Despite my jaded tone, Leo paid no mind.
Slowly, like a zombie, he lifted himself off the floor, muttering.
"…I knew you could still use it. I wasn't wrong. The adults didn't believe me, and after ten years, I started to think it was just my imagination. But everything is just as it was that day."
"..."
Come to think of it, he had said something about seeing it again earlier.
This was a story he only confided to the protagonist towards the end in the original work….
'Is it okay for him to tell me this directly?'
It seemed he was too excited to realize what he was saying. Or maybe he genuinely didn't care.
I might as well try to steer the conversation.
As I was about to sit next to him, Leo let out a small laugh.
"What is this? The rumor that you're part of Pleroma was a lie too, wasn't it? Right? If the rumors were true, you wouldn't have spared me. So, you've spent all these years over such rumors…."
His voice started to tremble.
It made me feel a pang of bitterness as well.
Hearing such words from someone who began practicing magic because of me was sobering. Even though I wasn't Luca, I could feel Luca's emotions seep into me.
Leo, who had been mumbling to himself, suddenly looked up with completely different eyes.
There was a madness in them.
"What do I need to do to see that magic again? If I attack you again, maybe…!"
"Sleep."
This is ridiculous.
Any sense of sentiment vanished.
Seeing that he wouldn't stay down no matter what, I cast a sleep spell on him.
I plopped down next to the now-sleeping Leo.
I needed to rest a bit before taking him to the infirmary.
Through the transparent ceiling of the training ground, the pitch-black night sky was visible. Everything was the same as the world I had lived in, including the sky.
Thinking of the world I came from after using magic made me chuckle.
How did I end up in this world, trying to prevent an extra's death…?
"This concludes it."
I had successfully brought the person who would be most helpful to my side.
'Technically, he's not fully on my side yet.'
Since he had seen me use magic, he wouldn't act as he usually did. So, I could already consider this a success.
Instead, I should be worried about the potential hassle.
But even that was a welcome development for me.
With Leo recruited, it was time to start improving my skills.
Of course, I couldn't practice magic openly.
That would be like advertising for a swift death.
But….
'I can't just sit still, either.'
Given that I couldn't act directly, I had to make full use of the people around me.
And I had already figured out how to utilize this friend.
I looked at the sleeping Leo.
Having resolved his ten-year-old wish, he was sleeping peacefully without a hint of tension.
'Blissfully unaware of the future.'
Let's become good friends.
I laughed out loud.
***
I had a dream of my childhood.
The same situation and the same magic every time.
But today was different somehow.
'…It seemed more dazzling than usual.'
When I opened my eyes, a bright light covered my vision.
It was too bright to be morning.
Leo turned his head and squinted. His forehead felt tight.
"Ugh…."
"Awake?"
At Lucas's short question, Leo rolled his eyes to look at him, then closed them again wearily.
"…A dream…."
"Nope."
"Then everything I remember is…."
"Real."
Leo abruptly sat up and scanned Lucas. Then he clicked his tongue.
"Tsk."
What was that about?
Judging by his still guarded expression, the personal distance between them hadn't significantly narrowed.
As Lucas pondered how to respond, Leo furrowed his brows and spoke.
"…I have so much to say, I don't know where to start."
"Take your time. We have plenty of it since we're skipping class."
A long silence followed.
After a deep breath, Leo began.
"You don't drink blood."
"If I did, I'd probably throw up."
"The rumor that you couldn't use magic because you couldn't drink blood was also a lie. So, those excuses Pleroma always makes have nothing to do with you."
"Right."
"The rumor that the second son of Ascanien was born with poor magical abilities was also false. I already knew that wasn't true after seeing it with my own eyes."
Lucas nodded.
Leo, with a complex expression, furrowed his brow.
"The magic you used yesterday wasn't ordinary. Not at all. You know that, right?"
"I know."
Lucas answered simply.
Honestly, it would be foolish not to, having seen it with his own eyes.
At first, I was surprised. My reflexive thought was, 'My brother will never take the head of the family at this rate,' which says it all.
"Why haven't you used magic until now?"
"..."
When Lucas only stared at him, Leo's voice grew louder.
"Why did you succumb to those ridiculous rumors? Why have you lived like this despite having such abilities?!"
"Do you want to hear it?"
"Of course I do!"
At Leo's sharp reply, Lucas let out a light laugh.
Yes, this is how it should be.
Yesterday, he was so excited about confirming I could use magic that he focused solely on the magic itself. But now, he could think calmly and delve into the real issue.
Lucas leaned closer to Leo.
"Then promise me. Don't tell anyone. This is a matter of life and death for me."
Now, come over to my side.
From this moment, the original story will be completely twisted.
Of course, in a good way