* * *

“Lightbringer, over here.”

Lucion called out to Heint, who was looking around for him. They had agreed to meet near the central plaza, and Lucion had arrived early.

“Why now?” Heint asked with a frown, though he was relieved that Hamel’s middle finger hadn’t been raised.

“Where are you going? We’re both busy. Let’s go,” Lucion urged, his anxiety rising as he remembered Hume’s uneasy state before using his shadow movement.

At Lucion’s insistence, Heint finally began to move.

After a few moments of walking in silence, Heint broke the quiet.

“Are you participating in this too?”

“Yeah. Didn’t Kran tell you? If you’d asked, I would’ve told you,” Lucion replied.

“We didn’t have time to chat. As you know, it’s a surprise operation, so the schedule’s a bit tight,” Heint explained.
“His Majesty was wise. Who would have thought that the day Twilo was executed would be the day of the attack?”

[The plan is good overall, but it’s a problem because you’re involved.]

Russell’s eyes narrowed.

“Are you okay?” Heint asked.

“What do you mean?”

Lucion turned his gaze to Bethel. She looked calm, perhaps because they had just witnessed Twilo’s death.

“Uh, I mean, there are warlocks involved too, right? Don’t warlocks share any common ground?” Heint continued.

“Well. Even among warlocks, they wouldn’t sense everything, right?” Lucion replied, glancing at Russell for confirmation.

[That’s true. Without Ratta or me around, it’s hard to know anything.] Russell smirked.

“That’s reassuring.” Heint stopped in front of a house. “Here, no, I’ll wait over there.”

Heint stepped back and waved his hand lightly as he continued to retreat.

“What’s this? Are you worried I’ll use darkness?” Lucion asked.

“No. My hearing’s good. I don’t want to eavesdrop. See? I can hear you from here,” Heint said.

Lucion lowered his voice, just in case.

“Lightbringer, are you still thinking about the time you doubted me…?”

“Let’s leave it at that. I said I was wrong, didn’t I?” Heint quickly walked back to Lucion and spoke urgently.

–Hop! Ratta listens just as well!

Ratta’s eyes gleamed.

‘She really listens well.’

Lucion was slightly taken aback.

–Ratta was there too. I overheard the conversation between Novio and Carson while sleeping! Um, the last time Keo… um.

[Keortia.]

–Right! Russell is so smart, hehe! Just like in Keortia, the trees and walls appeared and disappeared!

[What?]

“What?”

Following Russell, Lucion was so surprised that he spoke without realizing it.

He quickly turned to Heint, his shock evident.

Heint scratched his scarred cheek, a displeased look crossing his face.

“You’re more petty than I thought… Well, I don’t even know what you look like, so whatever. Anyway, you’re really something. I thought you’d forgotten everything.”

“I’ve forgotten everything. Now, I’m going inside. Wait here.”

“Who do you think I am, a dog?”

“Just wait for me.”

“Tch.”

Heint gave a resigned laugh at Lucion’s quick response and stepped back.

Lucion entered the house.

He was eager to ask Ratta about the earlier conversation but hesitated, aware of Bethel’s presence.

[It’s almost over, so you can ask now, Lord Lucion. Don’t hold back.]

With Bethel’s encouragement, Lucion turned to the shadow where Ratta was hiding and asked, “What did you just say, Ratta?”

Ratta’s head popped out from the shadow.

–I’m not sure I heard correctly because I was half asleep, but he said the trees and buildings appeared, and there were words on the ground. ‘Don’t come? Don’t look?’ Um… I’m not sure about the rest.

Ratta tilted her head in confusion.

“Us. Us.”

The darkness spoke, revealing itself.

–Hop!

Ratta startled as she jumped back and her tail stood on end.

“I did it because I was afraid that if you got too close, the people Lucion cares about would die. I was in such a hurry that I wrote ‘Don’t Look’ on the ground, but I’m sorry if I frightened you.”

“No, thank you so much.”

Lucion removed his mask and smiled at the darkness, which let out a shy giggle.

“Hehe.”

“Is that phenomenon we saw in Keortia spreading?”

“That’s right! But don’t go searching for that place.”

“Didn’t you say that destroying it would weaken him?”

“Shouldn’t we try to find it and destroy it? He could be there.”

