Chapter 263: Make Do With What You Have

[Wait, what did you just say?]

Russell’s voice was filled with disbelief.

[So… was the corruption being gathered for that reason?]

Bethel, though understanding the situation, struggled to accept the reality before her.

-That’s right.

The divine beast answered weakly.

-I cannot leave—rather, we cannot leave—because we must break the summoning mark engraved throughout Nevast.

Lucion remained firm. “I have already purified the corruption in Nevast.”

-I know that. But you also know that there is still a heavy cost.

A cost that would affect everyone living in Nevast.

Lucion clenched his jaw. “Is that bastard Ravid really willing to go that far?”

The thought alone was maddening. If true, Ravid had lost all reason—he was beyond insane.

-I still don’t know. But by removing the marks, we can prevent him from coming. And even in the worst-case scenario, we can stop the Usurper from arriving in a complete state.

Lucion hesitated. “I…”

-Lucion. We are deeply grateful for your kindness, but this is something we must do. The light will strike against you. We do not wish to see you harmed.

The marks were likely placed in areas where the light was strongest.

Lucion took a deep breath before nodding. “Understood. I trust you to handle it.”

Letting go of his hesitation, he took out the relics—one by one.

As more relics emerged, the divine beast’s dull, dark feathers were gradually infused with brilliant colors, as if a black-and-white world was suddenly coming to life. Everyone watched in silent awe.

-Little one, do not worry about the other divine beast.

The divine beast met Lucion’s gaze, determination burning in its eyes as it slowly rose.

-My light will fill the other divine beast’s light. We are connected.

Lucion regarded it for a moment before speaking. “Brillin.”

The divine beast remained still, simply staring at Lucion in silence.

Then, slowly, warmth and affection filled its gaze.

—That’s such a beautiful name!

Ratta’s cheerful voice rang out, and at that moment, tears welled up in the divine beast’s eyes.

-Thank you.

For the first time, someone had given it a name.

Brillin.

It was a truly lovely name.

-Thank you, little one.

Spreading its large wings, Brillin gently embraced Lucion, leaving behind a blessing before transforming into a small bird and soaring in the direction Lucion had come from.

Lucion stood there for a moment, exhaling deeply.

So much had happened in such a short time. But now, it was time to return.

“Now… I guess it’s time to go back.”

[You should collect the relics before leaving,] Russell reminded him, pointing at them.

Lucion bent down, gathering them one by one. As he straightened up, he suddenly turned his head.

A sound of familiar footsteps reached his ears.

“…?”

Lucion froze.

Sniff. Sniff.

Ratta lifted her nose, detecting the scent.

—Oh?

Her ears perked up as she raised a paw.

[I’ll check it out.]

Russell passed through the wall, but moments later, his urgent voice called out.

[L-Lucion!]

—It’s Shaela!

Ratta giggled just as Russell shouted again.

[Shaela’s here!]

‘Why is she here?’

Lucion couldn’t help but feel puzzled.

[Right? Why is Shaela here?] Bethel echoed his thoughts.

Wasn’t she supposed to be helping Yones set up the barrier?

[I don’t know, but something’s off about her.]

The moment Russell spoke, Lucion didn’t hesitate—he rushed out.

[No, wait! Don’t go!]

Russell tried to stop him, but Lucion had already flung open the door and stepped outside.

‘Something’s wrong with my sister?’

There she was—Shaela.

She wasn’t injured.

There were no traces of black magic on her, either.

But something about her expression was… off.

Lucion halted in his tracks, caught off guard by her piercing stare.

Before he could speak, she took a step closer, her voice low.

“…Something seemed strange about it.”

Her tone, her movements—everything about her felt different.

“You look too much alike. So much alike that it felt unnatural, and I couldn’t shake the thought.”

“…”

Lucion couldn’t bring himself to respond as Shaela’s words struck him like a blow.

“So, just in case, I pressed Yones for answers. Since he came as Ravid’s envoy, I thought he might know something… And when I learned the divine beasts were imprisoned here, I rushed over. I had a feeling you would be here.”

As Shaela quietly confessed, Russell furrowed his brows.

[I expected this would happen. This is why…]

But Russell never finished his sentence. Instead, he simply looked at Lucion and placed a firm grip on his shoulder.

