CH 105

‘Who is it?’

Lucion took out his mask and put it on.

“Hamel-nim!”

It was Miella.

Why is her timing so good?

Lucion’s voice automatically brightened.

“Yes, Miss Miella.”

<Are you okay?>

“What… are you talking about?”

<Kran-nim is always worried about Hamel-nim’s condition, but your voice really doesn’t sound good. I’ll call you later.>

“No, I can talk to you now.”

Not knowing what Miella was going to say, Lucion was slightly excited.

Maybe Miella was going to talk about her masterpiece, the item that absorbed light and stored only the regenerative power of light.

<Really?>

“Yes, that’s all right.”

‘Mmm’, Miella said, raising her voice while dragging out the end of her word.

<Do you remember the trash who stole all my items and got their wrists cut off by you, Hamel-nim?>

“I remember.”

<I thought I got all the items back. But the most important item among them was fake. Damn it. I should have decided on a temporary workplace quicker, but this bastard’s house is too wide. …Ah, I don’t blame Hamel-nim at all.>

Miella’s voice sharpened for a moment, then quickly melted away like snow.

Her tone of voice was not important now.

Lucion suddenly felt desperate.

What is the most important item Miela has?

“Do you know where that item is now? Does Mr. Kran know as well?”

If Kran knew, he would have moved Helon to get the information.

<No… Well, um. I’m contacting you to ask if I could borrow the organization’s money. You really, really don’t have to care about the rest!>

“Money, you said?”

<I mean…>

Miella continued to drag out her words.

“Miss Miella, the matter of money must be precise. If you don’t tell me, I can’t give you money recklessly.”

<It was something I made.>

Miella then lowered her voice, hesitating.

<In the South… I’m sorry, I’ve heard of the location, but it was so absurd at the time that I can’t remember it now. I’ll ask Helon again for the location.>

“That’s all right. Please speak calmly.”

Lucion’s words made Russell look at him curiously.

[Lucion, rather than Miella, you’re the one who needs to be calm. Why are you shaking your legs all of a sudden?]

Lucion didn’t mean to but he was impatient.

In the first place, the reason Miella was brought into the organization was for the masterpiece she would create.

But that masterpiece is gone?

―Can Ratta cling to Lucion?

Looking at Lucion’s trembling legs, Ratta made a very funny expression.

Lucion sat Ratta on his lap and petted her.

“…Sigh.”

Lucion felt more comfortable with the soft touch on his fingers.

<Are you angry?>

“No, why would I be angry? Keep talking.”

<Mr. Helon said the item I made had gone to the auction house. It’s likely going to be sold at a high price. It’s only natural, so I’m not too upset. But there’s something else that really upsets me.>

[Isn’t it normal to get upset here?]

Russell fiddled with the back of his neck.

<It’s incomplete! I’m so embarrassed I don’t know how to raise my head! My unfinished magic item is going to the auction house…! I feel like I’m going to die.>

Miella’s words were spoken very quickly, and she was just as furious.

“Are you more concerned about the item being unfinished?”

Lucion asked, not listening.

<Of course! It would be much better for that thing to fall into the water and get broken after being swapped. This is the worst. The worst!>

Still agitated, Miella put in strength to her throat.

“So when is the auction house open?”

Lucion just happened to have business in the South.

Anyway, he had to get a mine for Zamad the blacksmith, and as a bonus, it was good that he could destroy the enemy’s third reporting point that sold his information.

<It’s my responsibility, so I’ll take care of it.>

“Miss Miela is now a member of the organization.”

<Well, I’ll ask Kran-nim. Like Kran-nim, I also thought that Hamel-nim is working too much.>

“No, it’s fine. I’m doing this because I like it, so don’t worry about it.”

He had to personally acquire Miella’s masterpiece.

It couldn’t be taken away by anyone else.

<Well, Hamel-nim…>

Miella hesitated again and called out to Lucion.

<I’m sorry.>

“You don’t have to apologize. I am the one who brought Miss Miela into the organization.”

<That’s not what I meant, I was going to finish the item and give it to Hamel-nim.>

“To me?”

Lucion let out a slightly surprised voice.

<At first, I created it after seeing someone with a divine allergy, but when I saw how you acquired the Chefran mansion last time, I thought I should give it to you, Hamel-nim. From what I’ve seen, I think Hamel-nim will continue to do dangerous things in the future.>

[Exactly. Even if it’s a pit of fire, Lucion will jump in if he finds it necessary.]

Russell giggled and pointed to the ground.

Lucion took off his mask for a moment and looked at Russell as if it was unfair.

He wasn’t a fool, why would he want to jump into the fire?

Lucion wore the mask again.

“What kind of item is it?”

<It’s unfinished, so I can’t proudly say this yet, but for now, I’ve been making a healing item that can absorb only the regenerative power of light, store it, and export it again.>

[…What?]

Russell, who had been giggling, stopped moving.

He asked again with a lost look on his face.

[Bethel. Did I hear it right?]

[Yes, you heard it right. Is that… even possible in the first place?]

Bethel looked as surprised as Russell.

Lucion didn’t open his mouth and reacted as if he couldn’t believe it, like someone who had never heard of the item’s existence.

‘Right. I knew it.’

His heart raced.

It disappeared from the novel, but now it had to be finished.

<Currently, about 20% is complete. So it can absorb light.>

“There are no items that can absorb light right now, right? It deserves to be priced high.”

This was true, so Lucion reacted in a surprised tone.

<…Listening to Hamel’s reaction, I think this is a dangerous item. My concern was correct.>

‘…What?’

The sudden turn of the atmosphere was strange.

