"It's called The King of the Wildlings," the old man replied.
'Sounds like the name of a fairy tale,' thought Lugh, trying to recall where he had seen that book before. There was something about it that felt strangely familiar.
"Then, sir, was the name given by its previous owner?" he asked curiously.
The old man's face turned sad and melancholic.
"That was a long time ago… but yes, the previous owner was a very kind young lady. Unfortunately, she died young, along with her entire family," he said in a trembling voice.
"Who was she? It seems like you were close," Lugh pressed, his insatiable curiosity taking over.
"She was my daughter-in-law, my son's wife, and the mother of my grandchildren. They were murdered by a wretched madman," the old man replied, his tone heavy with anger and pure hatred reflected in his eyes.
'Damn it, I asked something out of line. I didn't know it was a family book,' thought Lugh, feeling uncomfortable.
"My condolences, but… is it really okay for you to sell such an important family heirloom?"
"To be honest, young man, this book wasn't for sale. And if it were, it would cost more than a thousand lumes."
Lugh was left speechless at the price. 'What a bargain!' he thought, but he couldn't help digging further.
"Why so expensive? And why did you let me buy it?" he asked, curiosity written all over his face.
The old man, seeing him, momentarily set aside his sorrow and gave a faint smile.
"It's because of your eyes… they're sky blue, just like hers. For a moment, you reminded me of her. You look like my daughter-in-law."
In the old man's mind, the image of his daughter-in-law overlapped with the boy standing before him. Lugh, bewildered, didn't know what to say.
'How much has this man been through to end up in a forgotten alley with no one left?' he thought, bowing respectfully.
"Thank you for the book, old man."
"Call me Vincenzo," he replied kindly.
"Well, thank you, Vincenzo," said Lugh, preparing to leave. After taking a few steps, he remembered he hadn't introduced himself. He turned around and shouted from afar
"Thanks, old man! I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Lugh Faye!"
Vincenzo watched him leave, stunned, and began to cry silently.
'Lugh Faye! Who would have thought I'd meet my grandson while selling him his mother's book? I hope to see him again,' thought the old man as tears streamed down his face.
...
Lugh arrived at the classroom panting, visibly exhausted.
"Not again, damn it!" he muttered to himself.
Amara de la Cruz, his teacher, looked at him disapprovingly.
"Lugh, late again," she scolded, motioning for him to take his seat so the lesson could continue.
Among the students, a blonde girl with a noble yet childish appearance watched him with a mocking expression. It was Tanya Nyroxe, his classmate, who always seemed to enjoy teasing him.
'This brat,' Lugh thought, annoyed.
Tanya believed Lugh didn't deserve to be in a prestigious school like the Kingdom of Cirene's and assumed he had been admitted thanks to the influence of his uncle, the physical education teacher.
Tired of Tanya, Lugh tried to ignore her and focus on the book he had just acquired. However, he couldn't decipher the strange language it was written in. The book looked ancient, but its pristine condition puzzled him.
'It's impossible for something this old to be in such good condition,' he reflected.
(Comparing me to any book is an insult), a chilling voice echoed in his mind.
"What?!" Lugh shouted, startling the entire class.
"Care to explain why you're yelling, Lugh?" Amara asked, irritated.
"Sorry, Professor. I just got startled by a bug. I think it was a cockroach..."
The comment sent the class into an uproar.
"A cockroach?!" "Gross!" "Where?!"
(Hahaha, what a show), a sinister laugh resounded in Lugh's mind.
'I'm losing my mind!' he thought, trying to keep his composure. The voice had an eerie tone that seemed to revel in his confusion.