ă€ŠThe Boy Trained by the Demon King and the Dragon King, Shows Absolute Power in School Lifeă€‹


 CH 1

    "Lucious, you are useless!"

    One day, while practicing my magic as usual, my childhood friend Elena Arberstain insulted me.

    "You are incompetent when it comes to using  magic! You don''t know the proper way to generate it."

    "Y-you can''t talk to me like that."

    "What!? Are you talking back to me!? You''re so conceited!"

    Elena grows angry at my words and starts kicking me.

    It hurts, it hurts!

    It may be just a joke to her, but I''m not very strong, and those kicks hurt too much.

    Because of Elena''s daily harassment and beatings, I''m covered in bruises under my clothes.

    It''s horrible, why do I have to go through this?

    "You''re a pain in the ass! You have no redeeming qualities! But don''t worry, that''s what you have me for. Your super genius childhood friend, Elena-Sama will train you!"

    Elena says that and turns around with a ''hmph''.

    It''s frustrating, but it''s true that Elena is a genius.

    From the first time she used magic when she was three years old, she developed a series of talents that eventually led to her being called a child prodigy.

    In addition, she is a very beautiful girl. Her eyes are large and clear, with long, perfect eyelashes. Her black hair is long and shiny. And her breasts are so big that even adult men can''t help but notice them.

    Elena was a very beautiful girl, her beauty was wasted in the town where we lived.

    However, her personality is the worst.

    Although on the outside she seems to be a kind and good girl, the truth is that with me she was very violent, made it a habit to beat me regularly and treated me badly.

    And now she''s taken the liberty to tell everyone that she is my lover.

    I''m not kidding, I''m the kind of person who is far gentler!

    I wanted to tell her, but my fear of her was so ingrained in me that I couldn''t bring myself to do it.

    I had totally given up, I thought I would never stand up to her.

    But one day, when I was 15, I reached a turning point.

    "Well, Lucious, I, your amazing and kind girlfriend, will train you again!"

    I was trying to train behind my house, sneaking away from Elena. Unfortunately, however, she found me.

    She spoke those words while looking at me with a nasty smile and a lot of condescension.

    I''m not kidding. Elena''s training only hurts me and doesn''t make me stronger.

    Elena is a child prodigy, she has no idea what I''m going through with my lack of talent.

    I don''t know what to do. I want to take my time and train peacefully just for today.

    "...I''m sorry, but I want to try training on my own today. Maybe some other time."

    "What!? Do you really think you can get strong on your own?! Lucious, you have no talent, you can''t be strong. Stop wasting your time on such useless things...! You should be with me!"

    So it''s a waste of time, huh?

    For the first time in my life, Elena''s words angered me to the point of churning my guts.

    Does this girl have any idea how hard I''ve been training? How dare she belittle all my hard effort without even being aware of it!!!!

    "I have an idea! Lucious, you should leave town! This way you won''t bother the villagers. I know you''re going to miss me, but I''ll come visit you every day, don''t you think that''s a good idea? Hoho, lucky me!"

    And if that wasn''t enough, now she wants to banish me from the village.

    ...Elena wants to take everything away from me; my home, my job, my purpose in life, my pride.

    There is no way I can take this.

    I can''t take it anymore!

    "...I can''t take it anymore. I don''t want to be with Elena anymore."

    "What? What do you mean?"

    Elena was visibly upset as I spoke coldly.

    I guess she didn''t expect me, who has less power than her, to reveal myself.

    "Do you want to give up on being my boyfriend!? It''s a miracle you''re dating a cute girl like me!"

    Even though I didn''t want to be your boyfriend in the first place...

    Well, it''s okay for now.

    "You''re wrong."

    When I said that, Elena''s face suddenly brightened up. Why are you so happy to be my girlfriend?

    She doesn''t even like me anyway. She just sees me as a punching bag, something she can just beat on forever.

    I''m so frustrated.

    I''m going to end this relationship.

    "Not only do I not want you as my girlfriend anymore, I don''t want you as my friend either! I don''t want you around me anymore!!!"

    For the first time in my life I show a strong rejection to Elena.

    And Elena''s face paled.

    "S-Stop it. Enough with the teasing. You love me, Lucious, right? Please tell me you''re lying"

    "...I loved you when you were someone kind and sweet, but now I hate you. I hate what you''ve become, I hate that you''ve grown drunk with your power. You want to banish me from this town!? Fine, I''ll do it! I''ll leave this town that you live in!"

    "Hate me? B-But... Butˇ­ I''ve been very kind to you..."

    Elena is stunned as she says something I don''t understand.

    Now that I have a chance to escape from Elena, I ran into the nearby forest.

    As I ran, I heard Elena screaming "Please wait!!!" behind me, but I ignored her screams and kept running.

    I''m going to get stronger on my own.

    And one day, I''m going to get my revenge on Elena.

    I swore in my heart to take revenge on her, and I will start my training.

    "Fueeh, how hard it is to walk in this forest."

    I, Lucious Vardy, was running away from Elena and walking through the forest near the village.

    It''s easy to get lost in this dense forest, so the villagers rarely go near it and there aren''t many magical beasts, so it''s perfect for my secret training.

    I don''t plan to return to the village for a while, so I''ll build a small house here later.

    I can survive on berries, nuts and edible plants.

    "I think this is a good spot."

    I found an open area where there weren''t many trees and decided to make it my training spot for today.

    First I''m going to start training with wind magic.

    When it comes to wind magic, anyone can learn how to make a gentle breeze with some simple instructions and a little effort, you don''t need to have great skills to perform something like this.

    But I am different.

    For me, generating a gentle breeze alone is too complicated. I can''t even do something as simple as this, and Elena always teases me about it.

    But I''m sick of it.

    It''s very difficult for me to use magic.

    And I can''t help but think of my parents looking down on me from heaven, disappointed in me for being such a pathetic son.

    "Okay. Let''s get started."

    I sat on the floor, closed my eyes, and concentrated my thoughts.

    Then I concentrated the magical power of my body into my fingertips, and kneaded it carefully.

    "Okay, so far it''s working."

    The problem is, after this.

    I''m not very good at converting this kneaded energy into magic.

    "Haaaah! Sweeping Wind!"

    The kneaded energy is released causing the magic to activate, but the magic power disperses with a pitiful sound.

    Ugh, what bad luck.

    But these things happen all the time.

    I have to learn to manipulate the wind with one of the fallen leaves as a target.

    After that, I tried again and again, but I couldn''t get any better.

    Of course, it was because I was clumsy, but also because there was one more thing bothering me.

    "Hmm. I still have a strange feeling about this."

    The air flowing through the forest is strange. And I haven''t run into any animals yet.

    "Maybe there''s a demonic beast nearby... Sooner or later it will come for me."

    I''d like to train more, but staying alive is even more important.

    As I was getting ready to pack my luggage and go home, I suddenly noticed something.

    "....? I can feel someone''s magic power from there."

    It was a magical power of such magnitude that even I, with my low magical detection ability, could sense it.

    Normally, I wouldn''t approach something so mysterious, but I found myself drawn towards the source of the magical power like a moth to a flame.

    "Is this... A hole?"

    What I found ahead was a 10-foot-long crack in the ground.

    A dazzling light was coming from the crack, and even when I looked through it, I couldn''t really see anything.

    "So this is where the magic power comes from. I have to report this to the villagers."

    It''s a relief to know it''s not a demonic beast. But I can''t ignore something as dangerous as that.

    As I was about to return to the village, I slipped into the crevice.

    "Huh?"

    A pile of leaves under my feet caused me to lose my balance as I stepped on them, and due to that embarrassing reason, I ended up falling into the mysterious crevice.

    If I were a normal person, I would be able to get back on my feet immediately after losing my balance, but I am notorious for having no motor skills whatsoever. There''s no way I could do something like that without practice.

    "Oh god, if you''re going to reincarnate me in another life, please at least give me a childhood friend who will be kind to me..."

    I fell into the crack with such pathetic words coming out of my mouth.

 CH 2

    "Mmm..."

    As I stood up, rubbing my throbbing head, I found myself in a strange world where the sky and the ground were completely white.

    Um, what am I doing in this place?

    As I recall, I was doing my daily training. Then I found a strange crack and....

    "Oh yeah, I fell into that thing."

    I knew it was dangerous, but.... Ugh, I hate myself for being such a goofball....

    "Oh, so you''re awake already."

    "What?"

    As I stood there depressed, I heard a woman''s voice.

    When I turned around, there was a beautiful Onee-san with black hair,

    Her body was slender, her breasts were large and disproportionate. Her skin was pure white, a stark contrast to her pitch black hair.

    There was no one as beautiful as her in my village.

    I was completely mesmerized by her beauty, and while I was distracted watching her, there was something that caught my attention.

    "Horns...?"

    From the Onee-san''s head protruded two magnificent horns, looking very small compared to her head.

    Clearly, ordinary people don''t have horns.

    A woman with horns... There is only one race she could belong to....

    "Uh, are you a demon?"

    "How did you know?"

    When I say demon, I mean a race that can use powerful magic.

    Their strength is also greater than that of humans, and I think I read in a textbook that even a veteran warrior with a long history of fighting will have a hard time defeating a demon....

    "Oh, sorry, I''ve never seen one of your kind before. My name is Lucious Vardy. It''s a pleasure to meet you."

    I bowed my head, and greeted the demon Onee-san.

    I don''t know how to address demons, but it never hurts to show good manners.

    "Aren''t you afraid of me?"

    The woman asked very curiously.

    It''s true that demons and humans don''t get along well, so it''s normal to be afraid of them.

    But curiously, I didn''t feel any fear towards the woman in front of me.

    It''s probably due to the fact that I find her more beautiful than terrifying. I guess there''s no point in deceiving her so I should just tell her the truth.

    "Umm, well... Maybe it''s because Onee-san is very beautiful, so you don''t really instill any fear in me."

    "Wha...!"

    Hearing my words, Onee-san lets out a high-pitched sound and her face turns red.

    Is she angry? It might have been impolite to talk about someone else''s appearance when I just met her.

    I have to be more careful.

    "Oh, calm down, Testarossa. It''s the first time in thousands of years that someone has said something sweet to you, so don''t overreact. And this boy has a very pretty face..."

    The Onee-San started mumbling something.

    I guess I really might have made her angry.

    While I was lost in my thoughts, another person appeared in front of me.

    "Are you finally awake? Let me see your face."

    What appeared in front of me was a very pretty girl, with a tender appearance seemingly like that of a 10 year old girl.

    Her skin was brown, her eyes were blood red, her hair was long and silver-white, her teeth were pointed and the pupil of her eyes were as sharp as a cat''s.

    But the most interesting thing were the two jagged black horns on the sides of her head, and the magnificent tail that extends a little above her butt. She was very different from the Onee-san.

    Her tail was like that of a lizard.

    "H-Hello..."

    I greeted her and told her my name.

    The girl in front of me looked satisfied and introduced herself.

    "Hmmm. I like it. I''m the seventh Dragon Lord. You can call me ''Ryou-sama''."

    "Ryou...Sama?"

    It was a name that left me perplexed when the girl spoke it.

    Ryou is a name that is only given to the chief of the dragon race, which is the strongest race on earth.

    I can''t believe that the girl in front of me is the Dragon King.

    "Fufufu, it''s been so long since I''ve seen someone make that expression. Still, why didn''t you tell our guest your name, red faced girl?"

    "Eh?"

    The one who replied to that question with a cute and carefree answer was the Onee-sama from before.

    Don''t tell me that this Onee-sama is similar to the Dragon King Girl?

    "Oh, right, I never got to introduce myself! Listen up, little mortal! I am the ruler of darkness and the master of chaos. the ruler of the demon race and the most powerful of demons! The 66th Demon Lord, I am Harlequin of Testarossa."

    The Onee-san introduces herself while making exaggerated gestures with her hands.

    There are several thoughts going through my head right now, but the most interesting thing is the fact that she is the "Demon Lord."

    That title is the ultimate proof that she is the strongest person of the powerful demon race. To carry the title of Demon Lord is quite prestigious .

    So this Onee-san is the Demon Lord... Hmm, I have my doubts.

    "I''m sure you''re not convinced. Well, I can''t blame you. I''m very beautiful, so I don''t look like a demon, do I? That''s what you must be thinking."

    "Ho... After receiving a compliment for the first time in thousands of years, I see the Demon Lord is finally letting her ego show."

    "Oh, shut up! You''re the one who was so excited to meet a person of the opposite sex when you found him!"

    "Hey! There''s no need to say this in front of him!"

    The two girls pushed me aside and started arguing with each other.

    I wonder if they''re always like this....

    "Well, there''s no point arguing about it now."

    "Yes, you''re right, why don''t we show him who we really are?"

    "Ho... What a good suggestion for a young Dragon Lord. Let''s do it."

    "Say that again, and you''ll regret it, you demon lord bitch."

    The two begin to transform their bodies as they continue to argue.

    Onee-san''s clothes become more revealing and leave much of her body on display. Ugh, the stimulation is too strong, I have to avert my gaze.

    And not only that, her magical power has increased exponentially, causing it to spread all over the place. I''ve never felt such a high amount of magic power.

    Ryou, on the other hand... She had turned into a massive black dragon.

    She was three times my size.

    "Fufu, now do you believe I''m the Dragon King?"

    "Welcome, boy. This space is the [Infinite Prison]: an alternate space meant to keep the Demon and Dragon Lords sealed. It''s a pleasure to meet you."

    And that''s how my long, long life alongside two very powerful women began.

 CH 3

    300 years ago.

    A legendary hero was born at a time when the power of the human race was still at its weakest.

    That hero''s name was Oger.

    According to legend, he had a muscular body of more than three meters in height, a great talent for magic, and there was no other human who could defeat him.

    And, above all, his kindness was so great that tales of it have been passed down throughout history.

    He saved countless people by slaying many evil demons and magical beasts to save the downtrodden.

    Finally, after defeating two powerful opponents, the "Demon Lord" and "The Ryuo", he is said to have retired from the battlefield and disappeared from society.

    "No way... It''s not possible for the Demon l and Dragon Lords to be sealed here..."

    If something like this were to become known, it would cause an uproar amongst the people.

    But why did the legendary hero seal them rather than defeat them? Maybe they were too strong to be defeated?

    Hmmm. No matter how much I think about it, I can''t figure it out.

    Instead of thinking about the past, it would be better to think about escaping now.

    I would be lost if I were alone in this blank space, but luckily there are two people here who are much more amazing than me.

    They might know how to get out of here.

    I''d be lying if I said I wasn''t scared, but I have to work up the courage to talk to them.

    "Um... I..."

    "Hm? Is something wrong?"

    The one who answered was the Demon Lord Onee-San, who was wearing a very lustful outfit.

    I think her name is Testarossa-san.

    She seems to be smart, so she might know something about it.

    "Well... Do you know how to get out of here?"

    "Get out of here? Fufufufufu!"

    Testarossa-san suddenly started laughing.

    Did I say something funny?

    "Ahem... I''m sorry, boy. I didn''t mean to make fun of you."

    "Then what''s funny?"

    "What''s funny is that it''s impossible to get out of here... And then you came over and asked me something like that with such a serious face."

    "Impossible...!?"

    Hearing those words made me lose all my strength and I involuntarily fell down on my knees.

    Am I going to be trapped in this empty place for the rest of my life!!!??

    "If there was a way out of here, we would have done it already..."

    Ryou was the one who stepped forward and spoke. She returned to her girlish appearance, shedding the intimidating dragon form she had taken earlier.

    They make a good point, though. The Demon Lord and the Dragon Lord are supposed to be the most powerful beings on earth, so if they haven''t left this place in 300 years, it must be for a reason.

    And I, being just some weak and dumb human, have even less of a chance of making it. It''s natural for them to laugh at me.

    "We are under a sealing spell cast by that bastard hero, so even if we try to break through this dimension and escape, our souls won''t be able to leave this place. Look, here''s the proof."

    Ryou lifts up her clothes and shows me her chest.

    There was a small magic circle engraved on her chest.

    So this is a type of sealing magic?

    Even though I fell into this space, I don''t have any magic circle anywhere on my body.

    I started to check every part of me, but I didn''t see anything like that magic circle.

    Why don''t I have it?

    "Do you..."

    "Hey!!! What are you doing!!?"

    Testarossa-san suddenly starts touching my body.

    Uh, this is really embarrassing. I thought about resisting, but I''m totally helpless. I''m not strong enough, and my body being groped doesn''t help.

    Eventually, Testarossa-san, who had touched every part of my body for a long while, pulled her hands away from me and walked away.

    Ugh, I can''t get married anymore....

    "This boy doesn''t have a magic sealing circle!"

    "What!? How did you get here without a seal?!"

    "Aah! Let go of me!"

    Ryou-San grabbed me by my collar and started shaking me.

    If it wasn''t for Testarossa-san, she would have kept squeezing me until I completely passed out.

    I regained my composure and told the two women how I had come to this place.

    After telling my story, Testarossa closed her eyes for a moment, as if she was thinking about something. Then she opened her eyes at the same time as a sinister smile formed on her face.

    "I see, I have a general idea of what''s going on. This child just fell into a rift that opened up into this dimension. As such, he is now not fully sealed."

    "But how is it possible that a crack appeared in this dimension?"

    "This place is almost 300 years old. It would be unnatural for it not to have degraded over time."

    She''s right.

    Now I can''t help but wonder how great the hero''s power was.

    "But that''s not what''s important now! This kid doesn''t have the seal, which means there''s a chance he can get out of here!"

    "Will I be able to get out of here!?"

    With those words, my heart lit up and filled with joy.

    Hooray! I''m glad I don''t have to spend the rest of my life here!

    "Tell me what I should do! I''ll do anything to get out of here!"

    "Anything...?"

    "Anything...?"

    For some reason, the two women look at me with evil smiles on each of their faces when they hear my words.

    "Uh, what''s wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?"

    "There''s only one way out of here, and that''s to blow a hole in this space. That means you have to be much stronger than you are now."

    "Blow a hole in this space...?! I can''t even swing a sword! There''s no way I can do something like that! I''ll become an old man by the time I can pull it off!"

    "Don''t worry. You can''t grow old in a place like this... And we''ll help you train. But this won''t be for free... If you make it out of here, you''ll have to help us escape as well."

    The two women slowly approached me.

    Ugh, they are so scary. I''m cornered by the Demon Lord and the Dragon Lord at the same time.

    "I-I have the right to refuse..."

    With tears in my eyes, I said that I didn''t want to do something like that.

    But both women just smiled like angels, and in unison said;

    ""No?""

    And so began my long days of hellish training.

 CH 4

    "Fufu? Well then, I''ll teach you some magic."

    "Thank you very much!"

    My first day of training began.

    The first to train me was Testarossa-san. Her specialty is magic, so it will be a good start.

    But my magic skills are in a bottomless abyss, how will I be able to apply the lessons she teaches me?

    I have not yet told her about my magical abilities. It''s a hard thing to admit out loud... But there''s no choice, I have to do it.

    "Um, excuse me, but I''m not good with magic..."

    "It''s okay, you don''t need to say it, I already knew that. You think you''re useless for not being able to do it, don''t you?"

    I completely freaked out when she said she''d figured me out.

    How awe inspiring. Just as one would expect from a Demon Lord, she can tell everything about you just from a single look.

    "But then how am I going to be able to train? In order to practice magic, shouldn''t I first be able to use it?"

    "That''s right. Which is why I''m going to start with basic training until you have enough magical power to use magic."

    "Basic... Training?"

    I wonder what kind of training it is.

    I''ve never heard of such a thing, but I bet it''s a great way to increase magic power.

    "The strength of your magic power is the same as muscle strength: if you don''t use it to the limit and break through your magic container''s threshold, your upper limit won''t increase, so I''ll ask you to use your magic till you''re on the verge of death, and when you recover, you''ll do the same procedure again and again."

    ".....What?"

    What kind of terrifying training is that?

    Magic power is necessary for living beings to survive. If you consume too much, you''ll suffer from magic power deficiency, and run the risk of death.

    "Isn''t that a very dangerous thing?"

    "Yes, it is. But since you''re in a place where you never age, this is the only way to increase your magic power. Don''t worry, I''ll be watching over you at all times, so you have nothing to worry about?"

    "Well..."

    I almost forgot that she''s the Demon Lord. I guess she''s not someone who can understand the common sense of humans and the fear of dying.

    "But wouldn''t it take a long time to do it so consistently?"

    "Not at all. Judging by your level, I think you can become a full-fledged magician in about... 500 years."

    "500 years!?"

    I was so stunned that my brain stopped working for a moment. I know I''m a failure, but...will it really take me that long!?"

    "That''s a long time! By the time I''ve finished my training, the outside world I know will have completely changed!"

    My parents are already dead, but I''m sad that I won''t be able to say goodbye to the village chief, who had taken care of me until now.

    I wish I could have at least said some parting words to him.

    "Don''t worry. The flow of time in this Infinite Prison is very slow. A year in this place is a day in the human world."

    "Seriously!?"

    "Yes, I have checked with my magic, so I''m very sure of it."

    After saying those words, Onee-san thumps her fist against her chest as if to tell me to trust her magic.

    Well, if the Demon Lord says so, it''s gotta be true.

    But still, if one year here equals one day in the normal world... Then that would mean about 500 days will have passed and no one will know anything about what happened to me. I think I can live with that.

    "....I understand! I''ll do my best!"

    "Fufu, good boy."

    With that, Testarossa-san gently strokes my head. The eyes with which she looked at me while caressing me remind me of my dead mother''s, full of gentleness and warmth.

    "Alright... Let''s start with your training. And if you really do end up dying, sorry?"

    "...Yes."

    Although anxious, I began my magic training.

 CH 5

    [Demon Lord''s point of view]

    It''s already been ten years since the boy started his training.

    At first, the boy didn''t even have the basics of magic, but thanks to my intensive training, he was able to grow into a decent mage.

    I thought it would take longer, but he is growing faster than I expected.

    But it''s not because he has some special hidden talent....

    Actually, there wasn''t a shred of magical power within him, but his desire for power is driving him forward.

    It''s because of this insanely great desire that he was able to endure my arduous training.

    At first I took him on as a disciple just to kill some time, not really having any expectations. But now that I see his progress, maybe this boy really will turn out to be someone very special....

    Fufu, this is becoming a little more interesting.

    A hundred years have passed since Lucious'' training began.

    "Super Flame!!!

    The fire magic Lucious unleashed hit the ground, causing a large pillar of fire to rise.

    Hm, the magic attack was good and his magic power is well-developed.

    "Testarossa-San, how was that?"

    Lucious comes running towards me, panting.

    He''s as cute as ever, like a little animal.

    "Good job, Lucious-Kun. But I told you not to call me Testarossa-san. What did I tell you to call me?"

    "Uh, umm... O... Onee-chan."

    "Uugh!!!"

    Onee-chan.

    The moment I heard those sweet words, an electric shock ran through my lower abdomen.

    It was thirteen years after Lucious-kun''s training started that I first called him that because of my growing affection for him.

    One day he was so exhausted from his training, he mistakenly called me "Onee-chan".

    At that moment, my motherly, or rather sisterly nature, which had been sealed away since I became trapped in this space for thousands of years, burst out.

    Since then, Lucious-kun has become a cute little brother to me.

    Ryou was shocked when she saw me so attached and close to Lucious-kun, but that doesn''t matter to me.

    I will live my life the way I want. I have decided that I will live and give my life to this little brother of mine. He is someone very special to me, and he taught me what "love" was for the first time.

    Leave all the work to your Onee-chan. I''ll take care of getting you out of this place.

    Even if it means never seeing you again....

    "Dark Fire!!!"

    The black flames released by Lucious-kun landed on the ground and burned the entire area in a hellish flame.

    Honestly, that was unbelievable.

    How could he have advanced so far in just three hundred years of training?

    This is proof that love can do anything.

    "Onee-chan, did you see that!?"

    "Yes, I saw it. That was a wonderful display of dark magic."

    I approached Lucious-Kun and stroked his head.

    I am deeply touched by the fact that he was able to follow my training despite having such a small body.

    What he just used was "Dark Magic", a form of higher ranked magic than the basic magic that humans usually use.

    It''s a special magic that can only be used by a few elite members of the demon race, and Lucious-kun already mastered it to perfection.

    "Really... You''ve done very well..."

    I can''t stop thinking about him and the days we spent here.

    It wasn''t always easy. These years were very hard and painful because of all the training.

    But they were also fun.

    I never imagined that the days in this space would become fun until that boy showed up.

    But these fun days are about to come to an end....

    "Onee-chan...?"

    Lucious-kun looks at me with a puzzled expression on his face.

    What''s wrong with him?

    "Are you crying...?"

    "What?"

    Before I knew it, tears began to fall from my eyes.

    I don''t remember shedding a tear since I was born....

    "Fufu. I''ve even been called the scariest Demon Lord that ever lived. I never thought the day would come when a boy like you would make me cry."

    "Huh!? It''s my fault?!"

    "Yes, and you should be sorry."

    "Can you tell me why?"

    "No, that''s for you to find out."

    I started having a small conversation with him. This way I can forget the coming farewell... Even if it''s just for now.

    [Personal file]

    When she was 14 years old, she participated in a martial arts tournament to determine who would be the next Demon Lord, and although she was not the center of attention at all, this young member of the demon race defeated all the other fighters with her overwhelming magical power and abilities, and then went on to become the Demon Lord.

    Her best friend made her enter said tournament, even though she herself would have had no desire to participate, nor to become the Demon Lord.

    However, she has the personality of someone who cannot be refused when they demand something, and she used her natural charisma and knowledge to perform the Demon Lord''s duties one after another flawlessly. With her good looks, she has the highest approval rating in history, her progress was unstoppable, and the demon tribe developed at a rapid pace under her rule.

    The stories say that when the demons learned that the Hero had defeated her, their wails and weeping over her death overflowed in her country''s capital for seven days.

 CH 6

    [Ryou''s perspective]

    Today was the first day of training for the boy and the Demon Lord. Lucious came to me crying, apparently the training was too hard for him.

    "Uhh, uuh."

    "Kukuku, looks like you''ve been beaten up pretty good."

    "I don''t even know if I''ll really be able to release my magic power. There''s no doubt in my mind that I''ll end up dying before that happens..."

    The magic power within the boy is very low. There isn''t the slightest doubt that he really will die if he gets to use it even a little bit.

    But that doesn''t mean that the training is useless, because the closer you are to death, the greater your magic power will increase when you recover.

    ...It looks like the Demon Lord is enjoying this.

    But as my rival, I won''t allow myself to lose to her.

    "Good! Now it''s your turn to train with me. And you''re going to die trying!"

    "What!? But I have no magic power!"

    "I know that! We''re not going to practice magic. We''re going to be practicing the art of Qigong."

