Chapter 82 - 82 - Family

As the elevator doors opened up, the young, and overzealous young guard's elder peer stood in front of them. His face, revealing a wry look as he stood straight, escorting a young man dressed in an expensive-looking dark gray suit.

Standing 5' 6", this pale-looking man has a prejudiced feel about him. He has a wide face with a cleft chin, a small, pointy nose, and matching, small lips. His hazel eyes are prominent. His mid-back length, fine golden blond hair that drooped over his shoulders were unconventionally styled, leaving the front bangs to droop over his right eye, whilst the rest of his mane was combed neatly towards the back of his head.

A pair of expensive jewelry, a set of gold earrings could be seen hanging from both of his earlobes. He has short arms, a slender torso with a well-defined waist, spindly legs, and wide feet.

A sharp object, a dagger, or perhaps a sword has left its mark stretching from just under his right eye, running towards the left side of his lips and ending on his left nostril left a lasting punishment of his years of arduous training.

Despite today's technology and advancement in science, it's perplexing to see that such a handsome-looking young man would willingly leave such a nasty reminder, and willingly ruin his chances with the fairer sex. 

As the metal frame gave way towards both sides to switch places, the blond young man only gave a fleeting glance at Lucien before giving a slight nod towards Sera. At the same time, the guard seemed to truly be acting as his escort, leading the way first and taking his way at the side. 

Ignoring the unknown brat, the Young Master spoke as soon as she seemed to take note of his presence. 

"Leader Sera, I'm glad to see you return after two long weeks of absence. Have you accomplished what you set out to do?" His tone was crisp, polite, and well-refined as he spoke.

Listening to him, Sera simply nodded, revealing a displeased frown noticing how he ignored the Young Lord. Yet before he could speak up about the matter, he felt Lucien's hand gently reaching for her back, gently caressing her and reminding her that she needn't speak up. 

His earlier words, that he would make his presence known to the entire sect rang inside her head once again, as she forced a similar, polite smile on her face, nodding at her.

"Yes, I did, thanks for asking… ehrm…" She revealed an expression of not remembering who he was, making the young master's presence all the more awkward. 

"C-Core Disciple E-Ethan, Ethan Griffith Leader Sera." He bowed, introducing himself after a moment of hesitation. I am High Elder Hawthorne's Direct Disciple. He continued, revealing a crucial piece of information with his next sentence.

Hearing it, Lucien couldn't help but smirk for a moment before he forced the neutral, insipid expression back on his face. Yet, regrettably, Ethan caught it, making him turn his attention to the slightly younger, teenage boy at Sera's side. 

"Do you have anything to say, brat?! Is there something funny?" He harrumphed with an offended, haughty look, before snorting and adding more. "What does such a nobody like you even doing inside? Did you sneak in?" 

He then turned to Sera, revealing another one of his theatrical-looking smiles whilst he gave a deeper-then-before bow.

"Leader Sera, you needn't waste your precious time on such a waste. I will call for the guards to have him escorted out and given a beating lest a worm like him would forget his place!"

Sera was already trembling with all the repressed rage and anger. Small droplets of blood began to gather at her tightly clenched fists. Yet, ultimately she managed to not show it on her expression, only showing a colder expression than before.

This made Ethan think that she was indeed annoyed by being forced to take such a nobody out of the premises and that she perhaps was mad at the lack of awareness of the security.

Not wanting to miss a beat, he immediately offered a few words, hoping to get into the Sect Leader's goodwill and taking a step towards his 'rightful' place beside her.

"Leader, rest assured, I will personally investigate the lack of security, and they give you a satisfying response as soon as possible!" He spoke, giving a cold glance over the forced escort, the Security Guard that he took as his own personal aide before continuing. "I will make sure that all those that are unfit for their roles will be dismissed. Also, if I may… It may be good training for the outer disciples to have them involved in these matters. They are much more reliable than these… mortals, leader!"

Satisfied with his own words, he flashed a bright smile, masking the smug expression that he was donning on the inside. 

Finally, as the boy turned silent, and she was given a chance to speak for the first time since their meeting, she raised her right palm as she began to answer and shook her head.

"There is no need for any of that, young man. Also, I would advise you to not act before you have pertained all the necessary information, lest you would offend people, that you can't afford to." She spoke, her voice was cold, emotionless, rigid, surprising, and slightly shocking Ethan, who as he listened to her, couldn't understand what was that seemingly displeased the leader. 

He glanced over the young, black-haired boy once again as if maybe, he was more than just a vagrant… However, he quickly ignored the thought, that couldn't be the case.

Then, his mind wandered back to the fact that there indeed may have been a breach of security, but perhaps, there was more to the matter than what seemed at first glance. Deciding to investigate the matter later, he made a mental note to speak with his master about it. 

In the end, he nodded, whilst giving a clearly fake-looking apologetic bow towards the blond mature woman. 

"Yes, Leader. I apologize for speaking up without understanding the circumstances. Rest assured I will investigate the matter thoroughly before taking any actions." 

Then he turned around and stepped inside the elevator. 

"If you'll excuse my lack of manners, but I am already late from a meeting with my Master. Leader Sera, if you'll grant me the opportunity, I would like to meet with you tomorrow, and hope to discuss some of the concerns I have had lately in my cultivation?"

He cupped his fists, as he bowed, giving an even more theatrical display of his respectful display of manners.

Though his words irked Sera to no end and really wanted to reveal the fact that his 'so-called' meeting with his master would be put on an indefinite hiatus, due to the continued signals he received from the silent Lucien by her side, she decided against it.

In the end, she simply nodded, giving only a curt hum in response before she turned around and alighted away with Lucien silently following behind her, leaving a stupefied and perplexed Young Ethan behind.

Seeing as their figures slowly drifted away, his polite smile instantly twisted, contorting into a hideous, and lust-filled grin as he kept eying the receding slender back of the mature beauty.

'Act arrogantly as much as you like, b*tch. Sooner or later you will be shown your rightful place: moaning under me, being an obedient slave just as I like them…' He sneered inwardly, gleaming at their direction for a while longer before the calm, and aloof coldness returned to his face. 

Without even bothering to give him a look, he snorted, ordering the guard.

"Come on, I don't have all day. Bring me to the top floor, you filthy servant! Or would you like to be beaten as well?!"

—

Finally leaving the building, Lucien sighed with visible relief, as he gazed towards the sky. Although his time wasn't too long, and he did gain a substantial amount of benefits, he already could tell, that he didn't like the nasty attitude, cruelty, viciousness, and mostly, the unbridled arrogance of these people, that held some amount of strength that placed them above the masses, whilst also corrupting their mindset. They all, thinking that just because of their minuscule amount of power, were above the others and had the right to look down with pure disdain and contempt on those less fortunate.

He wanted nothing to do with such groups… sadly he was also aware that he couldn't just turn his back against Sera, and walk away. Though he was still reluctant to follow the role destiny has set for him obediently, he also didn't want to cause harm and misery to the person that showed nothing but kindness and love towards him. 

She, like the Lewis' family, was the only ones in Lucien's almost 18 years of life that he could feel happy about, that didn't want to hurt him. 

He already caused harm, and sorrow for the Lewis's but he would never let the same happen to this blonde angel, that was now officially his step-mother, his only family in this cruel world.

He would do anything he could to see her smiling.