Chapter 37

How did things end up like this?

Standing in front of an angry Lucas, I desperately tried to recall my memories. I couldn’t guess why Lucas, who had been talking normally, was now angry.

‘Did I do something wrong?’

Based on the eyewitness accounts I heard from the maids, I had gone to find Lucas in the back garden, which was fine up to that point.

Although reluctant, Lucas agreed to give me some time when I asked. His indifferent attitude changed completely after I brought up my main request.

“You want to stop training with Father? “

“Yes. “

“Is there a reason? “

“Well, there’s no use in learning it. It has no meaning for me, so I don’t want to learn. “

I didn’t want to spend this life in fear of my sword skills being discovered. Eventually, the fact that I’m not a princess would also be revealed.

“No meaning, you say. ”

As he slowly chewed over my words, his expression gradually grew colder. Seeing Lucas’s expression which couldn’t hide his anger, my hair stood on end.

‘I think I touched a nerve.’

And now.

Hugging the gift I was about to give him, I cautiously observed Lucas’s mood. No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t understand why he was angry.

“You say you want to quit because there’s no use in learning?”

“Y-yes. I’m sorry.”

At my apology, Lucas’s eyes flickered with a spark of anger. My mouth went dry at his face which seemed even angrier than before.

Lucas rubbed his brow and then asked as if interrogating me.

“What’s the basis for your words?”

“My body.”

“You think that’s enough of a reason?”

“I have proof.”

My legs trembled at the threatening aura he was emitting. Without showing it, I rolled up my sleeve and held out my forearm to Lucas.

‘I wonder if this will convince him.’

My internal organs were weaker than those of normal people, so I couldn’t contain mana in my body. He should be able to tell if he checked my pulse, but unlike the Grand Duke, he didn’t seem to be proficient in mana and couldn’t discern my physical condition even while holding my wrist.

Feeling frustrated, I took his hand and placed it on my wrist again.

“Check my pulse again, dummy.”

“If you’re talking about your frame, you’ll build muscle if you train.”

It’s not a matter of building muscle or not, but I can’t explain that.

“This body has its limits.”

That was a conclusion based on my experience as a Sword Master who had guided soldiers. Lucas frowned, looking unconvinced.

“If you had said you wanted to quit because you were scared, I would have understood. Look at this.”

Lucas bit his glove and pulled it off with his teeth. Seeing his bare hand revealed, I was at a loss for words.

‘Why does a child’s hand look like that?’

His hand was deformed with twisted bones and blisters all over. Among them were recent wounds that were still bleeding.

Spreading out his palm towards me, Lucas said proudly:

“This is proof of my effort. I hate people like you who only talk big.”

What is this idiot saying?

Normal sword training doesn’t ruin hands like that. Those hands, neglected without proper treatment, could never be a badge of honor.

“Lucas, are you proud of abusing yourself?”

“Abuse? No, this is effort.”

“Are you making fun of swordsmen?”

“That’s what I want to ask you. Why won’t you learn when you have talent?”

“Because I don’t want to struggle in vain.”

Becoming a Sword Master, becoming an Archmage.

It was all the result of struggling to survive somehow. In times when war was rampant, you had to build strength or you would die.

I recalled a conversation I had with my comrades after the war ended.

“Now that peace has come, there won’t be people learning the sword as desperately as we did, right? ”

“I think we won’t have to see people dying anymore. ”

“I hope such days come soon. ”

Bacchus, Lemiere, Sif, Castro, Adelian, and me. The past heroes who were ultimately abandoned by their homeland and died when the war ended.

‘What heroes are you talking about?’

Who would guess that the true wish of war heroes was merely to survive? Lucas’s hands resembled my own when I was Cassian.

In such a peaceful era, why?

“You’ve deceived them.”

“I haven’t deceived anyone. Aren’t you the one who’s deceiving swordsmanship!”

“Swordsmanship now, after the war has ended, isn’t for survival. It’s for protection.”

“What do you know to be preaching?”

Right now, it’s just his hands that are ruined, but what will happen as time passes? What meaning is there in the level achieved through training this way?

‘Even if you become a Sword Master.’

Gritting my teeth, I grabbed Lucas’s outstretched hand and deliberately pressed on his wound.

“Ugh!”

“Don’t ever train like this again.”

“…You!”

Lucas, who let out a short cry, staggered but regained his balance. His stubbornness in not saying it hurt made me even more irritated.

‘I should leave.’

Thinking that I might lose my temper if I stayed, I left first.

What a fool.

To think the boy called a genius of the Grand Duke’s family was training like that. As I was trying to calm down, I suddenly realized that both my hands felt too light.

Sen, who greeted me upon my return, asked with a smile:

“Did you give him the picture well?”

Ah. Right. The picture.

