Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 104: Another Lucial
It was midday after several days had passed.
Lucius was in the backyard of his lodging.
He would receive reports on the reconstruction of the territory via the telecommunication magic tomorrow morning and give instructions. After that, he hastily had his lunch and engaged in training with magic techniques.
In addition to the swordsmanship and spear techniques he had been practicing for a long time, he had also added training in magic techniques. Naturally, as a lord, he not only had to excel in martial arts but also had to study books in various fields.
There was just so much to do.
Lucius took a deep breath.
He gathered magic power from the incantation magic core in the back of his mouth and slowly formed it into shape.
―― Defensive Technique Expansion
What appeared was a magic shield.
Usually, it was a shield about the size between a large shield and a medium shield, enough to conceal the torso.
But it was slightly smaller now.
It was to the extent that one wouldn’t notice unless they were familiar with Lucius.
He immediately returned the shield to magic power.
―― Remote Technique
Next, he gathered magic power from the gunner magic core in his right hand and manifested the shield.
Not at his hand, but at a place a little away.
About two steps away.
The shield, which had just appeared, made a sound as it fell to the ground.
―― Contact Technique(Shinso)
Next, he gathered magic power from the rider magic core in his left hand and created a treasure sword.
The shield, which had fallen two steps ahead, was attracted to the treasure sword and moved half a step.
―― Steel Clothing Technique(Koui)
Finally, he extracted magic power from the white eye magic core in his mind and flowed it into the handkerchief around his neck.
He stretched the cloth and lightly pulled it with the treasure sword.
It broke immediately, but there was a slight resistance.
After completing the series of actions, Lucius threw himself onto the ground.
“That was somewhat easy.”
The captain of the Royal Guards had said that it wasn’t difficult for Lucius, who had four magic cores, but it was actually more difficult than he had thought.
It seemed that he would need years of training to be able to use it effectively in combat.
“What are you doing, onii-chan?”
“Hey, Iris. Just practicing magic techniques a bit.”
Coming out from the door leading to the backyard was his younger sister, Iris.
Magic techniques involve techniques called Sanren, Shidou, and Ichiyo, and Lucius was trying to master Shidou.
“Magic techniques?”
Iris looked puzzled.
“It’s okay. Iris, what brings you here? Is mother out somewhere?”
“Oh! Someone was calling!”
“Calling?”
Lucius wiped his sweat and returned both the treasure sword and the magic shield to magic power.
Then, he hurried to the dining hall in the dormitory.
There, a woman in her 40s dressed in a well-tailored maid uniform had arrived.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you for the first time, Baron Lucius. I am a messenger from Lucial Soshi Windsor. I have come to pick you up.”
“Her highness Lucial…?”
The image of the woman chained in the dungeon flashed in Lucius’s mind.
“Did something happen? We have sent a letter in advance regarding today’s meeting.”
Recalling the letter that arrived promptly regarding the capital.
“No, the ride arrived much earlier than I expected.”
“My apologies. The roads in the capital can get quite congested.”
“No, it’s not a problem.”
Lucius stepped into the carriage as he was invited.
The carriage moved slowly through the busy streets, and the destination was a corner of the royal castle.
It was where the dignitaries stayed.
Among them, they were ushered into the most prestigious central room.
“Welcome. Baron Lucius.”
When the door opened, there were vassals and sturdy knights lined up in the room.
Standing in the center was a woman.
She had a face that looked like she was in her early twenties, and Lucius remembered her.
“Your highness Lucial…”
The woman greeted Lucius with a lovely and dignified bow.
Ad
“Pleased to meet you. Please call me Lucial.”
Her demeanor was completely different from that of the woman imprisoned in the dungeon.
Still, her appearance was identical, even her voice.
“I am Lucius Norris Dragon. I am extremely honored to be invited.”
For a moment, Lucius was taken aback, but he quickly bowed.
“Oh, what a gentleman you are. I thought you would be more like a monster. Anyway, come this way.”
Lucial gestured towards the table.
The tea was already prepared on the table.
Waiting for Lucial to sit down, Lucius also took a seat.
“What is the purpose of my visit today?”
“Don’t be in such a hurry. Would you like some tea first?”
“……Then, please.”
With vigilance, Lucius took a sip from the cup.
Surely he hadn’t been summoned just for casual conversation.
While neighboring lords would socialize to gain knowledge, there would be no reason for a prospective lord from a distant state to do so with a mere baron.
Ad
“This is delicious tea.”
“I’m glad you like it. I prepared the highest quality tea leaves harvested in the south.”
“Yes. There is nothing to complain about this.”
Their eyes met.
The conversation shifted uneasily.
―― What is the aim?
Suspicious, they continued with empty small talk for a while.
At that moment, Lucial averted her gaze.
“Lucius-sama, it’s a little embarrassing. You’ve been staring at me so intently since earlier.”
“I-I’m sorry. It’s just that you looked so much like someone…”
―― Ah, shoot.
He accidentally mentioned the woman chained in the dungeon.
