* * *
[Did you hear the bell ringing?]
Russell was startled at the sound and he looked at Bethel in surprise.
[What’s wrong, Bethel? Why was the possession released?]
Bethel was at a loss for words. Releasing a possession should feel like walking out of a door, but something was clearly amiss.
However, that wasn’t important right now.
“Where did the young master go?” Hume’s question added to the confusion felt by Russell and Bethel.
Fear gripped Russell as he scanned his surroundings.
‘What’s going on?’
Lucion’s heartbeat was slowly fading away.Suddenly, Lucion disappeared, and Ratta was nowhere to be seen.
But for his heartbeat to be fading like this, something was definitely wrong.
[Wait. I’ll…]
Russell moved immediately.
As he was about to break through the wall, he felt Lucion from behind.
―Russell!
Ratta cried out, weeping tears.
Hume’s face turned pale.
Shudder.
Hume’s body collapsed, and he trembled all over.
There was a fist-sized hole in Lucion’s abdomen.
Blood kept pouring out.
This shouldn’t be happening.
The amount of blood flowing out was far beyond normal.
―Lucion! Lucion is dying!
Ratta shouted, rubbing her face against Lucion.
[…]
Swish.
Russell’s hand went down.
He finally understood the meaning of a broken heart.
Can a ghost feel such emotions?
But it felt like he was suffocating, as if he would die.
―Russell! Please save Lucion!
[Hume. Calm down. Stop the blood first. Use whatever you can to stop it! Hurry…!]
Russell’s voice rose without realizing it as Ratta’s cries pierced his ears.
“I understand. I understand…!”
Trembling, Hume finally pulled out all the bandages from his pocket.
[Bethel.]
[Tell me. Quickly! Quickly, Russell!]
Bethel shouted.
It was so hard to stay sane.
She couldn’t understand what had just happened.
Why?
Why did Lucion end up like that?
[I.]
Russell managed to get the words out.
[I’ll open the way, just possess Lucion and buy us some time, please.]
Russell’s expression crumbled.
Struggling to hold back his tears, he used the darkness allowed by Lucion to open the door for Bethel to possess him.
“The bleeding… it won’t stop!” Hume’s voice trembled as he spoke.
No matter how much hemostatic agent he applied or how tightly he pressed the bandages against the wound, the bleeding wouldn’t stop.
He couldn’t help but resent Lucion’s constitution for not being able to heal.
But even for a moment, when Bethel possessed Lucion, Lucion’s breathing, which was almost interrupted, returned to normal, and the blood that had been flowing slowly stopped.
Ratta, who had been crying, looked up upon hearing Lucion’s stabilized breathing.
―Lucion, is, is he okay now?
[…How much time is left?]
Russell asked, biting his lip.
[…]
Bethel remained silent.
She couldn’t bring herself to say it, not knowing if it would truly come to pass.
She sobbed, feeling the imminent loss of Lucion and consumed by fear.
[Russell… Russell, is there no way… to save Lord Lucion? We can’t let him go like this. We can’t… We can’t let Lord Lucion go like this.]
How could one quantify the depth of sorrow?
But even though Bethel sensed how devastated Russell was, she had no choice but to ask him.
[Hume, carry Lucion on your back.] Russell instructed, his voice devoid of emotion.
Hume immediately lifted Lucion onto his back, understanding what needed to be done.
He rushed upstairs, carefully stabilizing Lucion’s body.
[Yes, Miella… the necklace she made. It’s our last hope.]
Russell didn’t want to admit it, but no matter how hard Bethel forced herself to breathe on Lucion’s behalf, the sound of his heart was getting fainter.
Not even when he was facing the light head-on, not even when he was pierced by a sword, had Russell felt pain like this.
It was unbearable.
[…It’s the last hope.] Russell managed to utter, suppressing his rising emotions.
He held on with all his might, reminding himself that if he broke down, it would truly be the end.
“Mr. Kran!”
Hume shouted as if his throat would burst.
Was Hamel calling for him?
He was waiting for Lucion from above. Kran couldn’t possibly be glad in a situation like this.
Kran hurried downstairs upon hearing the urgent call.
