Chapter 47: Did he die?

"Lathel?!" At that name, Lucien’s heart thundered in his chest, pounding like war drums—fast and furious. "Why?" he shouted. "Why would he kill everyone? Has he gone mad?!" Anna’s entire body trembled violently as she continued, "We were all people of strong faith, absolutely loyal to the great god Xal’veth." "But... he... Lathel... he feared we would make the Church too powerful, threatening his control over the entire Kingdom, so... he killed everyone." "Bastard!" Lucien could barely think straight now—he believed every word Anna said. His hands clenched so tightly they turned white, and he shook with rage. "Lucien..." Anna sobbed, her voice warped with misery and grief, "My husband, my children, everyone in the village—they’re all dead." "Fortunately, Xal’veth guided me here to find you. He said you are the one chosen by fate, the light of justice." "You will help me get revenge—destroy the evil, kill the one who hides behind a mask of kindness and compassion, so he cannot hurt anyone else." "Lucien... I beg you..." "Lucien..." "Please..." Suddenly, not only Anna—Lucien realized many other shadowy figures had appeared all around him. Old people, women, men—even children. They all knelt down, crying and begging him with every ounce of their broken hearts. "Please... help us get revenge." Their voices rang out in unison, echoing endlessly inside his mind, like the pealing of bells that would never cease. Thump! Thump! Thump! His heartbeat grew faster and stronger, as if his heart might burst through his chest at any moment. Lucien felt his body heat up, as if a raging fire had been lit within him. He clenched his fists, his face set with unwavering determination and boundless hatred, his eyes almost spitting flames. "Rest assured," Lucien said through gritted teeth, his voice trembling with fury, low and fierce beyond belief. "I will kill him, I’ll sever his head and offer it up for you all." As soon as he finished speaking, the spirits around him slowly faded away, leaving behind a single word: "Thank you!" ... "Ha!" Lucien startled awake, his eyes snapping open to see the familiar ceiling above him. "This is..." Lucien panted, slowly sitting up and muttering, "This is... my own room." That’s right, he and Irelia had returned to the Magic Academy that morning. After such a long journey, Lucien had been exhausted and just wanted to rest. Irelia had to go back to the area for official students to help Lucien secure a slot for the talent assessment. Lucien glanced around—everything looked just like his familiar room, as if everything he’d experienced had been nothing but a dream. He wiped the sweat from his brow, then looked at his left hand, still tightly wrapped in white bandages. "Did you have a nightmare?" Lilith’s voice suddenly echoed in his mind. Lucien pressed his lips together, frowned, and shook his head. "Not exactly, just... it all felt incredibly strange." He rubbed his forehead, feeling as if it had been just a dream, but... he could remember it vividly. His heart was still pounding like war drums, his breath ragged, as if he’d just run a hundred miles at full speed. "If a dream feels that real, maybe it’s trying to tell you something," Lilith continued. Lucien frowned. "Master, you mean...?" Lilith replied, "Never underestimate dreams. For Awakened ones, their senses far surpass those of ordinary people." "Sometimes, a dream is a warning—or even a thread connecting you to a fateful encounter." Lucien scowled in thought, recalling everything he’d seen in that dream. The savage flames... The desperate villagers being swallowed by fire... Their pleas for help... He could still hear their sobs and screams, echoing in his mind, as if they were being burned alive all over again. "ACK!" Lucien gritted his teeth, feeling as if someone had slammed a hammer into his skull. BAM! BAM! BAM! Suddenly, the pounding of someone knocking at the door snapped Lucien back to reality. He startled, lifting his head to stare at the door. "Lucien!" a young man’s voice called. Lucien immediately recognized the voice and quickly replied, "Billy? Did you come to see me?" "Yes, hurry up and open the door." Billy’s voice was hurried, almost frantic, as if something urgent had happened. A sense of unease filled Lucien’s chest, Anna’s desperate pleas echoing once more in his mind. He couldn’t help but wonder, ’Could it... really be true?’ He frowned, unable to distinguish dream from reality. Shaking his head, he slapped his cheeks with both hands to clear his mind, then opened the door. Billy’s plump figure appeared in the doorway, clutching a sealed letter in his hand. Billy, still panting, said, "You... you absolutely have to read this. There’s been a huge incident in the Kingdom of Terith, and it even involves your own family." Startled, Lucien snatched the letter from Billy’s hand and tore it open to read. Truthfully, he didn’t care much about the fate of that damned family. But... there was still one person there who truly cared for him, loved him unconditionally. That was Theobald Vortan—his grandfather. Lucien read intently, while Billy stood outside, barely daring to breathe, not even daring to step inside. Lucien’s face grew more and more tense, his brow furrowing so tightly it seemed his eyebrows might almost touch. His face trembled slightly, his eyes filled with disbelief. "The Vortan family has been isolated by other noble houses. Their finances and all support have been nearly cut off, and they’re on the brink of bankruptcy." "Prince Lathel was nearly killed in an assassination attempt by Church followers. Queen Catherine surrounded the Cathedral with her army, but thanks to Prince Lathel’s compassion and mercy, the Queen decided not to pursue the matter further." "The village with the most Church followers near the Cathedral was burned to the ground in a single night. Early investigations suggest it was likely the work of the Church’s Inquisitors, purging traitors." Lucien didn’t read the entire letter—he just skimmed and summarized the key points. After finishing, he took a deep breath and exhaled heavily, his gaze turning bloodshot. Billy, seeing Lucien’s expression, grew anxious, thinking Lucien was worried about the Vortan family. "Don’t worry," Billy said quickly. "Your grandfather is Theobald Vortan—he used to be the Grand General." "With his reputation, your family will definitely remain safe for years to come." Lucien shook his head, placing the letter on the table and slumping into a chair. "I don’t care about the family," Lucien said with disdain. "Even if that family is destroyed, I don’t care. As long as my grandfather is safe, that’s enough." "Then..." Billy asked in confusion, "what are you worried about?" Lucien didn’t answer. He frowned, remembering his dream—and the words his Master had spoken. Sometimes... a dream isn’t just a dream. It can be an omen, a sign. "That dream... it was real..." Lucien muttered. Suddenly, he clenched his fist, his eyes blazing with hatred. "Lathel... you’re a demon... you’re truly a monster." Lucien’s teeth ground so hard it made a harsh ’krrrk’ sound, sending a shiver down Billy’s spine. Billy asked hesitantly, "But what does any of this have to do with Lathel? He... he was almost assassinated—nearly died. But he’s so compassionate, he even pleaded with the Queen not to punish the Church or their followers." "And the Church... they’re terrifying. Anyone who betrays them gets killed. Even so many children and women died in that fire." "No one in the whole village survived, if..." The more Billy spoke, the angrier Lucien became, his eyes growing red as blood. "Shut up!" Suddenly, Lucien shouted, startling Billy into silence, his voice trembling as he stammered, "You... you... I..." Billy shrank back, frightened by the look on Lucien’s face, as if Lucien was about to tear him to pieces. "Calm yourself, Lucien." At that moment, Lilith’s voice echoed in his mind, helping him regain his composure. Lucien took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly, feeling much calmer than before. He looked at Billy, pressed his lips together, and apologized, "Sorry, Billy. I... I lost my temper, I didn’t mean to yell at you." "But... Billy, you shouldn’t trust the royal family or Lathel. They’re not as good as you think." Though Billy didn’t really understand what Lucien meant, he nodded as if he did. "Ah! There’s something else important, but..." Billy hesitated. "Hm?! What is it?" Lucien frowned. Billy looked at him, then said, "Lathel... he was attacked by the Church on his way to the Academy." "What?!" Lucien frowned, incredulous. Yet he let out a mocking laugh. "Huh! Is he just using that as an excuse to dodge the duel with me?" "What do you mean?" Billy asked, confused. Lucien waved him off, having no intention of explaining further. In Lucien’s heart, he already believed his dream was real; so the news of Lathel being attacked by the Church—he knew it was nothing but a lie. "So then..." Lucien asked with a sly grin, "Did he die?" "No!" Billy sighed. "He survived—and was actually brought back to the Academy by Professor Lyra." "What?!"