The darkness spoke in a slightly heavier tone, then glanced around before bidding farewell and disappearing.

[It appears on its own.]

Russell wished the darkness would share more.

He was eager to understand what exactly Lucion had shattered in Keortia with the violet darkness.

“It probably can’t just appear whenever it wants. But we did learn something important.”

[That’s right. The fact that he’s there means he’s doing something to prevent it from being destroyed. He wouldn’t just be sightseeing.]

Lucion agreed with Russell’s assessment and quickened his pace.

Even without Bethel and Russell telling him, Lucion knew exactly where Twilo was.

A foul odor began to waft toward them.

‘Is it because of the black orb?’

Lucion hesitated briefly before opening the door.

Inside, a body was wrapped in black cloth.

“Ratta.”

–Yes!

As Ratta emerged from the shadows and lightly touched the body, the ghostly form of Twilo appeared.

Lucion looked at Bethel.

“I’ll step aside, so you can do what you need to.”

[No.]

Bethel gripped her sword hilt tightly.

[It’ll be over quickly; it’s fine for you to stay.]

When Twilo’s head fell, Bethel realized that everything was finally over.

Tears streamed down her face involuntarily, and the intense hatred that had been simmering inside her, along with the taste of her own blood from earlier, came rushing back.

But that sensation was fleeting. It quickly faded away.

Now, everyone recognized those who were dying underground, including herself.

People felt anger at the unfairness of her death, which had seemed like something they would never know about.

Swish.

Bethel drew her sword.

[I’m okay now.]

It wasn’t a statement to comfort herself; it was genuine.

She realized it when Lucion took her hand in front of everyone to comfort her.

She had once believed Twilo was the most important person in her life.

But the truly precious person was right behind her.

Bethel locked eyes with Twilo.

“I swore on my heart and my life to protect you! But you… you betrayed me? Me? …Alright! One day, I will come to kill you! I’ll plunge my sword into your heart, curse you, and laugh at you with all my heart!”

She remembered the words she had shouted at Twilo before becoming a test subject.

[You, you are…]

[I am.]

Bethel cut off Twilo’s words.

Without hesitation, she drove her sword into his heart, following the countless blade trajectories she had imagined over the years.

[Ugh, Aaah!]

[Bethel Levisti!]

One corner of her mouth lifted into a smirk.

Now, Twilo was nothing to her.

Even the anger she had felt was merely an illusion, too insignificant to hold onto.

[Knight of Lucion Chronia, Bethel Levisti…]

Bethel shouted powerfully while Twilo howled in agony, her gaze turning to Lucion.

Her eyes shone with more vitality than ever before.

But no matter her emotions, Twilo had to be remembered.

She couldn’t let him disappear so easily.

Lucion wrapped the darkness around his hand, and as Bethel wished, grabbed Twilo’s face, applying pressure.

“Get lost, you son of a bitch!”

Whoosh.

As if the darkness understood Lucion’s command, it quickly burned Twilo’s body with violet flames.

He was reduced to ashes.

And then, he vanished.

Bethel watched the scene with wide eyes, a mischievous smile playing on her lips, like a playful child.

Her cheeks, speckled with freckles, seemed to flush with a rosy hue.

At that moment, she felt truly liberated from her past.

Now, she could finally laugh freely.

[I feel relieved.]

Bethel took a deep breath.

Now she had the courage to see her teacher.

–Bethel. Are you happy now?

Ratta approached and nuzzled her face against Bethel’s.

[Yes. I’m really, really happy now.]

–Then Bethel won’t cry anymore? Ratta doesn’t like it when either Lucion or Bethel cry.

Ratta paused, pouting as she rubbed her face.

[That’s right. I won’t cry.]

Bethel lowered herself to meet Ratta’s gaze.

Ratta looked back at her with eyes similar to Lucion’s, snuggling into her arms.

–Heehee. Ratta is happy too!

What a little cutie.

Feeling at ease, Bethel chuckled at the sight of Russell, who quickly turned away when their eyes met, and called out to Lucion.

[Lord Lucion.]

“Yes, Bethel.”

Lucion smiled warmly.

[Can I ask you a favor?]

“Of course.”

Bethel stood, sheathed her sword, and turned toward Lucion.

In his warm gaze, she felt a comfort she had long thought lost.

