Chapter : 124

My forehead isn’t broken, is it?

As soon as I opened my eyes, I checked the well-being of my forehead first.

Fortunately, my forehead wasn’t broken. Instead, a strange symbol had formed on it, like a clear brand.

“What are you looking at so intently?”

Just before being discharged, Zephyros, who had come to visit, asked, and I replied with my forehead exposed.

“You don’t see anything?”

“What am I supposed to be seeing?”

That’s not it.

I lowered the hair I had pushed back.

To my eyes, the symbol on my forehead was so clear.

Is it only visible to me because I’m the contractor?

It’s not visible to Lucian’s eyes too, is it? I’m anxious, so anxious.

“More importantly, I heard you two fought?”

“What do you mean, fought? Are we kids?”

At the pointed remark, I just pouted.

“If you two hadn’t fought, it’s highly unlikely Lucian wouldn’t come to see you off for your discharge.”

This kid, he knows me and Lucian too well, doesn’t he?

“So, what’s the problem?”

“⋯It’s not that simple of a problem. It’s not Lucian’s fault either.”

It’s just a problem with my own weak mindset. How nice it would have been if I were a broad-minded person who could just dismiss it as the dungeon’s trick.

“Is it a relief then that since you two fought, Lucian doesn’t have to walk on eggshells pitifully?”

“It’s not a relief at all, is it?”

“If you and I had fought, we would have made up quickly just because of Lucian walking on eggshells, you know?”

At the undeniable fact, I quietly shut my mouth.

As I shut my mouth, Lou, for some reason so excited, chirped ‘peep peep’.

“And on top of that, you’re raising a strange bird.”

Was Lou offended by Zephyros’s remark?

Lou leaped from my head, landed on Zephyros’s in an instant, and pecked at his scalp.

In the blink of an eye, Zephyros waved his hands to get Lou off, but Lou dodged skillfully and continued to peck diligently.

Only after finally getting Zephyros’s blood on its beak did Lou return to my head triumphantly.

“What kind of bird is this violent!”

“Then why did you bother Lou who was just sitting there.”

Calling a Light Spirit a ‘strange bird’ seemed to have sounded like the worst insult to Lou.

“You were in the wrong.”

As I took Lou’s side, Zephi scowled in annoyance.

“Anyway, I don’t know what happened between you two, but sort it out. It’s vacation now.”

When the vacation starts, I’ll be separated from Lucian too.

Then, if time passes idly during the vacation, it might become awkward to talk to him when school starts again.

Even though it was true, I felt bad. No, because it was true, I wanted to be more stubborn.

“Lou, this time, bite his nose hard.”

At my command, Lou, as if this was his chance, jumped at Zephyros.

Go, Lou! Lou, who successfully carried out the command amidst cheers, returned proudly like a victorious general.

“Damn you!”

Leaving Zephyros lying on the floor writing ‘The culprit is Theo,’ I left the infirmary.

“Ah!”

What are the odds of running into Lucian right after leaving the infirmary?

As soon as I saw Lucian, my body reacted first, flinching back.

At that, Lucian, as if not paying much attention, passed me, went into the infirmary, and said to Zephyros..

“What in the world happened?”

Lucian, on the contrary, smiled brightly as if nothing had happened and asked me and Zephyros.

“It’s because of the pet Theo brought in without permission.”

Still, I should probably explain, right?

“I found it abandoned by its mother bird yesterday. Its name is Lou.”

I decided to just gloss it over with that kind of setting.

I was worried that the guy who had noticed Albedo might also notice Lou, but…

‘He doesn’t seem to have a clue, right?’

“Pee, peee, peeeit~”

As soon as he saw Lucian, Lou instantly flew to him.

“Hey!”

Before I could catch him, Lou flew onto Lucian’s head in an instant and chirped clearly, so happy about something. He had no idea about my complicated feelings.

“Lou, don’t bother Cian, come here.”

Lou, whom I had naturally expected to return to me, instead cried out resolutely.

“Peep peep!”

That means no, right? Even if you feel a sense of familiarity because he’s the Hero of Light, you should still listen to me!

“Alright. If you like it, come back in a bit.”

I felt like he might throw a fit if I took him away without permission, so I decided to wait patiently.

Lou proudly took his place on Lucian’s head and danced excitedly.

“You’re surprisingly nice to a bird like that.”

“That’s why Lou hates you.”

Lou chirped ‘peep peep’ as if in agreement.

“This bird, it’s not some cursed human, is it?

I have a feeling it understands human words strangely well.”

“Maybe it’s just a particularly smart bird.”

It’s not a cursed human, just an ordinary Light Spirit, though.

“You’re going to get hit by Lou again if you keep that up.”

“Do I have to worry about getting hit by my friend’s bird now?”

At Zephyros’s question, which even had a hint of despair, I let out a giggle.

Lucian seemed to be the same, and seeing him chuckle, a strange sense of relief washed over me.

Yeah, what was I even confused about?

Lucian is Lucian, and I can’t be swept away forever by some illusion from a dungeon.

