Kidnapped the Saintess of the Hero Party

36 – The Shameless Man

There was a time when Lucion lost all of his soldiers.

“It’s an ambush!”

It was broad daylight.

While packing up to return to the castle after finishing the hunt for monsters.

Suddenly, the soldiers’ throats were cut and they died.

Was there a warning?

Even if I think about it now, I couldn’t sense any warning.

After the soldiers died, three more soldiers died in an instant.

In the meantime, Lucion was able to see the identity of the enemy.

A burly creature that moved between shadows like a giant manta ray.

Instinct was honest. It said that this guy was a dangerous existence capable of bringing Lucion to death.

It was a terrifying fear that made his feet tremble, but Lucion was a newly appointed lord and he wanted to save his soldiers and go back.

However.

“My lord! It’s a demon! Run awa—!”

The soldier who was speaking had his throat cut.

No terrifying story could evoke as much fear as this. All Lucion could do was wait, gradually approaching and awaiting his turn of death.

Everyone died, and Lucion was left alone.

In a moment of surprise, just as his outstretched arm was about to be sliced by the blade of a demon that resembled a serpent.

The image of Lucia fighting on the front lines came to mind.

Lucia, you’re fighting against these bastards.

When you came back, I wanted to welcome you with a smile.

You fought well.

You protected well.

I desperately wished for the day when I could hear your praise.

I’m going to die.

I won’t be able to see you again and die.

I just miss you. I want to see you again.

If I could meet you once more…

It wasn’t just a prayer, Lucion moved.

Even if he had to give up his outstretched arm, he decided that he must kill the serpent by seizing its tail.

If I don’t kill it here, it will cause even greater damage.

Therefore, with the determination to annihilate, he awakened the dormant holy power. He clenched his fist with his free left hand, aimed for the right arm, and struck the approaching serpent.

“Even if I die, I hope to see Lucia’s face again.”

The result was good.

Just a little bit.

Lucion was only slightly injured.

Lucion’s hand was faster than he thought. Instinctively, his hand pierced the head of the scorpion. The blade stopped as it grazed Lucion’s arm and slowly retracted.

Unlike the attacks he had faced before, the scorpions were formidable opponents.

Lucion, confirming his survival, sighed, tasting both gratitude and despair simultaneously.

However, he realized that any emotion was a luxury in the face of death.

It wasn’t just one.

#

From Lucion’s vantage point, several scorpions appeared. They immediately devoured the bodies of the soldiers.

With wings spread wide, they could encase the corpses in darkness.

As Lucion stood watching the soldiers, he thought,

“It’s not time to stand still. We must keep moving until we annihilate the demons.”

“Lucia, until you come back. Until we are safe.”

They had to keep running.

So, Lucion regained his composure and drew his sword. Meanwhile, the soldiers returned, looking exactly the same as when they were alive.

Wearing black cloaks.

That was the identity of the black-cloaked figures Lucion knew.

Lucion cleanly cut down the demons who had taken on the appearance of the soldiers he cherished with his own hands.

#

It’s a painful memory.

However.

As Lucia’s body temperature and fragrance touched Lucian’s body while being embraced, Lucian could still feel that Lucia was alive and could escape from the torment of the memory.

Lucia was still by his side.

Although the fear of facing the battle with the demons and possibly losing Lucia again had come, “It’s different from before.”

Isn’t the information and skills noticeably different from his previous life?

Above all, as long as he fights alongside Lucia, Lucia will not die first.

So let’s do our best to live.

That was the only thing Lucian could do.

#

“Now… I’m okay.”

Lucian let go of Lucia from his embrace.

Sitting on the bed, Lucia looked up at Lucian’s face.

“Why?”

Although Lucia’s face was still flushed, she decided to temporarily hide her embarrassment because of Lucian’s actions just now.

After contemplating for a moment, Lucian slowly opened his mouth.

“Just a moment. I had a scary nightmare… but now I’m okay.”

Somehow, a smile appeared.

After all, Lucia is right beside him.

I just wanted to treat it more preciously.

I wanted to protect it more safely.

Because the crisis was closer than I thought.

“I think we need to create a secret space.”

“A secret space?”

“Yes.”

I recalled the artifact I saw when I visited Dara Han’s mansion. The artifact that showed Dura Han’s room. If there was a device in the room, Dura Han wouldn’t be unaware. The device couldn’t be detected.

Maybe it was structured like a telescope. Magic that made you feel like you were folding, unfolding, and seeing from a close distance.

Telescopes only observe mana, but it makes sense if the other person is a dark mage. It’s where a grand sorcerer who spends a lifetime inventing peculiar artifacts lives.

If they had developed an artifact that showed the entire room, it made sense. That level wouldn’t be a big deal for Dara Han.

On the other hand, the room where Lucion and Lucia stayed was not completely safe.

“Fortunately, there is no ‘recognition’ that is immediately visible.”

“Recognition” was an area that could be covered by divine power. Lucion expanded the area of divine power that he had hidden inside his body into the room. At least it seemed that the inn was not being observed.