    "Qigong...?"

    He looks very confused...

    I think I should first explain to him what Qigong is.

    "You see, Qigong, or ''life force'', is a power that resides in living beings, very different from magic power. And if you manage to master it, even a mere human can gain the strength to rival against a dragon''s power."

    "Wow, that''s amazing! I didn''t even know such a thing existed!"

    The boy looks at me with shining eyes and an expression of pure amazement.

    Hmmm... I don''t dislike his expression, no one has admired me like that in thousands of years, and seeing this guy acting like that makes me feel weird....

    "But if it''s such a powerful technique, why don''t people use it like magic?"

    That''s a good question... He isn''t afraid to show his ignorance, and he genuinely wishes to grow stronger.

    A moment ago he was so exhausted and on the verge of crying, but now he is so curious about this newly discovered ability that he has forgotten how tired he was.

    Kuku, it looks like this training will be worth it.

    "The reason why people don''t use it is because it is difficult to learn Qigong."

    "Difficult...? That''s the main reason?"

    "Mm-hm. The reason why magic is so widespread is because it''s easy to learn. If you have no talent for magic, you may not understand it, but ordinary people can use elemental magic without training. However, when it comes to Qigong, you can''t use even the simplest techniques without rigorous training."

    "I see, so it will be just as difficult for me how to learn magic."

    "You are wrong. You don''t need any talent to learn Qigong. You just have to exert yourself so much that you bleed."

    "I see! I''ll give it my best!"

    "That''s a good reaction."

    He seems to be very motivated now.

    Even though I said that no talent is necessary, that was a bit of a lie.

    Qigong is a technique that requires very rigorous training, but even so, there are things that can become difficult to learn.

    Now I wonder, how many hundreds of years will it take this kid to learn them?

    I expect he''ll be able to master it in a thousand years. But it will certainly be much quicker to master than magic.

    I can''t afford to lose to the Demon Lord!

 CH 7

    Practicing qigong is very simple.

    The first step is to meditate and feel the Ki energy within you.

    It is said that most people get frustrated and give up training at this point.

    But, this kid didn''t give up.

    It took him 10 years to achieve this, which is longer than the average person who manages to perceive Ki.

    I kept wondering how he was able to endure the Demon Lord''s hard training and at the same time go through mine.

    Looking at that innocent and happy child, I also felt strangely happy. It seems that, without realizing it, I have developed feelings for this boy.

    But this doesn''t mean I''m going to go easy on him.

    Kukuku, I''m going to make him suffer!

    ---Separation---

    100 years have passed since his training began.

    "Qigong Art, 5th Offensive Technique, Great Red Lotus Waterfall!"

    When Lucius strikes his fist against the ground, a huge shockwave was generated, causing a wave of destruction.

    Um, both the power and the size are perfect.

    With this, he has learned half of the offensive and defensive techniques.

    "Rio-san, did you see!? I was able to do it!!!"

    "Yes, I saw it, it was excellent."

    Lucius was as happy as a puppy after mastering the technique. Kuku, he is so sweet.

    By the way, the name "Rio" that Lucius just mentioned was given to me by him.

    Since I was born I was called "Dragon Lord", but I never had a real name.

    Overtime, it became something the boy didn''t like, so he said, "That''s not right! I''ll give you a real name."

    At first I thought it was kind of rude that he wanted to give me a name without consulting me first, but when he started calling me that, I didn''t dislike it at all.

    So far I had been treated as nothing more than a "Dragon Lord."

    Be it the dragons who worshiped and respected me, or the enemies who feared and tried to defeat me.

    They only paid attention to my title and no one saw me as an individual.

    But when Lucius gave me this name, I felt so alive, like I was a real person, and not something to be simply worshipped.

    Surprisingly enough, soon after Lucius started calling me that, even Testarossa started calling me Rio as well.

    She and I used to fight all the time, but now we argue every day about how to teach Lucius.

    What used to be a time of stress, fights and anger, changed the moment that boy came here.

    Kuku, I can''t wait to see how things will change in the future....

    ---Separation---

    "I''ll hit you with all my might! Make sure you don''t die!"

    "Yes!"

    I hit Lucius as hard as I could with my fist.

    It was a blow with pure force, no magic or Ki added... But I''m a dragon, and a blow like this to a human wouldn''t leave so much as a speck of dust behind.

    "Aaaaaaaaah! Qigong art, 10th defensive technique!"

    A shockwave swept through the entire area and cracks appeared in the surrounding space.

    And Lucius, who was in the very middle of where such an impact occurred, successfully stopped my fist with both hands.

    "Kuku, it seems that you have already mastered the Qigong Art as well as the guardian techniques. You managed to master all forms of Qigong in 300 years. As your master, I am very proud of you."

    I put my arm around Lucius'' shoulders and pat him on the head, praising him.

    Haha, I feel so proud of him.

    "Hey! Stop it, Rio! You''re messing up my hair!"

    "What! Lucius, looks like you still haven''t understood that you can''t go against me!"

    I started tickling him and we laughed together.

    This is cute, we look like a family playing together.

    When I do this with Lucius, my chest feels warm.

    I have never known this feeling, which I''m sure most families feel.

    This feeling of warmth, kindness and relief in my heart.

    I feel so grateful to this boy for teaching me this feeling.

    But the more I learn about this feeling, the more difficult it is for me to continue his training.

    Because when this training is over, Lucius will leave this place.

    I''m sure Testarossa feels the same way. So much has changed in the last 300 years.

    It''s sad to say goodbye.

    But we can''t keep Lucius in this empty space forever.

    I will make sure he returns to his world.

    This is the least that I, the Dragon Lord can do, as a reward for him teaching me about love.

    [Personal file]

    Rio is the innate Dragon Lord who is the only heir to the lineage of the original dragons in ancient times.

    She lost her parents before she was aware of it, and none of the other dragon tribes around her treated her as an equal or even properly, so she felt a great longing for her family and friends.

    Her mental age is still young, but her skill and talent are exceptional among the Dragon Lords of the past, and it is said that she would have become the strongest Dragon Lord if she had grown up.

    Rio adopted the ancient language as a way of showing her own effort to show dignity and commitment despite being young.

 CH 8

    [Lucius''s perspective]

    After spending 300 years of being trained by Tess Onee-chan and Rio in the infinite prison, I finally learned all the magic and Qigong techniques taught to me.

    The morning of the next day.

    I woke up in extreme pain, as if I had been pressed with a hot iron.

    "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!"

    My screams echo all over the place.

    Tess Onee-chan and Rio come running in upon hearing my screams.

    "What''s wrong, Lucious!?"

    "Did someone hurt you!!? I''m going to kill them!!!"

    When I told them that my chest hurt, the two of them started arguing over who should take off my clothes and expose my chest.

    ""This is...!!!""

    The two women were shocked when they saw my chest.

    What''s going on?

    Out of curiosity I looked at my chest, and on it glowed a small mark that I had never seen before.

    The size of the mark was a little smaller than the palm of my hand, and it glowed a pale blue.

    "What is this...?"

    When I asked the question, Tess Onee-chan was silent for a moment with a serious face.

    "It looks like the time has finally come. That mark is called; Shomon."

    "Shomon? What is that?"

    "Shomon is a mark that appears to those who have become stronger by surpassing a certain level, that is, you have reached the famous Master level. Congratulations, your training is complete."

    Tess Onee-chan approaches me and gently strokes my head.

    It''s warm, soft and makes me feel protected... How happy I am.

    "Thank you, Tess Onee-chan, by the way, does this mark have any special meaning?"

    "Yes, this mark has the job you will have written on it in ancient language."

    Tess Onee-chan shuffles her clothes and shows me the shield on her hip.

    Unlike me, which glowed blue, hers glowed gold.

    "This is the mark of kings. It is the strongest title anyone can get, only those who are worthy of being a king, it is even above the Shomon. My king crest says ''Demon King'' in ancient language."

    Next, Rio opens her mouth and shows me her golden mark that was engraved on her tongue.

    "This is mine. I don''t need to tell you it says Dragon King. on it."

    I''ve heard that before.

    In the land of humans, the word "king" means the person who rules the land, but in the land of demons and subhumans, the meaning is different.

    The meaning of "king" in their minds is a person of absolute power.

    Now I understand, only people who are skillful and strong can get such a title.

    "Ohh, and what does my mark say!"

    I have studied the ancient language, and I can read a little, but I can''t see much because of where my mark is.

    What work have I been awarded? I''m curious.

    "I''m going to take a look."

    Rio approached me and looked at the mark on my chest.

    "Um... What the hell... What does that mean!"

    When Rio saw my mark, he was very astonished.

    What does that mean, why is she so surprised!!!!

    "This mark... It''s that of the Demonic Dragon General!!! I never imagined such a thing existed!!!"

    Demonic Dragon General? What the heck is that?

    When I looked at Tess Onee-chan to ask for more information, she also looked very surprised.

    "The title of Demonic Dragon General is said to be able to use the race power of demons and that of dragons at will. They were only supposed to exist in legends, I never imagined that Lucious would become one...!!!! This is unbelievable!!!"

    After those words, Tess Onee-chan hugs me tightly.

    It seems that my profession''s work is amazing!

    "Well then, have I become a demonic dragon general yet?"

    "No, the mark is still faint, so you have a lot left to keep striving and growing."

    It''s a pity.

    But I''m glad I got such a cool profession like that.

    And it also gave me a purpose to aspire to and keep striving.

    "So if I train a lot more, I''ll be able to become a demonic dragon general, right? I''ll give my best!"

    Tess Onee-chan and Rio fell silent when they heard those words.

    Hm? Did I say something wrong?

    "Hm? What''s wrong?"

    When I ask that, Rio replies in a serious and cold manner.

    "...Lucious. Your power can''t continue to grow as long as you''re in the infinite prison."

    "...What?"

    The words that came out of Rio''s mouth shocked me.

    Why?

    "At your current age, Lucious is at the limit of his capabilities. If you want to become stronger, you''ll have to get out of the infinite prison, and grow physically."

    "I see..."

    In the infinite prison, you can''t age. That had a negative effect on me when I was growing up.

    Now I understand it.

    I can no longer grow strong as long as I''m in this place.

    That means.

    "It''s time for me to get out of this infinite prison... Right?"

    The two nodded while wearing a sad face.

    The time has come to say goodbye.

 CH 9

    The training in the infinite prison was very hard and there were many times I wanted to run away.

    I almost died every day, Tess Onee-chan and Rio were relentless, and I came close to crossing the Sanzu River many times.

    Nt: It is believed that on the way to the afterlife, the dead must cross the river, so Japanese funerals include placing six coins in the coffin of the deceased.

    And there are two reasons why I was able to continue.

    One, because I could feel it made me stronger.

    His instructions were very precise and there was no waste. Because of that, even a quitter like me was able to get stronger and stronger.

    I may be slower than other people, but it doesn''t matter.

    I was very happy to be able to grow, even if it was little by little.

    And the second reason is because of my mentors, Tess Onee-chan and Rio.

    At first I was scared and afraid of them, but as I spent time with them here, we became friends and now they are like a real family.

    When I was training, Tess Onee-chan was a ruthless instructor, and she almost broke my heart many times. But when the training was over. Her attitude changed to that of an Onee-chan and she pampered me as if I was a younger brother.

    Even one day when I was falling asleep, I called her "Onee-chan".

    For some reason Tess Onee-chan had blood coming out of her nose and fainted. I worried that she was dangerously ill, but Rio said; "she''s sick in the head, leave her alone." Shouldn''t I worry about something like that?

    As for Rio, she feels like she is a very dear friend.

    She loves to make jokes and usually plays with me a lot.

    And every time she does it, she brings her body very close next to mine, and it''s something that always makes me nervous. I once said it to Rio, for which she responded with a, "Ho ho... You''re such a little pervert!!! Are you lusting after a body like mine?"

    Rio has the appearance of a little girl, but from my point of view, she is an attractive woman.

    I tried to explain calmly, but Rio''s face turned red and then she got angry at me, so she wouldn''t listen to me.

    They both possess inhuman strength, and even though I have spent so many centuries training to become very strong, I don''t think even the current me can beat them.

    In spite of everything, they were not bad people, they were just normal girls who felt hurt and lonely.

    And for those reasons, I decided that I was going to do what I could to get them out of here.

    Of course I don''t plan to break my promise, but I wanted to save them because I wanted to, not because I want to keep that promise.

    But in order to do that, I have to say goodbye to both of them.

    It''s hard to say goodbye to two people who are like family to me. It''s hard, but... It is necessary.

    It has been decided that I will leave here tomorrow, because tomorrow is the day when the aberra''s power goes down for a certain cycle.

    So today we will take a rest day to prepare. I am now resting in my room that Tess Onee-chan created with her magic.

    It has been a long time since I had a day where I did nothing. It''s been 300 years where every day I was giving my all to become strong, so it''s kind of strange to be able to rest.

    Thinking about these things makes me sleepy....

    "Huh..."

    I tried to fight the drowsiness for a while, but then I thought I wouldn''t have anything to do, and fell asleep....

    Muriuri.

    "....Hm?"

    I wonder how long it''s been since I started sleeping.

    I wake up to the sensation of a soft object hitting my body.

    What the heck is this? I thought as I rubbed my sleepy eyes.

    "Kyan ?"

    ....Hmm?

    That voice sounded familiar.

    I opened my eyes in fear, and there she was, Tess Onee-chan, hiding on my futon. She was wearing an unusual outfit, she had a black nightgown that was too stimulating to my eyes, it left a lot on display.

    "Wha...!"

    "Good morning, Lucious-kun? I was very surprised that you touched my breasts?"

    After hearing those words, I realized that I was squeezing Tess Onee-chan''s big breasts, and I hurried to remove my hands.

    They were so soft!

    I mean... why is Tess Onee-chan here!

    I tried to get out the other side of the futon, but to my surprise, there was someone else crawling in on the other side!

    "Fufu, don''t even think about it. Do you think you can escape the Demon King and Dragon King''s siege?"

    It was Rio who was on the other side of the futon, and just like Tess Onee-chan, she was wearing a very sensual pink frilly underwear.

    I know Tess Onee-chan has been up to naughty tricks, but why is Rio playing along with her!!!!

    Normally she''d be the one to stop Tess Onee-chan from doing something like this!!!!!

    "W-What''s wrong with you guys, wasn''t today supposed to be a day to rest!!!"

    As much as Tess Onee-chan and Rio had a pleasant smell that put all my senses to sleep. I tried to withstand the temptation.

    Then Tess Onee-chan starts talking while staring at me with warm eyes.

    "Rio and I were talking, and we were wondering what we could do to properly say goodbye to Lucious-kun."

    "O-Oh..."

    "We''ve already strengthened you to the limit of what your current body allows, and we''ve also provided you with a lot of knowing. But we thought it''s still not enough, and we wanted to give you something more."

    "A-And that is...?"

    When I asked fearfully, Tess Onee-chan hugged me tightly and whispered in my ear.

    "Our... Virginity?"

    "!!!!!!!"

    Followed by that, Tess Onee-chan puts her lips on mine.

    It''s not the kind of kiss you give to a brother or sister, but a passionate kiss like that of a lover.

    After Tess Onee-chan kissed my lips for a few minutes, she was completely satisfied and pulled her tongue out of my mouth.

    Ahah...

    That feels really good... I thought she was going to suck my soul.

    "Hey, don''t get distracted, it''s my turn now."

    "Eh? Mugh!"

    Followed by Rio grabbed my head and turned it forcefully to where she was, and kissed my lips as well.

    Rio''s kiss was rougher than Tess Onee-chan''s. It was complicated to describe, and I felt like I was going to be crushed with anguish. And, for some reason, being made to do it by a child younger than them is very exciting to me.

    "...Fueeh. So this is what it''s like to kiss someone. It''s harder than it looks."

    "Hoho, Rio, your face is a nice shade of red."

    "Sh-shut up!!! You think you''re so experienced, but you''re just a virgin!"

    "Huh, what''s wrong with the Demon King being a virgin, Rio, you idiot!"

    "Maybe it''s because you''re getting old?"

    I tried to escape from the bed while the two of them were yelling at each other.

    But when I was almost about to get out, they grabbed me by both shoulders.

    And then I''m pulled into the center of the bed.

    I feel like a fish on the cutting board, waiting to be eaten.

    "He... Hey... Is it possible that you could treat me kindly...?"

    "That''s impossible."

    "No, I can''t."

    Both girls smiled as they said that, and then pounced on me.

    Oh, heavenly father and mother.

    Today, I have become a man.

 CH 10

    It was the day after I lost my innocence.

    Tess Onee-chan, Rio and I were about to say goodbye.

    "Lucious, do you remember the procedure correctly?"

    "Don''t worry, Rio. I got it all right here in my head."

    I tapped my head with my index finger as I said those words.

    I''ve been told a lot about how to get out of here.

    Escaping from the infinite prison is extremely dangerous to

    If I fail, I''ll be trapped in the space between dimensions, all alone for eternity.

    That scares me a lot. So I will do whatever it takes to succeed.

    "Fine, I''ll get started..."

    I focused my magic power to create a sword to pierce through the dimensional barrier.

    At that moment, for some reason, Rio approached me.

    Standing in front of me, Rio removed a beautiful golden fang-shaped earring from her ear and held it out in her hand.

    "Here, wear this."

    "Why?"

    "Just do it!"

    Rio forced me to take the earring from her.

    What''s going on? Why does she want me to take it?"

    "Now, pour magic power into that earring."

    Rio urged me to pour magic into the small object.

    After that, the fang-shaped earring grew in an instant and became a sword.

    Its length is a little longer than my arm, and it''s blade isn''t straight, but instead looks like the fang of a large creature.

    The blade shines like gold and is so beautiful that you can''t take your eyes off it.

    "Th-this is...?"

    "That''s the Ryuo''s sword. It was my father''s... This sword is considered a national treasure, made from my father''s fangs and scales."

    Since it''s made with the former Dragon Lord''s fangs, I can feel the tremendous power of the sword.

    Holding this sword, I feel very powerful.

    "Wow, it''s a big sword, can you use it to cut dimensions?"

    "No, you can''t."

    I am confused. Then why did you just give this to me?

    "The sword is yours. It''s a gift, I want you to keep it. It''s the only thing I have left from my father, so don''t lose it, okay?"

    Rio said with a smile.

    No no no no, I can''t take something this valuable.

    Just as I was about to say that, Rio stopped my lips with his index finger.

    "Ump..."

    "Don''t tell me you don''t want it. I''m not just giving to you for no reason. Understand my feelings."

    Rio said those words with a serious look.

    She should be very sad to part with the only memory she has of her father, because it''s the only thing that makes Rio feel like she belongs in this empty world.

    So I have to accept Rio''s feelings properly. I thought I was simply doing it out of politeness, but this goes beyond that.

    "Okay, I''ll take it... I''ll take care of this treasure as if it were Rio."

    "Good, I''m glad to read that."

    After handing me the Dragon Lord''s sword, she stepped back a few paces.

    "Now try it."

    "...Yes."

    I turn my eyes to the empty space and tighten my grip on the hilt of the Dragon Lord''s sword.

    Thanks to my finely tuned powers of perception, I could sense the world I came from. While pointing in that direction, I poured magic power into the sword.

    I''ll also use the power of my Ki to strengthen my muscles. I''m going to make it!

    "Dimensional... Slash!"

    As if following the trajectory of the Dragon Lord''s sword that swung horizontally, a crack appeared in space.

    The crack instantly grows into a rift big enough for a man to enter. It worked!

    "Well... It''s time for me to go."

    "Yes. Be careful, Lucius-kun."

    "Don''t go pushing yourself too hard. We''ll be waiting for you."

    The three of us gave each other one last hug.

    My eyes burn, but I shouldn''t cry. If I do, I''ll just look weak in front of them, and saying goodbye will become much harder.

    I try my best to reject the feeling of wanting to be spoiled by them and not leave this place.

    "I... I will definitely come back and get you both out of this place. Don''t worry, I''m coming back for you."

    I desperately tried to hold back the tears, turned around and started running towards the rift.

    It''s not going to be easy to break the hero''s seal. It could take years or decades.

    But that doesn''t matter to me.

    No matter how many tens or hundreds of years it takes, I will get them out of this hellhole!

    With that determination, I jumped into the dimensional rift.

    "He... He''s gone..."

    Lucius stepped out through the dimensional rift, and when the rift closed a few seconds later, Demon Lord Testarosssa muttered to herself.

    "Well, now it''s just you and me again. It''s only been 300 years, but it feels like more, hahaha."

    Unlike Dragon Lord Rio, who half-heartedly laughed, Testarossa didn''t say a word, and just stared at the space where Lucius had gone.

    "What, you don''t plan to say anything?"

    When Rio said those words, Testarossa turned around, walked silently over to Rio, got down on one knee, and looked her in the eyes while firmly grabbing her by both shoulders.

    "Hey, what''s wrong with you!"

    Rio grows impatient as Testarossa grabs her much more tightly than she imagined.

    Before Lucius'' arrival, she remembered that she and Testarossa spent all their time wrestling each other to the brink of death. And Rio tensed at the thought of those days coming back.

    But the next thing out of Testarossa''s mouth was something unexpected.

    "Lucius will now be alone, and surrounded by all those peopleˇ«!!!"

    Testarossa began to cry, shedding sorrowful tears.

    Rio is puzzled because she had never seen her cry or show weakness before.

    "H-Hey! Take it easy, stop crying!"

    "Hueeehˇ«ˇ«! Lucius-kun, why did you leaveˇ«!!!"

    "Aaah, come on, he''s a good boy, he''ll be back, stop crying!"

    Rio desperately tries to comfort Testarossa.

    However, she still won''t stop crying, and it wasn''t until two hours later that Testarossa calmed down."

    "Uh... uh..."

    "Uuuugh~, you''re such a crybaby. The Demons should be ashamed to have a Demon Lord like you. Weren''t you supposed to be the strongest of all time?"

    "Uh, sorry Rio..."

    An awkward silence began to flow between the two of them.

    Because of Lucius'' presence, they had never spent so much time alone before.

    As a result, they were now at a loss as to what to do.

    "Well, what are we going to do until Lucius returns? Are we going to fight like before?"

    "Come on, you don''t think I''m going to do that, do you?"

    "I''m just kidding."

    As they trained, raised, cared for, and loved the same person together, a kind of friendship had grown between the two of them.

    It''s true that the two of them were enemies before. Not that there was anything wrong between them, but it was just that demons and dragons didn''t get along.

    Besides, as young lords, they knew and respected each other.

    "Won''t you feel lonely, Rio?"

    "I''d be lying if I said I don''t miss him. But I think he''ll be back soon, so I''m staying calm."

    Rio had lost her parents before she was old enough to remember them.

    And since her people considered her as someone sacred, the only one with the blood of a lord in her veins, no one could have a close relationship with her.

    Therefore, Lucius was Rio''s first friend and family.

    "I was alone before I met him. I never had anyone who wanted to know me or treat me differently, and after he came along, everything was different. I don''t feel that way anymore."

    Rio smiled at those words.

    "Rio... You..."

    "Hm? What?"

    "You''re so cute!"

    "Eh!?"

    Testarossa jumps on Rio, moved by her sudden words.

    "Hey, stop!"

    Rio tried to resist, but Testarossa pounced on top of her and they fell on the ground together.

    "Ho ho, since we''re both lonely, we can fill the emptiness while Lucius is gone."

    "H-hey, what are you.... "

    When Rio sees Testarossa''s eyes, she knew that she had lost all trace of sanity.

    ''Oh no, these are the same eyes she looked at Lucius with!'', thought Rio.

    "Ah, wait, where are you touching! That''s not.... ahhh!"

    Rio''s screams echo in the infinite prison.

    At that moment, Rio desperately wished Lucius would hurry back.

 CH 11

    The inside of the dimensional rift was a strange space.

    The surrounding space is dyed with a mixture of purple, light blue and pink, and there is no gravity, so it is hard to tell which way is up and which way is down.

    Also, this space is so warped that it feels like Lucius'' body is about to tear apart.

    If I hadn''t used the technique that makes my body as hard as iron, I would have been completely torn apart by now.

    After running around in this empty space for a while, I saw a crack through which light was seeping in.

    ''I''m sure that''s the way out.'' Lucius thought.

    So he opened a hole with a dimensional slash, and jumped into that rift, pouring magical power in his feet simultaneously.

    "This light...!"

    The light spread all over the place, causing his field of vision to blur.

    When the light gradually diminished... Lucius stood in the same place where he had accidentally fallen.

    "I''m back...!"

    It was a long journey. It took a lot of struggling, and I felt like I was going to fail over and over again, but I finally made it back to my world!

    "I did it!"

    Lucius exclaimed with joy.

    Ah, it''s wonderful to see all these colors again. In the infinite prison, everything is white, so all these colors make me feel so good. Even the delicious fresh air is beating against my body.

    Lucious was excited to be back after his absence. However, there is no time to waste.

    "Well, I can''t get carried away, I have a lot of things to do, but first of all, I have to go back to the village."

    I didn''t feel any hatred or resentment towards the town, but I wanted to say goodbye to the village chief first, who was the person that took care of me.

    Though he couldn''t remember which direction the town was in, and it was no wonder, since the last time Lucius was here was 300 years ago.

    "Hmm... Oh yeah, I''ll be able to see it from up there!"

    Lucius had a great idea. He jumped to the top of the tree with all his might, his body flying up into the air.

    "Awaaah!"

    Lucius, who had been training for many years in that empty space, did not expect to fly so far. He quickly controlled his altitude with magic and looked around.

    "Awesome..."

    A world of lush vegetation spread out everywhere.

    A huge body of water stretches out in front of him as he looks to his right. ''It''s probably the sea'', he thought. Then he looks ahead and sees a cluster of buildings, most likely his village.

    When Lucius realizes how insignificant his village is compared to the vast world around him, it causes a small bit of pain in his heart. He remembered how difficult it will be for him to free Testarossa and Rio from the Infinite prison.

    Lucius felt uncomfortable. He had no one to count on, and no clue where to start either.

    "Still, I have to do it - they must both be anxiously awaiting my return!!!"

    Landing with a muffled sound, Lucius started running toward the village he had seen in the sky. It had taken him almost an hour to reach the place where he was before, but now, with magic and qigong, the village could be reached in just a few minutes.

    The village I arrived at after a long time looked the same as when I had left. Well, it''s only been a year, and it''s impossible for it to have changed that much.

    The first thing I did when I arrived in the village was to go to my house.

    The little wooden house was a bit battered from the lack of maintenance, but it hadn''t been torn down yet. Lucius was relieved when he saw it.

    I had finally returned home after three hundred years, and then began to collect everything in the house that might be of use to him.

    An old knife, a lamo, a map, and some money. These were the only things that might be of use to him.

