The Flower of Separation

Lillian sighed when she heard those words. It is still difficult for her to accept that she has light magic, after all she is a member of the Ageha family. Moreover she has the cursed eyes of the Empress. Would it not make sense for her to have completely dark magic?

"Does it bother you that much?"

"You know why."

"If you can manifest the power of the light spirits. I am sure people's impression of you will change."

"If I do something stupid like that, do you think I will live another day?"

'Even if I do not value my own life, right now I cannot die.'

Lillian briefly closed her eyes for a moment before opening them again. "Lucas, you are the only one who knows about this. I think Ramon suspects something but hasn't figured it out yet. I would like it to remain that way."

"Of course. But you know isn't it weird? Both you and the Empress have light and dark magic."

"That is odd. There is no doubt the Empress has the light power of the former Empress. However, why does she also have dark magic?"

"I have never heard of a situation like this before." Lucas nodded. "But after observing the Empress for a short while, I can sense that there is another mana inside her. That mana is the reason why nobody could see her dark magic."

Lillian recalled Ramon's words during the death game and frowned. Is it due to brother Raiju's magic? Why did her brother give away a portion of his magic to the Empress?

'Unless the Empress sustained a life-threatening injury then-' Lillian sighed at the thought. Brother Raiju was truly in love with Empress Zushi, she thought she understood that already but it seems like she has underestimated him.

The saying people do foolish things for the one they love is far powerful than she thought.

So even now her brother is protecting the Empress. The irony of all of this. She has had to survive without her brother's protection the last twelve years. Her brother prioritised protecting the Empress first. Then again if she thought about it that way it was the same with Aaron. He simply sent his sister a package and do not go to see her.

'Aaron met with me first and tried to take me away.'

Those two men have their priorities wrong that was for sure.

"Lillian."

"Hmm?"

"Come with me to the tower. Do you remember what you promised?"

Oh right, because of her unstable mana recently she promised she would stay in the tower for a bit before the lakeside village trip.

..

At the magician tower

From the outside this tower looks abandoned, although they have fixed it up the last few years. The outside still looked abandoned. When they frequently started to come here the year after she first brought him to the Ageha family manor she asked him many questions.

According to Lucas this tower has been around for the last thousand years. 'I was dumbfounded when I first heard it but it makes sense.' Despite it looking old, Lillian noted how when the sacred beasts outside use their abilities this tower remains undamaged.

Despite her many visits however there is one thing she cannot get used to and that was the many stairs. No matter how many times she comes here she can't adapt to this endless spiral staircase.

"Did you add more stairs?"

Lucas rolled his eyes. "As if, I can't touch the structure of this place. But it does have a mind of its own."

Right this was something she noticed but never pointed out. But sometimes the furniture in this place would move on it's own.

'I swear Lucas is making them do that. When I snuck in here as a child, the furniture did not move.' Well no matter, he always seems to be in a good mood when he comes here.

After walking for what felt like forever, they eventually arrived in front of Lucas room. There was a sign outside the door.

Do not come in with a small drawing on the side.

"Your sister drew that by the way."

Lillian chuckled when she saw the small drawing of a mini Lucas. "She is right, you do make that face a lot."

"Tsk, your always quick to side with the brat."

The moment the doors opened Lillian noticed an unusual smell in the air. It was the smell of an experiment or an experiment that went wrong. Lucas clasped his hands and the dark room lit up immediately.

Unlike the last time she came here which was before Natalia's party there were bottles scattered on the ground and half the book shelves seemed empty. The books scattered in different areas of the room, diagrams and magic circles all over the floor.

So this is what he did when she went on ahead of him? Or maybe he did all this in the last four days?

"Damn, I forgot to clean up."

"It's fine-" Her sentence fell short when Lucas suddenly placed his hand on his forehead. The warmth from her face transmitted to his palms in seconds. "I feel sick." Lillian admitted.

"Lay down on the couch. I will clean things up for a bit."

Lillian nodded and walked over to the velvet red couch on the corner of the room. The couch looked so out of place on this dreary stone covered room. It was one of the items they agreed on when she suggested to decorate the tower.

Lucas told her repeatedly that magicians do not need fancy items. But if she had to stay in this place to recuperate, she at least wants to make it semi comfortable.

"By the way, were you experimenting something?"

"I was testing out a new spell." Lucas trailed off. "You know it isn't easy to create new spells from scratch. This is why normal people would use a simple spe;ll as a layer to create a powerful one."

"Sir Lucas seems to like putting himself in these difficult situations."

"As if fool, I am writing this for you."

Lillian blinked when she heard his explanation. "For me?"

"The familiar you chose is far too deadly, recently that thing wants more blood right?"

Lillian nodded and Lucas continued. "As much as you don't mind sacrificing the servants, it would cause an issue for you if far too many disappeared right?"

"So is this spell-"

"It will give them something to feed on that isn't your blood. These creatures can obtain strength from any form of nature. What I am working on is that. Just give me some more time, I should have it done soon."

"I see."

So he is doing all of this for her sake? It should not surprise her, Lucas is loyal to her. But sometimes she wonders about his loyalty.. It does not make sense why he would go this far for her.