Chapter 207: I came to collect the debt (2)

“Is he… is he alright?”

Kran froze, seeing Lucion suddenly collapse into sleep.

[Though unspoken, his anxiety must have been overwhelming.]

Russell chuckled, seeing Lucion sleeping peacefully.

[I hear he’s been haunted by ghosts a lot.]

Bethel looked at Russell, holding her own finger tightly.

She unintentionally ended up seeing the memories that Lucion was recalling.

No one believed him.

Not even the people he loved the most.

[Yeah, he was like a wounded beast.]

Russell tenderly stroked Lucion’s hair.

—Ratta knows. Ratta saw everything too.

Ratta climbed onto Lucion’s lap and curled up.

—Lucion was really sad. Really, really suffering, and he said he hated Ratta. Ratta knows why 

Lucion felt that way. But knowing it still makes Ratta sad.

Ratta’s eyes welled up, but she held back her tears.

—I hope Lucion… likes Ratta.

“Thank you, Mr. Kran.”

Hume was about to tell Ratta that wasn’t true, but he first spoke to the person he felt most grateful to, Kran.

“Actually, he should have fainted a while ago, but the young master was forcing himself to endure.”

“Fainted…? Is Hamel-nim’s condition that bad?”

“No, um, there’s a reason for it.”

Hume tried to tell a lie, but the words just wouldn’t come, so he changed the subject.

Seeing his troubled expression, Kran didn’t press for a reason. 

Instead, he asked something else.

“Are you also able to see, Mr. Hume?”

“I can.”

“This might be an impertinent question, but am I… the first?”

Even though the phrase “the first person to believe him” remained unsaid, Hume understood.

“To my knowledge, yes.”

Kran finally understood why the rumors about Lucion being crazy had spread.

Lucion lived in a different world.

A world that only warlocks can understand.

Or perhaps, a world beyond even warlocks’ understanding.

After all, Lucion was the youngest son of Cronia.

“When he wakes up later, please tell him… that I will do better and he should take care of his health.”

* * *

He felt his cloak being pulled.

At the same time, his head turned.

Ah.

It was that dream he had last time.

He remembered someone was begging him for something.

Hadn’t he cried out, wondering why his pleas were being disregarded?

However, upon turning to face him, he noticed an absurd sobbing emoticon tacked to his face.

“Corruption is… spreading!”

He felt pity for him.

“The ones favored by light are turning against us!”

He felt sorrow for him.

“No, the world is treating us as monsters… and thrusting swords at us.”

He thought he was pitiful.

“But why… why aren’t you looking at us?”

He asked, tears streaming down his face.

“You know. You must know. We… lack the ability to halt the corruption. We possess no ‘purification’ power.”

The hands clutching his cloak trembled violently.

“You know… how weak we are against corruption.”

It was heart-wrenching.

“Please, help us. Please… do not turn away. Please…!”

It was tragic.

He gestured towards the window.

Outside, it was as if a Sea of Death was slowly swallowing the lands and villages.

It looked like the world was on the brink of destruction.

His heart was drawn to that scene.

—Lucion?

Just as Lucion prepared to speak, Ratta’s voice reached his ears.

Lucion opened his eyes wide.

—Lucion…?

The blue eyes were looking at him.

“Ratta?”

—You have to stop it quickly. It’s going to be a big problem if you get caught like this!

“What?”

―The darkness won’t go away. It won’t listen to Ratta.

It was then that Lucion noticed the violet darkness that enveloped his body.

‘Back off.’

Just in case, Lucion commanded the darkness, and with a ‘hiss’ sound, it disappeared.

Lucion scanned his surroundings.

The outside was gradually getting brighter as the sun was about to rise.

Russell and Bethel were nowhere to be seen.

—All is well now! Lucion, you need to go back to sleep. Ratta was surprised and woke up too. Hoooaaah.

Yawning, Ratta lowered her front paw from Lucion’s chest.

“Ratta.”

―Yes?

“Do you know what that violet darkness was that just appeared?”

—Yes! Ratta knows!

Ratta smiled brightly.

—When I separated from Lucion and became Ratta, I saw that darkness.

“Ah, when you became a divine beast?”

—…Umm. That darkness made Ratta into Ratta. I don’t know its name, but it used to be with Lucion.

‘That darkness was originally a part of me?’

—That darkness asked Ratta to protect Lucion. So Ratta said yes! Because Ratta likes Lucion so much!

Ratta rested her front paw back on Lucion’s chest.

—After Lucion got the black orb, the violet darkness grew bigger. Ratta knows!

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

—It’s all Lucion’s darkness, though?

“My… darkness?”

—R-Ratta didn’t mean to keep it a secret. I thought the darkness you had was simply changing into violet darkness.

Ratta’s voice trembled, and she was on the verge of tears.

The transformation had been so subtle that Ratta had not detected it.

“That wasn’t my intention, Ratta. I am not reprimanding you. I just asked a question, so don’t cry.”

Lucion gently petted Ratta to soothe her.

Was it conceivable that the darkness had always been a part of him?

Its manifestation had been belated.

No.

What if he had possessed it all along, but it only came to light after the kidnapping incident?

If that were the case, it wouldn’t have been so subtle that Ratta failed to notice, and those blessed by darkness should possess the violet darkness.

Yet, it was unique to him.

Up until now.

“Ratta.”

—Yes?

Ratta replied, looking a bit down.

“How are you able to use that darkness? Is it because my violet darkness grew? Or is it because I obtained the black orb?”

―Um…

Ratta rolled her eyes thoughtfully.

―Remember when it was just Lucion and Ratta moving together?

The King of Darkness.

No.

The Rejected One, Veronia.