    I put them in a burlap sack and left the house.

    Then I went to my parents'' graves behind my house. They''re simple graves with two large gravestones, and there was a flower placed on each of them. I wonder if someone came here before... I crouched down in front of the graves and clasped my hands together.

    "Mom, Dad, I''m sorry I didn''t come to visit you, but I''ve been through a lot. I know it''s sudden, but I''ll be gone for a long time, so I won''t be coming to visit you, I''m sorry."

    My father died in an accident before I was old enough to remember him. But I remember my mother. She did her best to raise me by herself.

    But it was too much for her, and she died of an illness when I was still young... I had enough of losing my family.

    So this time, I''ll get it right. Testarossa and Rio, I''m going to protect them.

    "Next time I come back, I''ll bring my new family. They''re two nice girls, I''m sure you''ll like them a lot."

    With that said, I stood up and turned around to leave the place.... Just then, a voice called me from behind and I turned around.

    "Are you... Lucius...?"

    When he turned around, he saw a wrinkled old man with a cane.

    Lucius didn''t flinch, he already knew that man.

    "It''s been a long time... Chief."

 CH 12

    It had been a year since he had seen the village chief, who looked much older than before.

    His waist was broken, his wrinkles had increased, and he had lost a lot of weight.

    "Where have you been all this time...?"

    The village mayor comes running up to me with a worried look on his face.

    I could tell he had been thinking a lot about me.

    "Well, a lot has happened..."

    In fact, I wanted to tell him everything that had happened so far, but I couldn''t do it.

    If the story got out that the Demon Lord and the Dragon Lord, who were supposedly dead, were still alive, there would be a huge uproar throughout the entire world.

    Testarossa said that if the fact that the two lords were still alive became known, it might even provoke a war between the demon and dragon tribes to only free each race''s own lord. If so, it would be a battle involving humans and beastmen as well.

    It is something that Lucious, Testarossa and Rio want to avoid. So Lucius must solve this problem by himself.

    "Well, I''m glad that you are well. Come with me, I''ll fix you something hot to drink. Let''s go to my house."

    The village chief said so with a kind face.

    The kindness stings Lucius'' vulnerable heart.

    I would like to accept his invitation, but if I do, then I won''t want to leave this place, and the chief won''t want Lucius to leave either. Therefore, I have to refuse the invitation.

    "I''m sorry, chief, but I have to go."

    "Go...? Where will you go? It will be hard for you to leave this place alone, you won''t even be able to get to the next village."

    The village mayor said with a worried look.

    It''s natural to think so, because Lucius was weak in the past.

    "I will be fine. I''ve gotten stronger."

    As he said that, Lucius formed a large fireball in the palm of his hand.

    The village chief, who knew that he could not produce even a small fire, was very astonished to see it and said; "Aaah...!" In fact, he could use even more amazing magic, but Lucius decided not to do so because it might stop the village chief''s heart.

    "Thank you for worrying about me, but there''s something I need to do... So, I''ll have to continue my journey. Thank you for all you have done for me."

    I bowed my head to the village chief, and when I raised it, I saw him with a calm face, his concern had vanished.

    "I don''t know what happened to you, but I won''t force you to tell me either. But now that I''ve seen it with my own eyes, I know that you have become stronger. If you say you must go, then so be it, I''m not going to stop you. Fulfill your journey, this old man will be waiting for you as long as possible."

    "Chief..."

    Fighting the urge to cry, Lucious walked past the village chief. In his hand were two flowers, the same kind that had been placed on his parents'' graves. Perhaps the village mayor had taken care of the grave in his absence. Lucius couldn''t thank him enough.

    "Be careful when you leave town. There have been a lot of ferocious monsters lately."

    "....I will, thank you."

    With those words, Lucius left the village.

    "I Found you!"

    Just as Lucius was about to leave the village, a familiar voice echoed behind him.

    It was the voice from a past he didn''t want to remember.

    He would have preferred not to see her again. But there was no other choice. Lucius turned around and answered the owner of the voice to put an end to his past.

    "It''s been a long time... Elena."

    My worst childhood friend has grown up, and was now even more beautiful than the last time I saw her.

    But her personality was still as bad as ever. She was looking at Lucius with her arms crossed in an intimidating way.

    Apparently, she was still as bad as before.

    "I was so worried about you since you disappeared. It''s been almost a year since I last saw you. But since you''re here again, that must mean you''ve come back to get back together with me, right? If those are your intentions... I''d have to tear you to pieces as punishment for betraying me, but... Since I''m such a kind person, I''ll forgive you this time."

    The rude and highly superior demeanor Elena conveyed made Lucius recall his ugly past.

    1 year ago, he would have given in to that attitude before, but not now. Now that he has become a very strong person, and met two very kind and far more beautiful women than Elena, he won''t be a toy ever again.

    "You''re kidding, right? Don''t be silly. I''ve been putting up with your tyranny for many years. I shudder at the thought of having been with a woman as violent as you who doesn''t know what love and compassion are."

    "What...?"

    Elena is surprised at Lucius'' behavior and frowns.

    Seeing her disgusted face, Lucious can''t help but laugh."

    "How dare you stand up to me!!! I won''t forgive you...! Looks like you need to be taught a lesson!!!"

    Saying those words, Elena throws a punch. The old Lucious wouldn''t have been able to react to a blow like that, but now things were different.

    Lucious builds up his Qigong in his left hand, and catches the fist without a flinch.

    "Ugh! It''s...not...possible. How could you even be able to stop my attack!?"

    "It''s extremely sad that you only see yourself, isn''t it, Elena? You don''t even think about the possibility that others might get stronger."

    "Shut up!!! Lucious should just listen to what I say!!!"

    Elena, even more enraged, continued to launch attacks towards Lucious.

    They were very predictable attacks, which even Lucious was able to dodge with his eyes closed.

    "Impossible, why won''t my attacks land!?"

    Elena was surprised.

    It was a natural reaction, since she thought Lucius hadn''t changed during all these years.

    But she was wrong. Lucius'' strength had not only increased, but his mind had been trained by his masters to be much stronger.

    In the past when Elena teased him, he would get very angry, but now he only felt sorry for her.

    I had already lost the desire to get revenge on my pathetic childhood friend, but.. In order for me to bury my old self, I must defeat her first.

    As Elena hesitated whether to launch her next attack, Lucius approached her in an instant, throwing a front kick to her helpless belly with all the bitterness he had felt.

    "Qigong art, 3rd offensive technique, Shiranui!!!"

    The high speed attack that Lucius used on Elena was something he learned from Rio. It''s a technique so fast that it causes friction and the result is your legs going up in flames. There was no way arrogant little Elena could dodge such an attack.

    Elena them received the attack, letting out a pained "Uaagh!" on impact, then fell to her knees and collapsed on the ground, at the same time sobbing silently.

    The impact of the kick would have hit the internal organs, even if it was moderate. She should not be able to move for a short period of time.

    "I have to go, Elena. From now on, I hope you won''t keep bothering other people. Goodbye."

    With those words, Lucious left town as Elena trailed behind him, meekly crawling on the ground, watching him walk away.

    "Lucius... I will definitely make you mine..."

    But Elena''s words failed to reach Lucious'' ears.

    As Lucius left the village, he remembered the question he''d asked Demon Lord Testarossa before.

    "What is the first thing I should do when I get out of the infinite prison?"

    "First of all, you have to gather information about the hero who sealed us. The only way to break this seal is to be the hero."

    "But, the hero is a human, right? If so, he''s already dead, so how can I find out?"

    When Lucius asked this, Testarossa thought a bit and then spoke.

    "If you are a hero, you must take steps to insure that your blood won''t disappear. So there must be descendants of the hero somewhere."

    "I see... So I should look for the hero''s descendants first! Tess Onee-chan, you''re very smart!"

    "Fufu, well, if you have questions again, ask your Onee-chan. Of course I mean me, not Rio!"

    And that was the end of the conversation.

    The first thing I have to do is to look for the descendants of the hero Oger. But Lucius is a boy who grew up in a village in the middle of nowhere, so he didn''t know the whereabouts of said descendants. As such, he thought of a possible place to get that information.

    "Hmm, when it comes to this kind of thing... I think the kingdom is the right place."

    The Kingdom of Exadle is about three days away from the village by carriage.

    Lucius has never been there, only knowing about it through stories he had been told.

    Convinced that the hero''s descendants must be in there, Lucius declared; "All right! Let''s get going!" and started running.

    And so began the first step of Lucius Vardy''s great adventure.

 CH 13

    "Hmm, I got lost."

    An hour after leaving town, Lucius was already lost.

    "Uhm... If this is north, then this must be east...?"

    I was wondering which direction to go as I looked at the map, but there was no answer.

    "Ugh, I don''t understand this tattered map... I should have asked the village chief how to get there. Or I could have just gone the right way from the start instead of taking this stupid shortcut. I guess I have no choice but to go back to town and start from the beginning. If I can track the chief''s magic, I''ll easily make it to the village."

    As Lucius thought about how to get back to the village, another idea crossed his mind.

    "That''s right, magic! I just have to detect it to get to the kingdom."

    If there is a large amount of magical power concentrated in one place nearby, it should be the kingdom.

    Lucius thought so and decided to act immediately.

    "Magic detection!"

    A spell that expands the sensory organs. That''s the magic detection skill Lucius learned from Testarossa.

    Testarossa said that although demons are good at detecting magic, it is a difficult skill for humans to learn, and only a small number can use a wide range of magic detection.

    In Lucius'' case, it took more than 100 years of training to be able to use this ability to perfection.

    Since the detection range has become quite wide, Lucius feels confident that he can find his destination, so he begins to meditate.

    After a few seconds of meditation, Lucius detects a couple hundred people nearby. Perhaps it''s a village, because in a kingdom, there should be many, many more people.

    As he continued to widen his detection range, he suddenly found a ridiculous amount of magic in one place.

    "Wow, that''s really dense! I can''t even count how many people there must be. So that must be the kingdom... But first."

    Lucius turns around and speaks into the dense forest.

    "Come out, I know you''re there..."

    With those words, a huge shadow appears, knocking down the trees.

    The true identity of the shadow was a huge bear-like demonic beast. Its fur was dark black, it''s claws large and sharp, with a set of fangs similar to swords .

    Its eyes are bloodshot and gloomy, and its mouth dripping with drool.

    "I guess you are the mighty beast the chief was talking about..."

    A demonic bear is at least five meters long.

    This kind of monster is not common here. Perhaps it was in search of food.

    "Grrrrrrr...!"

    The demonic beast threatened Lucius as it drooled.

    I can''t let it keep wandering around this area looking for food. I can run away and leave it here, but there''s a chance it might attack my village.

    At that moment, Lucius decided that he had to defeat the beast here and now.

    "Guruar!!!"

    The beast swings its claws towards Lucius.

    It was such a powerful attack that it can kill a person if it hits him. But after Rio taught Lucious Qigong, his physical abilities have skyrocketed to the point where he is continuously under the magic of strengthening.

    Taking advantage of his physical strength, Lucious moves faster than the bear''s claws, moves before the beast''s chest, and strikes it with his fists using a deadly attack.

    "Qigong style offensive technique; Meteoric iron fist!"

    Lucius'' right fist collided with the beast with explosive force, causing it to fly off the ground and crash into some nearby rocks, it then made an agonized sound before it stopped moving.

    "Looks like I managed to defeat it in one hit. This is the first time I''ve used my skills in real combat."

    The beast''s attack had been so fast, the former Lucius would not have been able to dodge such an attack. It was likely that the boy would''ve died on his first attempt once upon a time, but thanks to Testarossa and Rio, the situation was completely different now.

    "Now, let''s continue the journey."

    Lucius resumes his journey with high hopes for the kingdom he has yet to see.

 CH 14

    It takes three days to get from the village to the kingdom by carriage. Walking, however, takes twice as long. But it''s much easier now that Lucius has mastered the art of Qigong to improve his physical ability. Although this generates a lot of stress on the individual''s body, resulting in extreme bodily and muscle pain. It is a natural side effect of forcing your muscles to go past their limits using magic.

    However, there is no need to worry because the Qigong technique he was using strengthens the body itself.

    "Qigong Art... Flying Legs!"

    This technique concentrates Ki in the legs, causing the body to move lightly as if it had wings.

    Using this technique, Lucius ran all over the road as if he was flying.

    (Wow! The scenery around me passes by in an instant just by running lightly! Until now, I had only used this skill in the infinite prison, so there was nothing to see, but it''s really nice to use it outdoors!!!)

    Trees, lakes, animals, mountains, and colorful scenes of nature appear and disappear before Lucius'' eyes as he runs around the place.

    "Yaaaaaaaaahoooooooooooo!!!!"

    The birds and animals watch in amazement as Lucius runs at great speed while screaming loudly.

    He didn''t know running could be so much fun since he would always get exhausted after a short run before his training. Lucius forgot about the time as he was running, jumping and rolling over and over again.

    After several hours, he had reached the kingdom, and it was still daylight.

    "Hahaha, I think I got a little carried away."

    I had planned to camp in the middle of the field for the night, but surprisingly, I arrived before dark. There are still two hours before the sun goes down.

    However, if I arrived earlier, I had no choice but to enter the kingdom, even if it was sooner than planned.

    Lucius decides to do so and heads for the large gate in the wall surrounding the kingdom. That is probably the entrance.

    As I approached, I saw that there were about ten people lined up in a row.

    Some are dressed in leather armor with swords at their waists, while others carry carts full of goods.

    From their appearance, I assumed they were adventurers and merchants. It seems that a variety of people come and go to the kingdom.

    "Next!"

    A middle-aged man wearing metal armor and holding a spear calls out to the people in line. It seems that this man is the kingdom''s gatekeeper, and it appears that each person must undergo a proper immigration inspection to enter.

    "Please show me your papers."

    When the gatekeeper says that, a person who appears to be an adventurer pulls out a paper from his pocket and hands it to you. After confirming the information on said paper, he tells him he can come in, and the next person steps forward.

    When Lucius sees that, he gets impatient.

    "Uh, am I supposed to submit an identification paper to enter the kingdom? No one told me that! Tess Onee-chan didn''t tell me that either!"

    Perhaps that rule was established while Testarossa was sealed away. If so, then no wonder she hadn''t informed Lucius.

    "Next!"

    While I was thinking about what to do, the line continued to move forward.

    I wonder what will happen if they find out I don''t have the necessary papers. Maybe they will catch me and throw me in jail. I could force my way out if I want to, but if I do that, I might become a criminal.

    I don''t want to be a criminal, especially not at such a young age.

    "Maybe I should steal someone else''s immigration papers... No, I can''t do that."

    "Next!"

    "Oh, yes!"

    Lucius'' turn had finally come, and he was very nervous about what was about to happen.

    What am I going to do, I still haven''t thought of anything!

    When I approached the guard, I became very nervous... For some reason, the guard started looking at me.

    Lucius was very nervous about the situation, and stiffened his body in case something troublesome was about to happen. At that moment, the little boy heard something that left him shocked.

    "Hm!? Aren''t you a candidate for the Academy of Magic''s entrance exams!?"

    "....Eh?"

    Academy of Magic? I''ve never heard of it before. But I guess this is my chance to get past the gate without any papers.

    "Uh, yeah."

    "Then what are you still doing here!? The test is about to begin!!! Hurry up and get moving!!!"

    The guard at the gate says those words as he carefully pushes Lucius through the gates.

    "Wait, so I can go in now!?"

    "Of course! Go to the testing center, quickly! The examination room is right out front once you get inside!"

    Not knowing what was going on, Lucius is led through the gate and left alone inside.

    "Do your best kid! I hope you pass!"

    The guardian smiled at Lucius and gave him a thumbs up. Lucius didn''t know what was going on, but he was happy that he was able to enter the kingdom.

 CH 15

    As I entered the realm, I was met with a massive amount of people... Many people wandered around, and as far as the eye could see.

    I''ve seen so many people in a few seconds that I''ve lost count.

    I heard many stories of this place, but this is more than I imagined. I almost got dizzy just looking at them.

    The place where it was now, just beyond the big door Lucius had entered, was a square, from which a road stretched out in three directions.

    According to a sign nearby, it looks like each road leads to a shopping area, a residential area, and a school area.

    I''m guessing that over there is the school district, and that''s where the Academy of Magic the gatekeeper mentioned is.

    "I admire the school, but it''s not my thing."

    I''m sure it''s a lot of fun to make friends, play games, study, and learn a lot of things.

    But right now there are things that take precedence, so I have to be patient.

    "First I need to gather information. Hmm, I think the best place to get information is... A tavern."

    But Lucius was still a child. He would be taken out of such a place before he could say anything.

    In the event a tavern was inaccessible, Lucius thought of his second choice: the adventurer''s guild. Adventurers can be children too, so it''s something less flashy than a tavern.

    If I become an adventurer, It''ll make it easier to get permits to enter other cities and countries and earn money. It''s like killing two birds with one stone.

    "Well, let''s do that!"

    Lucius decides that the adventurer''s guild would be his next destination, but the moment he looks away from the sign, a stranger starts calling out to him.

    "Hey, are you lost? The Academy of Magic is over there! You''re still in time, so go, hurry up!"

    "Huh? Huh!?"

    The one who approached him was a beautiful woman.

    Apparently, just like the gatekeeper, she also mistook Lucius for a student who was about to take the Academy''s entrance exam.

    "N-No, I''m not going to..."

    "I know you''re afraid of getting lost, so come on, I''ll go with you, don''t worry about a thing!"

    "Hey! Let go of me, I''m telling you...! Why are you so strong!?"

    As such, Lucius was dragged by a woman who appeared out of nowhere and was now headed for the Academy of Magic''s examination room.

    The Royal Frey Academy of Magic.

    The magic academy''s official name.

    The academy, which was created using 20% of the kingdom''s vast territory, can be called a small country, and the students there number in the thousands.

    The reason why the kingdom puts so much effort into this academy is because they fear a war with the empire, which they aren''t on good terms with, and this academy is used to discover, train and recruit powerful warriors for the kingdom.

    For this reason, it is said that excellent graduates receive considerable support from the kingdom. That is why there is a flood of applicants from all over the world, and an examination is held to select the best among them.

    This is the information about the school that the woman made me listen to as she dragged me along.

    "Here we are, this is the testing center!"

    She took me to a square where there were many people.

    At the center, people who appeared to be applicants for admission were taking various tests.

    "Please complete the test procedure quickly!""

    "Eeeh!?"

    The woman shoved me forward with her sword and I was forced to go to the reception desk in the testing center.

    "...Oh well. I guess I have no choice, since I''ve made it this far, I''ll give it a shot. It was thanks to the excuse I used about this Academy that I was able to get into this kingdom, so I''ll give it a try."

    With that thought, Lucius headed to the front desk to fill in his name and complete his registration.

    To ensure that as many people as possible can take the test, participation in the test has been made easier. You can take the test regardless of your nationality, as long as you are between the ages of ten and sixteen, and there is no fee to pay for the test. I was glad they didn''t ask for my immigration papers.

    "Once you''ve signed up, you''ll have to take a magical aptitude test. Go to the room over there." Said the receptionist.

    Lucius went to the magic aptitude testing room nearby.

    There was a target-like object made of wooden planks floating in the distance, and the exam takers were shooting magic at it.

    As Lucious approached the place, someone who seemed to be the examiner in charge spoke to him.

    "So you''re next. I''m going to ask you to attack that target with magic, this way we can determine how well the skills are given. You can use whatever magic you want, and destroy as many targets as you can in a short amount of time."

    There were ten targets at a distance of about thirty meters.

    The rest of the guys in the test were desperately trying to destroy the targets by shooting fireballs and wind blades, but most of them didn''t even manage to land a hit.

    At first, Lucius felt that the magic was too complicated to do, and even if it was the same magic Testarossa taught him, it wasn''t equally comparable in strength and beauty. Lucius thought these skills probably weren''t worthy of such a good teacher.

    "Next! Lucius Vardy!"

    Hearing his name, Lucius takes position.

    The examiner begins to use magic to levitate the targets into the distance and moves them erratically.

    Honestly, Lucius was going to take this exam slowly and properly, but then he stopped himself.

    For if he used magic in a random way like that, even with the intention of passing a simple exam, he felt that he would be insulting Testarossa for having taught him how to use magic.

    Therefore, he thought the best way would be to end that game once and for all.

    "Super Flame!"

    The huge flames that shot out from Lucius'' hands advanced at high speed as they scorched the ground, turning the ten targets into smoldering coals in an instant.

    I think I exaggerated a bit, but this should have gotten me the top score.

    "Well, how did I do? Examiner-san?"

    Lucius said as he approached the examiner.

    But the man didn''t answer at all, because.....

    "Examiner-san? Are you listening to me?"

    "..........."

    ˇ­.The examiner had fainted, his eyes rolling back into his skull.

 CH 16

    [An interview in the future]

    "....Well now, let''s start with the interview. Regus-Sensei, can you tell me what your first meeting with him was like?"

    "Yes. I''ll never forget that day during the Academy of Magic''s entrance exams. The exams were about to end, and that boy appeared out of nowhere.

    "He seemed like someone normal and ordinary. I also felt that he was a bit trustworthy."

    "....That''s surprising. How was it that you recognized his abnormality?"

    "You can''t after seeing him. I was the one who examined his aptitude for magic, and all of a sudden, he used a spell that I thought was impossible for someone his age, if you can believe it!"

    "....Are you telling me he used advanced magic? It''s hard to believe that a child would have used something like that. Only a few people in the country are able to accomplish such a feat!!!"

    "Exactly. Even I, a master at magic, can only use intermediate magic. Well, almost intermediate magic... It''s a little embarrassing, hahahaha"

    "....That''s a very interesting story. He''s a student with legendary power. So what was the next thing that kid did when he left the exam?"

    "---------"

    "....Regus-sensei?

    "....I don''t know."

    "...Why?"

    "..........Because I was so surprised by his magic that I had fainted."

    "Um, Examiner-san, are you okay!?"

    Lucius rushes over to the examiner Regus, whose eyes have rolled back and is exhaling and letting out a ''kyuuu'' sound.

    He was completely stunned by the impact of Lucius'' magic. And not only examiner Regus, but many students who were nearby were also astonished.

    Lucius was worried about the strange situation, so he approached another examiner who was nearby.

    "Um, excuse me, the examiner-san in charge if my evaluation has fainted. Does this mean I''m disqualified...?"

    "Huh! No no, not at all... Go take the other test, I''ll take care of him. Hey, get a nurse, this guy''s unresponsive!"

    Upon hearing those words, Lucius'' face lit up and he bowed his head.

    "Thank you very much. Please tell him I''m sorry when he wakes up."

    The examiner mutters to himself as he watches Lucius head towards the next exam room.

    "Compared to this kid... All the freshmen here are really weak..."

    After that, Lucius continued to do surprisingly well on the exams one after another.

    He threw a punch that smashed a device used to measure physical strength. Next, he blew up another device with which you can measure the amount of magic you possess by pouring a little bit into it.

    The written test was the part that Lucius had the most trouble in. He did not have extensive knowledge of the past, but he was able to answer without problems because he had learned a little from the stories that Testarossa told him.

    The test was about magical knowledge, and Lucius'' results made the exam room shake. The examiners had never seen or heard of a theory like the one Lucius mentioned, so much so that the examiners had to verify whether his theory was correct.

    However, it was impossible to prove whether Lucius'' words were correct in such a short time, so the examination had to stop.

    Behind the scenes, one of the examiners in charge of this test was pleading for Lucius to be admitted to the Academy, as he was demonstrating skills and knowledge never seen before.

    As Lucius waited, the rumor that an amazing boy with great skills was excelling in all the admission tests had spread around. Both the teachers and students were already echoing his presence.

    "Hmmm, I feel like everyone is looking at me..."

    The stares on Lucious make the boy''s skin crawl.

    "Hey, go talk to him...."

    "No, you go...."

    No one wanted to talk to the mysterious boy who had appeared out of nowhere, but one of the students taking the test went over to talk to him.

    "Hi. Can I talk to you for a second?"

    "Huh?"

    The person who approached Lucius was a handsome young man with dazzling blonde hair.

    His eyes were blue, and his face was sweet. He was someone very attractive and picturesque, Lucius thought.

    "H-Hello, my name is Lucius. It''s a pleasure to meet you."

    "My name is Yuri, nice to meet you too."

    Yuri returns the greeting and shakes Lucius'' hand.

    Lucius, who is not used to this kind of thing, gets a little embarrassed.

    "Fufu, you don''t have to be so formal. After all, we are students taking the same exam."

    "Oh yes!!! Well... Yuri, why are you talking to me?"

    "Well, the reason I''m talking to you is simple: You''re attracting a lot of attention. Your results are out of the ordinary."

    "Ah..."

    I think I went too far. I regret what I''ve done.

    For Lucius, this exam was something of a game. Although he tried his best to avoid drawing too much attention to himself, or engaging in any behavior that would expose all his power, he inevitably got distracted and made everyone focus on him.

    "I thought this year''s top student would be that girl, since she''s also been getting excellent results... But I never thought that someone like you would also appear."

    "That girl...? Is there someone else who''s doing well in the exam?"

    "Hm? You still don''t know, Lucius? The whole country is talking about it."

    "Hehe, well, the truth is that I''ve just arrived in this country."

    When Lucius said that, Yuri started to think and muttered to himself.

    "So he just arrived in this country, I see. So he must not know anything about what''s going on, though I find no reason why he should lie either. He doesn''t seem like a bad guy..."

    "Yuri? What''s wrong?"

    "Sorry, I got lost in my thoughts. So you want to know who she is?"

    "Yes, tell me."

    Yuri responds to Lucius'' words.

    "The person who is among the best students taking the entrance exam... Is none other than the descendant of the legendary hero Oger!"

 CH 17

    "Hm? Are you very curious about her? Well, no wonder. I guess the fact that she''s a descendant of the legendary hero Oger is something that gives her a bit of mystery. Almost all children long to be like her."

    "Yes, exactly that..."

    Of course, Lucius was one of those kids who longed to be a hero.

    He''s always had a yearning for power, and that yearning was to be stronger than the other kids.

    "The hero''s descendant is here...!"

    At that moment, a dark emotion wells up from Lucius'' heart.

    But it is somewhat understandable. The hero was the one who sealed the two most important people in this world to Lucius. He knows that the descendants are not the ones responsible for such an act, but he still can''t help but feel embittered.

    "And... what kind of person is she?"

    But now it''s different.

    It is unclear why the hero sealed the Demon and Dragon Lords.

    In the past, the Demon Lord and the Dragon Lord were said to be the rightful masters of evil, but in reality, the two were not evil.

    And that fact was enough to change Lucius'' mind about wanting to be a hero.

