Chapter 112: My Domain

Leo's gaze was fixed on the gift Selvanna had given him, trying to make sense of her words. "It will show you what you want to see." The first thing that came to mind was his previous family. He stared into the water, thinking of them—hoping to see their faces again. But nothing happened.

"Maybe it doesn't have enough power to show them," he muttered.

He shifted his focus to his family in this world instead. After a second, faint ripples formed on the surface, like the ones created by a single drop falling into still water. Slowly, an image began to take shape. It was his home.

His mother and sister sat silently on the sofa, but the usual warmth—the ever-present smiles that once brightened the room—were nowhere to be seen. A shadow passed over his face, a helpless ache settling in his chest. He wanted to speak to them, to ease their sorrow, but all he could do was watch—they were there, right now, yet completely out of reach. His eyes drifted around the room, searching for any sign of Eliza or her mother—but they were nowhere to be found. 

"Maybe I need to focus on them," he thought, but decided he had others he needed to check on first.

The image shifted again. This time, it showed the Paladin Association.

Edmond sat in his office, just like always, his hair now streaked with gray. Rorin stood nearby, engaged in conversation with him. Lara was behind her desk. Out in the yard, Albert was training with Faleria while Wina watched from a distance. Samuel and Liam were tucked away in the library, and Peter—unsurprisingly—was inside the storage room.

Then the vision shifted to the kitchen. Liamond and Gery were there, quietly sipping their coffees. Liamond's face was expressionless, empty—as if something inside him had broken. Leo's eyes drifted to his arm; only an empty sleeve hung there. He frowned. 

Not wanting to linger too long on any one image—guessing it might be dangerous—he shifted his focus again. The water stirred and another image surfaced.

It was a room—elegant, like the ones in Alexia's mansion. Two bookshelves lined the walls. A table and two chairs sat beside a queen-sized bed. A private bathroom was tucked into the corner. Near a dresser with a mirror stood Elna.

She looked different. Her outfit was dark and sharp, striking in its contrast. She wore a fitted red corset, laced with black straps and silver buckles, hugging her form tightly. Over it, a black high-collared coat flared outward, its angular design edged with deep crimson, giving her a bold, theatrical silhouette.

Her arms were wrapped in long, black fingerless gloves that reached past her elbows, adorned with silver patterns. She wore tight black shorts, sheer stockings, and tall, pointed boots with silver accents—her whole look exuded power and elegance, almost vampiric. With her long silver hair, she didn't just resemble a vampire—she looked like one.

Leo was mesmerized, watching her. Then, the door to her room opened, and someone stepped inside. Unlike the other figures he had seen through the water, this one was clear—and he hadn't even focused on him. 

A tall man with short black hair. He radiated a faint light—an aura that clung to him like a second skin.

"Are you ready?" the man asked.

"Yes," Elna replied.

The man turned to leave, and Elna followed him.

But just as he took two steps, he stopped. Then, he turned his head—his eyes locking directly with Leo's, as if he could see him through the vision.

A shiver ran down Leo's spine. He instantly severed the connection.

"Did he just look at me?"

He stepped back, then walked over to the stone throne and sat down, unsettled.

"I need to be careful with that thing."

…

Elna was watching Timon when he suddenly froze, his eyes fixed on what looked like empty space. Curious, she followed his gaze, but there was nothing there.

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

"No," Timon replied after a brief pause. "I thought I felt a little mouse watching us... but it's gone now."

He resumed walking without another word.

A few minutes later, they arrived at a large courtyard, filled with trees and flowers arranged in a precise, deliberate pattern. Elna had been here a few times before, but its beauty still struck her every time.

Timon stepped into the center of the yard, his hands clasped behind his back.

"Remember what I told you," he said. "If you don't want your thirst for blood to control you, then you have to control your vampiric powers. Now—attack me with everything you've got."

For the past few weeks, Elna had been training with Timon, working to gain control over her abilities. He had strange morals, and he was arrogant—rude, even—but he was a good teacher. A strong one.

Elna drew her dagger and dropped into a fighting stance. If she wanted to see Leo again, she had to become stronger. More in control.

…

Still having a little time before he had to meet Alexia, Leo decided to search inside his magic bag for his book. He reached out mentally, focusing on the familiar feeling of the worn leather cover. But as he was about to pull it out, his senses brushed against something else—an unfamiliar presence hidden deeper inside the bag.

It was faint at first, but unmistakable. A pulse of power, steady and strong, like a slow heartbeat.

Leo narrowed his eyes. 'What is that?'

Changing his focus, he summoned the unfamiliar item into his hand. A scroll materialized before him, simple and unmarked, yet radiating a potent energy that made the air feel heavier around him.

"What the hell is this?" Leo muttered.

He inspected the scroll carefully. There were no runes, no labels, nothing to hint at its purpose. Yet the energy it gave off felt almost... familiar. He concentrated, closing his eyes and letting the sensation settle deeper into him.

After a few moments, realization struck. The power was identical to what he had sensed twice before—the same divine energy from the Goddess of the Moon.

His heartbeat quickened. There was only one explanation. This scroll had to be the one he had tried to create during that desperate encounter—the information archive meant to save everything he learned about the vampire blood.

Leo stared at it, half in disbelief. "You're telling me... I actually managed to extract it?" he whispered.

The idea seemed crazy. He had been sure that under the goddess's gaze, it would have been impossible to steal anything. Which left only one terrifying conclusion—she had let him take it. But why?

