Chapter 5: The Fated Bonding Ceremony

"Ah—yes! Twins!"

Felix instantly stood up and gestured for Lumi to come closer. "Come. Meet Young Master Caesar."

’Young Master Caesar?’

Lumi’s eyes widened, and for a moment, she stood completely frozen.

So the man who had nearly killed her last night was actually her Fated Sentinel.

Correction.

Ex-Fated Sentinel.

"I—I am not feeling well. If it is alright, and if this is nothing more than a greeting, I hope to go back upstairs and rest."

"What are you saying?" Esther snapped as she jerked up from her chair.

Lumi flinched slightly.

"You have just met Young Master Caesar, and you are already asking to leave? Come here. Quickly."

Lumi did not move. Her gaze remained fixed somewhere near Evan’s shoulder, carefully avoiding his eyes.

Evan, however, had been watching her since the moment she appeared.

"It’s okay." He suddenly spoke.

Then, to everyone’s surprise, Evan stood up from his seat and headed straight toward the stairs before stopping directly in front of Lumi.

The entire room seemed to hold its breath as they watched the scene unfold.

"Evan Caesar," he introduced himself, holding out his hand. "Nice to meet you, Fated Guide."

He waited.

Lumi’s eyes widened even further as she stared at the hand held out before her. Then slowly, her gaze travelled upward.

His eyes were completely different.

The strange hazel-yellow colour she remembered from last night was gone, replaced by an ordinary shade of hazel.

Somehow, Lumi still knew... It was him.

There was something about the air around him. That same cold, oppressive presence.

Her body stiffened again

"I—I am not your Fated Guide. She is..." Lumi raised a finger and pointed toward Celestine. "I believe you have mistaken me for her..."

Her words, however, did not seem to affect Evan in the slightest. His eyes remained on her, quietly observing every small change in her expression.

Then he took another step up the stairs. Only one step now remained between them.

Suddenly, his tall figure was looming directly in front of her.

Before Lumi could retreat, Evan leaned down slightly and whispered near her ear, "I know which one is my Fated Guide."

Lumi’s breath caught and she barely opened her mouth to react, his hand moved.

His fingers slipped beneath the edge of the turtleneck around her neck and pulled the fabric aside.

"W-Wait—"

The marks were still there. Faint, but unmistakable.

Evan went still.

Lumi, however, reacted instantly. She quickly pulled her turtleneck back into place and retreated a step.

"What are you doing?!" she demanded, one hand pressed firmly against her neck. "That is rude! Even if you are some rich Young Master!"

She tried her best to sound offended, as though Evan had simply behaved inappropriately toward her for no reason.

Evan looked at her.

Lumi looked back. ’Act natural. Act innocent.’

Evan’s gaze did not change. He had no idea what happened after he lost control last night, but he knew exactly where those marks had come from.

Lumi’s confidence immediately began to crumble. ’Why is he still looking at me?’

"Master Felix..."

Evan finally turned, his gaze settling directly on Felix. His expression remained as stoic as ever.

"Yes, Young Master?"

Felix responded immediately, almost as though he had been waiting for Evan to address him.

The Pei family held considerable status within the Empire and was regarded as one of its leading Guide families. However, compared to the Sentinel families, especially the Caesar family, their influence was still far inferior.

That was why Felix’s attitude toward Evan was noticeably more cautious. In front of Young Master Caesar, even someone like Felix Pei had to lower his head.

"About the Fated Guide transfer..." Evan’s gaze narrowed slightly. "I did not agree."

Everyone’s eyes widened.

"B-But, Young Master, Lumi cannot Guide you..." Felix quickly said, still attempting to explain. "She has no Guiding energy. The connection would serve no purpose if she cannot fulfill her role as your Guide."

Evan took a step down from the stairs. He tilted his head slightly to the right.

"So..." His gaze remained fixed on Felix. "You wished to transfer the Fated Guide connection because you were worried about your daughter?"

Felix paused. The question sounded simple enough but Evan was watching him carefully.

"Y-yes, of course! With no Guiding energy, Lumi couldn’t help you and would only put herself in danger. Celestine, however, would be far more capable of standing beside you. She is at the top of her batch and one of the most promising Guides of her generation. Her Guiding ability has already received recognition from the Guide Association, and her compatibility with other Sentinels has always been excellent."

Felix glanced briefly toward Celestine, pride obvious in his expression.

"With proper training, I am certain she will become one of the Empire’s finest Guides. If she were the one Fated to you, she would be far more capable of supporting you than Lumi could ever be."

Evan’s eyes narrowed slightly.

He had asked whether Felix wished to transfer the Fated Guide connection because he was worried about his daughter.

Yet instead of speaking about Lumi, Felix had immediately begun listing Celestine’s qualities.

Evan sighed, very slow that only he could hear it before he turned back toward Lumi.

She was already looking down at her feet, her fingers quietly fidgeting with each other.

She had remained completely silent throughout Felix’s explanation, as though the words being spoken about her had nothing to do with her or perhaps she had simply heard them too many times before.

Evan’s eyes lingered on her for a moment. "What about you?"

Lumi blinked and slowly raised her head.

Evan was looking directly at her.

"You heard your father," he said. "Do you also believe that Celestine is the better choice?"

Lumi’s fingers stopped moving.

"Ah..." Her eyes slowly wandered across the dining room before falling on each member of her family.

"I believe..." She paused, biting her lower lip for a few seconds as her gaze darted here and there, as though trying to find the right answer. "I believe they simply want what is best for me."

The moment those words left her mouth, Evan’s gaze turned sharp.

He did not ask anything else. Instead, he descended the remaining stairs and walked past the dining table.

"Then it is decided." His calm voice immediately drew everyone’s attention.

Felix turned toward him. "Young Master?"

Evan continued walking.

"The Fated Bonding Ceremony will be held in a week." His words landed heavily in the suddenly silent dining room.

Felix’s expression changed, Esther and Celestine froze, meanwhile Rei turned his head here and there, just to confirm what he heard.

Evan finally paused near the entrance. Then he glanced back over his shoulder.

His eyes found Lumi once more.

"Make sure you are there, my Fated Guide... Lumi Pei."

With that, he left.