Chapter 1
“The World After Lucien Ryker”
Rain tapped softly against the cracked windows of the F-Class dormitory.
For once—
Aetherion Academy felt quiet.
Too quiet.
The academy still hadn’t fully recovered from the catastrophe beneath reality itself.
Broken towers remained under repair.
Rune barriers flickered weakly at night.
Entire sections of the underground ruins were now forbidden.
Because everyone remembered what happened.
The night:
Lucien Ryker survived the Law of Zero.
And the world noticed.
Inside the F-Class dormitory—
someone screamed.
“WHY IS BABY KAIEN ON THE TABLE?!”
A loud crash followed.
Then:
“WHY DOES HE HAVE A FORK?!”
Lucien slowly opened one eye from the couch.
“…I’m tired.”
Another crash echoed upstairs.
“NYX!”
“I TOOK THE OTHER FORK AWAY!”
“WHY WAS THERE ANOTHER FORK?!”
“HE FOUND IT.”
Lucien covered his face with one hand.
Yeah.
This was his life now.
Three months had passed since the end of Book 1.
Three months since:
Hollow Kings
Seraph Null
the collapse beneath Drakmor
and reality itself trying to erase Lucien
And somehow—
despite all of that—
the most dangerous thing in his life currently was:
Baby Kaien.
The small white-haired infant sat proudly on the dining table holding a metal fork like a weapon.
Tiny crimson eyes sparkled mischievously.
Lucien stared blankly.
“…Why he look proud?”
“Because he stabbed Kael earlier,” said Nyx Kurohana from the couch.
“He WHAT?”
“It wasn’t deep,” Nyx added casually.
From the kitchen:
“It was emotionally deep!”
Kael Vire stumbled into the room holding a bag of ice against his arm.
“I got attacked by a baby at seven in the morning!”
Baby Kaien giggled proudly.
Lucien looked genuinely betrayed.
“…Nah he definitely got Hikari personality.”
A warm laugh echoed softly nearby.
Seraphine Vale carefully lifted Baby Kaien off the table before disaster happened again.
The baby immediately calmed down in her arms.
Lucien narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
“…Why everybody better with my son than me?”
“Because you encourage chaos,” Seraphine answered gently.
“I build character.”
“You gave him a toy dagger yesterday.”
“He liked it.”
Kael looked horrified.
“He’s FOUR MONTHS OLD.”
“And his grip strong already. I’m proud.”
Nyx nodded seriously.
“Future menace.”
The front door suddenly opened.
Cold air swept into the dorm.
And immediately—
the atmosphere changed.
A tall woman stepped inside wearing elegant black-and-crimson maid attire beneath a dark overcoat.
Long silver hair.
Sharp crimson eyes.
Perfect posture.
Everything about her radiated:
terrifying competence.
Baby Kaien immediately reached toward her excitedly.
Lucien blinked.
“…Who are you?”
The woman bowed slightly.
“I am Lady Hikari Valemont’s personal maid.”
Silence.
Then:
“Oh.”
Behind Lucien—
Kael whispered:
“Why she feel stronger than the teachers?”
The maid answered calmly:
“Because unlike the teachers, I am not legally required to show mercy.”
Kael froze instantly.
Nyx nearly fell off the couch laughing.
The maid calmly lifted Baby Kaien into her arms.
Instantly—
the chaos stopped.
The baby relaxed immediately.
Lucien stared in betrayal.
“…Nah. He don’t even listen to ME like that.”
The maid looked directly at him.
“He requires structure.”
“He bite people.”
“You also bite people.”
“That was ONE time.”
Nyx raised her hand immediately.
“Lie.”
Lucien ignored her aggressively.
Footsteps echoed from upstairs.
Then:
Hikari Valemont descended slowly wearing an oversized black sweater instead of royal attire for once.
Her long dark hair looked slightly messy.
Lucien blinked.
“…You look tired.”
Hikari glared immediately.
“I gave birth to YOUR child.”
“Fair point.”
Baby Kaien reached toward her happily.
For a brief moment—
the terrifying demon princess completely softened.
And the room noticed immediately.
Kael whispered:
“…That’s actually kinda wholesome.”
Nyx looked disgusted.
“Stop making me feel emotions.”
Outside the dormitory—
students watched F-Class from a distance nervously.
Nobody approached anymore.
Not after the rumors.
Not after the Law of Zero.
Not after Lucien survived something that should’ve erased him from existence itself.
Whispers spread constantly now:
“The White Beast…”
“The anomaly…”
“The boy reality rejected…”
Some students feared him.
Others worshipped him.
Lucien hated both equally.
Meanwhile—
deep beneath the academy—
inside a sealed chamber wrapped in ancient runes—
academy leaders sat around a massive cracked crystal.
The same kind that exploded during Lucien’s first evaluation.
Only this one looked worse.
Much worse.
Professor Garrick Thorne folded his arms.
“The pressure around the boy is increasing.”
Another instructor spoke nervously:
“The Church has officially begun investigating Aetherion.”
Silence filled the chamber.
Then:
“What about the Holy Execution Squad?”
A third voice answered quietly:
“They’re already moving.”
Far away—
inside a cathedral illuminated by silver flame—
a young girl stood before enormous stained glass windows.
Long platinum hair.
Golden eyes.
Perfect academy uniform.
Beautiful.
Cold.
Prideful.
The girl slowly opened a sealed file.
Inside:
a picture of Lucien Ryker.
Beneath it:
ANOMALY STATUS CONFIRMED
Her golden eyes narrowed slightly.
“…So this is the beast.”
Soft footsteps echoed behind her.
An older priest bowed respectfully.
“Remember your mission, Lady Celestia Ravencroft.”
Celestia folded the paper calmly.
“If the anomaly threatens the balance…”
Golden light briefly flickered in her eyes.
“…I will erase him.”
Back at F-Class—
Lucien sat outside beneath the cloudy sky.
Quiet.
For once.
The sounds inside the dorm echoed faintly:
Kael panicking
Nyx laughing
Seraphine calming Baby Kaien
the maid threatening violence politely
Hikari arguing with somebody
It should’ve annoyed him.
Instead…
it felt warm.
Lucien stared silently at his hands.
The claws no longer emerged as often.
But the growling inside him never fully disappeared anymore.
Some nights—
he still heard the Law of Zero whispering in his dreams.
Some nights—
he still saw the impossible darkness beneath reality itself.
And worst of all—
part of him wanted to go back.
Lucien closed his eyes slowly.
“…What the hell am I becoming…”
A familiar voice suddenly spoke behind him.
“You’re brooding again.”
Lucien opened one eye.
Hikari stood nearby with her arms crossed.
Elegant as always.
Beautiful as always.
Annoying as always.
Lucien smirked slightly.
“You stalking me now?”
“You’re the father of my child,” Hikari answered calmly.
“I legally have to monitor your stupidity.”
“That hurt a little.”
“You’ll survive.”
Lucien looked toward her quietly.
Then finally noticed:
she looked tired too.
Not physically.
Emotionally.
Like somebody trying to carry responsibilities too large for their age.
For several seconds—
neither of them spoke.
Then Hikari quietly asked:
“…Do you regret it?”
Lucien frowned slightly.
“Regret what?”
Her crimson eyes shifted toward the dormitory.
Toward Baby Kaien laughing inside.
Toward the strange broken family they somehow created.
Silence lingered.
Then Lucien answered honestly:
“…No.”
For the first time that morning—
Hikari smiled softly.
And somewhere far away—
the Church began preparing for war.
Sovereign of the Hollow World
