After reading a bit more of the magic book, Lucien felt tired. He quietly laid down on his bed, staring at the top of the tent before slowly closing his eyes.
No one knew what was going through his mind. Not about the spell he just tried. Not about the strength he was building up. The night passed in silence.
The next morning, the camp was already moving as the sun rose. Lucien stepped out of his tent wearing clean noble clothes. They were simple but elegant, enough to show his status without standing out too much. Kalios was already waiting outside.
"I'm leaving for two days," Lucien said while looking straight at him.
Kalios was surprised. "Young master, may I ask—"
"I'll be back before the third nightfall," Lucien interrupted. "Once I return, we strike the Veridane camp."
Kalios gave a firm nod. Then, he pulled out a small leather pouch and handed it to Lucien. "Take this, young master. One hundred gold coins. Just in case."
Lucien took the pouch and tied it to his belt without saying anything. Then he turned and walked away, silent as always.
Kalios stood there, watching him. His young master, once thought to be weak, now walked like someone who carried the weight of something far greater.
After Lucien walked a fair distance from the camp, he stopped beneath the shade of a tall tree. Without a word, he reached into his storage ring and pulled out a long white coat and a veiled hat—the same outfit he wore when he moved as Vel.
He slipped into the coat, adjusting the cuffs and collar with care, then lowered the veiled hat over his head. His expression stayed calm, but his eyes held a quiet edge.
'I won't use Voidwind Passage,' he thought.
He didn't want to skip the journey this time. He wanted to run—feel the wind press against him, hear the forest breathe around him. For now, he wanted to walk as a man, not vanish like a shadow.
Ten minutes passed as he moved through the vast forest. Light footsteps over moss, silent strides across branches. Then, in one smooth motion, Lucien leapt into the air and landed on top of a tall tree. From that height, he scanned the distance.
The main kingdom's outer walls stood far ahead, faint but visible. He could tell—if he pushed his speed, he'd reach it in thirty seconds. But before he could move again, he heard something. Laughter.
Not from the forest—but from the main road just ahead. Lucien narrowed his eyes and turned his gaze toward the sound. The road that led straight to the kingdom… someone was there. And they were laughing. Too loud. Too careless.
Then Lucien walked closer to the main road, moving through the trees with quiet steps. As he neared the edge, he stopped behind a thick patch of bushes.
From there, he saw a carriage—elegantly crafted, with silver-lined edges and a noble crest on its side. It was clearly a noble's transport, likely someone important. Surrounding it were a group of rough-looking bandits, armed with mismatched weapons and grinning like they already owned everything inside.
Lucien's gaze shifted slightly. Standing near the carriage were two knights, both calm despite the situation. He focused on them, he could sense it. Their auras were refined, solid.
"Early-stage Masters," Lucien thought to himself. The bandits, however, didn't seem to notice. They were taunting and laughing, thinking they had the upper hand. It was clear they couldn't sense the depth of the knights' strength. Or maybe they were just too arrogant to care.
Lucien's expression didn't change. He stepped forward, emerging silently from the bushes. The leaves rustled slightly—just enough.
The two knights immediately turned toward the sound, their hands moving to their weapons, alert. Their eyes landed on Lucien, who now stood at the side of the road, calm and still, the veiled hat casting a faint shadow over his face.They didn't know who he was. But they knew he wasn't an ordinary traveler.
"Hey you, who are you?" one of the knights asked, narrowing his eyes.
Lucien paused for a second, quickly thinking of an excuse to fit the situation. He put on a calm, almost confused look.
"Ah... I'm Vel," he said with a hint of innocence in his tone, keeping his voice light.
The knight looked at him suspiciously. "What are you doing here?"
"I was just passing through the forest because I'm lost," Lucien said in an innocent tone, trying to sound clueless. Then he added, "Can you tell me where the road to the kingdom is?"
The knight looked at him for a moment, still cautious, but Lucien's calm and harmless appearance made it hard to see him as a threat. One of the knights glanced at the other, then pointed down the road. "It's that way. Just keep following the path and you'll reach the gates within half an hour."
Lucien nodded with a grateful smile, keeping up his act. "Thank you. I'll be on my way then."
But the bandits, now eyeing Lucien curiously, weren't as easily convinced. Suddenly, one of them jumped at Lucien, trying to slash his head from behind.
"Hey, behind you!!" one of the knights shouted.
Just as the bandit's blade was about to hit, Lucien lowered his body—bowing as if picking something up. In that same motion, he quickly shifted his stance and slammed the back of his head into the bandit's face, aiming to knock him off balance.
Lucien turned around and said, "Sorry?" with an innocent expression. As he glanced down, he saw the bandit lying unconscious beneath him. He took a small step back like a clueless man who had no idea what just happened.
"I need to go, bye!" he shouted, then quickly ran off. The moment he took off, the two knights moved in and swiftly defeated the remaining bandits.
After running a short distance, Lucien slowed to a walk. A small smile appeared on his face as he thought, 'So that's what it feels like to act.' He let out a short laugh and kept walking through the trees.
As Lucien walked along the road, he heard footsteps behind him. The two knights were catching up, walking just a few steps behind.
"Hey, wait!" one of them called out.
Lucien glanced back but didn't stop walking.
"Do you want to join us to the kingdom?" the knight asked. "Think of it as payment… for not helping you earlier when that bandit almost sliced your head."
Lucien stopped for a second, then looked over his shoulder. "It's fine. I can walk."
"For security reasons," the other knight added, "can we see your face? There's a noble inside the carriage. Just for safety."
Lucien paused again, then shook his head. "I can't take this off," he said. "And I'd rather walk."
Just then, a calm and noble voice came from inside the carriage. "Let him ride with me," the voice said. "There's no need to see his face."
The two knights were surprised, but they didn't argue. One of them opened the carriage door.
Lucien walked forward quietly and stepped inside without another word.