“Have you calmed down, Miss Cille?”

Lucille weakly nodded her head. Her chances of getting a Mystical Artifact had been dashed, and becoming the first Lightning Mage was now over.

“I give up.” The only rational thing for Lucille to do now was to sulk. After all, she had no backup plans. Lucille turned to boiled shrimp on one side of the room, “This is boring, I think I’ll go hibernate. Nothing is going on anyway.”

Colt somewhat responsible for destroying her motivation and goals. He walked up to her with a “stick” and poked her with it checking if she actually did start hibernating, “Miss Cille, are you okay?”

“My physical body has no problem whatsoever. You can say that I am fine—Life suddenly seems bleaker than before.” Lucille made a deep, deep sigh. She no longer had anything in mind, “I’ve been researching Lightning Magic for seven years, but it seems like I need to come up with another theory to pursue—even that seem troublesome at the moment.”

The breaks in her life were abruptly pressed. It was too shocking even for her. She became listless without a goal in mind, “Young Colt, I heard Mina’s expecting, do you think you can hire me for a babysitter? I still have three hundred years of lifespan to burn.”

“Three hundred!?”

“Didn’t you know? I’m half Ancient Elf, a quarter Demon, and a quarter human, though I don’t have the standard features of the other two races, I’m mixed blood.”

“...”

‘Then again, she’d make one hell of a babysitter. She can even double as a guard.’ He was actually considering that fact. However, seeing Lucille act in this manner, an epiphany struck him. A once in a lifetime opportunity arrived.

“Miss Cille, if you have nothing better to do, I can propose something that will let you send waves all over the continent, no, all over the world. If you hear me out, I’ll assure you that you won’t find it boring.”

Lucille peeked over her shoulders. She didn’t believe he could propose something more interesting than becoming a Lightning Mage or the peak of Healing Magic, but she still asked out of desperation, “What is it?”

Colt opened his mouth, and from the instant the idea escaped his mouth and entered Lucille’s ears, Lucille’s expression changed multiple times throughout Colt’s explanation. From a worried to a smile, to a sneer, and to a maniacal grin.

“So, what do you think?” Colt was hopeful.

“Colt, you’re bold for thinking of this. I’ll do it, so don’t let anyone know of this.” Lucille was reborn. The idea of hibernation drifted away, and a somewhat devilish smile emerged from her angel-like face.

“That’s good, I’ll trust you’ll be able to do it.”

“Leave it to me!” Lucille’s laughter echoed throughout. Colt laughed with her, and after a few more minutes, he was led out of the room with the Chick and Fluff, and before Lucille shut herself inside, she left a few words to Colt, “Contact me only when you’re getting married or when Mina’s going to give birth. If there’s nothing big going on, don’t dare to enter this tower and look for me.”

Bam!

The Tower Master of the Regalus Kingdom Magic Tower had officially shut herself out from the world. 

Colt looked at himself and at his Soul Partners. He had a fully functioning body, with that, Colt finally decided to leave. But then, he saw the Chick biting on the scroll he was reading earlier.

“When did you snuck that out?”

“While no one was looking. Don’t worry, this is no treasure or anything, just a simple scroll, she won’t miss it. Now, get us home. The Old Human Butler may have heard your words of “Strong people not getting infected” but he might be too much of a coward to help.”

Colt didn’t argue with the Chick and carried the two back home without so much as arguing, and he didn’t know why but when he walked out the Magic Tower, the patrolling guards couldn’t meet his eyes.

They were scared of him for reasons he could not understand.

‘Is there someone causing a problem back at my place?’

He had read this situation before. Thus, he ran without missing a beat. 

***

Inside a carriage where every inch of the interior was beautifully sculpted, was a man with evergreen hair. He was handsome, and had good posture. 

In his hands were three recording crystals. The recorded feed of each had already been analyzed by him, but the third and newest of them was still left open.

It was a feed taken from a roof away by a spy. It was a scene where Mary Courtgain was bowing to him.

“So, she pledged his loyalty to him instead of me? I see so that’s why she disappeared so suddenly. Duke Courtgain is trickier than I thought. For him to let his daughter leave and have her pledge with this man just to escape picking a side?”

The man smiled and then crushed the recordings. He was not amused with the situation.

“You seemed displease, Prince Trist.”

A peal of laughter then entered his ears from across him. It was a man with scarlet hair. He was reasonably well built, and a scholarly aura radiates from his body. 

Trist looked at him as he blew away the dust of the recording crystal, “I don’t like him. This Colt Edgeworth seems too elaborate with his movements. He is slowly gathering strength. Mary Courtgain, Mina Vera, the soon-to-be Alchemist Jin, and even Vyra Genesis, his Faction is not that big at first sight, but the power he possesses is not to be messed with.”

“Isn’t that the reason why we’re coming to meet with him? To convince him to give you his support. If we can get him to side with you for tomorrow’s banquet, then you’ll be able to contend with the Crown Prince.”

“I know. You do not have to remind me every single time.” Trist lowered his head, he carried a solemn expression, it was his wish to become King, and for it to come true, he must first battle with his older brother, the current Crown Prince.

Prince Trist does not like Colt for apparent reasons.

‘He seems two-faced, than most nobles. He acts like the noblest of them all. He even showed obvious disgust for violence, but he was always embroiled in a fight in the short time he was in the academy. He doesn’t show his fangs, but I know people like that do not exist. He must be someone who hides his fangs and acts in the shadows.’

Trist very much see Colt as someone close to a scheming bastard. Trusting such a person is not worth the trouble, but Trist needed help to contend with the Crown Prince.

And as the carriage stopped just before the Tiger Manor doors, Trist prepared himself to meet with a controlling man. He strengthened his mind and got ready. And as the carriage doors opened, a figure dropped from the sky.

“What Happened!?”

“Get into formation! Protect the Prince!”

Trist opened his eyes wide as a wave of guard blocked the path of the audacious assailant.

As the dust settled Trist’s world was shattered as he saw Colt Edgeworth, a white long-sleeved shirt dyed red with blood.

“What the?”