Chapter 12
Edward's House
With the package from the online shop still in transit, Lucius used the spare time to refine his wing control.
Aside from preparing for the video required by the organization, he didn't have much else to do. So, he spent his days improving his acting skills, adjusting his habits, and learning more about the common sense and behavior expected of women.
Three days passed just like that—quietly and productively.
Then, a delivery man finally showed up in front of the house, calling the recipient's name aloud.
Since Eve was at school and Sophia was working outside, Lucius was the only one home to receive the package.
"Yes! Wait a minute."
Lucius stepped away from the stove—it was lunchtime, and he was in the middle of cooking for himself. After turning down the flame, he made his way to the front door.
Opening it, he saw the delivery man standing a couple of steps back from the doormat.
Usually, the process was simple: a greeting, name confirmation, a quick photo of the package. But today, the delivery man stood completely still, mouth slightly agape.
"Uhh? Hello? Excuse me?"
Lucius tilted his head, confused by the man's sudden freeze.
After a few seconds, the delivery man snapped out of it. His face turned bright red with embarrassment, but he quickly proceeded with his duties.
"Ah! I'm sorry, miss. Here's your package, right? Thanks—bye-bye!"
He shoved the package into Lucius's hands, snapped the photo in a hurry, and all but jogged back to his motorcycle.
Lucius stared blankly at the closed door.
'What was that all about…?'
Shrugging it off, he brought the package inside and placed it in the bedroom.
'Let's open this later when Eve and Sister Sophia come back.'
With that, he returned to the kitchen to finish cooking.
"Damn… it's hot in here. I'm sweating like crazy. Huh? Wait…"
Lucius glanced down at his shirt—and froze.
It was soaked through with sweat, nearly transparent now, and clinging tightly to his body. His figure was very visible.
'KUHHH! I always forget that this can happen now! That explains the guy's reaction! Arghhh… I need to be more careful. Especially about my appearance and habits…'
After finishing his meal and cleaning up the dishes, Lucius checked the time.
'2 PM… hmm, perfect time to train my wings. Hehehe, since I'm home alone, I can use the living room! It's more spacious—and there's a fan!'
Nearly a week had passed since his transformation, and Lucius had gotten more comfortable with his new body. He could even look at it without feeling overwhelmed.
Though, he admitted to himself—some lingering feelings still remained. And perhaps, it was better that way. If those feelings disappeared completely, he might lose something important as a man.
Thanks to the consistent training over the past few days, Lucius had made noticeable progress. He could now summon, retract, and even control the wings more precisely. He could fold one side, stretch the other—small details that mattered.
His training session lasted for about an hour and a half. Though he wasn't as drenched in sweat as before, he still chose to shower right after.
Twenty minutes later, he stepped out of the bathroom feeling fresh and rejuvenated.
'Haaa… Nothing beats a cold shower after a workout.'
With a towel still wrapped around his head, Lucius sat down on his mattress, drying his long hair.
'Hairdryer. Gotta use the hairdryer—it's way more efficient.'
He got up, headed to the bedroom, found the device, and used it just as Sophia had taught him.
Evening crept in quickly. The air cooled, the sun dipped below the horizon—and the sisters finally returned after their long day.
Usually, Lucius would offer to pick Eve up from her tutoring classes, but ever since the incident at the mall with the curious crowd, he'd avoided going outside.
Sophia and Eve went through their usual post-outing routine—washing hands and feet—before settling in.
The moment Eve saw the small round table, her eyes lit up.
"Ooh! The package is here!" she chirped. Then, she squinted at Lucius. "But… brother, why haven't you opened it yet? It's yours, right? I didn't buy anything after the bra."
Lucius looked a bit puzzled himself.
"Uhh… I don't know. Maybe… I was afraid to?"
Surprisingly, Eve didn't tease him. No playful smirk or sarcastic jab.
She was quieter than usual.
It made sense—Eve had known about the new government policy regarding Awakened individuals for three days now. Her school had already begun pressuring students to register if they had any abilities. And Eve… wasn't ready to do that.
"Sure, if you say so. Let's open it now."
With no time for a full dinner, Sophia had opted to cook instant ramen. She finished just as Lucius and Eve were unboxing the package.
Seeing the scraps cluttering the table, she pointed at them.
"Let's eat first. You can try it on later—food always comes first."
Lucius and Eve nodded in sync, like well-trained siblings.
"Alright!"
About twenty minutes later, with bellies full and the table cleared, they returned to their task:
Trying out the new bra for Lucius.
The new bra fit almost perfectly—just needed a few small adjustments.
But then a new question popped into Lucius's head.
'Alright, I can wear the dress properly now... but where should I record the video? I need a big vacant room. Good lighting. Ah—also a decent camera...'
