Lyra and Edric now visit Eris Lorne
They arrive at the temporary residence assigned to Eris Lorne—a high-rise fully AI-supervised complex built for prominent figures who require security and privacy. The air is sterile, too perfect, too controlled, yet there is an undeniable weight pressing against them the moment they step inside.
Eris greets them with distant politeness.
She looks composed, immaculate even, but something in her eyes is hollow. There is no grief on her face, no open mourning, yet Lyra sees it clearly—the way her fingers twitch as she held a glass, the stiffness in her shoulders, the unnatural stillness of someone holding back an ocean of emotion.
Unfortunately, they didn't have time for pleasantries.
Edric is direct. "Tell us about Rourke."
Eris's expression didn't change, but the faintest flicker of something passed through her eyes. Guarded.
"Why?" she asks, setting down her glass.
"Victor Hale believed he was killing for your sake. And Rourke—an elite—was caught completely off guard. We need to understand the full picture."
Edric declares, his tone calm but firm.
Eris exhales softly. "You've seen the reports. You know how he died."
"We want to know how he lived," Lyra counters.
A heavy silence settles. Eris's eyes meet hers, searching, weighing. Then, slowly, she sits down, gesturing for them to do the same.
She hesitates at first as if debating whether to speak at all. But Lyra and Edric didn't push. They let the silence stretch, filling the space between them with quiet patience.
Finally, Eris speaks.
"Lucian Rourke was a great man. A man who should have lived here more than anyone else."
She glances at Edric. "You wouldn't understand what that means, would you?"
Edric with stern and firm composure answers, "Enlighten me."
Eris lets out a breath. "He came from a war zone. He was born in a place where death was a daily occurrence, where life was nothing but a struggle. But unlike most, he didn't let it rot him. He didn't let the horrors turn him into a monster."
Lyra listens intently, her gaze never leaving Eris's face.
Seeing Lyra and Edric's full attention and silent urging to continue, Eris explains.
"He was better than this world. Better than the cruelty, the selfishness, the blind ignorance. He fought to survive, yes, but not for power, not for greed. He fought because he wanted to believe that there is a better place to live and not just survive. He wanted to believe that here is that place. and I...I let him down"
Eris's voice wavers as she finishes.
A bitter smile on her lips. "But now he's dead. All because I convinced him to give this place a chance to be the place that he longs for..."
Eris pauses trying to compose herself and stop her voice from shaking,
"It's ironic how Lucian listened to my plea to stay because he is worried about my safety. And yet because I'm a celebrity, I can't help but attract those who idolize me to the point that they don't want to see what makes them uncomfortable, a person who's closer to their idol than them."
Edric watches her carefully.
"It's clear how you cherish Lucian Rourke so I'll get straight to the point. That adoration led to his murder. That's what we got from hearing you out. But I'm afraid that's not enough information. So I have to ask you what do you know about Victor Hale? about his obsession? about Lucian Rourke's background that he might have shared? Your answers would help answer the question that Rourke's death brought about."
Lyra sees that Eris flinches when she hears Edric's question.
"You can take your time to answer. We'll wait. In the meantime, would you mind if I tell you a story too?"
Lyra tries a different tactic, she has to gain Eris's sympathy so she can let her guard down enough for them to access crucial information.
She feels too cornered. I have to try something else or else she'll just close up and we'll lose any lead.
Eris nods, confused about why Lyra suddenly wants to tell her a story. But Eris wants some time to think so she gestures to Lyra to continue.
"You see, I am from the war zone too. The same goes for Edric. So we know how harsh it is to live there compared to here."
Lyra looks Eris in the eyes and adds,
"I was only ten when I killed for the first time. There was another person with me so I had no choice but to kill my way out to survive. Even after all these years, I keep thinking that if I wasn't born in this world then perhaps I didn't have to go through such sorrow and guilt. But, you know I still live on. Even now when things seems too good for comfort I find myself thinking about the mission I've been through, the cold, the hunger, the pain, the shouts, and the death..."
Lyra pauses to let her statement have weight and let the moment of silence bring worth contemplation of her words,
"What I want to say is that I become more alert towards life-threatening matters. So, with Lucian's case, I can't help but wonder if he did find this place to be the place he longed for, the place worth laying his worries to rest. Enough that he totally lets his guard down."
Lyra smiles at Eris as she explains her thoughts.
Eris hearing that Lucian might have deemed her place, no, their place secure breaks her.
A sharp inhale, then a choke sob. Tears well up, spilling over, as if those simple words have ripped open something raw and unbearable inside them.
"This is Lucian's home Eris. You made this place his home that much is true," Lyra declares.
Eris covers her face with shaking hands, shoulders trembling with barely restrained sobs.
