Chapter No 9. The Godlike Being.

Lucius's POV

I was lying on the comfortable bed Rebecca had assigned me, though I was pretty sure she disliked me for some reason. The moment the nurse showed me to my bed, Rebecca disappeared without so much as a parting word.

Yep. She hates me. Cool.

The room itself was nothing special—just rows of beds filled with different kinds of patients. Some were old and withered, one step away from becoming part of history. Others were adventurers, patched up but still rough-looking. And then there were kids my age or older.

I was the youngest here. Probably.

And, unfortunately, the most interesting.

For the first whole hour, I couldn't get a moment's peace.

The other kids wouldn't shut up.

"Where are you from?"

"How'd you get in?"

"Are you a noble?"

"Did you sneak in?"

"Are you a spy?"

One genius even suggested I was an enemy infiltrator with ulterior motives.

"Yeah? Well, if that were the case, you'd be my first victim."

I said that. Out loud.

...Which I shouldn't have.

Turns out that particular loudmouth was an unofficial bastard son of a bigshot. Great. Fantastic. Just what I needed—problems before even getting out of bed.

Thankfully, they finally shut up when the nurse walked in for a routine check-up.

"Enough with the questions, brats. Keep talking, and I'll mix something nasty in your food and medicine."

Silence.

It was beautiful.

I laughed—actually laughed—and as the nurse turned to leave, she winked at me.

She's so cool.

***

I blinked up at Sia, my mind still waking up as her words sank in.

"Did you get any sleep?"

My heart skipped a beat. My favorite person was here. The first thing my eyes focused on was her—sitting on a small chair, legs crossed, her usual poised yet exhausted self. The way she leaned into the chair, with her hand lazily supporting her temple, told me she hadn't slept at all.

"I slept for like 5-6 hours easily," I lied, stretching as if to prove my point. "I woke up about 10 minutes ago, but since those old assholes over there were still breathing with no signs of stopping, I kept my eyes shut." My voice dipped into sarcasm. "Didn't want to deal with unnecessary questions about my origin, my past… or my parents."

I made sure my words carried weight, just enough to make them feel guilty.

They didn't.

A scoff echoed from across the infirmary.

"Kids these days," one of the old men muttered, his voice carrying the rasp of someone who should've retired decades ago. "Always sprouting bullshit. And these are the ones who'll lead our empire in the future?"

I didn't even bother turning to him.

"If I were you, I'd worry more about your present than a future you're most definitely not a part of," I shot back. "Not to mention, with your condition and all, I'd be shocked if you even see tomorrow's sunrise."

Laughter erupted around the room. Adventurers, wounded soldiers, even the younger kids nearby—all of them chuckled at the verbal execution I had just performed.

I couldn't see the old man's face, but I could feel the steam coming out of his ears.

Then, I heard it.

The slow, grating scrape of a chair sliding backward.

A chill ran down my spine.

I looked up.

Sia was standing.

Oh, shit.

I knew that posture. That slight tilt of her head, the way her arms relaxed at her sides—it was the deadly calm of a predator who had just decided to act.

Before I could even think about escaping, her left arm whipped out, fingers clamping onto my ear.

"Owowow—!" I yelped as she dragged me out of bed, her grip unyielding.

On her other hand, she carried my few belongings, already packed.

"We're leaving," was all she said.

I had never been so publicly humiliated in my entire life.

The room erupted in laughter. The other kids pointed, the adventurers chuckled, even the nurses stifled their giggles.

I pleaded, I whined, I even threatened her, but Sia did not care. She kept her poker face intact, dragging me through the hallway like a sack of rice.

Even when we finally stepped out of the hospital doors, she didn't let go until we were clear of any spectators.

Finally, she released me.

I stumbled back, clutching my poor, abused ear.

"Ouch! That hurts!" I complained, glaring at her. "What was that for?!"

Her amber eyes narrowed.

"Watch that little tone of yours, Lucius."

Her mana flared—focused directly on me.

I froze.

For the first time, I felt her mana. Not just sensed it—felt it, pressing against my very being.

Now that I had a mana core, I could perceive it much clearly. It was overwhelming. Not wild, not chaotic, but controlled—like an invisible hand pressing down on my entire body.

My breathing hitched.

My knees shook.

She wasn't even using a fraction of her true strength, yet my body was already struggling.

I refused to kneel.

I gritted my teeth, reaching inward—toward my core.

I had barely tapped into my mana since I obtained it, but now, with sheer stubbornness, I forced it to circulate.

I could feel it.

The energy flowing through my veins, rushing toward my limbs.

Using what little I had, I pushed the mana into my body, reinforcing it. My legs steadied. My breathing evened. The pressure no longer felt crushing, just… heavy.

Sia watched without interfering.

