47 – The Appearance of Happiness
Dara-han quietly listened to Lucion’s words. Normally, he would interrupt in the middle.
Of course.
“We must attack the Demon King.”
“We must all be prepared together.”
When you say something like this, you usually get treated as either crazy or a fraud.
Doesn’t it sound like something from the realm of fantasy?
However, Dara had experienced it firsthand. So, it was believable.
The fact that demons live among people.
If you’re a resident of Panachia, it’s now common knowledge.
But would other leaders of the demon towers listen to that?
Would the people of the kingdom truly fear demons?
Most people would say something like this:
“Do you really fear those demons?”
“How powerful are the kingdom’s sorcerers, anyway?”
Lucion said that they needed to shatter that perception.
Saying, “Let’s all prepare together,” ultimately meant inciting the people.
He didn’t think they could prepare without inciting.
“Well then, it’s probably good to do some groundwork, even if it’s a little.”
Rumors carry a strong force.
“Just be cautious.”
“Nobody… believes that,” he said.
Lucion couldn’t respond.
“I get it. We don’t know how far the demons have infiltrated. Even if someone says there’s someone else in this room right now, we have no way to confirm it immediately.”
Darahahn was lost in thought.
“It’s urgent to develop a method to find hidden demons.”
Indeed, would it be possible to create one?
Although it was a matter of just observing magic, Darahahn couldn’t detect it.
Even if he completed it, there was no way to confirm if it was well-made. He had to create a demon detector based solely on knowledge.
“I will try to create an artifact. In the meantime, make sure you gain the right to speak. It might be easier if you know the name of the Demon Lord. But that won’t be of much help to you.”
“I understand. Just the fact that you’re creating an artifact is enough for me to be grateful.”
Even in Lucion’s previous life, there was no artifact to detect demons.
Usually, finding demons was done by intuition.
By smelling, the unique scent of demon blood mixed in the wind.
In fact, except for special cases like Secera, there were no demons that could transform into human forms.
Still, an artifact was necessary.
Especially when insiders were dangerous.
If the gates were opened from the inside, everyone would die. Just one Secera was dangerous enough to threaten the existence of humanity.
Even if he didn’t know how many Seceras were spread throughout the kingdom, it would be much safer to be able to find them rather than being caught off guard.
Darahahn raised his staff again. If there was nothing else to discuss, he needed to get started on the development immediately.
“Take care at the mansion.”
Darahahn stood up from his seat, adjusting his cloak. Lucion and Lucia also stood up, but to talk to Darahahn, they had to raise their heads for a while.
“If you need to contact me, use the black rabbit. Rewards will also go through the black rabbit. Oh, and when you leave the southeast, stop by the demon tower.”
“If the opportunity arises… I will visit.”
It was an opportunity that others would never have in their lifetime, but Lucion was not envious of Dara Han. There was no need to go to Matap.
“Well, thank you anyway. If there is another chance to see you, I will make sure to.”
Dara Han tapped the floor with his cane.
A blue magic circle appeared on the floor and spun around. Soon, Dara Han’s figure disappeared without a trace.
Lucia, who was seeing teleportation for the first time, was so surprised that she leaned forward, hitting the table with both arms.
Well, only Lucion and Baekto Rabbit were left in the room.
Still, she blushed a little, feeling embarrassed.
#
After getting assigned to her room, enjoying the huge bathtub, and meeting Lucia again. Lucia had a lazy expression on her face.
“What? Why are you looking at me like that?”
Lucia’s completely relaxed face was something Lucion had never seen before. It seemed like her cheeks were still flushed from being in the bathtub for a long time.
If no one was watching, she would have taken the opportunity to poke her cheek.
No matter where they went in the mansion, the butler followed them closely.
Lucion asked the butler.
“May I go out for a moment to get some fresh air?”
“Yes. I will guide you.”
The butler was quick to pick up on things. Lucion just had to follow the guide.
The two were led to the rooftop garden.
The bodies of the Sakeras and the people in the mansion had not been completely cleared away.
“They must be having a family reunion by now, right?”
“Reunion?”
“I’ll meet him.”
Lucia simply nodded. In truth, nothing else came to her mind. The only fact that Lucion was unharmed continued to linger.