Leo leaned back slightly in his throne, raising his eyes toward the endless white sky of his domain.

'She could have killed me. Twice. But she didn't. She even saved me and the others once. That means... either she's on Selvanna's side—or she has her own reasons for keeping me alive.'

A deep unease stirred inside him.

'But what does a god want with me? Does she know I'm not from this world? Or... is it something else?'

The scroll pulsed again in his palm, as if reminding him it was still there. Leo felt an overwhelming urge to open it, but he fought it back. If the goddess had designs on this domain, carelessly opening the scroll might give her exactly what she wanted.

He set the scroll down carefully on the armrest of his throne, thinking quickly. 'I need to hide it somewhere safe.'

Almost immediately, as if the domain had heard him, a chest appeared a few meters to his right. It was wrapped in thick, swirling white mist, almost blending with the landscape itself. The chest looked ancient, reinforced with silver bands, and gave off an aura of unshakable security.

Leo stood up and walked over to it. With just a thought, the chest opened, revealing a softly glowing interior. The scroll floated from the armrest into the chest, as if carried by invisible hands, and once inside, the lid shut with a soft thud. The fog curled tightly around it again, making the chest nearly invisible.

Leo exhaled in relief. 'There's no safer place than here.'

Returning to his throne, his gaze drifted back to Selvanna's gift—the mirror-like surface that still shimmered quietly in the heart of the domain.

There was so much more he needed to learn about it. Resting his chin on his hand, Leo considered it for a moment.

'Maybe I should give it a name... something fitting.'

A smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

"What about... Mirror of Truth?" he said aloud.

Satisfied with the name, and knowing his time was almost up, Leo decided to save further experiments for later. With one last glance at the hidden chest and the mirror, he left the domain. 

…

Leo was still lost in thought about everything that had happened inside his domain when he reached the room where Alexia was waiting. As usual, she was sitting quietly, reading a book, her attention seemingly absorbed in the pages.

Leo stepped forward to the center of the room and gave a small, respectful bow.

"Sit," Alexia said, her voice calm but commanding.

Without hesitation, Leo took the chair across from her.

"You've learned a lot this past month," she began, her eyes never fully leaving the book, "but now you need to master those skills. For the next few months, you'll train daily with Klaus and inside the Illusion Room until your soul is stable enough to properly step into the B rank."

She closed her book gently and set it aside. "You're allowed to read any book you like under A rank and ask me questions — just make sure they're not foolish ones. Master the spells I told you. Silence, Dream, and Phantom. Once you do, I'll teach you about Real Illusion."

Leo nodded seriously, committing each of her words to memory.

Then Alexia reached down and placed a set of bracelets on the table between them.

"Also, wear these."

Leo leaned forward and picked one up. "Weight bracelets?" he asked, not surprised but still cautious.

"You like using them, don't you? Each one weighs eighty pounds."

"Eighty pounds...?" Leo blinked. "That's a lot."

"They're also enchanted with slow healing magic," Alexia continued, her tone even, "so your body will gradually recover while you wear them. You won't destroy yourself by overtraining — but it will force your body to grow stronger."

Leo stared at the bracelets for a moment longer, feeling the quiet pressure they radiated, as if they were already preparing to challenge him.

Without another word from Alexia, he slipped them onto his wrists. 

"Then I'll start right away," Leo said, giving her another bow before turning and leaving the room.

…

Luciana Dimont moved down a long, dark corridor, her steps silent against the cold stone floor. Even with the oppressive darkness pressing in from all sides, her vampiric eyes saw everything clearly. After a few more steps, she reached a heavy door. Without her touching it, the door creaked open on its own, as if it were alive and had been waiting for her.

Inside was a vast, dark room with a massive round table at its center. Eight figures sat around it, most of them her own blood family. Despite the dim lighting, Luciana could make out every face.

Her older sister and brother sat side by side, and beside them was her mother — the oldest living vampire in existence. Sitting directly across from the entrance, at the head of the table, was her eldest brother — the current leader of the vampires.

The other four seats were filled by two ancient vampires outside their immediate family and two powerful werewolf lords.

"Sit, sister. Let's begin," said her eldest brother in a calm voice.

Smiling slightly, Luciana walked to her place and sat beside her sister.

"You're always late," muttered her other brother, Carl, with a scowl.

Luciana's smirk widened. "Well, I have a lot of responsibilities. Unlike some people."

Carl's eyes narrowed. "What did you just say to me?"

"Luciana. Carl. Enough," their sister said sharply, cutting them both off before it could escalate.

Carl, only a year older than Luciana, had always clashed with her — it was almost tradition at this point.

"Can we please start the meeting?" one of the werewolf leaders said with barely hidden frustration.

"Don't be so hasty, Lord William Dassler," Luciana's eldest brother, Lucius, said smoothly. "We are immortal. Time is a luxury we have in abundance."

William grunted but stayed quiet.

"And what is this about, Master Lucius?" asked one of the vampires.

Lucius's lips curled into a smile. "We've found information about the Lost City."

A heavy silence fell across the table. Even the most ancient among them seemed stunned by his words.

"Are you certain?" their mother asked, her voice unusually tense.

Lucius nodded once, firmly. "Yes. It's only the beginning, but in a few years, everything will be ready for the ritual." His tone hardened. "I want all of you to begin gathering an army — vampires and werewolves both. Collect magical artifacts, rare items, anything of power. Once we find the city and obtain that item... we will rule this world."

A dark, gleaming smile stretched across Lucius's face.