She was letting me figure it out.

My fingers curled into fists. My body held firm.

Then, just as quickly as she had unleashed it, her aura disappeared.

I gasped for air, only now realizing how much it had suffocated me.

She crossed her arms, studying me.

"Congratulations," she said flatly. "You just learned the basics of mana reinforcement. For an 8-year-old, that's utterly pathetic. But for you, it's an achievement."

…Thanks, I guess?

I scowled, rubbing my sore ear. "How did the meetings go? With the high command and the guild?"

Sia's expression darkened slightly.

"It was a mess," she admitted. "But I handled it. Merc helped."

I frowned. Merc?

"You have no idea how much risk he took for you and your future," she added.

That caught me off guard.

"He did? Really? Why would he—?"

She cut me off with a dismissive wave. "That's a conversation for another day."

I wanted to press further, but the look in her eyes told me now wasn't the time.

Still… I owed Merc more than I realized.

***

Sia's Pov

"Now then, what should I do with you?"

I spoke the words gently, but their weight was undeniable. Lucius was safe now—safer than he had been in a long time. In a few months, he'd obtain citizenship. His future could be secured, his training and growth ensured if I sent him to an orphanage.

"The orphanages here are not like the ones from tragic stories," I explained, hoping to ease whatever tension I saw building in his expression. "They are top-tier institutions dedicated to raising and training children. Many of the knights in our ranks today… they were orphans once. Raised, educated, and disciplined under the guidance of these institutes. If you go, you'll meet new people, make friends, and receive proper training. Your development will be carefully watched over."

It was the best option.

And yet…

Lucius's reaction was silent devastation.

His head dipped down, his small hands curling into the fabric of his tunic. Not a single word. Not even a shift in his expression, but I could feel the heartbreak radiating off him.

I continued, trying to emphasize the benefits. "I wish you the best, Lucius. When you turn seventeen or eighteen, you'll even have the chance to join a reputed academy through the orphanage. You'll have opportunities that others could only dream of."

Nothing.

His eyes stayed glued to the ground, his lips pressed into a thin, bloodless line. His silence wasn't from indifference—it was a child's quiet battle against tears.

Then, after what felt like an eternity, he finally spoke.

"Can I ask for a favor?"

His voice was small but steady.

"I want you to train me."

That made me pause.

"I want to become an adventurer like you—strong like you. And most importantly… I want to repay the debt I owe you." His fingers clenched, his knuckles turning white. "Please consider this as well. Maybe you're right… Maybe the orphanage is a better option. A better path moving forward. But…" He finally lifted his gaze, his golden eyes reflecting nothing but determination. "I want to spend my time with you."

I felt something twist inside me.

This was not a decision I could make alone.

"Lucius…" I sighed, measuring my words carefully. "I'll have to ask my husband first. He's currently on a mission away, and something like this… I cannot decide on my own."

Adopting Lucius.

It was a thought I had been wrestling with for a while.

Lucius was unlike any other child I had met—too sharp for an eight-year-old, too perceptive. His ability to grasp concepts was uncanny, and his raw willpower? Stronger than some adults I knew.

And yet… what fascinated me the most was what he lacked.

Eighteen hours ago, when I first found him, his body had no trace of mana. None. He was a complete anomaly. Then, suddenly, he developed a core? That alone made him different.

He may not be a prodigy.

He may not possess a class or an affinity.

But if there was one thing I knew for certain…

Lucius was special.

Right now, though, he was still just a child.

And like any child, he was struggling to accept something beyond his control. His breathing had grown uneven, and his shoulders were trembling just enough for me to notice.

He was a minute away from crying.

Perhaps it was only now sinking in—that he might not get what he wanted.

That life didn't always give you a choice.

***

"You live here? This is your home?"

Lucius asked the question as soon as his eyes landed on the house, his tone laced with mild disbelief. It was a modest place—not extravagant, not grand, just simple and comfortable. And yet, to him, it seemed almost underwhelming.

"Don't you, like… earn a lot? Why settle in such a modest house?" His voice carried genuine curiosity as he stood at a distance, inspecting the property with a critical eye.

He wasn't wrong.

With the combined earnings of my husband and me, affording a larger house, a grander estate, even a manor with a personal staff, would have been effortless. But we never did.

And the reason for that? My husband.

He had an unexplainable attachment to this house—one that I never truly pried into. His decision to stay here was non-negotiable, and I had long since accepted that. It was his home before it was mine, and despite all the riches we had access to, this place remained irreplaceable to him.

"Why?" I turned to Lucius with a teasing smirk. "You don't like it?"

His lips parted slightly, as if weighing his response.

"It's either this or that orphanage I previously mentioned—your call."

That shut him up real quick.

