Chapter 11 - Reflection

It was evening when I was returning from the royal chambers, and as I entered the house, I noticed my mother in the kitchen cooking alongside Aunt May. She had been feeling better over the past few days, but there was still an air of sadness about her, and she seemed worried about her daughter as well. All they needed right now was time. Time to heal...

"Lucius, you're finally here. Come and eat," she said, pouring her signature stew with a ladle and offering me a warm smile. I sat at the table, feeling my stomach rumble desperately. I could eat a horse.

"Alea should be back soon too," she added, trying to sound cheerful. "How was your first day of training?"

"Great. That old man is ridiculously strong," I said with a grin. I started recounting the training with Virion, skillfully omitting the severity of the beating so as not to worry my mother or May, and shared the funny moments with Tess, trying to keep the story light and amusing.

Suddenly, I heard a noise in the hallway — it was Alea, back from her training. We hadn't spoken since that day, and I had no idea how she felt about my words. Had she thought about them? Did I manage to reach her, or had I been too harsh on someone who had lost her father?

"Alea, come eat," Mother said, anticipating her arrival.

Alea looked toward the kitchen. As her gaze swept over us, a complex expression crossed her face. She clenched her fists, opened her mouth as if to say something, but instead let out a heavy sigh and went to her room.

Mother and I exchanged confused glances. She lowered her eyes and sighed sadly. She hadn't been able to start a conversation with Alea — after their father's death, Alea had withdrawn and didn't want to share her feelings with anyone.

"Madam, should I try to talk to her?" May suggested, standing up from the table.

"No." Mother shook her head, motioning for May to sit back down. "There's no need."

A few minutes later, Alea returned to the kitchen. She walked over quickly and stood still above us, hesitating. She opened her mouth but closed it again. And then opened it once more.

Finally gathering her resolve, she shut her eyes, dropped her gaze, and quietly said:

"I'm sorry…" Her voice was hoarse from suppressed tears. "I shouldn't have acted that way. I'm sorry, mother… You're hurting too. I was being selfish. All these days, all I could think about was how much I was hurting after Father's death, and I never considered your feelings. I just… I couldn't believe it was real."

Mother gently reached out to Alea, and with trembling shoulders, she leaned into her, bursting into tears.

"Let's sit and talk," Saria suggested, starting to cry herself. "I know it's hard, but we need to be together to get through this."

May joined them in an embrace, adding to the scene.

I felt that despite my own emotions, I needed to support them somehow. Slowly getting up from my chair, I walked over, trying to maintain my composure.

"I don't know what to say or how to help…" I began, feeling the heavy tension in the air. "But we…"

"Shut up and just hug us," Alea said through her tears, pulling me in.

Mother, unable to hold back her tears, chuckled softly, and the four of us embraced. It felt strange and moving at the same time—to feel grief binding us together. We stood there for about a minute in silence, as if this moment was necessary to let go of at least some of the pain each of us carried.

In that moment, despite my preconceived notions about isekai, I felt that maybe I could become, or had already become, a part of this family, despite its losses and trials.

When the hug ended, an awkward silence fell. Alea wiped her tears with her sleeve and finally looked at me.

"You… you said something important recently," she started, but uncertainty crossed her face. "You're right… Father definitely would… I just didn't…" She trailed off, not knowing how to continue.

I took a deep breath, gathering my thoughts.

"Alea, I didn't say it to accuse you," I said, shaking my head to dismiss her self-reproach. "It was more so you'd understand—you're not alone. That's what little brothers are for!"

Her gaze softened, and for a moment, I saw a warmth in her eyes that she had hidden for so long, as if she saw the old Lucius. Meanwhile, Mother just listened, not daring to interrupt.

"You know, Lucius…" her voice was gentle, like a soft breeze sweeping across a calm field. "You're right. So, thank you."

Her eyes, usually filled with worry and doubt, now shone with pure gratitude, and a rare, radiant smile spread across her face, seeming to erase all her past sorrows. For a moment, I stood frozen, unable to believe my eyes. She…

Can she really be like this? So light, without the weight on her shoulders?

"Why are you so surprised?" she tilted her head slightly, poking me in the cheek. "Or do you think your sister's just a chronic brooder?"

From that conversation began a true family life. A life in this world as Lucius Triscan. Days, weeks, months, and years passed, and now here I stand in a combat stance before my most formidable opponent at the moment. He was cunning, smart, and as swift as a snake. His long tongue was like a double-edged sword, and in his hands, he wielded a wooden weapon with the skill of a master.

