Chapter 193: Iron Matron (5)

"I'm not surprised he saw that in you."Lucavion chuckled softly as Mariel finished her story, but the sound quickly faded as he picked up his fork, finally turning his attention to the meal that had sat largely untouched in front of him. He chewed thoughtfully, the warmth of the food filling him as the weight of their conversation lingered in the air. Between bites, he washed down the meal with a drink, his eyes still focused on Mariel, listening without missing a beat.

For a while, they sat in a comfortable silence—Mariel quietly reflecting, and Lucavion eating, his gaze occasionally flickering back to her. It wasn't until he had nearly finished that Mariel spoke again, her voice hesitant but filled with curiosity.

"There's something I've never been able to figure out," she began, her eyes meeting his steadily. "The man who saved my life… I never learned who he really was. I've heard whispers and rumors, but no one ever gave me a clear answer. Was he really…?"

Her words trailed off, and for a moment, Lucavion didn't reply. He simply set down his utensils, wiping his mouth with a casual flick of his wrist before leaning back in his chair. His playful demeanor was gone again, replaced by a quiet gravity that matched the tone of the conversation.

After a brief pause, Lucavion nodded, his voice low, almost reverent. "Starscourge Gerald," he said softly, the name hanging in the air between them like a distant echo of the past.

Mariel's breath caught in her throat. She had suspected as much but hearing the name from Lucavion's lips brought it all into focus. Gerald. The figure of starlight who had saved her, the one who had changed the course of her life. She had never known his name, never been able to fully thank him for what he had done, and now, here it was—a truth she had sought for so long.

'It really was him.'

That name.

Starscourge Gerald.

It was not a name that one could just casually mention. Sёarᴄh the Nôvel(F)ire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Starscourge Gerald.

A name spoken with reverence, fear, and awe across the world. He wasn't just an ordinary figure of myth—he was one of those who had almost reached the very peak of humanity. His strength, his skill, his knowledge—they were so immense that they had almost transcended what it meant to be human.

'A man who stood at the precipice of godhood.'

The memories of what she had heard about him came flooding back in an overwhelming rush.

Gerald

, the one whose mere presence on the battlefield could shift the tide of war. His name was enough to make even the mightiest kingdoms hesitate. His starlight mana was like a divine force, one that made armies falter and crumble beneath its glow. And his greatest feats… those were the things of legends.

'He could change the course of battles on his own. Entire armies, entire campaigns thwarted just by him standing in their path.'

Her mind turned to the stories of the

Arcanis Empire

, the very empire that had sought dominion over vast lands, advancing across nations, toppling kingdoms. And then…

Starscourge Gerald

. He alone had halted their progress, time and time again. His power was so vast, so uncontainable, that the empire itself was forced to adapt to his mere existence. He had stood as a barrier, a force that no one could overcome, and because of that, they feared him.

'A single man… giving the Arcanis Empire endless headaches, stalling their ambitions. How many times had he blocked their path? How many victories had he stolen from them?'

Mariel could feel the weight of those memories as though they were her own, despite having never witnessed them herself. The legends of Gerald were everywhere, and yet, to her, he was more than just a story—

he was the one who had saved her life.

And she never even knew his name.

Across from her, Lucavion continued eating with an almost meditative calm, his focus entirely on his meal. He seemed unfazed by the gravity of the conversation they were having, as though speaking the name of such a legendary figure was nothing out of the ordinary. But Mariel knew—she knew that the man who had saved her, the one Lucavion called master, was not someone whose name could be spoken so casually.

'Starscourge Gerald… to think I was saved by someone like him. And he—he saw something in me. Why?'

The question lingered in her mind, unresolved. Why had Gerald, someone so powerful, bothered to save her, a simple mortal at the time, struggling in the ruins against a monster far beyond her capabilities?

Her thoughts swirled as she remembered the feel of Gerald's presence that day, how effortlessly he had stepped in, how casually he had given her that nickname—

Little Bear.

At the time, it had all seemed like a dream. But now, with Lucavion sitting in front of her, speaking his name, it all became real.

Mariel watched Lucavion in silence as he continued eating, his posture relaxed, as if this was just another ordinary day for him. She envied that calm, that ability to carry the weight of such knowledge with ease. He took a sip from his drink, completely at ease, while she struggled to process the enormity of what had been revealed.

But there was something about Lucavion, too—something in his demeanor, in the way he spoke of his master. Mariel could sense it. There was more to this young man than met the eye. He might hide behind that playful smile and carefree attitude, but beneath it, there was a depth that reminded her so much of Gerald.

'He's more like his master than he lets on. I can see it… that same calm, that same quiet power.'

Lucavion finally looked up from his meal, catching her gaze, and gave her a faint, knowing smile as if he could read her thoughts. He didn't say anything, but the look in his eyes told her everything she needed to know. He understood what she was thinking—he had lived it, felt it.

And Mariel, for once, felt something she hadn't in a long time.

'Gratitude.'

She might never have had the chance to thank Gerald properly, but sitting across from Lucavion, she realized something important.

'Maybe… thanking him is enough.'

As Mariel sat there, she glanced again at Lucavion. He had just finished his meal, casually wiping his hands with the same calm demeanor that seemed to cloak him in mystery. Despite the powerful connection he had with Gerald—the man who had shaped her life—it suddenly struck her that Lucavion himself was still

just a young man

.

'Even if he's Gerald's disciple, he's still… so young.'

The thought stirred something new within her. For all the power and wisdom he may have inherited from his master, there was an undeniable truth in front of her. Lucavion was here, alone. No legendary figure stood by his side, no mentor guiding his steps. He was, in some ways, just like she had been all those years ago—trying to navigate a world that demanded more from him than most would ever know.

'

How did he come here?'

she wondered, her eyes softening as they lingered on him.

'What journey has he been on? And how did someone like Gerald come to meet this boy?'

She took another sip of her drink, the warmth of it spreading through her, but her mind was far from the present. She thought of the stories, the legends of Starscourge Gerald—the man who strode between realms, whose influence could shape the destiny of entire kingdoms. How did this boy, Lucavion, cross paths with such a figure? What had his life been like before that fateful meeting?

"If you want to ask something, you may ask. I don't mind."

Lucavion suddenly spoke.

Mariel blinked, pulled back to the present by Lucavion's words. His voice was calm, unhurried, yet there was an openness in his tone that caught her slightly off guard. She hadn't expected him to address her thoughts so directly. For a brief second, she wondered if he had sensed the depth of her curiosity, or if he had simply grown accustomed to people wanting to know more about him.

'Of course,'

she thought, setting her glass down with deliberate care.

'Why waste time wondering?'

Mariel wasn't one to dwell on uncertainties or dance around questions. The Iron Matron's reputation was built on her decisiveness, her ability to cut through the noise and get to the heart of things. And now, sitting across from someone as enigmatic as Lucavion, her instinct was to be direct. She'd always believed in facing things head-on, and this situation was no different.

Leaning forward slightly, her gaze sharp but not unkind, she spoke, her voice steady. "How did you meet Mister Gerald?"

No hesitation, no soft lead-in—just the question, clear and to the point.

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

You can converse with me if I am available. I will try to respond to questions, though I am a bit busy with college.