chapter 13
13. I’ll do it, friend. (2)
“Lucia. Where, are you not particularly injured?”
A voice I hadn’t heard even a few days ago.
I didn’t even know when I entered the room, so I was startled.
But I don’t know why.
When I heard that voice, I felt a sense of relief.
A warm voice that seems to have a lot of affection.
And a kind voice that shows consideration for himself in every word.
For some reason, Lucia felt the heat rise on her face and turned her head away to hide it.
“What, I’m just saying what I need to say.”
… … I think it came out too bluntly.
Even though I spit it out, I felt sorry for nothing.
The reason he set out to defeat the devil was because of Lucia.
Even if it wasn’t to protect yourself.
It was my fault for letting the devil invade in the first place.
But more because of that.
I had no intention of changing this attitude.
“… … In the future, don’t do that.”
“yes?”
“Don’t do that. Don’t you go out without consulting, don’t you fight against the devil… … ! Do you have multiple lives?”
If he gets hurt because of himself.
Homyeonana, if you leave yourself because of it.
Because I didn’t have the confidence to endure the loneliness of being left alone that would come later.
And the wall that was built like that.
In front of his next word, it collapsed shabbyly.
“I was confident of winning… … More than anything, what’s wrong with trying to protect a friend?”
“… … what is a friend It was only yesterday that we first met.”
person who is abnormal.
Sometimes, as if he is used to talking to himself, he smirks and unleashes the conversation.
Also, I’m not good at everything.
A person who makes a light mistake and then apologizes right after is a little cute.
Even though it doesn’t seem strong, it’s strong.
A person who seems weak, yet strong.
therefore.
──As expected, a strange person. I couldn’t help but think so.
I’d throw it away if I didn’t need it.
Even knowing that from the beginning, I had no choice but to open the door.
Because at some point, he was longing for the warm affection that someone gave him.
“… … Since when, I naturally call her ‘Lucia’.”
“… … Will you call me Mage Lucia again?”
Wizard Lucia.
It wasn’t a very bad expression, but I didn’t want to hear it from his mouth.
so that.
Lucia shook her head and decided to be a little greedy.
“no.”
As I shook my head like that, I felt Cale tilt her head.
I couldn’t see my eyes.
From nob le mt l. co m
Just because you can’t see doesn’t mean you can’t notice everything.
Lucia lowered her head in shame.
“… … I’ll do it, the friend you want so much. therefore… … Just, don’t say honorifics in the future. call me lucy You don’t use honorific words among friends, do you?”
I don’t even know the face.
I don’t know anything about his height, his body shape, the color of his eyes, or the color of his hair.
Still, if you do this, you are a friend who is full of minutes.
Because I suddenly had that thought.
* * *
the past before regression.
It was quite a frustrating past for me, but it wasn’t that there weren’t people who helped me in that world.
no.
there was.
too much for a minute.
“… … idiot. Are you thinking of dying?”
Silver hair that shines brilliantly in the sunlight.
Looking into those eyes, I would have no choice but to mutter that any person is beautiful.
Purple eyes that are deep and calm enough to fall into.
The vivid purple lake captured my image.
With words mixed with accusations against me.
“… … Lucia.”
“Okay, so answer first. Since you rebelled in the first place, you weren’t sincere about anything you said.”
If I had made up my mind to commit treason, the Empire would have been overthrown long ago.
The potential of the Duke of Reinhardt, whom I had raised, was just as outstanding.
However, in order not to involve the duchy in this matter, I resigned as head of the household and left the family.
Originally, even if he left the family, he would have been blindfolded and punished by saying “Aung”.
The current Empire is in a very turbulent situation both inside and outside.
‘Disasters’ started rampaging in earnest, and about half of the population of the western continent was slaughtered.
Even to rectify that, the duchy’s figures wouldn’t be executed.
So maybe.
It might not have been what she said.
Maybe that’s why I made a fuss called treason.
Maybe it was just to find a place to die.
“Yeah, a little… … . exhausted.”
exhausted
Fighting against disasters and the constant sacrifices of the people around them.
More than anything.
Even in such a situation, the beotimmog that held me so that I could barely hold on, left me.
so that.
I had no choice but to leave it irresponsibly and leave.
… … I want to rest now.
“roo. From now on, I’ll ask for a duke’s name.”
roo.
At the nickname that flowed out of my mouth, Lucia’s body froze.
“Idiot… … . Do you think a duke without you would only be on my mind?”
Tuduk.
Tears suddenly roll down from Lucia’s eyes as she curses like that.
A little bit of anger mixed with love-hate—
Those eyes that are hard to guess for me.
“… … sorry.”
“Then, don’t do anything to be sorry for, fool.”
Lucia’s voice trembled as if she were facing something frightening.
I actually knew.
The feelings she has for me are not the affection she has for a simple friend.
… … That there is no point in such feelings.
But I didn’t have the ability to handle those feelings.
I was afraid to answer it.
He was afraid that this relationship would be broken, and that if he ever got to know her, he would think of her as a replacement for Elena.
And what I knew, Lucia must have guessed as well.
Because I knew that my heart couldn’t afford it.
I also knew that I wouldn’t have the courage to let anyone back in,
I just waited patiently.
That’s why I was even more sorry.
If I had taken advantage of the void after Elena was stolen, I might have given up my heart to Lucia.
But Lucia didn’t.
“… … In my mind, I want to ask you to think again. After all, it must be my greed, right?”
“… … .”
I turned my head so that I couldn’t see my face, but Lucia’s shoulders shook as if she was crying a little.
I wanted to comfort her sobbing, but
At the same time – because it shouldn’t be.
that.
Because it crossed the line as an ordinary friend.
