A Presence Too Late

The scent of fresh herbs lingered in the air.

Diana sat across from Lucien at a wooden table, her sleeves rolled up, her leather gloves still on. Scattered across the surface were freshly picked herbs, small vials of ointment, and a few bandages. At her side, a young maid named Ellise sat patiently, her hand stretched out like a willing test subject.

Lucien leaned forward in concentration, carefully wrapping a bandage around Ellise's hand.

"Too tight," Diana commented.

Lucien frowned and loosened the fabric slightly before tying it again.

Ellise, bless her patience, smiled and said, "Young Master is very careful."

Lucien's lips twitched into a small, proud smile.

Diana patted his head, murmuring, "Good. Next time, do it faster."

Just as Lucien reached for a different herb, a shadow fell over the doorway.

Diana didn't need to turn to know who it was.

She sighed internally.

Of course, it had to be him.

Cassian.

She raised an eyebrow before standing up, dusting her hands off. "Your Majesty."

Cassian's gaze swept over the room. He didn't respond immediately, instead observing the herbs, ointments, and bandages neatly arranged on the table.

His eyes flickered to Ellise, who looked like a lifeless doll, her hand still being used as Lucien's practice limb.

Diana followed his gaze and, without hesitation, removed her gloves, tossing them onto the table. Then, without a word, she stepped toward the door.

Cassian's brows furrowed. "Where are you going?"

Diana glanced at Lucien. "I'm leaving you two alone."

Lucien stiffened slightly.

Cassian frowned, then turned back to Diana. "You're avoiding me."

Diana let out a short laugh and pushed the door open. "Not everything is about you."

She stepped out, the soft click of the door closing behind her.

Cassian followed, his strides naturally matching hers as they walked through the corridor.

Diana didn't ask why he was here. She didn't even seem annoyed. She simply waited for him to speak.

Cassian exhaled. "I never knew you had medical knowledge."

Diana glanced at him briefly before looking ahead. "Raizel was always getting injured. He hates doctors. Someone had to take care of him."

Cassian fell silent.

For a moment, there was nothing but the soft creaking of the wooden floor beneath their feet.

Finally, he sighed. "Diana."

She didn't respond.

Cassian stopped walking.

Diana did the same, her expression unreadable.

He turned to her, his face as cold and emotionless as ever.

"…I was wrong," he finally said.

Diana blinked once, then simply shrugged. "Alright."

Cassian's jaw tightened. "…That's it?"

She looked up at him, her golden eyes indifferent. "Would you like me to weep in gratitude?"

Cassian's fingers twitched slightly, but he said nothing.

She tilted her head, watching him. "Does it bother you?"

Cassian scowled. "That's not the point."

Diana simply smiled—not sweetly, not bitterly, just… casually. "Then what is?"

Cassian exhaled through his nose, his irritation barely visible. "…I also have a question."

She raised an eyebrow, motioning for him to continue.

"Why does Lucien never call me 'Father'?"

Diana actually looked genuinely confused for the first time. "…Because he doesn't see you as one?"

Cassian's expression darkened. "You told him not to."

Diana laughed lightly, shaking her head. "Children call their parents what they want based on attachment and function. I can't force him to call you something he doesn't feel."

Cassian clenched his fists at his sides. "He's my son."

Diana's gaze sharpened slightly. "And yet, you once called him a mistake."

Cassian flinched.

She continued, her tone flat, emotionless. "If he is unwanted in Verdeca, then he is a Hinsdale. That is all."

Cassian's breathing slowed.

She spoke like she was stating a fact.

A fact she had long accepted.

Diana turned slightly, looking out of the window beside them. The light framed her face in an almost ethereal glow, but her expression remained distant.

"…You have Roan and Elysian," she murmured. "You can always have more children with Liliana."

Cassian's eyes flickered with something unreadable.

Diana's lips twitched into a small, humorless smile.

"Like rabbits."

Cassian stiffened, his face darkening instantly.

Diana's tone never wavered, her voice steady—like a soldier giving a report. There was no childish bitterness, no resentment, no emotion.

She had long let go of that part of herself.

And that realization—

That realization unsettled him.

Cassian was used to Diana being emotional. Crying, pleading, fighting for his attention.

But this woman in front of him now—this cold, indifferent woman—

She didn't care anymore.

And somehow…

That bothered him more than he expected.

Diana took a step back. "If there's nothing else, Your Majesty, I'll be going."

She turned away, hand reaching for the doorknob.

Cassian didn't stop her.

The moment she stepped back into the room—

Her entire demeanor changed.

Gone was the cold, distant woman.

Her expression softened, her lips curving into a gentle smile as she took in the scene before her.

Lucien stood in the middle of the room, herbs scattered everywhere, bandages unraveling like a mess of ribbons.

Ellise, the poor maid, looked like she had fought a war.

Lucien froze when he saw his mother return, guilt flashing across his face.

Then—

Diana laughed.

A light, amused laugh.

Not forced. Not bitter.

Just warm.

Lucien's tense shoulders relaxed.

He looked at her hesitantly, gauging her reaction.

She only smiled wider before shaking her head and walking over.

Cassian stood in the doorway, watching as Diana effortlessly stepped back into Lucien's world.

A world he had never been a part of.

His fingers curled into his palm.

And for the first time…

Cassian realized something.

The distance between him and his son—

It wasn't Diana who created it.

It was him.

*****

Cassian found himself returning to the Empress's palace more often than he cared to admit.

