Meanwhile, back at his mansion, Zephyrion was dealing with an entirely different matter.

Lumi stood before him with her arms crossed, her cheeks puffed from the force of her frown. She glared at him intensely, her entire demeanor demanding an explanation.

"...why are you angry?" Zephyrion asked.

Lumi’s eyes widened instantly. She pointed accusingly at him before wildly waving her arms around.

A moment later, she covered half her face with one arm and began mimicking someone fleeing in terror.

The scene was strangely comical.

Her head darted around frantically before she hurried behind the bed and crouched there, trembling dramatically as though utterly terrified.

The corner of Zephyrion’s mouth twitched faintly.

Was this... really how she had seen him last night?

Lumi quickly marched back toward him with a deep frown, clearly demanding an explanation.

Zephyrion resisted the urge to sigh.

’This is the perfect time to stop.’

Right now, Lumi clearly wanted an apology. If he gave one, then this irritating cycle would only continue repeating itself. This was the perfect opportunity to finally create some distance between them.

"...I don’t know what you’re talking about," Zephyrion replied indifferently as he walked past her.

But Lumi immediately stepped sideways and blocked his path again. She pointed at him, then at herself before fisting her hand against her chest.

She wanted an apology.

"There’s nothing to apologize for. I didn’t do anything wrong."

Lumi’s eyes narrowed dangerously.

Ignoring her, Zephyrion walked toward the bed and began removing his clothes.

"Excuse me for a moment, I want to freshen up."

"..."

"I’m about to get naked, by the way."

Lumi glared at him fiercely.

He knew perfectly well that she was uncomfortable with nudity. He was doing this intentionally!

The next moment, Zephyrion’s shirt dropped to the floor.

"!!!"

Lumi’s eyes widened as heat instantly rushed to her face. She hurriedly covered her eyes with both hands before sharply turning around.

Seeing this, Zephyrion released a low scoff.

’I should’ve done this earlier.’

Shaking his head, he walked into the bathroom to clean himself up. After spending an entire week outside, he needed this more than anything right now.

Some time later, Zephyrion stepped back out with only a towel wrapped around his lower half.

"..."

He paused slightly, a faint frown settling onto his face.

Lumi stood directly in front of him once again, stubbornly blocking his path. Though her chubby face was now completely beet red, she still refused to move, staring straight into his eyes.

Zephyrion let out a slight sneer.

Without warning, his hand lowered toward the towel around his waist.

Yet the reaction he expected never came.

Instead, Lumi tightly clenched her arms against herself, her small body trembling slightly. Her face was so red it looked as though steam might burst from her head at any moment.

But despite all that, her fierce glare never wavered in the slightest.

Zephyrion narrowed his eyes.

How exactly had she managed to overcome her discomfort so quickly? Was her desire for an apology truly that strong?

’That just makes me want to apologize even less.’

Clicking his tongue inwardly, Zephyrion fixed the towel properly before suddenly blurring from where he stood and appearing behind her.

By the time Lumi hurriedly turned around, he had already reached the bed and begun dressing himself.

Lumi silently clenched her fists. Yet rather than diminish, the determination in her eyes only seemed to grow stronger.

Since he couldn’t get rid of her, Zephyrion decided he would simply spend the rest of the year refusing to apologize.

Unfortunately, by the end of the day, that determination had already begun to crack.

When he sat down to train, Lumi stood nearby with her arms folded and cheeks puffed from her frown, glaring at him without pause.

When he sat down to eat, even while Tobias excitedly rambled on about his mission, Lumi quietly sat nearby, slowly eating spoonfuls of soup without ever taking her eyes off him.

Even when he walked through the mansion, Lumi followed directly beside him, her unwavering glare locked onto him the entire time.

By the end of the day, Zephyrion found himself becoming absurdly distracted by her gaze.

Even when he closed his eyes, he could still feel her stare.

So after dinner, as they returned to their room, Zephyrion finally stopped and turned toward her with a deep frown.

"...what do you want?"

Lumi once again fisted her hand against her chest, her glare unwavering.

Apologize.

Zephyrion released a tired breath.

"I already told you, I didn’t do anything wrong."

Again, Lumi pressed her fist against her chest.

Zephyrion’s brows slowly furrowed as irritation rose within him.

Why exactly did he need to apologize? He genuinely hadn’t done anything wrong.

Still, after staring at her in silence for a while, he eventually shook his head.

There was no point dragging this out any longer.

At this rate, it was already beginning to affect his productivity, and right now, nothing could be allowed to interfere with his training.

’I’ll just find another way to distance myself from her.’

Coming to that conclusion, Zephyrion met Lumi’s intense gaze before giving a slight nod.

"...alright. I’m sorry."

Lumi’s eyes immediately narrowed suspiciously. Slowly, she gestured with her arms, asking him to be specific.

"...for running away and leaving you behind last night."

The fierceness in Lumi’s eyes instantly melted away. A bright smile spread across her face before she nodded in satisfaction.

Stepping closer, she gently tapped his shoulder while signing with one hand, asking if saying that had really been so difficult.

Zephyrion’s glare could’ve cut through steel.

Ignoring her completely, he walked toward the bed. Lumi immediately scurried after him, watching expectantly as he sat down cross-legged.

Her entire demeanor had already changed, as though the earlier confrontation had never even happened.

The moment Zephyrion felt her gaze land on him again, he released a low sigh.

"I’m about to train, so stop staring at me."

Lumi nodded obediently before quickly climbing onto the bed and curling up beside him.

’What am I doing?’

Though he had managed to justify it to himself, Zephyrion was no fool. More importantly, he never lied to himself.

What had just happened... had been a concession.

And the only person he had ever made concessions for before... was his mother.

No one else.

Zephyrion glanced toward Lumi, who had already fallen asleep beside him, her soft snores quietly filling the room.

His gaze darkened slightly before he forcefully suppressed the thought. Turning away, he released a slow breath.

’Power.’

That was all that mattered right now. The only thing he needed to focus on.

Everything else... was merely noise.