Published at 13th of October 2026 11:40 am

Chapter 2101: Fierce Warrior

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Valentina Fortuna and Luca Claudius talked for almost an hour.

He shared the reports of his investigation with Valentina, and she compared them to her own reports. She had reached a similar conclusion to Luca’s. That Adam’s arrival on Myrrandor without passing through Carina could only be considered an anomaly amongst anomalies.

However, unlike Luca’s biased feelings toward Adam because of the time they’d spent together, Valentina was still skeptical about the raven-haired Magus from the Outerverse.

She was a woman of war. So she was very sensitive to things labeled as anomalies and coincidences. Especially when it was related to Myrrandor—the cradle of mankind.

"...So you were able to find information about others who came to Carina from Tron?" Luca asked.

Valentina nodded and said with mild amusement:

"Their story matches what your people have gathered. It would appear Adam is like one of those heroes that we grow up reading about in legends. Came from nothing. With dedication and hard work, reached the pinnacle of his home world. Saved his people from an extraterrestrial threat. And so on."

Luca nodded. It was the reason why he respected Adam so much. Because, unlike him, he came from nothing and carved his own legend in a distant world at the edge of the universe. If Adam had grown up in the Greater Universe, Luca couldn’t imagine the explosive growth he would have had.

Valentina tapped the table with her finger, deep in thought. "But the strange circumstances surrounding the boy’s arrival in this world..."

It bothered her.

Luca looked at Valentina’s scarred face, suddenly feeling scared whether to say his next words. He hesitated for a few moments.

"Out with it." Valentina noticed his hesitation.

Luca gathered his courage and said, "Forgive me for being frank, my lady. If there was something shady about Adam bypassing the planet’s defenses, don’t you think the Old Mistress would have noticed it?"

Valentina stared at Luca for a moment. "Who told you about the Old Mistress?"

Luca gulped. "I, uh... I did my research before—"

"Who was it?" Valentina’s eyes narrowed, a sharp look in them.

"My eldest brother!" Luca blurted out.

"His name?"

"Felix Claudius."

"Felix. Felix. Hmm..." Valentina murmured. "Nope. Haven’t heard of him."

Of course, you haven’t! Luca complained inwardly.

He’s a nobody compared to you.

That wasn’t to say that his eldest brother was weak. It was just that Valentina was that strong and feared and respected.

"Boy, who is your father?" Valentina asked with an arched brow, suddenly curious.

Luca straightened his body and said with pride, "His name is Antonius Claudius."

Valentina’s eyes lit up, shining with recognition.

"Aha! So you’re the son of the Dread Wolf."

"Yes, my lady." Luca’s shoulders looked wide in that moment. He was full of pride.

"Well, makes sense then." Valentina nodded, sipping from the wine glass.

She then reprimanded him lightly. "But don’t go around throwing the Old Mistress’s name so casually, boy. You will do well to remember that. Concur?"

"Concur," Luca said sincerely. "I apologize. I will be careful, my lady."

"Good." Valentina nodded. "As for what you said... you’re not entirely wrong."

If something detrimental to Myrrandor occurred, then the Old Mistress would surely be aware of it. Still, Valentina couldn’t help but feel slightly uneasy about it. And she knew this had nothing to do with Adam, but her sweet little niece. She was simply overly protective when it came to Genevieve.

"Tell me everything that happened inside the secret plane," she said. "Don’t leave anything out."

Luca nodded. Then he began telling the entire story truthfully, leaving nothing out.

Several glasses of wine and plates of exquisite food later, he had finally finished telling everything.

Valentina continued rapping her finger on the table. "So you two defeated a weakened Saint with artifacts that were forged specifically to kill the devil?"

Luca nodded with a faint smile, which soon died.

Valentina scoffed. "And here I thought you two were something special."

Killing a devil so much more powerful than us despite those two special weapons isn’t special in your eyes?! Luca was speechless.

Just how high were Valentina’s standards?

But then he thought about it some more, and realized that his father would also react in a similar fashion. Luca couldn’t help but let out a quiet, helpless sigh.

"However," Valentina added. "His ability to traverse the spirit world is... intriguing."

Luca nodded, lingering fear evident in his grey eyes. "I was sure I would die. If Adam hadn’t been there, I would have been a rotting corpse floating somewhere in the spirit world."

Valentina nodded absentmindedly. She finally understood why her niece was so smitten with Adam. It turned out the boy went to great lengths to save her.

If Adam had failed, and Genevieve was sacrificed and became a vessel for that wretched devil...

Valentina feared to think what she would have done then.

She found herself feeling grateful toward Adam.

"What do you think of his potential?" She asked.

"Very promising," Luca replied without hesitation.

"Comparable to the young prodigies among the Houses?"

"Definitely." Luca nodded.

"Hmm." Valentina nodded.

No wonder Genevieve had praised Adam’s talent so much, she thought.

Luca hesitated before asking, "My Lady, if I may be so bold—"

"Bloody arcana! You are one stuck-up little pup," Valentina said irritably. "Speak your mind, boy. We have already shared bread and wine!"

Luca shrank back. The rumors he had heard about Valentina Fortuna were true indeed. She was known as a fierce warrior. She was straightforward and moody and fearsome.

"Out with it!" Valentina interrupted Luca’s thoughts.

"Are you planning to recruit Adam to House Fortuna?" he said quickly.

"Recruit?" Valentina quirked a brow and finished another glass of wine. "No, you silly wolf."

"Ah, yes, okay." Luca nodded. He didn’t dare ask more. Valentina’s moods were like the tides. They came. They went. And he did not want to drown in them.

Valentina pushed away thoughts of Adam and Genevieve to the back of her mind for now. Based on her investigation, the boy was... not bad for her niece. She would leave the rest to Genevieve. Her niece was mature enough to judge his character. Only time would tell how they both turned out to be in each other’s company.

"Anyway," she said. "How long do you plan to loiter around here? Boy, you better not be avoiding the battlefields up there." She pointed skyward.

"Never!" Luca instinctively said, seemingly hurt that Valentina would even say such a thing. "I’m a Claudius! I would never cower in the face of war!"

"Can’t take a joke." Valentina rolled her eyes. "Just like the rest of your pack."

Luca was speechless, thinking: First, you offend my honor. And then you say I can’t take a joke? This woman is mad!

He cleared his throat and changed the subject. "I wish to visit the Seven Wonders. After that, I will enroll in the Institute. Then I will participate in the wars."

"Hmm. Good." Valentina nodded in approval.

She rose to her feet and prepared to leave.

"Well then, little pup," she added with a light smirk. "Give my greetings to the Dread Wolf."

With that, she turned and left.

Luca still remained standing. His back was drenched in sweat, and it was only now that he realized it. It felt like he had just endured a storm.

He still couldn’t believe that Genevieve was a Fortuna. Even more shocking was that she was the niece of one of the fiercest warriors of the Imperium.

Someone whom even his father respected.

Valentina Fortuna.

Otherwise known as...

The Banshee.

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