69 It's impossible, but...

"Young master Lucas, I still can't believe that you have grown this much."

"You really are achieving a miracle."

"If my son were like you, I would be too proud. I really envy Duke Evandall."

"We will be holding a party in the coming week. It will really be an honor to have you there."

If words could make one die, Lucas would have died already from this buzzing atmosphere, with people, old and young, surrounding him and shooting numerous questions.

Even though he looked here and there to ask for help from his family, his father and brother were occupied with the king and Prince Albert while his sister was also surrounded with many people like him.

"Young Master, your complexion is not that good. Are you perhaps tired?"

'Whoever asked that question, you have my gratitude.'

Lucas inwardly thanked that someone and he politely answered, looking for a way out of this crowd, cursing at the king who invited that many people here.

"I guess I am. Excuse me for a while. I guess I need to get some fresh air."

"Oh my, of course, you might be tired. You have been out since the morning."

"There is a balcony over there where you can relax. Should I accompany you there?"

"It's really ok. I can go by myself."

Lucas refused the offers as he quickly headed over to the balcony, hoping that there would be no one unlike the last time that he had visited.

'Hey, kid?'

'What?'

'When are we going back?'

'How would I know?'

Alexios growled, being disappointed.

Luckily, there was no one out there. Lucas wondered where Prince Eldric was since he didn't see him that much today.

But he didn't have energy to care about that. Both Lucas and Alexios were already bored from interacting with people who were trying to flatter them, and gain favor.

After the ceremony, they had to greet the public who were cheering for them all morning and even after that there was a night banquet to celebrate with other nobles.

'I will never get an award next time. I will make sure of it.'

Lucas promised to himself again and again that even if he had to help people, he had to make it in secret if possible. Though awards were great on the surface, they came with a responsibility. And Lucas didn't want to fulfil the people's hope all the time.

Looking after the hero and making sure that he would not fall in despair was enough for him. Maybe, Lucas might also look after Evandall territory for his family but he didn't want to help all over the kingdom. It would be too stressful and he didn't have the confidence to do so.

Lucas promised himself that he would not overwork.

Most importantly, he didn't want to deal with such kind of situation again.

'When will the banquet be over?'

'When the king leaves. And then we can leave too.'

'Seriously?'

'Yea.'

The quietness in his head came over again. Lucas was already earful with the people who were congratulating them and talking flattery non-stop. It was not that good that even his head was filled with numerous questions that came from Alexios who was being carried by him in his hand.

It was already around 10 times that Alexios had been asking to go home. Lucas even started to ask why he even came here when he didn't like the crowd.

'Should I scratch the king?'

Unexpected proposal was made from the cat. This time it was Lucas who looked at Alexios as if he was crazy. And it made him feel more mind-blowing when he saw that Alexios was being serious.

'I can't?'

'Of course, you can't! I mean, why would you even do that?'

'For the King to retire early because of his injury, of course.'

'Exactly No!''

Alexios was quiet again as if he could not be satisfied, making Lucas to be dumbfounded, asking himself if Alexios was really a great spirit or a normal cat.

'This cat is crazy…'

Lucas was starting to figure out Alexios's personality. He was someone who thought that every being here was below him but had little sense of how the social system or manners here worked.

Though he didn't go beyond what Lucas had refused because of the contract which binded him strongly from defying the contractor's wishes which made Lucas to be very glad.

Silent environment came over again as Lucas enjoyed the soft breeze of the wind. It was already the start of the winter and there were senses of cold in the breeze.

'It is peaceful here.'

But his thoughts didn't last long.

Shush Shush

Lucas inwardly groaned when he heard some footsteps at the same time he thought it was peaceful. He had hoped that it would not be that Albert, though. If it was, he would let Alexios scratch him in the form of an accident.

But luckily, it was not Albert but instead, it was his dear teacher who had recently announced that he would come and train him to the fullest before he went to the academy.

"What would the star of today's banquet be doing here?"

"Please… don't talk about that."

Brook also came near Lucas with his non-changing expression as always.

"Don't you feel cold here? What if you get a cold?"

"Teacher, have you heard of a healer getting a cold?"

A crack of laughter could be heard instead of an answer.

"You are not slacking in the morning exercises, right?"

"I always do as you said, teacher. You don't need to worry."

Brook looked at the cat that seemed like he was enjoying staying in Lucas's embrace.

