Count’s Youngest Son is a Warlock

Chapter 190: Shh. It's a secret (3)

“What?”

[That’s correct. He learned it from you.]

Russell chuckled, looking at Lucion, who was feeling embarrassed.

Lucion furrowed his brow.

“Pass me the communication device, Hume.”

Acknowledging his own stubbornness, Lucion reached out his hand and urged.

[Did you give up?]

“Take a good look, Hume. This is what stubbornness looks like. If you set out to do something, you have to see it through to the end.”

Lucion joined Russell’s laughter, giggling and holding onto his stomach.

[If it hurts, then it means you’re alive.]

“I’ll get you some painkillers.”

Hume spoke with concern.

“No, it’s alright. I can bear it.”

Lucion accepted the communication device that Hume hesitated to hand over.

Since his true identity was already exposed, there was no need to wear a mask, and that fact brought him a sense of comfort.

“Kran.”

Lucion called out.

<…Ha, Hamel?>

Kran responded, surprised by the unfamiliar voice.

“Why the surprise? I’m not a ghost. Will you call me Lucion? Or would you prefer to call me Hamel?”

<The person I serve is Hamel.>

He knew nothing.

The firmness in Kran’s voice pushed aside Lucion’s thoughts.

“Is there something you want to tell me?”

<Are you… alright? Did you just wake up and contact me?>

Kran didn’t ask any further questions. It was amusing how he treated him just the same as always.

“That’s correct.”

<Ha-Hamel! You absolutely need to rest and stabilize. Even if you relied on the effects of magical items, the fact that it puts a strain on your body…>

“Thank you, Kran.”

<No. I didn’t do anything. I couldn’t do anything.>

“Then do it now.”

<Yes? Yes?>

Kran was bewildered, but Lucion continued speaking.

Knowing that he was Lucion didn’t change Kran’s behavior in the slightest.

Then again, he didn’t need to consciously acknowledge it.

“The information you obtained from the mansion must have already been organized, or at least started to be organized. Can you gather the bracelet, dagger, and brooch from the hill where we met before the mansion raid?”

The holy relics hadn’t been recovered.

But he needed to have them.

<Are they valuable items?>

“That’s correct. They are holy relics.”

<Ah. A holy relic… Wait, what do you mean by a holy relic? You don’t mean the one created by the God of Light himself, do you? Please, tell me that’s not the case!>

“Regardless, retrieve them for me. I’ll come to pick them up tonight.”

<No! I’ll lock all the doors! You need to rest! You absolutely must take care of yourself!>

The locked doors wouldn’t be a hindrance to Lucion.

Lucion burst into laughter.

“If you want to exhaust yourself by opening the locked doors again, go ahead. It’s fine by me. Well then, goodbye.”

<Hamel…!>

“…Ah. Once the data classification is done, I’m sorry to ask, but please prioritize gathering information on Twilo Sprikado. Also, destroy the anthill. The auditor from the Neubra Kingdom must have already arrived there.”

<What should I gather there?> Kran asked with a dissatisfied tone.

“Fourth Prince Owen Tesla. As for Miella, I’ll contact her separately, so just inform her that I’ve awakened.”

Lucion ended the conversation without further words.

“I’ll go back to sleep. My eyes are getting heavy.”

Lucion yawned loudly, pulling the blanket up to his neck.

His eyes closed drowsily.

[You’ve done well to endure this far.]

Russell remarked sarcastically.

“Hume.”

“Yes, young master.”

“If I happen to fall into a deep sleep, wake me up. I need to go to that mansion in the east and search for the secret hiding place. And I need to meet Brother Heint as Hamel and handle the Nevast spy we found at the Great Light Temple, and…”

“Sephiro.”

“Right. I need to hear what that guy has confessed. And hand over the collected evidence…”

Come to think of it, where is the black orb?

With that final thought, Lucion entered the realm of dreams.

* * *

“There’s also the Sea of Death incident, and I think I’ll stay in Central for a while.”

Heint said as he looked at Lucion, who was enjoying macaroons and pudding for dessert.