    "Fufu, don''t be in such a hurry, very soon it will come to you. After all, the current hero is a complete tomboy."

    "A tomboy?"

    It is very difficult to relate the words "hero" and "tomboy."

    It is said that the legendary hero Oger was a kind and noble person.

    "Ah, speak of the devil...."

    Yuri noticed the situation unfolding and motioned for Lucious to turn around.

    Looking in that direction, Lucius sees someone running towards him.

    The person was a beautiful girl with pink hair.

    Her nose was well defined, and her lips were cherry colored. She was a little shorter than Lucius, but had beautiful firm breasts of a decent size.

    "That''s the girl?"

    "Yes, she''s the descendant of the legendary hero."

    The girl suddenly stops in front of Lucius, and begins to stare at him with an overbearing attitude.

    "W-what''s wrong?"

    "Hmm, are you the rumored student? You seem weaker than I expected."

    "Uh..."

    The girl''s rude words were enough to make Lucius lose his temper.

    When Lucious tried to respond, Yuri stopped him and controlled the situation.

    "That''s not the right way to talk to someone you just met, Yudelia-kun."

    "Oh, Yuri. What are you doing with this guy?"

    I don''t know what kind of relationship Yuri has with this girl, but it seems like they''ve known each other before.

    "You seem pretty upset, what''s wrong?"

    "You should know by now. I''m about to lose the number one spot on the exam just because this guy is doing better than me. It''s an unforgivable mistake for me, who is the descendant of the legendary hero, to lose to such a weak and timid looking man."

    After hearing that reason, Lucius is even more confused.

    But it seems to be a big problem for the girl in front of him, and she was still staring at Lucious with a murderous gaze while talking to Yuri.

    "Regardless, the exams are already over. Your grades won''t change even if you talk to Lucius."

    Yuri is right, all the tests are over and all we can do is wait for the results.

    Yuri thought that Yudelia had come all the way here to annoy Lucius, but then she says something that leaves them both surprised.

    "Hmmm. You''re not as bright as I thought you were, Yuri."

    "...What do you mean?"

    "I''m going to prove it instead of saying it."

    Yudelia said as she threw her glove at Lucius'' chest, making it land at his feet.

    Even Lucius, who was raised in the countryside, knows that means he has been challenged to a duel.

    If he picks up the glove, there would be no turning back.

    "If I win, you won''t be able to enter this Academy, and you''ll leave the way you came. And if you winˇ­ Then I''ll become your slave, or whatever you want."

    As soon as the girl says those words, she looks at Lucious with provocative eyes.

    Her expression is filled with absolute confidence that gives an air of; ''I won''t be defeated by anything or anyone''.

    "There''s no point in accepting something like that, Lucious. Don''t listen to her."

    Yuri grabbed Lucious by the shoulders and advised him not to pick up the glove.

    It certainly hadn''t made sense to fall for the provocative games of someone like her, but Lucius had a reason to accept the duel.

    (If I win this, I might be able to get information about the hero...!)

    I''m not at all interested in her being my slave, but if I win this, I''ll ask her for the information I need.

    Thus, Lucious picked up the glove, opposing Yuri''s words.

    "I accept your challenge."

    "Ho... Well, it looks like you have a lot of courage. I apologize for calling you weak. However, I''m not going to go easy on you."

    Lucius stares at the girl, her posture of magnificence remaining strong.

    I can''t lose. If I fail to defeat the hero''s descendant, I will never find a way to break the seal of the legendary hero.

 CH 18

    There was a crowd of people surrounding the examination room''s square.

    In the middle were two people, the first being Lucius, who will duel, and the second, a girl who is a descendant of the hero.

    The story of the duel between the mysterious boy and the hero''s descendant spread quickly among the students, and almost everyone in the examination hall had gathered to witness the battle.

    Of course, the examiners were no exception, as they were curiously watching the battle between the two examinees possessing unimaginable powers.

    One of the examiners, Regus, who had fainted upon seeing Lucius'' magic up close, was watching the situation with much concern.

    "Do you agree with them dueling, Yuri-Sama...? If anyone gets hurt, it will be my head."

    "Don''t worry, Regus-sensei, I''m going to take full responsibility for whatever happens. I guess the rest of the teachers are worried too."

    "Yes, they are..."

    Regus-sensei couldn''t help but think about Lucius'' first test.

    That boy had used "Super Flame."

    Magic bearing the name "super" could only be mastered with natural talent and bloody effort, so he struggled to understand how a boy his age could use something so powerful.

    And it was even more puzzling that an unknown boy like him, who was not a descendant of a hero, could use something like that.

    ''I want to know more about his power'', thought Regus-sensei.

    Regus-sensei, who was normally a pacifist, felt his heart dancing to the rhythm of the mysterious existence that appeared in front of him.

    "Alright, Yuri-sama, I''ll be prepared... But, if anything happens, will you really help me!?"

    "Fufu, of course. Then, sensei, can you please be the referee? Be careful not to hurt yourself, okay?"

    "Huh?! Me?!"

    Regus-sensei is surprised at Yuri''s sudden words.

    At first he shook his head vehemently, but under Yuri''s silent pressure, he reluctantly agreed.

    "Why do I have to do it?"

    Regus mumbles softly as he approaches the center of the place.

    As he approached the two students, Regus felt a sickening cold sweat break out all over his body.

    "I hope this is some kind of joke... Why is the fighting spirit in these two so high?"

    The air surrounding Lucius and  was filled with a mixture of fighting spirit and murderous spirit.

    Even Regus, who was an adult,fled from the dense fighting spirit, shuddered at the thought of this being produced by two such young boys.

    But he decided to desperately suppress his feelings of wanting to run away and do his best to explain the rules of the school duel.

    "The duel will end once one of the opponents decides to surrender, is unconscious or becomes incapacitated during the fight. You are to avoid murdering each other, or throwing blows and spells with the intent of taking your opponent''s life. The one who murders their opponent will be brought before the law and imprisoned pending their trial. The use of weapons and magic is permitted. Fight with pride and honor!"

    Following those words, Regus keeps his distance from the two of them.

    "Fufu, why don''t you just admit your defeat? That way you''ll save yourself from getting hurt."

    "......"

    Lucius doesn''t respond to the girl''s provocations, instead he bumps fist against his hand to indicate that he''s ready.

    Seeing that, the girl smiles and pulls a sword from her waist, then points it at Lucius.

    The blade of her sword is as long as her arm, and glows with a pale pink color. At first glance, it looks like a pretty sword, but Lucius instantly realizes that it is a dangerous sword.

    "It''s time for you to draw your weapon."

    But Lucius still doesn''t draw his weapon, instead he continues to hold his fists up.

    Lucius had a great desire to draw his sword, but he promised Rio that he would only use the Dragon Lord''s sword in potentially deadly battles. In a situation like this, it wasn''t necessary.

    "Are you trying to tell me that you can beat me with your bare hands? You''re greatly underestimating me... In that case, I''ll have to engrave the power of the hero on your body!"

    The girl thought Lucius was mocking her for not drawing her sword, so she hurriedly swings the blade and points it at Lucious.

    "My name is Charlotte Eudelia, descendant of the legendary hero! I will defeat you in the name of my great ancestor!"

    Charlotte''s sword attack approaches Lucious at high speed. Except for a few students, a vast majority of the audience cannot follow the fast movement with their eyes.

    But in response to that great sword attack, Lucious just holds his fists high, not even showing any signs of wanting to use magic.

    (Does this guy want to die!?)

    Charlotte became nervous when she saw Lucius not flinching.

    Because she''s putting all her strength in her attack, she can''t even try to stop herself anymore, so she thought she would end up killing him.

    ''I thought he would manage to dodge this attack because of the outstanding grades he got in all of his exams... This can''t be possible'', thought Charlotte

    I never thought he would be so weak! What did I just do...?!

    At the moment Charlotte began to feel pity from the depths of her heart, Lucius'' fist moved.

    "Qigong style 5th defensive technique, Tank Shell!!!"

    Lucius shouted, and quickly caught Charlotte''s sword with his right forearm. The sword blade bounced back causing a great metallic clang, as if the sword had struck a metal plate.

    After receiving that unexpected counterattack, Charlotte looks at Lucius dumbfoundedly.

    ''My sword that is capable of cutting even iron in twoˇ­. He repelled it with his bare hands?!''

    "Who are you...!?"

    Lucius answers Charlotte''s question by shaking his fist.

    "My name is Lucious Vardy. I''m not a hero, nor a demon lord, nor descendant of either. I''m just an ordinary person."

    Lucios looked at his opponent with narrowed eyes.

    Come on, hero, show me what you''ve got.

 CH 19

    [Tank Shell], a 5th level defensive technique.

    It is able to harden a part of the body, making it as resistant to impact as a diamond.

    [Ironclad] is another technique that also works to harden the whole body, but the [Tank Shell] grants defensive power that surpasses that of [Ironclad] at the cost of reducing it to a specific area.

    In addition, body parts that are not hardened can move freely, making it a technique that can be applied more effectively on the body unlike [Ironclad], which greatly reduces mobility.

    "Hahhhhhhhhhh!!!"

    Charlotte launches another attack at high speed that is imperceptible to ordinary people, but Lucius calmly blocks it, having stiffened both his arms.

    Sometimes Charlotte''s attacks would hit, and sometimes he would repel them.

    But with every mistake, Lucius learned a lot from his opponent, so most of the attacks were parried by his arms.

    (Who the heck is this guy?! He keeps stopping every single one of my attacks with his hands! I just don''t get it!!!!)

    Sweat begins to drip down Charlotte''s forehead.

    She had never lost to an adult, and she had never fought so hard. And yet, she couldn''t see the possibility of winning against such a weak looking kid her age.

    But she never loses her cool and changes tactics. This flexibility is the secret to her strength, and why she''s said to be the second coming of the legendary hero at a young age.

    "Flying Cherry Blossom Blade!!!"

    Charlotte decided to change her plan. She lengthened the distance between her and Lucius to release a multi-layered magic blade attack in the shape of a cherry blossom''s petals.

    Lucius dodged it with time to spare, but the attack didn''t end there.

    "Amazing, but do you think you''ll be able to dodge all of these?"

    Above Charlotte''s head, the blades from before became innumerable, morphing into a beautiful cherry blossom that adorned the sky.

    "Take that! Cherry Blossom Storm!"

    All those beautiful petals scattered and turned into a large number of blades that attacked Lucius.

    The power of each one wasn''t that great, but if all the blades hit you at once, it was inevitable that you would suffer great damage.

    "H-Hey! Is it really okay to use that attack!?"

    Regus, who is refereeing, mutters worriedly as he sees the magic.

    However, the battle had surpassed the level where Regus could intervene. But still, just as he was about to make a desperate attempt to fulfill his role, Yuri stopped him in his tracks.

    "Yuri-sama, don''t try to stop me! I''m the examiner and I''m here to..."

    "Please remain calm, Sensei. Look at Lucius'' eyes, there''s a lot of determination in them."

    It''s just as Yuri said. Lucius was staring at the countless blades coming at him.

    There was no hint of resignation in his eyes. In fact, he was delighted to see that kind of magic for the first time.

    "This kind of magic is not simple. That large number of blades, it takes a lot of magic to manifest them."

    Lucius smiled and dove at the blades coming at him as he spun and cast a spell.

    "Radial flames!!!"

    The flames that were generated around Lucius as he spun caused a swirl of fire around him, destroying all the blades as they collided against him.

    As Lucius continued to spin, the fire expanded, causing the determined radius of the flames to expand, until a fireball with a radius of about 10 meters was formed.

    The magic that Charlotte had cast on Lucius had vanished in the huge spiral of fire that he generated on the spot.

    "It''s... Impossible..."

    I can''t believe it.

    The swordplay I''ve trained with, the magic I''ve inherited from my ancestors... Nothing works against him.

    I can''t lose. The blood of the legendary hero runs through my veins. I have to live up to my family''s expectations.

    If I don''t... I would be betraying the people who look up to me for being the hero.

    That was the reason Charlotte insisted on being number one. She was trying to live up to the ideal hero image the kingdom had drawn in her.

    And it had gone well until today. But the boy who appeared in front of her easily shattered her goals.

    "Hmm, is that all?"

    The fire went out and Lucius appeared from within.

    For the first time in my life, I can feel something akin to despair when I see that he hasn''t even run out of breath after using so much magic.

    But I''m not going to give up... I grabbed my sword and started running towards him. I''m going to become the ideal hero for everyone.

    "I... I can''t lose to you!!!"

    Lucious once again catches her sword using [Tank Shell].

    "I have to be the hero that everyone wishes for! That is whyˇ­ I''m here!"

    Charlotte''s family is a family of heroes.

    However, not everyone succeeds in awakening the power of the hero. And even if you inherit the power of a hero, you can''t become one until you unleash that full potential. There are no shortcuts in this life, you must strive until you bleed.

    Nearly 300 years after the birth of the legendary hero Oger, no one seemed to fully become a hero, until Charlotte was born.

    Therefore, the expectations and pressure placed on Charlotte, who was born with many of the hero''s gifts, were unimaginable, and she spent her childhood in blood, sweat and toil.

    If you spend your childhood in such an environment, it''s no wonder you feel bowed down by this situation.

    "I see, so you''ve had a hard time too..."

    Lucius could feel his heart cry out in disgust as he stopped her sword.

    Those who suffered because they had no power, and those who suffered because they had power.

    Lucius and Charlotte''s circumstances were completely opposite, but somehow they were similar.

    "In that case, I will save you from that curse if necessary."

    Much as my two teachers saved me back then....

    Lucius strengthens the Qigong in his arms as he makes his choice, but on the other hand, the speed of Charlotte''s sword increases to an insane level.

    "I won''t let you, I won''t let you, I won''t let you, I won''t let you!!!"

    The swing of the sword was so powerful, that all the onlookers around her were terrified.

    But Lucious calmly saw through the sword and held his left hand in front of him.

    "Qigong style, Tank Shell variant technique, white blade extraction."

    In the blink of an eye, Lucious held the blade of the sword with his left hand at the same time as it came at him at an almost imperceptible speed.

    Next, with his right hand, he struck the hilt of the sword, and wrenched it out of Charlotte''s hands.

    "Ah...!"

    Charlotte was stunned by the momentary event.

    She has lost her weapon and is in no condition to create magic, so Lucius uses the opportunity to accumulate a large amount of Qigong and unleashes it all in one blow.

    "Qigong style, 1st offensive technique, meteor iron fist."

    I''m dead.

    That was the thought that crossed Charlotte''s mind.

    She instantly understood that Lucius'' last strike had amassed and condensed a great deal of power, and it was very difficult to compete against that strike.

    (So... This is what it feels like to lose.)

    Charlotte collapses to the ground and falls to her knees, as if she had lost all her strength as she felt this sensation for the first time.

    Lucius''s fist came up to her face to deliver the decisive blow, but..... He stopped just before making contact.

    "....Huh?"

    Charlotte is confused by the sudden occurrence, and Lucius unclenches his fist and holds out his hand to her.

    "It means I won, right?"

    Lucius smiled as he said those words. After seeing his face and smile, Charlotte starts to feel strange.

    My heart is pounding, and my face is burning. I have never experienced a feeling like this before. For the first time in my life, I am feeling a strong attraction to a member of the opposite sex.

    .......... But in the next moment, tragedy strikes Charlotte.

    Piiiiiiiisssssshhhhhh

    A sound resembling flowing water echoes through the place.

    The sound came from inside Charlotte''s skirtˇ­.. which was now soaking wet.

 CH 20

    "Fueeeh~...."

    Charlotte let out a pitiful voice at the sound of water leaking out from under her skirt.

    Suddenly, she was relieved to be free of the fear of death, so her emotional brakes ceased to be effective.

    (..... What am I going to do now?!!!!!)

    This is all my fault.

    Lucius feels bad that Charlotte is in a situation like this.

    For now, no one has noticed since they all have their eyes on me because of what I just did, but as soon as everyone sees Charlotte, they will notice this accident.

    If something like this happens... She will be humiliated by the whole school.

    They''ll start calling her the ''Leaking Hero'' or the ''Puddle Hero'' or something like that.

    If Charlotte had remained in her right mind, she would still have been able to do something about it, but she''s in a state of shock, having done something so shameful in public.

    (I can''t let that happen. I have to do something about it...).

    Suddenly a great idea occurred to him, and he began to prepare his magic at high speed.

    "Dark Magic, prison of silence!"

    When Lucius used his spell, a huge square black structure appeared and enveloped Lucius and Charlotte.

    "W-What the hell is that!?"

    The people around were puzzled, so they decide not to approach the mysterious dark box. So no one knows what''s going on inside.

    And within that box, Charlotte comes to her senses.

    "Eh....?! Where am I?! Why is everything black?!"

    Even though the walls were black, there was plenty of light inside.

    Not only that, but it also isolated the sound from the outside, so it was just the two of them in absolute silence.

    "Don''t worry, I just used my magic to hide us in this place alone."

    Charlotte is startled by the sudden situation, but as Lucius speaks calmly she starts to relax.

    "I''ve never seen magic like this before... But now that I think about it, I''m not entirely surprised that you can use something like this."

    Charlotte says as if she''s convinced.

    Seems she''s tired of being surprised.

    "Wait a minute, I''ll help you out."

    With that said, Lucius combines wind magic and fire magic to create hot air, then blows it on Charlotte''s wet clothes and starts to dry them.

    "Hey.. W-Wai...!"

    Charlotte wants to ask Lucious to stop but she couldn''t say such words as she didn''t want to disrespect the boy who is helping her with all his strength.

    Instead, she blushes up to her ears and tears come to her eyes, but Lucius is so focused on drying her clothes that she doesn''t notice.

    "Okay, now all I have to do is magically deodorize and...... Done! Now you''re clean!"

    "Um.. Thanks for your help..."

    Charlotte thanked him as she struggled to hide her embarrassment at how she was about to cry in shame.

    Lucius, seeing that his job was done, decides it''s time to undo the black box he and Charlotte were locked in, but before he does, the girl stops him.

    "Wait! Why are you helping me? I did and said terrible things to you."

    Lucius, upon hearing such a question, answered calmly and with a gentle tone.

    "Because it''s natural to want to help people who are in trouble, isn''t it?"

    When Charlotte heard those words, she was shocked as if struck by lightning.

    Helping people is an act of necessity that Charlotte does out of nature, but as soon as she had heard the rumors about Lucius, she became so jealous that she tried to bring him down instead of wanting to help him.

    Lucius is not a bad guy, but is someone who aspires to help people, just like heroes do.

    "Fufu, I just suffered a massive defeat."

    Charlotte realized that she had lost not only her ability but also her heart, but she felt strangely refreshed.

    In fact, she felt that she could now be stronger than before, because she now had a new goal, and that was to surpass Lucius.

    "Forgive me for being so rude to you, I''m sorry."

    Charlotte bowed her head and continued speaking.

    "I admit that you are stronger than me, both in mind and body."

    "Not at all, you''re underestimating yourself, Charlotte. You''re also very strong!"

    The two young adults blush as they praise each other.

    It''s hard to believe that until a moment ago they were dueling each other.

    "Well, it''s time to undo this magic."

    "Yes."

    As Lucious breaks the spell, the dark box begins to crumble.

    At the same time, Charlotte looks at Lucius and speaks quietly.

    "Um, people who are close to me call me ''Char''."

    "Really?"

    Lucious asked, not understanding the point of the conversation.

    Charlotte''s face turns red as she continues talking.

    "Yes... That''s why... I want Lucius to call me that too!"

    After hearing those words, Lucius got a little embarrassed as he replied; "Well, nice to meet you, Char!"

 CH 21

    Lucius and Char reappear before the spectators as the walls of the box collapse.

    At that moment, Char declared her defeat on the spot.

    The audience was a little surprised to hear those words, but after seeing Lucius'' overwhelming ability, they didn''t find it strange at all.

    The examiner, Regus, approaches them and asks.

    "Are you sure about this, Charlotte-chan?"

    "Yes. I acknowledge my defeat at Lucius'' hands, so please don''t cancel his admission."

    "That''s not what I meant. Sure, it makes me happy to know that Lucius won''t be leaving, but... What about the promise you made before the duel?"

    ""Ah.""

    Lucius and Char both let out a surprised sound upon hearing those words.

    Charlotte had completely forgotten about the promise she made to Lucius.

    "''If you win, I''ll be your slave, or anything else you want.'' Those were your words, Charlotte-chan."

    Promises made before a duel are absolute and cannot be broken.

    In other words, since Charlotte lost, she would become Lucius'' slave.

    "Eeeh... No no, it''s okay, I don''t need a slave."

    "Umm, but the promise before a duel is absolute, Lucius, you can''t just take it back."

    Lucius panics, while Sharo''s face blushes.

    Finally, Char reaches a decision and shouts something unexpected.

    "I-I will do it! I, Charlotte Yudelia, shall from this day forth be Lucius'' slave! I promise on the name of the legendary hero."

    And thus ended Lucius'' hectic entrance exam.

    "You were in a very difficult situation, Lucius."

    After finishing the exam, Lucious is about to leave the room with Sharo, when the blonde young man named Yuri calls out to him.

    "Yeah, I never imagined I would go through something like this, hehe."

    "Fufu, I never thought the least feminine girl I''ve ever met would end up groveling for someone."

    Yuri laughs gleefully at the sight of Charlotte clinging to Lucius.

    "I''m not going to let you get away with this, Yuri."

    Char vows revenge on Yuri with those words, but continues clinging to Lucius'', unwilling to leave his side.

    Every time he moves, her shapely breasts brush against his back, making Lucius get a little excited.

    "By the way, what kind of relationship do you to have? You seem to be good friends."

    When Lucius asks that question nonchalantly, Char looks at Yuri with astonished eyes and begins to speak.

    "Wait, you still haven''t said anything to Lucius? You''re really a handful."

    "Fufu, had I mentioned it to him he would have surely distanced himself from me. I wanted to get to know him better, so I didn''t say anything earlier."

    "What do you mean by that?"

    Lucious fails to grasp both of their words, which serves to generate more doubts in his head. Yuri turns around and apologizes to Lucius.

    "I will introduce myself again. My name is Yuri Von Exadria. I am the first prince of the Kingdom of Exador."

    "Huuuuuuuuuuuhhh!?"

    Lucius is taken aback by this unexpected revelation.

    However, Yuri''s appearance and the way he spoke made him give off an air similar to that of a prince, Lucius thought.

    Now I understand, that''s why they look so close. A prince and the descendant of a hero, it would be strange if they didn''t know each other.

    "So, Yuri... Sorry, should I call you Yuri-sama?"

    "No, Lucius, you don''t need to add the ''-sama''. That''s exactly why I didn''t tell you who I was in the first place, I wanted to avoid that happening. Just see me as an ordinary friend."

    When Yuri made that request, Lucius felt quite puzzled, and wasn''t sure he wanted to, but he ended up reluctantly agreeing.

    "By the way, Lucius, have you secured accomodations for this evening?"

    "Ah! I hadn''t thought of that!"

    Lucius went with the flow and took the exams to enter the Academy, but he didn''t think about other important things, like finding a place to sleep.

    And then he remembered another important thing.

    It was that he entered the country without having any official papers.

    Once he enrolls in the Academy, sooner or later, that particular detail would be found out, and it wouldn''t end well.

    "I don''t know what to do..."

    "Is something wrong, Lucius?"

    Yuri was worried at Lucius'' sudden change of attitude, seeing him turn pale and start sweating.

    Lucius decides to tell Yuri everything, while thinking that hiding it will only make the situation worse.

    ''I don''t have any immigration papers, I also don''t have a place to stay and I don''t have much money.''

    Those were the words Lucious told Yuri.

    "Hmm, so that''s what happened..."

    "Yes, what should I do?"

    The worst thing that can happen is to be forced to leave the country immediately, and Lucius was depressed at thought.

    He managed to strike up a friendship with the hero''s descendant, and now he is close to being taken away from her....

    But the words Yuri spoke next made Lucius'' skin crawl.

    "It''s okay, I''ll take care of everything."

    "What!?"

    "There''s a place I enjoy staying at, so you can stay there as well. And you don''t need to worry about money, since meals are included. It will take me a while to get all your papers ready, but it won''t be impossible."

    Yuri is determined to help Lucius with his immigration problems.

    When Char hears those words, she shoots a startled look at Yuri.

    "That''s very suspicious... Is there any reason you''re going to all that trouble to help Lucius?"

    "Of course there is. Lucius is a potential student for the Academy, I would do anything to make him stay."

    Lucious is surprised at Yuri''s words.

    "I''m an important student?"

    "Of course. The kingdom is in great need of talented students. We require as many people with great skills as possible. That''s why I''m determined to help anyone with great power enter the Academy... If we can increase the Academy''s reputation, then many people from other countries might want to come study here."

    I see. That''s why he''s doing all this for me.

    I feels at ease after those words.

    However, I''m on a mission to save both the Demon and Dragon Lords.

    I wonder if it''s okay for me to live in a school like this.

    Then, as if he had anticipated that thought, Yuri leaned towards me.

    "Of course I''m not thinking of signing you up for the Academy for free. If you accept, I''ll be your patron. I don''t know what you want to do in the future, or what your plans are, but I think you can be of great use to our kingdom."

    It is true that Yuri seems to be intelligent and, above all, powerful. It would be very reassuring to have him as a patron.

    I have to make a decision: Either I leave this kingdom and handle things on my own, or stay in this country and let Char and Yuri help me....

    Lucius thought carefully and gave an answer....

    "...Okay, I will accept your offer, Yuri. I''m very much looking forward to working with you."

    "Fufu, I thought you would say that."

    Having said those words, Yuri and Lucius shake hands.

 CH 22

    The morning of the day after the entrance exam.

    Lucius woke up in bed at a certain inn.

    "Huaaaˇ«ˇ«"

    I feel a little tired after everything that happened yesterday, but also full of energy because of the soft bed I was able to sleep on last night.

    The inn that Yuri brought me to wasn''t too fancy, but it was a very nice place where they paid a lot of attention to the details.

    Once I got up and did my morning stretches, I had a light breakfast and went out on the town.

    The test results will be announced tomorrow, so I decided to take a walk and get a feel for the place.

    "....Eh?"

    The moment he stepped out of the inn, Lucius was met with the figure of a person who looked very familiar. The moment she approached him, she greeted him with a slightly-forced tone.

    "....Good morning."

    "G-Good morning, Char."

    That person was Charlotte Yudelia, the descendant of the legendary hero.

    Lucius was confused by this sudden event.

    Why is she here? Did we make an appointment that I forgot about?

    "What''s the matter? Does it bother you that I came so suddenly?"

    "No, not at all. I''m glad you''re here."

    "Then it''s fine."