Seeing that, Brook started to wonder if it was the spirit that helped Lucas cure the demon curse because it looked nothing like the spirits, who always acted to be high and mighty that his family had always told him about.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

Alexios felt disturbed to be stared at by the knight for a long time. And in addition, it was not a respectful stare according to his intuition.

"Hey, Ali…. You promised you won't talk when we are outside. What if someone hears by accident?"

"No one is here. Don't talk back."

A sigh came out from Lucas's mind as he shifted his look back to Brook and he also understood the stare of his teacher. Brook must be asking questions about the existence of the cat in front of him, whether it was really a spirit or not.

"Teacher, don't you have to guard the king?"

Lucas decided to interfere before there was a fight between the knight and the cat.

"Will someone be that brave to attack the king when Duke Evandall is with him?"

Brook replied back as he walked towards the white haired boy.

Lucas didn't even need to think twice about Brook's answer. If there was one, it would be that person was having a death wish. It was not like Lucas cared about the king which was why he let it be.

The conversation was quiet yet again and Lucas looked up at Brook who was also gazing outside of the balcony silently. He didn't know if it was only his imagination but his teacher seemed a bit quieter as usual while his eyes looked like they were in dazed.

'What is he doing?'

'How would I know?'

Alexios didn't complain so, as long as he had a quiet atmosphere though Lucas felt it was really awkward.

"Are you alright, teacher?"

Lucas decided to initiate the conversation again as he couldn't handle the unusual silence around his teacher anymore.

But surprisingly, he didn't get the reply back which even made him more confused about what his teacher was thinking. Usually, Brook was not someone who would like to think a lot.

Brook's mouth was opened and closed a few times as if he was thinking about something to say but then decided not to say.

Lucas decided that he would not interfere, giving time to his instructor even though he was really curious.

But till the end Brook didn't say anything.

"I think I should go guard the king."

"Seriously?"

'Didn't you just say that you didn't need to because my father is near the king?'

"A knight shouldn't be ignoring his duties."

It made Lucas speechless.

But Brook didn't care as he walked back. There were only footsteps that could be heard when Brook went slowly back to the main hall of the banquet, leaving Lucas alone and confused on what Brook was thinking or trying to say.

"Lucas."

"Eh-"

"Thank you."

"..."

"And sorry."

"What do you-"

"Nothing."

Lucas was dumbfounded.

'Did he drink too much today?'

Thinking it was impossible as Lucas didn't get any smell of liquor from his teacher. He found this situation to be very strange.

Although Lucas had attempted to ask questions, Brook didn't even look back.

But suddenly, his footsteps stopped as he looked back.

"By the way, I sent you a gift. It should be arriving tomorrow."

"Huh?"

"Just think of it as a gift for entering the academy next year."

With only saying these words, Brook left.

"What's with him today?"

Lucas wondered if this man had some stories that he didn't want to share with others but at the same time, wanted to share with him.

And he was even more curious about what his teacher had meant by 'gift'.

"Do you want to know what he whispered before he left?"

As one of the rare times that Lucas felt appreciative towards Alexios, he was glad that the cat had sharp ears. Even Lucas didn't realize that Brook said some words.

"Yea? What did he say?"

"He said, you made Lydia rest in peace."

***

It really took Lucas a huge effort to wake up as he was tired with all those social activities from yesterday.

But with Alexios who was nugging towards him that he should wake up early and because he was bored, Lucas couldn't sleep anymore.

Even his family didn't wake him up early.

He started to feel like he was living with a strict grandfather.

Even Tus and Eura who came in just as always, doing their morning routines, said Lucas should sleep more but the cat beside him didn't allow him to do so.

"By the way, master, there is a parcel for you from Sir Brook."

"That man gives a gift? I wonder if it will rain today."

Eura joined in the conversation with a confused look, as she never thought Brook of the dreadful expression would give someone a gift.

Lucas looked towards the long box that Tus took to him.

'Ah right. Teacher said that he would send a gift.'

"Will you open it after breakfast?"

"No, I will open it now."

Lucas saw the letter with the box saying to use it well which caught him to be curious.

It was just a long wooden box which seemed like it had been kept away without proper care for a long time.

Click

It was a gift that he didn't expect.

"A sword?"

Even though the box looked old, the handle of the thin long sword was shiny and with its silver blade seemed like it was polished properly.

