He slowly began his story.
Emilya listened attentively while Melvis remained ready to restrain him at any moment.
The three of them stood frozen like a tableau.
“Shortly after you left my home, my village was attacked by a being feared by everyone: the Phantom King.” Emilya and Melvis froze at the mention of that name.
They could hardly believe it.
The Phantom King was a being who defied all logic.
He was known by everyone, not only for his immense power, but also for his fondness for rare things.
“Why would he have attacked your village?” “I believe I know the reason… If you let me go, are you going to attack me?” “I’ll attack you if you keep sitting on me, so move.” He hesitated for a moment, then moved away so she could listen properly.
He continued his story.
“When you and Melvis left our village, life returned to normal.
We cultivated our herbs, and that was when the sky opened above our heads.
Hundreds of stars flooded the sky.
The sight was breathtaking, but the joy was short-lived, because a shadow emerged from that gaping hole, followed by hundreds more.
Spectral soldiers poured out by the hundreds.
They began by inspecting the area, then opened the passage to let their sovereign through.
I was in the village at the time, so I saw everything.
He slowly descended on horseback, making an entrance worthy of a king.
When he set foot on the ground, the earth trembled, and they all knelt and called out his name.” “We welcome the Phantom King: Nissilis!” they cried in unison.
“He walked with his head held high, surveying the entire village, then gave only one order: “Find them.
I want them alive.” “Suddenly, they began destroying everything and killing everyone in the village.
I watched it happen, unable to do anything, so I hid.
But one of the guards found me, and I started running.
I went home to warn my family, but the guard had followed me.
He called the others, including the king.
It really was my family he was looking for.
We stood frozen before him like helpless insects.
He dismounted and approached us.
He looked from one side to the other.
My mother and my two younger brothers were there.
I stepped in front of them to protect them, but he brushed me aside with a simple wave of his hand.
Then he took my mother and my two younger brothers.
There was nothing I could do.
I didn’t understand why I hadn’t been taken as well, but I didn’t have time to ask.
As soon as he had obtained what he wanted, he left without even looking back.
I could do nothing but stand there, unable to understand why he had spared me.
“My mother only had enough time to slip a pendant into my hand.
I stayed at home, frozen, for several days without moving an inch, wondering why this was happening to us again.
I remained there as if, by some miracle, they would return.” Emilya lowered her eyes slightly.
She said nothing, but some of the coldness had faded from her gaze.
Though she did not show it, hearing about a family being torn from their home like that did not leave her completely indifferent.
“Then the villagers came to our doorstep and told me to leave the village.
Seeing that he had come for us, they believed that my family had somehow summoned him and that he might come back for me, and that they would be slaughtered once again.
So I had to leave, and that was how I was banished from the village of Asagi.
“After that, I had to learn how to defend myself.
I used every means at my disposal to survive.
I was adopted by a provincial noble.
He was raised among nobility?
Then why does he have such terrible manners?
Emilya wondered.
“He then helped me enter the capital’s warrior academy, and I completed my training in two years.
So I was right about his true abilities.
He is already a warrior, Emilya thought as she listened in silence.
“After I returned, his estate was attacked and fell into the hands of another regional house.
Once again, I had to flee the place I had come to call home.
Ever since then, I’ve been looking for work from one noble household to another, trying to earn money and gather information on how to reach the Phantom King.
And that was when we met at the auction.
You know the rest.” “I hear you, but that still doesn’t explain why you used me to obtain the Moonflowers.
And besides, give me back my map.
That’s the reason I came here in the first place,” she said without a hint of sympathy.
“Ever since that day, I’ve had nightmares about what could happen to my family, so I suffer from insomnia as well.
I wanted the flowers for my own use, but the first time I went to the witch, she asked for my eyes in exchange for a few flowers.
I refused, and we fought.
Well… I defeated her.” He defeated her?
That fierce witch?
Just how strong is he?
Could he… Emilya wondered silently.
“Is that why you already knew her attack patterns and taught them to us?” Emilya asked.
“I didn’t think you would memorize them after seeing them only once,” he replied.
