Count’s Youngest Son is a Warlock

Chapter 72: Return to the Frontier (3)

“I don’t want to be anything right now.”

Lucion replied.

“Are you saying you don’t have anything you want to do?”

“No. What I want to be is still being accomplished.”

Carson’s eyes widened at Lucion’s answer, and he hurriedly managed his expression.

“I want to have the courage to go outside on my own, to eat with my family, and to enjoy a normal life.”

Of course, his standard of normalcy was different because he was an aristocrat.

It was a rich, peaceful life that others had dreamed of all their lives.

In a way, it looked like he already got it, but it was a house made of sand, so it was obvious that it would collapse at any moment.

Stronger.

Harder.

He had to build it up like that.

“But if you ask me what I want, I want to be happy.”

Lucion said his wish.

It was very subjective and extensive.

Still, it was what he wanted.

In the past, it seemed so far away that he couldn’t even dare to think about it in his head.

Being able to get those words out of his mouth, he could feel how much closer he was to happiness than he’d been in the past.

“Now… aren’t you happy?”

Carson’s inner eyebrows rose upwards.

“No, I’m happy now.”

If it wasn’t for the damn fate which hung like a death sentence.

Lucion smiled at Carson.

Carson grabbed the fork again, relieved by his smile.

“Yes, that’s the best goal. Happiness. If you want to do something later, feel free to tell me. I will help you as much as I can.”

“Thank you, Brother.”

* * *

After everyone had finished eating, Lucion wandered around until the portal was activated.

With Heint.

‘…I was just trying to think.’

There was a word that Roberio shouted before he disappeared.

He said that the final boss was in the Kingdom of Nevast.

What does this mean?

Roberio was a puppet, so who was the one with the cross scar and black nails?

He wanted to think about this fact.

Lucion glanced back.

He was very concerned about Heint who kept following him.

“Ah, treat me like I don’t exist. It’s okay.”

Heint laughed with a friendly face at Lucion’s gaze.

He had heard from Carson that Lucion liked to be alone, but it hadn’t been long since a group called Luminos declared an attack on Lucion, another one might come to attack soon.

‘How is this okay? I think having Brother here is better.’

Carson and Heint had played rock-paper-scissors to be his escort, and Heint won confidently.

‘Damn it, destiny.’

Lucion had expected Heint to win since the moment those two played rock-paper-scissors.

[Lord Lucion. Can we move individually?]

Bethel’s voice sounded slightly subdued.

[I didn’t expect to come back here like this, I want to see someone right now.]

[It’s better not to see them.]

Russell stopped Bethel.

[They can’t even see you, and you’ll realize that the world is going well even if you die.]

[I know what you’re talking about. But I really want to meet them.]

[If they’re a precious person, all the more reason not to meet them.]

[I know. My voice and appearance won’t reach them. But I’d like to tell them something.]

Lucion glanced at Bethel’s desperation.

It was only because she was accompanying him that Bethel hadn’t run right then and there.

[Thank you for your heart, Lord Lucion.]

Bethel uttered in a voice mixed with laughter when she saw Lucion contemplating it.

[I just want to go by myself and make up my mind. I’ll be back soon.]

When Lucion nodded, Bethel immediately moved forward.

“Who’s there?”

Heint asked, snooping around.

Didn’t Lucion nod as if he was answering someone?

While he was escorting, Heint didn’t intend to miss even the smallest things.

“It’s just a habit that I haven’t been able to shake off yet. You know my rumors.”

Lucion answered, turning to Heint.

“…No. I didn’t mean to ask that.”

“It’s good to resolve misunderstandings quickly. You know my past, too.”

“Yes, I know…”

Heint began to sweat profusely.

It seemed like he had pressed the wrong button.

“You can just think of it as a joke.”

When Lucion laughed, Heint laughed as well.

“Brother, do you mind if I stop by the market?”

He said it for Hume and Ratta.

They reacted quickly.

Hume’s eyes fluttered, and Ratta’s tail was already moving like a helicopter.

But soon enough, Lucion’s gaze was engrossed in the splendid armor that proved Heint’s status as an Imperial Knight.

“I admit that it’s a little too much to go to the market with this, but this is how I usually dress.”

At that gaze, Heint frowned and opened his arms slightly.

“I can’t help it either.”

[He’s going to get a lot of attention.]

Russell uttered in a voice mixed with laughter.

“I brought a cape, should I cover it?”

Heint asked quietly.

“Yes, you should.”

“Yes, I knew it.”

Heint took a cape out of his pocket and wrapped it around him as if he had given up.

The armor itself was thick and large, so when he covered it with the cape, the face that looked small and the body that looked large would make him receive a different kind of attention.

“…It’s the worst.”

Heint sighed deeply.

Sniff.

As soon as they entered the market, Ratta’s nose moved constantly.

—This fluffy smell is cotton candy, and the slightly ticklish smell is, um, uh, chicken skewers!

Ratta pursed her lips.

Her eyes sparkled at the animal-shaped cotton candy seen at the entrance of the market.

—As expected, it’s cotton candy. Cotton candy. Hehe. Ratta likes the market the most.

“Young Master, may I go and buy cotton candy for a moment?”

Hume asked seriously.

“Yes, buy as much as you want.”

“Thank you.”

Hume bowed his head and walked with Ratta to a store lined up at the market.

[Is it that good?]

Russell smiled at them.

“Lucion.”

Heint insinuated to Lucion.