'Ohh! Right! I can ask Edward for help! He was curious about my wings too, and he's got a big house—and I'm pretty sure he owns a good camera!'
'Is this what they call hitting two birds with one stone? Heh… Anyway, let's call him. I hope he's not busy.'
Since he was still in the room with his sisters, Lucius decided to make the call elsewhere. He wasn't sure why, but it just felt more comfortable to talk without anyone else listening.
"Ah, guys—I'll go make a call real quick."
He got up, left the bedroom, and immediately called Edward. About five seconds later, the call connected.
{Hi Edward, sorry for calling you suddenly. I have a favor to ask... Uhh, are you busy right now?}
On the other side, Lucius could hear loud music and chatter in the background. Edward was clearly in the middle of something.
{"Ah? Hello? Lucius? Sorry—I can't really hear you. I'm at a party. Hold on, I'll move to a quieter room."}
A few minutes passed.
{"Alright, sorry about that. What did you say again?"}
Lucius didn't mind. He just repeated himself.
{"I know it's sudden, but... can I ask you a favor?"}
{"Sure, just ask. And don't worry about calling me anytime—seriously. You only call when it's important, so go ahead."}
Lucius smiled, grateful as always for Edward's easygoing support.
{"You remember I'm trying to get into that international organization, right?"}
{"Yup."}
{"Well… I passed the first screening after our last call! And the second screening requires me to submit a video—something that shows off my ability."}
{"Whoa, congrats! So, what do you need help with?"}
{"I need a big room to record the video—somewhere I can fully summon my wings, maybe even try flying a little. For now, just a spacious room with good lighting would be enough."}
{"No problem at all! I've got a big bedroom—and maybe the study room could work too. Either one should be fine. Anything else?"}
Lucius hesitated for a moment.
He didn't want to impose too much, but… his phone camera was awful, and he definitely didn't have a digital or professional camera.
{"Do you… have a digital camera? Or like, a professional one?"}
{"Of course! I've got my own personal camera, you can use it no problem. By the way, when are you planning to come over? Hmm... also, this might sound silly, but—what should I tell my parents? I haven't explained anything about your situation yet…"}
Lucius paused, thinking.
It would be complicated to explain everything to Edward's parents. So, he came up with a cover story.
{"How about this—you say I'm an online friend? Like someone you met through a game we always played together. And you invited me over to try out a new game because I don't have a good computer. Simple and believable."}
There was a short silence before Edward replied.
{"That works for me. My parents know I play games with online friends. But uh… Lucius—just a heads-up—they might get the wrong idea when they see you."}
Lucius raised an eyebrow.
{"Huh? What do you mean?"}
Edward chuckled awkwardly.
{"Yeah… about that. Last time I brought a female friend over, they immediately thought she was my girlfriend or crush. So... they might assume the same when they see you. Especially since, well... you look—uh, stunning."}
Before Lucius could respond, Edward quickly continued.
{"Sorry! I mean—what I meant is, just... be prepared for that. My parents like to jump to conclusions. So, are you okay with it?"}
Lucius let out a soft laugh.
{"Dude, don't worry. I won't see you or your parents that way, and I'm definitely not interested in guys—especially not you. No offense."}
{"None taken. Haha."}
{"So yeah, sooner is better. If tomorrow works for you, just pick a time—you decide."}
{"I don't—wait, no. Tomorrow is good. How about 3 PM? I'm done with college by then. I'll come pick you up."}
Lucius thought he heard something strange before the word "tomorrow," but ignored it.
{"Thanks a lot, bro. You're seriously the best. Oh, and… don't freak out too much when you see me tomorrow, okay?"}
{"Huh?? Okay...? See you tomorrow."}
After ending the call, Lucius let out a long sigh of relief.
The hard part was done. Now, all he had to do was show up tomorrow.
But even with that settled, his nerves were far from calm. So, he did the best thing he could:
Sleep it off.
Fast forward to the next day. Lucius sat anxiously, fully dressed and ready, waiting for Edward to arrive.
It was 2:30 PM. The promised time was drawing close.
He had considered taking an online taxi to get there, but Edward had kindly offered to pick him up. It felt rude to refuse.
Now, he was dressed in the open-back blue dress, wearing a hoodie over it, with a face mask and hat to cover as much of his appearance as possible.
No way was he drawing attention riding behind Edward on a motorcycle looking like this.
Thirty minutes felt like an eternity… but finally, Edward's voice called out from outside the gate.
"Lucius... I'm here…"
Even before Edward could finish dialing his number, Lucius had already opened the door.
"Ah… finally, you're here."
Edward blinked in surprise.
