"Your Majesty, please follow me. I'll guide you to your temporary residence."
Liliana stood before Lucius, speaking with utmost respect, her face betraying a trace of bitterness she couldn't hide.
When Lucius mentioned needing a temporary place to stay, the leader of the Female Wolf mage association immediately suggested that the Bronze Black Cross take responsibility for his arrangements.
The reason? Lucius and Liliana were already acquainted, making her the most suitable choice.
It was obvious the leader saw Lucius as a hot potato she couldn't wait to pass off.
Though Lucius noticed this, he felt no anger.
He simply made a mental note to double the tasks he'd assign to the Female Wolf association in the future.
In a world where Campiones roamed unchecked, Lucius considered himself quite considerate and mild-mannered.
And the reason he didn't refuse…
Among the mystic community present, Liliana was the only young, attractive girl.
The others, judging by their appearances, were rarely under forty.
Lucius wasn't a superficial man, but he just happened to align with the principles of those who valued appearances.
Moreover, seeing Liliana—a girl who'd previously clashed with him—visibly hoping he'd refuse only made him want to accept.
The result was—
This usually serious knightly girl couldn't help but pout, looking as if she were on the verge of tears.
Having once been summoned by Marquis Voban to perform a ritual to call forth a Heretic God, Liliana already had a lingering fear of Campiones.
Now, facing Lucius, a newly emerged Campione…
Lucius could see the fine beads of sweat on her forehead.
Especially since, before he became a Campione, she had fought him, trying to stop him from heading to Mars' temple.
She didn't regret that decision even now.
She had been doing what she believed was right. The only pity was her insufficient strength, which failed to prevent the catastrophe.
Though the Heretic Mars was ultimately returned to the myths, the descent of a Heretic God in Rome had caused significant consequences.
Even so, she felt uneasy, fearing Lucius might hold a grudge over their earlier conflict.
Her current mood was like that of a bully who once humiliated Han Xin, only to learn of his later success.
Dread.
"Are you afraid of me?"
Walking behind her, Lucius asked abruptly.
"Are you worried I'll hold a grudge and take revenge for what happened before?"
"Eek—"
Her blue eyes widened in panic, a startled cry escaping her lips.
"Th-that's—" After a few seconds, she calmed down, her face flushed with embarrassment as she turned and respectfully replied, "Your Majesty, there's no such thing."
She couldn't admit to fearing petty retaliation.
That might provoke him.
Campiones were known to be capricious.
Or rather, anyone with power surpassing human society's limits was rarely bound by its morals or laws.
"No need to worry over such a trivial matter. Rest assured, I'm not that petty."
Lucius shook his head with a sigh, as if exasperated by the girl's excessive caution.
"Is that so?" Hearing this, the knightly girl relaxed slightly.
"Speaking of which, I recall stabbing you in the abdomen with my sword, didn't I? Has the wound healed?" Lucius asked, seemingly curious.
At the mention, Liliana instantly felt a faint ache in her abdomen.
Though magic could heal wounds, deeper injuries were rarely fully treated with spells.
The reason seemed to be avoiding dependency on magic.
Thus, Liliana's abdominal wound had only been partially healed, not fully recovered.
She had no intention of hiding this and answered honestly.
After all, she saw no benefit in concealing her condition.
"I see." Lucius nodded lightly.
Then, he reached out and gently patted her partially healed abdomen.
"Ow—ow!"
It really hurt, and tears nearly spilled from her eyes.
Liliana felt utterly wronged.
But she could only endure.
As expected.
Seeing Liliana's aggrieved expression, Lucius's mood brightened considerably.
Bullying others was indeed a great way to lift his spirits.
"Your Majesty, were you a lone mage before?"
Though inwardly frustrated, Liliana tried her best to keep Lucius engaged during their walk, preventing any boredom that might lead to trouble.
So, she made an effort to converse, passing the time on the journey.
"A lone mage?" Lucius thought for a moment, then shook his head. "I wouldn't say that."
"Then what were you before becoming a Campione?" Liliana asked curiously.
"I suppose…" Lucius rubbed his chin, an answer forming in his mind.
"I believe you have people called alchemists here, right?"
He asked.
"Yes." Liliana nodded. "They pursue the transformation of matter, seeking the truth of this world, aiming for knowledge and eternity."
At this, she seemed to recall something.
"I've heard there are mysterious groups in the East, quite similar to alchemists, seeking immortality through certain methods—"
"Your Majesty, are you one of those practitioners?"
Lucius paused his steps, and noticing this, Liliana obediently stopped as well.
"Not quite."
He shook his head, his expression enigmatic. "Are you familiar with ancient texts?"
Liliana's face flushed with shame, as if embarrassed by her lack of knowledge. "I've only heard of such texts, but I'm not familiar with their contents."
"Ah." Lucius nodded, understanding.
This was normal. Even in his world, many only heard of such texts in school, merely knowing their names. There was no need for her to feel ashamed.
"There's a line in one such text," Lucius said, his tone lofty. "The heavens and earth are the furnace, creation the craftsman; yin and yang the charcoal, all things the copper."
"I'm not one of those practitioners. For me, what I seek to explore is the very essence of the world and all its myriad things."
***
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