Gunmage
Chapter 160: Flower boys and killers

Chapter 160: Chapter 160: Flower boys and killers

What the hell is she doing?

Lugh frowned, eyes narrowing as he watched the slender figure outside flit through the courtyard shadows. Beneath the silvery wash of moonlight, Selaphiel Von Heim—commonly called Sela by her younger sisters—moved like a phantom across the manicured gardens.

She shivered.

A chill ran down her spine causing her to pause mid-step, glancing over her shoulder at the luminous windows of the distant manor. There was no one there.

Must’ve been my imagination

She thought, brushing the sensation away and continuing her elegant dance through the roses and hedges.

She was graceful, composed, but her steps carried the tension of someone running from something they couldn’t quite name.

Lugh had ruined everything.

With his sudden reappearance and dramatic announcement, her chances of becoming heir to the Von Heim legacy had withered.

It should’ve devastated her. Instead, there was... relief. Quiet, shameful relief. She hated herself for it.

But that wasn’t the true reason she was upset.

Now that Lugh had shown his face and the other male cousins had been forced to reveal their true intentions, her standing had diminished.

As a ripe twenty-year-old noblewoman, she could already see her future narrowing into one path: a political marriage.

That was how these things worked.

She wouldn’t complain. She couldn’t afford to. As the firstborn daughter, she had to set an example. Selfishness wasn’t a luxury she could afford.

Which was why, tonight, she was trying to blow off steam, to squeeze in one final breath of freedom before the chains were fastened.

With Lugh’s presence confirmed, the manor would soon be crawling with security. No more slipping past sleepy guards.

No more nighttime strolls into the bustling city for music, spiced drinks, and laughter.

So before the new restrictions were implemented, she had to move—now, during the lull in attention.

She drew closer to the outer wall, her heart pounding with anticipation.

Then, three figures stepped out of the foliage. Maids. Crisp, pristine uniforms, each one unmistakably part of her mother’s shadows.

"Y-You—!"

"Not tonight, young miss,"

One said coolly.

"The city isn’t safe."

Damn it!

How had they known? How had they found her?

Her panic flared, but she quickly controlled it. Her mind scrambled for alternate escape routes. None.

They’d cornered her expertly.

She sighed heavily, raising her hands in surrender.

"Fine. You got me."

The shadows moved in silently.

But in a sudden blur, Selaphiel’s hand dipped into her sash and flung a small clay orb at the ground. It shattered, releasing a thick burst of violet smoke that engulfed the immediate surroundings.

"Haha!"

She laughed, darting backward into the haze.

Finally! That swindler’s smoke bomb was actually worth the coin!

She bolted.

Wind surged beneath her feet, clumsily summoned, but just enough to launch her forward.

She mimicked what she’d seen Lugh do earlier, it was a crude burst of elemental propulsion. Her balance wobbled, knees nearly buckling, but she was faster than ever before.

She broke free of the smoke, but then her vision began to blur.

"What the...?"

A sharp sting in her neck. Her hand shot up to it.

A needle?

Darkness rushed in, swallowing her thoughts.

She collapsed.

From his vantage point above, Lugh’s owl eyes narrowed further. He remained utterly still, watching the scene unfold.

The three maids converged swiftly.

"Let’s get her back to her room"

One said.

"Then report to the Madam."

Lugh exhaled softly through his nose.

Sela wasn’t a match for Isolde’s shadows after all.

Still, he had what he came for. They weren’t hostile. They’d restrained her, not harmed her. That confirmed their allegiance.

Satisfied, he vanished into the night.

...

Far away, in a gothic castle nestled in a collosal graveyard, noise erupted where silence once reigned.

"LYRAAAA! Big news!"

The doors to the guest wing slammed open. A girl with auburn hair barreled inside, eyes blazing with excitement. Velvet curtains rustled from the gust she stirred.

Lyra sat cross-legged on a plush couch, casually nibbling on pastries.

Her unnaturally long hair spilled over her shoulders like a dark river, pooling on the floor in shades of auburn. It was something her younger sister secretly envied.

There were others in the room.

"Oh! Good evening, Priestess!"

The girl said with a startled curtsy as she noticed the ocean-eyed figure standing by the far window.

Xhi, the so-called priestess, glanced over her shoulder.

"It’s night, though."

The girl blinked. "Ah—then ...good night? Anyway, BIG news!"

In her flurry, she missed someone else the tall elven woman seated quietly in the corner, listening without a word. Despite not hiding herself with concealment magic, she was mystical removed from the girls perception.

Invisible.

"Did you know that Mirelle has a younger brother?!"

"Mirelle?"

Lyra asked, tilting her head.

"Yes! From the Von Heim family! They’d kept him hidden all this time!"

"Ah"

"Ah"

Both Lyra and Xhi exclaimed in eerie unison. They exchanged glances.

The elf perked up, golden eyes narrowing.

The girl continued breathlessly.

"He’s handsome, tall ...Well—not too tall. But apparently he’s a genius! A prodigy! They say he’s awakened!"

Xhi frowned.

Lyra coughed.

The elf leaned forward in shock.

"What did you say?"

"Eep!"

The girl jumped, finally noticing her.

"Y-you! Since when were you there?!"

"Never mind that."

The elf’s voice was calm, but sharp.

"You say this... this..."

"Lugh"

Lyra chipped in.

"Right, Lugh. You say this Lugh has awakened? He’s human?"

The girl blinked in confusion.

"Yes? He’s human, obviously. But more importantly—"

She turned to Lyra, suddenly suspicious.

"Wait. How do you know his name?"

"Whose name?"

"Lugh’s name."

An awkward silence descended like a curtain.

"You told me yourself"

Lyra said calmly.

"I did...?"

"Yes. You burst in like a lunatic, saying, ’Did you know Mirelle has a younger brother? His name is Lugh.’ Remember?"

"...I don’t think I—"

"Sofia, since when did you become so forgetful?"

Lyra smiled, sipping tea.

"Is Lugh really that handsome?"

Sofia blushed.

"W-what?! No—I—!"

"See?"

Lyra smirked.

"You can’t even talk properly. Don’t let flower boys deceive you. He’s three years younger than you!"

She’d have asked how her sister knew his age but the words irked her.

"Haa?! What would you know?!"

Sofia’s voice pitched defensively.

"Lugh’s not some flower boy! He’s a cold-hearted killer!"

Her eyes gleamed with a feral light, like someone who’d seen a gladiator tear a man apart and thought—I want more of that.

Lyra and Xhi’s expressions gradually morphed.

"What."

"What."