Two days later, Lucius was discharged from the hospital, but he wasn't in a hurry to return to the academy, especially since every student involved in the Fort Aegis incident was given an extra two weeks break to recover.
A military jeep dropped Lucius in front of his home, where his maids were waiting with strange expressions as they watched him walk up to them.
Their first encounter with Lucius left them terrified due to his wild presence but after seeing the images of Fort Aegis which looked like a slaughterhouse, their deep-rooted fear for Lucius was solidified.
How can a kid his age fight at the front lines against such an overwhelming opposition?
"Congratulations on becoming a Viscount, Lord Blackwater." They said.
"Prepare food for me... A lot." Lucius walked past them, not even bothering to spare them a glance.
He went straight to his room and took a hot shower, but midway into his bath, his phone beeped. Lucius turned off the water and reached for his phone, which was on the sink next to the shower.
{Hey! There is a music festival at Central Park this Saturday. Wanna come?}
{Everyone is going, just so that you know!}
{Please say yes, I'm being held hostage by the guys. If you don't come, I will get beat up!}
{PLEASEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!}
Lucius read Ralph's messages with a straight face before replying.
{No… I haven't fully recovered. I'm gonna rest all through the break. Don't bother me}
He was about to drop his phone when he got a response.
{AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!}
Hmph!
Lucius dropped the phone and continued bathing. After that, he had breakfast and returned to his room, where he just sat on his bed and pondered in silence.
[Are you thinking of how to rescue those kids?] Lyxor asked.
'Not really… Bringing them into my family is something I can achieve only when I have properties outside New York, where I can hide them away." Lucius shook his head.
[Then what's the problem.] Lyxor asked again.
'Killing that Bitch!' Lucius's eyes flashed with murderous intentions.
[You are quite serious about this. Very well, I'll help you out. What's the problem?] Lyxor responded.
'Killing her is the easy part. I need to understand the city layout. Underground tunnel routes, anything that can help in my escape.' Lucius frowned.
[I see. So do you want to hear the truth?] Lyxor shrugged.
'Go ahead…' Lucius nodded.
[With your current abilities, you can reach her, but you cannot escape, even if you know the city routes and underground sewage system.] Lyxor said sternly.
[Groups of experienced villains carry out operations like this and even then, most fail. How do you expect to win with your current level of power?] Lyxor continued.
[Don't forget, you are not only going against military officers but guardians on escort duty.]
Huff!
Lucius exhaled heavily and fell on his bed. He looked towards the ceiling with a blank expression as he thought of the solution to his problem.
[You know the solution to your problem, you are simply avoiding it.] Lyxor said, and Lucius frowned but remained quiet.
[Xiaolian Mei possesses the shadow step ability. Andre Dupont possesses the power of invisibility. Mira Rivera has the Illusion Craft ability and Ralph Ashford has the Door ability. They have everything you need, so why not take it?] Lyxor said in an eerie tone.
'I am not killing Ralph.' Lucius snarled.
[Your attachment to that boy is a weakness!] Lyxor complained.
'He and his family will serve a higher purpose. I will not kill Ralph!' Lucius sat up with a fierce look in his eyes.
[Let's assume you succeed in helping the family recover and use them to fight the government. There will be a time when they will outlive their usefulness. What happens then?] Lyxor asked.
'If they give me a reason to kill them, then I will do so without hesitation.' Lucius responded quickly.
[Ralph included?] Lyxor asked.
'... Ralph included.' Lucius said with a deep frown.
[Good…]
[Anyway, the abilities of the other three should drastically improve your chances of escaping.] Lyxor said, and Lucius nodded.
[How can you reach them?]
'The festival. Unlike Ralph, the sidekicks of the God set are like subordinates rather than partners… They don't speak unless spoken to.' Lucius said thoughtfully
[They also move together. Back in Fort Aegis, they were rarely with the God set. They always separated themselves from the group, since that was the only time they could act freely.] Lyxor said, and Lucius nodded.
He also noticed this about the sidekicks of those young masters, the difference between them and Ralph was innocence. Ralph seems detached from the world, unaware of the dangers lurking around, and does as he pleases.
His traumatic childhood must have made him instinctively block away all negativity, allowing him to focus on the positive aspects of life. Because of this, he communicated with the God set as if there were just anyone. At first, the God set was clearly annoyed by this, but soon they began warming up to Ralph.
When someone is always given special treatment, getting treated like any normal person becomes enjoyable.
'They will definitely separate from the God set during the carnival.' Lucius said with a deep frown.
[Exactly… All you need to do is follow them and wait for an opportunity.] Lyxor grinned cruelly.
'With my enhanced hearing, sight, and perception, tailing them shouldn't be much problem. The only problem is Silver.' Lucius sighed.
[I agree… There is too much we aren't certain of when it comes to him.] Lyxor agreed.
'I'll be extra careful with him' Lucius nodded.