Sarah said her honest thoughts and apologised in the most genuine tone possible and Lucian...

He placed his hand on his chest and with an exaggeratedly touched look on his face—

"Recognition...

I am finally getting the recognition I had been craving for 20 years..."

He answered and Sarah’s mouth twitched with annoyance.

Whatever Lucian may have done for Evelyn, she still hated this part of him!

But then—

"You take things too seriously."

Lucian suddenly waved his hand dismissively, that made Sarah look at him with a confused frown.

"What...?"

"It isn’t that big of a deal, Street Girl.

I was the one who told you I got in because of connections, it was a joke, it isn’t your fault that I lied to you.

I am not offended by anything you or any of the others did, so there is no need to apologise, I am not that petty.

Ease up."

He shrugged.

Sarah however—

"No."

She shook her head with a look that said she wouldn’t change her mind.

"I hate people who get into places just because someone powerful likes them."

Lucian raised an eyebrow at those words, but Sarah wasn’t done.

"I hate people who walk into dangerous work without earning the place they stand on.

I hate people who act like everything is a joke."

"That is a lot of hate."

Lucian blinked.

"Also, that last one sounded personal. I am offended."

"Then take my apology."

"Whatever, Street Girl."

Lucian shrugged.

"Will you stop calling me that?"

Sarah finally called him out.

"What? Street Girl? Come on, you can’t deny there’s a certain feel to it."

"I do not want you to have a feel in my name. Call me Sarah!"

"Oh? First-name basis already? You really are fast huh. Should we prepone our date?"

"There is no date!"

Sarah slammed the table.

"Honestly! You are so annoying!"

"Common opinion."

Lucian shrugged.

"I will punch your face!"

"Meh, I am pretty sure I can dodge."

"You..."

Sarah was losing her mind but just as she was about to let her anger out on this annoying bastard, Lucian suddenly turned towards the door and his smile widened even more.

"Oh? Looks like we have more company."

Sarah frowned, she looked at the hallway and didn’t see anyone.

"What? Do you see ghosts too? I don’t think Blood-Altered Human—"

Before she could complete her words, she saw Clara walking from the other end of the hallway and she blinked in surprise.

How did he... know that?

She wondered in her head.

She was told Blood-Altered Humans were more sensitive than normal, some more than others, but still—

The difference wasn’t THIS big.

Did he... hear her footsteps?

Heck, she couldn’t hear her footsteps even now, the only reason she even turned around to look was because Lucian mentioned it first.

Just...

What sort of person was he?

She had more questions in her mind but then—

"Oh? She finally brought my things."

"Huh...?"

Sarah blinked again.

She brought his things? Clara Voss?

She couldn’t believe it, but then she saw a briefcase in Clara’s hand and she couldn’t help but be surprised.

"What is it...?"

She questioned.

"You’ll see."

Lucian just smiled.

Clara came closer, and once she was close enough to hear him, Lucian’s smile widened.

"People keep coming to me tonight.

Did the team finally realise how much they love me?"

Sarah stared at him with a deadpan look on her face, Clara, on the other hand, did not react at all.

"Lucian Cross."

She called out.

"See? Even my full name.

Very intimate."

Sarah rolled her eyes and Clara just walked in and handed him a thin holder.

"I am here because Claire Voss instructed me to deliver this."

"Oh, it’s Claire."

Lucian sighed dramatically as he opened the folders. He started reading it and the more he did, the more his expression changed.

"What did she do now?"

He asked with a tired look on his face.

"Your University has been informed that you are currently attached to a private external security program and recovering from medical strain caused by previous circumstances.

Your attendance has been temporarily waived. You will receive study material, assignment submissions, and examination schedules separately.

You are not required to attend daily lectures."

"But I love my University, do you know how much my friends and professors would miss me if I don’t go? I am the energy of my class."

For some reason, Sarah couldn’t believe anything he just said.

"You may attend on low-risk days if Miss Starling has no outside schedule and remains inside a protected area."

Clara informed.

"I do not like this."

Lucian complained.

"Then you can explain to Miss Starling why her requested close-contact guard is leaving her protection detail to attend university lectures."

Clara’s gaze remained flat and Lucian...

For once, he did not have an immediate answer.

"Claire said you would react like this, so she told me to remind you that this is temporary and necessary."

Lucian nodded, he knew this was important as well. He was just being difficult to annoy Clara.

"Miss Voss knows me too well."

He smiled.

"That is unfortunate for her."

"Ouch."

Again, Clara ignored all his shenanigans and placed the black case she had been carrying on the table.

Lucian’s eyes changed the moment he saw it.

"You brought it."

He smiled.

"This also arrived for you."

Clara spoke, her tone seemed a bit off. Lucian looked at her and instantly read her face.

"You look annoyed."

"I am annoyed."

"How honest."

Lucian chuckled.

"I was not assigned to this mission to act as your courier."

Lucian looked at her and his eyes shone playfully.

"Then talk to the person who sent it, not me."

He grinned and Clara— 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

For the first time since she entered the room, her expression changed.

It was small, but both Lucian and Sarah noticed it, a tiny pause in her breath, stiffening in her fingers, her eyes moving to the case, then away from it.

She had no intention of complaining to that person.

And Lucian’s grin widened.

"What? No complaints?"

"I will not waste time on unnecessary conversation."