“Alright. You’ll have to wait too, right?”

“That’s correct. Since Carson mentioned that we should return to Cronia together… Ah, Lucion.”

“Yes?”

Lucion replied, puzzled.

Having just woken up, he felt a lingering emptiness in his stomach, and the indulgent dessert filled the void nicely.

But his stomach growled insistently. Oh well, he needed to satisfy his hunger, so he would eat some more.

Seeing Bethel looking at him proudly, Lucion looked away and took a sip of water.

―Ratta too.

Ratta, who was sitting quietly on Lucion’s lap, opened her mouth.

“Lucion, isn’t there something you want to ask me?”

“Has the culprit been caught?”

Lucion picked up a macaron and handed it to Ratta.

―Hehehe. Ratta is happy now.

“Not yet.”

“Then I have nothing to ask. What’s the point of bothering you, dear brother, when the culprit will be caught anyway?”

Lucion swiftly grabbed another macaron.

“And let’s make it clear that it was an accident. An accident that nobody could have foreseen.”

What a good guy.

Heint thought once again.

He was confident that he could prevent unforeseen accidents.

Prince Cetyl got angry, Novio scolded him, and Carson even grabbed him by the collar.

And how many incident reports he had to write.

But it didn’t help his mood that Lucion, who should blame himself the most, didn’t say a word.

“You seem troubled,” Lucion remarked while munching on a macaron, noticing Heint’s gloomy 

expression.

“I’m really messed up,” Heint muttered with a sigh.

“Well, the Sea of Death has never crossed its borders before, and even if you ask me what that black hand is and why it was targeting you, I have no way to explain it.”

“What does the temple say?”

“It’s chaotic inside right now, and the investigation is being delayed.”

Heint rubbed his chin.

“Why?”

“Well… it’s classified, and I’m not supposed to divulge it. I’m sorry.”

“No, if that’s the case, you don’t have to tell me,” Lucion replied calmly. 

He knew he could gather the information later, when he acted as Hamel. 

The progress of the investigation inside the Great Light Temple was satisfactory to him.

Heint continued, “Lucion, you mentioned that Twilo was bothering you, right?”

“Yes, I did.”

“My gut says it’s him, too, but I don’t have proof.”

‘If you don’t have it, I’ll have to bring it to you today. Put him in his place quickly.’

Lucion sipped his grapefruit ade.

“Lucion.”

Heint suddenly lowered his voice.

“Please speak.”

“It seems that Nevast has officially lodged a protest to the Kingdom of Neubra regarding the warlock that appeared on the border. It likely happened yesterday.”

‘Bullshit.’

Lucion almost snorted.

[They’re so shameless, I bet they kidnap people behind their backs because they’re so shameless.]

Russell filled in for the snort that Lucion couldn’t make.

“I think it’s rather late for a protest in the Holy Nation, don’t you think?”

“I think so too. However, now they’re slowly starting to approach our empire, stating that they’re going to reveal the truth… Well, they’re probably trying to involve you.”

“Are we heading towards a three-way conflict then?” Lucion’s lips curled into a smirk.

It was quite amusing that Nevast suddenly protested to the Kingdom of Neubra, but as expected, there was a hidden motive behind it.

In order to create noise about what would happen if Nevast and Neubra join hands, they would force Tesla to intervene and make the excuse that of course a saint would have to participate in the warlock’s work.

‘Have those two finally joined hands, or is it simply a matter of overlapping interests?’

Lucion had only one guess.

Do they wish that he, a saint, would die, or would they wish that he, a nobleman, would die?

Lucion didn’t like that uncertainty.

“This may sound strange, but it appears even Nevast has set their sights on you,” Heint expressed his concern.

“Brother.”

“Okay. Don’t worry. I will never do something that will lead you to Nevast.”

“Brother, it’s not necessary. You don’t have to take any action,” Lucion reassured him.

“What do you mean?”

[What do you mean?]

Heint and Russell asked at the same time.

—Oh, what a surprise.

Lucion stroked Ratta, calming her racing heart.

There was an old saying that if you catch a tiger, you have to go into the tiger’s den.

