Silence enveloped the inn room where they were staying in the Emerald Kingdom. A soft morning sunlight crept through the cracks in the wooden window, falling on Arthur's weakened body lying on the bed. His burned back still appeared red and blistered, even though it had been treated with healing salve from a nearby alchemist. His breathing was quiet, but steady.
Lucifer sat on a wooden chair not far from the bed, leaning back with his eyes fixed on something he held in his hands: a glossy black egg, the size of a human head. The egg felt cold, yet it emitted an aura that defied description. There was something unnatural about it... as if it were alive. Breathing. Watching.
He took a deep breath and muttered to himself, "At least for now... I don't have to kill again."
Although he had once been eager for missions, today he chose silence. No training. No battles. Just stillness and time to reflect.
Arthur had done so much for him. Given him a place, trust, even the will to fight. And now, with that man lying weak, it was only right for him to be the faithful guardian.
Lucifer glanced again at the egg.
"What kind of creature are you?"
Curiosity overwhelmed him. Slowly, he placed his hand on the surface of the egg.
In that very moment, his body shuddered.
Like a sudden, invisible vortex, the egg began absorbing his mana. The golden mana that usually flowed calmly within him was instantly drained, making him tremble and his vision blur.
He nearly fell off the chair.
"W-what is this...?"
His knees buckled, his breath faltered, and the world seemed to spin. His mana was completely gone. His body felt empty.
But before he lost consciousness, a strange energy surged from his finger. One of the rings on his hand—one of The Ten Infinite Rings—glowed for the first time.
A deep blue. Like a night ocean without starlight.
The ring radiated a massive amount of mana, which flowed directly into the black egg. Not only did it halt the absorption, but it also gave far more energy than before.
Lucifer was stunned. His golden eyes widened.
"...You reacted on your own?"
Until now, the rings had never shown any sign of life. Even when he was near death fighting the orc, or facing the salamander's flames, the rings remained silent. But this time... the ring moved. As if it recognized something within the egg.
After a few seconds, the mana flow from the ring stopped. The egg now pulsed gently, as if full... or growing.
Lucifer looked at his hand, then at the ring, then back at the egg.
"For the first time... you helped me."
A whirlwind of emotions filled his chest. Fear, awe, and curiosity. What was the true power of these rings? And... why did it respond to the egg?
Without further thought, Lucifer placed the egg into his magic pouch—a dragon-hide bag capable of storing countless items. He stared at it for a moment, then closed the pouch tightly.
"You'll stay with me... for now."
He looked out the window. The city was waking up. Merchant voices, children's laughter, and the scent of food filled the streets.
And he decided: maybe it was time for a little walk.
That morning, the air in the Emerald Kingdom felt lighter than usual. Small birds chirped atop the red brick rooftops, while the aroma of food from street stalls wafted into the air, blending with the spring breeze.
Lucifer stood briefly in front of the inn, taking a deep breath. He glanced up toward the window where Arthur still lay recovering from his salamander-inflicted burns.
He tightened his black cloak and stepped into the city streets. His mind still churned with questions—about the mysterious black egg, about the ring's first reaction… and about himself. But for now, his thoughts needed rest, just like Arthur's body.
He wandered into the Emerald Kingdom's main market. Though a royal capital, the city was vibrant and full of culture. Along the street, merchants shouted to promote their goods:
"Smoked beef buns! Savory and melting in your mouth!"
"Wind-root soup—warms your body and keeps you young!"
"Misty fruit ice—cold and fresh, guaranteed to make you forget your ex!"
Lucifer chuckled softly. Amid all the chaos and mystery, the city still had a way of making him feel... alive.
He approached a skewer cart with a spicy red aroma, run by an old man with a silver beard.
"One portion," he said shortly.
Moments later, Lucifer sat on a wooden bench by the roadside, enjoying the hot and spicy skewers. The flavor bit at his tongue, but that's what made it feel real. Like this world truly existed, not just some bizarre dream after death.