    A smile appeared on Char''s face upon hearing those words. Lucius, on the other hand, got a little nervous.

    "You were planning to see the city, right? Come, I''ll show you around."

    Following that, Char takes Lucius by the hand and the two start walking.

    We checked out many clothing stores, tasted delicious foods, and now we are taking a break in a coffee shop.

    I enjoyed doing the things that guys and girls my age do. It''s fun to just relax and watch the sunset.

    This moment was very exciting and enjoyable for Lucius.

    But the more fun he had, the more he felt somewhat indebted to Char.

    Since Lucius'' main goal was to defeat the hero.

    And the most common way to break a seal is to defeat the person who placed it.

    However, the seal placed by the legendary hero Oger has yet to be broken. Demon Lord Testarossa, who was also an expert in sealing techniques, had explained this to Lucious.

    "The hero who sealed Rio and me... He''s possibly still alive."

    "What? What makes you think that the hero is still alive after 300 years? Isn''t that something impossible?"

    "It''s true that for a normal human it would be impossible to live for that long, but... The hero is not someone normal. It''s possible that he''s using some kind of magic to prolong his life, or it''s possible that he''s also created for himself an infinite prison to protect himself from aging."

    "I see... That makes a bit of sense. Then I have no choice but to strive to find the hero and defeat him myself!"

    "Fufu, I''m looking forward to that day."

    The hero Oger is Lucius'' sworn enemy.

    But to Char, he''s a respected ancestor. So he can''t help but feel guilty.

    "Lucius, is something bothering you? You''re looking a bit grim."

    "Huh? No, nothing''s wrong."

    Lucius hurriedly changes his worried expression in front of Char, who was looking at him, worried.

    "By the way, how much do you know about Oger?"

    "Oh, so you''re a fan of the hero too?"

    "Yes, I suppose so, hahaha."

    "I have no problem talking about him, but I also don''t know as much as you think. It''s been 300 years since then. I grew up hearing all kinds of legends, but they''re not much different from what you hear anywhere."

    "I see..."

    Lucius shrugs at the disappointing response.

    Then again, Char isn''t very adept at lying, so she''s most likely not lying to Lucius regarding not knowing anything about the hero.

    "But if you want to know about any items left by my ancestor, there might be a few in my house."

    As soon as Lucius hears those words, a strong feeling of happiness permeates throughout his body."

    "Is that okay!?"

    "Yes, I also have this sword named ''Frau-Kerassos''. Apparently it was the sword used by the hero."

    Following this, Char pulls out the sword she had on her waist and hands it to Lucius.

    The sword was bright pink in color, and it was so mysterious that it made him feel at ease just looking at it.

    "Wow."

    Lucius can''t help but be impressed by the power of the sword.

    After looking at that sword for a few seconds, something strange happens.

    "Hmmm?"

    From within the sword, a strange power flowed into Lucius'' body.

    A strange, warm power that was neither magic nor Ki. It melted into the core of his body, and soon he stopped feeling it.

    "What the heck was that...?"

    I checked my body, but found nothing unusual about it.

    It''s not like his magical or physical abilities had increased. Lucius was curious, but no matter how much he thought about it, he couldn''t figure it out.

    "Is something wrong?"

    "Ah, no, it''s fine. Thanks for letting me see it."

    Lucius returns the sword without explaining what he just experienced, but he kept wondering what it was that he just felt.

    "Lucius, is there somewhere else you want to go?"

    "Ah, no, I''m fine. It''s already late, so I''d better get back to the inn, I have to go to school tomorrow."

    After saying that, Lucius got up and was about to head for the inn, but Char grabs him by his sleeve as she looks Lucius in the eyes and says something bold.

    "Hey, Lucius... Can I walk you back to your room?"

 CH 23

    The sun has gone down and it is now completely dark.

    Lucius and Char were sitting side by side on the bed in the inn.

    "I had a great time today. Thank you, Char."

    "I had fun too, Lucius."

    While Lucius spoke with a sense of dread, Charlotte was unperturbed. And that was because she had already strengthened her resolve.

    ''I''m going to offer myself to Lucius!'' she thought.

    There''s a reason why that girl went from being someone who wasn''t interested in men to behaving in such a carnivorous manner.

    First of all, Charlotte did have an interest in love, but she was only attracted to those who were stronger than her, and until now, she had never been attracted to someone her own age, only to the ancient legendary heroes she heard so much about.

    But then Lucius appeared in front of her.

    And for the first time in her life, Charlotte fell in love with someone who is stronger and kinder than her.

    If she were a normal girl, she would try to close the distance a little more carefully. But she''s a fighter at heart, so she''s going to attack Lucius as if she were hunting her prey.

    "Hey, Lucius. You do know I''m your slave, right?"

    "Um, yeah..."

    Lucius wanted to end their slave relationship, but in this country, there is a law known as the "Slave Law" which states that once a slave has signed a contract, even if it is a verbal contract, it cannot be terminated immediately.

    So, even now, Char is still in the position of being Lucius'' slave.

    Char uses this position to urge Lucius to make his move.

    "And now that you have a slave, don''t you plan to do anything?"

    Char walks up to Lucius and whispers in his ear as she presses her ''assets'' against him.

    Actually, Char was so embarrassed that she wanted to run away, but still she couldn''t stop herself.

    "You can touch if you want to...."

    Char takes Lucius'' hand and presses it against her chest.

    Her embarrassment was well beyond its limits, and she even felt like crying, but she decided to push forward with her act of seduction.

    Lucius, on the other hand, was emotionally conflicted.

    He understood from the very first moment that Char liked him, but he had two important people waiting for his return.

    ''Is it okay to have a relationship without them being present here?''

    That''s what''s got him stuck.

    "Umm..."

    Lucius'' head keeps spinning. He''s confused by the whole situation.

    As he was wondering what he should do, he remembered the words Testarossa once said to him. It was after she and Rio spent the night with him in bed. The words Tess said to Lucious were;

    "I''m glad you think of us, Lucius-kun, but don''t be shy. I won''t blame you if you find someone special in the outside world."

    "But..."

    "It''s okay, don''t worry about it. You''re a good looking guy, I''m sure there will be girls who''ll want to be with you... So don''t hesitate to go for it!"

    Testarossa laughed as she said those words.

    I''m not one to do it with just any girl, but... I guess it would be okay for me to do it with Char? She is my slave after all.

    Thinking about that, Lucius makes up his mind and puts his hands around Sharo''s waist.

    "Hi ~ya! What are you...!"

    Lucius kisses Char despite her surprised reaction to his sudden boldness.

    "Muguh!"

    At first, Char tenses her body and lips, but when she feels Lucius'' lips, she relaxes every muscle in her body after a few seconds and surrenders to his embrace.

    (Will I be relaxed enough? I think I like it...).

    As soon as Char gets used to the kissing, Lucius slips his tongue into Char''s mouth and begins to carefully intertwine his with hers.

    Char''s brain goes numb and her body loses strength due to the pleasure she gets from the technique Lucius learned from Testarossa.

    After that, Lucius gently lays Char on the bed and begins to quickly undress her.

    "W-wait, Lucius! What are you doing!? We''re moving too fast..."

    "Don''t worry, I''ll be gentle."

    Char, who had no intention of letting this situation go any further, panicked and tried to stop Lucius, but there was no way she could. Once Lucius catches fire, no one can stop him.

    (Well, maybe it''s okay... After all, it''s Lucius, but...).

    After some hesitation, Sharo relaxes her body and gives herself completely to Lucius.

    But the moment she starts to relax, she discovers Lucius'' ''hidden weapon''.

    "Wha? Wait, Lucius. There''s no way thatˇ­ ''thing'' will, umˇ­ ''fit'', right?"

    Lucius tries to calm down Char, who starts to tremble as she breaks out in a cold sweat.

    "It''s okay. Sure, it''ll hurt at first, but then you''ll get used to it pretty quickly."

    "Hey, noˇ­ What do you mean by that? Just wait a sec-- Lucius, don''t, I-- Ah~!"

    And so the night went on for the two of them....

 CH 24

    The day came when the students who would be accepted into the Academy of Magic will be announced.

    Lucius and Char were walking together towards the school grounds.

    "Aah... My back still hurts."

    "Not feeling well, huh? Do you want me to cast a healing spell on you?"

    Their casual conversation was taking place while they were surrounded by many students who were on their way to the Academy of Magic. As such, it was impossible for them not to attract the courious gazes of those around them.

    And it was not for less strange, since most of the boys surrounding them were the same ones who were taking the entrance exam, and they were also witnesses between the fight of both of them. They were an boy and girl here of the same age, but with extraordinary strength, rumors had spread among all the students.

    The students were eager to get close to Lucious and Char, but most of them were afraid of the situation, others knew their position perfectly, so no one dared to talk to each other.

    Although there are always exceptions in a group of people.

    "Umm, are you the two students that are so much rumored? You must be joking, you look very weak."

    It was a trio of thugs who approached Lucious and Char.

    "Who do you want are you to refer that way towards us? You don''t even know us, so mind your manners."

    "Ha, we are also students who took the exam. And I guess you''re the descendant of the rumored hero, right? You''re prettier than I thought. Instead of staying with that weak-looking boy, why don''t you come with us?"

    The men approach Char with smiles on their faces.

    Char looks with a serious expression on her face at the men, but doesn''t bother trying to interfere or say anything.

    She was trying to wonder why they have such a stupid attitude after what happened on the day of the exam. Maybe they hadn''t seen the duel between Lucious and her.

    Maybe those guys finished the exam early and went home, and thus didn''t know about Lucious'' abilities, they just picked up on this situation through hearsay.

    "Hey you... Don''t come any closer to her, or I''ll cut you."

    "Ha... Are you threatening me?"

    The man who was trying to flirt with Char, reached out his hand towards her body with the intention of making Lucios angry.

    And just as his hand is about to touch Char, the man''s hand is stopped by another one appearing beside him.

    "Sorry, but she''s my girl... Asshole."

    The man''s hand was grabbed by Lucious. Followed by Lucious pulling the man away from Char, at the same time he pulls her arm and pulls her to his chest.

    "Louis!!! Um... We''re in public, don''t do this in front of other people!"

    Char turns red and gets angry, but inside her thoughts, everything was totally different. Char was very happy that Lucious was standing up for her as the princess she had always dreamed of being.

    "Do you think you''re some kind of knight or prince? Now you''ve made me angry."

    "I really don''t want to have a problem... But if you feel like wanting to fight, I won''t have a choice."

    After saying that, Lucious raises his fists. When the three boys see that, they feel provoked and rush to attack Lucious.

    "I''m going to make you feel a lot of pain!"

    One of the boys builds up magic power in his fist determined to basket the punch.

    But Lucious quickly moves to ram the boy, and slips under his arm while pinning him down, and knocks him face first to the ground.

    "Ugh!"

    The moment his face hits the ground, he expresses a sound of pain and immediately faints.

    What Lucious used was a Qigong technique, the Mamoru style type six "Ryur". It is a technique that allows you to change the direction and strength of the power flow by pouring chi into your opponent''s energy.

    The moment the friends of the boy who was passed out on the ground witnessed such an act of super speed, they shuddered. Although they were bigger than Lucious, the boy had an advantage of having had two powerful masters.

    "Umm... We have no choice but to attack with magic!"

    The two remaining men create a fireball and try to unleash it on Lucious.

    "How can they cast a spell like that in the city...! What if something like that hits someone!"

    It was no problem for Lucious to get hit by that spell, but if that fireball were to hit a person or a house, it wouldn''t be good.

    Lucious magically creates a small piece of rock in the palm of his hand and shoots it at their heads.

    "Ultra-small rock-tracking Roxile!"

    Rock the size of a small ball shot out of Lucious'' hand, slamming into the heads of the two boys. Upon impact, they both fell passed out on the ground. They are not in life-threatening danger, but they won''t wake up for a while.

    Lucious moved the three unconscious boys to the side of the road so they wouldn''t interfere with traffic, then turned to Char.

    "Well, we can move on now."

    Lucious said as she took Char hand. She blushed and nodded. And just like that the boy and girl headed for school without any further trouble in between.

    By the way, the students who were passed out didn''t make it in time for the announcement, so they were not admitted.

 CH 25

    We stood in front of the main entrance to the Academy of Magic.

    There were a large number of students who had gathered there to find out their grades.

    The number of examinees this year was 1,200, 1.2 times more than the previous year.

    Among them, only 300 could be accepted. It is a very difficult place to get accepted into.

    And even if you pass the entrance exam, you will be assigned to one of five classes, ranging from A to E, according to your grades.

    The higher the class, the better the study environment, and class A is the highest of all. If you''re assigned to it, you get free tuition and unlimited use of the facilities.

    Of course, the nobles wanted their children to have a higher rank, so they tried to do something with money, but King Froy, who founded this school, strictly forbade it, so now there are very few people who try it.

    In addition, depending on the results of the exams, which are held twice a year, students are mercilessly demoted to a lower class, so cheating is almost impossible in this school.

    "Wow, just look at this crowd. Are these all students who took the exam?"

    Lucius, who had arrived in front of the school, raises his voice in surprise. Char then quickly reprimands Lucius for being so relaxed.

    "Don''t let your guard down, you have to believe that everyone present here is your enemy. If you show even a moment''s weakness, they''ll eat you up like prey."

    "Ah! Char! It looks like the results have already been posted there!"

    "Hey! Listen to what I''m telling you!"

    Char chases after Lucius as he starts running without listening to what she is saying.

    Lucius stops in front of a huge billboard. On it were posted the names of the students who were approved and what class they will be a part of.

    Some students fell to their knees when they saw that they were not accepted, others cried with joy. Whether or not you get into this Academy and what class you''re assigned to can determine your future.

    In fact, many of those who belonged to the upper class were able to get important jobs in the kingdom after graduating.

    In the past, such jobs could only be obtained through having connections with nobles, so the creation of this academy was quite innovative for the kingdom.

    "Um... Let''s see where my name is..."

    Lucius was looking for his name on the poster... But saw that it was nowhere to be found in the A class.

    "Huh?"

    After that, he kept going down the ranks to class B and C to look for his name, but it wasn''t written anywhere.

    Not only that, Charlotte''s name wasn''t on the list either.

    This was a very strange situation. The fact that Lucious and Char''s names were not written was simply mystifying...

    So out of curiosity, he looked all the way down to the bottom of the lowest class, class E, but... Their names still weren''t on the list.

    Just as Lucius was about to ask Char what was going on, she pointed further to the left of class E.

    "What is this...?"

    Char pointed to a spot which, to her surprise, was labeled "Class Z."

    And that mysterious section held the names of two people: Lucius and Charlotte. Much to their shock, they learned of the existence of a mysterious sixth class.

 CH 26

    "What the hell is Z class!? What does that even  mean?!"

    "Even I don''t know! I''ve never been in this class!"

    The two were yelling at each other. Just then, someone makes their presence known in front of the confused boys.

    "Hello to you two. I see you''re in a good mood early in the morning."

    The one who appeared with a smile on his face was the prince of this country, Yuri.

    Whenever Yuri made his presence, all the girls in the place turned to look at him, all the while shouting in excitement. Although Yuri is still young, he is already very popular, and even has a fan club.

    And behind him was someone Lucius had never seen before.

    He was tall and thin, dressed in normal clothes, but there was one part of him that was strange. That person was wearing a full-face helmet, and you couldn''t see his face at all. He has a sword at his waist that matched his helmet. In short, he had a very strange appearance.

    Lucius stares at this new person, and Yuri, noticing this, introduces him.

    "Ah, Lucius, allow me to introduce my companion, since this is the first time you''ve met him. This is my bodyguard, Ibuki Iron Heart."

    As Yuri introduces them, the helmeted person named Ibuki approaches Lucious. Lucious is overwhelmed by his presence, and greets him with a curt "Hello..." as he holds out his hand.

    Then the helmeted figure grabbed the offered hand with a gasp and began to speak

    "O-Ohˇ«! How polite you are!!!! My name is Ibuki, Prince Yuri''s bodyguard, feel free to call me Ibuki! Ah! Would you like some candy as a sign of our friendship? You don''t have to be shyˇ«! Oh, Char, you want a candy too? What, you don''t? Then I''ll eat itˇ«!"

    "....What?"

    Unable to keep up with Ibuki, who starts talking happily, Lucius'' head starts spinning.

    Seeing that, Yuri lets out a "Pfft" before laughing out loud.

    "Fufu, don''t you think he''s a funny guy, Lucius? He always wears a helmet for protection so his real face doesn''t show. He''s a bit weird, but he''s really a nice guy, so try to get along with him."

    "Thank youˇ«!"

    "Um, yes... Nice to meet you, Ibuki."

    With those words, Lucius and Ibuki introduced themselves to each other.

    "Hey, Yuri, what the hell is going on here!?"

    "Oh, you mean Class Z? I didn''t tell you because I wanted to surprise you. So, are you surprised?"

    "Of course I''m surprised!"

    Satisfied with Char''s reaction, Yuri begins to explain what''s going on to his confused friends.

    "Class Z is a new class that''s opening this year. Normally classes are assigned based on a person''s exams and skills, but this class is different. It is especially for those who have a special talent that no one else has. In other words, Class Z... Is a collection of top-notch weirdos."

 CH 27

    Class Z is a project that King Froy of Exador has had in mind for a long time.

    With the conventional class system, you can find excellent people, but you can''t find people who specialize in a certain aspect: people who have ''exceptional talent''.

    However, that ''exceptional talent'' is difficult to measure through examinations. Therefore, the king is concerned about the fact that many often fail the exam.

    However, he had a turning point. And it was the existence of his son, "Yuri".

    He had an excellent eye for people and was good at finding the ''exceptionally talented'' individuals that Froy sought.

    That''s why the king launched the Z-class plan this year, the same year Yuri entered the academy. He had Yuri identify the ''exceptionally talented'' ones entering the academy this year and put them in Class Z.

    When Lucius and Charlotte found out, they went to class Z. Since this class did not exist last year, the classrooms are located in the new ''Class Z building'' next to the main school building. It is smaller than the main building, but it''s quite solid nonetheless.

    "I can''t believe himˇ­ thinking up a plan like this. I was going to join Class A and live a fancy school life."

    Char was complaining about Yuri to Lucius.

    "Haha, well, I''m glad we''re in the same class."

    "That''s right, I should be thankful for that... Now that we''ve reached the classroom, let''s meet the "weirdos" that the prince has gathered."

    Char said that as she put her hand on the door. They both open the door briskly, at the same time feeling nervous about the classmates they haven''t met yet.

    At that moment, all the curious eyes inside the classroom turned to the two of them.

    Inside were ten mixed-sex students. These were the students Yuri had carefully selected for their extraordinary talent.

    The two took their seats, feeling uncomfortable under the others'' gaze.

    Lucius sat in the center of the front row, and Char was to his left. Lucius, who grew up in a village, has never been to school, so he is very nervous.

    He thought a lot about making friends... And as that thought crossed his mind, three students appeared in front of him.

    "You''re Lucius, right? The guy who had that fierce duel at the testing center?"

    The guy who spoke was a very striking student with a prominent red Mohawk. Behind him were two people who appeared to be his friends. One was a short boy with a shaved head, and the other was a very tall student who could easily be mistaken for an adult.

    The three boys looked rather sketchy together, and from a third party''s perspective, the scene looks as if they are mugging Lucius.

    However, Lucius is unfazed by their intimidating attitude and replies, "Exactly."

    Hearing that, the guy with the Mohawk cut smacks the desk and speaks loudly.

    "Hey! That duel was absolutely awesome!!!"

    "...Huh?"

    Lucius looks very puzzled by those unexpected words. Meanwhile, the boy was still talking very passionately about the duel.

    "Oh man, I haven''t been this excited about a battle in a long time.  Challenging an opponent with your bare hands while she was carrying a sword is insane! A man should be able to fight with his bare hands. And your magic was so powerful! I could feel the heat of your flames on me all the way from the sidelines!"

    "T-Thank you..."

    "Oh right, I haven''t introduced myself yet. My name is Barn, and my specialty is explosive magic, nice to meet you! The big guy behind me is Dokata, and the little guy is Merel. They''re both good guys, I hope we''ll all get along well."

    ""Nice to meet you.""

    "Ah, yes. Same here."

    The boys introduce themselves and shake hands.

    "Why are you guys being so nice to me? We don''t know each other well yet."

    "Huh? Of course not, a guy who fights the way you do with such explosive passion can''t be a bad guy! Right guys?"

    The two people behind Barn nodded after his words.

    "Okay, see you later!"

    "....Yes."

    Lucius'' eyes lit up when he heard Barn''s words. He had never known the joy of being recognized for his efforts.

    He felt so happy that he had worked so hard to become stronger.

    Those were Lucius'' most sincere thoughts at that moment.

 CH 28

    After his chat with Barn and his friends, Lucius was determined to meet the rest of his classmates.

    He was a little wary because Yuri had said that everyone in this class was a weirdo, but surprisingly, most of them were very friendly."

    "Hahaha, my name is Pardio, my specialty is transformation magic, nice to meet you!!!"

    "Ah, yes, nice to meet you too."

    However, some of them were not nice to Lucius. One of them was a young man who looked like a beastman with wolf ears growing on the top of his head.

    He glared at Lucious with murderous intent as he approached to greet him, then shooed him away with a menacing "gurr..."

    Seeing such an act, Lucius couldn''t help but become depressed as he asked if he had done something wrong. After noticing their interaction, she approached Lucius.

    "Don''t worry about it. Many beastmen don''t like humans. It''s not that he hates you, just that he''s not very fond of humans."

    "Why do beastmen hate humans so much?"

    Lucious asks, and Char explains with a look of disgust on her face.

    "You may not know this because you''re from the countryside, but there are still many beastmen slaves in the cities. Since the current king took power, the slave market has been banned, but... Even so, I''ve heard that there are still people behind the scenes who do terrible things to beastmen."

    "...I see."

    As Lucius listens to those words, he sees the young beastman not interacting with anyone and keeping to himself.

    "I wonder if we''ll ever get along."

    At Lucius'' despondent comment, Char gently said, "If anyone can, it''s you Lucius."

    But the greetings didn''t end there. There was another student in class that Lucius had not yet been able to interact with.

    It was a beautiful girl who stood out from the rest in the classroom. Her blonde hair was as dazzling as gold, and her eyes red, shining like fresh blood.

    Her face was inorganic, but well defined, like that of a statue. She was too beautiful a girl, and no matter how many people there were in the kingdom, it was unusual to see someone as beautiful as her often.

    Lucius does his best to greet her despite how intimidating her beautiful appearance was.

    "Hello."

    "........"

    Lucius was completely ignored by the girl.

    The girl was staring out the window as she rested her hand against her cheek, though it''s likely she heard Lucius'' voice.

    Lucius kept wondering why she hadn''t answered him. He wondered if his words reached her, so he started to feel uncomfortable.

    Anxious, Lucius tries to talk to her one more time. But before that, Char raises her voice.

    "Hey, you! You''ve got a lot of nerve ignoring him!"

    Char slams the desk hard. After that, the girl turns her face towards both of them and opens her mouth to speak.

    "....I''m sorry. I know you were trying to talk to me, but you don''t need to, I have nothing to say to you."

    The girl replied in an inarticulate tone, then turned to look out the window again.

    Char, realizing that the girl was ridiculing Lucious, clenched her fists with all her might and was about to hit her, but Lucius restrained her before it happened.

    "Char, calm down!"

    "Back off, Lucius, I won''t kill her, I''ll just teach her a lesson!"

    Char kept may a fuss for a while, but calmed down thanks to Lucius continuing to desperately calm her down.

    After talking to all their classmates, the two take a seat. Then the classroom door opens and in walks a group of familiar faces.

    "Have you met your classmates yet?"

    "Hello, Lucius, Char, it''s been so longˇ«"

    The ones who came in were Prince Yuri and his bodyguard Ibuki.

    Of course, the two of them were also members of Class Z.

    However, they were not chosen for this class for their unique talents, but to supervise and report on the progress of the students in this class.

    "So you intend to sit next to him as well?"

    "Haha, yes, sorry, Lucius. I hope you don''t mind."

    Yuri sits on Lucious'' right side after receiving Char''s sarcasm, with Ibuki then sitting next to Yuri.

    By the way, this seating order was also established by Yuri. For him, Lucius is the most important subject of observation.

    "I look forward to working with you, Lucius."

    After Yuri''s words, Lucius cheerfully replies.

    "Yes! Me too!"

    And so there were a total of 14 people in the room. They were kids from all over the world with talents that have yet to come to light, together in the same place.

    They will all grow together in this class, deepen their bonds, and get caught up in the turmoil that will shake the world in the future....

    They still have a long way to go.

 CH 29

    Lucius was worried about what kind of classes the Z class would have. But the content of the classes was quite normal.

    The history of the human world, the mechanics of magic, other races, treaties with other countries, etcˇ­ The content of the lessons was diverse.

    Lucius also learned many things from Testarossa, but it was knowledge from 300 years ago.

    He didn''t know anything after that, so the class was a lot of fun.

    However, when it came to magical knowledge, the class came up with something that was considerably behind what Testarossa had taught him. In other words, it''s safe to say that the human race is more than 300 years behind the demon race in terms of magical knowledge.

    Lucius corrected the teacher from time to time as he explained a more erroneous form of knowledge about magic, while giving a correct explanation with which he''d practiced.

    "Excuse me, sensei, but I think that explanation is wrong! Water magic must be interfering not only with the moisture in the atmosphere, but also with the underground water veins to create water!"

    "Huh, really? That''s not in any of my textbooks..."

    "Would it be okay if I show you how it''s done?"

    By the way, the Z class teacher is none other than Regus, the same examiner who fainted at the sight of Lucius'' magic.

    He was still young, and was not offended by Lucius'' interruptions, but rather grateful, absorbing more and more of the boy''s knowledge. Besides, it was Yuri who made him Class Z''s homeroom teacher.

    A hard-headed teacher would probably feel uncomfortable with the young and powerful Lucius around. So Yuri prepared the best possible environment for Class Z.

    Thanks to his help, the members of Class Z enjoyed a full student life.

    In addition, Lucius enjoyed life a lot as he played, learned and competed with his friends.

    However, not everything is as good as one would wish. Some people didn''t feel good about it.

    "What the hell is this!?"

    Barn yelled, his red Mohawk shaking as he looked around the classroom after the class''s outdoor magic practice about two weeks after Lucius started school.

    When the students looked around their classroom, they found the place to be in complete disarray. Fortunately, Lucius had his valuables with him and they were safe, but the desks and chairs were scattered and the garbage cans were overturned.

 CH 30

    "This is awful.... Who would dare to do something like this!?"

    Lorna, a classmate of mine who is a white mage, shouted with tears in her eyes.

    While the rest of the kids showed their anger with grimaces on their lips, Lucius kept very calm.

