TBATE: Black Will

Sitting in the carriage, we were on our way to Virion's old acquaintance. After I shared my revelations with him, he decided to consult her. I was sure that Rinia already knew about our impending arrival.

Tessia, resting her head on my shoulder, had fallen asleep quietly. She was still struggling to get used to early mornings. I gently tucked her hair behind her ear and looked at Virion. He had been silent since the beginning of the journey, which was a stark contrast to his usual playful manner.

"Alright, kid. You've given me a lot to think about," he said, scratching his head and clicking his tongue in irritation. His hawk-like gaze shifted in our direction, but then softened, and a slight smile appeared on his face as he looked at the sleeping Tess. "Despite the uncertain future, I hope you'll continue to protect her."

I nodded silently. Over the past three years, Tess had become the closest person to me after my family. All the moments spent with her were etched deeply in my memory. Evening walks in Etistin, training sessions, and various tea parties had left a strong impression of Tess. Now, I wasn't sure if I was ready to hand this sweet princess over to the almighty Arthur.

"I'll try," I answered briefly, without giving a definitive response. I wasn't sure if I could protect her with my current abilities. And one question plagued my mind.

Why did she become a vessel? The principle of the vessel was not fully clear to me. Why did Tess become a vessel for the Legacy if, unlike Arthur, Nico had little interaction with her? After all, they were both anchors for Cecilia's summoning. Could it be that they both needed to harbor romantic feelings for the same person?

This led to another question.

What if one of the anchors were destroyed? Would their soul reincarnate anew, and the Legacy still be summoned? Or, if one of the anchors was eliminated, would the summoning of the Legacy be interrupted without obstacles? If so…

The carriage came to a halt, and the driver opened the door, announcing our arrival.

"Hey, Tess, we're here," I whispered softly, gently nudging her.

"Mmm..."

Eventually, she woke up, and we climbed out of the carriage, finding ourselves in front of a small but elegant cabin.

"Hey, old witch! Come out!" Virion suddenly shouted, knocking loudly on the door.

The door swung open, and an elderly woman with hair that looked like it had been struck by lightning and eyes that held a strange mix of colors appeared in the doorway. She was dressed in a simple brown robe and looked at me with curiosity.

"It took you long enough to get here," she frowned.

"Luci, let me introduce you to Rinia Darkassan. She is a special deviant among us elves," Virion announced. I nodded, knowing the important role this woman played.

"Good to see you again, Virion. And you're as charming as ever, little Tessia," she said with a smile, gently patting Tess's head.

When her gaze fell on me, she extended her hand.

"So, the strange anomaly has finally come to me. I am Rinia, the seer."

Shaking her hand, we entered her hut and settled around a round table with a jug of water. She served tea to everyone except Tess, for whom she poured apple juice. Within a few minutes, I noticed Tess's head drooping as if she were falling asleep. Moving her glass away, I laid her back onto the couch.

She had added something to Tess's drink. I knew Rinia wouldn't harm us and likely wanted to talk without involving Tess in everything.

"Rinia, I have a request. I know I'm asking a lot…" Virion hesitated, glancing at the drowsy Tess.

"I know what you wish to ask, Virion," Rinia interrupted him but then shook her head. "However, I can't say for certain. Revealing too much could affect the outcomes. But I can say with certainty that this continent faces great changes. And at the center of it all is one person."

"Arthur…" I thought, and Rinia, as if reading my mind, looked at me.

"I don't know how you survived, boy. But I'm sure that on that day, you died," she said, piercing me with her gaze as if trying to look inside me. "However, it seems Fate has other plans."

I didn't fully remember how Rinia's abilities worked. But I knew she could see into the future of a specific person and had clairvoyance, considering she managed to help Arthur when he was in Etistin.

"The time will come, and you will learn everything on your own, Virion. So there's no point in burdening yourself with guesses," she said with a gentle smile, leaving Virion, who was now frozen, at a loss for words. Rinia neither confirmed nor denied his suspicions, leaving him in uncertainty. Then her gaze shifted back to me. "Boy, you are an anomaly. No matter how I try, I cannot see your future, and that frightens me…

Her words left me puzzled. Her abilities don't work on me?

Rinia continued to look at me, as if trying to understand why her powers couldn't penetrate my future. Her gaze was filled not just with curiosity but with a hidden worry. I, too, tried to grasp what it meant to be an "anomaly," as she put it.

"But how is that possible?" Virion asked quietly, clearly astonished by her words. "Rinia, seers have always been able to foresee the future. Even mine. Why can't you see his?"

"I cannot say, " Rinia responded thoughtfully, her eyes never leaving me. "This boy is something else. I see neither his destiny nor what awaits him ahead. It's like a black hole " I can feel his presence but cannot peer inside.

Her words confused me even more. I began to wonder if this was related to the fact that this world had initially been fictional to me.

"If you cannot see his future, " Virion broke the silence, "does that mean his path is free from predestination? That he will forge his own fate?

"Perhaps," Rinia replied slowly, her voice soft, almost pensive. "But again, there is no need to make assumptions. Boy, I see a question in your eyes. Speak up, don't keep me waiting.