Yet in the middle of the spice and rising smoke, a pair of sharp eyes watched him from afar.
Lucifer turned—and froze.
Silver-white hair. Silver eyes he couldn't forget. Skin smooth as polished jade, glowing under the evening light.
The woman stood just a few steps away from him, graceful and mysterious like a starlit night.
Lucifer quickly stood, nearly dropping his skewer.
"...You?" he whispered in disbelief.
Kaela gave a soft smile, her steps light as dew.
"I didn't expect we'd meet again so soon," she said.
Lucifer nodded, still processing her presence. "Me neither. This world... is either too small, or too strange."
Kaela glanced at his skewer. "You have quite the taste. Smoked beef with blood-chili sauce."
Lucifer raised an eyebrow. "You know the seasoning?"
"As a Rank A Hunter, I've learned a lot… including about street food," she said with a gentle smile.
Lucifer blinked. "Wait... you're a Rank A Hunter?"
Kaela nodded. "Mage type. But it's not something I brag about."
Lucifer exhaled. "A Rank A Hunter... There aren't many of those in the Emerald Kingdom. And you... you look more like a flower vendor than a high-class mage."
Kaela giggled. "Thank you. That's the idea. Disguise. I don't like attention."
They walked side by side, leaving the crowded market behind.
Lucifer looked around. "So... why were you looking for me?"
Kaela gazed at the sky, now tinged with color. "I wasn't. But when I saw you sitting there, I felt... we needed to talk."
Lucifer glanced at her. There was no threat in her eyes. No deceit. Just calmness, and... curiosity.
"I can talk for a few minutes. Just don't interfere with my skewers," he said, following Kaela toward a small park at the edge of town.
Kaela looked back with a smile. "Don't worry. I just want to know... about you."
Lucifer paused for a second. His gaze sharpened. "About me?"
Kaela stopped in front of a bench. The place was peaceful, surrounded by purple-flowered bushes and young pine trees. She sat down and looked at Lucifer with her silver eyes.
"I saw you that day. During the duel. At the Hunter exam. Your mana aura... it's not ordinary."
Lucifer slowly sat beside her.
Kaela continued, "Your mana is golden. Pure. Strong. And... that's not a trait of ordinary humans."
Lucifer clenched his hand. "I don't know how to explain it."
"Your race?" Kaela asked softly.
Lucifer closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them. "Human," he answered shortly.
Kaela looked at him for a long time. She didn't argue, didn't push. She just gave a small nod.
"I believe you... even if half of you feels like... something more."
Lucifer didn't respond.
Kaela gave a soft smile. "Golden mana like that... is usually only possessed by archbishops of the Grand Church of Light. They're not just nobles. They're... sacred entities. They can even command kingdoms."
Lucifer looked down. "I know nothing about that church. And honestly... I still don't know who I really am."
Kaela turned away, staring at the wind-blown purple flowers. "That... makes us alike."
Lucifer glanced at her. "You're hiding something too?"
Kaela stood. "Come. There's a place I want to show you. But it's a bit far, outside the city."
Lucifer stood and followed. "Where to?"
Kaela looked back, her smile soft and mysterious. "To a flower garden. One that only reacts to golden mana. I want to see... if the flowers will glow when you touch them."
Lucifer raised an eyebrow. "Glowing flowers?"
Kaela chuckled. "Yes. And don't worry... these flowers won't drain your mana like your egg did yesterday."
Lucifer paused, then smiled slightly. "So... you know about the egg too?"
Kaela only answered with a thin smile, then stepped ahead.
The evening sky began to shift in color, framing the silhouette of the Emerald Kingdom's buildings in hues of orange and red. The scent of spice from street food vendors slowly faded as they walked past the crowd, down quieter alleys toward the city's outskirts.