    No, it would be more accurate to say that he knew how to control his anger very well. Although he had only spent about two weeks with his classmates, Lucius had grown to love them.

    Wanting to hurt them was something that could not be forgiven.

    "Chisha, do you have a minute?"

    "Hm? What''s up?"

    Lucious turned to one of his classmates, a halfling boy of the dwarven race named Chisha. He was even smaller than Lucius himself, but the two of them got along quite well nonetheless.

    "I want to find the culprits, will you help me?"

    The moment I asked that question, Chisha smiles like a naughty child and laughs while saying "Yes".

    "What do you want me to do?"

    "I''m sure the culprit left some traces behind, so I want you to use your magic to find them."

    "In that case, leave it to me!"

    Chisha extends his hand over the deserted classroom and casts a spell.

    "Activate - Analysis Magic!"

    A bluish-white light surrounds the whole place. This is a type of high level magic that can analyze objects within the caster''s range. It was originally intended to be used on hand-wielded objects, and cannot be used on a wide area like this.

    But Chisha has an unparalleled talent for analytical magic, and can use it to cover an entire classroom. Originally, halflings used their dexterous hands and light bodies as weapons, but Chisha had no such talents.

    Instead, the little boy received the gift of analytic magic.

    Chisha, a rare talent, but despised by his magic-averse halfling brethren, left his homeland and came to the Kingdom in search of a place he could call home.

    "Just as I expected from Chisha, you have a powerful talent, but you also have a great handle on magic."

    "Oh, stop it, Lucius. I wouldn''t have made it this far if you hadn''t trained me."

    Lucius teaches magic to his classmates after school. This is the reason why Class Z''s magic skills are improving rapidly.

    At first, Chisha''s magic could only cover a desk, but after two weeks, he''s now able to perform something like this. After the magic materialized, traces of the intruder appeared at the crime scene.

    "Oh, there''s a hair on the floor. Also, there are shoe prints... These are the shoes of a student in the same grade. Haha, he even left his fingerprints. What a lovely turn of events."

    "...Chisha, I''m glad we''re not enemies."

    Once Lucius found what he needed to carry out his mission, he was going to head to the culprit''s location as soon as Chisha gave him the perpetrator''s description.

    "Chisha, why don''t you come with me?"

    "Um, I don''t like situations that involve trouble... But, if Lucius goes, everything will be fine, right?"

    He smiled again and they bumped fists after those words.

    "Okay, I''ll accompany you."

    Three people stop in front of Lucius and Chisha after hearing the conversation they were having.

    "So you''re going to raise a ruckus, huh? Then count us in!"

    The one who spoke those words was Barn, who loves skirmishes. Behind him were his friends, Dokata and Merel.

    The three of them were known as "The Three Idiots" by their classmates.

    "I''m really mad about this situation!"

    "So am I! Let''s get going!"

    The mighty Dokata and the swift Merel could no longer hold back their anger at the people who sullied their place of learning. They had no intention of letting those people get away with it.

    Lucius, seeing their attitude, smiled with joy.

    "Alright, let''s show them the power of Class Z!"

    And with that, the determined Class Z students headed towards the culprits.

 CH 31

    Class Z is the most popular subject at the school.

    The reason why this class was created has not been made public, but it is known that the prince has a plan for all the weirdos in it.

    Many of the students are curious about this class, but they are not hostile.

    But the students in Class A are an exception. A lot of them don''t have good thoughts about the Class Z, and it''s all because of the attention they are getting. Class A students are the ones with the best grades, and they hate being put on the back burner.

    Lucius is on his way to address Class A with his friends.

    "Hey you, get out of the way!"

    Barn, who is in the lead, rushes towards Class A while pushing all the students in the hallway out of his way.

    It''s rare to see Class Z students in the main building, so naturally the students'' attention is focused on Lucius and his friends.

    "This''s Class A. What do we do now, Lucius?"

    "...Let yourself go."

    "Ha! Sounds good to me!"

    Barn catches on to Lucius'' words instantly, and kicks the door open with all his might.

    BAM

    The students in Class A are startled by the suddenness of the door loudly bursting open.

    Lucius and the three idiots appear in front of them.

    Barn looks around the classroom. At first glance, it is clear that all the students are in the classroom. And it is likely that the criminal is among them.

    "Ora ora ora ora, I came here ''cause of the fight you started! I know exactly what you did, so be a man and show your face!"

    Barn yells at the top of his lungs, but the culprit still doesn''t show up. On the contrary, the students laugh at Lucius and his friends.

    "...It looks like everyone is trying to cover it up."

    Not everyone in the class is to blame for what happened. But surely many of them were amused to see Lucius and his friends getting worked up.

    "Well well, if it isn''t Class Z. What do you think you''re doing?"

    The person who spoke was a student named Haulo, the representative of Class A. He was a noble by birth, and as expected, he was also someone very proud.

    "Hello Haulo-San, to tell you the truth, our classroom was recently vandalized by someone. I''m trying to find out who did it."

    "I''m sorry to hear that. However, that doesn''t mean you should suspect us, right?"

    Haulo replied to Lucius with a smile.

    "It could have been an inside job, you know? There aren''t any students here who would bother going to such a dirty or quaint school building to pull pranks. Kuku, Class Z is full of students of very low social status as you can surely see, so shouldn''t you be suspicious of them?"

    When Haulo says those words while holding back his laughter, the students around him start laughing as well.

    The moment the three idiots witnessed the situation, they restrained their urge to punch him while Barn muttered "These people...!" But before that could happen, Lucius restrained them with his hand.

    "Lucius...! We know it was them! Don''t stop me!"

    "If you hit them now, you''ll be giving them a reason to do whatever they want to us later... They might even expel you."

    "So you want us to just sit back and watch while they just do whatever they want!?"

    Lucius smiles at Barn''s words and replies;

    "How can you think that? I''ll handle this."

    Lucius steps in front of Haulo and pulls out a lock of hair from his pocket.

    "This lock of hair was on the floor of my classroom."

    Haulo who takes a bit of a puzzled attitude at the sudden situation and replies; "So what?" with a grimace on his face.

    "There were traces of ''salt'' on this hair, and its composition matched that of sea salt. Class A went to the beach in the morning, right?"

    NT: I have slowed down the rate of publication of chapters because I am currently experiencing personal problems, soon I will raise again the number of chapters published daily.

 CH 32

    Lucious'' words made Class A upset.

    It was as he said, Class A had gone to a beach in the northern part of the kingdom under the pretext of observing the sea monsters.

    "What difference does it make? Do you think something like that can be used as evidence?"

    "That''s not all. There were shoe prints in our classroom. And they weren''t just any shoe print, they are custom-made shoes that cost several times more than normal students'' shoes. Only a few students have them, Haulo-San, and you are one of them."

    "Tch..."

    After those words, sweat starts to trickle down Haulo''s forehead. Surely those shoes are the ones Haulo and his friends are wearing.

    "W-Wait a minute! This is all just circumstantial evidence! You would doubt us even if there''s no hard proof!?"

    After Lucius observed Haulo''s desperate attitude, Lucious sighed and raised the hair before Haulo again.

    "I was willing to forgive you if you had confessed, but it seems that you are quite stubborn."

    "Don''t be an idiot. We didn''t do it."

    "I''ve had enough of this. Here''s your proof. Activate Chronometer - Temporal Rewind!!!"

    As Lucius recited his spell, the hair in his hand floated up and flew towards Haulo.

    "What are you...!"

    The hair sticks to Haulo''s scalp, leaving him shaken.

    "You...! What did you just do!?"

    "I used magic that turns back time on objects. I turned back time on the hair to when it was still growing on the wearer''s head. That means the hair that fell out was yours, Haulo."

    "Impossible...!"

    Haulo is astonished to hear those words.

    The magic that Lucius just used is something that even a high level mage can''t easily use. How is it that a commoner like him can use something like that?

    I can''t accept something like that!!!

    Haulo is too frustrated to think and pulls out a short wand from his waist and points it at Lucious.

    "...What do you think you''re doing?"

    "This is a purge! I''m going to purge all the commoners in this world! So get ready!"

    Following Haulo''s words, his group of friends also took out their wands and pointed them at the three idiots

    They were so angry that they failed to remember that pointing a wand at a student is a violation of not only the rules of the school, but also the laws of the kingdom.

    By doing such an act, Lucius and his friends had the right to self-defense.

    "I''m sorry to have kept you waiting, Barn. You don''t have to hold back anymore."

    Lucius says to Barn as he smiles. That was what the boy wanted: to initiate this right of self-defense so Barn and his friends could attack.

    He knew his opponent had great pride, and if he managed to corner him, he would reach his limit of endurance, which would inevitably result in him and his accomplices doing something stupid.

    Everything went as Lucius planned.

    "Fire!!!"

    At Haulo''s signal, the students unleashed a great amount of magic at the four boys.

    However, Lucius and his friends simply laughed out loud.

    It''s time to fight back.

    NT: I have slowed down the rate of publication of chapters because I am currently experiencing personal problems, soon I will raise again the number of chapters published daily.

 CH 33

    Haulo and his six companions unleash a variety of magic against Lucius and the three idiots.

    Their aim is not good, but each individual attack is powerful. I have to be careful that those attacks don''t hit the onlookers from other classes gathered in the hallway.

    While Lucius was thinking that, one of the three idiots, the giant Dokata, jumps in front of Lucius.

    "Leave this to me!!! Mid-wall Barrier!!!"

    A glowing blue magic barrier appears in front of Dokata and absorbs all of the attacks that were released by Haulo and his cohorts.

    Haulo''s face paled at the sight of such defense magic .

    ''This is ridiculous! How is it possible that our magic was negated by something as basic as that!? And by a guy whose name I don''t even know!!!!''

    Barn starts generating his spell at the moment Haulo and his friends are perplexed by Dokata''s magic.

    "Haha! Way to go, Dokata!!! Leave the rest to me!!! I have my own special explosive bomb primed and ready!!!"

    Barn activates his magic, and Haulo, along with several of his friends, are blown into the air.

    Explosive magic, rather than being inherently powerful, is difficult to control and impossible to activate with this kind of precision.

    However, Barn participated in Lucius'' after-school training (known as ''Lucius Juku'') every day and managed to improve his accuracy while maintaining his power.

    "Hey, Haulo!!! Weren''t these guys supposed to be easy to beat!!?"

    "Shut up!!! If you have time to talk, you also have time to attack!"

    "I can''t use magic without a wand!"

    Haulo and his friends were trapped, faced with a situation where they could only use two spells, neither of which would be as effective in taking their opponents down.

    They''ve used magic in classes, and also dabble in intimidating the weak, but they''ve never had experience in actual combat.

    In contrast to them, Lucius and his friends have been training every day at school by imitating real combat. And they have already mastered the method of efficient magic casting without a wand.

    In terms of strength, Class A was simply no match for Class Z.

    "Damn it, we can''t win this!"

    With those words, three of Haulo''s friends ran away.

    But before they could get far, Merel blocked their way.

    "Where do they think you''re going? This is just getting started."

    "G-Get out of my way if you don''t want to get hurt!"

    The three boys underestimate Merel because he was small, so all three of them clench their fists and go about throwing punches at him.

    Seeing this, Merel smiles and casts a spell.

    "Bulking Leg Strength....!"

 CH 34

    A magical light envelops Merel''s legs, strengthening his physical capabilities.

    In this state, Merel is fast enough to run 100 meters in two seconds. Avoiding the blows of the three boys will be a piece of cake.

    "What''s going on, why can''t I hit him!?"

    "So slow... I''m about to yawn from boredom."

    The three begin to run out of breath as their punches continue to strike thin air.

    Merel takes his chance and throws a super fast kick that hits their jaws.

    The three students, whose brains are rattled in their skulls at high speed, lose consciousness and collapse on the spot without even realizing they''ve been kicked.

    "Hoho, I think I overdid it a bit."

    Upon seeing his friends defeated in an instant, Haulo immediately understands that he has no escape.

    Lucius starts walking towards him and the others.

    "Don''t come near me!!!"

    "Hey hey, you guys were the ones who started this, not us. Don''t make me look like the bad guy now."

    Lucius gets angry as he puffs out his cheeks adorably.

    "I-I''m sorry! Forgive me! I''ll give you whatever you want! Money?! I''ll give you as much money as you want!"

    "I don''t want it."

    Haulo desperately begs for his life, but Lucius doesn''t care and slowly approaches Haulo and his cronies.

    "Ah, I know! I''ll make you a nobleman! I''ll talk to my father... He might make you a low-ranking noble..."

    "Still not enough."

    Lucius stops in front of him. He then takes a stance and releases a fist that impacts Haulo''s right cheek, causing him to let out a pitiful grunt.

    But the attack doesn''t end there, as Lucius''s fists went to other parts of his body in a fraction of a second, hitting him repeatedly, breaking several of his bones.

    "Aaah....!!!"

    The pain surpassed Haulo''s ability to take it, and he collapsed unconscious, his eyes rolling back.

    Haulo''s friends, who observed the situation, began to tremble and understood that they picked a fight they shouldn''t have.

    "You guys."

    """Hyaaa!"""

    When Lucius called out to them, they responded with a yelp.

    "You guys still want to mess with us?"

    The three boys shook their heads sharply.

    Hey guys, some important news I''ve posted that will probably interest you, go read it

 CH 35

    "You went too far!!!"

    Yuri''s loud voice echoes in Class Z''s classroom.

    There are four students sitting on the floor in front of him.

    They were Lucius and the three idiots who wreaked havoc in Class A.

    "Haah~... I can''t believe all of this happened the second I took my eyes off of you. Now how am I going to explain this to my father!?"

    "But they started it..."

    "Shut up, Barn!"

    Yuri yelled, and Barn straightened his back. Even Barn, who has a bad attitude, felt the pressure and anger given off by Yuri.

    "Well, fortunately, the other side made the first move, and I''m glad we were able to end this... One false move, and we could start a war in the school, you know? You should be more careful what you do from here on out."

    When Yuri said those words with a weary face, the four of them cheerfully replied, "Yes!"

    The Class A incident soon became a huge topic throughout the school.

    When Yuri had heard what was unfolding in Class A, he rushed over, but by the time he arrived it was too late. The place was a mess, and several students from Class A were lying on the ground, injured. Not to mention that he witnessed the scene in which Lucius and the three idiots were celebrating and high-fiving each other.

    Yuri felt dizzy and almost fainted at the sight, but he managed to hold himself together. He too had grown mentally stronger during his time in the Class Z.

    It was past noon the next day when everything was settled. If it wasn''t for the king, he wouldn''t have been able to convince the nobleman''s parents to come to an agreement in such a short time.

    "I''m sorry, Yuri. I got you into a lot of trouble."

    Lucius apologized to Yuri, who sits back in his chair, looking very exhausted.

    "Haha, it''s okay. Ever since I decided to work with this class, I was expecting trouble."

    Yuri laughs with dead eyes. Lucius felt very guilty at the state his friend was in.

    "Next time, I''ll be sure to talk to you before I do something like that."

    "Yes, please do."

    With those words, Yuri plopped down on the desk and took a nap.

    Apparently he''s been working out all the trouble I''ve caused, so he hasn''t slept at all.

    By the way, we are on self-study time, as Regus-sensei has been summoned to a meeting related to what happened yesterday.

    ''I will have to apologize to sensei later''. Lucius leaves the classroom while thinking that.

    There was no particular reason for it, but even though everyone was studying or practicing magic in the classroom, I didn''t feel like mingling with them.

 CH 36

    Anyway, there''s nothing else to do today, so I''ll hang out.

    Just as I made up my mind and was wandering around the hallway, I heard someone''s voice calling me.

    "Hey, are you Lucius, the one from the rumors?"

    "What? Um, I guess so."

    The person approaching me was a handsome young man with long brown hair.

    "Sorry to call out to you suddenly. My name is Sion, I''m in Class 2-A. It''s a pleasure to meet you."

    Lucius shook hands with the young man who greeted him.

    Such a strange man.

    That was Lucius'' first impression of Sion.

    Although he had a good appearance, there was an aura about him that was not very clear, one that was shrouded in mystery.

    "Um, Sion-senpai, is there a reason you want to talk to me?"

    "Not really. I was just curious about what kind of guy you were. It''s kind of inevitable not to want to talk to you."

    "Uh, what kind of rumors are being spread about me...?"

    "Well, you know, because of what happened yesterday with Haulo and his friends."

    "Ah, I see... Then it even spread to the sophomores..."

    [The attack on Class 1-A]. This is how the incident of Lucius and the three idiots is spreading among the students.

    Originally, Class Z was perceived as a bad class by other students, but this incident has made that impression even stronger.

    "Well, in my case, I found it rather laughable. The sophomores are amused that the freshmen are so energetic."

    "Hahah, I''m glad you enjoyed it..."

    Lucius blushes with embarrassment.

    "It''s good that you''re cheerful, Lucius, but..."

    Sion, who had spoken kindly up to that point, suddenly became serious.

    "Don''t think that everything will be as you expect. You''re strong, I''ll give you that, but there are many stronger and scarier things in this world."

    I can feel a kind of pressure from Sion. It''s like his person is a bottomless pit. It''s truly unbelievable that there are people with this aura in the academy....

    Lucius starts to feel nervous, yet excited at the same time.

    "Thanks for your advice, but don''t worry, I''ve already met two people much stronger than me."

    "Fufu, I see. Then, take it as a little advice."

    Sion laughs, then turns around before disappearing out of sight.

    Lucius'' school life has only just begun.

 CH 37

    "Ah, I''m so tired!"

    Lucius lays down in bed with those words. He then wraps himself in his sheets and gets ready to sleep.

    This is Lucius'' dorm room at the Academy of Magic.

    Since many of the students at the Academy of Magic are from outside the kingdom, many dormitories have been prepared inside the academy.

    The price of living in the dormitory is much cheaper than staying at an inn, even though balanced meals are provided for breakfast and dinner. In addition, students in classes A and B can use the residence free of charge.

    As a result, 80% of the students live in the residence.

    Class Z, which was created this year, is also exempt from paying dormitory fees, which Lucius benefits from. Clothes, a comfortable bed, and delicious food, Lucious was glad he got into this school just for those.

    "Good night..."

    Lucius fell into a deep sleep....

    "Hmm..."

    Waking up from his deep sleep, Lucius stretches.

    Rubbing his eyes sleepily, he wakes up and notices something strange.

    "Huh? Where''s my bed? Rather, where am I...?"

    The bed I was asleep in is gone. Besides, I''m not even in my bedroom. I''m on a very hard surface, and all around me is a white space that has no end....

    Lucius was familiar with this scene.

    "Huh?! It can''t be...! Why am I back in the infinite prison?!"

    The infinite prison.

    An alternate space in which Lucius spent 300 years.

    I''m pretty sure I got out of this place... Why am I back here?!

    Lucius is confused, but then he remembers something.

    "That''s right! If this is the same infinite prison, then Tess Onee-san and Rio should be here too!"

    With that in mind, Lucius looks around, but sees no one.

    He tries to locate them to see if they were far away, but detects nothing,

    "I can''t believe itˇ­ I can''t sense their presence! Am I really back in the infinite prison!?"

    Lucius shouts in the hope that someone will hear him, but no one responds to his words.

    "Calm down. This is the infinite prison you know and love."

    "Huh?"

    In response to these words, Lucious turned and saw a woman sitting elegantly in a white chair.

    She is probably in her early twenties. Her hair is very long and pinkish in color, reaching down to her waist. Her body was slim and slender, her eyelashes long and she had beautiful slanted eyes.

    She was a very beautiful woman to say the least. I wonder if Char will look like that when she grows up.

    The woman takes a cup of tea off of a white table and brings it to her mouth, then points to another white chair in front of her and asks Lucius to sit down.

    Lucious was unsure, but felt no hostility from the person in front of him.

    "Um, excuse me."

    "You don''t have to be so formal. Oh, please drink this. It will calm you down."

    Once seated, the woman offers Lucious a teacup filled with an unfamiliar liquid that he wonders where she got from.

    The liquid was a light pink color, with cherry petals floating in it. Lucius hesitated for a moment, but in the end drank it in one gulp.

    "...Oh, it''s delicious."

    "Fufu, that''s good to know."

    Lucius'' heart pounded when he saw the face of the mysterious woman laughing.

    She has a warm personality, and every time he sees her, he feels very comfortable. She was very beautiful and mysterious at the same time.

    "Who are you?"

    "My name is Sakura Oka. The hero Oger has entrusted me to be the guardian of this infinite prison."

 CH 38

    Hearing those words, Lucius is overcome with doubt and grows wary.

    If what she just said is true, then she is the hero''s friend. In other words, she is Tess onee-chan and Rio''s enemy.

    Lucius glared at her and took a stance to fight at any moment.

    "You can rest assured, I''m not your enemy."

    "Then what do you want from me, why am I in the Infinite prison again?"

    "The reason you are here is simple: You have broken one of the seals of the Infinite Prison."

    "I broke a seal...?"

    "Yes. In the real world, you have some of the hero''s belongings, right? For that reason, the hero''s seal was broken."

    That reminds me of when I received the hero''s sword from Char, something seemed to glow. That must''ve been the sign that the seal was broken.

    "You and the infinite prison are deeply connected. If you collect all the hero''s relics, the seal of the infinite prison will be broken."

    "Are you serious!?"

    Lucius was happy to know that one of the seals had been broken, and he was also very delighted to have found a way to free Tess onee-chan and Rio, something that had been a mystery to the three of them for a long time.

    With Char''s help, it shouldn''t be difficult to collect the relics. It looks like saving Tesstarosa and Rio will be easier and faster than I thought.

    But there is a question that plagues Lucius'' mind.

    "Why is Sakura-san telling me this? If you are the guardian of this place, wouldn''t you be failing in your mission to keep the seal from being broken?"

    "...The role of the infinite prison is over. It is an abnormal situation that this place still exists. As it''s guardian, I have a mission to end this infinite prison."

    "The role of the Infinite prison is already over... What the heck does that mean? Why did the hero seal the demon and dragon lords in the first place?"

    "...I don''t have the authority to talk about it."

    No matter how many questions I asked, she would never tell me the reasons why Tess and Rio were sealed.

    I can''t help but feel a little puzzled. Still I have to be glad because now I know how to release them.

    "By the way, I don''t know how I came to this place. Why am I here? Can I go back to the original world?"

    "You have come here in your spiritual form, but your real body is still sleeping in the real world. So you will soon return home. And the reason I called you was..."

    As Sakura stands up, she makes a long, thin Japanese sword appear from an empty space, wields it, and points it at Lucius.

    "...To train you."

 CH 39

    "Train me?"

    "Yes. My mission is to break the seal on the infinite prison. To do that, you need to become stronger."

    Saying that, Sakuraka held her sword and brandished it in front of me. Her movements were so beautiful and powerful that they made me feel that she was being serious, and that she was a very powerful person.

    "Now, draw your sword. In your spiritual state, you can do things you wouldn''t be able to do in the real world. If you imagine creating a sword out of thin air, you will succeed."

    "Wow, it really worked!"

    When I imagined the Dragon Lord''s sword, it suddenly appeared in my hand, as if I had had it with me all this time.

    "Now get ready, it''s time to start your training...!"

    Immediately after saying that, Sakuraka disappeared.

    The next moment, I felt a sharp murderous aura, as if my head was about to be cut off. In response to that feeling, I ducked down, and Sakuraka''s sword passed right over me.

    (That was close... If I had reacted a second later, my head would have been taken off).

    "Oh, I forgot to tell you that when the spirit body dies, the original body goes into a vegetative state, unable to reawaken. So make sure you don''t die here."

    "You should have said so from the beginning! Don''t just try to kill me without saying anything! If I die, the seal won''t be broken!"

    "If you die here, then that means you were never fit to break the seal in the first place. This is a life and death test."

    Saying that, Sakuraka swings her sword again.

    The blade of Sakuraka''s sword undulates like a snake as she attacks Lucius. The sword flashes came from all directions, sometimes from the front, and sometimes from his blind spots.

    Lucius''s defense was pushed to its limits bu Sakuraka''s graceful and precise attacks.

    (Her strength is incredible...! It''s on the same level as Tess onee-chan and Rio!)

    Lucius desperately uses the Dragon Lord''s sword to block the attacks, but it is impossible for him to stop them all.

    The blows he could not avoid cut into Lucius'' body, gradually chipping away at his strength.

    Thanks to his Qigong, Lucius'' natural healing ability far surpasses that of a normal person, but even so, it''s still unknown how long he can hold on.

    "What''s the matter, didn''t your teachers teach you any swordsmanship...?"

    "Tch...!"

    I gritted my teeth helplessly.

    It''s true that I''ve reached my peak in developing my magic and Qigong techniques, but sword fighting is something I haven''t improved. If anything, my swordsmanship is second-rate at best.

    But I can''t lose here. If I can''t beat her with my swordsmanship, then I will have to fight with a combination of skills. After all, I had two wonderful teachers who taught me many things.

 CH 40

    "Qigong art, fourth offensive technique!!!"

    As Lucius shouts, his whole body begins to glow a golden light.

    This is a technique that increases one''s physical ability explosively instead of continuously consuming their Ki.

    With the amount of Ki Lucius has, this technique will only work for five minutes. However, during that time, he will become far stronger than normal.

    "Haaaahhhhhhhhhh!!!"

    Lucius'' attacks with the sword, which had been passive until now, become more frequent and stronger.

    His reflexes have improved, as well as his muscle strength, so he can now evade attacks that are impossible to predict, and attack when he finds an opening.

    "Fufu, interesting. So now you can move a little faster."

    After saying those words, Sakuraka''s own movements become faster as well.

    Her speed is so fast that Lucius'' eyes can''t follow her movements. Lucius'' tactics depend on reading his opponent''s movements, deducing their center of gravity, and following their line of sight. However, even with the power of Qigong boosting him, that was no longer possible. His body also suffered a lot of damage from his opponent''s sword.

    "Ugh... Not yet...! Super physical strengthening!"

    Magic and Qigong overlapped. The effect behind this skill was on another level, causing Lucius to cancel all of Sakuraka''s sonic cuts.

    "Haaaaaaah!!!"

    "Aah!"

    Lucius clashes swords with Sakuraka, placing all his strength in his arms, causing Sakuraka to let out a small scream.

    For the first time during the whole battle, Sakuraka lost her balance. This was the perfect opportunity for Lucius. If he doesn''t take advantage of it, he will never have another chance to win.

    ''I''ll gather all my strength and launch the best attack I can!!!!!'', thought Lucius.

    "Magic-Soul art... Dimensional slash!!!"

    The attack Lucius launched at the last minute was a very powerful blow that combined magic and Qigong, creating a truly miraculous balance between the two powers.