“Isn’t it necessary to enter the tiger’s den to catch the tiger? And if you want to catch a beast, don’t you have to go where the beasts are? Since we don’t know how the situation will unfold, please leave some room.”

“Lucion. Do you know what you’re talking about?”

“It’s a secret from Brother Carson.”

Lucion looked at Heint, who had a puzzled expression, and stood up, grabbing his stomach.

“I’ll stop here.”

“Lucion. Wait a moment.”

“I know what I’m doing. You mentioned Nevast is after me.”

“It’s still just a guess.”

He knew Heint wasn’t skilled at lying, but he decided to play along.

“Neubra has always wanted to take my life. What are the chances that they’ve formed an alliance? When do you think the enemy reveals their true intentions?”

Lucion’s usual gentle demeanor seemed different today. 

He no longer wanted to be treated as someone to be protected, but rather as an equal.

Heint looked at Lucion with surprise. 

“When they have their prey in their hands. And I am their prey,” Lucion stated with a ruthless smile.

“But it won’t be me who dies. So, brother, if you could leave some room. Can’t you do that much for me?” Lucion requested, as if he thought he had revealed too much of his true nature.

“I don’t want to constantly rely on protection. I want to prove that I am capable too. That’s why I’m sharing this with you, hoping there won’t be any misunderstandings.” Lucion bowed slightly and returned to his room.

‘Seems like he’s taken a firm stance.’

Heint stared at the spot where Lucion had left and then turned his head.

He smirked as he looked at the empty cup.

‘Well, that’s to be expected.’

Heint lightly tapped the table, his expression filled with doubt. 

‘The scent of blood surrounding Lucion two days ago was as if he had just been wounded. Could he have gone somewhere?’ 

Heint’s eyes darted around before he slapped his cheek, mentally urging himself to focus. 

‘Snap out of it. If there are any lingering doubts, let them go. Where could Lucion have gone with that body of his?’ 

Heint took a deep breath, cupping his reddened cheeks.

* * *

“What was the password again, Hume?” Lucion asked, feeling the familiar sensation of magic in the numbers, akin to touching a smartphone screen after a long time.

“It’s 84217,” Hume replied, and Lucion swiftly entered the number. 

He needed to find the documents before Carson arrived.

Carson might have heard something in the east, but finding the specific location, even with Cronia, would be incredibly difficult.

Tirring.

With the sound confirming the correct password, the door opened.

“Young master.”

Hume spoke up.

“Why?”

“Are you sure you don’t mind being here?”

“I think you should leave. You don’t look well, Hume.”

“I’m fine. It’s just… unpleasant memories resurfacing, making me feel bad.”

“Bethel, you don’t seem to be in good shape either.”

Bethel nodded in response.

It was suffocating and agonizing.

For Lucion himself, the Tefellow Selga Mansion was merely a place where he had to find something.

To him, the issue was not with the location but with the corruption that had been touched upon. He didn’t think much of it.

The wound was just throbbing.

―When are you leaving, Lucion? Ratta… I don’t like it here. 

Ratta closed her eyes.

“After I gather the information and clean up here, I have to leave. Neubra must have sent someone since they lost contact for two days,” Lucion explained, opening the door.

The small space, about five square meters in size, revealed a table, a sofa, and a bookshelf. 

Another door led to an unknown area.

“Take care of everything, Hume.”

After closing the door he had opened, Lucion turned to the door on the opposite side.

[I’ll go and check, so you take care too, Lucion.]

Russell had a bad feeling about something.

“I think it would be a good idea to take care of it quickly.”

Carson had come to the East.

Hume couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being chased by something.

“Maybe we’ll meet my brother.”

Lucion said, conscious of the red thread that connected him to Carson.

There was no way that red thread would leave him alone when the opportunity presented itself.

“But don’t worry. I won’t let him stab me in the stomach like last time,” Lucion confidently declared. 

This time, he had the means to confirm and escape once the thread narrowed down. 

He had no intention of being stabbed again.

My favorite is Kran. How bout you guys?