50: Awakening (2)

Everyone has made at least one promise in their lives.

About morning exercises for the sake of their health, to practice drawing and become a painter, to show a smile when dealing with people in the future…

Those who have such will usually work hard.

Rubbing their sleepy eyes, getting out of bed, moving their body, filling up their canvas with expensive paint, and forcing themselves to smile while looking into the mirror.

And thinking that if they worked the same way every day, one day success would come.

However, the moment ‘doubt’ enters into such belief, the elaborately built tower collapses.

“Of course. A mind cannot always work the same. The enthusiasm that’s warm in the beginning disappears, the body starts to become heavy, the mind gets complicated, and most of the thoughts begin to turn negative.”

It’s said that even priests whose second nature is faith are swept away by Satan’s temptations when they become alone.

However, Lulu didn’t mention anything more negative. Rather, her voice was full of hope.

“So, we aren’t alone. We are together.”

People can be weak. No, there will come a time when one will unconditionally become weak.

The same goes for a knight who reached the highest level and a father responsible for his family.

When that happens, confidence is destroyed, and doubts begin to come.

And having someone who believes in you when that happens is important.

A person who understands the pain that no one else can to help you out of sorrow.

Through such existences, the hearts of people, even cats, can become stronger.

“If you don’t believe in yourself, trust someone who believes in you. And later, when their existence is becoming difficult, pay them back with the trust you received.”

A virtuous cycle of faith.

Of course, the opposite of that is possible too. The moment one party’s trust is broken, the relationship becomes a catastrophe, and a vicious cycle develops.

Therefore, the important thing is to carefully choose the person you want to give and receive trust from.

Irene, who thought that far, looked at Lulu and spoke.

“I don’t think anyone will believe in me to that extent.”

“Huh? Why? Why don’t you think so?”

“There is no one who will like me. Probably.”

He couldn’t feel any emotional fluctuations in his life, so it was more of a lonely world.

Which was why he thought that way.

How could a boy who had been constantly ridiculed and fled from people to avoid it form such a deep relationship?

It wasn’t just a thing of the past.

It wasn’t something possible in the future either.

Although he couldn’t say it out loud, the boy had been thinking all these things as he heard Lulu speaking.

Such a boy.

“I believe in you.”

The cat, who opened her eyes, spoke.

“I believe that Irene will definitely acquire sword-related powers.”

“…”

“Well, I’m a cat and not a human!”

The cat looked at Irene Pareira, who was looking at her. Lulu jumped into the air and spun around.

The boy didn’t know, but Lulu was speaking shy when she said that.

Of course, that didn’t mean that the cat lied.

The belief in Irene was just ‘instinctual’, and was different from sensing a ‘powerful sorcerer’.

As long as Irene was sure of himself, his awakening could be achieved.

After finishing thinking, Lulu landed on Irene’s head and said.

“I was like you before. Just one of the hundred pebbles in a valley.”

“You were?”

“Huh. That was wrong. Pebbles aren’t all the same. One is smooth, one is hard, and one is too pretty. By the way, Kirill is like a sapphire!”

“…”

“Anyway, I don’t think there are many people who will dislike a sturdy and pretty pebble.”

So, think about it in your room! I’m off now!

With those words, Lulu disappeared. The who was left alone stared blankly at where she disappeared.

He was glad he swung the sword a thousand times.

With complicated feelings, the boy left the training grounds.

‘People who like me will support me, believe in me…’

After the dinner with his family, Irene went back into his room and thought.

Normally, he would’ve been thinking about how to use his heart to create his own sword. But not today.

And the reason was the words Lulu said in the afternoon.

“I don’t think there are many who hate me.”

He had no choice but to start with that.

Not to mention the past 10 years, wasn’t that just terrible?

He was constantly attacked and bitten by nobles, like a rabbit thrown into a herd of hyenas.

The emotions at that time were complex, weakening his confidence.

However, as time passed, or to be more precise, as Lulu said, the feeling faded.

Dark and negative thoughts gradually dissipated, and his narrowed vision widened as if the black mist around him vanished.

Then, precious things he had forgotten for a while came to his mind.

‘Father, mother and Kirill’

The family which had been waiting for him to recover for 10 years.

Without a doubt, they were beings who loved and believed in him.

If it wasn’t for them, he would still live in a meaningless world without ever leaving the mansion.

‘I wouldn’t have even gotten the will to raise my sword.’

It wasn’t just the family.

The boy took out a shiny platinum emblem and a magical emblem related to treatment. Both belonged to Krono.

‘Work harder. Otherwise… the gap will widen in an instant.’

‘I’ll give you a year. Find your sword and come back.’

Ilya Lindsay, who recognized him as a true competitor, and Ian, who gave him a year, they all did that because they believed in him.

And that wasn’t the end.

Bratt Lloyd said that he believed Irene would pass the final evaluation.

Judith threatened Irene to return to the school within a year.

And even the instructors who didn’t talk much looked at Irene with encouraging eyes.

All of them come under the category that Lulu talked about.

Irene was trusted by far more people than he thought.

Recognizing that fact, Irene felt the tip of his nose twitch.

And his chest tickle.