This was likely a situation Lucion had never even imagined.

Russell was worried.

Deeply worried.

“Lucion.”

Shaela called his name, and his fingertips trembled. His breath hitched, his feet awkwardly dragging backward.

‘I need to run…’

The thought consumed him, but before he could act, he felt Shaela’s warm hand clasp his own.

His entire body trembled violently.

—L-Lucion.

Ratta, unable to slip into the shadows, hurriedly grabbed onto his leg.

Lucion looked so unsteady, as if he might collapse at any moment.

“It’s okay.”

Shaela’s voice was gentle as she finally spoke the words she had been holding back.

“It’s okay, Lucion.”

But those words didn’t stop his heart from racing, didn’t stop the overwhelming shudder running through him.

[Lord Lucion, it’s okay. Really.]

Even Bethel, seeing his distress, tried to reassure him.

“…Ah.”

Lucion tried to speak, but his voice wouldn’t come out.

His legs gave way, and he sank to the ground.

“I’m sorry, Lucion. I let my own impatience take over. I never meant to scare you like this. I just…”

Shaela hurriedly knelt beside him, her gaze filled with regret. She hadn’t realized how terrified he would be.

She had been so focused on uncovering the truth that she hadn’t considered his feelings.

Why else would he wear a mask?

Why else would he hide behind the name Hamel, unable to stand in the light?

“…I’m so sorry.”

Lowering her head, Shaela’s voice wavered.

“I was too caught up in my own understanding. I should have thought about how terrifying this must be for you.”

She swallowed back tears as she looked at Lucion—her younger brother, who had been enduring so much pain, facing dangerous situations all alone.

“Lucion.”

Gently, she stroked the back of his hand.

“You must have suffered so much. So much pain, right?”

Lucion’s chest tightened with emotion, his breath catching.

“How lonely you must have felt.”

He stared at her, sensing the tremor in her voice as she struggled to hold back tears.

“It must have hurt… so much. Smiling at us as if nothing was wrong, carrying everything alone…”

Shaela’s mouth quivered before she could finish her sentence.

“I just hope you won’t have to suffer alone anymore. I never imagined… you were bearing such a heavy burden.”

“Sister.”

Lucion’s voice came out like a breath.

“Yeah, Lucion?”

Shaela smiled through the tears welling in her eyes.

She had only come here worrying about Lucion.

What if her suspicions were true?

How much weight was he carrying on his shoulders, in that body that hadn’t fully healed?

She couldn’t think straight. The anxiety was overwhelming. All she wanted was to stop Lucion—or at least understand what he was going through.

“I…”

Tears trailed down Lucion’s neck.

And so, he ended up crying like this.

Shaela swallowed back her own emotions.

“I…”

Lucion held his breath, his shoulders trembling.

This was something he had wanted to say for so long—words he had believed he would never be able to utter.

Now, at last, he had found the courage to speak them.

Shaela’s gaze remained soft, filled with understanding and regret.

As if she, too, might cry at any moment.

“I… am a warlock.”

Why did those words feel so heavy?

As though they carried every ounce of strength he had left.

“Yeah, I know.”

Lucion felt foolish at Shaela’s understanding reply.

“I deceived you.”

“No. You weren’t trying to deceive me, or Father, or Brother.”

Hume had told him the truth—Shaela really did trust him this much.

Lucion’s hands trembled as he reached up to his mask.

Ratta held her breath.

“I am a warlock.”

Lucion removed his mask and confessed—not as Hamel, but as himself.

Shaela’s smile widened.

“See? You’re still Lucion. My little brother, Lucion.”

She clasped his hand tightly.

Nothing else mattered.

No matter what had changed, he was still the same.

The way he cried now was the same as when he was a child, and the realization made Shaela chuckle softly.

So many thoughts swirled in her mind.

She hesitated, unsure where to begin, before finally taking a deep breath and speaking.

“Actually…”

She paused briefly.

“I hesitated before coming in here. I kept thinking about how much you would suffer if you really were Hamel and I discovered the truth… and all my courage vanished.”

Maybe Carson, who had met Lucion as Hamel, had felt the same way.

Just one step forward, and the truth would be right there in front of them. But that single step had felt impossible.

