"Is that why you want to help Nico so badly?" asked Medeia.
Lucian had told Nico something that made him agree to learn his abilities with Lucian. It was good, but Medeia still wondered what kind of secret Lucian had shared with him.
Maybe the same story as Nico?
Both of them had strong abilities that were hard to control, so it made sense if Lucian had also killed someone accidentally.
However, Medeia couldn't ask blatantly in order not to offend him.
"I had a little brother the same age as him." Lucian looked at the bonfire with a hint of sadness in his eyes. "His name was Levi."
Medeia asked softly, "What happened?"
"He turned into the Lost." Lucian's voice fused with the fire crackled. "Levi was such a bright boy, always smiling even though the world started to rot. But, sometimes, even the brightest star can lose its light."
Children born after the Apocalypse had a better mentality because they had never seen the world before the Apocalypse.
But the children who once lived in paradise would spiral when their world crumbled and turned into hell. The horror of death, monsters, and pain would consume their minds, creating a paranoia that would drive them insane.
Levi was one of them.
His smile gradually turned to tears, and his bright personality changed into depression.
"And I'm the one who killed him." Lucian paused for a moment. His eyes looked blank as he said, "I tore his heart out with my own hand."
He couldn't bear the thought of letting another person kill his beloved brother, so Lucian decided to take his brother's life instead. Levi died, but Lucian had to carry the pain alone.
"I regret this decision every day, but what can I do? Even though I didn't kill him, he couldn't be saved anymore. The last thing I can do is to stay alive and try my best to create the world my brother missed."
[Quest Completed: Find the Information About Lucian's Family]
[Reward: +170 C-Point // +170 XP]
[Reward Gold Coins: 25]
[New Romance Quest: Travel Alone With Lucian]
Medeia was annoyed by the system because it had ruined the romantic atmosphere between them.
[Host, he is sharing a painful story with you, so it isn't considered romantic]
Medeia grunted in her heart. 'Deep talk is the first step to gaining his heart, so shut up already.'
Medeia focused her mind to listen to Lucian again. "I told Nico that I had also killed my sibling and that we had to use our abilities to create a better world to make amends."
He let out a forlorn sigh and chuckled. "But of course, it's impossible for me to fix the world that had been ruined by myself."
Medeia pulled his arm, so Lucian faced her. "Then, let's do it together."
"What?"
"Fix the world. You said you can't do it alone, then let me help you," Medeia said to cheer him up.
The system had given her a task to build a safe haven for people, so maybe, she was able to fulfill Lucian's hope.
Even if that was impossible, at least Medeia was able to keep Lucian by her side for a long time.
Once she got her potential husband, she would never let him go!
Lucian, on the other hand, took her words as nothing more than a false hope. However, he wasn't able to resist her wishes when her eyes filled with hope.
Lucian, "But it may take years to do that. You might grow tired of me if I follow you around for such a long time."
"Nonsense! I will never grow tired of you." Medeia smiled, trying to ensnare her prey into her trap. "So, what do you say?"
"As long as you don't mind getting along with me." Lucian smiled. "Let's do it together, then."
Medeia shook Lucian's hand to seal their agreement. It was a stupid promise, maybe they wouldn't be able to achieve it anyway, but at least Medeia could use this promise whenever Lucian wanted to leave her.
It was toxic, indeed. But a coffee wouldn't taste delicious if it wasn't bitter.
○ ○
They left the barn as soon as the sun rose. Nico and Bear eventually buried the skeleton as a last tribute and placed a wooden board on top, so it wouldn't feel forgotten.
Medeia shook her head when she witnessed his behavior. "It's just a skeleton. Does he really think the skeleton still has feelings?"
Lucian leaned in the barn, laughing softly. "Just let him be. Sometimes, a skeleton also needs kindness."
Medeia rolled her eyes and didn't say anything again.
As they walked toward the village, Medeia saw that the puddle on the road was as clear as fresh water instead of yellow.
"I think the acid rain turned to normal rain when we hid in the barn," guessed Medeia.
They didn't open any windows or doors last night, so they didn't know about the change. She touched the water from the stone and smelled it. "Yes, this is normal rainwater." She tossed the stone away. "Finally, I don't have to refill the village well today."
Although her mana points had increased so much since the first time she came, her physique was still a bit weak, so Medeia sometimes felt so tired when she used her abilities.
Therefore, she really wanted the system to unlock her demon ability to strengthen her physique as soon as possible.
"But I wonder if the villagers were okay when the acid rain fell yesterday?" Nico sounded worried when he thought about their safety.
Medeia ensured him, "The chief and Harry must have made sure no one was injured yesterday, so you don't have to worry."
In fact, the people who should be worried about this are the villagers, because they didn't come back to the village yesterday.
As expected, Harry and Simon immediately rushed toward them as soon as they saw Medeia and Lucian from afar. Both of them seemed worried and were ready to look for Medeia if she did not return.
"Where have you been?! People have been worried about you since yesterday, especially Sister Jeanne!" Harry turned his gaze to Lucian in hesitation. "My father had blamed me all night because I let you and Nico go out with a stranger."
Medeia creased her forehead. "What are you talking about? Lucian is not a stranger."
Before the situation got worse, Lucian held her hand. "It's okay, Medeia," he spoke to Harry, "I'm sorry for making all of you worry, but please, let me explain our situation yesterday to the chief in person."
Harry sighed harshly, but he didn't let his anger take control over him again. "Alright, let's meet my father first." Harry then looked at Medeia and Nico, "and both of you should go back to the factory because Sister Jeanne will faint if she doesn't see you soon."
Medeia wanted to protest, but Lucian gave her a signal to be quiet and follow Harry's orders. She grunted in her heart, but she didn't say anything in the end and let Simon escort them to the factory.
"Meet me when you are done," Medeia said before she walked away.