SOMEONE SPECIAL

So for the next few months, he has been learning alchemy from Noona. Noona was a little astonished by the learning speed of the young boy. "As expected from a family of monsters.... he is also a monster," Noona said while looking at a bunch of healing potions that Luminus made for the family shop ready for sale.

A long time has passed by and Luminus has adapted well to his new environment noticeably. He now has a bunch of friends and people who acknowledge his talent for alchemy. Amongst all that, what he cherishes the most is the friends he has made as he didn't have that at the Vermillion mansion.

He can now have people he truly trusts. And among them his friend Ciel. She is the closest person to him. She is also a 10-year-old just like Luminus with her 11th birthday coming in one month while Luminus's birthday is in a week. She often went to play in the town with Luminus and a couple of their friends.

They made each other laugh and most of all, they kept each other company. Night had fallen and five mid human size people could be seen lying on the ground with their heads close to each other in a circular form. They were all staring at the stars as they shared stories with each other. "Say... Lu, would you go to the mage academy when you turn fifteen?" Ciel asked out of the blue.

"..." Luminus stayed silent for a while before sitting up. "Guys there is something I haven't told you yet," Luminus said while facing the rest of the party with his back. " I can't cultivate". He announced as he thought in his mind "well this is the end... I can't hide the truth forever".

"....."

"....."

"....."

"....."

The party went silent for a couple of minutes as they individually tried to piece everything together. Ciel suddenly sat up too and while looking down, she seemed to have pieced everything together. She suddenly hugged Luminus with tears in her eyes.

Luminus didn't know what to do as the sudden hug was unexpected. "Don't worry Lu, I will always be there to protect you" she said in a breaking voice. Luminus felt a warm sensation in his heart as Ciel kept sobbing on his shoulders. The other three boys all hugged them together making it a group hug while they all shared how much they loved each other.

Luminus had only one thought on his mind at that moment" I have truly found people who appreciate me". He had a smile on his face as he said "Thank you... guys, for not leaving me". Later that night, the rest of the guys went home earlier because they lived further away from where Luminus and Ciel lived.

"Hey Lu, when we turn 12 years old can I tell you a secret?" Ceil said while hiding her blushing face. "Why don't you tell me now," Luminus asked. "There are some things you can't just say just because you want to. It takes time to mentally prepare for that" Ciel ridiculed.

𝐋𝐮𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐬: Okay, it's not a problem for me to wait 372 days just so I can hear the secret.

𝐂𝐢𝐞𝐥: One day when you grow up you will understand what I mean.

𝐋𝐮𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐬: Do you want to say I'm not mature enough?

𝐂𝐢𝐞𝐥: We are both not ready yet.

Ciel said while blushing. She quickly gave a kiss to Luminus's cheek and ran away home while yelling "Goodnight". Luminus stood all alone under the moonlight. He recalled what his mother asked him during their last magic crystal message. "Do you have someone special to you yet?". He rubbed his hands at his cheek as he thought "Is she the special person mother asked me about?".

Luminus stood outside while reminiscing about all the moments he had spent with his friends and how they didn't leave him when they learned about his disease. He slowly thanked them in his heart for not letting him be lonely again.

*********

The months went by in a flash and it was his 12th birthday he had been waiting for this day for more than 300 days. Ciel's attitude changed from being the pushy and clingy person she was to be a shy and soft person. She never let it slip whenever he asked her about the secret.

Rather she starts blushing and trying to evade the question. She sometimes even gets mad whenever the topic is brought up. Luminus waited till the afternoon before asking her to fulfill her promise.

She nodded and asked Luminus to follow her as she walked toward the direction of the large herbal plantation of the Oswald family. Luminus followed silently while trying to guess what she could possibly have as a secret.

They walked for about 15 minutes before she stopped under a large red cotton tree. Red cotton is a mutated plant that can be used to make healing potions because of the oxygen it carries. Ciel turned around and looked Luminus in the eye before starting her talk.

"Lu, three years from now, my parents want to sell me off to some aristocratic family in the northern continent to serve there as a maid. But I don't want to go and leave you here. I promised I would protect you remember? I'm sorry I can't keep my promise"

"I want to roam the world and see all the world has to offer, beauty and all," She said while having tears in her eyes. Luminus was shocked by the sudden revelation. He also blamed himself for being too shortsighted.

He blamed himself because he should have known that in the southern continent, most families sell their daughters off as maids or slaves to aristocrats for financial aid.

He hugged her and said calmly into her ears "Don't worry I will also protect you". Ciel felt a sense of calm in her heart and they stood there in each other's arms for a long time before breaking apart.

"Ha ha ha ha ha that was really heartwarming my dear targets" Just as they broke apart, they heard someone laughing hysterically. They soon realized that there were three people who had weapons in their hands as they walked toward them.

The only thing that crossed their mind was to run. They set off running in the other direction using the terrain to their advantage as they hurriedly ran toward the mutated beast forest. They thought the assassins were just slow and they could use their knowledge of the terrain to their advantage. Little did they know they were doing exactly what the assassins wanted.