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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: The Savior's Likeness
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“Yes. I know that much.”
But this was Lumina, after all.
She was the kind of person who had sought out Duke Heart for a deal, fully aware of his wicked reputation.
She widened her innocent eyes, pretending to listen with all her attention.
For some reason, Lucius seemed to be studying Lumina's reaction much more closely than before.
“Karayan was at the scene as well. And after that incident, he told me something.”
“What did he say?”
“That a woman with wheat-blonde hair and pink eyes had helped him.”
Wheat-blonde hair and pink eyes.
A perfect match for Lumina's description.
“How old was the Young Master at the time?”
“He was seven. You would have been six.”
There was no way a mere six-year-old Lumina could have helped Karayan at the site of a massacre.
Besides, he had used the word ‘woman,’ hadn't he? That meant she was an adult.
Wheat-blonde hair and pink eyes might seem common, but it was a surprisingly rare combination.
As far as Lumina knew, there was only one other woman besides herself with that hair and eye color.
Her own mother, Chloe Lanshuss.
‘No wonder he kept calling me a potato. Was he annoyed that I have the same hair and eye color as his savior?’
But what could she do? She was born this way.
It looked like she was destined to be called a potato for the rest of her life.
“Legions are possessive. Once they mark someone as their own, they never let go.”
“…”
“I judged that since you resemble that woman, it wouldn't be a major issue for you to meet Karayan without any forewarning.”
‘So what you’re trying to say is, you thought he’d like me because I look like someone he likes.’
A hint of pity flickered in Lumina's eyes.
‘I would have understood if he’d just said he couldn't tell me because he and his son don't get along…’
For reasons she didn't know, Karayan's hatred for Lucius seemed to run deep.
Lumina couldn't comprehend the very idea of hating a father who seemed so devoted.
But it wasn't her place to meddle in another family's affairs.
‘Especially since I’m being treated as a suspicious, disposable tool in this house.’
Calling herself disposable could have been sad. But Lumina didn't feel hurt or upset at this point.
After all, wasn't this a transaction based on clear, mutual benefits?
When it came down to it, it wasn't just Lucius using her; she was using him, too.
“And thanks to you, Karayan has overcome a crisis. I'll be counting on you in the future as well.”
Karayan's power as a Legion was so immense that his physical body, the vessel, couldn't contain it.
He was stable for now, but there was no telling when he might rampage again.
Lumina would need to stay by his side continuously, absorbing the power he couldn't handle, for him to safely reach adulthood.
Once he physically matured into an adult, he would be able to handle his power stably as a full-fledged Legion.
An end where he was consumed by his own power and died young would not come to pass.
Lumina said with a confident expression.
“I told you, didn't I?”
That I would make sure you have no regrets.
She was just about to say that.
Grumble—.
It was as if Lumina had blurted out the word ‘grumble’ herself.
The timing was so perfect that even Lumina herself was momentarily dumbfounded.
“You must be hungry. After starving for four days, a normal Legion would be trying to tear off and eat my arm by now.”
‘…Just what kind of creatures are Legions, anyway?’
Even though she was a Legion herself, Lumina couldn't understand them at all.
She was starting to understand why ‘Are your parents Legions?’ was one of the worst insults you could say.
Grumble. Grumble—.
The foghorn in her stomach blared even louder than before. It felt like her insides were twisting.
If she could, she would have asked it to quiet down, but unfortunately, Lumina's stomach had no sense of tact.
‘I just woke up, so they’ll probably prepare a meal slowly.’
Just as she was making that assumption, Lucius slipped his hands under Lumina's armpits and lifted her up.
Suddenly floating in the air, Lumina found herself swiftly carried out of the room and through a magnificent hallway.
It seemed he intended to carry her all the way to the dining hall.
She had already experienced something similar once in Lucius's office.
‘But the distance was so short then, I didn't even realize what was happening to me.’
For a short distance, the whole situation was over while she was still flustered, so she could just let it go.
But now, her mind was clear.
“D-Duke!”
“What is it?”
“I-I'll walk on my own!”
Lumina kicked her legs.
It was a cautious protest, born from the fear she might suddenly be dropped.
“Can you walk?”
“Yes! Of course!”
It was a vigorous reply.
But given her haggard appearance, it lacked credibility.
Through his sunglasses, she could feel Lucius's deeply skeptical gaze.
“I'll even do push-ups if you want!”
*You? You're going to do push-ups with those thin, short limbs? You'd be lucky if they don't snap.*
Somehow, it felt like she could hear his inner thoughts.