“What’s happening…” Kran’s legs momentarily gave out as he saw Hamel being carried by Rental.
The heavy scent of blood and Hamel’s outstretched hand were covered in blood.
“Where is Miella now? Please let me know! Please tell me where Miella is!” Hume’s voice trembled, on the verge of tears.
“She… She’s in the east. But I don’t know the exact location…” Kran stammered, his eyes wide open.
His eyes quickly turned red, and his voice seemed choked, as if something was blocking his throat.
The fear of losing a loved one had strangled his throat.
[Wait. I will track her down.]
Russell used Lucion’s darkness to infuse Kran’s mind with darkness.
―Ratta, sobs, I’m ready. Ratta is ready, so please tell me quickly.
Ratta shed tears.
The stairs were stained with Lucion’s blood, so much that even Ratta herself felt overwhelmed with guilt.
Russell, who had closed his eyes tightly, opened them and said.
[There it is! Did you know where it is?]
―Yep. Ratta knows.
Hume grabbed Kran’s arm firmly at Ratta’s words.
* * *
Kwang!
“Wh-What a surprise!”
Miella jumped in fright at the sudden sound of the door opening.
“Who is it? Is it Heroan?”
However, she soon recognized the voice and chuckled.
“Why? Did it break again? I asked you to handle it more delicately…”
“… Ms. Miella.”
It wasn’t Heroan.
Miella took off the glasses she was wearing, stood up from her seat at the sound of Rental’s voice.
Something felt off.
Why would Rental come here at this hour?
‘I thought I heard they were raiding the mansion.’
Wondering if it was already over, Miella walked toward the door.
Then she slumped down in her seat.
Her breathing suddenly became rough.
“Why, why is this happening? Why…”
Thud.
Kran closed the door behind her, and Hume urged Miella on.
“Please use that item quickly! Please!”
“Just a moment… No, it’s not,” Miella replied, trying to steady herself.
With Kran’s support, she stood up, tightly gripping her trembling hands.
She needed to calm down.
She was the only one who knew how to use the necklace properly.
“I will… I will prepare in another room. Please lay him down here,” Miella said, rushing to open the door to her bedroom.
She grabbed the necklace and hurriedly made her way to the storage room filled with glowing objects.
Hume gently laid Lucion down on the bed, carefully supporting his weakened body.
Kran, his gaze fixated on the blood trailing down Lucion’s neck, managed to choke out the words.
“We need to remove the mask. It’s restricting his breathing.”
He remembered the agreement he made with Hamel, to never uncover his true identity and to pretend ignorance if he ever found out.
But leaving Lucion in this condition was too dangerous.
Hume hesitated upon hearing Kran’s words.
[Take it off.]
Russell forced the words out.
Lucion was his priority now.
[That’s right, you have to take it off.]
Even Bethel agreed.
Hume asked hesitantly, “Can… can you keep the secret?”
He bit his lip, understanding the weight of what he was about to ask.
He knew how desperately Lucion had concealed his identity all this time.
“I can keep it. If I ever change my mind, you can kill me then,” Kran answered without a hint of hesitation.
If Hamel were to ask who he was, he could respond in this way. He would remain loyal to his one and only god, who had given him a new life.
“I believe you,” Hume replied, trusting Kran’s resolve.
Hume then removed Lucion’s mask, revealing the transformation of his dark red hair into a mix of blue and gray.
Lucion’s breathing, which had been short of breath, gradually subsided.
Kran’s eyes and mouth opened wide in an instant.
“S-Saint?”
Even though he was even paler now, how could Kran forget that face?
“Yes. Mr. Hamel, he is Lucion Cronia,” Hume declared, deciding that there was no use hiding the truth any longer.
‘How..’
Suddenly, it all made sense to Kran. The reason why Lucion used the pseudonym Hamel.
Cronia’s youngest son was a warlock.
And Lucion, the warlock, was a saint.
His mind was filled with confusion, trying to reconcile these seemingly contradictory facts.
However, his thoughts were interrupted by the sight of a black fox beside Lucion, weeping.
Kran had heard rumors about Lucion raising a fox cub in secret.
“It’s a secret. I will definitely keep it. …No, I didn’t see anything.”
