Chapter 122: Departure to the South
[Is he really Novio?]
Russell moved closer to Novio and looked at him from side to side.
[…He’s Novio. He’s definitely Novio.]
Russell, whose face gradually distorted, fell into deep doubt.
“Are you… serious?”
Lucion also hardly believed it.
He was preparing some excuses, thinking that Novio would definitely object.
“Hume said that a warlock attacked you first. Is that right?”
‘What? With that kind of explanation, my father reacted like this?’
Lucion blinked for a moment.
Taking advantage of the tension between Cronia and Neubra beyond the walls, he sent the ghosts into the sky.
Novio and Carson already knew that the kingdom of Nevast had joined hands with the warlocks.
So, taking advantage of all the circumstances, he made known the fact that the Kingdom of Neubra openly used warlocks.
“That’s right.”
Lucion replied a beat late.
“I should have told you the current situation sooner. The warlock who attacked you is probably one of the warlocks who have joined hands with the Kingdom of Nevast.”
‘If Father believes that, it means the rest of the people also believe in the fake situation that I created.’
Novio was the most cautious person he had ever seen.
“Of course, there are still many questions left unresolved, so it is not certain.”
By the time Lucion felt proud of it, Novio scattered it into ashes.
Sksk.
Russell chuckled beside him.
“In any case, a warlock appeared on the frontier. This information is solid, that’s why I’m not against your trip.”
“What do you mean?”
“Even if I hide you, the warlocks who have already appeared won’t disappear.”
Lucion nodded and then he responded to Novio’s words.
“They must be hoping you’ll stay here on the border and panic. Also, they want us to be passive. Therefore, I want to send you to a place where you will shine more than anyone else.”
Contrary to what he said, Novio couldn’t hide his anxious gaze.
But he smiled.
“No more hiding, no more being afraid. I want you to stand tall, holding numerous shields in your hands to protect you, as well as Cronia.”
“…Father.”
Lucion’s eyes shook at Novio’s sincere words.
“I’ll grab them by their ankles, so you take your sword. The more you shine, the more difficult it is for the warlocks to approach you. So, wouldn’t it buy you some time to determine who is the warlock behind the scenes?”
Only then did Lucion realize what Novio was trying to say.
He was saying that Lucion should attract people’s attention so that it would be difficult for the warlocks to approach him.
It also meant that the more exposed the place was, there would be fewer places for warlocks to hide, which meant they could find the warlocks faster.
But there was a big problem here.
“Father has a point, but black magic is the quietest magic. The more people there are, the easier it is to be targeted.”
“Sir Heint has decided to escort you on these four trips.”
“…!”
“Black magic, as you mentioned, is the quietest magic. Then, the only way to compensate for this problem is to have the power of light.”
At those sudden words, Lucion felt choked.
“Isn’t that right, Lucion?”
Novio asked.
[Wow… It’s unexpected. He’s right, but this is, um…]
Russell smoothed his chin.
[Lord Lucion’s father seems to have made a big decision.]
Bethel looked at Novio pitifully.
Considering that he allowed the light to come near even though he knew that it wasn’t good for Lucion, he must have been so worried.
Lucion let out a long breath.
‘Right. Father must have been bothered by the fact that no one was blessed by the light.’
Whether he had a lot of escorts or not, the only people who could stop the warlocks were the warlocks themselves or those blessed by the light.
Perhaps the fact that a warlock had made an appearance beyond the frontier was the decisive reason why Novio made up his mind.
‘Who can I blame?’
Lucion swallowed his laughter inside.
No matter how much he thought about it, Heint was the only one.
A person who wasn’t a priest, let alone a person whose power of light didn’t leak out.
However, Heint belonged to the Imperial family.
Lucion opened his mouth.
“Is Brother coming too?”
“Carson probably can’t make it this time. The escorts have been adjusted exactly to your liking, so the only ones added here are the Imperial Knights.”
“Will it be okay?”
“Are you talking about the rumor that the Imperial family and the frontier are keeping each other in check?”
“Is it a false rumor?”
“Yes. It’s a false rumor made by His Majesty and me. Cronia is always loyal to the Imperial family, so don’t worry. Rather, I want to ask. Will you be all right, Lucion?”
