Ally or Threat?

Chapter 10: Ally or Threat?

After Luca’s words, both Camille and Selena were shocked. They didn’t know what to say. Camille’s hands trembled slightly, but she tried not to show it. Selena pressed her wet lips together and looked into Luca’s determined eyes. Luca was incredibly intelligent and aware of the danger. No one had expected him to make such a decision.

"Right now, each of us must search for information with all our might and uncover Magnus’ secrets. But I am under house arrest, and in this situation, I am of no use to you. I’m good at living in the shadows, I’m good at tracking, but to use these skills, I need to be able to move freely," Luca said with a confident tone.

"If I suddenly appear at the laboratory as Camille’s assistant, everyone would be surprised. That would draw unwanted attention, and we don’t want that. So, here’s what we’ll do: Eon Industries, your father’s company, is looking for new and young scientists. I’ll take advantage of this opportunity, apply for the interview, and if I pass the test, I can start working as an intern alongside you. That way, no one will question it."

Camille scrutinized Luca carefully. His words were precise, logical, but there was a hidden rage within them. She could feel Luca’s hatred for Magnus, yet despite that hatred, his composure fascinated her.

"But how will you learn all this in such a short time? You need at least four years of school and practical experience. You can’t just handle that in such a brief period," Selena said, her voice full of doubt. But a faint smile appeared on Camille’s lips. Her eyes locked onto Luca’s.

For the first time in a long while, she looked at him with love.

"Since the day Camille saved me during the Rare massacre, I’ve been studying her work, her research, her tests, and her experiments. Every time Camille came home and started working, I sat beside her and took notes on everything she said. With the equipment at home, I gained as much hands-on experience as possible. In other words, throughout my entire house arrest, I’ve been preparing for this moment," Luca said, his voice as calm as ever. Camille and Selena were both stunned. No one could have predicted his foresight.

It was an awe-inspiring conversation.

Camille quickly gathered herself and placed that smile back on her face. But this time, it wasn’t a forced smile. She was both proud and hopeful for the future. Even Selena found the plan reasonable. They agreed, but Luca had more in mind than just joining the laboratory.

At that moment, no one realized it.

The next day, Camille and Selena left for work at their usual time, while Luca set off a few hours later to make the plan seem more realistic.

When Camille and Selena arrived at work, Sarah had yet to come. When the starting hour arrived, Sarah rushed inside, greeted Camille and Selena, and went to put on her lab coat. Camille and Selena, despite their suspicions about Sarah, tried to act normal—but it was harder than they had expected.

As the day went on, Sarah began to notice something was off. She was expecting an explanation, but none came.

"Girls, what’s going on? Why are you acting so strange today?" Sarah asked, her voice tired and frustrated.

"Camille and I stayed up past midnight and forgot to sleep. That’s why we’re both exhausted," Selena quickly came up with an excuse.

"Why didn’t you call me? I’m a little hurt," Sarah said, lowering her head. It was clear she was genuinely upset.

"We didn’t plan on it. Originally, we were just going to have a small meal and call it a night, but as we started talking about everything that’s been happening lately, Selena got scared to go home. So she stayed in my room. Besides, my father didn’t come home all night anyway, so it wasn’t an issue," Camille added, continuing Selena’s lie. The innocent girl was slowly adapting to the darkness of the city.

At that moment, Luca was approaching the laboratory. As he reached the surroundings of the lab buildings, he took a deep breath and looked up at the sky. The air was gray, and the ash-colored walls of Eon Industries looked like an extension of the sky itself.

The fluorescent lights provided dim illumination, creating a dull atmosphere inside the laboratory. The faintly sharp scent of chemicals burned his nostrils as the echoing footsteps in the silence heightened the tension. Luca stepped carefully with every move.

When he entered the lab, Camille noticed him. The thought of Luca taking the interview made Camille extremely anxious. Everything was now in Luca’s hands. The entire burden had suddenly been placed on his shoulders.

Luca had to pass three different tests to become an intern: Responsibility, Knowledge, and Practical Application. Since the Responsibility and Knowledge tests were theoretical, he handled them easily. However, the Practical test could be problematic since he hadn’t gained much hands-on experience at home.

Just as the Practical test was about to begin, a tall, burly, elderly man caught his attention. His icy gaze scrutinized Luca. Then, the laboratory door swung open, and the man walked in.

"Hello, kid. I’m Aldric Veil. I’ll be observing and supervising you today. I was also a colonel in the past."

As he said this, Aldric Veil suddenly burst into laughter. But his laughter was cold and menacing.

"So, kid, what’s your goal? What are you planning?" His voice turned serious in an instant.

"You’re a Rare, aren’t you?" Aldric’s voice was quiet but carried a dangerous undertone. "I can recognize a Rare from the way they move their eyes, from the way they breathe. When a Rare enters a room, they often scan their surroundings. It’s a habit you developed out of fear of being poisoned. You control your breathing when you inhale. So don’t bother lying to me. I know you better than you know yourself."

"WHAT IS YOUR GOAL?"

Luca wasn’t prepared for this. For the first time in his life, he felt completely cornered. He had nothing to say.

"I see anger in your eyes, kid, but it’s not hatred. You want revenge, don’t you? You want revenge on those nobles and Magnus who killed your family," Aldric Veil said. At that moment, Luca jumped in.

"No, I don’t want people to die in vain. Not all nobles are evil. At first, I thought so, but I learned that was wrong. There are people like Camille. People with small hearts who take on great responsibilities. People who try to save and make everyone happy despite their own suffering. But IF YOU TRY TO SAVE EVERYONE, YOU WON’T SAVE YOURSELF OR ANYONE ELSE," Luca said, his words clearly an attempt to prove himself.

Aldric Veil fell silent. He stared at Luca for a long time. He paced the room before slamming his hand on the table.

"I like you, kid. You seem strong. There is a fierce fire of justice burning in your heart, and as long as that fire doesn’t turn into the flames of revenge that will consume you and those around you, I’ll have your back. But if it does, I’ll kill you with my own hands. I don’t fully understand your plan yet, but I will." Aldric Veil started laughing and continued, "Or you’ll become so desperate that you’ll come to me for help."

Luca was uneasy, but Aldric Veil had let him go. Was he trying to lure Luca into a trap? Just as Luca was lost in deep thought—

"YOU PASSED, KID! FROM NOW ON, YOU’RE AN INTERN UNDER CAMILLE EVERHARDT!" Aldric suddenly shouted. "Alright, my job as a supervisor is done. Now get out of my sight. I need to go drink some water—I’m parched from all this shouting."

Luca couldn’t make sense of what had just happened. Aldric Veil was the strangest man he had ever met. He could either be Luca’s greatest ally—or the one who would kill him. Aldric Veil was both THE GREATEST ALLY AND THE GREATEST THREAT to Luca.