behaved so rudely since the first meeting that Manakin still dislikes him to this day.”
Lucas merely nodded silently, as if understanding his father’s advice.
After walking a little further, they reached the deepest part of the cave.
Vincent stopped in front of a massive mound and slowly spoke,
“Hey, old lady. Time to wake up.”
At first, Lucas saw only a mound, with no sign of any “old lady.”
Confused, he looked around.
Suddenly, from the mound in front of him, a great exhalation emerged, like pale smoke.
The ground shook at the same time.
Startled by the sudden tremor, Lucas glanced at Cedric, who, however, remained completely calm, as if used to it.
Vincent’s expression was the same.
Lucas blinked and turned his gaze back to the mound.
“…That insolent brat.”
A low growl and sinister voice echoed through the cave.
Lucas looked for the source, and from the center of the mound emerged a pair of massive yellow eyes.
“Vincent, how old must you be before you learn some manners?”
The mound, until now appearing as one hill, began to reveal its true form amid the tremor.
For Lucas, it was the first time seeing the legendary ancient dragon Manakin in person.
While Lucas marveled at the sight, another massive gaze finally fell upon him.
“Could it be… this child…?”
Manakin murmured softly.
Cedric, observing her, nodded quietly.
“This is my son, Lucas.”
“Oh-ho…”
At Cedric’s words, Manakin’s expression shifted to one of curiosity.
Unlike the looks she had given Cedric and Vincent, she regarded Lucas with a much gentler, almost motherly gaze.
“Has the time come for this child to take the test already?”
Manakin smiled faintly, as if reminiscing.
“Human children grow up so fast. Cedric, it feels like only yesterday you were grumbling about my match with Rebecca.”
Lucas had seen his father only as someone completely devoted to Rebecca, unable to move freely because of his concern for her.
So hearing that Cedric had grumbled about his relationship with Rebecca was almost impossible for Lucas to believe.
Looking at his father with a doubtful expression, he asked,
“Really… Father, you actually said that about Mother?”