“So you’re saying you wanted us not to survive?” Emilya asked.
“I wouldn’t go that far, but I didn’t think you would make it out alive.
Besides, how are you still alive?
I clearly saw you get impaled,” Lucius asked in turn.
Emilya took a moment before replying that she didn’t know.
One day, she had discovered it by chance.
Then she closed the subject, as though she did not want to reveal more than he needed to know.
He did not press her with any further questions and said only one thing: “You… You’re amnesiac, aren’t you?” Emilya looked at him in surprise.
She had never mentioned it.
So how had he figured it out?
Did he notice simply by listening to me speak?
Just how closely has he been observing my reactions?
She looked at him with even greater suspicion.
This man was certainly more observant than she had thought.
“I heard you talking at the inn, and I had my suspicions at the time.
Now I have confirmation.” Emilya regarded him warily, but since he had told her about his past, she told him what had happened to her.
“Three years ago, before we arrived, I fought a demon named Mori, and after that, I don’t know anything else.
Melvis told me that he took both our memories, but she only lost fifteen years of memories, whereas I lost every single one of mine.
So ever since then, I’ve been searching for any clue that might lead me to him,” Emilya said gravely.
“There are still demons in this world?
I thought they had all been exterminated by the angels,” Lucius said, surprised by the revelation.
“Apparently, there was one left, but I haven’t managed to find a single trace of him in three years.
So my last chance is this map.” She once again asked Lucius to return the map and said that their paths would part ways here.
But Lucius did not give her the map.
He needed it as well to find the Phantom King.
Neither of them was willing to yield, as one wanted to find his family while the other wanted to recover her memories.
They both had valid reasons, and so Emilya came up with an idea.
“Fine.
Either you buy it, or we help each other.
I understand that, at my current level, I won’t be able to beat you, and I’m tired of fighting.
So either you buy the map from me for ten thousand gold coins, or you help me find the demon, and I’ll help you in return.
Your choice.” “Ten thousand gold coins?!
But you only bought it for two thousand two hundred!” “Indeed.
But whose fault is it that I’m broke now?
Either you pay me back, or you help me.” He hesitated for a moment, but after everything he had already done to her, he could not betray her again.
He took a moment to think, then accepted the deal.
This time, Emilya wanted to make sure he would keep his word.
She picked a flower from the ground and tore off all its petals.
She wrapped one around her index finger and told Lucius to do the same.
He was somewhat wary, but had no choice.
He did so.
She took out her dagger, cut her hand, then held it out to Lucius, who did the same.
They shook hands.
At that moment, something happened.
A thin blood link appeared around their hands before slowly traveling up their arms.
Emilya watched the phenomenon without showing the slightest surprise.
Lucius, however, eyed the link suspiciously.
“You can still back out if you want,” Emilya told him.
Lucius looked up at her.
“And you?” “I’ve already made my decision.” The blood link suddenly tightened around their hands, and a faint pain ran through their arms.
Emilya did not flinch.
Lucius, however, slightly furrowed his brow.
Emilya began by stating what she expected from him.
“You must never betray me again, or even think of doing so, and I will do everything in my power to help you.” “I will help you under all circumstances, and I will not betray you,” Lucius replied.
The blood link began to glow faintly.
“Until our objectives are accomplished,” they said in unison.
The link gradually disappeared, leaving behind only a faint mark around their hands.
When they released each other’s hands, Lucius noticed that Emilya’s wound was already beginning to close.
She saw him looking at it and quickly hid it.
She then changed the subject and asked what he was doing in this small village.
He told her what had happened since he had left.
“Before you attacked me, I was preparing the sleeping draught made from Moonflowers,” he told her.
“Ah.
I’ll let you finish.
I still have a few things to do around here.
How long will it take you, roughly?” she asked.
“Three days,” he replied.
“Then I’ll see you in three days,” she said, turning away.
“Just one thing before you leave.
If I break my promise, or you break yours, what happens?” She turned toward him with a slightly threatening expression and replied: “If that happens, either your heart or mine will explode.
But unlike you, I’ll survive.” He said nothing and showed no reaction as he watched her walk away toward the forest.