Chapter 22:
Getting Stronger
Despite Lord Gerwer’s inquiry, it was quiet beyond the door.
After contemplating whether to use his abilities to confirm the identity, he lifted his upper body, which had been leaning on the desk for a moment.
Over the past six months, he had accumulated a lot of energy while flipping the slave market upside down.
He wasn’t as close to death as Blake, another talented individual, but he didn’t have much time left either. Until he found Luteom, misuse was prohibited.
Lord Gerwer walked briskly and opened the door.
There stood an eight-year-old boy with blond hair and golden eyes, just like him.
Under a well-arched nose, lips parched from a long illness uttered a bewildered voice.
“Oh, Father.”
“Ian Duane Gerwer.”
Even though he was addressing his son, it sounded like he was addressing someone else.
It was partly because of his dried-up affection for his child, but also because he was an ugly father who envied Ian Duane.
A child with many days ahead. A life guaranteed by Gerwer’s abilities and lineage.
As he withered, his son’s life was supposed to shine brighter. Like a tree growing with its own nutrients. Like a thief stealing everything from him.
But it wouldn’t be like that. He wouldn’t let this child take anything from him.
That included the Luteom he would possess in the future.
“What did you hear?”
Lord Gerwer’s eyes turned cold as he looked at Ian.
Late at night. Liche’s bedroom.
Finally alone, Liche was discussing today’s events with Python.
The injured knight was accused as the culprit of the mess in the infirmary.
His name was Philip. The 17-year-old young knight was scheduled to be knighted next month after completing his squire period at the Ludwick Duchy at the age of 12.
Fellow knights insisted that Philip wasn’t capable of such actions, and Liche also tried to deflect by mentioning other villains.
However, there was no way to explain away what Zed and Clang witnessed in the corridor, chasing after Liche.
In the end, Philip was imprisoned in the ducal prison, unconscious.
The problem was that he might not be the real culprit.
“Possessed the body of the injured knight?”
In response to Liche’s question, Python, who was leaning against the cushion, nodded.
The full moon had not yet risen, so he couldn’t go to the lakeside. Still, unlike last time, he wasn’t on the verge of collapsing, so he could move his body.
“That’s his special skill. If he had been there, he might have tried to possess you.”
To think he might have been possessed by Hekanka. Liche shuddered.
“I… don’t want that.”
Python didn’t say that. Hekanka is a star that granted abilities to the Gerwer Ducal Family.
The unsettling feeling I had when facing Hekanka’s golden eyes today wasn’t just a mood. It was a warning engraved in my memory from the days living as Agnes.
Gerwer’s golden eyes. I won’t go back to the days trapped in Gerwer Ducal Residence.
“Are you going to run away?” Python asked, as if seeing through Liche’s thoughts.
It seemed like his usual joke, but his face was serious.
“I’m sure after today’s incident. He’s targeting you.”
“Me?”
“He wants to make a contract with you.”
“With me? Why?”
“The game of stars.”
The game of stars.
It referred to the phenomenon where stars contracted with humans to stay in the human world.
Python shook his beard and continued speaking.
“That’s what he’s aiming for. To come out to the human world. He said his time was up, right? You mentioned meeting a doctor who returned to the infirmary before then.”
Liche nodded.
10 minutes. The time when Clang went to get herbs.
“If he couldn’t possess you in such a short time, his body would still be asleep in the grave. He would temporarily stay in the human world as a soul.”
It was clear that he intended to come out to the human world through the game of stars. If he came out as is, he would lose power in the human world and return to the grave as he did centuries ago.
“But those guys were supposed to be just star fragments back then.”
“However, Python, why does that star want to come out to the human world?”
Python glanced at Liche, then avoided his gaze.
“To dominate the human world.”
“What?”
Liche’s eyes widened in surprise. Python continued to explain while flicking his front claw.
“Do you know why we call our world a grave? It’s because stars are as good as dead in it. They only watch over the human world. With envious eyes. Our grave keepers, or the four great stars, wanted to escape that grave. They wanted the stars to dominate the human world by breaking down the boundary between the divided worlds. Hoho and I were on the opposite side. Then a fight broke out. We couldn’t find a compromise. That was how those guys went to the human world centuries ago.”
Although he called it a fight, it was a huge battle that shook the entire grave for days.
“Breaking down the boundaries between the two worlds. If they do it wrong, the whole world could collapse.”
Idiots. Python grumbled. Then he spoke to Liche, who was listening quietly.
“If those asleep still have that thought, he will come back and overwhelm you. The problem is I don’t know where they’re asleep. Even with my detection ability, I can’t catch them, so I can’t go to the grave to stop them. And since he comes to the human world as a soul, I don’t know where he will possess and attack you.”
“Got it. So you’re saying we should run away?”
“Yes.”
Python nodded.
His contractor was young, but he was living his second life.
He wasn’t childish in his thinking, and with me by his side, he shouldn’t have major problems living outside.