Maybe Carson had also hesitated, afraid that those bittersweet words—”You’re still the same, Lucion.”—would become reality once again.

He had watched over Lucion for so much longer, from so much closer than she had. His fear must have been overwhelming.

“But if you were waiting for someone to recognize you… yet too scared to reach out… then shouldn’t I be the one to take the first step? I’m your sister, after all.”

Even as she said it, Shaela’s gaze faltered.

“And I remembered, when you were little, how you always spoke of seeing things no one else could.”

Lucion’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Lucion, it’s not that I didn’t believe you.”

His fingertips trembled again.

“They said there might be lasting effects. Whether they were illusions or hallucinations, some kind of aftereffects could come from it.”

It had all been a misunderstanding.

A bitter realization settled in his chest, mingling with slow-building regret.

“I was afraid that if I told you your visions were real, you’d believe in them completely. That’s why… even when you pleaded with me, I looked away.”

Even if it wasn’t just childish denial but a decision made for his own sake, Lucion couldn’t hide the pained expression crossing his face.

The rejection he had felt remained unchanged.

“Lucion, that doesn’t mean I wasn’t wrong. I know how much it hurt you when I turned away. That was my mistake…my fault.”

Shaela openly admitted her wrongdoing.

Even if it was too late, she should have told him—she hadn’t turned away.

Letting go and expecting time to heal everything had been the wrong choice.

“But if I had realized that the world you see as a warlock is different from mine, I would have…”

“Sister.”

Lucion swallowed his tears as he called out to her.

The sister he knew would never lower her head—not even in the face of death.

Yet here she was, unable to meet his gaze.

At his call, Shaela slowly lifted her head.

“Are you not afraid of me?”

“What truly scares me is… that we’re in Nevast, and you could die at any moment.”

“I am… a warlock.”

“And you are Lucion.”

Shaela struggled to smile, her face still tight with concern.

“Yes, I know how terrifying warlocks can be as enemies. But to me, that doesn’t matter. Am I afraid of the world? No. What truly terrifies me… is losing you.”

For a brief moment, tears slipped down Shaela’s cheeks. But she quickly forced them back and placed a hand on Lucion’s shoulder.

“Lucion, your enemies are my enemies too. Do you understand?”

At last, Lucion smiled and nodded.

“I’m sorry…”

Thwack!

Shaela flicked his forehead.

“There’s no need to apologize, and don’t you dare do that! The one who should be apologizing is me. If you say sorry, I’ll feel guilty and might just leave the house again.”

“That’s… not allowed.”

“Exactly. So don’t say another word about it.”

Shaela handed Lucion back the mask he had taken off and gently lifted Ratta, who had been clinging to him.

“I know Ratta is cute and precious to you, but what were you thinking bringing her here?”

—Ratta?

Ratta’s anxious eyes sparkled with hope.

—Did you mean me?

Hearing the joy in Ratta’s voice, Russell and Bethel exhaled deeply at almost the same time.

[I thought I was going to die from holding my breath.]

[You held it well, Russell. My hands were sweating the whole time.]

Bethel looked down at her hands—hands that couldn’t sweat—before chuckling softly.

Everything had turned out well.

More than just clearing up misunderstandings, Bethel was relieved that Lucion now had someone else he could lean on.

“Sister.”

“What?”

“Thank y—”

Thwack!

“Don’t say that. The one who should be grateful is me.”

After another playful flick to his forehead, Shaela helped Lucion back to his feet.

“I’m just glad I have the strength to protect you.”

“Sister.”

“No apologies. No thanks.”

“But what if I hadn’t been here? If there had been traps, it could have been dangerous.”

“Then I’d just kill them.”

“…What?”

“Why hesitate when it’s not you? Oh, and those clumsy priests you let slip? I already took care of them. Their traces will disappear soon, so don’t worry.”

Shaela smirked triumphantly.

* * *

“…?”

Kran, who had been waiting for Lucion’s return, stood frozen in shock.

“Sha… Sha….”

Heint couldn’t even finish his sentence, while Hume simply beamed, barely holding back the urge to clap.

“I’ve been caught.”

Lucion summed up the situation in the simplest way possible—no more, no less.

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