Edric remains silent.
Outwardly, he is a picture of indifference. Cool. Stoic. Detached.
But internally, he is utterly unprepared for this reaction.
He is a man of logic, of precision, of controlled outcomes. But emotions—especially this sudden, overwhelming storm of them—are unpredictable, chaotic. He doesn't know what to say, how to ease the witness's pain, or if he even should.
His eyes flicker to Lyra.
What is she planning? Why is she saying all this stuff?
"This is where he died, and for that, he deserves his story to be told. And you did what you could," Lyra continues, her voice unwavering. "No one can take that away from you."
Lyra sits beside Eris and lends her shoulder.
Eris lets herself fully cry on Lyra's shoulder. Her body shakes with silent, gasping sobs.
Edric lets the moment pass in silence, listening, watching, and still trying to understand why Lyra has to make Eris emotional.
Eris meets Edric's scrutinizing gaze directly as soon as she composes herself. "I'm an actress. I tell stories. And the story of Rourke is one I will make the world see. They will remember him. His life. His choices. And his death." Her fingers curl into a fist. "I'll make sure of it."
Eris tells her conviction to them so she won't forget about it.
"I don't know much about Victor Hale. He didn't matter to me. All I know is that in the past few weeks, I have felt and noticed someone's fervent gaze on me. I think Lucian noticed my unease and asked me if he could be my bodyguard, but you see Lucian is a fugitive so I was afraid that the authorities would capture him so I refused his help. Although whenever I'm busy with work and stuck in the studio, Lucain will take the package that's been delivered for me and I think that's when the stalker notices him and the rest you know."
Eris pauses with shaky breath.
"As for Lucian's background, all I know is that he's a fighter. He helped me when I was kidnapped and smuggled out of this city into the war zone. He risked his own life and freedom to ensure mine...and I was too afraid to pry anymore about his past because I was afraid that he'd find me annoying, worst yet, he might hate me..."
Edric frowns.
All that waiting and hearing such a vague reply...That's not helpful at all.
He mentally sighs.
"Did you notice if Lucian has any routine by chance?"
"Yes, he makes up around 4 am in the morning then trains, then makes breakfast at 6 am. And at night he has to double check the windows and doors before going to sleep. He also likes to take a bite of my bagels before I can eat it."
"Are you sure he sleeps?" Edric asks.
"Ah...yes. I know for sure he sleeps because he ah um sleeps with me and I hear him snore...I mean he sleeps in the same room with me but we sleep on separate beds!"
Eris blurts out, her face flush.
"I see." Lyra muses.
"Well then Eris, I think that's all we need to know. Thank you for your time." Lyra states while signaling Edric to follow along even though his face shows reluctance.
"Oh, wait a minute. I think I have something that might help you."
Eris tells Lyra and Edric to excuse her for a minute. She then goes to her room and retrieves a worn-out cheap notebook. She hands it to Lyra.
"Here, Lucian always has this on him. I'm not sure what it is, but I wanted something of his to keep with me..."
"Then are you sure you want to give this to us?" Lyra inquires with her eyebrows arched.
"No. I'm lending it to you with the promise that you'll give it back after checking it out. " Eris answers.
"Thank you. We'll give it back as soon as possible." Lyra responds with a gentle smile.
"Do you mind if I ask another question, Ms. Eris?" Edric remarks.
"Go ahead," Eris replies.
"What is your next course of action now Ms. Eris?"
Eris meets his gaze directly. "I'm an actress. I tell stories. And the story of Rourke is one I will make the world see. They will remember him. His life. His choices. And his death." Her fingers curl into a fist. "I'll make sure of it."
"His tale is quite a tragedy though." Edric comments.
Eris doesn't deny it. "People turn away from the dark side of humanity because it's easier to ignore it. But I won't let them. If being human means anything, then it must mean empathy, justice, mercy… and hope. And that is Lucian Rourke's story."
Edric stares at her, unsure whether to admire or challenge her conviction.
Lyra, however, simply nods.
"Then make them remember him."
After getting out of Eris's home, Lyra nonchalantly hands the notebook to Edric.
Edric takes the notebook and flips through it, his face unreadable.
"This is more than I expected. It's loaded with significant events, names, places, and resources..."
"Well, I just hope it was worth your patience from listening and waiting while I sympathize with Eris," Lyra with a calm and indifferent voice states. Yet her eyes betray a hint of triumph in it.
Edric only smiles in response.
****
The hum of the engine fills the silence as the armored vehicle carries them away from Eris Lorne's temporary residence. The city lights blur past the tinted windows, neon reflections streaking across the sleek interior. The weight of their conversation with Eris still lingers, a heavy presence between them.
