’There’s no way he’s guiding me this precisely otherwise...’

And she was right.

Hidden cameras quietly captured every moment, while the jade bracelet on her wrist transmitted his voice seamlessly.

But Lana didn’t think that far.

Instead, her mind drifted back to her previous life.

’A spirit ... something like that...’ she mused.

Back then, they had once used a rare spirit to transmit voices across long distances, sometimes even a kilometer away, to mislead assassins and escape danger.

A faint nostalgia flickered through her eyes. Then she paused.

"Thank you," she said softly.

Lucian hummed lightly. "A simple ’thank you’ doesn’t seem enough."

"Oh?" she raised a brow.

"How about giving me some kind of benefit?"

Lana nodded seriously, though her lips curved slightly.

"When you come back," she replied, "I’ll make sure you get it."

Lucian sighed faintly, almost regretfully.

"That’s too far away... If I could meet you in my dreams, I’d probably do a lot of things I shouldn’t."

Lana blinked, momentarily stunned. ’...Is this really the same Lucian?’

Her cheeks warmed faintly.

The composed, gentlemanly man she knew seemed to be slipping, revealing something far more dangerous beneath.

From the side, Mr. Crow rolled his eyes.

’He was always like this,’ he thought dryly. ’You’re the one who kept putting him on a pedestal...’

Unaware of that silent judgment, Lana continued chatting with Lucian as she slowly made her way back, her steps light, her mood lifted.

Along the way, something caught her attention.

The words on the wall.

Curious, she went back to inspect them more closely.

Her fingers traced along the letters. "...There’s something here."

Hidden compartments. Carefully tucked behind certain letters.

Her breath caught as she pulled one open. Inside...a document.

Her eyes scanned it quickly. Then widened.

"This... is a property deed?"

Her heart skipped. The mansion she was living in...had been transferred to her name.

"...He’s insane," she muttered under her breath, though there was no real anger behind it.

She checked another. And another. Each one revealed something more shocking than the last.

Half ownership of Moonspire Mountain. Profit shares. Agreements.

By the time she finished, one thing was clear... she now held sixty percent of the profits from the awakening potion business.

Lana stood there, completely stunned.

Then she shook her head, letting out a helpless laugh.

"You’re such a dumb dumb," she muttered softly. "What if I leave you one day and run off with someone else?"

Her tone was light, teasing. But Lucian fell silent for a moment. Then...

"I’d personally bless that man," he said calmly.

Lana laughed, taking it as a joke.

But in the shadows, Mr. Crow’s eyes darkened slightly.

’Bless...?’ he scoffed internally. ’He means he’d kill him.’

To Lucian, that would indeed count as a blessing.

By the time Lana returned to the mansion and stepped into her room, her mind was still spinning from everything.

Just as she was about to sit down...

Lucian’s voice echoed one last time, softer now, fading slightly.

"My energy is running low... I’ll end the transmission here."

"Next time," Lucian’s voice returned faintly, softer now as if carried by a thinning thread, "I’ll try to communicate like this more often."

Lana immediately misunderstood thinking a lot of his energy was spent, her brows knitting together as concern flashed across her face.

"No need," she replied quickly, shaking her head. "If it takes that much energy, don’t bother. I’ll just call you directly."

There was a brief pause on the other end, as if he had been caught off guard.

"...Alright," Lucian murmured.

And then...the connection cut off.

Lana stared at the ceiling for a moment, her fingers unconsciously brushing against the ring on her hand.

A slow smile crept onto her lips, warmth blooming in her chest.

Then, without warning, she turned and reached out...grabbing Mr. Crow by the neck.

"Hey!" Mr. Crow squawked, his wings flapping wildly.

"What are you doing?! Are you strangling me now that you’ve found yourself a better man?!"

Lana burst into laughter, the sound light and unrestrained.

"What nonsense are you even saying?" she teased, tightening her hold just slightly. "I’m just... checking something."

’Is this real... or am I dreaming...?’

With that thought, she pinched him. Hard.

Mr. Crow went completely still for a second, utterly speechless.

"...If you pinch any harder," he muttered darkly, "my soul will have to leave my body!"

He slapped her hand away with his wing, glaring at her.

"What’s so great about this anyway?" he huffed.

Lana tilted her head, her expression softening as she looked at him.

"You know..." she began slowly, her voice quieter now, "there was a time when I thought... if I ever got a second chance at life, I wouldn’t want to live it again."

She paused, her fingers curling slightly.

"But now..." A small, genuine smile appeared on her lips. "I’m glad I was given that second chance."

Mr. Crow stilled.

"I get to live with someone I truly love," she continued, her voice carrying a warmth that hadn’t been there before.

For a fleeting moment, something shifted in Mr. Crow’s eyes.

A trace of sorrow. And softness. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

’So... it’s come to this...’ he thought quietly. ’I’ll have to share her now...’

But at the same time, there was relief. ’At least... she’s finally happy.’

Lana didn’t notice his expression and kept going, her tone turning brighter.

"I’ve met amazing people... achieved things I couldn’t in my past life... everything just feels... good."

"Pa! Pa!" Mr. Crow suddenly interrupted, flapping his wings in alarm. "Don’t say things like that! You’ll jinx it!"

Lana blinked and then burst out laughing again.

"You’re so old-fashioned," she said, pulling him into a tight hug. "But also... kind of adorable."

"Leave me!" Mr. Crow shrieked, struggling. "I’m suffocating! Let go of me!"

But Lana only hugged him tighter, rolling slightly as she laughed.

"If I die like this," Mr. Crow wheezed dramatically, "I’ll haunt you in my soul form!"

"Alright, alright," Lana replied between laughs. "I’ll wait for you."