[Would you go with me to see my teacher?]

“Of course! Whenever you’re ready, just say the word, and I’ll go with you.”

[Not right now.]

Bethel giggled.

If she had insisted on going right away, Lucion would likely have done so for her.

He was that kind.

[Lord Lucion.]

“Yeah?”

[Meeting you has been a truly great blessing for me.]

Bethel couldn’t help but laugh again at Lucion’s bashful reaction.

He wouldn’t understand unless she told him.

How lovable Lucion was.

If she could, Bethel would want to tell him every day how lovely he was, forever.

But he might run away from embarrassment before she could.

Was that how Carson and Shaela felt about Lucion?

* * *

–Faster, faster!

Ratta dashed around Lucion, urging him on.

“You don’t need to rush like that. Hume’s standing right outside–the moment he knocks on the door three times, if you happen to be late…”

Knock. Knock. Knock!

Lucion was startled by the urgent sound of knocking at the door.

[Is it really Carson…?]

Russell peeked out, grinning.

–See! Ratta was right! Hurry! Hurry!

Ratta’s pace around Lucion quickened.

Lucion, in turn, hurriedly began removing his clothes.

He was sweating heavily, and his hands trembled.

As he was about to take off his socks, he lost his balance for a moment, almost bumping his head against the bedpost, but the darkness cushioned the impact.

–Ouch!

Bang!

Surprisingly, Ratta heard the sound.

She was spinning around and accidentally bumped into the bed.

Lucion couldn’t help but let out a small laugh at the absurdity of it, but it was no time for that.

Bethel stifled her laughter and gently patted Ratta’s head.

–Darkness, bad! You should make sure Ratta doesn’t get hurt! Ratta likes the darkness too…!

Ratta protested, on the verge of tears.

[Just shove everything under the bed. Hume can’t lie, so he’s out of commission.]

Russell, having urged Lucion on, turned to Ratta and burst into laughter.

Just then, Lucion, hastily dressed, shoved everything he’d worn as Hamel under the bed and lay down.

Click.

The door opened, and Carson stepped inside with a slightly uncertain expression.

“I heard a noise, so I came in. Apologies if everything’s fine.”

‘Phew, lucky my clothes were easy to take off.’

Lucion pretended to stretch, wiping his sweat before greeting Carson.

“Ratta bumped into the bed while playing.”

“Hmm, we should get a new bed, one that’s not so hard on the sides.”

Carson glanced at Ratta, who was still sniffling by the bed.

Behind Carson, Hume was brushing his chest in relief.

Whatever conversation they had, Hume seemed more exhausted than if he’d been fighting.

“Did you have a nightmare?”

Carson noticed the sweat on Lucion’s forehead.

“It’s just because it’s hot.”

“I see. You’ve always been sensitive to heat.”

Carson responded, his gaze scanning the room.

Feeling the probing look, Lucion quickly asked, “Do we need to head out right away?”

“Yes. I’d let you rest if I could, but the operation has been moved up a bit.”

“Is something wrong?”

“No, nothing’s wrong. But Heint mentioned that His Majesty is worried the Hand of the Void might escape beyond the Magic Tower. To prevent that, he plans to halt the portal between the central and eastern regions for a day, under the guise of inspections.”

“But shutting down the portal will cause huge losses, won’t it?”

Lucion felt a rush of admiration for Ketlan’s decisive action.

“His Majesty judged that the losses from a one-day shutdown are far smaller than the damage the Hand of the Void escaping would cause.”

[That’s right. If the emperor mentioned 400 people, that means there are thousands working for them. With that situation still possible, it’s better to shut down the portal for now.]

Russell nodded in agreement.

“So, we’re leaving early because of the portal?”

“Exactly. Even if you rest, it will have to be after we reach the eastern region.”

Lucion immediately got off the bed. There was no point in hesitating now that the decision had been made.

“Then let’s head out right away.”

–Let’s go! Yahoo!

Ratta, who had been crying moments ago, spun around Lucion and Carson, her tears forgotten at the mention of going out.

“First, change your clothes. You’re still… a bit clumsy, it seems.”

Carson chuckled as he stepped outside.

Lucion looked down, realizing his buttons were misaligned.

“Why didn’t anyone tell me?”