<But there’s only one in the world. I’m going to finish it and give it to Hamel-nim.>

Lucion let out a delayed sigh and wiped away the sweat that had leaked out for a moment.

It was such a scary thing to say.

<That… Hamel-nim. Anyway, give me some time to think. It’s not just empty words, it’s because I feel apologetic to Hamel-nim. I feel like I just keep receiving things, so I’m so sorry..>

“Well, I understand for now.”

At Miella’s desperate voice, Lucion couldn’t push further.

In fact, it was a situation that didn’t require him to go, so he felt like Russell and Kran would try to stop him anyway.

<Yes. Make sure to eat well and sleep well. Don’t skip meals.>

What the hell did you hear from Kran?

If you have a lot of money, isn’t it natural to think that you should eat well and sleep well?

“…All right.”

Lucion answered, hiding his awkwardness.

After cutting off the contact, he took off his mask.

“Bethel.”

[I’m listening.]

“Do I look pitiful?”

[…What do you mean?]

“When I heard Kran and Miella say that, I feel like I’m working too hard.”

[Can I be honest?]

“Yes.”

Bethel pointed to the bed.

[You need to rest, Lord Lucion. I want you to lie down.]

Lucion’s eyes turned to the opposite side of Bethel.

He thought Bethel would talk without being biased toward her emotion.

Russell chuckled.

[Bethel got it right. So, leave out the auction house, Lucion. If you pay attention to that, even two bodies are not enough. How are you going to get to the South? In the East, there’s also Shaela. There’s nothing in the South, right?]

“…I don’t know why the goal of happiness is so far away.”

The word ‘without dying’ was taken away from this sentence, but Lucion’s words naturally continued.

―Isn’t Lucion happy? Is Ratta the only one happy?

Ratta’s tail drooped as if she was in shock.

“No. The happiness I want is a little special.”

―Special like what?

Ratta looked at Lucion with curious eyes.

“…Well.”

The end of Lucion’s words hung down.

He thought about how to express his wish to continue living without dying, but he just kept his mouth shut and petted Ratta.

Ratta couldn’t read Lucion’s mind, so she wouldn’t understand unless he explained.

“I’ll tell you later.”

Lucion put Ratta down and got up from his seat.

[Where are you going again?]

“I’ll contact Father. Anthony has a contact item connected to Father. I want to know if he has arrived safely.”

Lucion smiled.

* * *

“What did Anthony say?”

Carson walked up to Novio who was standing on the wall.

The wall at the far end of the Empire was as high as a mountaintop, and they could see the rocky terrain beyond the frontier.

How many times has that very, very thick wall been broken and fixed?

There were dozens of barriers on this castle wall alone.

If the dead had been turned into tombs, they would have already exceeded the height of this wall.

But there was never a time when they gathered in front of him like ants.

For Carson, the familiar landscape felt unfamiliar today.

“There was an attack. Besides, under Lucion’s direction, they’re investigating the person who sent the assassin. Ah, I asked him to tell Lucion to wield the sword.”

Novio’s gaze was directed not to the castle walls, but to the place where Cronia’s mansion was.

Carson also followed Novio’s gaze.

“It’s obvious, isn’t it?”

“It’s obvious. However, that obviousness is really infuriating. It also infuriates me that we have to find out what the Kingdom of Nevast has done again this time.”

Novio let out a sigh and looked at Carson.

“So what happened?”

A fire had broke out near the river at dawn.

Novio couldn’t help but laugh at the flame that was flaring honestly as if it was asking for someone to look at it.

“It’s a warlock. The priests have already confirmed it.”

“Carson.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“The Nevast disappeared and a warlock appeared on the border. What do you think?”

“It’s obvious. They’re always so obvious. It is clear that they have reached out to those they shouldn’t have held hands with in order to overcome the empire.”

“Again… They will be after Lucion.”

Novio bit his lips.

Lucion had become a saint.

He became the only one in the world, blessed by the divine beast.

There was no way the warlocks would leave the Saint alone.

“Yes, my lord.”

“My decision remains. My decision.”

After Lucion became a saint, Novio recalled the ‘light’ in his head that he didn’t want to put into his mouth.

The power of light was needed to drive out the warlocks.

Ring.

Novio sighed briefly at the sound of the contact item ringing insensitively.

“What’s the matter, Anthony? It’s not like you. Why are you…”

<Father.>

Novio’s eyes softened at the brief poweful voice.

It was Lucion.

“Is it Lucion?”

Carson covered his mouth slightly.

Lucion was the only one who could make Novio smile like that, so he couldn’t help but notice.

<I’m sorry for contacting you suddenly. Can I talk to you now?>

“It’s fine.”

Contrary to his solemn voice, Novio’s eyes were soft.

<Have you arrived safely?>

“Yes, Lucion.”

<Have you eaten yet?>

“How about you? I heard something bad happened at home. Did you sleep well?”

<I slept well. So there’s no need to worry about me. Isn’t Father the one who is working hard?>

“Right.”

Novio burst into laughter.

To think that he would be praised by his son for everything he had dedicated his life to.

He felt pretty good.

“Lucion.”

<Yes, Father. I’m listening.>

“Tomorrow Carson will go back to the mansion, so tell Anthony.”

<He can go home…? Didn’t the Kingdom of Nevast do something?>

“The problem has already been solved. So don’t worry about it anymore and stay healthy. I’m very happy to hear that your results are good today.”

<You know about it?>

Novio smiled softly at Lucion’s words that sounded embarrassed as if he hadn’t expected it.

“Isn’t it obvious? You are my son.”