Lucius's shoulders stiffened as the realization sank in—he was in no position to criticize my choice of residence. He was the one who had begged for an alternative to the orphanage, after all.

He cleared his throat, subtly shifting gears, his once-critical tone suddenly laced with forced admiration. "No, no! I mean, it's… nice! Yeah, very nice. Cozy. Uh… peaceful! And the garden looks really well-kept! Wow."

I held back a chuckle. Smooth save.

Truth be told, our home was modest. But it had everything we needed.

A small but well-maintained garden sat in the front, blooming with herbs, flowers, and even a few fruit-bearing plants. Off to the side was a spacious training area, perfect for sparring sessions and drills. Inside, there were spare bedrooms, one of which Lucius would occupy until my husband returned. It wasn't a palace, but it was a home.

I stepped forward and opened the door. "Come on in. You must be starving after such a long day, yeah?"

Lucius hesitated only for a second before nodding, following me inside.

"Go freshen up. I'll cook something in the meantime. Once we're done with lunch, we can rest for a few hours. Then…" I glanced at him with a knowing look. "Your training begins."

His eyes lit up with determination, but before he could say anything, I continued,

"There are ground rules, Lucius. If you wish to stay here—with me and my family—you will follow them."

I expected some resistance. Maybe some stubborn defiance. But…

He simply nodded.

No argument. No complaints.

His only request?

"I want you to personally train me."

I exhaled, watching the fire in his eyes. This kid… He had no idea what he was asking for. But if he was serious?

Then I would train him.

***

Lucius's Pov

The full moon hung high in the sky, casting silver light over the quiet city. I hadn't realized how much time had passed until I looked up and saw it—just as I had the night before when I first woke up. Yesterday, that same light had made my eyes sting with unshed tears. Tonight, it felt warm, comforting. A silent guardian watching over me.

I exhaled, staring at the lone tree in front of me, its silhouette standing against the night. It reminded me of the ones from the forest—except smaller, more delicate. Safe. Unlike yesterday, when my heart was a storm of confusion and fear, tonight, I was simply... here. Alive. I made it.

The realization made my fists clench. I had survived. But why had I been left in that cursed forest to begin with? Were my parents responsible? Had they abandoned me because I couldn't circulate mana? Was I—before Sia ignited my core—truly without affinity? And if so, why did my mana core look as if someone had tampered with it?

I had countless questions.

No answers.

I forced my hands to relax, letting out a slow breath. Obsessing over the past wouldn't help me now. What mattered was the present. I turned my attention inward, toward the energy swirling within me. My mana core rotated steadily, feeding mana to my limbs and organs in an even rhythm. The sensation was still foreign, still new. Its distribution was imprecise—some areas received more mana than others—but that was something I would eventually learn to control.

For now, I was still learning.

I recalled Sia's lessons on mana circulation. She had compared it to breathing: an unconscious, automatic process. Surviving without continuous mana flow was as unnatural as running without air, she had said. A person could last only minutes without oxygen before their body started shutting down. Mana was no different. Yet somehow, I had survived hours without it, lost in that forest.

How?

I thought back to my time in the woods—how I had wandered aimlessly, drained, suffocated by a void I couldn't explain. That eerie, crushing sensation had only vanished when Sia ignited my core. It was as if something inside me had been locked away, and her flames had burned through the chains.

But why had it been locked in the first place?

The more I thought about it, the more it felt like my mind was touching something just out of reach. Like a word at the tip of my tongue that refused to form.

I shook my head, exhaling sharply.

No use.

The chair beneath me had grown almost too comfortable, tempting me to sink into its embrace. But before I could close my eyes, a voice cut through the silence.

***

I took a slow sip of the drink Sia had prepared for me. It was still warm, the sweetness lingering on my tongue. But the real surprise was the aroma.

It had this calming effect, one I hadn't noticed at first but had fallen for the moment I took a deeper sip.

"Did you like it?" Sia asked, watching me closely.

I swallowed, letting the warmth settle in my chest. "It's hot… and sweet," I murmured, taking another eager sip.

Then, with renewed enthusiasm, I declared, "Actually, let me correct myself—I love it!"

I held up the sand-colored liquid with reverence, gazing at it like it was some divine elixir.

"Can I have another cup of this godly bestowed beverage, Master?"

Sia chuckled, shaking her head. "It's called Chai. And no. One cup a day is your limit, for now."

That one sentence made my blood boil.

But I held it in. Barely.

I took my time finishing the drink, savoring every last drop as if I were never going to taste it again. Once I was done, I moved to the window, resting against the metal grill.

Sia remained seated in the same spot—the same chair I had unknowingly fallen asleep in. Her posture was still perfect, rigid with the discipline she carried in every movement.

