Shattered Innocence: Transmigrated Into a Novel as an Extra-Chapter 549: Scolding and a nerfed Heroine

Thaddeus sat at his desk, golden eyes fixed on the doors before him. His fingers tapped idly against the polished wood, his expression unreadable.

The moment the doors opened, his gaze swept over them—first, his daughter, then Lucavion.

And immediately, he noticed it.

Their attire.

Gone were Aeliana's finely embroidered noble garments. Instead, she wore commoner's clothes—worn, slightly dusted from travel, with none of the refinement expected of a Thaddeus. Lucavion was no better, clad in equally unremarkable clothing, though his ever-present smirk remained firmly in place.

'These two…'

It did not take a strategist's mind to deduce what had happened. They had ventured into the city—perhaps even beyond it. Aeliana had discarded her noble appearance, likely to blend in. And judging by the faint glow in her eyes, the looseness of her posture…

She had enjoyed herself.

To be completely frank, Thaddeus liked seeing this.

For years, Aeliana had been sickly. Weak. And in turn, her attitude had darkened, growing worse with each passing day. Her isolation had only fed into her frustrations, and for a time, he had begun to wonder if she would ever find joy in the world beyond her own bitterness.

And yet, here she stood, looking alive.

But, of course—

He could not show this.

As a father, he still needed to secure his authority.

So, instead, he leaned back in his chair, letting the silence stretch. His golden eyes remained sharp, appraising.

Aeliana, to her credit, did not flinch beneath his gaze. She met it head-on, her chin lifted slightly, as if daring him to speak first.

Lucavion?

Lucavion grinned, tilting his head slightly, utterly unfazed.

Finally, after a long moment, Thaddeus exhaled through his nose.

"It appears," he said slowly, his voice cool, measured, "that the two of you have had quite a bit of fun."

Aeliana's lips twitched. "Perhaps."

Thaddeus arched a brow. "And yet, despite this—neither of you thought it necessary to inform me before leaving."

Lucavion chuckled. "Spontaneity is a virtue."

Aeliana shot him a look, but Thaddeus was already shifting his gaze back to her.

His expression did not change, but there was something beneath his tone—something quieter. "Aeliana."

Her posture straightened slightly.

Thaddeus' fingers tapped once against the desk. "I will not repeat myself in the future. If you intend to leave this estate, you will inform me first."

Aeliana's fingers curled slightly at her sides.

Her golden-amber eyes darkened, the spark of defiance flaring beneath them. "Inform you?" she repeated, her tone laced with something bitter. "And what if I don't want to be controlled?"

Thaddeus didn't so much as blink. "This is not about control," he said smoothly. "It is about your safety."

Aeliana scoffed. "Safety?" She let out a short, humorless laugh. "Since when did my safety ever matter to you?"

The words were sharp, cutting straight to the bone.

For a brief moment, silence hung heavy between them.

Thaddeus' golden eyes remained unreadable, but there was a flicker—something brief, something distant, buried beneath layers of steel.

He did not rise to her bait. Instead, his voice remained calm, measured. "Since the day you were born."

Aeliana's breath hitched—just barely—but she masked it well.

She wanted to argue. She wanted to press, to remind him of every moment she had been cast aside, left to struggle alone.

But…

The night air was still clinging to her skin. The thrill of the confession, the warmth of love—it was all still fresh.

And she didn't want to ruin it.

She sighed. Long, slow, drawn out. Then, finally, she shrugged. "Fine," she muttered. "I'll let you know next time."

Lucavion blinked. Once. Twice.

Then he leaned in slightly, his voice a whisper against her ear. "You're just letting it go? Just like that?"

Aeliana's eye twitched.

"Shut up."

Lucavion held up his hands, grinning. "Okay, okay…"

Thaddeus observed the exchange with quiet interest.

It was subtle. The way Aeliana's posture had shifted. The way her gaze lingered on Lucavion just a second longer than before, softer in a way she probably hadn't even realized.

'She has changed,' he thought.

Or rather—she was changing.

For so long, the fire in Aeliana's eyes had been one of defiance, of bitterness, of anger. But now?

Now, it burned with something else.

Something warmer.

Something deeper.

Something painfully reminiscent.

For just a moment, Thaddeus felt the ghost of another gaze. Another time. Another life.

'…Just like her mother.'

His fingers tapped once against the desk. Then he exhaled, his sharp expression smoothing just slightly.

"Good." His voice carried finality, closing the conversation. "Then, with that settled

Lucavion stretched his arms lazily, tilting his head with an easy smirk. "Well, if that's all, I'll be on my way, then."

He turned, already stepping toward the door—

But then—

"Aeliana," Thaddeus said, his voice firm. "You stay."

Aeliana's steps faltered.

Her brows furrowed slightly as she turned back to him. "What? Why?"

Thaddeus did not answer immediately. He only gave Lucavion a pointed look.

Lucavion glanced between them, humming in amusement. "Oh? Father-daughter talk, is it?" He placed a hand over his chest in mock offense. "And here I thought I was part of the family already."

Aeliana rolled her eyes.

"Go," Thaddeus said dryly.

And with that, Lucavion strolled toward the door, offering the Duke a casual wave before disappearing into the hall.

The door clicked shut.

And then—

Silence.

Aeliana turned back to her father, arms crossing over her chest. "Alright," she said, tilting her head slightly. "What is this about?"

Thaddeus studied her for a moment before speaking. "I know what happened this morning."

