After he lost faith in humanity, he also turned his back on the magician circle. He turned away from the people who raised him. Then again, it is not like he has ever directly had a family. His first memory was the great magician at the time saving him. His second was being brought to the magician town. The mystery of his birth will remain a mystery. He does not need to know who was after him.

Not just anybody can enter the magician town. It was before they hid from humans, but it was not easy for anybody to enter. So the other magicians were wary about him. However, not only did he manage to slip past their defenses, but he ended up creating a new barrier.

The great magician, huh? He was the man who raised him and who became his mentor. He is also known as the greatest traitor. He not only betrayed his kin, but he also double-crossed the imperial family. To this very day, nobody knew where he was, but Lucas was not going to search.

It is better if he no longer has anything to do with that man.

“Did she hurt you? There is a mark on your neck.”

Lucas frowned. Wait, a mark?

“It almost looks like a kiss mark-” Lilian trailed off, and she laughed. “Did you meet her demon side? She must have teased you.”

Damn it, when on earth did she do that?

“Just to let you know, I don’t normally do such troublesome favors for people.”

“I know, but I knew you would accept.”

Hah?

“Lucas, you said you liked me after all.”

Lucas flinched when he heard those words. Wait, she isn’t misunderstanding, is she? He did say that, but he did not mean it in the way she is thinking. She is a young girl, after all, so he naturally assumed that she misunderstood.

To his surprise, Lilian laughed. “I know you do not mean it that way; please relax.”

This girl is really pushing her luck with him.

“Just because I said that you can’t trust me easily. I could easily change my mind and go back on my word.”

“Indeed, you can do that easily, but I know you won’t.”

Lucas couldn’t counter that argument. A part of him agreed the moment she said those words. How on earth can this girl say such brazen-sounding things? He did not say anymore, and it didn’t take long before they reached the tower.

He was about to put her down so she could walk to her room, but she was fast asleep. This girl is so troublesome. Lucas sighed as he carried her up the stairs. It didn’t take long before they arrived at her room, and he carefully placed her on the bed.

Lucas grabbed her hand and examined her wounds. These aren’t wounds the enemy gave her, but wounds from pushing herself too much. These are wounds caused by her own ability. He didn’t have to count the bodies to know there were roughly two hundred people dead. This girl single-handedly killed so many people with such unstable magic. What will happen once she has better control?

She is only fifteen; how much more will this girl grow? It seems he did find somebody troublesome. But even more than that, he wants to stay with her. He wants to learn a bit more.

“Count yourself lucky,” Lucas muttered as a bright light surrounded her.

If he left her alone, it would not take long before she died. With her mana fluctuating the way it was, it would have devoured her eventually. She wouldn’t have lasted a day if he decided to abandon her.

Lucas paused in mid-thought when he realized something. Wait, is that the reason why that girl appeared in the forest? Was it deliberate? What does that girl want from Lillian? If Lillian loses control of her magic and dies. The mana that was in her body would return to the magic sphere, which is the natural process.

Could it be the reason why Lilian suddenly lost control of her powers is this woman? It does fit with the timeline. Lilian said she started to lose control of her ability three years ago, three years ago is when the child came to the Ageha family. But it is hard for anybody to link the two.

After all, it meant defying the magic logic. A person with darker powers or similar darkness is supposed to help, not suppress the other person. Suppression only happens when the other person has stronger powers. In this case, Lillian is the stronger one, so it can’t be that. If it isn’t suppression, how can she make Lilian lose control?

He needs to investigate this a bit more; until then, he has to stay by her side and occasionally devour the dark magic around her.

If he admits to her that he is eating a bit of her mana away, well, even she wouldn’t like it.

What a lucky girl, if she didn’t encounter him, then she would not be around. It is a good thing he took a liking to her.

But Lucas had no idea that this simple like would last for more than a year.

–

Five years ago, current timeline – The Imperial Castle

Lucas opened his eyes and found a maid with ginger hair and a freckled face staring at him. “Who?”

“App–apologies, sir Lucas. I am the maid who will serve you starting today. My name is Kara.”

A maid? Lucas recalled something the Empress told him earlier. Right she did mention something like that. But he doesn’t need one. “I think the Empress also told you that I said I don’t need you.”

“But uh..”

Lucas watched her behaviour for a few minutes before he immediately understood. So the elders in the palace already know he is here. He sighed deeply. This is such a pain to deal with. At least with the Ageha family, the higher-ups there did not bother with him so much.

“Alright. For starters, can you fetch me something to eat?”

“Yes, sir, right away!” Kara bolted out of the room.

The moment she left, Lucas slammed his fist against the table, causing a large crack to appear. It is enough for them to separate him from Lilian, but now they are going to use this naive maid to make him do as they say. Even though the elders ordered the Empress to send this girl, the one in control behind the scenes is most likely that man.

The ageha family head or that other guy, Lucas, found them both troublesome.

His gaze fell on something on the edge of the table. It was a letter addressed to the Empress. But, Lucas immediately recognized the writing.

Lucas scanned the letter and sighed. If that is what she wants, then all he can do is comply.