Chapter Twenty-Three: New Location

It was that moment when Valerie thought her luck was unbelievable. She was a maiden of Ares blood, her blood and his is connected through vassal but for that spoil, she is nothing but a child of a God who was discarded as the God who killed his sister, Athena. 

It's not that she's unlucky but rather felt unlucky, in fact, while observing their earlier talk, she confirms that even though Ares is a God, he appears to be—overly protective. 

Valerie was born chasing danger and for a sudden change of event, she'll have to stick being spoiled, no more like being protected by her father which she only met yesterday. 

It doesn't make sense, surely she gives him a chance to repent but not in a way he did so. Looking at her father, she doesn't have to be worried about being thrown away, since he loves—no, he appreciates her existence.

Her head was filled with many doubts and hesitation. This was something that didn't happen to her before, it was hard to accept and believe in just a day. It's too fast for her to comprehend everything. 

Yes, however, she is still a demigod, and she will fulfill that role. She breathed out and put her hands across her chest as she paced through the mansion's huge marble floor hallways.

Lukas notices the change of her expression and frowns. "You hadn't said anything, I was afraid you felt uncomfortable inside," he mumbles and makes Valerie look. 

He was there before as well, when she had to travel in a mess. It seems that she has not yet recovered from that accident, but she's trying to go back to her own personality.

Lukas thought she became more expressive this day, it's not her at all. Even Valerie thought that the man she hated since two years ago would come back with a different personality, although he didn't change everything, it felt as if he was no longer that annoying dude who would freak out on small things. 

Both of them had changed since two years ago, so it was understandable that they don't seem to hate each other anymore. 

"I've always hidden my own opinion, it's not a shocking story," she mumbles and she returns her gaze back to the front. "I am curious."

"Curious of what?" he asked. 

"I am curious about that guy who you become enemies with. That is shocking news, even though we fought, I can't go against you using Espers that time," she shifted her gaze and gave a long peak on Lukas expression.

It was then that his face turned pale, a reaction that Valerie wasn't expecting but was excited to see. This time she confirms that Lukas had someone who can fight him, which made her nod in satisfaction.

"I guess your—" before Valerie could react, her body was almost as if falling to the ground, she tried to react as quickly as possible but it was too late, she couldn't see him move and grabbed her on the wall. 

Valerie had trained to react in any danger that appears but with Lukas harmless intuition, she can't see or react to his sudden movement and his hands on her shoulders that he pinned on the wall. 

"Lukas!" She yelled but Lukas eyes were giving her different vibes. He was glaring at her with his eyes becoming darker, and made him angered. He could have cut her off, but Lukas didn't do anything harmful, holding himself back. 

"Valerie, don't foil my mood, you know what happens, I could have harmed you," said Lukas. 

It's her first time seeing him like this just because she was teasing him about his rival. Is his relationship with that guy this dark for such a reaction? She doesn't know, all she knows is that Lukas isn't the same boy she knew back then. 

She tilted her head and breathed out. "It's not good to threaten me, Lukas, look around you."

Because he was so focused with Valerie, the sudden appearance of five Valkyries behind him almost startled him. It was a five female Valkyries who suddenly appeared, it's like they are functioning to appear when Valerie is in danger.

They were even equipped with weapons and armors. It would be troublesome if they fought here, so he decided to let her go and smirked. "Lukas," Cassandra murmured, it turns out that one of the Valkyrie that was summoned was Cassandra, Morgan and Jane, the most powerful Valkyrie in the Human Realm.

"To directly attack our leader, you will be put on a ground cell for the minimum time and reflect upon your action, that is also the master's order!"

It turns out that fighting Valerie alone doesn't mean she's alone, it means that he will fight a machine who doesn't care if they live or not. It's like she's the leader that he has no rights to challenge.

This made Valerie stiffened. "Lukas," she murmured. "Ares told you, didn't he? Can you really do it? To protect me?"

"Valerie, I—" he looked away and breathed out. "I may have failed my master, and so, I'll accept my punishment and reflect on my mistakes, so please don't replace me yet."

Valerie watches him being cuffed and quietly follows the Valkyrie in front of him. She couldn't help but to snore, it was as if she made a wrong decision to punish him. 

He reminds her of a dog begging his owner not to throw him away. It felt awful but he tried to do it, and threatened her. If she's going to cooperate with him, he must reflect on his mistakes so that both of them won't fight each other. 

Yet, why does she feel guilty about it? She bit her teeth and stood up. "Wait!"

The Valkyrie stopped as per the order, when Lukas looked, Valerie just gave him a long and clear gaze. "I am sorry for pushing a button, Lukas, so I won't replace you."

Is that the right thing she should be saying? She doesn't know, she only speaks what she remembers from Diana, and how she taught her to apologize if Valerie did something bad. It's natural for her, so she should apologize for triggering something.

Although, is replace even the right word? She gulped. "I mean, if you are willing to protect me, then I'll accept you."

If saying to "replace" is telling him that he is a dog she won't replace, and that's more cruel than saying it in a normal way. It's better to say it how human's do, than telling what Lukas said first. 

It made Lukas smile and nodded. "Then that makes me happy."

The more Valerie thinks about it, the more she understands. Does Armenia change people's personality as well? She thought to herself and looked away. 

---⌜•••⌟---

The mansion was like the former laboratory facility, it has an automatic door that pushes down the ground and it appears to be an underground tunnel which exposes a secret military equipment inside. 

The mansion was not being moved, the one that moved was the garden, it doesn't also make earthquakes when being moved, it was rather quiet and silent. It was opening like a canopy, and it moved everything to each and right direction.

It was crowded with the Duke's people and the remaining Valkyries helping each other move some of the boxes and equipment. While walking down inside the hole, the underground parking spot for airplanes and cars, she saw familiar weapons scattered around. 

M-16, AK-47, AR-15, Handguns, Bombs, Rockets, Missiles and Lacers... It's everything here, this must be the weapon that they decided to take, it's a modified model, so it's technically owned by the Valkyrie, although the model has the same type name, the modification of these weapons are done by the Valkyrie themselves.

She then continued walking but saw more equipment. It said that the healing incubator had been moved in a specific location below the 3rd level of the underground headquarters, and the Valkyrie was also freed and now was working while others remain asleep.

Once she saw Lyrica talking to people, she immediately went and approached her. As she waited for the one she was talking with, Lyrica noticed her and decided to end her conversation with them. 

"Valerie, you are here!" She cheerfully said. 

Valerie bowed her head. "I've come to assist the major," she said and made everyone look. 

It took Lyrica awhile to process what just happened. Valerie never bowed, that's one thing why everyone—not the Valkyrie knowing her since she was rescued was shocking. 

"Valerie, are you okay?" Startled by the facts, Lyrica ended up asking in low tune. 

This made Valerie confused and looked at her. "I am fine, major, why are you all confused?"

Lyrica looked at them and she shook her head. "I think that's because you seem—different, did you take any drugs or something?"

"Major, if that's an insult, it's not funny."

Although her behavior changed, her personality stays the same. Rude and straightforward. 

Lyrica clicked her tongue. "I thought someone possessed you or something," she mumbled. 

"What did you say?"

"Nothing," said Lyrica and she looked at the sides. "I heard that Lukas went on strike, did something happen while you were on the way?"

Rumors are faster to spread than malicious viruses, Valerie thought. Surely, but they are machines, it's natural for them to know what happens in and out. They'll basically transfer that information faster than any modern technology in this world. 

"It's my fault, I triggered some buttons," Valerie replied to Lyrica's confusing question. "So, what do you want me to do now, major?"