It wasn’t something he should have told the person herself, especially such a noble person.
“Did I… really resemble her that much?”
Lucial smiled but had an incredibly lonely expression on her face.
At the same time, the atmosphere began to change, exuding a tense air like that of the knights of the southern region.
“Do I resemble her…?”
“Yes.”
Lucial took a sip of her cold tea.
And then, as if she had made up her mind, she broached the main topic.
“The reason I called you here today is… I have a favor to ask regarding that criminal.”
“Yes. I also received a request from your elder brother, division commander Karan. He wants me to stop the torture interrogation and expedite the execution of the sentence.”
Lucial smiled without hiding.
Although she shed no tears, her eyes seemed to cry.
Because the other Lucial had shown the same eyes once, when she unleashed the Moonblade on Lucius and Crane.
―― They are real twins.
Lucius became convinced of it.
“But about that, would you be able to forgive that criminal?”
“Forgive…?”
Lucial maintained her smile.
“I am aware of everything, including the fact that she attempted to kill you Lucius-sama and the future head of the Orleans family, as well as the many dwarves who were sacrificed. However… if you can forgive her, I won’t hesitate to offer assistance to your territory, Oridelv, when I become the lord of the southern region.”
Immediately, one of her retainers approached Lucial and whispered to her. It was undoubtedly a word of caution.
―― Is this a decision made on her own?
Though she didn’t articulate the reason, the act of seeking forgiveness itself could be interpreted as acknowledging their blood relation.
Ultimately, as the lord of the southern region, her true father’s decision would be to punish the criminal who deceived them as a candidate for king. The logic was unclear, but in order to save the other half who had taken matters into her own hands in an attempt to assassinate Lucius and Crane, and who had been abandoned by her real father due to failure, even at the cost of staining her own hands with blood and being discarded, Lucial seemed to be trying to cross a dangerous bridge.
“… That’s fine.”
Lucial’s eyes lit up with joy.
Lucius didn’t dislike her.
Although he had been attacked, both Lucius and Crane were alive. While some dwarves had died as a result of the breached wall, it wasn’t intentional. It was impossible to imagine that there were people underground, attempting assassination in a place where no one was present.
Surely, if it were Lucius’s decision, the dwarves would accept it. They might not forgive, but they would accept it.
“In return, could you tell me her name? I don’t want to talk to her as a fake, I want to speak with her directly.”
For the first time, Lucial’s expression faltered. The face that had been smiling all along now looked anxious.
“… That’s…”
Suddenly, the door to the room opened.
Without knocking, people entered the room with noisy footsteps.
Ad
“Lucial. I cannot allow you to do as you please.”
“Dion-sama.”
Accompanied by soldiers, Dion, the candidate for king from the west, appeared.
His expression felt even colder than when Lucius had last seen him.
On the other hand, Lucial began to look desperate and her face turned pale.
“Have you obtained the approval of your father, Soshi-sama?”
“No. But I will try to persuade him.”
“I’m saying that’s troublesome. You may not know, but now is a crucial time.”
“My father, my brother, and my sister all say the same thing. What is going to happen? And that girl… she suddenly…”
Ignoring Lucius as if he weren’t even in the room, Dion and Lucial continued their conversation.
“If Soshi-sama hasn’t informed you, then so be it. But you must discard what needs to be discarded. There is no future for someone who cannot choose anything, no matter who they are.”
“Discard…”
When Lucial choked on her words, silence fell in the hall.
Neither the retainers nor the soldiers uttered a word.
In the midst of this, Lucius spoke up.
“Dion-sama, it’s been a while.”
Dion looked down at Lucius.
“…Sitting down to greet me. You’ve become quite proud just by becoming a lord.”
In the middle of the conversation, Dion, who had suddenly entered the room, didn’t need Lucius to stand up. Nevertheless, Lucius stood up from his chair and bowed deeply.
“I apologize. Dion-sama.”
“That much life force to survive such a disaster… You should at least have some charm, even if you’re a pest.”
“We were saved by the Orleans family and the dwarves.”
“I’m disappointed in the Orleans family for not taking the west. And you, Baron Lucius, how much of our country’s history will you trample on by making sub-humans your subjects?”
Although his words were irritating, Lucius calmly continued to respond.
“Once upon a time, the kingdom and the dwarves coexisted. I’m merely suggesting a return to our roots.”
“Oh? To aim for an era when we were destroyed by monsters is quite a delusional idea, Baron Lucius.”
“No matter what happens, I will protect it. That’s the duty of a noble.”
“Duty, huh? Nobles are selectors. They decide what to leave behind, what to discard, create the discipline of the next era, and bring peace to the world.”
That wasn’t the nobleman’s way that Lucius knew.
“No, nobles are swords and shields for the people.”
“Wrong. Nobles choose the people. It seems you are quite arrogant due to your top-level technique, but those who cannot be discarded have a dim future ahead of them. Pitiful are the vassals who follow such a lord.”
Lucius stared straight into Dion’s eyes.