It was a look that conveyed less concern and more pity for someone foolishly claiming the impossible was possible.
However, since Lumina was so insistent, he put her down for the time being.
The moment Lumina's feet touched the floor…
Sway—.
She nearly pitched forward and gave the floor a passionate kiss.
Thanks to Lucius catching her from behind, Lumina stood up straight like a roly-poly doll and muttered sheepishly.
“…Sorry.”
For being so needlessly arrogant.
Having acknowledged her own feebleness, Lumina was carried off like a piece of luggage.
***
It was late for a meal.
For once, the kitchen of the Heart ducal estate was bustling with activity.
A lavish banquet was set in the dining hall. A delicious aroma wafted through the air, enough to make even a full person's mouth water.
Gulp.
Lumina was no exception.
She had only ever pretended to eat, since her relatives might have put poison in her food.
She had survived by practically starving herself.
‘And since I was unconscious for four days, I might really be on the verge of collapse.’
The rumbling sound was likely a plea from her organs.
Finally faced with a proper meal, Lumina aggressively picked up her fork and knife.
Here, she didn't have to worry about poison. Lucius wouldn't put poison in her food.
As her mouth continued to water, Lumina ate the soup.
She ate, and ate, and ate some more.
It was just soup, but it was unbelievably delicious.
It went down her throat smoothly.
Someone who knew moderation would have put down their spoon by now, but she wanted more.
Full of lingering desire, Lumina barely managed to set down her spoon with a trembling hand.
The meal was over.
“I noticed it then, too, but you don't eat much.”
Seeing as she had only eaten soup while seated before dishes made with all sorts of ingredients from the mountains, fields, and sea, it was a reasonable observation.
Lucius, who had been watching her the whole time, spoke the moment Lumina put her spoon down.
“Is the food terrible?”
“No?! Of course not!”
Lumina vigorously shook her head.
But perhaps he thought she was lying.
Lucius, not hiding his displeasure, gestured to a waiting servant.
“Summon the chef.”
Before long, the summoned chef came running.
He stood with his back ramrod straight, his trembling eyes quickly scanning the surroundings.
“Do you think the current state of this table is acceptable in this house?”
Dishes that looked as if they'd just been served.
In front of the young guest, a bowl of soup that looked barely touched.
And neatly placed cutlery, signaling the end of the meal.
The chef understood the situation at once.
“It seems it would be better if I handled it myself.”
The moment he heard those words, the chef's face went deathly pale, and he bowed at a ninety-degree angle.
“My apologies, Your Grace! I will rectify this immediately!”
*No, he doesn't have to do this.*
Before Lumina could stop him, the chef disappeared.
And soon after, servants brought in food with an even more powerful aroma than before.
Just a moment ago, there had been empty space on the table.
Now, it was laden with so much delicious food that one might worry its legs would break.
“Legions need to eat ten times what you just did to have any strength.”
‘…Shouldn't that be called a glutton, not a Legion?’
Lucius pushed a dish toward Lumina.
And it looked so incredibly delicious.
She wanted to eat this, and she wanted to eat that. With it all right in front of her, she grew even greedier.
‘No, no. If I eat any more, I'll get sick.’
Pop!
The Lumina who opposed greed popped out in her mind.
Following right after, as if it had been waiting, the Lumina who was faithful to her desires retorted.
‘Sick? You'll get sick from just this? This is barely a mouthful!’
The desire-driven Lumina didn't yield the floor and shouted.
‘Didn't you see the chef's face just now? This food is the fruit of his labor. It's a sin to waste food when it isn't even poisoned!’
Today, too, the debate between the two Luminas was fierce.
‘You can't eat more.’
‘You can eat more.’
‘No.’
‘Yes, you can!’
‘That's right, I can! …Huh?’
The anti-greed Lumina, having accidentally shouted ‘I can,’ had lost.
Still, to avoid overeating past her limit, she cut the food into bite-sized pieces and tasted a little of each.
‘It melts in my mouth.’
Even Lumina, who prided herself on having eaten quite a lot of delicious food, was moved.
It felt like a waste to swallow, so she rolled it around on her tongue, savoring it for a long while.
Having continued her meal for such a long time, Lumina despaired inwardly.
‘This place… is dangerous.’
There were too many temptations.
At the Lanshuss estate, she was always on guard, so she could maintain some self-control.
But here, it was difficult.
Just as Lumina, who had ended up trying a bite of every dish on the table, was feeling both bliss and despair…
Lucius took a white, stick-like object from his pocket.
‘A cigarette?!’