I think I forgot and left it behind.

I ended up making Lucas, whom I should have gotten close to, dislike me. As I broke out in a cold sweat, Sen looked at me with a puzzled expression.

***

Lucas stared blankly in the direction where the child had disappeared. The child’s unexpected angry words lingered in his mind.

Everyone who knew him encouraged his efforts and praised the achievements he had barely reached.

“Young Master Lucas, you’re truly a genius! ”

“To handle mana at this age. You’ll surely surpass the Grand Duke someday. ”

“I’m certain that with a little more effort, you’ll reach the next level. ”

“Everyone is looking forward to your achievements, Young Master. ”

No one showed interest in the efforts he had made to remain a genius.

‘It doesn’t matter if they don’t know.’

He was still far from surpassing his father, who was hailed as humanity’s greatest talent. Even such a father couldn’t protect his mother.

‘I must become stronger.’

Besides the regular training he received, he swung his sword whenever he had a chance. His palms, ruined by excessive training, became his pride.

He had shown his palms, which he had never shown to anyone, to the child in a fit of anger.

‘There was no need for that.’

Always thirsty for talent, he was angered by the lack of effort. In fact, there was no need to pay attention to his newly acquired sibling.

He was busy enough focusing on becoming stronger.

But…

“Swordsmanship now, after the war has ended, isn’t for survival. It’s for protection. ”

Those words the child emphasized were also the words of Sword Master Cassian, whom he admired. That’s why he was momentarily emotionally shaken.

It was also because the child’s attitude of giving up without even trying touched a sore spot from the past.

‘Just like Father that day.’

Right after the accident that killed his mother and sibling, his father chose seclusion. Everyone knew the imperial family was behind this incident.

The imperial family, which had ruled for a long time based on the founding myth, was powerful.

Powerful enough to kill the Grand Duchess to teach the Grand Duke, who had grown too strong, his place.

<Shouldn’t we investigate the reason for Mother and my sibling’s death?>

“And then? What would change?”

“It’s family who died, not just anyone!”

Did he say it was meaningless then?

Seeing the Grand Duke’s insensitive eyes, Lucas gave up all expectations. If his father wouldn’t take action, the only option was to become strong enough to take revenge himself.

His brother Tristan couldn’t understand why he became obsessively devoted to the sword. After all, Tristan was a genius who excelled in magic without effort.

If only I had a little more talent.

“I want stronger power.”

When he closed his eyes, he recalled the day he lost his mother and sibling so pointlessly. He was the only one who returned alive from that horrific scene.

He alone, who couldn’t protect anyone.

“I’m not wrong.”

This was the only way to ensure he wouldn’t suffer such injustice again. He put his glove back on his palm, where blood was seeping from burst wounds.

‘It’s all necessary.’

It was right to forget about the child who had become his sibling and focus on training again. Given how angry the child was, it seemed unlikely they would come looking for him again.

As he was about to turn away, he noticed a bundle left where the child had been.

“What’s in it that makes it so light?”

He had thought they might be carrying snacks since they held it so preciously while talking. Curious, he untied the bundle and took out its contents.

Inside the red bundle was a picture framed in a thin frame.

“Silver… why did they draw dust?”

He wanted to pretend he hadn’t seen the bundle, but his chivalry prevented him. The biography of Cassian, which he had practically memorized, stated that found items must be returned to their owner.

Lucas reluctantly took the picture and visited the Grand Duke’s office. Seeing Lucas, the Grand Duke dismissed the retainers standing nearby.

“What’s the matter?”

“The child left something behind, so I came to return it.”

He unwrapped the bundle and took out the contents for the Grand Duke to see easily. The Grand Duke glanced at the picture once and said indifferently.

“I told you to call them your sibling.”

“If you won’t accept it, I’ll take my leave.”

“Didn’t you hear anything from your sibling?”

The Grand Duke, who stubbornly insisted on using the term ‘sibling’, gestured towards the picture.

“That’s you.”

This white dust drawing is supposed to be me?

Looking closely, there did seem to be something like legs under the dust. The Grand Duke explained the process of how the child drew the picture.

“It’s the best out of 70 drawn all night.”

The child had spent all day drawing to give him a gift.

‘How uncomfortable.’

This would mean he had ignored the goodwill of a child much younger than him. He also felt bad about getting angry at the child, despite being annoyed.

The Grand Duke, as if sensing his inner conflict, offered appropriate advice.

“Your new sibling seems to like strawberries. And they appear to enjoy reading fairy tales.”

“……”

“If you understand, then go.”

“Then I’ll take my leave.”

Lucas left the office, taking back the picture he had meant to return. Regardless of his feelings, he felt he should reciprocate the child’s gesture.

Lucas’s steps were heavy as he headed to town, carrying the picture.