Lucian's face stayed neutral as he said calmly, "Oh… that man. His name is Christopher Kay, isn't it?"
Nathan froze, eyes widening as suspicion crept into his features.
"What?!… How do you know?"
Lucian didn't answer. He simply turned and walked away.
Without a second thought, Nathan and Aurora followed closely behind.
But suddenly—
A dagger pierced Lucian's chest. His body jerked forward as blood spilled from his lips. Yet, he only glanced back slightly, offering a faint, almost bitter smile.
Author's Note:
The "dagger" mentioned refers to Nathan's magic ability—he can compress air into a sharp, blade-like form, functioning much like a real sword.
"So…" he murmured, his voice weak, trembling. "How did you know I wasn't your friend?"
Nathan's eyes narrowed, his tone firm.
"The little child I saw earlier… he showed a secret code. A code only Syin and I know."
At that moment, something shifted.
A subtle tremor ran through the air. The eerie presence clouding Lucian's eyes faded. His true consciousness returned, while the child's soul slipped away into the void from where it came.
The body, previously controlled by the mysterious figure—now impaled—began to bleed profusely from its wound.
Author's Note:
Lucian is currently being controlled by a mysterious figure with the ability to manipulate souls. It appears this entity has a deeper purpose for possessing the body of Naseki.
Without wasting time, Nathan caught the body and looked at Aurora urgently.
"We need your help—now!"
Aurora, who had sensed the change from the beginning, immediately led them to one of her secret places—a location known only to her, reserved for critical moments like this.
....
Several hours passed…
One of Aurora's secret chambers.
Inside Aurora's secret chamber—a hidden space behind crumbling bricks and overgrown weeds—silence lingered thick in the air.
The scent of herbal leaves, dried flowers, and damp earth surrounded the room, lit only by the gentle flicker of a hanging lantern.
Lucian, now back in Naseki's body, lay on linen sheets.
Color had returned to his face, and his breathing had steadied.
Aurora had treated the stab wound with healing potions and light magic,
but clearly… he was far from whole.
Slowly, his eyes opened.
A heavy breath escaped his lips as he spoke—softly, but with quiet resolve:
> "I have to find him…
> the one who invaded my mind…
> who used my body as he pleased."
He clutched his bandaged arm.
But this pain was nothing—
not compared to the day he held his sister,
her small body trembling in his arms at their mother's funeral.
His gaze drifted to an old photo tucked beside him—
a fragile image from the world he'd lost.
His mother, pale and still.
His sister, in her school uniform,
trying to smile through the sorrow.
And he remembered:
what he lost,
why he fights.
Nathan, sitting nearby, turned. He took a deep breath before replying.
"You said his name earlier, while you were under that… strange control."
Lucian squinted. "I said a name?"
Nathan nodded. His eyes were filled with worry, but also determination.
"Christopher Kay."
Instantly, the room felt colder. The name lingered in the air like an unseen fog, chilling the room to its core.
Lucian was silent, as if trying to connect fragmented memories. But when the name was spoken, his expression revealed something… a sense of strangeness that suddenly felt intimately familiar.
"Christopher Kay…" he murmured. "That name… it's like a shadow clinging to the edge of my thoughts."
Aurora, who had been listening, slowly stood. Her voice was calm but sharp.
"If that name came from whatever possessed and controlled you, then we're dealing with something far bigger."
Nathan nodded slowly.
"Not just mind control. It feels like part of something… something not yet fully awakened."
Lucian clutched his chest where he'd been wounded. His gaze sharpened again.
"I don't care who he really is. But if he tries to play me… I will find him."
Aurora looked at them both. "So, where do we start?"
Nathan gazed at the flickering lantern overhead. Then he said softly,
"We start with memories… memories that may not be ours, but will lead us to him."
Lucian bowed his head. Nathan's words echoed in his mind, stirring something deeper than mere curiosity. He knew their journey was no longer just about tracing lingering clues—but about uncovering a truth long hidden, even from himself.
He wasn't from this world. From the beginning, his goal was simple: to return home.
But everything changed when the curse arrived.
A curse that not only wounded his body, but settled in his soul—leaving invisible scars.
But the curse was only the beginning…
Now, something deeper—more dangerous—was at play. Soul magic. Someone had tried to take him over. And the name that kept surfacing, from both his controller and his friend, was one:
Christopher Kay.
Lucian clenched his fist. He didn't know who that person was, or where he came from. But he knew one thing:
Before he could heal the curse and go home, he had to find Christopher Kay.
And face whatever awaited him at the end of that name.
Lucian looked at Nathan, who was still sitting, his body weak. He stood slowly, enduring the pain in his chest. Despite this, the wound that had nearly claimed his life was healing, thanks to Aurora's healing potion.
With heavy but determined eyes, Lucian spoke.
"For now… don't follow me wherever I go. Tonight, and the nights to come."
Nathan, who had never been far from his side, immediately stood. His expression showed unconcealed worry.
"I'm coming. I won't let you face this alone," Nathan said firmly.
But Lucian refused outright.
"No."
His answer was firm, cold, leaving no room for argument.
No explanation. No defense.
Lucian turned away and left them, his steps swift despite the pain still gnawing at his chest.
Aurora and Nathan could only look at each other, speechless. They knew—Lucian was heading towards something bigger than pain or injury.
That night, he set out with one goal:
to find whoever had controlled his soul.
He would infiltrate the kingdom, silently navigating the shadows, traversing secret corridors.
He wanted to know who was behind the soul magic.
Who had played with his body and mind.
He no longer just wanted to go home.
He wanted answers.
He wanted to know the secrets of this world, the secrets hidden behind human faces and foreign names.
And he would uncover it all… even if it meant walking alone through the darkness.
…
…
Night quietly enveloped the city, but beneath the calm, someone was watching from above.
Lucian stood on the roof of an old building, his cloak billowing gently in the night breeze. His sharp eyes fixed on a magnificent structure not far from the palace—a tall building with towering spires and large glass windows reflecting the moonlight.
This wasn't just any building.
It was the Narami Library, believed to be the center of knowledge in this kingdom—not just books, but also records of magic, secret history, and ancient artifacts guarded closely from the public eye.
With steady breaths, Lucian crouched slightly and leaped from the roof, landing on a lower building before running across the tiles, his shadow flitting through the darkness. The wind followed him, swirling around his body like a loyal protector.
A moment later, he raised a hand.
The air whistled sharply as wind magic flowed from his palm, and—CRAKKK!
One of the east-side windows of the library shattered, the cracks forming an ice flower that instantly crumbled and scattered.
To prevent the shards from making a sound, he used his wind magic to temporarily hold them in place and would move them to a safe location.
Lucian leaped inside lightly, landing silently among the tall shelves filled with old pages and parchment scrolls. The room was quiet, illuminated only by the dim light of crystal lamps hanging like frozen stars.
He began to search shelf by shelf, his hand touching worn covers with a passionate gaze. Searching. Searching for a clue that could explain who cursed him and who the real attacker was.
However, his steps stopped.
"You know, stealing knowledge also has a price."
The voice was cold yet calm, echoing softly in the large room.
Lucian spun around quickly.
In the shadow of one of the tall shelves, a woman stood. Her hair was long and tied to one side, falling elegantly to her shoulders. Her eyes were a cold purple, staring sharply like a pair of ice daggers. She wore striking gothic attire—a black lace gown, layered with dark, shimmering fabric that contrasted with the surrounding light.
Her gaze was steady—piercing, yet tinged with curiosity.
"And you're no ordinary intruder, are you?" she said again, a thin smile playing on her lips.
Lucian could only smile.