“How is he?”
Lucia countered Lucion’s question.
“How is who?”
“You were shaking your hand earlier.”
Lucia looked down at her hand. Had she done that? The fear that Lucion might disappear had haunted her. Now, she was in a blank state, not wanting to think about anything.
“It’s okay.”
“Thank goodness.”
Certainly, there was a desire to strengthen Lucia.
But if the progress is too fast, she might not be able to keep up.
“Is everything else okay?”
“Everything else?”
“After leaving the orphanage, a lot happened.”
Attacked by a dragon, surrounded by trolls, turned them all into ashes. Threatened by Tritan.
Coming to Panathea, she hoped for some peace, but from the first day, she was surrounded by Blackthorn. Barely two days had passed since she joined the guild, starting from the guild registration to the mansion.
Though she didn’t behave like other Blackthorn guild members, she was already one of them.
In Lucia’s perception…
Too much had happened.
Lucion knew. To some extent, he knew that he needed a mental break.
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“Shall we stay here for a while?”
While bathing, he asked the butler about various things.
The butler allowed almost everything.
He said that just by assisting the Grand Sorcerer’s family reunion, he could receive more than just compensation.
In fact, it was the long-cherished wish of all the people in the Panacia region.
The relationship between the former king, the king, and the prince was not good at all. It felt like living on a bed of thorns every day.
“It won’t take long for Darahan to make the artifact. Should we enjoy some leisure time until then?”
“I’m fine with that.”
Lucia counted silently in her mind.
The gap between her and Lucion was still significant, but if she ran while Lucion rested…!
Couldn’t she catch up?!
While Lucia was spinning her happiness circuit, Lucion explained his plans for the future.
Actually, Lucia didn’t care what Lucion did. She just wanted to be by his side.
“We received a substantial reward for our success. We can live comfortably and do whatever we want.”
Daharan’s reward was generous. However, he didn’t give it in cash.
He didn’t want to hinder the growth of the growing seed.
Lucion had done the same when he expanded his subordinates.
“When you have money, what do you want to do, Sia?”
Lucia pondered deeply. Though raised in an orphanage, she had never felt lacking. Eating delicious food brought her joy. However, it seemed even more delightful to eat tasty food in a pleasant atmosphere with Haurd.
Seeing Harold excitedly chuckling was also enjoyable. The utmost happiness Lucia could imagine was embracing Harold, wandering around, and eating delicious food together.
For Lucia, happiness was something money couldn’t buy.
Nevertheless, her attention was constantly drawn to the earring hanging from the black rabbit’s ear. It looked quite beautiful.
Yet, it seemed extravagant and made her feel a bit awkward. Moreover, it could be a hindrance during fights or training.
She recalled defeating the troll. She had to be mindful of her clothes fluttering and her hair flying to avoid obstructing her view.
“How about just a hairband?”
“Huh?”
Lucion was perplexed. The butler’s suggestion was that, with sufficient justification, they could even buy a shop in the kingdom’s downtown.
But Lucia’s wish was just a hairband.
“Yeah. A very durable one. Absolutely unbreakable.”
The maid beside her couldn’t hold back a chuckle. Seeing the butler’s reproachful gaze, she apologized profusely, lowering her head continuously.
She seemed to be a newly arrived maid.
Lucion hesitated.
The orphanage wasn’t entirely devoid of common sense. Moreover, Lucia had read quite a few books and had a fair understanding of the world. Yet, Lucia’s reaction was…
“Lucia.”
“Yeah.”
“You like the mansion.”
“Yeah.”
“You like camping. You like the mansion?”
Lucia pondered.
She had her concerns.
The fact was important to Lucion.
“Of course, camping can be enjoyable.”
But she wondered if it wasn’t too extravagant of a camping trip.
It wasn’t meant to be such a luxurious camping experience.
“It’s troublesome.”
Will it be alright?
If she steps into the Demon Realm, she’ll have to live in a harsh world.
Even if she brings everything she needs…
“Let’s think about it when we get there.”
There’s nothing we can do about what’s already happened.
Lucia had missed out on so many things.
With that in mind, she decided to give Lucia a taste of city life for a day.