"Elder Rinia, can you restore my memory?" I asked, testing the limits of her abilities, but she only shook her head. I wanted to know more about Arthur, but asking that question directly would raise even more suspicion. I didn't want anyone to know more about me than I intended. However, her calm reaction and past words had already given me an answer — Arthur was alive.

That brought me a strange sense of relief, even though I hadn't received direct confirmation. Her behavior spoke volumes. It was enough to ease part of my worries.

We continued with casual conversation until Tessia woke up. Realizing she had fallen asleep, she looked around anxiously, seemingly afraid she had missed something important.

"Lucius, I do not know what role Fate has in store for you. But I hope you can make a difference in this world," Rinia said, her face lighting up with a faint yet sincere smile as we headed for the exit. " In a good way, of course…

By the time we returned to the castle, it was already dark. We were greeted by a maid at the main gates, but before I could bid farewell to Virion and Tess, my eyes caught a figure standing by the outer gates of the palace. It was my sister.

"It seems your sister has been waiting for you," Virion said, gently nudging me in her direction. I wasn't sure what he was thinking, but I hoped everything would be alright.

"Grandfather, I would like to participate in the upcoming tournament between the three races," I voiced my desire.

"I was planning to send you there myself, but it seems I won't have to push you," he chuckled, patting my shoulder. "We have a few months left, so prepare for even more intense training."

I nodded silently, recalling all the hardships I had endured so far. After saying goodbye to Tessia, I walked over to my sister.

"Have you been waiting long, sis?"

"At last, the esteemed Lucius decides to show up," she sighed, scratching her head. "Mom has been pestering me non-stop."

"Hehe," I chuckled, taking her hand as I began recounting my day. "Ali, you recently became an adventurer. Next time, take me with you, okay?"

"No," she answered without hesitation. Her refusal was swift, but I wasn't going to give up so easily.

"Why not? I can help! You know I've gotten stronger," I started persuading her, unwilling to drop the topic.

"Lucius, the adventurer's life is no joke," Alleyne said seriously, narrowing her eyes. "It's dangerous, and I don't want you taking that risk."

"Oh, come on! I can handle it! Besides, I'll be participating in the international tournament!" I insisted, pouting like a child.

"You're insufferable," she sighed, rolling her eyes. "If you place in the tournament, then I'll think about it—and that's only if mom agrees."

Her words brought a small smile to my face, and I nodded in agreement. Three years had passed since my awakening in this world, and in that time, our family had managed to recover from our losses. We supported each other, and that time had helped them heal. But now it was time to move forward and grow stronger.

"Thank you, Ali," I said quietly, feeling a warm wave of gratitude toward my sister.

She nodded, and we continued walking home together, discussing our future plans and what lay ahead for us both.

My intentions were clear. First of all, I needed to find a way to get to Xyrus without raising objections from my family, and participating in the tournament gave me that opportunity.

When I informed Saria of my decision, I noticed her hesitation before she expressed joy for me. After all, I would be representing Elenoir and participating on behalf of the entire kingdom. However, she was afraid of letting me go far away, especially after the incident with my father, and I completely understood that. But at the same time, she must have realized that she couldn't keep me under control forever.

With these thoughts, the next day arrived. I was doing warm-up exercises with Tess before our main training session. Virion was expected to join us in about half an hour, as was his usual practice.

"Tess, by the way, I'll be leaving soon," I said as I brought the soles of my feet together and stretched, feeling my leg muscles slowly relax and lengthen.

"Huh? I know, but you'll come back right after the tournament, won't you?" A worried expression froze on Tess's face.

"I will come back," I replied, trying to lift her spirits. "But it won't be that soon. After the tournament, I'm planning to stay in Xyrus for a while. You know, adult matters that need attention."

I joked, but seeing how her face fell at my announcement, I couldn't help but offer some comfort.

"Hey now, Tess. Don't be sad! I'm not leaving forever. Besides, we still have a couple of months together, so there's no need to worry ahead of time."

She nodded, but concern still showed on her face. I understood that I had become someone important to Tess, and she meant a lot to me as well. Maybe I had even fallen for her, spending so much time together. After all, spending time with the opposite sex often leads to marriage, haha.

"I promise I'll come back," I added, leaning toward her and smiling, gently patting her head. "We'll spend time together again, just like before."

Tess stared at me with a hint of hope but then furrowed her brows again.

"What if you can't come back?" she said quietly.

"Don't you believe in me?" I sighed, closing my eyes and pretending to be saddened by her words.

"N-no! That's not what I meant." She began to defend herself but, seeing my smirk, realized I was teasing her. "LUCI! You're teasing me again!"

"Who could blame me for enjoying teasing such a cute princess?" I shrugged with a slight smirk, trying to dispel her worries. "You know I always keep my word."

Tess thought for a moment, and her expression gradually softened.

"Alright," she said with a light sigh, "I'll try not to worry."

"That's the spirit!" I said cheerfully. "Let's focus on our training instead. There's a lot of work ahead, and I want you to get even stronger. Otherwise, I'll leave you behind without a second thought."

P.s: If you're interested, you can read up to chapter 15+ at patreon.com/c/Lucius01

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