Chapter 70 - 69: His Secret

Chapter 70: Chapter 69: His Secret

"Because I like him.

"Because I like him, no matter what hardships and obstacles stand in my way, I will not give up.

"Even if countless people try to stop me...

"I will definitely always stand by his side."

At this moment, Lucian suddenly recalled the conversation between Lilia and Laura that he had overheard that day.

"Like... Yes," he thought. He couldn’t deny it. He didn’t want Lilia to leave, not just for the sake of his interests, but because he liked her.

[Lucian’s Favorability increased.]

[Lucian’s Favorability increased.]

[Lucian’s Favorability increased.]

Three consecutive system prompts rang by Lilia’s ears. Even though it was the exact same flat, mechanical voice, Lilia felt as if she could hear its tone growing increasingly impassioned with each announcement.

And immediately following that came what she had long been anticipating:

[The Favorability System has been unlocked!]

[The characters whose Favorability can currently be checked are as follows:]

[1. Lucian]

[2. Caius]

...

[Congratulations to the player for unlocking the Main Questline!]

[Current Main Questline: Avenger.]

"Avenger?" Lilia suppressed her inner excitement and focused her attention on the title of the Main Questline. Since it was a Main Questline related to Lucian, did this "Avenger" refer to him?

She didn’t speak rashly. Just now, she had answered Lucian’s question and given him what he wanted. Now, it was his turn to give her a hint.

Lucian did not break his promise.

"Alright..." Looking as though he had been utterly defeated by Lilia, he let out a resigned chuckle, relaxed his body, and leaned back against the rather uncomfortable chair. "It’s a very old story.

"So old... it feels like a lingering memory from a past life."

...

Lucian’s story was quite simple to tell. Just as Lilia had speculated, he had indeed lived in Ovis for a long time. However, what Lilia didn’t expect was that, just like Declan Marlo, he was actually a citizen of Ovis. His original name was not Lucian Williams, but Lucian Reinhardt, the Sixth Prince of the Ovis Empire.

Twenty years ago, while traveling abroad, the current Duke Williams’s younger cousin caught the eye of the King of Ovis and became his concubine.

Nineteen years ago, she gave birth to her first child and named him Lucian.

Thirteen years ago, Lucian displayed exceptional Magic Talent. The court magician even concluded that he had the potential to become the youngest Holy Mage in the history of Ovis. Everyone was full of expectations for him, including the King of Ovis—his father—a man who usually valued nothing but personal gain.

However, the old adage that an innocent man can be condemned simply for possessing a treasure held true no matter where one went. The King of Ovis had more than one son. Just like how the Eldest Prince and Second Prince of the Lien Kingdom were currently scheming against each other for the position of Crown Prince, the cruelty and bloodshed in Ovis over such matters were even worse.

When Lucian’s mother married into the royal family, the Williams family was already in decline. Compared to the other concubines, she lacked both formidable personal power and a strong maternal clan to back her up. Naturally, she became the first sacrifice in the political struggle.

Originally, Lucian was also supposed to die in that artificially engineered disaster. But a servant loyal to the Williams family devised a last-minute plan, swapping Lucian out with her own child of the same age. She carried the young Lucian across the sea, delivering him to Lien, only to succumb to a severe illness during the long, arduous journey.

Duke Williams, having received the news beforehand, took Lucian into his home and changed his surname to "Williams." Publicly, he declared Lucian to be his own son, who had been raised in the countryside and only recently brought back to Taronia.

Duke Williams and his cousin had grown up together; they were the closest people in the world to each other. After learning of his cousin’s death, he turned to heavy drinking. He loved Lucian because the boy was the most important "memento" his cousin had left behind in this world. But at the same time, he hated him.

More than once, he had told him, "If only you had never been born."

Lucian’s voice was hoarse as he softly repeated the words he had heard countless times. "If you had never been born, your mother wouldn’t have died.

"He also said... I must never forget my hatred.

"Because that was the final task my mother entrusted to me before she died."

Even today, Lucian could still remember the great fire that burned everything to ashes. He could remember his heavily injured, dying mother, and her blood-soaked lips moving continuously as she spoke.

She had told him not to forget his hatred. Perhaps when she said those words, she didn’t mean to force him into a life of vengeance, but simply hoped to give him a reason to live on. However, now, revenge had become the entire meaning of his life.

Lucian didn’t voice any of this out loud to Lilia. He lowered his eyes and smiled, then looked back up as he stood from his chair. "Alright, the story is over, and you now know my secret."

Lucian walked over to Lilia’s side. "You need to rest now." He smiled, his expression as gently relaxed and nonchalant as ever. "Do you want me to carry you back to your room?"

"No," Lilia refused cleanly and decisively.

She had merely been tired from a long day, she hadn’t broken her legs. Besides, after resting for so long, her stamina had already recovered. She would have no problem heading to the training grounds right now for two sets of physical conditioning, let alone walking a few steps.

The two left the dining room together. Lilia headed to the master bedroom she had stayed in previously, while Lucian changed direction and walked toward the guest bedroom.

No one had lived here for a long time, but the bedsheets and bedding were fully prepared. It just lacked an en-suite bathroom. Lucian took a shower in the shared bathroom across the living room and lay in bed wearing his bathrobe.

Even though it was already very late, he didn’t feel sleepy in the slightest. As soon as he closed his eyes, several memories played on a continuous loop in his mind. There was the great fire that had burned his childhood to the ground. There was the alcohol-soaked bedroom, where a man glared at him with eyes full of hatred, Cursing that he was unworthy of having friends or experiencing kindness for his entire life.

And then there was Lilia. A smiling Lilia. Lilia looking at him quietly. Lilia saying "I am willing" to him.

Lucian unconsciously curled his lips into a smile, then gently exhaled, trying to calm his wildly beating heart. But before he could succeed, a soft CREAK sounded by his ear. The bedroom door had been opened.

Lucian opened his eyes to see Lilia clutching a pillow, skipping to the bedside in a few short steps before climbing into his bed before he could even react.

Lucian was left utterly speechless.

He instinctively made enough space for one person to sleep comfortably, secretly feeling thankful that even the bed in the guest bedroom was large enough. Caught between tears and laughter, he asked, "Why did you suddenly come over?"

"I can’t sleep," Lilia answered with utmost confidence. Lying on her side next to Lucian, she looked at him, her eyes sparkling brightly in the dark. "I came to chat with you."