“I am fine with it.”
Lucion reluctantly allowed it.
Even if it wasn’t for Novio’s suggestion, the Emperor would have forced the 8th Knights that he had created for Lucion to come.
[Are you sure? Heint is particularly sensitive to darkness.]
Russell asked anxiously, but Lucion couldn’t answer.
It was inevitable that Heint would follow him, and it would have happened because of the red thread.
So he had to.
Cut that red thread off.
Lucion’s eyes burned with determination.
‘No matter what.’
* * *
Thud!
The man gritted his teeth and threw whatever he could get at the hooded person who knelt in front of him.
Bam.
One of the thick statues hit the head of the hooded man.
Trickle.
Blood trickled down.
“…Do you feel better now, Your Highness?”
The man asked in a low voice.
“Better. Am I feeling better? Did you just ask me that?”
The King gritted his teeth.
“Are you asking questions like that because you really don’t know what mistakes you guys made?”
“We don’t know.”
“If it’s not you guys, then who could it be!? Who!?”
“I have only one thing to tell you, Your Highness. It’s not us.”
“You damn fool! I was the one who accepted you when you were dying!”
“I know, Your Highness. Your grace is too great.”
“I told you to help me, not to hit me in the back of my head!”
“I know that, too.”
The King couldn’t stand it when the man kept talking back, so he came down from the throne, approached the hooded man, and grabbed him by the collar.
“Who are the black wizard that appeared on the border of the Tesla Empire, if not you? Which crazy guy walks around revealing that he’s a warlock!?”
“We’re not the only warlocks, so calm down, Your Highness.”
The King wasn’t the only one who was annoyed by it.
Most of the ghosts that had been planned to be sacrificed had disappeared.
Does that make sense?
“Needless to say, beyond the frontier, just as my forces were about to stir up Cronia, a warlock appeared. Anyone would think that my country, the Neubra Kingdom, has committed this!”
“…Are you scared?”
Scared.
The King had goosebumps all over his body at the warlock’s somber smile that appeared through his hood.
Oops.
The warlock was belatedly surprised and regained his momentum.
“As long as we have the Hands of the Void, the Empire belongs to you. So, Your Highness. Please feel at ease.”
When the King loosened his grip, the warlock bowed down to him.
Cough.
When the King coughed, the warlock spoke softly.
“It wasn’t us, but we’ll fix it. So, Your Highness. Please take care of your health for the moment you obtain the throne.”
Returning to the throne, the King opened his mouth with a weak face.
“…Lucion Cronia is heading south. Get ready.”
That damn frontier.
If he crossed the border, the Empire became his.
The King coughed and tightened his grip on the throne’s armrest.
“Yes. I will give you Lucion Cronia’s head as a gift, Your Highness.”
The warlock spoke in a voice filled with laughter.
* * *
“Are you ready, Kran?”
Lucion put on his mask and asked.
Finally tomorrow, he was leaving for the South.
Lucion leaned against the bed and looked at the moon through the window.
After suffering from an unexplained fever for three days, his face had turned pale.
There was no miracle that could completely heal his stomach within three days, but his stomach recovered enough that it was only slightly painful and bothered him a little when he walked.
<Yes. The Reint Mercenary Corps has also recovered enough to move, and I have guarded the invitation from the Sertio Auction House in my arms so that it doesn’t get leaked..>
“Has the barrier you said you built in the Chonest family been completed?”
Stra and Helon were now on Chonest.
They were creating a barrier to protect the Chonest family along with a barrier to connect the Chefran family.
Yesterday, Stra contacted him asking for help.
Trying to do a lot of work alone must be killing her.
<No. Not yet… Well, I think it’s going to take time to complete because Stra is the only barrier magician we have.>
Kran spoke in a slightly troubled voice but soon affirmed it.
<Ah. I am not asking Hamel-nim to find a barrier magician.>
‘I’ll have to think about it first.’
If the number of places owned by the organization increased, it would be impossible for Stra to create barriers while moving from place to place alone.
<There are quite a few lands and mines in Chonest, so the time it takes to get the Chefran business back up and running will be faster.>
Kran reported to Lucion.
