Dragon's Awakening: The Duke's Son Is Changing The Plot-Chapter 57 - 56 - The Verification 1.

The next day.

The grand hall of the Vaise inner estate stood in regal silence like a beast of stone and power.

At the far end, beneath a rising skylight that bathed his obsidian throne in a sharp gleam, sat Argon Von Vaise—the Patriarch.

His long black hair shimmered like night oil, and his blood-red eyes locked on Raven, his expression unreadable.

But then, feeling a gaze on him, he turned to a dark corner of the hall and saw a pair of red eyes staring at him.

It was Crisaius, and he was hiding in a corner since he hadn’t officially returned to the family.

’—you promised!’

He lip-synced while pointing at Raven, standing in the center of the hall with his group.

Argon’s brows twitched, and his jaws clenched. He was trying his best not to frown, but he knew it would be impossible if he kept looking at the Old Man.

So, he turned away, despite continuously feeling his gaze.

To his left was Mariane Ros Vaise, the Matriarch of the Ros Vaise branch family.

She watched the group of children with a strange expression, especially Raven.

’He... feels different.’

She didn’t know how, but today, when she was finally looking at the child who was talked about the most in their family, she felt strange.

He felt mature—more than his age.

But then, her gaze paused on Rufus, her youngest son.

Her red-black hair caught the light, giving her a molten silhouette, her face as composed as ever—but that extra heartbeat she took on him? That was all the worry she dared show.

After all, as the Matriarch, she couldn’t let people know that no matter what happened, she was planning on helping the group move past this hurdle without a problem.

Then there was Joseph Wal Vaise, sitting on Argon’s left. He was stoic and sharp in posture, his eyes like frosted sapphire, barely moving.

His gaze swept over the children lined up before the thrones, stopping on Jessy, his youngest and most brilliant.

She was calm and composed.

’As expected of my child,’ he thought with pride, but his expression didn’t show it.

Instead, his hands, hidden in the folds of his sleeves, were tight enough to blanch his knuckles as he knew she must be panicking inwardly.

’Don’t worry, child. Father won’t let you guys get in trouble.’

Argon, Mariane, and Joseph remained alert, not wanting each other to understand their feelings, unaware that they were thinking of doing the same thing.

...................................

Down on the carpet, standing together like misfit dominoes, was Raven’s group.

After all, they were the accused.

However, unlike the tension in the hall, they seemed pretty relaxed.

"You really think she’s a Vaise?" Clara asked quietly, arms folded, a brow raised with casual suspicion.

That question was for Raven, but the one who replied wasn’t him.

Or more like, before he could reply, someone else did.

"Who knows?" Alex replied, eyes darting around the hall like he expected dragons to drop from the ceiling. "But if she is—dude, we’re heroes. Imagine what things we could get! Land, money, authority—maybe even a divine chicken!"

Clara closed her eyes, sighing while pinching the bridge of her nose. "Stop talking before I kill you. That wasn’t a question for you."

Alex trembled, hearing Clara’s words, while Jake, as always, stood still and silent, watching everything.

Rufus muttered, "From what we know, she is... feral, right? Will she even cooperate with the verification?"

All eyes, including Jessy’s, who had a similar question in mind, turned toward the only person who had seen Siris.

Raven, however, frowned at Rufus. "Am I an oracle?"

Rufus lowered his head, confused at the sudden irritation in Raven’s tone. "...no."

’Phew...’ Raven, looking at Raven, sighed inwardly, his nerves calming down. ’Bullying him always works.’

Then, he turned toward Clara, his expression serious. "She’s a Vaise."

He said yes.

That was all he said.

But it was enough.

Clara just nodded. Jessy accepted it without hesitation. Even Rufus and Jake gave slight, nearly imperceptible signs of agreement.

Alex clapped once. "I knew it! We’re going to be rich—no, legendary! They’ll name a festival after us. The Alex Festival—"

"You must be itching to meet your end," Clara muttered at Alex’s outburst.

"...what did I even do?" Alex whispered. His mouth, however, was shut now.

Raven allowed himself a small smile.

He didn’t need to worry about anything.

Although Siris was artificially made by using the blood of different beings, the Vaise blood was the most prominent one, so there shouldn’t be any problem.

’Wait—! Did I red flag it again?’

Before he could think deeply about it—

Argon nodded.

The motion was small.

Barely there.

But the guard by the massive doors caught it instantly.

He raised a hand, and the gates opened.

Two guards in full ceremonial armor stepped through the archway, their spears gleaming with etched symbols of dragon bone.

Between them walked a girl.

She didn’t stumble or hesitate.

She walked forward, black hair trailing behind like a shadow untethered, her icy blue eyes cold and unreadable.

Silence rippled through the room like a skipped heartbeat.

The elders leaned in, whispering behind gnarled hands.

"That hair—"

"Looks like a Vaise."

"But blue eyes—"

"Could be mixed blood—"

"That aura..."

Raven’s smile, however, disappeared.

’What the...’

He stared at Siris.

He stared some more.

But still, he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

’Is it her?’

If someone were to ask him that question, his answer would be no.

She wasn’t Siris.

Or at least—that wasn’t the Siris he knew.

This girl was calm and controlled, not the blade-happy berserker who would kill anyone if they stepped into her attack range.

Her hands weren’t clenched.

Her shoulders weren’t tensed.

Her eyes weren’t searching for a target.

She was just... walking. It was as if she didn’t think the people here were enemies.

’What the hell happened to her?!’

Before he could process further, a sharp pinch shot through his waist.

"—Ow?!"

He turned, only to find Clara casually withdrawing her hand, eyes forward, lips tight.

"What was that for?"

"Nothing," she muttered, her voice like crushed velvet and daggers. "Just felt like it."

He blinked. "You—wait. Are you jealous?!"

"Of her?" She scoffed. "No. I’m just irritated recalling how you risked so much for another girl."

"Same difference—"

"Do you want another pinch?"

He shut up.

Inwardly, however, he was crying.

’We aren’t even dating yet...’

Sighing, he turned back to Siris, again wondering why she had changed this much, but finally, he couldn’t think of anything.

’Maybe it is also because of the already-deviating plot,’ he concluded, shrugging.

When he looked at Siris with his Fate Eyes, she was still glowing with an indigo color, so not much must’ve changed, right?

Only time would tell.

Right now, he and his team waited with their breaths paused as Siris was led toward them.

Siris was looking at the floor, meaning she couldn’t see them, but they could.

"Man, why am I feeling scared?" Alex muttered, scratching his head, but his body, like others, remained tense.

Siris looked harmless, but they could never be sure, so they were ready for everything—

—Or at least they thought they were.

Because what happened next made them speechless and numbed their brains.

Siris looked up, glancing at them all before she saw Raven.

She paused.

Her eyes widened.

But before anyone could understand the reason behind that shift in expression, a light smile bloomed on her cold face as her lips parted.

"...husband," she whispered, and the temperature in the hall dropped, as did a certain old man standing in a shadowy corner, observing everything.