"So you are back at work!" Isabella said.
She could not hide her smile after seeing Lucius back at work. The library was not the same without his work, and doing it alone was too hard for Isabella, who also had to do school stuff.
Lucius had never asked for vacation time before, so Isabella gave him three days off despite knowing it would be harsh. His hard work and dedication paid off, though Lucius felt the job barely gave him any money because they did not consider him a student.
"I missed you too, Isabella. So, how were things without me?"
"Honestly? Pretty boring, and there is too much work to do. But now that you are here, you can go to Section F and clean the shelves there," Isabella said, handing a cloth and a flask with a liquid. "Please?" she begged.
It was not like Lucius had a choice anyway. That was his job.
'At least she asked for it kindly with her cute face,' Lucius thought as he grabbed the cloth and liquid and left for Section F.
Lucius heard Isabella's soft voice from a distance: "Thank you!"
The library had many sections due to its massive size and collection. Isabella worked a lot during the three days Lucius was away, but she did not clean everything, so sections F and G needed cleaning.
It was not something that Lucius could finish in a day or two. The sections were large and would demand a few days of work.
'I need to wait for Theo anyway, so it is not like I have something else to do.'
Speaking of Theo, he came every night to read in the library, like that first time, and also to talk with Lucius in private, telling him about his progression.
"I have a victim for us, Lord Devil," Theo said, his whisper traveling through the dark library and reaching Lucius' ears.
"You do? Who?"
Theo looked proud of himself as if he had done a better job than the one Lucius asked: "You know killing a student will bring a lot of attention, right? But you need the person to be a mage?"
Lucius had checked his system, and apparently, the souls of non-mage individuals were not worth the hustle, so it was better to go straight for the mages.
"Yes, it needs to be a mage. Why?"
"I know one person who was a mage of this institute but got kicked out because of his lack of talent. He lives in the city and is almost like a homeless person. No one will miss him."
Lucius was quite surprised at how Theo handled the situation, finding an even better idea for his plans. "This is great, though it will be hard for the two of us to leave the school. I will try to find a way."
Theo's face twitched as if he had something to say.
"Is something wrong?"
"It's just that... I should feel bad about doing this to someone, but the idea of getting rewarded and finally becoming a decent mage enthralls me. Am I a bad person?" Theo said.
The idea of good and bad was not a thin line. Lucius knew very well that the so-called good mages were often linked to atrocious things in the background, as that was the price of power. Theo was a youth without the intelligence and experience Lucius had, so it was understandable for him to lack insight.
Lucius looked at him, placing his hand on Theo's shoulder. "It is okay, young man. There are people who are admired by others but do much worse. The world is a cruel place, and we must do anything within our reach to become more powerful."
For a brief second, Lucius remembered the other gods who worked together and betrayed him. He trusted them, yet that was the destiny he got.
'These fuckers will pay!'
Theo had nothing more to share with Lucius, so he left, returning to his daily routine of studying, practicing magic, and enduring the bullying from the other students.
Lucius, on the other hand, couldn't shake off the anger and resentment that consumed him. As he watched Theo walk away, a fire ignited within him, fueling his determination to seek revenge against those who had betrayed him. He knew that he couldn't rely on anyone else, not even the gods he once trusted. From that moment on, Lucius made a vow to himself: he would do whatever it took to become more powerful and ensure that those who had wronged him would pay dearly for their actions.
Obviously, all of that would have to wait a long time, and at the moment, Lucius was busy cleaning the bookshelves and the library's floor. The students who tried to beat him up that time when Theo appeared to help him came to the library a few times during the week, yet there was nothing they could do there. Lucius worked almost the entire day, so they did not have a single chance of trying to beat him up.
Isabella was busy with the school's tests, but she still came every day to check the library and was happy with Lucius' progress. "It is so much better having you here." Isabella said with a giggle.
Lucius smiled at Isabella's words, grateful for her support. He had been working tirelessly to organize and catalog the library's vast collection of books, determined to create a welcoming and efficient space for students and faculty alike. The long hours were starting to take a toll on him, but the satisfaction he felt seeing the library slowly transform made it all worth it. As he meticulously arranged the shelves, he couldn't help but feel a sense of purpose and fulfillment.
The job there wasn't that bad, but Lucius wanted to be recognized as a student, and for that, he had to become stronger!
"Oh, right, Lucius," Isabella said, catching Lucius off guard, "I can't leave the school right now, but I need to get some books that arrived in the city. Can you go there to get them for me? Bring that friend of yours along for protection."
Isabella knew Lucius could not cast spells, so it was a good idea to bring someone along, like Theo.
That was the opportunity Lucius waited for to get another soul!