“Your Highness… have I done something wrong? When we were attacked by a horde of undead, you assisted us. I have nothing but gratitude, and nothing to feel about.”
Dion glared at him.
“In that case, it’s best to stay quiet. Step back.”
If told to step back to his face, then so be it.
Lucius bowed and left the room.
The conversation about the other Lucial, who was chained in the prison, had become inconclusive. It was likely that it depended on the negotiations in the sky.
All Lucius could do now was to return to his lodging.
◆ ◆ ◆
That night.
Many people gathered in a splendid and luxurious large room.
Amethyst pillars, marble ceilings and walls embedded with various gems.
Chandeliers adorned generously with crystals.
And paintings gathered from all over the country to embellish them.
Even the lords of the northern and eastern regions would not have such a luxurious large room.
In the center of that room, two men and a woman sat facing each other on the sofa.
The woman leaning on the sofa was Adelaide, also known as the Duke of Weshite-Windsor.
In name and reality, she was the No. 2 in the kingdom.
In terms of influence in the western region, it was not an exaggeration to say that she surpassed the king.
The man sitting across from her was Vincent Weshite-Girard.
He was a nobleman entrusted with the management of the tower.
Behind the two of them stood nobles, retainers, and attendants from the western region, standing upright and motionless.
There were more than fifty of them.
There was also one person sitting.
It was Dion.
But he wasn’t on the sofa. He sat directly on the floor in front of his mother’s sofa, leaning his head against her lap.
Viscount Girard was the first to speak.
“Adelaide-sama. I believe you are aware, but Lucius arrived at the tower today.”
Adelaide patted her son’s head on her lap.
“Of course, I am aware.”
“Are we sure dealing with him in that way is the best course of action?”
Viscount Girard seemed somewhat unconvinced.
“Of course it is. He is close in age, and it’s most appropriate to assign the most pitiable one to him, don’t you think? Although he is a commoner, he will try to help the unfortunate.”
“Oh, having lost her parents early, bearing a young brother, and being cursed herself.”
“In that case, it’s practically like putting on a leash. Things are going smoothly. Let him climb the tower for a while. It was worth bringing him to our family estate.”
Adelaide traced her finger on Dion’s cheek.
“Mother. Is everything going to proceed smoothly?”
Dion muttered.
“Everything is proceeding without a hitch. There is nothing more Lucius can do.”
“Lucius…”
Dion’s eyes held a dim flame.
“Death to him… who took away my dignity and the cursed sword from me…”
“The puppeteers of the tower won’t be able to handle it. But he will be given his punishment. Right, Sextus?”
A young man stepped forward from behind Viscount Girard.
Sextus Norris-Garden.
The son of a noble from the northern region, the same hometown as Lucius.
“Leave it to me. The role of crushing the puppeteers.”
Sextus bowed deeply.
“Mother…”
Unlike Sextus, who showed confidence, Dion, sitting on his mother’s lap, gave a suspicious look.
“Don’t worry. Dion is the one fit to be king. Mother will make you the next king, no matter how many things need to be discarded.”
Viscount Girard couldn’t hold back his voice.
Like a child who couldn’t wait to know the truth behind a prank.
“Hey, Adelaide-sama! Can’t you tell me soon? How are you going to defeat the special-grade sorcerer!?”
“There is a last resort to defeat Lucius. But it’s meaningless if he just dies. He needs to die for Dion’s sake.”
“A last resort?”
Adelaide smiled even more forcefully.
“A hunter to slaughter the reincarnator.”
“A hunter? Who is that?”
“It seems to be an ancient existence. I was taught by the Lord of War Temple. Isn’t that right, Hunter?”
A large man emerged from the dark corner of the room, wearing worn leather armor and a tattered cloak.
“Who are you!?”
Viscount Girard and the soldiers instinctively reached for their right hands, ready to fire cannons at any moment.
“Van. Calm down. It’s Hunter.”
Growing a rough beard.
His face was hidden by long, black hair, and he didn’t seem to see anything.
“Woman… bring me to the reincarnator soon.”
Just by glaring, a tremendous pressure was released.
The spines of everyone in the large hall stretched out as if freezing.
Except for one person.
“Well, be patient, Hunter. We also have our timing.”
“I don’t know.”
The hunter took a big step forward.
Everyone was filled with anger, and it seemed as if they were being robbed of their place in the room by a burning presence.
Adelaide remained seated on the sofa, not taking her eyes off the big man.
“In that case, we can’t give you the information about the reincarnator we have. Wait for the right moment. Just wait there. The reincarnator will surely come to you.”
The two’s gazes crossed.
“I’ve been waiting for a long time. It’s too late now. The reincarnator will surely be destroyed.”
“And, can you win? Against a special-grade sorcerer?”
The big man didn’t change his expression at all, staring at Adelaide with eyes filled with deep despair.
“All the people in this country are weak and clumsy.”
“The power that unilaterally defeated the strongest commander of our country’s elite guard. I’m expecting it.”
Adelaide smiled wickedly while hiding her mouth with her fan.