The sea breeze sweeping in from the
Lucian stood quietly at the window of his study in the garden villa, watching flower after flower wash away their dust, fresh and glistening, his mind replaying the events of the previous day over and over.
Because his soul potential had been abruptly awakened, he desperately needed to consolidate his foundation. Combined with a certain lord's expectations and the possible dangers lurking in Altor, Lucian hadn't wasted any time lingering there — rather than waiting until after his and Natasha's birthdays before departing, he had hastily taken
"So this letter-delivery task was a certain lord's test — and his aid?" Yesterday, at an estate outside Altor, Natasha had listened to Lucian's account while wearing her black knight's uniform. She showed little surprise, simply smiling and nodding. "That's fairly close to what I guessed. For someone like you, Lucian — with your terrifying talent and dazzling ability — even if the Arcane Parliament is embroiled in fierce internal disputes, they wouldn't openly assign you to such an extremely dangerous mission. Hmm, I wonder who your teacher might be?"
Natasha didn't believe Lucian would refuse. If that lord had made such a move, it meant he had already privately "communicated" with the other powerful figures who wanted to take Lucian as a disciple. Otherwise the favor would have been wasted entirely. And his "test" had been neither cruel, malicious, nor torturous — on the contrary, it had been remarkably considerate, accounting for every danger and Lucian's ability to endure. Knowing Lucian's personality as she did, she could tell he didn't resist the idea. And when he didn't resist, becoming the disciple of a Legendary Mage was an irresistible temptation.
Lucian smiled helplessly. "I have no idea either. I've never had any contact with those powerful figures at all. I'll probably only find out once I enter the demi-plane, or after I return to the Arcane Parliament. I just hope my teacher works in a field I'm relatively strong in."
Natasha was delighted that Lucian was about to become a Legendary Mage's disciple. Her smile was radiant and beautiful. "It certainly won't be Grandma Hathaway — with her personality, she'd never make arrangements like this. Don't worry, Lucian. The Legendary Mages of the Arcane Parliament aren't frightening. Or rather, apart from the Legendary powerhouses from places like the Dark Mountains,
She herself was a disciple of an Epic Knight — Belia, known as "God's Radiance," leader of the Holy Sword Knight Order — so she understood these matters well.
Then Natasha's expression turned slightly more solemn. "Once you become a Legendary Mage's student, combined with the fame of the Holm Crown Award, the Church will certainly pay close attention to you. You're not yet important enough to enter the Purification Sequence, but I'm certain the Cardinals in every diocese will receive intelligence about you. That means it's time to urge John's family to take 'action.'"
"That's exactly why I asked you to meet me today. Natasha, I'm counting on you." Lucian dropped his smile, his expression serious and grave. He had originally thought it would take several years — perhaps even a decade or more — until he won another Arcane Parliament award or accomplished some earth-shattering feat before this matter would be elevated to the agenda. He hadn't expected such dramatic changes to unfold in just a few short days. Without prior arrangements already in place, things would have become extremely difficult and troublesome, and the slightest misstep could have led to a devastating outcome.
Natasha rubbed her chin between her thumb and index finger, a faint smile playing on her lips. "Don't worry. I'll handle it. But Lucian, you can't stay in Altor any longer — it's best to avoid the Church's secret persecution."
Then she gave Lucian a carefree embrace in farewell and headed back into the city of Altor. Lucian watched her retreating figure for a long moment, then took Leo — who had been waiting outside the estate — and reluctantly activated the precious magic scroll.
The sensation of spatial shifting and jumping sent Lucian's soul and brain into unprecedented chaos, as though he were piercing through into somewhere else, or as though the very structures around him were warping. If not for the magic scroll's protection, he would have long since been lost or torn apart within the "space."
"What is the principle behind this kind of spatial movement or jumping?" After arriving in a demi-plane where howling winds and crackling lightning raged, Lucian had recovered slightly and instinctively began pondering this incomprehensible magic. But his clarity didn't last long — the magic scroll's power continued to carry Lucian in its "traversals" and "jumps," until he finally appeared on a small hill near the Sky City.
Judging the time from the positions of the Silver Moon and the stars, then subtracting the "hypothetical" time difference, Lucian calculated the duration of this spatial jump: half an hour — the length of one afternoon tea in the Holm Kingdom.
Outside the window, the drizzle had gradually given rise to a thin layer of mist, a sight rarely seen in the month of June — possible only in a peculiarly situated city like Alinor.
Lucian stared at the rare, beautiful scenery as he finished revisiting the previous day's scenes, and let out a soft sigh. "I wonder what kind of torment Uncle Joel, John, and the others are going through..."
After his worry and guilt slowly subsided, a rare kind of vexation began to stir within him.
At first, clumsy and awkward, he had instinctively resisted. But Lucian — who was generally quite rational and never one for self-deception — had, after a period of emotional settling and with the vivid, dangerous memories of his dream still fresh in his mind, finally acknowledged his own feelings. He had indeed developed a certain fondness for Natasha. A fondness that had accumulated at some unknown moment and then burst forth all at once. Perhaps her personality was one he particularly admired?
"But how am I supposed to win her over?" Having confirmed his feelings, Lucian — ever the member of the "Plan-and-Act Party" — immediately began coolly analyzing the difficulties and obstacles, so he could later consult the miscellaneous books in his Soul Library and draw up a comprehensive plan for courting a girl.
"She's a knight who believes in the
"She likes women, but I'm not sure whether she also likes men. I'll have to test the waters gradually and deepen the bond. That's the second-greatest obstacle."
"If she does like men, what type would she prefer?"
"How should I approach a girl with her personality?"
...
As a complete novice with zero romantic experience, Lucian told himself he was conducting a calm analysis. But the more he thought, the further his mind wandered — he even began worrying about the difficulties that would arise after marriage, growing ever more convinced that his chances were slim.
*Knock, knock, knock.* The sound of knocking at the door snapped Lucian from his daze.