"Wow, it's really pretty. I can even see my reflection there."

"Though I am only seeing this, I think it must be really a good blade."

Lucas agreed with both Eura and Tus but what caught his interest more was neither the blade nor the beauty of the sword. It was the crystal that was on the tip of the handle.

'Mana crystal?'

Lucas was confused because his teacher knew that he didn't have the attribute for swordmaster so those precious swords with mana crystal were useless with him.

However, he lifted the sword but then he felt a sudden energy from it, making him stunned by what just happened.

"Kid, you have a generous teacher."

Alexios spoke, causing everyone's attention as he inspected the sword.

"You feel it, right?"

A sudden desire to try the sword out came into Lucas's mind.

"Tus, Eura, I am going to the training ground."

Lucas didn't even wait for the replies as he rushed, followed by Alexios instantly.

Since the early morning training period was already over, there really was no one in the training ground. But then Lucas raised the sword as he aimed at the thick wooden pole that was made for training purposes.

He could feel that there was a foreign energy circulating in him, apart from the healing mana that he owned and a sense of strength that he didn't have before.

After aiming, Lucas used the basic style of sword, as he stepped forward to make a slash at the pole using all the energy he had.

Creak

The thick pole was cut into half after Lucas's slash.

It was really a clean cut which didn't even make a loud noise.

Lucas's eyes widened as he saw the result. If it was before, he could only make a shallow slash at this pole.

The feeling that that made his feet lighter than before, his hands stronger than before. It was just like the novel had described about this mana.

'Sword mana…'

Although it didn't make Lucas a superhuman, it still made a huge difference which Lucas couldn't imagine before.

Lucas, again, looked at the sword at his hand. An item that the novel never described. An item that he didn't know that even existed.

He felt that he was really lucky.

For the first time during the 10 years in this world, Lucas thought he was really lucky.

"Thank you, teacher."

Lucas inwardly gave his appreciation as he decided that he would test how much sword mana that this sword could support with him all day.

A sense of great excitement overwhelmed Lucas that he even forgot that he had to have breakfast, preparing for the next sword styles that he had learnt.

He would not get tired easily because he had healing mana which would replenish his lost energy.

Feeling satisfied as if that gift filled up a lost part that he was trying to fill up but couldn't do so, Lucas grinned.

Swish

The sun was already shining brightly and the reflection of a blade flickered again and again in the broad training ground.

And at times to times, a glow of green mana flattered as the white haired boy tested the potential he had to the fullest.

Lucas had already cut up a few poles but he didn't care. Drops of sweats formed on his forehead and body but still he enjoyed the feeling when he waved his sword.

He never thought a sword training would be this fun.

"Such a beautiful art…."

"Lucas looks cool….."

"To think that he would get it on the first try... I have one strange of a contractor."

Whispers gathered around him from the ones who were watching him, a cat with a grin and two servants who were stunned at what they were seeing as they complimented.

Who would have thought that they would see the mana of a swordmaster emerging from Lucas who was named as a guardian of healing.

Lucas was indeed special.

That was what lingered in all of their minds.

***

"Ryo, wake up! Are you skipping today's class?"

Ryosuke groaned as the voice of his roommate nugging him to wake up.

When he opened his eyes, his roommate was already ready for the class that they were attending.

"Can't I get 5 more minutes?"

"No. Now get ready."

Ryosuke sighed as he knew that if he didn't wake up, Liam would scold him non-stop all day as if he was his mother.

As he got ready, he grabbed Akito, the sword that Lucas had given to him.

"You will bring that sword again? Even though we have no sword training today?"

"I can use it to train after studies. Besides, I promised Lucas to not lose it."

Liam's eyes flickered as he heard the name 'Lucas.' He remembered that Ryosuke talked about him a lot.

And not even Ryosuke, most of the people were also talking about him, saying that he was a prodigy in healing.

There were a lot of things that revolved around this boy named 'Lucas' that Liam couldn't understand.

A sense of curiosity rose in his mind, thinking of his identity.

"Liam, are you not going to come? We are going to be late for sure. You are too slow."

Ryosuke could hear the sigh of Liam who was looking at him with disappointed eyes while he adjusted his glasses as he slowly answered.

"Coming."

--------------------

Author's Note: There is a sneak peek of Lucas's illustration with his school uniform in the comment section. Will reveal the full picture together with the release of Volume 3 >///<