Things Get Serious

Chapter 7

Zane has planned to go back to Nigespear and buy goods. 

Lucia was feeling uncomfortable in the back of the carriage, so she decided to sit beside Zane.

"Are you sure about this decision? What if we encounter Clarisse again?" Lucia asked nervously.

"I'm a hundred percent sure of my decision. So, don't question it. I won't give her an easy time even if she begs me to accept her back," Zane replied coldly.

"You weren't able to learn at least a simple magic spell. Aren't you unhappy?"

"I intended to learn magic. But it didn't give me the chance. Instead, we ended up staying at Etheria to pass the night."

"I can teach you magic, If you are willing to let me," Lucia suggested.

"Let me say, how powerful are you, Lucia? Given what I've seen so far. You're a reliable ally," Zane asked and gave praise at the same time.

Lucia looks down in embarrassment. But looks straight afterward, "I'm certainly not a powerful person. Because if I was, I probably could have defeated the Demon Lord a long time ago along with the others," Lucia responded.

"I see..." Zane barely reacted.

The two continued along the road towards the outside of Etheria. And Zane and Lucia chatted along the way.

"You said you could have defeated the Demon Lord along with the others a long time ago? What does that mean?" Zane questions Lucia.

"There used to be 8 other people who assisted the reincarnated hero. But they were either killed or deserted the hero as the war against the Demon Lord continues to kill and destroy lives," Lucia explained.

"It was told in a myth that every 100 years, the Demon Lord would resurrect and try to destroy the world." Lucia further added.

"That means the Demon Lord got stronger as time progresses, If that's the case," Zane hypothesized.

"You're correct," Lucia bluntly confirmed.

The two stopped by the outpost of Gridelheim where the guards immediately recognized it was the reincarnated hero ‘Zane’. And they let him pass through the outpost.

Soon after, Zane and Lucia were on their way to back to Nigespear to trade and buy goods. 

“You should go on the back and take a nap, this is going to be a long ride back to Nigespear after all. Don’t worry about me.” She immediately hopped on the back to rest.

…

Meanwhile, in one of the kingdoms.

A door opens and a person covered in a red and white robe enters and bows before the king.

“Your majesty, I’m here to report to you everything that I have gathered about the hero so far,” The person humbly said.

“Rise, Dulce Asesino,” King Acrotes ordered the person, “what is it that you learned about the hero at this time?”

“The hero is a rascal, no manners, disrespectful, and most importantly. He let his ally, Clarisse, Knight of Esperia leave him with no consent at all.”

“There is no need for formalities King Acrotes, just call me Vas,” Vas added.

“Vas, but as far as I can remember, this is how the other reincarnated heroes acted at first. They only got comfortable over time,” King Acrotes open-mindedly told Vas.

"With all due respect your majesty, I think it's time to use 'Void: Force Summoning”, Vas recommended.

"The spell is ready to be used anytime. But, we have no reason. We'll need to see how things pan out first," King Acrotes confidently said.

"You should inform the other kingdoms of your knowledge. They are involved in this as well, King Destio, King Hiroma, and King Iklos, thoughts regarding this," he ordered Vas. 

Vas bowed again, before saying, "As you wish, my King. I'll go ahead," And he walks away to start delivering every message to the other kings.

…

Two hours into the trip to Nigespear… Zane starts to feel cold as if someone used a spell on him when it's clear that his surroundings are just trees and nothing else.

"Hey," he gently woke her up.

After a few more tries. Lucia gets up and sees Zane gaze at her emptily.

She came to her senses after, "Pervert! You're watching me sleep! That's why you told me to sleep, that's the reason." she blushes apple red.

"no. It's a misunderstanding," he quickly tried to clear the confusion.

"What are you doing then??" Lucia looked particularly doubtful. 

"Do you get that cold feeling? It feels like a spell is active and it’s targeting me," Zane explained.

"I feel it a little bit. But it’s just the breeze from the trees," she replied softly.

The wind got too violent, and the trees danced one after another. And the air around their carriage got colder.

Zane looks behind them and sees nothing. Meanwhile, Lucia peaks outside the carriage to look up and see if something suspicious is happening.

The two of them just went on traveling to Nigespear. And a few moments later, water dropped from the sky. Zane looks up, and it started raining heavily.

Zane immediately hopped on the back of the carriage, since the ropes he used to control the horses are long enough. It isn’t a problem to direct the horses from the inside of the carriage.

"I see, it's just nature. I thought someone was casting a spell on us that makes it cold," Zane said embarrassingly for being too troubled.

"Don't worry, the rain has never killed anyone. It's great! It finally rained after 3 days," Lucia joyously said.

"Do you like the rain? You seem pretty glad that it rained," he asked.

"I don't love it, but I don't hate it either. It's better when the sun glows brightly upon the horizon. That's what I like," she said gently smiling while watching the rain.

"Tha--"

Their conversation was cut short when a tree in front of them fell. Lucia used creation magic to make coats for the two of them. And they walk towards the fallen tree, to try and get it out of the way.

Someone jumped out from the woods covered through and through and cannot be identified easily.

He says, "surrender hero, we don’t want trouble! I'm sure we both don't want things to end badly," he smirked under the mask.

Lucia quickly and bravely stood in front of Zane and she summoned her staff with Monsum and points it toward the guy.

"Oh, battle mage Lucia. How foolish of you," the person said as they unsheath his sword.