She was talking about when they met that guy.

―After that, all the darkness Ratta had changed! Ratta was so happy because it became the same color as Lucion’s!

‘The moment when Ratta wasn’t Ratta, that’s when everything changed.’

―But the violet darkness in Lucion doesn’t listen to Ratta. It saddens me a bit.

“I’ll talk to it for you.”

―Really? Heehee. Thank goodness. If I can’t help Lucion, I’m nothing. Then, Lucion…”

Ratta halted abruptly, casting a glance at him before burrowing into the blanket.

Lucion attempted to grasp her tail but instead sat up and gently held her.

“Ratta? What were you about to say?”

―Oh, it’s nothing! Ratta will keep it to herself!

Ratta shut her eyes tightly.

“Ratta.”

Lucion gently rubbed Ratta’s belly, knowing it was her favorite spot.

Ratta opened her eyes a little and then closed them again.

“Why do you keep saying things like that?”

At the sound of Lucion’s upset voice, Ratta perked up her ears.

“It’s okay if you don’t help me. I don’t hurt anymore, I sleep well, and I eat well. I don’t want you 

to say things like you’re nothing.”

Ratta slowly opened her eyes, meeting Lucion’s gaze.

She thought Lucion’s eyes were beautiful, shimmering like the ocean she had seen before.

—Really?

“Yes. So please refrain from speaking like that.”

—Does it upset Lucion…?

“Yes.”

—If Ratta says those things, does it really make Lucion upset?

Ratta asked once more, her tone now tinged with curiosity.

“Yeah. Ratta, you—no, only you should never say those things.”

—Okay!

Ratta beamed with a big smile.

She remembered what Hume had told her before.

Being upset shows he cares.

—Hehe.

Ratta was filled with joy.

—Ratta won’t speak like that anymore! Ratta dislikes seeing Lucion upset!

“You’re a good girl, Ratta.”

Lucion gently stroked Ratta.

—Lucion. Lucion.

Ratta quickly got up, snuggled close to Lucion, and stared at him.

“What’s the matter?”

—Ratta really likes Lucion.

To her, Lucion is like a star.

Ratta wished she could grow up quickly and protect Lucion.

Then Lucion wouldn’t be hurt.

Lucion’s eyes widened and then his lips turned up in a big smile.

“Me too… I do, Ratta.”

Lucion gently stroked Ratta, and her round eyes gradually closed.

Listening to her peaceful breaths, Lucion reclined and stared at the ceiling.

He kept having these strange dreams.

Last time, he met Russell while he was Lee Haram.

It felt so real.

‘Was that dream I just had… really me?’

Lucion fidgeted with his hands, still feeling the vivid sensation.

‘Treated as a monster. Weak to corruption.’

He didn’t know for sure, but the being who kept talking to him might have been like Hume, 

another Ravien.

Hume initially thought of himself as a monster, and he was weak to corruption.

Lucion shut his eyes tightly, reopening them soon after.

The novel, ‘The Grasp of Darkness.’

Thinking about it, everything felt so unnatural.

How could he remember so many details from novels?

The black orb had restored his shattered vessel, helping him transform into the violet darkness 

that Ratta said he originally possessed.

The power of that black orb originated from Veronia, that guy.

Thus, logically, wouldn’t it imply that the black orb was originally his power?

‘Who am I… truly?’

Lucion closed his eyes, trying to clear the complicated thoughts swirling in his mind.

Lee Haram, the cloaked figure, and Lucion Cronia.

Which one was the real him?

* * *

“The execution of Twilo is set for two weeks from now.”

Although an inappropriate topic for the dinner table, Novio eagerly relayed this information to Lucion.

Carson immediately observed Lucion’s expression.

Lucion looked stunned and asked, “Has it been decided already?”

No matter how much additional evidence Lucion had presented, Twilo held the esteemed title of Marquis, governing the eastern territories.

“The Emperor considers it extremely important, stating that we must uproot that filthy root before it continues to mock the Empire.”

Novio smiled broadly for once.

Twilo Sprikado was the one who had teamed up with the Neubra Kingdom and attacked Lucion.

“Are you curious about why they targeted you?”

“No. I’m not curious. Isn’t it obvious?”

Lucion shook his head.

Despite Twilo’s influence as a potent Marquis in the east, he could not attain absolute power due to the geographical dynamics.

To gain power, he inevitably needed to come to the west.

Even without any enemies, the west was a crucial place.

It was also where Twilo had previously sent his subordinates to Cronia.

The intentions behind Twilo’s actions seemed clear.

‘Father, I require your assistance once more.’

The curse upon the Fourth Prince, Owen, likely had been activated by now.

But Novio didn’t mention that fact yet, even though Lucion could have waited a little longer.

‘What a pity. Yet, it’s reasonable as it currently does not concern me. At present, there’s someone I must catch before Owen.’

That would be Chayton, the slave trader in the Myronist Kingdom.

If he captured that guy and handed him over to Heint, the empire could officially sharpen its spear towards the Nevast Kingdom.

‘And since I’ve already helped the king of Myronist, why don’t I go grab the third black orb right now?’

[Look at those eyes. He’s definitely planning to go out again.]

Russell was already preparing to scold him.

‘You’re mistaken.’

Lucion wanted to chuckle but swallowed his laughter and rinsed his mouth with water.

“Lucion. Are you planning to go out somewhere again today?”

Carson casually threw the question.

He was worried about his brother, who wasn’t even well, constantly wandering around.

But he was afraid that if he tried to stop him, he would stay in his room again like before.

“No. I plan to stay home for a while. The doctor said I need to rest.”

Lucion replied, putting a nicely sliced piece of chicken in his mouth.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read