“I’m sorry. I saw something a bit rough in the dungeon, and my body froze for a moment.”

“I don’t mind.”

“Still.”

Even if it was for a moment, I feel so sorry for having harbored feelings close to hatred for him.

“It wasn’t directed at me.”

“That’s… true.”

To be precise, I harbored anger towards the Lucian in the dungeon who sought to save the world through the murder of another.

“Then it’s okay.”

At the pure answer, my conscience pricked me.

“Hey, come on. You─”

Shouldn’t you be a little more upset? Being petty among friends wasn’t very pleasant, but I also didn’t want one side to just endure everything.

“You were tricked by some scheme in the dungeon.”

“Yeah.”

“It’s a relief you’re just safe.”

That’s true too. But it felt like talking to a wall.

This must be what Lucian thinks is the right path.

It’s the right thing to say, but I wanted to throw a tantrum and say it’s all wrong.

“Why do you look so down?”

Zephyros, who had seen through my heart as if looking at the palm of his hand, interjected.

Tsk, this is why I hate perceptive brats, you know?

“Each of you, describe what you’re going to do during the vacation.”

“What’s with the ‘describe’.”

Zephi, who was about to complain, finally reluctantly stated his plans.

“First, I have to go for the ‘Understanding of Fief Management’ final exam practicum.

I applied for the Lisitoel County, and I got permission.”

“You’re going to our fief?!”

“Well, that’s what happened.”

I haven’t even properly looked around our fief myself!

“Father allowed that?”

“Professor Evan usually accepts if a student taking the ‘Understanding of Fief Management’ lecture requests a practicum.”

“Yeah, I heard that too.

Anyway, since he’s a professor, they say he provides convenience in that regard.”

What, this is the first I’m hearing of this.

Since it didn’t apply to me anyway, did everyone feel there was no need to explain it to me? Still, isn’t it a bit cheap to leave me out like that?

“The nanny didn’t seem to know anything about that.”

The guys who took the lecture with me didn’t say a word about it to me either.

Every time the other students discussed which fief to go to after the lecture, the Lisitoel fief was never considered, so I thought we couldn’t go to our fief at all!

“Well, how many people would want to go to the most demanding fief?”

Zephyros continued, saying that the administrators of the Lisitoel fief were famous for being strict, so students rarely applied.

Well, if they’re people my father would put to work… I think I can skip any further explanation.

“Then why did you apply to our fief?”

“My body might suffer, but I thought my mind would be most at ease there.

At least the people working in the Lisitoel fief wouldn’t give me special treatment just because I’m the Duke of Nevera’s son.”

“Because I thought my mind would be most at ease in the Lisitoel fief.”

Don’t people usually want special treatment? Zephi is a strange one, as expected.

“Lucian, what about you?”

“I don’t have any particular plans yet. I’m thinking I should probably visit the orphanage once.”

“Hey!”

Zephyros and I called out to Lucian at the same time.

To me, who knew the detailed circumstances, and to Zephyros, who was only guessing, what Lucian was trying to do was frankly nothing short of crazy.

“Knowing full well how you were treated there, you’re going to go there again?”

Zephyros snorted as if in disbelief.

I agree. It would only bring unpleasant feelings, so there’s no need to go and be a pushover, is there?

“I think I should visit at least once.

I haven’t been able to go at all since I pulled out the Holy Sword.”

“Hey….”

Lucian explained that he had simply gone out of curiosity about the Holy Sword and had accidentally pulled it out, but the truth of that day was not as simple as it was known.

The day he pulled out the Holy Sword was the day Lucian was abandoned by the orphanage.

Being told to leave the orphanage was no different from being told to die for Lucian.

At that time, Lucian chose the only path that might save him.

He went straight to the stone where the Holy Sword was embedded.

After that, as is well known, he pulled out the sword and became known as the Hero of the Holy Sword.

“Lucian, have you forgotten that I know more than you think?”

“Ah, right.”

At Lucian’s muttering, Zephyros looked back and forth between me and Lucian, as if he had realized there was some story.

“Are you saying you’re going to the orphanage because you have nowhere else to go?

Have you no pride?”

“Tell me honestly. What the hell happened?”

Before long, Zephyros lunged as if to tear Lucian’s hair out.

At the sudden turn of events, Lou, not knowing what to do, shrieked.

“I don’t want to meddle in your affairs if I can help it, but no matter how I think about it, visiting the orphanage once is not a good idea.”

“I’m not saying I’ll stay there the whole time.”

“You think I’d believe you?

If the director there makes excuses about the kids and asks you to stay a little longer, you won’t be able to refuse and will end up staying!”

I remember from the original story that he kept postponing it at the director’s request and barely got out only when school was about to start.

Even if it was only mentioned lightly during the first summer event, I can never forget it!

Seeing Lucian laughing awkwardly as his weak spot was hit, I felt a sense of futility at how foolish my worries had been.

There’s no way this Lucian and the illusionary Lucian from the dungeon are the same person.

If that were possible, wouldn’t that be even more terrifying?

Thinking that, my mind finally felt at ease, and a laugh escaped me.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep