Chapter 295: What Do We Do Now?

Everything inside Lukas wanted him to storm straight to the Fated Brotherhood, wherever they were, and tear them apart piece by piece.

But the rational part of his mind knew it was a lost cause.

First, he had no idea where to find their main hideout, or even a single isolated cell, and according to what Morgana had told him, the Le Fay forces were already carrying out an operation on the Brotherhood cells they’d discovered, including some members of their middle management.

He’d wanted to go along with the strike teams, but he couldn’t leave Melody and Akira alone at this point in time.

He sat in a wooden chair, staring at the sleeping Melody in front of him. They were currently back in Salaria, resting in a quiet room at Lotus Hall.

Melody stirred on the bed, her eyelids fluttering open. Lukas rose from his seat and gently helped her sit up against the pillows.

"Water," she whispered, her throat dry.

Lukas poured a cup from the pitcher on the table and handed it to her. She drank it down slowly, draining the cup before letting him set it aside.

"How are you feeling?" Lukas asked softly.

"Better," Melody said quietly.

Her eyes were slightly red, the grief still clear on her face. They were both hurting over Akira’s death, the loss impossible to ignore, like an open wound.

Melody looked up at him, her hands clutching the blanket. "What are we going to do now?"

Lukas didn’t need to ask what she was talking about.

"We have to wait and see what options Morgana can free up for us," Lukas said. "She gave her word that she’d look into every method to bring Akira back, and the Le Fay family has resources across the higher floors."

Melody looked down at the sheets, her brow furrowed with concern. "Morgana’s help... it feels like it’ll come with a price. Big families never give things away for free."

"I know, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t accept her help." Lukas placed a hand over hers, slowly soothing her fears. "Besides, she hasn’t asked for anything, Melody. She stepped in when we needed it, and her healers saved your life."

"She hasn’t asked yet," Melody said, looking into his eyes. "That doesn’t mean she won’t ask later."

Lukas squeezed her hand. "Whatever the price is, I’m willing to pay it. It’s Akira we need help for, and nothing else matters right now."

Melody let out a long sigh, getting teary-eyed as she nodded in agreement. "You’re right. We’ll do whatever it takes to bring Akira back."

Lukas leaned forward and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a long hug.

As he held her, his mind drifted back to his system.

When everything had been settled back in the Crystal Caves and they’d returned to safety, he’d pulled up his status screen to check his balance.

He’d had 1,600 Gacha Points sitting in his account. In a desperate bid to find anything that could help save Akira, he’d debated between rolling for a skill or an [Item]. He’d finally settled on pulling a skill, spending 1,000 Gacha Points on the banner.

The slot machine had spun and stopped on a single star.

All he’d gotten was a one-star cooking skill called [Chef’s Special]. The skill allowed him to prepare a dish tailored specifically to the current situation, generating a small custom buff for anyone who ate it.

It was a useful utility skill for everyday life, but it couldn’t bring someone back from the dead.

Now, all he had left was 600 points. If he had more, he’d have tried his luck on the [Item] banner to see if a healing artifact or revival tool would appear. But there was no way to pick and choose his quests, and he couldn’t force the system to give him tasks.

He could only wait for it to assign a new objective, and so far, the interface had stayed completely quiet.

A firm knock sounded against the wooden door.

Lukas pulled back from Melody and turned to the door.

"Come in," he called out.

The door swung open, and Baldwin stepped into the room, dressed in his dark armor. The large guard gave a respectful nod to both of them.

"Sir Lukas, Mrs. Melody," Baldwin said, his deep voice filling the room. "Lady Morgana requests your presence in the study right away."

"Alright." Lukas nodded.

Then he held Melody’s hand and helped her stand up from the bed.

The healers had fixed her fatal injuries, leaving her physical body completely whole, but the process had taken a massive toll on her stamina.

She was still weak, her legs slightly shaky as she found her balance on the floor. Lukas kept his arm around her waist to steady her steps.

"I’m okay," she said softly, squeezing his arm. "I just need a moment to get my feet under me."

They stepped out of the bedroom and followed Baldwin through the quiet corridors of Lotus Hall.

The large guard walked ahead with measured strides, his armor clinking softly. After taking several turns through the wide hallways, they arrived before a familiar door.

Baldwin raised a gauntleted hand and knocked twice.

"Enter," Morgana’s clear voice came from inside.

Baldwin pushed the door open and stepped aside, letting them through.

Morgana sat behind her large wooden desk, files neatly stacked to one side. Baldwin followed them in and took his regular post directly behind her chair, resting a hand on his belt.

Lukas guided Melody to the two padded chairs in front of the desk, and they both sat down.

Morgana looked at them across the table, her gaze softening.

"How are you two holding up?" She asked, her tone showing genuine concern. "I know what you went through in the caves wasn’t easy."

"We’re managing," Lukas answered. "Melody is back on her feet, and we’re ready to hear what you have to say."

Morgana nodded, folding her hands over the desk as she dove straight to the point.

"The Le Fay family has methods to bring people back from the dead," she acknowledged. "But I won’t lie to you. Most of those methods are locked away behind family elders and approvals. They aren’t accessible to me right now."

Lukas tightened his grip on his armrest.

"However," Morgana continued, meeting Lukas’s eyes without blinking, "I am still a core daughter of this house. I spent the morning pulling every favor and connection I hold in Salaria. I found a way to bring Akira back."