“Yes, say it.”

“Have you heard from Carson?”

“What are you talking about?”

“The attack by wizards earlier.”

“Oh, I forgot to give my gratitude. Thank you. Thanks to you, I was safe.”

At Lucion’s gratitude, Heint said, shaking his hand with a bewildered face.

“No. Since I am your escort, it’s only natural to protect you, and it wasn’t an act that deserved gratitude in the first place. If you hadn’t told us, there would have been more injuries or deaths. Rather, I should be the one who said thank you.”

Heint lowered his hand and raised his head slightly.

“Thank you.”

“You don’t have to bow to me.”

“It makes me wonder if you’re really Carson’s brother.”

Whenever Heint saw the humble and gentle Lucion, he was sometimes startled by how different he was in contrast to Carson.

“Well, anyway, you haven’t heard from Carson yet, have you?”

“Yes, I haven’t heard anything important yet.”

Lucion’s mouth went dry at Heint’s meaningful words.

‘Are you referring to the fact that Luminos declared war on me?’

“That’s all right. You don’t have to worry about it. Carson and I will take care of it.”

Heint hurriedly retreated and shut his mouth.

Under the current circumstances, Carson and Heint’s only concern was Luminos’ declaration of war.

It was only then Lucion realized that Carson and Heint were hiding it because they were afraid he would recall the time when he was kidnapped by the enemy.

‘Then, I have to pretend I don’t know.’

Lucion received a cotton candy and looked at Hume and Ratta who smiled brightly.

He was thinking of stopping by the armor store for a while.

Hume couldn’t keep using his bare hands, so he was going to buy him a knuckle at least.

“Lucion. I’ve been thinking about this.”

Heint’s remark that suddenly came out of his mouth sounded unusual.

“What do you mean?”

“Strangely, my light reacts to you. At first, I thought it was the case, but as I kept walking, the light reacts to you with the feeling of ‘thumping’.”

“The light… reacts to me?”

Light reacts when it meets darkness.

Lucion asked, even though he already knew.

[What?]

Russell opened his eyes wide at the unexpected words.

[That doesn’t make sense. As long as the darkness doesn’t move, the light can’t notice the darkness.]

‘Is this all because of that damn red thread?’

While waiting for Heint to continue his words, Lucion quietly clenched and opened his hand repeatedly.

“Do you happen to have an item related to light?”

Lucion replied to Heint’s subsequent question, swallowing a sigh of relief inside.

“Yes, I have one.”

Lucion held out the bracelet he received from Tella.

“It’s a bracelet I got from my close friend, Young Lady Tella.”

In case it went back to the original owner, Lucion emphasized the fact that it was a gift.

Haunt stared at the bracelet and then laughed as if he was relieved.

“Yeah. No wonder it was weird. Light also reacts when it finds objects of light. There’s no way you’re a warlock, so I thought maybe you manifested light.”

[Isn’t he a bit weird? People normally wouldn’t react so strongly even if there were holy objects or objects of light, right?]

Russell expressed his wonder.

At those words, Lucion spontaneously broke out in a cold sweat because of the creepy feeling that climbed up his back.

“Now that it’s done, hurry up and put it in.”

As Lucion’s complexion turned white, Heint urged him to put the bracelet in.

‘You can’t possibly have the ability to chase the darkness already, right?’

Lucion touched his slightly numb hand.

Light that chases darkness.

It was a power of light that only Heint alone could have.

‘You’ll have to reach the middle of the novel to get that ability.’

Lucion calmly changed the subject.

“Is it possible for light to manifest this late?”

“It happened to me. Let’s see, I did when I was about 15.”

Heint pointed to himself and said no more.

It seemed Heint didn’t want to give Lucion a clumsy hope that he would be able to manifest, even though Heint himself was late.

‘It manifested late…? Heint was the same, but is it not supposed to be like that?’

Lucion blinked his eyes for a moment and then opened his mouth.

“I’d like to stop by the armor shop.”

“Is the sword that I gave you not enough?”

“No. I’m going to buy one for my butler Hume, too.”

“You’re a good owner.”

Heint raised the corners of his mouth and laughed with satisfaction.

“Hume. Now follow me.”

“Understood.”

Hume approached Lucion in response to his voice.

In the meantime, there was quite a lot of food piled up in Hume’s hands.

What about the traces of food in Ratta’s mouth?

‘You look happy, that’s fine.’

Lucion smiled and headed for the armor shop.

* * *

“Choose whatever weapon you want to use.”

Lucion told Hume.

“Weapon that I want to use?”

Hume glanced at his fist.

Until now, he had no weapon other than his fist, so he had no idea what to choose right away.

[Let’s see. A weapon worthy of Hume… How hard does it have to be?]

Russell wandered around the armor shop looking for suitable weapons for Hume.

It seemed he was mainly looking through the blades.

“Hume, you said you’re strong, right?”

Heint asked.

“Yes, I am strong.”

Hume said with strength in his voice.

“Do you think your natural strength is good? Then hold my hand once.”

Heint reached out his hand.

Hume looked at Lucion.

“How much strength do I have to put in?”

“As much as you can.”

Hume didn’t know what to do with Lucion’s answer.

Heint was not an enemy, so there was no reason to smash his hand.

“Really…? It might crumble.”

“Oh, you seem confident?”

Heint raised an eyebrow at Hume’s enthusiasm.

He liked that spirit.

“Come on, give it a try.”

He held out his hand.