    This is the first time Lucius has found himself in a life-threatening situation, so he was able to successfully perform a combined art that he had never done before.

    Sakuraka smiles at the sight of Lucius'' technique.

    "Interesting, the strength of your attacks is not tied to your physical strength."

    Lucius'' powerful attack quickly approaches Sakuraka.

    But she doesn''t flinch, she holds her sword gracefully and takes the blow head on.

    "Cherry Blossom-Blade Strike."

    A shower of blades suddenly appears, turning into an iron shield that protects Sakuraka.

    Lucius'' Dimensional attack tries to break through the cherry blossom strike, releasing a rattling sound through the air... But it''s defense force was so great that Lucius'' attack couldn''t break through.

    "Whoaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!"

    Magic, Qigong, the strength in his arms, his spirit and his thoughts. Lucius puts all his power into a single attack.

    He is so powerful that he overcomes the limits of the physical body and... He finally breaks the cherry blossom strike.

    ...But that was his limit.

    There was nothing to block his attack anymore, but Lucius had already exhausted all of his magic and Ki.

    He doesn''t have the strength to launch one last strike.

    "Damn... Just... A little... More..."

    Lucius loses consciousness and collapses, but Sakuraka gently catches his body.

    As she does, a fine scratch appears on Sakuraka''s forehead, a thin trickle of blood flowing from it.

    "Fufu, I see you''ve managed to wound me."

    Lucius'' attack had hit her, and Sakuraka rejoiced at this feat.

    "...You''ve done well to come all this way with this little body of yours."

    Sakuraka gently strokes Lucius'' head, who has lost consciousness. Her eyes are full of compassion, like a mother caressing her child.

    "Your fate is too heavy and hard, and you will face many difficulties in the future."

    Sakuraga lifts Lucius'' bangs and looks at his still young face.

    "May the blessing of the cherry blossom trees be upon you, dear. And may many others help you in your trials."

    Next, she gently presses her lips on Lucius'' forehead, after which Lucius'' form dissolves into light and disappears, returning to his original body.

    Sakuraka mutters a single phrase while watching him.

    "The reason I asked for your help is because the fate of the world depends on you."

 CH 41

    The next day after Lucius'' training with Sakuraka in the infinite prison.

    Lucius woke up dragging his battered and sore body.

    There were no wounds on his body, so it was true that only his astral body had gone to the infinite prison. But the magic and Qigong he consumed were those of his physical body. It is probably true that had he lost his life while in his astral form, his original body would be in a vegetative state.

    "I have to improve my swordplay...."

    He mumbled to himself.

    If my opponent has my same strength and a weapon, I can overwhelm them with Qigong.

    But what if it is a superior opponent? Fighting bare handed is too risky.

    Rio has given me the Dragon Lord''s sword, so it would be better for me to polish those skills.

    While Lucius was thinking about how to improve himself, he went to the open field in front of Class Z''s school building. Some classmates gathered there early in the morning even though the school was closed.

    "Good morning!"

    When he calls out cheerfully, his classmates respond in kind. When students close to Lucius have no plans, they gather here to continue practicing their magic and other skills.

    At first, Lucius taught them many things, but recently, each of them has begun to understand their own strengths and find ways to develop them, so he no longer has an obligation to teach anyone new things.

    As such, calling these training sessions "Lucious Juku" was no longer necessary, but doing so was rejected by all the students.

    "I wonder if he''ll come today to--... There he is!"

    After finding the person I was looking for, I ran to him.

    "Can I talk to you, Ibuki?"

    "Hmm? It''s unusual for you to want to talk to me, Lucius."

    Ibuki gets up off the grass and responds to Lucius'' words.

    Although he is the prince''s bodyguard, he is not always at Yuri''s side. When Yuri wants to concentrate on his royal duties, he sends Ibuki away. Seems like it''s hard to concentrate when he has someone who is very talkative by his side.

    "So what can I help you with?"

    "I want you to teach me swordplay."

    "I see... I''m surprised you want to learn something like that, Lucius. But wouldn''t it be better if you asked Char instead of me?"

    "I will, but Ibuki''s sword skills are the opposite of Char''s offensive technique''s, right? That''s why I want to learn both."

    Lucius was excited as he said those words.

    Ibuki laughs as soon as he sees Lucius'' expression and says; "That''s great!"

    "As expected from the boy the prince has his eye on... I have to emulate that same aspiration to learn things."

    Ibuki was very impressed.

    Lucius, who shot to the top without growing conceited due to his strength, looked dazzling in Ibuki''s eyes.

    Although he has been blessed with the gift of swordsmanship, Ibuki tends to skip practice. However, when he joined Class Z and saw his classmates pitted against their own talents, he realized he couldn''t go on like this.

    (Everyone is working so hard. I should do the same...!).

    "Alright, I''ll teach you the ''King''s Guard'' sword art that has been passed down in my family for generations. In return, can you teach me magic?"

    "I don''t mind, but I''m surprised that you want to learn magic."

    "Haha, well, it''s just that I''ve been influenced by everyone around me. I wonder if I can become just as strong."

    Ibuki smiles under his helmet after saying those words.

    "Well then, let''s become strong together!"

    "Yes, please go easy on me."

    "Huh!!! Moderate?!"

    "What, you won''t be!?"

    Grabbing the surprised Ibuki by his shoulder, Lucius laughs and gives him a thumbs up.

    "Don''t worry, no one''s died so far?"

    After that, Ibuki was trained the same way Demon Lord Testarossa trained Lucius.

 CH 42

    Back in the infinite prison...

    Lucius and Sakuraka were clashing swords with each other.

    "Haaah!!!"

    Sakura takes advantage of an opening in Lucius'' defense and thrusts her sword into his side.

    But Lucius ducks and dodges the blow. In response, he swings the Dragon Lord''s Sword towards Sakura''s head, whose defense was meager.

    A red streak appeared on Sakuraka''s cheek and blood seeped out of it. She tried to dodge Lucius'' blow by throwing her head back, but the boy seemed to be one step ahead of her.

    Sakuraka wiped the blood gushing from her cheek with her thin fingertips, then smiled slightly before lowering her sword

    "Fufu, I couldn''t accept that you were better than me... But it seems I have no choice but to surrender."

    "Haha, I''ve had many good teachers."

    The two sit on the nearby chairs while chatting and drinking the tea Sakuraka prepared.

    Lucius was called to the infinite prison once every four days to receive sword training from Sakuraka.

    And in the real world, both Char and Ibuki taught him how to use the sword, so Lucius'' sword skills were improving rapidly.

    "Come to think of it, how come you''re in an infinite prison, but you''re not with Tess Onee-chan and Rio?"

    "This is a different level of the Infinite Prison than the one you were in. This is the first layer, which is the closest to the real world. The Demon and Dragon Lords are in the last layer, which is number three."

    "Wait a moment! If what you''re saying is true, that means there''s a second layer that I haven''t been to yet! Is there someone there!?"

    "Yes, but I can''t say who it is. I''m forbidden to."

    "I see..."

    Lucius became depressed after hearing those words.

    Sakuraka doesn''t want to tell me the important things. Apparently it''s the hero who holds her under such obligations.

    "Hey, Lucius. You seem to know the hero''s offspring in the outside world. What kind of kid is she?"

    "Hm? You mean Char?"

    It''s rare for Sakuraka to ask questions like that. Although I guess it''s normal for her to be curious about her master''s descendant.

    I told Sakuraka-san about Char with a lot of grace.

    I told her how we didn''t get along well at the beginning, and we had our problems, but now we are best friends.

    And that she is a very nice girl.

    When Sakuraka-san heard my story, she changed her expression from laughter toone of surprise.

    When I first met Sakuraka-san, she seemed rather cold. But lately, I''ve realized that she is a very kind and gentle person.

    The moment I finished speaking, her face had a satisfied expression.

    "....Fu, I see. It seems that the hero''s descendant lives on happily. I am glad."

    "Yes, the joy conveyed by Char also saved me."

    As the two conversed, Licius'' body grew transparent, as if he was about to disappear. This is a sign that his time in the Infinite Prison is over.

    The amount of time Lucius can spend in the infinite prison with his astral body is approximately one minute in the real world. This is equivalent to about 6 hours of infinite prison.

    "Looks like it''s time to say goodbye."

    "Yes. Thank you again for your time."

    "...I hate to say this, but..."

    Sakuraka pauses with a serious look on her face.

    "Lucius, please be careful of the creationists."

    "Creationists? What''s that?"

    "I can''t tell you the details, but as long as you try to dispel the infinite prison, you will definitely cross paths with the Creationists."

    Sakuraka''s face became very intimidating with those words. She was completely serious about Lucius being very careful, but at the same time Lucius was nervous.

    They must be a very strong and evil group of people for Sakuraka-san to be so wary of them.

    "Never try to meet them, always keep your guard up and don''t trust them even for a moment, or you''ll fall into their traps."

    "Y-Yes, I will."

    When Sakuraka heard those words, she regained her friendly expression and said goodbye to Lucius.

 CH 43

    At the academy, there are two days off per week. This was decided by King Froy of Exador.

    It is said that King Froy borrowed the wisdom of his friend, the S-class adventurer Kikuchi, when it came to drawing up the detailed rules of the school.

    This school has adopted a novel system that has never been seen before, and it is even rumored that the person named Kikuchi may have come from another world.

    In other words, I have a lot of free time today.

    "Ahˇ« I''m free!"

    Lucius smiled as he walked down the thriving street of the business district.

    I''m always training or hanging out with my friends on days off, but today I didn''t make plans with any of them, this day I want to rest as much as possible. Besides, Char said she had plans, and since I don''t, that leaves me all alone for today.

    "I''m getting hungry. I''m going to get something to eat..."

    Lucius listens carefully to the sounds around him to see if there is anything tasty around him.

    He knows what is for sale by the sound of people ringing up customers and the sound of meat being cooked. This is due to him using qigong to heighten the sensitivity of his five senses.

    "...Mmm?"

    But there is something peculiar that catches his attention among the various sounds, so he stops and concentrates on that one place.

    It was the sound of two men shouting.

    And it was coming from the back alley. Moreover, one of the voices sounded familiar to Lucius.

    "Maybe that person is..."

    Lucius walks into the alley full of curiosity.

    One of the two voices belonged to an old man with a bald head who kept shouting. And the other one was Lucius'' classmate, the beastman "Wolf Blackbite".

    Wolf stood there, his black tail and ears standing on end, threatening to jump the old man at any moment.

    It would only take the slightest movement from the old man for Wolf to attack. This will turn into a bloody fight at any moment.

    Lucius rushes to get between them and try to calm them down.

    "Wait a minute, what''s going on here!?"

    Wolf is surprised when Lucius suddenly appears in front of him.

    "Huh!!? What the hell are you doing here!!? This is none of your business!!!"

    "It''s okay, I''ll take care of this."

    Lucius ignores Wolf''s words and turns to the old man and asks him again what''s going on.

    "What''s going on here?"

    "Do you know this guy? This beastman stole my belongings! He''s a dirty thief! This is why I hate beastmen!"

    Having said that, the old man glared at Wolf as if he was looking at something disgusting.

 CH 44

    The old man gazes at Wolf with contempt.

    Wolf retaliates and shouts; "I didn''t do it! And this old man won''t stop judging me!"

    Things don''t seem to be getting any easier, so Lucius turns to the old man named Markus, who was a tool merchant.

    Markus said that a wooden box containing magic tools disappeared after he placed them in the alley and took his eyes off them for a moment.

    And unfortunately, Wolf was passing through the alley at the time.

    So Markus suspects that Wolf stashed the goods somewhere.

    "I told you I didn''t do it!"

    "Shut up! As if I''d believe anything a beastman says!"

    Discrimination against beastmen still runs deep.

    This is the first time I''ve seen something like this. However, discrimination towards beastmen is too deep seated to be erased by a single law. Even now, there are a number of restaurants and inns that refuse to admit beastmen.

    And when there is a criminal act, it is not uncommon for a beastman to be suspected of being guilty.

    Even in this situation, where there is no hard evidence that Wolf did anything wrong, there is a good chance that he will be charged with a crime.

    I have to give it my best shot here. Since I am a human, surely this old man will listen to me.

    With that in mind, Lucius stepped forward.

    "Very well then, I shall find the real culprit! And if I find them, you''ll let him go, won''t you?"

    "Oh? Well, I guess so..."

    After hearing those words, Markus accepts Lucius'' compromise.

    "But you have time until this afternoon. If the real culprit doesn''t show up, I''m going to report it to the royal knights."

    "I understand, no problem."

    Lucius turns to Wolf after agreeing to Markus'' terms.

    "Okay, let''s find the real culprit!"

    Wolf snarls at Lucius, who smiles after saying his piece.

    "Hey, why are you sticking your nose where it doesn''t belong? You''ve got nothing to do with this!"

    He actually felt happy inside. Rarely had Wolf ever had someone stand up for him.

    "What do you want from me? You''re not doing yourself any favors by being nice to me!"

    Wolf is wary of Lucius'' kindness, frowning at the sight of him. Lucius, however, was very calm.

    And after a few moments of silence, he said something that pierced deep into Wolf''s heart.

    "Hmm, Wolf, you''re overthinking things. I''m not thinking about using you or asking you for any favors."

    "Then why are you getting involved with me? You''ll only waste your time and get a bad reputation if you hang out with a beastman!"

    Lucious laughed at his words and replied, "Of course not, because we are friends."

 CH 45

    "Friends...!?"

    Wolf was taken aback by Lucius'' words. The two of them had barely been able to hold a conversation and could hardly be called friends.

    On the contrary, Wolf always rebuffed Lucius with threats when the boy tried to approach him.

    He believed that all people were unworthy of his trust. But what about this person in front of him?

    Instead of discriminating against him, he reached out to him. Why? How could someone like that exist?

    It was then that Wolf first felt the kindness of humans. Lucious, not knowing that Wolf was thinking such a thing, said: "Well then, let''s start investigating and find the real culprit!"

    Lucius first checked the place where the box had been placed, but there were no fingerprints or clues to be found. You could say it was a complicated situation. However, Lucious had a trick up his sleeve.

    "Activate - Analysis Magic!"

    Right after citing the spell, the place where the box was last located glowed a white light that revealed traces too small to be seen with the naked eye.

    "What kind of magic is this!?"

    "It''s analysis magic. I learned it from Chisha."

    Lucius laughs as he looks at Wolf''s surprised reaction. This magic is very difficult to learn, but it was easy for Lucius to learn it after Chisha taught him.

    Although it was still not as accurate as Chisha''s, it is still a great feat to learn analysis magic in such a short time.

    Using their magical powers to find the culprit''s trail, both boys followed the footprints until they saw where they led to.

    "Hmm, looks like he went that way."

    The glowing footprints continued to the end of the alley. It looked like the culprit had fled to the other side.

    "All right, let''s go get him!"

    "Hey, wait for me!"

    Lucius started running, followed by Wolf who was right behind him.

    Markus muttered to himself as he watched the two boys run off at a speed that would be imperceptible to any normal person.

    "Who are those boys...?"

    Both boys ran down an alley where few people were passing by. Lucius had increased his speed with the power of Qigong. He is so fast that even in Class Z, only Merel can catch up with him.

    But surprisingly, Wolf was keeping up with Lucius.

    "You''re really fast, Wolf. How amazing!"

    "And you''re too fast to be a human! Who the hell are you!?"

    Wolf is confident in his speed, but his pride is shattered by Lucius, who was a human yet possessed the same speed as him.

    Lucius had no way of knowing Wolf''s thoughts, but he was so glad that he met someone else who is fast enough to keep up with him, so he started to increase his speed even more.

    "Let''s run faster!!!"

    "How can you even do that!? I won''t lose to you!!!"

    Both boys ran through the alleys while kicking up a large cloud of dust in their wake.

 CH 46

    "We''re here... It looks like the suspect entered this building."

    "Yes... I''m picking up a scent..."

    Both boys followed the footprints and arrived at a large, old warehouse. It looks like it''s been unused for quite some time, so why the hell did the culprit go in there?

    "Alright, let''s go in then."

    Lucius opens the large iron door to the warehouse. A great clang echoes throughout the place. It seems that the inside was locked with an iron chain, but it was no match for Lucius'' great power. The disjointed iron links simply rolled across the floor.

    "Hey, the inside of this place is pretty spacious."

    There was a lot of merchandise piled up inside the large warehouse. As Wolf examined inside, he found gold, silver, jewelry, magic tools and other expensive items that didn''t look like they belonged in a warehouse like this.

    Wolf clicks his tongue when he sees all these items.

    "...I think we''ve gotten in way over our heads. This all looks like stolen merchandise. I''m guessing this warehouse is a hide out for a group of bandits. We''d better get out of here and call the guards."

    "Certainly, you''re right. But it''s too late to run away now."

    As Lucius said that, the door through which he entered closed with a great clang. A group of men came out of the shadows, surrounding Lucius and Wolf. In their hands they held pistols, a lethal weapon that was recently developed.

    There was still a very limited number of such weapons, and it was a high class item. Which meant that this bandit group was a large organization with significant financial means.

    "I thought the knights had found this place, but they''re just kids. Are they lost?"

    The person who was speaking was a large man who seemed to be the bandit chief. He was wearing gold accessories and jewelry all over his body. Clearly, he''s making a lot of money from his robberies.

    "Hey you! You guys stole those magic tools that were in the alley, and now everyone thinks it was me!"

    "Alley? Magic tools? ...Oh, so that''s why you''re here."

    The bandit chief pointed at a wooden box. On it were the words "Markus'' Shop".

    That''s definitely the box.

    "I knew it was you guys...! I won''t let you get away with this!!!"

    Wolf growls and blurts out many threats. But the bandits don''t seem to mind, as they laugh at him.

    "Hahahaha, excuse me, Wolf-kun, it looks like we gave you a hard time with what we did. How about I find your owner and reward him for the bad treatment you received?"

    "...Hey you... Are you making fun of me?"

    Wolf asks as veins pop out of his forehead. His eyes are filled with murderous intent, and blood drips from his clenched fists.

    "It''s what everyone says. A beast man needs a master, right? That''s why I was looking for you. I have a very wealthy client who likes his beastmen young and muscular. I''m sure he''d love you!"

    The henchmen around him burst out laughing at their leader''s words. Wolf was about to go crazy with rage. He almost jumped on them unleashing all his fury, but Lucius stopped him before that happened.

    "Don''t lose your cool, that''s what they want."

    "Shut up! You''re looking at me the same way they are, aren''t you? You think I''m just some dirty beast!"

    Wolf shouts with tears in his eyes. But Lucius looks him straight in the eye as he says "No, I don''t think so."

    His words were direct and simple. Normally those words would not move Wolf, but this was a different situation.

    He was the only human Wolf felt he could truly trust.

    "I guess it''s okay."

    Seeing Wolf regain his composure, Lucius is relieved and turns to the bandits as he raises his fists. The gentle look in his eyes from a moment ago has vanished, and now his eyes emanated a fierce gleam like the stuff of nightmares that would make even the toughest man tremble.

    "...You''re going to pay for insulting my friend."

 CH 47

    The bandits begin to laugh as they see Lucius preparing to fight.

    "You''re so adorable... Hey, one of you guys take that kid for a little walk."

    "Ha."

    At the Leader''s command, a burly man approaches Lucius as he clenches his fists. The scars all over his body hint that he is a fierce warrior.

    "Don''t hurt his face though! He''s got a nice face, we can sell him at a high price to perverts who like children."

    Lucius makes a disgusted face at the Leader''s words.

    The burly man extends his arm and tries to grab Lucius, but....

    "Don''t even think about it!"

    The man''s fingers crumple as he tries to grab Lucius. It''s as if he''s being crushed by something huge.

    "[Tank Shell - Finger Squeeze]"

    What Lucious did was simple. He stiffened his right hand with the [Tank Shell] technique to crush the man''s fingers the moment he touched his hand. That would be enough to render the bandit''s hands useless.

    "Step aside."

    Lucius mercilessly kicks the man as he writhes in pain. The man flies back through the air, over his companions and slams into the warehouse''s wall.

    Knocked unconscious, the man collapses on the spot.

    "Who the hell is this guy...?!"

    The boss, noticing Lucius'' abnormal strength, points his gun at him.

    "What''s the matter, why are you shaking?"

    "Shut your mouth, you son of a bitch! Shoot him!!!"

    30 people started shooting at Lucius all at once. There was no escape. In addition, he had to think about Wolf, who was right next to him.

    Lucius opens his hands and unleashes his Qigong to envelop the two of them in a cocoon of said power.

    "Qigong style, Iron Guardian defense technique!"

    A spherical wall of Qigong formed around them. The wall was translucent, but it has a very considerable hardness, making it repel all the incoming bullets.

    "Amazing..."

    Words of praise involuntarily leak from Wolf''s mouth. Beastmen are not good with magic, but they have a great deal of Qigong. Wolf knew some beastmen who were good at Qigong, but he had never seen a Qigong technique as masterfully crafted as Lucius''.

    "It''s time to counterattack!"

    As soon as the bandits ran out of ammunition, Lucius cancels the technique and launches his counterattack.

    Because he was surrounded by a lot of stolen goods, he can''t use his most lethal moves. So he is forced to attack them one by one.

    "It''s a monster..."

    Fear wells up in the leader''s heart as he sees his subordinates being swiftly defeated one by one.

    ''I can never beat this guy, my body screams at me, telling me I must give up. But my pride will not allow me to let myself be won by this boy'', thought the leader.

    The leader''s next action took Lucius by surprise.

    "Fuck you! If you''re going to beat me, I''ll at least take one of you!"

    Thereupon, the bandit leader points his gun towards Wolf. But Wolf, who was concentrating on watching Lucius fight, didn''t see the attack coming.

    ...A bullet was fired from the gun, headed straight towards Wolf.

 CH 48

    "Die!!!"

    A bullet flies out of the gun barrel. Hearing that sound, Wolf realizes that he has been targeted, but it is too late. No matter how fast he is, Wolf was not prepared to avoid the bullet.

    "Watch out!"

    But luckily Lucius was able to react in time. At that instant, he couldn''t use magic or a Qigong technique, but at least he could act as a shield.

    Lucius places himself between the bullet and Wolf, using his own body as a shield. No matter how much he hardened himself, he can''t use his muscles to deflect a bullet.

    The bullet sinks deep into Lucius'' abdomen, and it unfortunately manages to penetrate him.

    "Hugh...!"

    Lucious writhes in pain and immediately drops to his knees. Wolf, who has come to his senses, rushes towards him in concern.

    "Hey, are you okay!?"

    With a pale face, Wolf checks his wound. Fortunately, the bullet doesn''t seem to have damaged any internal organs. Nor is there much blood loss.

    For the moment, Lucius was not under risk of losing his life.

    "Why did you save me? I''m always saying how much I hate humans!"

    "Hugh... Because you''re like me, like everyone in Class Z. We''re friends."

    Lucius replies as Wolf holds him up.

    "What do you mean?"

    "We''ve been discriminated against too. Some of us were born with special talents, some with strange talents, and some of us had no talents to begin with. Despite our differences, we all had the same difficult childhood."

    "I see..."

    Wolf, who never wanted to get involved with anyone in the first place, had no idea that his classmates had the same background. He was convinced he was the only one who suffered.

    "I was weak, and in the process of growing in terms of my strength, I experienced many things, and because of that, I was able to get here, and meet all of you. So I want you to change too, Wolf."

    "Lucius..."

    I have always felt discriminated against. I am the victim of all the evil acts humans have done against my kind.

    But he was different. He had also been discriminated against by his own people.

    I put all humans together and assumed they were all bad. What''s the difference between that and lumping beastmen together and treating them as a lower class race?

    For the first time, Wolf realized his mistake, and vowed to change.

    He wanted to be just like this boy who, though smaller than him in stature, was much bigger in heart, intelligence and strength.

    It was time to come out of his shell.

    "Look at me, Lucius. I''ll show you who I really am!"

    Wolf gently lays Lucius on the ground and concentrates all strength in his body. To everyone''s surprise, his body begins to distort, a rustling resonating.

    Long black fur grows all over his body and his limbs elongate.

    The tip of his nose lengthened, large fangs and claws grew on him, and his eyes turned red.... As soon as the transformation was over, a large and frightening black wolf stood in the warehouse.

    "Okay, it''s time to finish them off!"

    The fog in his mind cleared, and the lone wolf that he previously was vanished. Wolf kicked off the ground hard and headed towards the bandits at high speed.

 CH 49

    Who are the beastmen in the first place? Their roots go far back in time.

    Their ancestors were half human and half beast. Therefore, they have both the intelligence of humans and the physical abilities of beasts.

    But normally, a human and a beast cannot have a child together.

    The reason why beastmen were able to be conceived is because there was a very strong beast at that time. This beast that became strong enough to awaken the power of the royal crest was also strong enough to freely reproduce. Its power was so strong that it could conceive with another species.

    And thus the beastmen were born. And in ancient times, beastmen had the ability to transform.

    They could take the form of a beast, a man or a beastman, as Wolf is most of the time. However, present-day beastmen have lost their ability to transform throughout history.

    But in extremely rare cases, beastmen with the ability to transform are born.

    "Ugaaaaahhhh!!!"

    As Wolf finished his transformation, he slammed into the bandit, sending him flying through the air and crashing into the wall several meters away.

    "Don''t come near me!"

    Shooting at Wolf was a futile effort. The bullets couldn''t hit him because his speed was so fast, making him look like a flitting shadow everytime he moved.

    Wolf runs the bandits one after another into the ground, beating them in only a few minutes.

    When the bandit leader witnesses such a massacre, he decides that he can''t win and makes his next move.

    "Damn it, guess I have no choice!"

    As he says this, he opens a large cage nearby and lets a large green bird out from inside.

    Wolf is surprised to see it.

    "That''s the wise parrot! How could you capture such a rare species like that!"

    The wise parrot is a giant bird that lives in the jungle. It was two meters long, a gentle, intelligent animal that likes tranquility. It is said to be more intelligent than humans, and because it is difficult to catch, it is traded at a high price among hobbyists.

    "Hey! Start flying! Or do you want me to kill you?"

    The bandit leader climbs on top of the parrot, and it starts flapping its wings rapidly. It then breaks through the roof of the warehouse, flying outside.

    "Damn it, what do I do?"

    Wolf had enough strength in his legs to leap towards the bird and knock it down with a single blow, but he didn''t want to hurt the animal, as it was just being forced to take orders from it''s master.

    When Lucius sees Wolf confused, he stands up and approaches him, holding his aching stomach.

    Wolf notices this and speaks to Lucius very anxiously.

    "Hey, are you sure you should be moving right now?"

    "Fufu, I can''t just stand idly by while I watch you do all the work."