Still, it was necessary to create a space where you could be safe anytime, anywhere.

“I’ll show you the barrier.”

“Okay.”

#

Barriers are used more to protect an area rather than the caster.

But what is needed now is a moving shield.

Lucion raised his palm.

“I can create a protective barrier on the palm of my hand.”

Later on, I would use it quite frequently.

During actual battles, priests had to deploy wide-range protective barriers.

A dome-shaped structure formed on Lucion’s palm.

Lucia could see the principle behind it.

It seemed that the divine power had solidified and become stronger. Other than that, there didn’t seem to be anything particularly special about it.

“Ah, it’s not just stationary. It continues to flow along the surface.”

If there’s a hole somewhere, it fills up by flowing along the surface. It appeared to be a more advanced technique than I had initially thought.

“Now it’s Sia’s turn to give it a try.”

“Ugh.”

Lucia sighed.

“Lucion, you tend to explain things too easily.”

“It’s easy.”

Rather harshly.

Solving problems while racking her brain was Lucia’s responsibility.

But she succeeded on her first try. Perhaps it was because she could see it directly, making it easier for her to acquire than the other priests.

“Indeed, you make it look easy.”

Lucion smiled bitterly. He thought it would take at least 10 minutes. Normally, it would take as fast as 3 days.

Lucia pouted.

“It wasn’t that easy…”

I’ve given it some thought.

“Well then, next.”

Lucion placed his hand on his chest.

Usually, when setting up a barrier, especially when targeting a person, the position of the barrier core is placed near the heart.

If the heart stops, the barrier can stop as well.

It is also used for the purpose of confirming each other’s survival.

The disappearance of the barrier one has cast on the other person means their death or a crisis to the extent that the barrier is destroyed.

It is also used strategically. Placed on departing soldiers, when a soldier dies, it signifies that a crisis has occurred. Since Cheonlihan is an artifact of the black mage tower, in other regions, crises are detected using priests.

“Spread the barrier around my heart.”

“Huh?”

“If you put a protective shield on me, even if I face a crisis, Lucía can immediately know.”

“That’s… true.”

Lucía nodded in agreement.

The method would be the same. Just like before, spreading the barrier with the center only on the heart.

But, where exactly is the heart?

Lucía frowned.

“I don’t know where to do it.”

It might be better to put it on Lucion’s entire body.

Lucion nodded.

“It’s me, I know the position of my internal organs well.”

Lucia doesn’t know much.

The best way would be to try it out, but that’s not possible.

“Here.”

Lucion grabbed Lucia’s hand and pulled it towards his chest.

“Where the heartbeat begins, right there─.”

However, Lucia couldn’t hear any sound.

#

“─Ah, Lucia?”

After a tense period of time that made her ears feel stuffy, Lucia regained her pounding heart and looked up at Lucion. His nonchalant face was so handsome that it would make one annoyed. Lucion’s face was sometimes so selfish that it could be mistaken for a sculpture.

But isn’t Lucion ashamed of this at all?

They’re touching each other. It’s an incomprehensible situation. Well, it’s better than being hugged without warning, but he’s still a nobleman.

No romance novel is this nonchalant. Come to think of it, Lucion used to read only romance novels even when he was at the orphanage.

That must be the problem.

That’s why this happened.

“Do you feel it? The position of my heart.”

“Uh… Yes, very well.”

In truth, if Lucia touches the part where her own heart beats, she knows. Lucion seemed to be unaware of such an obvious fact. Well, thanks to that, she had a good experience.

Feeling foolish for being the only one embarrassed, Lucia said somewhat nervously.

Lucia focused all her attention on Lucion’s chest. She couldn’t tell if the trembling she felt through her fingertips was his or her own.

Perhaps, her own was beating a little faster.

Lucia closed her eyes and synchronized her heartbeat with Lucion’s. Long hours of training were not in vain. She could calm her heart rate coldly and manipulate it while raising the temperature.

Thus, in a somewhat more composed state, she extended a protective barrier to Lucion. A barrier that would never break. Even if an explosion occurred here, Lucion’s heart would remain safe.

“There.”

After extending the barrier, Lucia awaited Lucion’s assessment.

Without turning towards Lucion and sitting sideways, she seemed a bit indifferent.

Lucion turned his head and asked, “Is this sufficient?”

“Yeah. It’s quite decent.”

“With this.”

After extending the barrier, Lucia waited for Lucion’s evaluation.

He turned slightly away and asked, “Is this enough?”

“Yeah. I’m quite skilled.”

“I can’t even handle such compliments anymore. But thinking about it again, it’s annoying. The fact that you’re completely unaffected when my hand touches you.

But if I extend the barrier, I can sense the danger the other is in.”

“Sion.”

“Why is that?”

A smirk appeared on one side of Lucia’s mouth.

Lucia raised both hands towards her shoulder, offering Lucion her chest.

“It’s your turn.”

“Ah. Is that so.”

Still, Lucion remained indifferent.