Chapter 272: Chapter 271: Path of the Oracle
"I have been very patient with you," Lumberling said evenly, his voice calm but carrying the weight of command. His eyes burned with quiet threat as he looked down at Kairo, who struggled to even raise his head. "I wonder... how you’ve survived this long without knowing who you’re making enemies with."
The pressure intensified, and Kairo’s breath hitched, his forehead nearly pressed to the floor. His body trembled under the invisible weight crushing him.
He forced his head up, teeth gritting, but when his eyes finally locked on Lumberling’s, the fight drained from him. What he saw was worse than fury, Lumberling was smiling faintly, his arm possessively pulling Lireath closer by the waist, as if daring the boy to speak another word.
"You... bastard..." Kairo rasped, voice breaking under the strain.
"My Lord, please... forgive him," the old woman pleaded, crouching beside the boy. Her hands hovered over his shoulders, and suddenly, a strange ripple of energy shimmered around her. It wrapped around Kairo like a shield, softening the weight of the crushing aura.
That caught Lumberling’s attention. His eyes slid from the boy to the old woman. The grin faded, replaced by quiet curiosity. He studied the energy, then his mind flickered back to what Lireath had whispered earlier about this ’Agathis.’
A moment of silence stretched. Then, with deliberate calm, Lumberling withdrew his aura. The heavy pressure lifted, and Kairo slumped onto his knees, coughing as if he’d been pulled from drowning.
Still, his gaze burned with hatred as he glared at Lumberling from the floor.
Lireath noticed it immediately. Her lips curled in anger, and her voice cut sharp like a blade.
"Don’t look at him like that. Pack your things and get out of my territory. Now."
Kairo’s face twisted, but before he could spit out a reply, Lumberling’s hand gently pressed against Lireath’s shoulder.
"Let them stay," he said softly, his calm tone a striking contrast to the storm that had just passed. His smile was steady, almost playful. "Your master would be sad if you drove them away."
Lireath blinked, caught off guard. "What...?"
"It’s alright," Lumberling reassured her, his voice low but certain. "Don’t worry about me." He gave her that same confident smile.
Lireath’s lips parted as if to argue, but she fell silent.
Agathis helped Kairo to his feet, her expression tired but composed. She bowed her head slightly toward Lireath. "Please forgive his recklessness, Viscount. He still has much to learn... and I failed to guide him better."
Her words were humble, but her eyes darted once toward Lumberling, as if acknowledging the unspoken warning he’d given.
Kairo clenched his fists but stayed silent, leaning against Agathis as she guided him away. The tension in the hall eased only when their footsteps faded down the corridor, leaving behind a heavy quiet.
Lireath finally broke the silence, her brows furrowed.
"Why is he suddenly acting like that? He’s been behaving well these past few days."
Lumberling let out a soft chuckle, his arm still loosely around her waist.
"Can’t you see? He likes you."
Lireath blinked, caught off guard. "What?" Her face twisted in irritation. "Then I should drive them away before he causes more trouble."
But Lumberling’s grip on her tightened slightly, his voice calm and sure.
"No. That master of yours, Agathis, she’s interesting. Let them stay for a while."
Lireath narrowed her eyes at him, lips curving into a teasing smile.
"And aren’t you afraid he’ll try to steal me away from you?"
Lumberling tilted his head, a confident grin spreading across his face.
"Is that so?" He leaned in, his tone playful. "That won’t ever happen, because you’re mine."
Before she could reply, he closed the distance and pressed a firm kiss against her lips. Lireath stiffened at first, then her cheeks burned crimson. She swatted at his chest but didn’t pull away completely, her eyes betraying the warmth she tried to hide.
"You’re annoying," she muttered, flustered, though her lips curved ever so slightly.
Without another word, she tugged him by the arm toward the manor.
Together, they stepped inside. The servants bowed as Lireath led him toward a quiet chamber. Once the doors closed, she turned to him, her expression serious.
"This was a secret Master told me to keep..." Lireath hesitated, then her eyes softened. "But since it’s you, I’ll tell you."
Lumberling leaned against the table, arms crossed, studying her carefully.
"I’m listening."
"The path Master is teaching me is called the Path of the Oracle," Lireath said slowly.
"They are rare individuals who tap into the divine and... manipulate the flow of time itself."
Lumberling’s brows lifted.
"Oracle path... this is the first I’ve heard of it. And how exactly do you manipulate time?"
"I’m not sure myself," she admitted. "We only just started the lessons. All I know for now is that it gives the power to glimpse the future."
"Future? Like Thalia?"
Lireath nodded. "When I first met her, she told me she was destined to be my teacher. That I, too, had the talent to walk the Oracle path. At first, I didn’t believe her... but then she spoke of my past, things no one else should have known. That’s when I started to believe."
Lumberling stayed quiet, his thoughts drifting. He compared her words to Thalia’s, but Thalia had never seemed to know so much. Not like this woman. "What else did she tell you?" he asked evenly.
"She promised to guide me through these powers. Since I wasn’t ready to commit fully, she offered to take me as a half-disciple first, to let me see for myself what she meant. And I agreed."
"I see," Lumberling said, his tone steady. "It’s not a bad choice. Perhaps you really do have the talent for it."
Lireath hesitated, then added softly, "But she was shocked when she found out I could practice the Knight’s path. She said Oracles could only walk a single path."
A faint smile tugged at Lumberling’s lips. "Well, then it seems she doesn’t know everything. How about that boy? Is he an Oracle too?"
"I don’t think so," Lireath answered, shaking her head. "He’s already walking the Knight’s path, and from what I understand, Oracles can’t wield both. That’s why Master found me so unusual."
Lumberling tilted his head, his tone thoughtful.
"Unusual... or dangerous. Glimpsing time itself doesn’t sound like something without cost."
Lireath drew closer, lowering her voice.
"She also told me Oracles can glimpse into other people’s fates. Not always clearly, not everything, but enough to sense when paths are opening or closing."
Lumberling’s eyes narrowed slightly, though his tone stayed calm. "And she’s teaching you this already?"
"Not yet. She said it will take time before I can handle even the smallest glimpse. But..." Lireath’s gaze brightened with resolve. "I strongly feel this is my path too. It feels right. So..." She hesitated, looking at him with rare vulnerability. "Would you allow me to continue learning from Master?"
For a long moment, Lumberling studied her face. Then he smirked faintly and stepped forward, wrapping an arm around her waist.
"Of course. Why not?"
Relief washed over her as she laughed softly and hugged him tight, her head resting against his chest.
"You always make it sound so simple," she whispered, giggling when he bent to kiss her neck.
"Because it is," Lumberling murmured against her skin, his voice low and teasing. "If this is your path, then I’ll see where it takes you, with me by your side of course. And if she deceives you, even once, I’ll end her myself."
Lireath blushed, her laughter spilling freely as she clung to him. In that moment, the storm of doubts and threats outside the manor felt distant, as if time itself had slowed for them.