Edric leans back against his seat, exhaling through his nose before turning his gaze toward Lyra beside him. George, sitting in the driver's seat, keeps quiet, his eyes flickering between them in the rearview mirror with mild interest.
Breaking the silence, Edric finally asks, "What do you think of Victor Hale?"
Lyra crosses her arms, deep in thought before answering. "His skill is… undeniable," she admits. "He honed himself through sheer dedication, spending endless hours in the virtual arenas, refining his reflexes and instincts. It's impressive. Terrifying, even."
Edric tilts his head slightly, intrigued. "But?"
Her expression darkens. "But he's a mad murderer. No amount of skill justifies what he did. He took a life without hesitation, without remorse, all for some twisted devotion. That kind of obsession is dangerous."
A beat of silence passes before she speaks again, quieter this time. "And yet… maybe I'm not so different."
His eyes sharpen at her words. "That's not true."
She scoffs, turning her gaze to the window. "Isn't it? I've killed before. Without hesitation. For a cause I believed in." with clenched fingers against her arm, she adds.
"If I were in his position, if I had convinced myself something was worth killing for… would I be any different from him?"
The young man shakes his head, his voice firm. "You're not like him. Victor Hale killed out of selfish, twisted obsession. You fought to survive."
The young woman turns to him, brow furrowed. "Does it matter? In the end, a life is still taken."
The young man stares at her, then exhales sharply. "You heard Eris. She said Lucian Rourke deserved to live here more than the citizens who drown themselves in empty pleasures, indifferent to the suffering outside these walls." His voice grows colder. "Do you really think Victor Hale belongs in the same category as Rourke, as you?"
She remains silent, processing his words.
"The problem," he continues, "isn't just people like Victor. It's that this entire system lets people like him exist in the first place. The AI gives them freedom, but they use that freedom to indulge in whatever validates them. They isolate themselves in their perfect worlds until reality doesn't matter anymore. Some become indifferent, others become desperate. And then you get people like Victor Hale."
George, still driving, let out a soft chuckle. "Hearing you talk, young master, makes it sound like you agree with Eris."
The young man narrows his eyes but doesn't deny it.
Lyra lets out a sigh, leaning back against her seat. "Maybe Eris is right," she admits.
"Maybe the people who deserve to be here aren't the ones who are. But there are also people like Marie. Innocent children who deserve a safe environment and hard-working people who are trying their best for that so-called 'freedom'."
Lyra comments with a hint of melancholy in her voice.
Edric at a loss as to what to say stays quiet.
The car continues its smooth journey through the city streets, their conversation leaving behind a silence that is not empty—but heavy with thought.
The night air is crisp, carrying the distant hum of the city's automated traffic and the occasional flicker of neon signs against glass towers. Edric and Lyra stand at the dimly lit intersection where their paths would split—he to his quarters, she to report to Cherry. The last remnants of their conversation about Victor Hale still cling to the space between them, unspoken yet heavy.
Lyra adjusts her jacket, eyes distant. "I'll be heading to Madam Cherry's," she says, her voice neutral, as if trying not to let anything slip.
Edric gives a short nod, watching her carefully. "She'll want to hear everything."
"Of course," she replies. She hesitates for a fraction of a second, her fingers clenching slightly before she forces them to relax.
Victor Hale's obsession. His relentless determination. His unwavering belief in his cause. She has condemned him for it. And yet… wasn't she the same?
Didn't she kill people when she tried to get her Uncle's body back? wasn't that her obsession? how is she any different from Victor Hale?
Her uncle has been everything to her. She fought, she endured, she carried on—because of him. Because of the life he has built for them, she refuses to let his memory fade into nothing. If Victor's obsession led him to murder, what did hers make her?
She swallows the thought, locking it away where it wouldn't reach her lips. There was no point in saying it out loud. Not now.
Edric, unaware of the turmoil behind Lyra's quiet gaze, simply watches her as she turns to leave.
Her steps are steady, but to him, she seems farther away than she has ever been before.
A voice cuts through his thoughts.
"You could go after her, boss," George suggests from a few steps away, arms crossed. "I mean, it wouldn't kill you to invite her to dinner or something."
George thinks about a romantic dinner in one of Solis Corps' high-class restaurants.
With how the young master becomes flustered around her, I think the young master should pursue her while he's still here on the mainland where he can date with less danger!
Edric turns his head slowly, eyes narrowing into a cold stare. "Mind your own business."
George holds up his hands in mock surrender, grinning. "Just saying. You look like you don't want her to go."
Edric exhales sharply and turns his gaze back to the street where she has disappeared. He will not chase her. That isn't who he is. But still, somewhere deep in his mind, a small thought lingers—
A dinner with her… would be splendid.