His goatee had grown even longer, making Virion, who stood before me, appear older and wiser. But no less dangerous. I stood before him, my bandaged fists trembling with tension and readiness. He had taught me everything—swordsmanship, hand-to-hand combat, and how to wield elemental magic. Yet, there was one problem: I had no affinity for any element.

I had even reached the dark-orange stage of my core but still hadn't developed an affinity for any of the elements. It wasn't just strange—it was unheard of in a world where magic defined everything. Each magical element unlocked immense possibilities for its bearer, but not for me. Ordinary mages at the red stage already knew what they were predisposed to. 

This was especially evident in spellcasters as opposed to enhancers. I was an enhancer, yet at this stage of my core, I should have had an elemental inclination. But there was nothing. No wind, no earth, no fire, no water—none of it was within my grasp.

Still, this was also my unique trait. Unlike many elementalists, I could control mana in its pure form, and my mastery over it was superior to that of most mages. It was reminiscent of the abilities of Ellie Leywin, who should have already made her appearance in this world.

"Old man, watch and learn," I said with a smirk, extending my hands forward and crossing my thumbs and index fingers. I wanted to try out my new long-range technique. Channeling a large amount of mana through my hands, an enormous mana sphere began to form in front of me, several times larger than myself. Focusing on my breathing, I sent a quick pulse from my core, and the sphere shot toward the old man.

The mana sphere surged forward, leaving scorched earth in its wake. I felt the energy build in my hands, along with the backlash from the technique. Mana burst from my core with such force that I felt a slight pain in my wrists. It was like pulling a muscle too hard—a burning pain and slight numbness.

Virion, noticing the approaching sphere, reacted swiftly. He raised his sword and, using his skill, tried to deflect the blow, but the powerful force I had imbued in my technique left him no chance. The sphere collided with the sword and discharged, creating a bright flash of light and a powerful wave that pushed me backward. I barely managed to stay on my feet, feeling myself lifted slightly from the impact.

Looking around, I noticed that Virion, who had disappeared at the moment of the explosion, now stood at a distance, fully immersed in the first phase of his beast transformation. Wild, dark energy enveloped parts of his body.

"Wow, that was impressive!" Virion shouted, deactivating the mode and softening his tone. "And when did you learn that, brat?"

"Recently," I replied, feeling my arms grow heavy. The recoil had been intense, as if I had fired a cannon. My entire torso felt numb, and my shoulders ached from the overload. It seemed I had overdone it just to impress the old geezer.

"Don't forget, you need to be careful," he said, noticing my condition and shaking his head. "This is your body, not a toy."

I tried to move my arms, but it was harder than I expected. It felt like my muscles were in spasm.

"Yeah," I muttered, struggling to lift my arms. "I might have overdone it."

Virion stepped closer, his expression turning serious. I'd forgotten that this old man could be like that.

"Learn to control not just your power, but your body as well. If you can't handle the recoil, a technique like that could turn against you."

I nodded, taking his words to heart. He was right. To develop my abilities, I needed to work not just on power but on control. This technique had been an experimental one, mimicking the power of a tailed beast's bomb. It was certainly interesting to try, but my body wasn't yet strong enough for such moves.

Moreover, the fact that it required greater focus and caused temporary loss of combat capability made it less viable in real battles. If I were caught off guard, an attack like that could backfire on me.

"I need to find more versatile techniques," I thought as I felt my muscles gradually returning to normal. "I should work on something that can be used on the move."

Unlike Arthur Leywin, who had decades of battle experience, I didn't have that kind of warrior spirit. To compensate for this, I needed to try and test every new and old idea that came to mind. Every technique, every movement—it was like a game where I learned from my mistakes.

I knew I had to develop my intuition and adapt to changing battle conditions. Each day with Virion, I looked for opportunities to improve my skills. It not only strengthened my body but also gave me confidence that I could withstand any situation.

At the same time, I didn't forget to spend time with my loved ones. In the evenings, I usually walked with Tess or spent time with my family. I felt uncomfortable around kids my age, like Feirith Ivsaar, because they acted too childish. I didn't know why Tess didn't evoke the same rejection as the others. Maybe it was because I knew her future well and her personality as described in the book?

"You're daydreaming again, Luci!" Tess wrinkled her nose and puffed out her cheeks in a mock pout. "At least share what you're thinking!"

"Kids wouldn't understand my thoughts," I replied, to which she stuck out her tongue.

"You act like an adult! You're only two years older," she said, crossing her arms with a huff.

"A whole two years," I chuckled, knowing that in my real age, I should be twenty-three now.

At that moment, I realized how much these simple moments meant to me. Despite all the challenges, the growing pressure, and my unique situation, I was grateful for the chance to spend time with Tess and my family. That's why I had to prepare them for the coming war.

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