All I could do was stay still like an idiot.
* * *
“… … ah.”
Beds in the Magic Tower are among the most comfortable.
Having had a disturbing dream, I raised myself with a cry of pain.
Let’s glance out the window… … time is.
What is it, it’s time to wake up
Seeing the sun rise subtly, I briefly stretched and raised my magic power.
Turning the mana that circulates throughout the body through the blood vessels once.
I saw it in martial arts and wondered if this would work.
It was more refreshing than I thought, so I used it quite often every morning.
Originally, I would have wielded swordsmanship as a daily routine, but this is a mage tower with many people watching.
I decided to put up with that until I got up.
I want to get a little bit closer.
I need to go see Lucia.
smart.
I opened the door and knocked lightly in front of Ciela’s room.
“Ciella.”
A light knock that you may not have heard.
However, Ciela caught it and opened the door with a click.
“Hmm… … . Bocchan, are you awake?”
Ciella opened the door with her cute nightgown.
One thing to be a little ashamed of.
When I woke up in a drowsy state, he seemed unconscious.
“If you’re sleepy, you can sleep a little longer. I will bring only the elixir.”
“No… … . I will prepare it soon.”
Click.
The door closed again, and there was a crackling sound, and then Ciella, who looked no different than usual, walked out.
what.
Did you use magic?
Having received the elixir from Ciella, who had calmed down before I knew it, I stepped into Lucia’s room.
Because it was from today.
The day Lucia decided to take the elixir.
* * *
Compared to a few days ago, Lucia’s room improved remarkably.
No matter how much he said he would pay me back, he seemed to have given me a pretty good room.
“What… … Actually, even if it is, I don’t really feel it.”
“Oh, because you can’t see?”
“uh.”
At my question, Lucia nodded without hesitation.
The structure of Hagijisa’s room hasn’t changed much, only the quality has improved.
It may not feel like much.
I told them not to change the structure because it would be rather difficult to adapt if the structure changed.
“first. To repeat before taking the elixir, it probably won’t have an immediate effect. It’s not like your eyesight will come back right away, or your mana won’t come back.”
“huh. I know. Didn’t you say that magic will gradually return as your eyesight returns?”
“okay.”
It is said that the elixir containing the energy of nature is the opposite of disaster.
It wasn’t all that perfect.
Wouldn’t it be better if it wasn’t long after the disaster?
If it had been a year or so, even after being released from the seal, the mana would not move freely.
The same goes for eyesight.
It was likely to take some time.
“Lucia. What, is there anything you want to see when you open your eyes?”
“huh. It is, but… … I’ll keep this a secret.”
Having said that, Lucia glanced in my direction.
what do you want to see
After looking in my direction for a moment, Lucia reached out and grabbed my face.
“Kale. Did I mention that your hair is red?”
“uh. Her eyes are also red.”
“Um… … Some things seem to fit, some things don’t.”
“what. Is it a compliment or a curse?”
Puch.
Lucia smiled and continued to touch my face.
It’s as if he’s trying to remember my face with his thin fingers.
As if trying to engrave it slowly in my head.
I asked after seeing Lucia fiddling with her face like a child making clay.
“Would you like to eat soon?”
“huh.”
Click.
After taking the elixir out of the case, I put it on Lucia’s hand.
The first hit was an elixir called the Heart of the Earth.
It was also an item that had been sold for a million gold.
No matter how good the elixir is, if you eat it all in one day, you might get sick.
That’s why I was thinking of taking the elixir I bought for a week from today.
If you’re lucky, it might end there.
Even if you have bad luck, you won’t be lacking.
Lucia’s talent for manipulating magic was literally unrivaled.
“… … Phew.”
Lucia, who placed it in her hand, let out a short breath.
I’m trying not to show nervousness.
Her trembling arms let her know that Lucia was still a little frightened.
I asked, having decided to divert the topic a bit.
“Lucia. Didn’t you say you never left the Mage Tower since you were born?”
“huh. When I was really young, I lived in a nursery run by the Empire, and after seeing my talent, I was sold to the Mage Tower.”
It was a story that he had spent nearly 20 years in the Mage Tower.
To be exact, he said he entered the Mage Tower when he was seven years old.
Fifteen years or so?
If you just listen, the case is worse than Ciella’s.
“Then you must have never seen the outside of the Magic Tower with your own eyes, right?”
“… … huh.”
let’s be that way
Lucia guessed what I was about to say and kept her mouth shut.
“When you open your eyes later, I will go with you.”
What the empire’s buildings look like.
How beautiful the duke’s mansion is, and how splendid the annual festival is.
entire. I’ll see you.
Saying that, Lucia suddenly spoke in a trembling voice.
“… … What if I can’t recover my mana even after eating this?”
“It can’t be.”
One thing I can’t help but worry about.
There was nothing more pointless than worrying about something that never happened.
“I told you. You are the best wizard I know.”
“still… … .”
and.
After interrupting Lucia, I added one last word.
“And don’t worry. Even if you can’t regain your magic… … For the rest of my life, I can take responsibility and protect you.”
“… … !”
With the wealth of the duchy, it would not be difficult to feed at least one Lucia.
Let’s say it without thinking.
Lucia blushed as she remembered the life entrusted to her by the Duke without regaining her magical power.
It was a metaphorical expression to calm down… … .
Was it a bit harsh that you wouldn’t be able to regain your magic power and eyesight for the rest of your life?
incompetent life.
Because that was the life Lucia feared.
Having remembered that far, I hurriedly turned around to comfort Lucia.
“Of course, Vigo, maybe I will be able to regain my magic soon… … .”
“Rather good… … .”
“… … ?”
And suddenly, I couldn’t help but express my doubts about what Lucia muttered.