Edric's gaze snapped back to him, instantly more alert.
Lucien let out a low chuckle, lifting both hands slightly in a casual gesture.
“I’m serious,” he said, easing his tone to sound convincing. “I came across something that can help purify Corruption, and you were the first person I thought of.” His eyes held steady on Edric’s, a faint smile lingering. “Of course, I’ll need a contract. Just to make sure not a single word about this leaves your mouth.”
The contract he meant was one overseen by the Lady of Order, one of the three mandatory faiths in the Asterian Empire. She held authority over contracts, and the consequences for breaking one could be severe enough to kill.
If he wanted people to believe he could actually cure them, then borrowing the authority of a god was the easiest way to sell it!
That said, it's not without its downsides, Lucien reminded himself.
For starters, contracts weren't equally effective on everyone. For races aligned against the Lady of Order, the enforcement weakened. In his case, as a half-Inferni, that meant the punishment for breaking a contract would only be about half as severe. Most people wouldn't even trust him enough to make a contract the instant they saw his eyes.
Edric, however, was different. They had known each other for nearly a decade and had built a certain level of trust. He was a devoted father who cared deeply for his daughter, in much the same way Lucien's mother had cared for him. And Lucien knew Edric had been falling apart because of her. His daughter, someone Lucien also familiar with, had a Corruption level that was already nearing a fatal threshold.
After the Eclipse, when it came to high-risk contracts, the Lady of Order was still strangely reliable. The only downside is that before the Eclipse, any violation, no matter how small, would trigger punishment instantly. Now, there could be a delay.
The miracles granted by the Lady of Order had weakened, though. Abilities like Restore Order, Structural Permanence, and Crystallize weren't as effective as they used to be. Contracts, for some reason, were the exception.
Feels like a divine loophole made just for me… Thanks, Lady!
"Th—" Edric faltered, then shook his head and stepped aside, giving Lucien space to enter. “Come in first. If what you’re saying is true… I can offer you as many Weaver Instruments as you want.”
Lucien didn’t comment on that, simply stepping past him and into the shop, his gaze sweeping the dim interior before following Edric toward a narrow staircase leading upstairs.
The room above was modest but clearly lived-in. A worn green sofa rested against one wall, with two mismatched armchairs facing a stone fireplace. Between them sat a low table, its surface marked by overlapping tea stains of different sizes. An oil lamp hung from a ceiling hook, its flame steady, recently trimmed. Bookshelves lined the walls, filled with manuals, loose notes, and small scattered items that hinted at both trade and habit.
Lucien took a quiet breath.
“…I’ve been to your shop plenty of times,” he said, his tone curious as he stepped further in, “but never up here.” His nose wrinkled slightly as he caught the scent in the air. “That herbal smell… Seren made it?”
Edric gave a short nod, already moving toward the seating area.
“She’s an alchemist, after all.” He gestured toward the chairs. “Sit wherever you want.”
Lucien huffed softly as he moved to take a seat.
“Don’t mind if I do.”
Lucien dropped into one of the armchairs, settling back with a quiet exhale, one leg stretching out slightly as he made himself comfortable.
“Wait here. I’ll get the papers and call Seren.”
Lucien gave a small wave in response, not bothering to reply. He sat in silence after that, gaze idly drifting across the room, his mind deliberately blank for once.
It didn’t take long.
Footsteps sounded on the stairs, and Edric returned with a woman walking beside him.
Lucien’s eyes lifted, studying her without being too obvious about it.
She stood around five foot seven, with an athletic build that leaned toward her legs—something that made sense, considering her work. Her features were soft but tired, dark eyes slightly dulled by faint circles beneath them. Her hair, a deep brown that almost looked black in this light, fell loosely down her back, and her clothes were simple and practical, marked with the faint residue of herbs and powder.
Up close, though, her skin carried a slight pallor, veins faintly visible along her wrists and neck, and even her nails looked sharper than they should’ve been.
And beneath it all.
…Her Corruption is around thirty percent.
He straightened slightly in his seat, resting an arm along the chair as his attention returned fully to them, his earlier ease giving way to something more focused.
Seren noticed his presence immediately.
Lucien gave her a small smile in greeting, but instead of returning it, she lowered her gaze, fingers tightening slightly in her lap. It wasn’t the reaction of someone flustered—it felt closer to quiet embarrassment, like she didn’t want to be seen like this.
The two of them moved to the seating area and sat across from him. Edric placed a few sheets of paper and a quill on the table, the faint scrape of parchment against wood breaking the silence.
"You can probably tell what stage she's at just by looking at her," Edric said, his voice tight. It clearly hurt him to admit it. "She was exposed to a lot of miasma during her investigation to the outer wall a few days ago. The crystal threads we had couldn't reduce the corruption. If we just wait, she'll reach a point where she can't be cured. She's close to, or already in, Stage 1-C. Maybe a few weeks away from Stage 2."
Lucien didn’t interrupt, his expression steady as he listened.
Stage 1-C covered those with Corruption levels between thirty-one and forty-nine percent. The physical signs were already visible. Darkened veins, ashen skin, and the beginnings of claw-like fingernails. The symptoms were worse with constant severe headaches, extreme fatigue, violent mood swings, insomnia, and either a loss of appetite or uncontrollable hunger. The symptoms seemed to be mild for Seren at the moment.
At Stage 2, it got much worse. The nervous system started breaking down, behavior narrowed into rigid patterns, and at that point, most people were ordered to be executed.
"I've looked everywhere for faster options or anything with a reasonable chance," Edric continued, leaning forward slightly, his hands braced against his knees as he stared at Lucien. "But everything either has too many risks, takes too long, or gets you killed by Corruption or the Hollow. You said you have a solution?"