Regardless of the circumstances, Kran buried the knowledge that Hamel was Lucion deep within his heart.
He had to.
Kran understood that Lucion had not yet reached adulthood.
How much had he suffered to conceal his true identity as a warlock?
He wasn’t just young; he was a child.
There were so many things Kran wanted to say to Lucion, but now was not the time.
“Hang in there. You have to hold on,” Kran whispered, his voice filled with determination.
Lucion had to survive.
He had to live without fail.
“Cough…”
As Lucion coughed up more blood, Bethel grew increasingly anxious.
There was no time to think about the mask or anything else at the moment.
[Miella. Is Miella still far away?] Bethel asked urgently.
Bang!
Miella burst into the room, slamming the door open and stepping inside.
Hume looked at Kran with a worried expression.
Should he tell Miella about Lucion’s true identity after Kran?
[There’s no other choice, Hume.] Russell stated, his voice dry.
For Lucion’s sake, the mask had been removed.
“She is someone you can trust,” Kran spoke up, referring to Miella.
Only a select few knew the secret, but Miella was someone who could be relied upon to keep it.
Besides, they had no other viable option at the moment.
Putting the mask back on might only worsen Lucion’s already labored breathing.
“I… Oh, my God…” Miella’s voice trembled as she rushed in, nearly dropping the necklace she was carrying.
In front of her was the sight of Lucion Cronia, the saint, lying beside Hamel’s mask.
Miella seemed overwhelmed, as if she had many things to say. Finally, she managed to find her words.
“P-Please close the door.”
“I will go.”
Kran moved immediately.
Miella pursed her lips and turned her attention to Hume.
“I haven’t experimented on a person yet.”
Hume reassured her, saying, “It’s fine.”
Miella continued, her voice filled with concern, “It might hurt, so please hold his body still.”
The necklace she held in her trembling hands was not yet perfect.
Its purpose was to filter out light and retain only the regenerative power within, but there might still be some unfiltered light present.
Additionally, she was uncertain about how a power solely composed of regenerative abilities would affect a person.
However, Miella no longer hesitated. She knew all too well that it was their only viable option.
“Please tear the bandage,” she requested.
Rip!
Hume quickly ripped at the cloth wrapped around his stomach, exposing his wound.
Miella couldn’t help but be surprised at the sight. Where else would she see such a miraculous wound?
“…Holy shit,” Kran’s voice came from behind Miella.
It was a wound that was nothing short of a miracle that he was still alive.
Miella bit her lip as hard as she could, her hands trembling as she applied the magic item over the wound.
Like sprinkling salt, large and round particles fell onto the injury.
Those particles were the remnants of the regenerative power that had filtered through the light.
Gulp.
Ratta sniffled and watched quietly.
The regenerative power, which had accumulated like snow, suddenly began to tremble.
Like branches extending, long white lines reached out to each other, resembling spider webs.
Bubble.
Foam formed.
Wobble.
Lucion’s back arched upward, and Hume grabbed him urgently.
Lucion’s body shook as if he were having a seizure.
Miella’s eyes widened, but she didn’t stop using the item.
She knew it would be useless to stop now.
Exhaling, slowly.
Carefully, slowly.
She focuses intently on generating a steady stream of regenerative power.
[Endure, Lucion!] Russell clasped his hands together, aware that it was the unfiltered light causing this reaction.
But he could hear Lucion’ heartbeat growing stronger, and he begged more fervently.
[…Please hold on, Lucion.]
Bethel also prayed and prayed.
She could feel his body coming back to life, and she could only beg for his survival.
“Please hold on, young master.”
Hume had never understood the behavior of those who sought a god who didn’t exist.
But now he understood.
He was so desperate that he hoped someone, anyone, would grant him this wish.
―Lucion, when you’re fully healed, I’ll give you Ratta’s favorite ball and all the snacks! I promise I won’t play with your hair or break any bowls! So, please, open your eyes!
Ratta closed her eyes tightly, pouring all her heartfelt emotions into her words.
The regenerative power flowing from the necklace enveloped the wound, consuming the foam and covering the entire area.
Bubble bubble.
The sound of bubbling gradually subsided, and in an instant, the foam disappeared.
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