Chapter 206: Lucia (0.5)

Chapter 206: Lucia (0.5)

“What on earth could it be?”

It was still an early night at the annex. Latera, left behind with Lucia, grumbled with a face full of irritation.

“‘I’m going to protect the world from now on, so you and Lucia keep the house safe,’ he said. At first, I thought it was a joke, but he just up and left like that.”

The flickering light beyond the hill seemed cruel. Latera continued, her gaze fixed on the window.

“Of course, the Hero is not a child left at the water’s edge, but saving the world is the sort of thing a Hero does. Naturally, as the Hero’s closest friend, I should be with him...”

“Sometimes, one needs to be alone.”

Rustle— Lucia flipped through the pages of a magic book nonchalantly. It was a book Shiron had been reading so diligently that he had added his own annotations. Despite being newly published, the edges of the pages were worn.

“As much as it pains me to say this, most boys his age need some alone time. Even if Shiron is a Hero and you are his guardian angel, you should at least respect personal boundaries.”

“Alone time?”

“Yes, even a Hero is human.”

“Hmm...”

Latera turned her gaze from the window and rested her chin in her hand, pondering. She reflected on her own actions up until now, wondering if she had been too childish. She also considered whether Shiron might have felt uncomfortable being with her all the time, as Lucia suggested.

However, looking back at her past behavior, Shiron had never shown any signs of annoyance at being with Latera. As someone who could see human souls, Latera knew that Shiron didn’t mind her presence.

...Even when he was entangled with filthy and vulgar demons, Shiron didn’t mind Latera... She couldn’t agree with Lucia’s words.

Feeling more complicated rather than relieved, Latera asked Lucia again.

“What about Kyrie?”

“Shh!”

Lucia looked around, startled. Sometimes Latera would call Lucia ‘Kyrie’ when she was certain they were alone, which always made Lucia anxious about being discovered.

“Just call me Lucia! Why Kyrie?”

“Don’t worry. Seira has gone out, and the servants are downstairs, so there’s no one to hear us.”

“Really. Could you ask for permission next time?”

Lucia checked the surroundings again and sighed in relief. She didn’t scold Latera because, even though her identity had been exposed for quite a while, it seemed Shiron didn’t know about her past life. Lucia thought Latera must have been cautious too.

“Ahem. Well, I was quite a human-like person 500 years ago, nothing has changed.”

After calming her startled heart, Lucia revisited the question.

“So, did you also need alone time, Lucia?”

“...When you put it that way, it makes me feel embarrassed, but apart from when I needed to take care of business or bathe, yes, I did need some alone time.”

“...”

“I was very sensitive, and I cried a lot. Whenever something heartbreaking happened, I would cry in the tent, and my comrades pretended not to notice.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, given the situation, it was hard to have a private space, but after a good cry, I could gather myself and move on to the next destination as if nothing had happened.”

Lucia looked at Latera and remembered an event from a few years ago.

In Brahham, Lucia had seen Shiron cry for the first time. She was surprised because he always seemed carefree and playful.

Although the place was his own grave, Lucia didn’t think Shiron’s tears were because he was overwhelmed by his ancestor’s grave. The emotions on his face were more like sorrow and regret.

Lucia had wanted to ask why he cried so badly, but she didn’t pry further because, from her past experience, she believed pretending not to know was the right thing to do.

“And... you went to the mansion, didn’t you? That means Eldrina called you, probably because of Siriel.”

“Engagement?”

“...Yes, engagement.”

Lucia mumbled in a weak voice. She tried not to be conscious of it, but it was so closely tied to reality that it was thrust before her eyes, whether she wanted it or not.

Feeling suddenly suffocated, Lucia took a deep breath.

“It must have been a sensitive conversation. No matter how much your uncle adores you, Eldrina wouldn’t like having an eavesdropper when discussing marriage. Hoo...”

“...”

Imagining Shiron and Siriel’s passionate moments led to these unnecessary hallucinations. Lucia shook her head to dispel the thoughts.

“Ah, it feels so good, brother.”

However, no matter how much she shook her head or tapped her temples, the hallucinations wouldn’t leave her ears.

It felt so real that she mistook it for reality.

“Siriel.”

“...”

She stopped dead in her tracks.

Creak—

Her head turned like a broken clock towards the mana training room in the corner of the training ground.

Thump—

What was this vibration resonating through her whole body?

“...”

Thump—

The throbbing didn’t stop.

Gulp—

Thump— thump— thump—

Her face grew hotter with each beat. She couldn’t help but notice. She was certain that what she had imagined was happening in that building.

Lucia squeezed her eyes shut, trying to divert her thoughts from that building.

But she shouldn’t have done that.

With her vision blocked, her remaining senses became even more acute... realizing the essence of the vibrations pounding through her body.

‘...It feels like my heart is about to explode.’

To distract herself from the throbbing, she had to open her eyes again.

When she finally opened them.

Lucia couldn’t believe where she was.

“...”

“Brother!”

Reflected in her golden eyes was a scene more embarrassing and vulgar than she had imagined.

“...”

Now, not just her heart but her entire body ached. Her breath quickened, and her body heated up.

Lucia placed her hand where the pain was most intense.

Feeling like she might lose her mind from the pain, her touch was cautious and careful, like applying ointment to a wound.

The morning sunlight was strong, but the wind remained fierce. Yuma, the caretaker of Dawn Castle, lowered her gaze after looking at the rattling window.

Her gaze fell on a letter with a red seal.

[Lucia Prient]

Yuma thought of the girl who had rarely opened up to her. The letter bore the name of the girl with red hair and golden eyes who closely resembled the family head.

“From the lady?”

“Yes, she sent this letter in advance, stating she wishes to meet the family head soon.”

The one answering was Encia. The last time Yuma saw Lucia, she was so overwhelmed with worry that she seemed on the brink of death. Her demeanor was so cold that she didn’t even ask why she wanted to see Glen Prient.

“...I see.”

Yuma removed the wax seal with a grim face.