It wasn’t a bad feeling.

He couldn’t erase the bad memories of ten years, but it was enough that they were fading.

‘Lulu had gone through this?’

Irene, who roughly settled his thoughts, thought of the cat.

It was strange.

The sorcerer is truly educated, has a peculiar personality, and likes to act alone… it was as if Lulu preferred loneliness. Only a little, but Lulu seemed similar to him.

But she talked about the existence of a ‘relationship with trust’.

‘Who?’

Was it with a human?

Or another cat?

If not, was it with a completely different being?

He didn’t know.

However, one thing was certain: Lulu’s belief in that other existence and the other existence’s belief in Lulu was very strong.

The more time he spent with Lulu, the more he felt.

How powerful the cat was.

‘… can I become a person who can give other people faith?’

Was he important?

Maybe in the past, Irene would have thought of himself like that.

But the present Irene didn’t. He tried hard not to think negatively.

Believe in yourself, believe in your sword, and believe in your own path.

Thus, he was going to work for himself and not betray those who trusted him.

Making up his mind, he laid down on his bed. It was earlier than usual, but it felt like he could sleep well.

“…”

That thought was true.

Irene fell asleep as soon as he closed his eyes and entered the dream world.

‘This is the same.’

Familiar sky

Familiar wall

Familiar yard.

And the familiar man standing in the center taking the stance.

In a little while, he will swing his sword. An expected fact.

There couldn’t be anything else done there. After spending a year in the dreams, the boy was feeling certain.

However, it was that.

‘Huk!’

The man in the dream suddenly looked at him.

The man’s deep eyes met with the boy’s, and Irene felt like he was being sucked into something.

‘What is this?’

He couldn’t understand.

He couldn’t calm himself.

All he could do was keep looking into the eyes of the man.

But it was short-lived.

“…”

While Irene Pareira disappeared into the gap between reality and fantasy.

Something huge was created in the actual world.

A translucent sphere exuding loneliness, as if it didn’t want anyone to intervene, was created.

Immediately after, a black cat appeared in the room faster than anyone else.

“… unbelievable!”

The sorcerer Lulu was startled.

She had no other choice. It was because Irene’s sorcery was awakening a lot faster than she thought.

It wasn’t an ideal awakening.

Although this was an advantage, there were clear disadvantages which couldn’t be ignored.

The black cat fidgeted and tapped the translucent sphere.

Then, after tapping it a couple times, she flew around the room.

Then, Kirill entered the room.

“Brother! Uh? This… Lulu!”

Confirming the sphere, she immediately called for Lulu.

Kirill knew. That her brother just awakened sorcery. And that translucent sphere had something to do with her brother.

However, she didn’t know what happened, and she needed an explanation from Lulu.

She asked.

“What happened? What happened!”

Her voice trembled as her mouth went dry.

Her senses, as a sorcerer, were exceptional, and Lulu’s actions were very unsettling.

Kirill noticed how she was shaken by it and soon heard the cat speak.

“It will be fine. Nothing will happen. Calm down.”

Fortunately, the words helped her.

But the words weren’t that hopeful.

“Irene… entered his heart and mind. To fulfill his desires.”

“What? Entered his heart?”

“Huh… a place that no one but oneself can enter, no one disturbs it, and it’s the best place to achieve what he wants. There, Irene will continue training until he achieves satisfactory results. If you look at Irene’s commitment and the way he has changed… almost certain. Right, that’s it.”

“So, when will he leave?”

“…”

“When, when will he come out?”

Servants flocked into the room at the voice of the 12-year-old girl.

Then their shocked eyes, which looked at Kirill and Lulu, moved to the sphere.

The number of gazes that wanted to know the truth from the black cat increased. Some even judged that it was the cat’s fault.

‘Maybe it’s my fault.’

The black cat.

It was another coincidence. It was just a week or so since Irene insisted that neither he nor anyone else would become unlucky.

However, seeing the girl in tears, unknown guilt welled inside Lulu.

“He can come out as soon as he gets the results he wants, but… when that will be, is unknown.”

“…”

“It could now, tomorrow, a month, or a year… or…”

The cat swallowed her words.

But the meaning got conveyed. The tears in Kirill’s eyes began to flow down her cheeks.

Seeing her like that, Lulu could do nothing.

All she could do was pray that Irene comes out.

“Soon, he will be out real soon!”

“… really?”

“Yes! Trust me! Irene, he will come out sooner and more fashionable! So don’t cry!”

At those words, Kirill barely stopped crying.

Of course, Kirill didn’t believe it. She just wanted that to be true.

In such a chaotic atmosphere, the black cat closed its eyes. And spoke to herself.

Maybe Irene will get what he wants as soon as possible.

A prayer with a stronger desire than ever.

At that time.

Irene Pareira woke up late and looked around.

Familiar sky

Familiar wall

Familiar yard.

However, no man was in the center of it.

Only empty space.

‘No’

That wasn’t it.

Irene wasn’t stiff. There was something else.

Irene looked down.

His hands, feet, body wearing a training suit, and a sword stuck in the ground in front of him.

The boy took a moment to realize what happened.

‘No way… I, am I in the dream?’