Moreover, Liche’s ability was something even the great star himself hadn’t fully grasped yet.
After a few years of training, he might be able to handle Hekanka.
“Whether the imprisoned knight is disposable or a continued vessel, I don’t know. Let’s run away quickly. Why not leave today? Ludwick is wealthy, so it should be fine to take a lot of money with us, right?”
Python got up, stepping on the cushion as he pondered what to take. Liche spoke to Python’s back.
“I won’t run away.”
“You won’t? Why? Is it because this place is too comfortable for you? Well, going out will bring hardships. But, my contractor, in my opinion-”
“That’s not it.”
Liche lowered his head.
Python definitely said that. He said Hekanka could possess anyone, anywhere.
“What if that star were to possess someone in Ludwick? Like that knight, Philip.”
Then, even if Hekanka roamed around Ludwick Duchy, no one would know. It was said that one of the stars that granted abilities to Ludwick also aimed for the human world, but that wasn’t enough evidence to suggest that Hekanka would be friendly to Ludwick.
He might even try to use Ludwick as bait.
“Agnes. It’s because of you that this servant lost her sight and hearing. If you run away again, you’ll lose your tongue next time.”
I didn’t know what Hekanka would do, but Python had the ability to detect stars. If he appeared in Ludwick Duchy, Python would immediately notice.
“So I won’t run away. He appeared suddenly again today. I won’t set foot in Ludwick Duchy.”
“What.”
Python looked at Liche, who was determined. Last time, he said he didn’t want to reveal that I was Luteom, so I thought he would refuse to go with any other abilities.
“I basically respect my contractor’s wishes.”
Python lay down on the cushion, pushing away the thoughts of Ludwick’s gold coins that filled his mind.
“Then let’s stay here.”
“Yeah.”
Liche nodded.
Look at those determined eyes. She’s truly become the daughter of this house.
“Python, I’ll do my best.”
“Your best? What will you do your best at?”
“To not yield to that star. I won’t make a contract. I’ll also do my best to run away.”
You don’t have to go that far.
Python looked at the enthusiastic Liche. He seemed like he would do anything asked of him now.
“Okay, contractor.”
Python chuckled with a poker face.
“To not yield, you have to get stronger.”
—
“Can I choose a personal library?”
Yan asked Liche, who peeked over the reception desk in the library lobby.
It was good that Yan came to find her so eagerly, but the desk was higher than she thought.
Liche was too short, so she had to stand on tiptoe and hold onto the desk with both hands to have a conversation with Yan.
“Yes. The third library I went to last time!”
“While you can choose any library, there…”
Yan trailed off, looking worried.
Wasn’t it the place where Liche screamed and ran out last time?
“It seems like you like ghosts.”
Deon, who was standing next to him, said.
Since the infirmary became a mess just yesterday, Blake told Deon to take care of Liche with her.
Thanks to that, Deon had been with Liche from morning until afternoon, and he didn’t feel too good about it.
Being with Liche was okay in its own way, but…
“Why are there so many talkative people around here?”
People kept coming in.
Moreover, instead of the ruined infirmary, it was another vacant room that Serdia’s ability users were using.
Since Liche went to visit the sick, Deon had to endure that beastly smell for at least an hour, so today’s morning was quite a torture for him.
“Just go there. Your father approved it.”
“Oh, yes. If Lord approved it, there’s no problem.”
So Deon needed some time alone.
Fortunately, Ludwick’s library had security systems stronger than a royal palace vault. It was so secure against intruders that it could be considered a different world.
“Hey, doggy. Call me when you go.”
“Okay.”
Deon went into his own library as if running away.
Yan asked Liche, who was left alone.
“Will you also use the library, Miss?”
“Yes. The third library.”
“Already? Hehe, looks like you really wanted this library.”
Surprisingly, Liche seemed to appreciate the old-fashioned hobby of the lord.
Yan found the child’s peculiar taste adorable and opened the door to the third library.
“From now on, this is Miss’s library. If there’s anything you want to change, please let me know. However, as I mentioned before, it will take about a year to organize the library. Please understand even if it’s messy until then.”
“I, I like everything.”
Yan smiled ambiguously at Liche’s stiff face, which showed signs of tension.
Does she really like it? She seems scared.
“Shall I stay with you?”
“No, it’s okay.”
Liche quickly shook her head.
Yan turned on the lights brightly and said, “If you’re scared, please let me know? If you call out loud, I’ll come running.”
“Yes. Thank you, Yan.”
“And…”
As Yan left the library, just before closing the door, he smiled at Liche.
“Now everything inside here is yours, so feel free to do as you wish.”
The door clicked shut. Liche looked at the completely closed door. The large library suddenly felt gloomy for no reason.
[Did you hear?]
Python, who came out of Liche’s pocket, spoke enthusiastically.
But Liche didn’t respond at all.
[The contractor who said she would do her best at anything, wake up.]
Python tapped Liche’s stiff shoulders with a trembling and stiff motion.
“Let’s break the floor.”
