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Chapter 47
[Luci!! Luuuci!! I thought you were going to die!!]
You said you’d turn my miserable life around! You said you’d be with me forever! But what am I supposed to do if you die first?!
Cookie wailed, and Lucillea gently stroked him, soothing him softly.
“I didn’t die, you know?”
Cookie, clinging to Lucillea’s arms, shook his head fiercely.
[Don’t care! Don’t care! Do you even know how scared I was?! That so-called teacher of yours hurt you again! Last time he made you set a fire, and now this! Rotten bastard! I’ll go peck his eyes out right now!]
Bwaaah—! Cookie was still sobbing miserably, rubbing tears and snot all over Lucillea’s nightgown.
“Well… it was my fault for setting the fire…”
Honestly, even this time, it wasn’t her teacher’s fault…
Lucillea was briefly troubled by Cookie’s misplaced anger, but soon she simply patted the back of his head gently.
“Okay, okay. It was my fault. I made my Cookie worry. I’m sorry, Cookie.”
[Hmph!]
Cookie burrowed even deeper into her arms.
At that moment, the door opened, and May entered, carrying a tray with a water jug and cup.
She stopped short when she saw Lucillea awake.
“Lady Lucillea…?!”
Her eyes, usually smiling, widened slightly, revealing clear light-green irises.
It lasted only a moment, but Lucillea caught the worry in them.
Lucillea gave her a weak smile.
“Hi, May…?”
May’s face quickly shifted to one of relief and concern as she hurried over.
“Why are you sitting up?! You must lie down, at once!”
Placing the tray on the bedside table, she gently forced Lucillea back down.
“How is your body…?”
Lucillea looked up at her and grinned sheepishly.
“Totally fine!”
May’s eyes drooped.
“No, you’re not fine.”
“Huh?”
Lucillea blinked, and May continued.
“You’ve been unconscious for a whole week….”
“What?!”
Lucillea cried out in shock.
“…That’s what happened.”
“Ah…”
Hearing she was awake, Noah came to Lucillea’s room and explained what had happened in the training ground.
“So it was something like the magic overflow I’ve only heard about?”
“Not like a magic overflow. It was one.”
Lucillea’s face fell.
“That means… it happened because I couldn’t control my mana properly, right?”
“More or less.”
“So… it was my fault?”
“…”
Her eyes drifted to Noah’s right arm.
It was wrapped in bandages and set with a sturdy splint—clearly not just a bruise. Perhaps a fracture. His whole arm was immobilized.
Lucillea’s eyes trembled, ready to spill tears.
Reading her expression, Noah exaggeratedly shrugged.
“What’s with that face? You look like you’re moved by your teacher’s noble sacrifice.”
“…”
He raised his heavily bandaged arm into the air, like a knight drawing his sword on the battlefield.
“Ever heard of a glorious wound, kid? This is like a medal for the great mage who rescued his delicate disciple from the vortex of mana overflow!”
“…”
But her expression didn’t brighten.
“I’m sorry… I hurt the great mage.”
“….”
Her small, guilty voice slipped out.
Noah dropped his joking expression.
Dragging over a chair, he sat by her bed and spoke in a softer tone.
“Listen closely, kid.”
He held up the index finger of his good hand.
“First, none of this is your fault. Second, the mana overflow wasn’t your fault. Third, my injury isn’t your fault. And fourth—”
“…”
“—it’s just not your fault.”
“…”
Lucillea blinked her wide eyes as Noah scratched the back of his head.
“I miscalculated.”
“Miscalculated?”
“Yeah. It happens.”
He deliberately didn’t say that he’d underestimated just how powerful her mana really was. That would only make her blame herself again.
“Anyway! This was entirely your teacher’s mistake. Entirely!”
He declared solemnly, then reached out with his good hand to ruffle the hair of his still-gloomy student.
“Why are you doing that!”
“Shake off useless emotions like that. They’re no help to your growth.”
“Ugh, really!” Lucillea shoved his hand away and jerked her head up—only to meet the warmth in his gaze.
“Your job isn’t to waste time wallowing in guilt over what’s already happened.”
“…”
“It’s to work hard so that it doesn’t happen again. Got it?”
“…Yes…”
“Eh? Too quiet.”
“Yes! Understood!”
He grinned mischievously.
“Much better.”
Rising from his chair, Noah’s cheerful voice returned.
“Get more rest. No lessons until I call for you again.”
As he walked out, swinging his bandaged arm dramatically, he called back:
“I’ll be charging the Grand Duke a hefty medical bill!”
His boisterous laughter echoed away through the open doorway.
Lucillea couldn’t help but laugh too.
He was ridiculous—but somehow, reassuring.
Two more days passed.
“Serdian.”
On his way to morning training at the drill grounds, Serdian was stopped by a voice.
He turned to find Irenel.
Serdian’s face remained unchanged—neither surprised nor pleased—as he regarded him.
“What do you want?”
His voice carried no emotion.
Irenel stepped closer.
“That girl… I hear she’s awake.”
“Yes.”
Serdian answered curtly, then turned away, clearly unwilling to continue.
“Wait.”
Irenel quickly stopped him.
“You’ve changed.”
That made Serdian pause.
Irenel’s words came sharp at his back.
“Since when did you care about others?”
“…”
“You, who always avoided being tied to anyone—since when…”
“…”
Slowly, Serdian turned his head.
His crimson eyes were colder than ever, like the depths of the sea.
“Is change such a bad thing?”
“What?”
“Was I someone who wasn’t allowed to keep anyone close?”
“…”
“Or was it you people who made me that way?”
Though calm, his words carried a hidden blade.
Irenel’s sky-blue eyes wavered as if cut. His past cowardice, which he’d tried so hard to ignore, had been laid bare.
His face went pale.
Serdian’s voice grew even colder.
“If you have nothing more to say—”
“The combat training… it’s not far off.”
Irenel couldn’t meet his eyes as he spoke.
Serdian tilted his head.
“And?”
Irenel hesitated, then forced the words out.
“Tessian and his group… they’re plotting something.”
Serdian remained indifferent.
“They always are. Nothing new.”
“No—this time it’s different!”
Serdian’s eyes narrowed at Irenel’s shout.
Swallowing hard, Irenel confessed in a trembling voice, like someone seeking atonement.
“This time… you’re not the only one they’re after.”
Serdian’s brow furrowed, and he muttered a single name.
“…Lucillea?”