The fact that the workplace was operating meant that the organization could earn money on its own, and it also meant that they could escape Lucion’s unilateral support.
At last.
“What about Peter?”
<Ah, there is something Peter asked me to convey to Hamel-nim.>
“What is it?”
<He said he has something to tell you.>
‘Yes. I knew he’d bring me something.’
Lucion was satisfied.
“Okay, tell him to refrain from acting alone.”
Lucion swallowed the words after, ‘If you don’t want to die’.
He’d meet Peter later and deliver these words himself.
<Yes. I will pass it on.>
“See you in the South.”
<….>
No sound was heard from the contact item.
<H-Hold on, Hamel-nim. What do you mean by that?>
“I don’t go to the auction house. But I have business in the South. Bring everyone along.”
Click.
Lucion hung up the contact item without listening to his words.
Hehe.
Ratta, who waited for him with a wagging tail, smiled.
―Now give it to Ratta. Ratta will bring it to you.
“Can I just do it? Just stretch out my hand and it will be done in no time.”
―D-Don’t! The doctor said Lucion shouldn’t move.
“This isn’t moving, Ratta.”
―Ratta will do it. Ratta can do it!
Ratta looked desperately at Lucion.
After growing up, Ratta changed again.
He could see her trying hard to do something helpful.
“Alright.”
When Lucion answered, Ratta took the handle out with her mouth.
“Ratta.”
―Yeah, say it.
“You don’t have to force yourself to do anything.”
―No, I’m saying this because I can do it.
Ratta filled her eyes with strength.
“Alright, then that’s fine.”
Lucion lay down comfortably and moved the darkness to turn off the light.
Even without Russell, he was able to lie down and turn off the light right away.
* * *
[Wow, Lord Lucion.]
Bethel couldn’t help but admire Lucion as she looked around.
His face was originally shiny, but with the help of the maids, he looked different.
―Right? Lucion is shining, right?
Hehe, Ratta smiled.
Russell raised his nose and twitched the corners of his mouth.
Praising the student was the same as praising the teacher.
“…Young Master.”
The maid looked at her work and raised her voice as if crying.
“What is it?”
With a tired face, Lucion looked at the maid who had called him.
“Young Master is really the perfect image for painting. I’m just upset that you look pale today.”
“That’s right. We are so happy that it feels like we’re filling the void left by the Young Lady.”
The maid next to him also responded with a fierce nod.
“Why Sister?”
Lucion opened his eyes wide and asked.
Seeing this, the maids turned their heads and gradually smiled.
No matter how docile he had become, he was the youngest.
The maids swallowed the words they couldn’t bear to say.
“Young Master.”
“Say it.”
“Can I refine it a little more?”
“You said you were done. Didn’t you say you were done?”
Lucion said, freaking out.
The preparation had started from dawn when the sun hadn’t even risen yet. He thought it was finally over, but then they were starting again.
It was awful.
“If we refine it a little more, you’ll be much more perfect than you are now.”
Bethel was as burdensome as the maid’s gaze.
[Yes. I don’t think the maid’s suggestion is bad.]
―Yes! Ratta also wants Lucion to shine more.
“That’s enough.”
Lucion cut off the line of words like a knife and rose from his seat.
The maids looked at Lucion with regret, but when they heard a knock, they immediately closed their mouths.
Knock. Knock.
“Lucion.”
Through the gap between the carefully opened door, Heint called out to Lucion with a happy expression.
Not at all pleased, Lucion waved his hand without hesitation.
“Oh.”
Heint bowed his head to Lucion, conscious of the maids.
“I am Heint Tria, the captain of the 8th Order of the Knights, who, at your Majesty’s command, is to escort Lord Lucion Cronia.”
Author's Thoughts
It has come to my attention that I've made a mistake in the Kingdom's names. All this time, I thought Nevast and Neubra are the same kingdom. I was wrong. Nevast is the Holy Nation full of priests. Neubra is the enemy kingdom that kidnapped Lucion in the past. I am incredibly sorry for this grave mistake. I have already fixed it all by the time you read this note.
Thank you to Fanathan18 for pointing it out. Without you, I would have continued making a fool of myself.
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