Kaela walked calmly ahead, her light dress swaying softly in the evening breeze. Her white hair flowed like moonlight, catching the eyes of every passerby, though none truly realized who she was. Lucifer followed silently, his thoughts still lingering on their previous conversation—about golden mana, the church, and secrets he couldn't yet reveal.
Soon, they reached a small gate hidden behind tall bushes. Kaela brushed aside the creeping vines covering the narrow path and motioned for Lucifer to follow her inside.
Beyond the gate stretched a wild garden—full of strange pale flowers, glimmering long leaves, and hanging petals like curtains from slender trees.
"This place…" Lucifer whispered unconsciously. "It's like another world."
Kaela smiled, turning to him. "This garden was created by the elves of old. Once guarded by spirit keepers, but now... only I know the way here."
They walked on soft grass that felt like velvet beneath their feet. On either side, the flowers swayed as if welcoming them.
Kaela stopped at the center of the garden and turned to him. "I brought you here because I want to prove something," she said quietly. "These flowers... they respond to holy energy. And your mana—your golden mana—might make them react."
Lucifer looked around, his eyes tracing the pale cream petals that seemed unusual. "So I just need to...?"
"Release a bit of your mana into the air. No need to force it. Just let it flow."
Lucifer hesitated. His recent experience with the black egg and the ring's sudden reaction was still fresh in his mind. But something in Kaela's gaze—trust, maybe hope—made it hard to refuse.
He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He opened his mana channels, allowing the energy to flow naturally, like warm mist from his skin.
At first, nothing happened.
Then… the flowers began to glow.
One by one, the petals emitted a soft light—pale purple, then shifting to blue, then jade green. A small plant near his feet glowed gold, then bloomed with a slow motion like it was yawning from a long sleep.
Lights began to dance, forming a soft swirl around them. As if the world were breathing in color.
Kaela stared at him, wide-eyed. "That's... amazing. I've never seen them shine like this. Not even I could make them glow this beautifully."
Lucifer smiled faintly, looking at his hand. "Maybe because I shine too much?"
Kaela giggled. "Or because you're too arrogant."
Lucifer smirked. "That's for sure. But these flowers... they're not afraid of me."
"These flowers may be strange, but they're not that stupid," Kaela replied quickly, rolling her eyes. "They know the difference between danger and... something special."
"So I'm special?"
"More like... weird, but amusing."
Lucifer laughed softly, then sat on the glowing grass. Kaela followed, sitting cross-legged beside him, her fingers playing with softly glowing petals.
They sat in silence for a moment, enjoying the colorful stillness.
"Lucifer," Kaela said suddenly, her voice quiet. "If I told you something... could you keep it to yourself?"
Lucifer turned to her. His gaze serious, unlike usual. "I have enough secrets to know how to keep others."
Kaela took a breath, then looked up at the twilight sky.
"I'm not human," she said at last. "I'm an elf. Disguised as a human so I can move freely among hunters and nobles. Our race is disliked by many, especially the major kingdoms. But I... want to live freely."
Lucifer didn't respond immediately. He just looked at her in silence, then turned his gaze to the darkening sky.
"Lucifer?" Kaela looked at him.
"I'm not human either," he said calmly. "At least... not completely."
Kaela was startled. "What do you mean?"
Lucifer gave a faint smile, looking at the fading glow in his hand. "We have time. Maybe I'll tell you... if we meet again in this garden."
Kaela's eyes softened. She looked down, touching a flower beneath her that now glowed pink.
"I want to meet again."
Lucifer stood, helping her up. "Tomorrow. I'll buy skewers at the same stall. If you pass by…"
"Make sure you have enough money. I want to try those skewers too."
"But you're a Rank A Hunter. Shouldn't you be treating me?"
Kaela rolled her eyes with a smile. "Don't get your hopes up."
They walked back to the city, leaving behind the glowing garden that slowly returned to darkness, as if keeping the secret of their first meeting in silence.