It started as an excuse—checking on Lucien, asking about his studies, observing how the boy lived. But as the days passed, it became something else.

Something he didn't want to name.

Today was no different.

Cassian sat across from Lucien at the tea table in the garden, the atmosphere as awkward as always.

Lucien sat straight-backed, hands resting neatly on the table. His delicate fingers occasionally flinched as he held his teacup, a subtle wariness in his movements.

Cassian noticed it but said nothing.

Instead, he cleared his throat.

"How are your lessons?" he asked, his voice carefully neutral.

Lucien paused for a second, then answered in the same polite, distant tone he always used with him.

"I'm fine."

Cassian stared at him, waiting for more.

Lucien took another sip of his milk tea, not offering any details.

A five-year-old should have babbled on endlessly, right? About his tutors, his hobbies, his favorite things?

But Lucien never volunteered information to him.

Cassian exhaled, his gaze shifting.

"...Where's your mother?"

"Outing," Lucien replied without hesitation.

Cassian frowned. "An outing?"

Lucien nodded. "She used the underground passage."

Cassian froze.

His grip on his teacup tightened.

"...The underground passage?"

Lucien blinked at him, innocently confused by his reaction.

"Mm. That's how we go to the capital," he said lightly, as if it were normal.

Cassian's eyes narrowed.

That passage had been sealed off for years. It was only to be used in emergencies—the tunnels were labyrinthine, dangerous, filled with hidden traps to deter intruders.

Very few people could navigate them safely.

"...Why doesn't she submit a formal request?" Cassian asked, keeping his voice calm.

Lucien tilted his head slightly.

"Why would she?" he asked back, his tone matter-of-fact.

Cassian's jaw tensed.

"Because it's dangerous."

Lucien just shrugged, his expression eerily calm for a child.

"We're fine," he said.

And then—without even thinking about it, he added:

"Just like Mother."

Cassian's breath caught in his throat.

For a moment, he couldn't speak.

Lucien, however, had already moved on, returning to his homework.

Cassian watched as he dipped his quill into the inkwell, carefully scribbling down complex magical formulas.

Something about the precise way he wrote, the neatness of his calculations, caught Cassian's eye.

Frowning, he leaned over.

"...What are you working on?"

Lucien obediently turned his notebook around, letting Cassian see.

Cassian's brows furrowed.

Mana circle formulas.

Cassian had never been particularly interested in magic, but even he could tell this wasn't beginner-level work.

"This is… advanced," he muttered.

Lucien nodded.

"Teacher Zephyr gave it to me," he said. "He's still stuck at the Magic Tower, though, so I have to wait before starting practical lessons."

Cassian frowned deeper.

At five years old, Lucien was already doing high-level magical calculations?

Before he could say more—

A new presence entered the room.

The air shifted.

And then—

A cloaked figure stepped inside.

Cassian instantly tensed, his hand moving toward his sword on instinct.

But before he could react—

Lucien's face lit up.

"Mother!"

Cassian stopped cold.

Lucien rushed forward without hesitation, his previous calmness completely gone.

Diana pulled down her hood, revealing her silver hair, her golden eyes gleaming under the light.

She barely had time to react before Lucien jumped into her arms, giggling happily.

Cassian stared.

Lucien had never once looked at him like that.

Had never run to him like that.

Diana caught him effortlessly, letting out a soft chuckle as she pulled something from her cloak.

"Here," she said, holding out a small paper bag.

Lucien's eyes widened.

"Candyhaws!"

He grabbed one excitedly, biting into it with a happy hum.

Cassian felt a strange tightness in his chest.

Lucien never acted like this around him.

Before he could fully process that, Diana finally turned to him.

She raised an eyebrow, as if only now noticing his presence.

"Your Majesty," she greeted, her tone perfectly formal.

Cassian hated it.

It was too distant.

Too indifferent.

She used to argue with him. Throw sarcastic remarks at him.

Now, she just looked at him like he was a stranger.

Then—without hesitation—Diana picked up Lucien and sat down with him in her lap.

She casually glanced at his homework.

"Zephyr gave you a hard task," she mused.

Lucien shook his head.

"Not really. I just have to calculate the angles right. It's a little annoying."

Diana smirked.

"Annoying? But you like math."

Lucien huffed. "Not when it's too precise!"

Diana ruffled his hair, chuckling.

Cassian watched them.

Something about the way Diana effortlessly balanced being a mother and a teacher—it was something he had never seen before.

Something he had never bothered to see before.

Then—Diana finally looked at him again.

Her golden eyes were calm.

Too calm.

"Did Liliana need something?" she asked lightly.

Cassian blinked.

"What?"

Diana tilted her head slightly.

"That's why you always come looking for me, right?" she said.

Her voice was completely neutral—no resentment, no sarcasm, just a simple question.

Cassian stiffened.

In the past, whenever he sought Diana's help regarding Liliana, she would get angry.

She would shout.

She would call Liliana a dirty commoner, a snake, a manipulator.

But now—

Now she just looked at him with complete indifference.

As if she had already moved on.

As if it no longer mattered.

Cassian couldn't respond immediately.

Diana simply waited.

Lucien, still sitting in her lap, yawned and leaned his head against her shoulder, completely at ease.

Cassian felt something cold settle in his chest.

This wasn't how things were supposed to be.

And yet—

For the first time, he realized something.

Diana didn't need him.

And neither did Lucien.