She had mentioned before that military training drilled specific habits into their soldiers—how to talk, walk, sit, and even rest in a way that optimized their performance. Even in this casual setting, that training was evident. Even while seated, her back remained unnaturally straight, feet planted firmly on the floor. One arm rested on the chair's armrest, fingers tapping rhythmically—like an instinct drilled into her through years of discipline.

"Thanks for the clothes," I said, glancing down at the light-colored shirt and pants she had given me. They were simple, but comfortable and well-fitted. They even smelled nice—clean, fresh.

Sia, on the other hand, wore a maroon full-sleeved outfit, one that reminded me of her armor.

She just nodded.

The sun's warmth on my skin caught my attention. I stepped outside, jumping onto the ground. The sunlight wrapped around me, unfamiliar but oddly pleasant.

And then—I saw them.

Towering over the horizon behind our house were massive mountains. Their jagged peaks stretched across the land like a sleeping titan, west to east, their dark surfaces swallowing the sunlight.

Even with the bright, open sky, the mountains remained unlit, untouched by the sun's reach.

It was like they were made of something unnatural, something meant to exist in shadows. Even the wind around them seemed different—colder, quieter, as if the very air feared disturbing their silence.

Sia must have noticed my stare.

"They're called the Kalarth Mountain Range, or simply the Black Mountains," she said.

I turned to her, listening intently.

"They absorb all the sunlight that touches them," she continued. "Before the construction of the Lunar Walls and the Seven Sister Cities, they were our first line of defense against monsters… and demons."

That caught my attention.

"Demons?" I asked, my eyes widening. "As in actual beings with large horns and sick minds?!"

Sia smirked slightly. "Indeed. Actual beings of evil manifestation."

A chill ran down my spine.

"A thousand years ago, they invaded our continent from this very direction," she explained, "when their continent collided with ours."

I swallowed. A thousand years ago… that's not just recent history. That's a legend.

"This land we live upon was once a never-ending battleground," she continued, her voice steady, "between two powerful factions—one led by the Demon God of Chaos and Evil, and the other, our mighty empire.

The war lasted for decades. More than seventy percent of our population perished in the conflict."

I held my breath.

There was a pause. A long one.

I wanted to beg her to continue.

And then, finally—

"But in the end, we survived the unthinkable. Our former emperor destroyed the forces of evil, leading us to victory against all odds."

I exhaled.

Wow.

What an epic story. The ultimate battle between good and evil. And against all odds—good prevailed.

"Who was the emperor? And what happened to him?"

As soon as I asked, I felt a shift in Sia's aura.

It wasn't much. Just a small flicker. A tiny crack in her usually unwavering presence.

She raised an eyebrow, staring at me in a way that made me feel… exposed.

Did I ask something I shouldn't have? Was this a sensitive topic?

And then, instead of answering, she said—

"Hmm. So you just assumed the former emperor was a man and not a woman?"

...

Was that really what threw her off?

After all that, I lost my mind over that?

I felt stupid.

Sia leaned back slightly, her sharp eyes never leaving me.

"Interesting."

I frowned.

That was true.

But how?

It wasn't like I had read about these things before—I had no memory of ever learning them. Yet, when Sia spoke about them, I somehow already knew.

I shouldn't overthink it.

It wasn't my fault my memories were messed up.

"It wasn't my fault my memories were messed up. Or…"

That thought clawed at my mind, relentless. I wanted to believe I was just a boy who had lost his past, but a voice—small, insidious—whispered otherwise.

'Or someone messed it up.'

The idea was like a splinter, buried too deep to remove, yet impossible to ignore. That thought had settled deep in my mind, refusing to leave, whispering its presence whenever I got too close to ignoring it.

I trusted Sia.

But I wasn't ready to share everything.

Not yet.

"Yes," she finally resumed. "By the way, the former emperor was a man. Probably."

I blinked. "Probably?"

Sia exhaled, rubbing her injured arm. "He was human. At least, that's what the official records tell us."

That caught my attention.

"What do you mean?"

"His strength. His battle tactics. His weapons. His ability to fight enemies stronger than him."

She looked at me.

"That's why people doubt his origins. Even now, after a thousand years, many believe the former emperor was something more than human."

A godlike being.

My mind spun at the thought.

"During the final days, he led our forces alone in the last assault against the demons."

Sia's voice turned solemn. "The battle that ultimately won us the war… but also took his life."

I opened my mouth, ready to ask his name, but—

A knock on the door.

Sia turned toward the entrance. "Someone's here."

She excused herself, walking toward the door. Before leaving, she glanced back at me.

"Start your warm-ups, Lucius. The history lesson is over. Now… we train."

I clenched my fists.

This was it.

The first step toward becoming strong.

The first step toward shaping my future.