Omega Ascension System[BL]-Chapter 306: _No Longer Neutral

Lucian’s POV

*****

After everything they discussed, the time for the press briefing came.

The royal throne room had never felt this quiet.

Not because it was empty—far from it—but because every breath inside it felt controlled. It was the kind of silence that only existed when an entire empire was waiting for one man to speak.

Lucian stood at the base of the dais, hands clasped behind his back, shoulders squared. Behind him loomed the thrones of the Alpha king and Luna Queen, carved from moonstone and gold and layered with runes older than most bloodlines still breathing.

He couldn’t sit on it tonight. Not yet.

Tonight wasn’t about crowns.

It was about accountability.

Behind the transparent energy barrier that separated the dais from the press floor, hundreds of reporters waited—wolves who’ve already been waiting outside the palace gates before he and Elian touched down on Moon Haven city.

Holographic lenses floated mid-air, softly humming as they recorded every angle of him. Empire news sigils glowed along the walls, broadcasting this moment to millions.

Lucian lifted his gaze.

And beside him—steady, warm and grounding—stood Elian.

Lucian didn’t look at him, but he felt him. The faint pull of the bond. The quiet strength of Elian’s presence anchored him when the weight of everything threatened to press too hard against his ribs.

He exhaled once.

Then stepped forward.

"I know why we’re all here," Lucian began, his voice carrying easily through the room. Gods help him. "And I won’t insult the Empire by pretending otherwise."

A murmur rippled through the press.

"Holographic footage surfaced earlier today," he continued, "showing myself and my mate within Arcadian territory. Footage in which I appeared wounded."

Several reporters straightened instantly. Holo-lenses zoomed.

But Lucian didn’t flinch.

"Yes," he said simply. "All the news before now is correct. The footage is real."

The murmurs grew louder this time.

"I entered Arcadian borders without prior announcement or diplomatic clearance," Lucian went on. "I am aware this constitutes a breach of established border protocol."

A reporter raised her hand sharply. Lucian sighed softly but nodded to her nonetheless.

"Your Highness," she said quickly, "does this mean Lunaria was conducting a covert operation within Arcadia?"

"No," Lucian replied without hesitation. "It means I was acting as a friend, a mate, and an ally."

That earned silence.

Lucian turned slightly, gesturing toward Elian—not dramatically or possessively.

"Kyren of the Dark Lands is not merely a neighbouring ruler," Lucian said. "He is one of my mate’s bonded partners. And to me... he is family."

Several people jotting things down paused mid-note.

"When intelligence reached us that Kyren had crossed into Arcadian territory alone," Lucian continued, voice tightening just enough to hint at anger beneath restraint, "I acted. And if I’m being honest, I would act again."

A male reporter leaned forward. "Even knowing Arcadia could interpret that as provocation?"

Lucian met his gaze coolly. "If rescuing family is a provocation, then I accept the accusation."

That stirred the room properly.

Another hand shot up. "Your Highness—does this mean Lunaria is abandoning neutrality in the conflict between Arcadia and the Dark Lands?"

Lucian didn’t answer immediately.

He let the question breathe.

"Lunaria has remained neutral for decades before the conflict," he said finally. "We watched the borders shift. We watched sanctions tighten. We watched whispers of experiments, disappearances, and altered soldiers circulate with no accountability."

Elian’s fingers twitched faintly at his side. Lucian felt it.

"But neutrality," Lucian continued, "does not mean blindness. And it does not mean silence."

The temperature of the room shifted.

"I will no longer position Lunaria on so-called ’neutral ground’ when threats encroach upon my people," Lucian said evenly. "Nor when those I love are targeted—directly or indirectly." 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

A sharp voice cut in. "Is this a declaration of hostility toward Arcadia?"

Lucian’s lips curved—not in a smile, but something colder.

"It is a declaration of awareness," he replied. "And a promise that Lunaria will respond appropriately to any confirmed threats, war crimes, or violations of sovereignty—regardless of who commits them."

That landed.

Another reporter spoke quickly. "Your Highness, are you accusing Arcadia’s leadership of misconduct?"

Lucian tilted his head slightly. "I am encouraging Arcadia to investigate its own ranks."

The pause that followed was deafening.

"There are... rumours," he added, voice measured, "of modified witch soldiers. Of mana alterations that violate Arcadia’s own laws. If those rumours are false, Arcadia has nothing to fear from transparency."

Elian glanced at him then, just briefly.

Lucian didn’t look back. But his next words were sharper.

"If they are not false," he said, "then the Empire and indeed, all of Evaros, deserves to know."

The press erupted into overlapping questions.

Lucian raised a hand once.

Silence snapped back into place.

"My father’s funeral rites," he said, shifting gears with surgical precision, "will be held in two days. His final resting place will be a private ceremony in accordance with royal tradition."

Several reporters bowed their heads instinctively.

"As for my wedding," Lucian continued, voice steady but undeniably softer, "it will take place one week from today. Delayed out of respect. Not cancelled."

He reached out then and took Elian’s hand.

The reaction was immediate. Gasps. Flashes. Whispers.

"My mate remains at my side," Lucian said. "As do I at his."

He inhaled, preparing to conclude—

When the throne room doors exploded open.

The sound echoed like a gunshot.

Lucian spun just in time to see her stumble inside.

Seraphyne.

Blood soaked through her clothes. One arm hung limp at her side. Her steps were uneven—barely held together by sheer will.

"Elian—" Lucian breathed.

Seraphyne lifted her head.

Her eyes found Lucian. Then Elian. Then the thrones behind them.

"She... she..." Her knees buckled. "Amara—"

Lucian moved instantly, crossing the distance in seconds as guards scrambled forward. He caught Seraphyne before she hit the floor.

"She took Aurora," Seraphyne rasped, blood bubbling at her lips. "She took her..."

Then her eyes rolled back.

Her body went slack. Lucian stiffened, checking her pulse.

She was still alive... but barely.

The throne room erupted into chaos just then.

And Lucian’s world—his carefully maintained composure, his measured words, his restraint—

It all shattered completely.