    He''s already used magic to remove the bullet and close the wound, but the pain isn''t going to go away any time soon. However, seeing Lucius standing, Wolf makes a decision.

    He knelt down and said; "get on me."

    "...What?"

    "Don''t make me repeat myself. I told you to get on."

    It''s no wonder Lucius is confused. For someone like Wolf, a beastman who has been discriminated against by humans, to decide to help Lucius like that was a great display of trust from him.

    Beastmen only allow people to get on their backs if they believe they can trust them with their lives.

    "Honestly, I still can''t trust all humans. But if you''re a fellow outcast, I can trust you because you''re just like me..... So will you get on my back or not?"

    "Wolf.... Okay, let''s take that guy out together!"

    Lucius straddles Wolf''s back. His fluffy back is so sturdy that it makes Lucius feel safe.

    At the same time, Wolf felt a sense of security with Lucius on his back.

    ''I feel light, like a missing piece has been filled in. I guess I''ve always wanted someone I could trust.''

    ""Alright, let''s go!!!""

    They both declared before Wolf started running.

    TN: The number of published chapters has been delayed due to the fact that we are currently translating the Light Novel. If you want to know the translation progress, I make posts via Twitter about the progress

 CH 50

    "Damn it, who the hell are these kids!?"

    The bandit chief, Gillem, shouts as he flies through the sky on his bird.

    "I was leading the perfect life in this country robbing people, and now you''ve ruined it!"

    The kingdom has a low crime rate compared to other countries due to the Knights'' frequent patrols. However, this also means that Gillem has very few competitors. In other words, not only has he managed to avoid being caught by the country''s knights, but he also has a complete monopoly of the entire area.

    The wily Gillem had sought out and bribed all the knights who had shown even a hint of malice or corruption. As a result, his robberies and kidnappings have been quite successful, as information about these criminal acts has never reached the ears of the superiors.

    But now all of that has come to an end because of Lucius and Wolf.

    But there was still hope for Gillem.

    "...It''s a good thing I brought this bird with me. If I manage to sell it for a good price, I can make myself some money and think about my next move afterwards."

    The wise parrot is a rare species and sells for a very high price to collectors. The going rate is enough to build a small house. And one more thing, Gillem also had a silver bracelet that he wore on his arm.

    It is a treasure Gillem found by chance in some ruins near the kingdom, with a large peach-colored jewel in its silver body. Even after appraising it, he couldn''t tell when it was made or what it was made of, but Gillem''s intuition as a thief told him that it was a tremendous treasure.

    "Tch... I''ll never forgive those guys! When I''m back in control, I''ll get even with them...!"

    Gillem was flying out of the kingdom, but he then suddenly noticed a black shadow leaping across the rooftops, following him. That strange figure was Wolf, and above him was Lucius.

    Lucius saw a green form flying in the sky and pointed at it.

    "There he is!"

    "Don''t think you''ll be able to outrun us, you bloody thief!"

    Wolf''s agility was incredible. He could run across the rooftops without any difficulty and at astonishing speed. You could say he was on the same level as Merel.

    "But how are we supposed to get to him...?"

    "Hahˇ­! I have a plan!"

    Wolf said and then quickened his pace.

    "Hey! W-Wait!"

    Lucius realized Wolf''s intentions and decided to hold on to him tightly.

    "Hold on tight! Here we go!"

    Wolf curls his whole body and kicks off the ground like a spring. His body soars into the sky while maintaining the speed he was running at, allowing them to reach the same height as the bird.

 CH 51

    "Amazing!"

    "Eh? O-Oh, thank you."

    Wolf is embarrassed by Lucius'' sincere praise, but he soon returns to the task at hand, puts on his serious face, and entrusts Lucius with the rest.

    "Well, I''ll leave the rest to you, so finish him off."

    "Yeah, I got it."

    There was no need to say anything else. Lucius stood atop WolfˇŻs back and hopped over to the bird where Gillem was.

    "Hello... It''s been a while."

    Lucius landed right in front of Gillem, who was straddling the bird, and greeted him lightly as if they had met during a casual stroll.

    "Wh-What the--!? How did you get here!?"

    Gillem is confused by the sudden situation. He didn''t expect to be followed from so far away, so he couldnˇŻt stop sweating when he suddenly saw Lucius in front of him, especially this high up in the air.

    Lucius tightly grabbed the nervous GillemˇŻs by the collar of his shirt with his left hand and pulled back his right arm, getting ready to throw a punch.

    "I''m going to hit you as hard as I can right now, are you ready?"

    "Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait! If you hit me all the way up here, I''m going to die! Please, spare me!!!"

    Gillem begs for his life as Lucius says such frightening things with an angelic smile. He tried to remove LuciusˇŻ left hand, which was now holding him by the neck, but Lucius'' monstrous power was too much for him.

    "H-Hey! I''ll give you money! I also have a lot more treasure! Do you want some?!"

    "No."

    Gillem begins to panic as he tries to find a way to get Lucius to spare him.

    "Ah, right! The magic tools! I''ve got a bunch of weird stuff! Do you want them ˇ«?"

    "I don''t want any goods that have been stolen."

    Every proposal Gillem made was rejected, bringing him close to tears.

    ˇ®How can I bribe this guy!? This is the first time I''ve met someone as complicated as he is!!!!ˇŻ

    "I''ll get you a woman! The most beautiful woman in the world! And I''ll get you a very exquisite and glamorous mansion! What do you say?!"

    "...I''m sorry, but it''s a little too late for that. I already have a beautiful girlfriend, and I don''t need a mansion."

    With that said, Lucius gathers his Qigong into his right fist.

    "Wait...!"

    "Qigong Art, 5th defensive variant technique, Tank Shell-Iron Hammer!"

    With his fist hardened like a diamond, Lucius threw a powerful right hook. Gillem, who took the blow directly in his face, flew off the bird and fell to the ground while screaming pitifully.

    "...Fu, I feel renewed!"

    Lucius, having gotten payback for the bullet to his stomach earlier and having finished dealing with Gillem for the many cruel acts he had committed, mounts the bird with a beaming face.

    "Hey, kid, can you get off, please?"

    "What!?"

    The Wise Parrot, who had been obeying Gillem''s orders, speaks to Lucius. He follows its orders and gets off its back. Waiting for him on the ground was Wolf in his original form.

    "Looks like things went well on your end."

    With that, Wolf drops the figure he was holding on the ground.

    It was Gillem, who had taken the full force of Lucius'' punch. Upon closer inspection, they could see he was still alive, as he was still moving.

    "I see you were able to catch him before he hit the ground, good."

    "Hey, I don''t care if he lives or dies, but the idea of being a murderer is something I don''t like."

    The two then lightly laughed at each other. Although they had only been together for a short period of time, a definite bond had emerged between the two.

    A group of people in armor approached them. The emblem of the Exador Kingdom was engraved on their armor.

    "Oh? Looks like the Knights are finally here."

    "I guess that''s to be expected. We made a huge commotion after I changed into my beast form, since it was really eye-catching. Let''s leave the rest to the knights."

    Thus ended Lucius and Wolf''s battle against Gillem and his band of thieves.

    TN: Sorry for the few updates regarding the chapters, we still haven''t had any luck finding a proofreader, so working between the Light Novel and the chapters of the Web Novels is a very heavy load...

 CH 52

    ˇ°A beastman and a human are rampaging all over the Kingdom.ˇ±

    The King sent out his knights after hearing that report.

    The Kingdom''s Knights who went to the scene after receiving their orders saw a beastman, a tired boy and an unconscious man.

    The knights acted with caution when they saw Wolf.

    All of their swords were pointed at the beastman. Seeing the troublesome situation, Lucius decided to act quickly and explain the situation to the knights.

    For a moment they doubted that the unconscious man was a thief, and more so taking into consideration that one of the boys was a beastman, whom they couldn''t help but be wary of, since, in the eyes of humans, they were the most troublesome race, and the ones with the worst reputation.

    But despite that, the two could not go free since they were still highly suspicious people. As such, Lucius decided to ask to speak with his best friend, Yuri, the prince of the country.

    The knights had their doubts, but if it turned out that the boy really was Yuri''s friend, it would be a big problem.

    The moment Yuri found out about such a situation, and that Lucius was involved, he left the castle as quickly as possible, and headed for the scene. He got out of the carriage and rushed towards Lucius while shouting; "Now what did you do!?"

    "Oh, here he comes. Hi, Yuri!"

    Lucius greets Yuri in a carefree manner, a smile on his face.

    "Lucius! You''re always causing trouble! What have you done this time!? You''re giving me a stomachache!"

    "I-I''m so sorry, Yuri."

    Lucius apologized and proceeded to recount the situation from the beginning.

    Yuri''s anger calms down and disappears the moment he learns that Lucius and Wolf took down a highly dangerous criminal organization.

    "...Huh. Well, I guess it''s good that you were able to bring peace to the kingdom this time, but next time, you''ll have to let me know before you do something like this! That way I can be prepared."

    Next, Yuri began giving instructions to the knights. I told him that the bandits we defeated were still unconscious in the warehouse. He said he would take care of cleaning up that mess, so Wolf and I had nothing else to do but relax.

    I kept wondering how those bandits could have such dangerous weapons like that...

    While Lucius was thinking that, a large shadow slowly approached from behind him and... suddenly jumped at Lucius.

    "Khueeeeeeeh!!!!"

    "Eeeh?!"

    What landed on him was the wise parrot that the bandits had captured. I wonder where he was tucked in, as I didn''t see when the knights appeared.

    "What''s wrong with you? You''re free now, remember?"

    The animal rubs its large head against Lucius, apparently not wanting to leave, and Wolf laughs at the funny situation.

    "This is unusual, apparently the Parrot has taken a liking to you, boss."

    "Huh? Really?"

    When Lucius asked that, the animal let out an affirmative "Quee?".

    He really seems to like me.

    "Hmm, what should I do?"

    "Why don''t you keep it? Wise parrots are just as smart as humans. I don''t think it would be a bother, right?"

    Wolf gave Lucius a fairly reasonable alternative, to which Lucius agreed with a smile on his face as he looked at the parrot.

    "I''ll ask the quarterstaff if I can keep him. As long as Yuri gives us permission, everything should be fine."

    When the Parrot heard this, he squealed with delight. Yuri will get sick to his stomach again because of this arbitrary decision, but I''m confident that everything will be fine.

    "But why does he want to stay with me?"

    Lucius speaks softly while petting the animal, but Wolf could hear his words and responds;

    "I think I have the answer to that question."

    "huh?"

    "Boss has a big heart and is kind towards everything around him. It''s amazing that such a big heart can exist inside that little body. And I''m guessing this animal saw that in you."

    Lucius realized that Wolf had called him "Boss" several times, and after those words of praise, he couldn''t help but feel embarrassed about the whole situation. It was the first time someone had praised him so much, and he shyly replied between stutters; "That''s.... Not quite true."

    Wolf looked at Lucius very doubtfully and asked him an unexpected question;

    "If it''s alright with you, can you tell me why you''re so willing to sacrifice so much for others?"

 CH 53

    "Can you tell me why you help others?"

    Back at the warehouse, Wolf asked Lucius something unusual. Wolf still wasn''t convinced that a boy of the same age would just risk his life for others.

    When he asks him seriously, Lucius scratches the tip of his nose and answers with embarrassment.

    "...I wasn''t anyone special before, I wasn''t strong, and I didn''t have something that made me stand out either. But now everything is different."

    Lucius begins to remember the past.

    "I had no one, and one day I had two mentors who gave me all sorts of things... magic, wisdom, power, everything I needed to survive.... plus kindness and love. Those are things I got from my mentors."

    Even now, when I think about it, it makes me want to cry.

    The days the three of us lived together were a dazzling treasure for me.

    "After I was filled with so many wonderful things that have been bestowed upon me by then, I made a decision."

    Lucius looks at Wolf with an expression of resolution and says; "I want to be a supporter."

    "A supporter?"

    "Yes. I gained a lot of things that I will never be able to repay them for. That''s why I decided to become a supporter of people, just like them. That''s why I''m teaching all my peers what I learned from my teachers. Even though I often end up being taught by them."

    Lucius laughs, embarrassed, and tells his true feelings. When Wolf heard Lucius'' true feelings, he thought, "I''m no match for him."

    He had always had selfish thoughts, to think of himself and to separate himself from other people as much as possible. Wolf was convinced that this was the difference between him and Lucius.

    Then he willingly kneels down in front of Lucius and presses both his fists on the ground.

    "Huh? What is it, Wolf?"

    "This posture means ''total submission'' in the eyes of the beastmen. Would you be willing to accept me as your subordinate?"

    "My subordinate?"

    Lucius was confused by the sudden offer. Naturally, he tried to refuse, but Wolf was determined.

    "We can be friends! We don''t need to go to such extremes!"

    "Yes. But I''m sure you''ll need it in the future, because you''re not just a student, boss."

    "But..."

    "I don''t mind if you treat me like just another friend, but could I put my heart under your command, boss?"

    "Wolf..."

    Lucius was reluctant at first, but could sense Wolf''s determination in his passionate words. Lucius considers that refusal would be an affront in the face of such determination from his friend, hence, he decided to agree to his request.

    "...All right. In return, I''ll treat you like a normal friend."

    Wolf''s face lights up upon hearing this, and he shakes Lucius'' hand with much force and momentum.

    "Really, very nice! Nice to meet you, boss!" he says.

    "Yeah, same here, Wolf!"

    Both boys shake hands with much devotion. Thus, Wolf became Lucius'' first subordinate and a loyal servant for life.

 CH 54

    "...Hi, I''m Wolf Blackbite, the Boss''s subordinate. Nice to meet you again."

    At the beginning of the next day, we were in the classroom, all the problems related to the bandits had been solved, and our day off had already come to an end. A new version of Wolf had appeared at the Academy, with a friendlier attitude and the willingness to be open with people. Without warning, he stood in front of all our classmates and introduced himself to everyone, at the same time making an unexpected announcement that he was now Lucius'' subordinate.

    "What?"

    "What do you mean by that!?"

    As expected, his classmates were in a state of confusion. From the very beginning, Wolf was a reclusive person who didn''t socialize with anyone, so for him to come forward with such a friendly attitude was surprising to everyone present.

    "Hey, Wolf! You can''t say something like that in front of everyone!!!"

    "Sorry, boss. I''m not very good at announcing complicated things."

    "That doesn''t mean you can''t find a better way to say it."

    As Lucius and Wolf argue, one of the three idiots, Barn, furiously gets out of his seat, his red Mohawk waving around.

    "Wow there!!! You never even wanted to talk to us before! Don''t try to be nice now!"

    "Huh? You have a problem with that?"

    The tension between Barn and Wolf flares. Lucius tries to intervene and stop them, but they pay no attention to him, ignoring his words completely.

    "You don''t want me to be his subordinate?"

    "Lucius is my best friend, and apart from that, we are also his subordinates, which gives us special privilege to follow in his footsteps and be with him!"

    "There is a difference between a subordinate and a friend, but there can only be one. Even an idiot like you should be able to understand that."

    "You may have been chosen as Lucius'' subordinate, but I will always be the number one! And I intend to prove it to you!"

    Barn throws his glove at Wolf, and he picks it up without hesitation.

    With that action, a duel was soon set up between Barn and Wolf. Meanwhile, Regus-sensei stood in a corner of the classroom with his hands on his head, worried about the situation that was unfolding.

    "Let''s get this started, you mohawk-moron! I''ll kick your ass!"

    As Barn and Wolf head out of the classroom, sparks flying between them, the rest of the students excitedly follow them out to see both students duel.

    Regus-sensei was not too far behind them, since he had no choice but to referee the match between the two.

    "How did I let this happen...?"

    "Let them go, Lucius. They''ll get tired after they''ve beat each other up a bit."

    Char says to Lucius with your serious tone, leaving the poor boy stunned by the turn of events.

    Yuri approached Lucius, who had no choice but to stay quiet in his seat. He was in no mood to watch the fight.

    "Lucius, I have the bracelet you asked me to have appraised."

    With those words, Yuri placed a silver bracelet with a large pink jewel embedded in it on LuciusˇŻs desk.

 CH 55

    "Thank you, Yuri. Where did you find this?"

    "Apparently the bandits had found it by coincidence at an archaeological site on the outskirts of the country, which means it wasn''t stolen."

    "I see..."

    Lucius had been curious about this bracelet ever since he first saw it. It seemed to have some kind of mysterious power.

    That''s why he asked Yuri to investigate this bracelet.

    "I can''t tell you when and who made this bracelet, but the researcher said that it''s not particularly valuable."

    "I understand..."

    Lucius looks disappointed, and Char approaches with a lot of curiosity and asks him: "What''s wrong?"

    When she sees the bracelet in his hand, she says: "Hm? Impossible..."

    "What''s wrong, Char?"

    "Hey, how did you get this, and why is it here?!"

    "Do you know what this is?"

    "Yeah, this is the bracelet of the legendary hero Oger. Why is a national treasure like this here?!"

    Lucius and Yuri froze at those words. He had no idea that this item was so valuable.

    "By the way, Charlotte, how did you know it belonged to the hero Oger?"

    "It''s simple, Yuri: The hero Oger put a mark on his belongings. I am forbidden to tell this to people outside of my family, so please don''t tell anyone."

    After easily divulging her family''s secret, Char pulls her sword from her waist and shows the mark engraved on the hilt.

    The mark was in the shape of a jet black helmet said to be worn by the hero Oger.

    "You''re right, it''s the same mark...! And it''s the same as the one on the inside of the bracelet!"

    Lucius couldn''t believe he was holding such a precious belonging of the legendary hero in his hands. His heart was pounding with happiness.

    This must be another key I need to break the seal.

    "I would like to ask you a favor.... Is it okay for me to keep this for a few days?"

    "Huh? Well, if it''s Lucius, I don''t mind you having it..."

    "If this bracelet belongs to the hero Oger, the property belongs to his descendant, which is Charlotte. If it''s all right with her, it''s all right with me."

    With permission from both of them, Lucius felt at ease, and promised himself to take care of the bracelet.

    "By the way, what do you need it for?"

    "Uh, well, I just, uh, need to check something."

    "Hmm... Okay, fine. Whenever you feel ready to talk about it, I''ll be happy to listen."

    Char understood that Lucius was hiding something, and decided not to probe any further.

    That made Lucius very happy. It meant that Charlotte trusted him completely.

    "Yes, I understand. Someday I''ll tell you about it."

    "Fufu, I''d like to be part of that secret too."

    "Of course. I''m counting on you, Yuri."

    Lucius thanked his two best friends, and took the bracelet home.

 CH 56

    In the evening of the same day.

    "Queeeeeee! Lucius! Queeeeeee!"

    "Sorry, Palom. I have things to do today."

    The wise parrot attempts to enter Lucius''s room through the window, but he stops him while apologizing.

    He was allowed to keep the parrot in the woods near the dormitory, and had named it "Palom". The animal is rather popular among the students for its warm and friendly mannerisms.

    "...Okay, let''s get this started."

    In my hands is the bracelet of the legendary hero Oger.

    I''m sure that by wearing this I''ll be able to break another seal on the infinite prison.

    Lucius willingly puts on the bracelet.

    Since it is a magical tool, it adjusts itself to perfectly fit his arm.

    In the next moment, the jewel on the bracelet begins to shine brightly.

    "Ah, this glow is very intense..."

    The light was much stronger and more intense than the one from when he grabbed Char''s sword, and it gradually filled the entire room.

    With the brightness filling the room, LuciusˇŻ conscience faded.

    ...Hmm

    Lucius awoke very drowsily.

    A nostalgic landscape spread out in front of him as he opened his eyes.

    "This is... The infinite prison."

    It was a white landscape that emitted no sound around him.

    "Well, which layer have I ended up in?"

    Sakuraka had told me that this infinite prison is divided into layers.

    First layer - Sakuraka the guardian.

    Second layer - Unknown

    Third layer - The Demon and Dragon Lords.

    "If this is the second layer, I need to be very careful. I don''t know what kind of monster I might run into."

    With Lucius'' current strength, it would be impossible to defeat someone around the same rank as the Demon Lord or the Dragon Lord.

    There could be another Lord sealed in the second layer of this infinite prison. It would not be good if they ended up being hostile.

    ...But those worries were unnecessary.

    Because there was no way the people in front of me would hurt me.

    "...Ah, ah!"

    I inadvertently let out a sound. I couldnˇŻt control my emotions.

    I''ve been looking forward to seeing them again ever since I left. I''ve missed them almost every moment....

    I start to run while shouting the names of the two people that I loved.

    "Tess Onee-chan!!! Rio!!! It''s me!!!"

 CH 57

    "Louis... kun!?"

    When the Demon King Testarosssa saw Lucius jump on her chest, she was very surprised to see him in such a place.

    Rio replied, "What the hell is going on!" as she felt panic at the situation.

    "We''re finally together again!"

    Lucius buries his face into the body of both girls and begins to cry. It''s only been three months since they separated, but it was very sad for Lucius to say goodbye to the two people he had been locked up with for 300 years.

    Testarossa and Rio exchange glances when they see Lucius crying, and they both stroke his head to comfort him. The scene was full of compassion, like a mother caring for her child.

    "You did your best, Louis-kun. It''s okay, we''re together again."

    "Haha, you''re still a crybaby.... Sniff..."

    "Fufu, Rio, you''re crying too."

    "I''m not crying! You''re the one with the wet eyes!"

    The three of them laugh as if they were playing together, like a real family. The three of them went to the house created by Testarossa''s magic, sat on the chairs and listened to all the anecdotes Lucius has lived through so far.

    He told him absolutely everything he has done, the things he experienced in the kingdom, his relationship with Char, the descendant of the hero Ogre, his new friends, the school, his friend the prince... and about Sakura, the guardian of the infinite prison. He told them everything he experienced, without hiding anything.

    "...And that''s all I''ve experienced so far."

    "Um.. Louis, first I want you to answer me something."

    "What do you want to know?"

    Testarossa rises from her seat, and hugs Lucius with blinding speed.

    "It''s terrible that you''re dating a descendant of the Ogre hero!!! What about our relationship!?"

    After those words, she hugs Lucius while burying his face in her large, ample breasts. Lucius'' face was buried completely in that valley, his arms and legs flailing in despair of being suffocated.

    Rio, who couldn''t bear to watch as Testarossa continued to hug Lucius while still paying attention to his violent behaviour, grabs him by the arm and pulls him towards herself while exclaiming, "That''s enough!"

    "Oh god, I thought I was going to die on her breasts."

    "Ouh, you poor thing, Lucius. Don''t worry, I''ll comfort you in a kinder way than that big-breasted devil."

    "Hey! He''s mine!"

    "What are you talking about?!"

    Testarossa and Rio get into a fight. Lucius apologizes to both girls as he says, "Um, did they get angry because of me?"

    Seeing Lucius depressed, the Demon King and Dragon King stop fighting.

    "Fufu, it''s okay, Lucius-kun, we''re just joking... We''re not angry. Well, just a little, but everything''s fine."

    "No, it''s alright. I''m more mature than that, Louis, it''s trivial things. After all, you can''t be the Dragon King''s husband without first having a concubine or two."

    "Rio...!"

    Lucius is shocked by Rio''s words. On the contrary, Testarossa''s cheeks were still puffy, so she willed Lucius to talk about Char while she is present.

 CH 58

    Lucius, Testarossa and Rio chatted a lot, shared anecdotes, as well as learned new techniques.

    And to make up for lost time, the three lovers had long sessions of kissing each other.

    However, time flew by. About six hours after Lucius'' arrival at the infinite prison, his body began to change.

    "Louis-kun...! What''s happening to your body?"

    Testarossa shouted as she saw Lucius'' body turn transparent.

    "Oh, my time has come.... That was quicker than I thought."

    "Hey, Louis! What''s going on? Explain it to me!"

    "Um, this is the same thing that happens every time I visit Sakura-san. What I''m trying to say is that.... My stay here is over and I have to go home now."

    After those words, Lucius explained the current situation to the girls. His body was in the real world. In other words, he entered the infinite prison with a spiritual body. In fact, he can touch and talk because of the power of his magic, and it''s only temporary.

    The separation of body and soul is a dangerous act.

    If you separate from your body for too long, the link between body and spirit will be broken, and you may not be able to return to your original body. The time limit is about six hours in the infinite prison. At that time, Lucius'' spirit will naturally return to his original body.

    "...It''s a shame to hear this. I''m going to miss you so much."

    Testarossa smiles after those words and hugs Lucius tightly.

    "Tess Onee-chan...?"

    "It''s strange. The time I spent in the infinite prison was much longer before I met Louis, but after he left, it felt like time was moving slower than normal."

    Testarossa thought that the time before Lucius came to the infinite prison was very boring and bland.

    Day after day, she had nothing to do but watch the hourglass that measured the outside time slowly go down. She felt her heart was slowly rotting away.

    But every day since Lucius left has been full of life. What will I show him the next time I see him? Will he be eating well? Will he be sick?

    I thought about that every day. And the same goes for Rio. Even if they didn''t see him every day like they used to, Lucius'' presence was undoubtedly a life saver for them.

    "Good luck, Louis. You must do your best even when you return to the other side."

    After Testarossa hugged Louis goodbye, Rio did the same.

    "Don''t forget that you have us on your side. Even if the world is your enemy, we''ll be with you to support you."

    "I will do my best."

    Tears welled up in Lucius'' eyes at Rio''s strong and kind words. No other words could make him happier. The boy felt he could face anything after that. Lucius, who received a great power of momentum from both girls, hugged him back tightly.... And then he left.

    "Thank you very much, we''ll see you again soon..."

    "Yes, I''ll be waiting for you."

    "Sure... We''ll be here."

    The three of them laughed together.

    And in the blink of an eye, three people became two.

    "He''s gone..."

    "Don''t worry, he said we''ll meet again."

    "Yes..."

    But despite his words, Testarossa''s face did not change expression. Rio notices this and worries about Testarossa.

    "What''s wrong? What''s troubling you?"

    "Maybe it''s my imagination, but.... I could smell a little bit of him on Louis."

    "Him? Who the hell are you talking about?"

    Testarossa hesitates for a moment, but then decides to tell Rio the name.

    "The person who sealed us in this place, the hero Ogre. I could smell his scent on Louis."

    And at the same time, on the first layer of the infinite prison. Sakura was in a pensive state while looking up at the sky.

    "Lucius... I know you can beat him."

    She didn''t have the same kind eyes she had the first time when she met Lucius. Her gaze was terrifying, as if a well of hatred and spite was in her pupils. There was an evil presence that didn''t quite fit her beautiful face.

    "You must defeat him... No, you must kill him. Please, murder that great sinner with your hands. You must kill him. You must kill him!"

    And Sakura utters the name of the person she hates the most in this world.

    "Kill the hero Ogre."