Aeliana's breath hitched.

She stiffened slightly, her hands curling at her sides. "What do you mean?"

Thaddeus' gaze was sharp, unwavering. "Your mana."

Aeliana said nothing.

But her body was tense, her mind already racing.

So he knew.

Of course, he knew.

"…And?" she asked, her voice carefully even.

Thaddeus leaned forward slightly, resting his arms against the desk. "You are to begin training immediately."

Aeliana's eyes narrowed. "Training?"

Thaddeus nodded. "I have already made arrangements.

Aeliana's eyes sharpened. "Tomorrow?"

Thaddeus nodded. "You will begin at dawn."

She crossed her arms. "And where, exactly, is this happening?"

Thaddeus leaned back in his chair, his golden gaze steady. "You will be leaving."

Aeliana's brows shot up. "Leaving?"

"Yes."

Her jaw tightened. "You're sending me away?"

"You will not stay here," Thaddeus confirmed, his voice calm, measured—too measured.

Aeliana felt irritation curl at the edges of her mind. "Why?"

Thaddeus did not answer immediately. Instead, he studied her—closely, carefully, as if assessing something deeper than what she was saying aloud.

Then—

"Lucavion."

Aeliana blinked.

Thaddeus exhaled, tapping a finger against the desk. "That kid." He paused, tilting his head slightly. "Did you make any progress with him today?"

Aeliana frowned. "Progress?"

Thaddeus raised a brow. "You're smart enough to understand what I mean."

Aeliana's fingers curled slightly, her mind processing his words.

Progress?

What was that supposed to mean?

Her father was never one to waste time with unnecessary questions. If he was asking this—if he was bringing Lucavion into the conversation—it was because he already knew.

She exhaled sharply.

"…Yes," she admitted, her voice even. "I've finalized my feelings."

Thaddeus' golden eyes remained steady, expectant.

She didn't falter.

"I've chosen him."

The words left her lips without hesitation, without uncertainty.

Lucavion—

The man who had stolen her heart so naturally, so effortlessly, that she hadn't even realized it was gone until it was far too late.

He was hers.

And she was his.

The man she would marry.

Her bride.

Her future.

There was a long pause.

Then—

"…Took you long enough."

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Aeliana blinked.

Her mouth twitched.

"…What?"

Her father leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping lightly against the desk. "I had assumed it would take another month or two before you came to terms with it."

Aeliana's eye twitched.

Sitting there, looking at her like she was a slow-moving chess piece that had finally reached the square he had expected it to land on.

She opened her mouth—to argue, to say something—

But before she could—

"That is precisely why you need to train."

Aeliana stilled.

Thaddeus' expression remained unreadable, but his voice was firm.

"If you truly intend to stand beside that chaotic man," he continued, "then you need to prove yourself."

Aeliana's brows furrowed slightly. "Prove myself?"

Thaddeus nodded. "Lucavion is a man who attracts chaos. His ambitions, his unpredictability—these are things you must be prepared for. If you wish to remain at his side, then you must become strong enough to withstand the life he leads."

Aeliana clenched her fists at her sides.

"…I can handle it."

Thaddeus' gaze sharpened. "Can you?"

Aeliana's jaw tightened.

He wasn't wrong.

Lucavion was chaos.

Everywhere he stepped, things shifted. People moved, plans changed, power restructured itself around him.

Being beside him wouldn't be easy.

But—

That didn't matter.

Aeliana inhaled deeply, straightening her spine.

"Then I'll become strong enough."

Her father studied her for a long moment.

Then, finally—

He inclined his head slightly.

"Good," he murmured. "Get ready, you will be leaving now."

Aeliana's brows shot up.

"Now?"

Thaddeus nodded, entirely unfazed by her reaction. "Yes."

Aeliana scoffed, arms crossing over her chest. "I should at least inform him—"

"I will inform him."

She frowned. "But—"

"There are no 'buts.'" His voice was cool, firm, leaving no room for negotiation.

Aeliana inhaled sharply.

She didn't like this.

Not one bit.

Lucavion was still here. He had just settled into the estate, and now she was being dragged away before she even had a chance to tell him herself?

That didn't sit right with her.

But—

Her father had already made up his mind.

And when Anthony Thaddeus made up his mind, nothing short of divine intervention could change it.

Before she could argue further, he lifted a hand—

And, as if summoned from the very shadows—

Lysander appeared.

Aeliana tensed.

'Damn it.'

Thaddeus turned slightly toward him. "Take her to the carriage."

Lysander bowed slightly, his expression as unreadable as ever. "Understood, my lord."

Aeliana glared at her father, irritation bubbling up her throat.

"This is absurd—"

"Go."

The single word left no room for further argument.

Aeliana clenched her fists—then exhaled sharply, forcing herself to turn on her heel.

Lysander stepped beside her, gesturing toward the door. "This way, my lady."

Aeliana shot one final glance at her father—

But he was already looking down at his desk, his attention shifting away, as if the conversation was already over.

Her jaw tightened.

Fine.

Fine.

Without another word, she strode out of the office, her boots clicking against the marble floor as Lysander led her toward the waiting carriage.

-----------A/N-----------

She became too strong with her advances…she needed a nerf.

Now, this arc will be over. I was, in fact, planning to write some interactions between the Duke, the Knight Commander, and the Knights of the duchy, but I know this arc was dragged for too long already, and everyone is anticipating the academy arc.