"Luci… why are you wearing a hoodie over a dress? And… wait, why are you wearing a dress at all? We're just going to my place to film a video, right?"
Not knowing what to say, Lucius decided to just show Edward why he was wearing the dress.
He stepped back into the center of the room, then—without a word—took off his hoodie, turned around, and summoned his wings.
The sudden display left Edward stunned. He blinked, then unconsciously muttered,
"Wow… beautiful…"
Lucius, embarrassed, hurriedly put the hoodie and hat back on.
"Uhh… that's why. Without this dress, I can't summon my wings properly. Oh, and by the way—where's your motorcycle? I didn't see it outside."
Snapping out of the daze, Edward finally came to his senses.
"Oh. I actually used my car to pick you up. Figured it'd be better this way."
Lucius gave a grateful smile.
"Thanks a lot... and sorry for the trouble."
Edward smiled back.
"No problem. Let's go—the car's just outside the gate."
After locking the house and informing his sisters, Lucius followed Edward to the car. Some neighbors glanced their way with curious expressions, offering polite smiles and nods, but thankfully no one struck up a conversation.
Most importantly, they didn't run into the landlady.
Once inside the car, Edward drove calmly through the streets. About thirty minutes later, they entered the gated complex for upper-class residents, where Edward's family home was located.
After parking in the driveway, both of them got out and walked up to the porch.
Edward unlocked the door and held it open for Lucius, but Lucius hesitated, standing still.
He was nervous—more nervous than he'd expected.
"Come on in," Edward said casually. "You've been here a few times already. Just act natural."
Lucius nodded. He removed his mask and hat, took a deep breath, and stepped inside.
"Uhh… dude, I should call you by name, right? To avoid suspicion. So, Edward… where are your parents? I should greet them properly, since this is supposed to be my 'first' time here."
Edward thought for a moment.
"Yeah, just calling me by name is fine. My mom should be in the upstairs living room. My dad's not home yet—he's still at the office."
Lucius felt a bit relieved—only one parent to deal with for now.
"Alright then. Let's go greet your mom first."
"Okay."
The two walked upstairs to the second-floor family room. As they entered, they spotted Edward's mother standing by the veranda, holding a coffee cup. The strong aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the room.
She turned her head as she heard their footsteps, then smiled warmly.
"Welcome home, sweetie. And hello there, young lady. You must be Edward's girl… friend, right?"
Edward smiled awkwardly and greeted her.
"I'm home, Mom. Yeah, this is the friend I mentioned this morning."
Lucius stepped forward with a small bow.
"Hello, Aunty. I'm Lucia. Thank you for having me."
Edward's mother continued smiling, but her expression shifted into something a little more mischievous.
"Hmmm~ Lucia, huh? You're quite the beauty. Are you really here to play a game with Edward? Or are you here to 'play' a different kind of game~?"
Lucius froze.
He didn't know how to respond, utterly flustered. His cheeks flushed a bright red—and even his ears burned from the embarrassment.
Edward immediately stepped in.
"Mom! Please! She's just a friend!"
His mother chuckled.
"Ahaha, I'm sorry. It just slipped out after seeing her. She's far too dazzling to just stay a friend, you know? I wouldn't mind if she became my daughter-in-law~"
Lucius was still stunned, unable to speak. His face only grew redder.
Edward, just as embarrassed, quickly grabbed Lucius's hand.
"We'll be in my study room! Please don't barge in!"
He practically dragged Lucius away down the hall. A few meters later, he let go of Lucius's hand, clearly a little flustered himself.
They walked quietly for a moment until they reached Edward's study.
Edward opened the door and motioned for Lucius to enter first. Once both were inside, he closed the door and sighed.
"I'm really sorry about my mom. She's always like that whenever I bring a girl over."
Lucius shook his head quickly.
"Ah, it's okay. I'm… fine with it. Really."
Edward scratched his head and gave an apologetic smile.
"Still, sorry again. Oh—and I should call you Lucia now, right?" He pointed to the study chair. "You can sit there for a bit. I'll go get the camera, and ask the maid to bring some snacks and drinks. Just give me a minute."
Lucius nodded.
"Sure. Take your time."
Now alone in the room, Lucius finally had a chance to organize his thoughts.
'Ahh! That was so embarrassing! Damn! I guess it's harder than I thought to act like a 'normal' friend when I look like this!'
'Let's just forget that… focus on the goal. Alright, time to get ready for the video. First, let's take off the hoodie—'
Just as he started pulling the hoodie off—
Click.
The door swung open.
Lucius panicked, yanking at the hoodie, which now covered his entire face and got stuck halfway. He staggered slightly, unable to see who came in.
His heart pounded in panic.
'Crap! Who is it?! Why now?! I can't even see!'