Two days had passed…
Lucien lay motionless in bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. He was lost in heavy thoughts.
He had been bedridden for two full days now.
The night after that fierce battle, he managed to speak briefly with Kael. But then, like a puppet with its strings suddenly severed, Lucien collapsed.... completely unconscious.
When he woke the next morning, he couldn't move. His body refused to respond.
His mind was foggy.
His muscles uncooperative.
Everything inside him felt like a chaotic mess.
It was as if his entire body had turned to jelly. Every attempt to move made his limbs tremble as though they might fall off if he forced them. His arms and legs felt detached and foreign. It's like they weren't his anymore.
He felt like a slime again.
But not the empowered version he had become. No. He felt like the weakest and most pitiful kind of slime. The kind that would perish with a single breeze.
Right now, his body wasn't just weak. It felt fluid and unstable like he'd shatter into a puddle if any pressure was applied.
Sleep didn't offer rest either. Even in slumber, he wasn't safe.
Nightmares came in waves.
He dreamt of becoming a hideous slime. Vivian, too, had turned into one... and together, they were hunted down by Coalhearts who had transformed into goblins.
Lucien would jolt awake each time, breathless and drenched in cold sweat.
It felt endless.
He didn't need anyone to confirm it. This was clearly the side effect of overusing his skills.
Slime Beast Mode.
As powerful as it was, it had taken a serious toll on his body. Maybe it was simply too much for him to handle in his current state. He had only used it for around ten minutes but the aftermath was brutal.
Still, he wanted to understand it better. If he could determine the exact limit and how long he could safely maintain the form before his body gave out... Then it could become his trump card. A desperate, last-resort move… or perhaps even a game-changer in life-or-death moments.
Even the Nectar Crystal, couldn't undo the damage. At best, it dulled the pain briefly.
Through it all, Sebas never left his side.
Not once.
Lucien had even ordered him to retrieve something from the forest, to burn the corpse and erase the evidence.
But Sebas had refused.
Flat-out.
It was the first time Lucien had ever seen him disobey an order.
And for the first time, he saw genuine panic in the man's eyes.
Sebas looked shaken, more than just worried. There was a quiet, deep sorrow in his gaze like he was caring for someone he had already lost once before.
Lucien didn't say anything but he noticed.
It made him wonder just how much Sebas was hiding behind that quiet, loyal demeanor. What kind of past made him like this?
Still, it felt… comforting. Strange, but nice to have someone this devoted to him.
Even so, Lucien couldn't help but ask. 'Why? Why is he so loyal to me?'
The thoughts didn't stop. His mind remained cloudy. His thoughts dull and slow. For once, he actually felt like a twelve-year-old.
Weak.
Vulnerable.
Confused.
And terribly human.
Still lying in bed, Lucien turned his head slightly and called out to the figure sitting quietly nearby.
"Sebas… do you think I'll ever be able to use magic?"
It was a question that had weighed on him ever since the memories of his past life came flooding back.
In this world, mana was a fundamental part of existence. Everyone was born with it flowing through their bodies. Everyone except him.
At least, that's how it felt.
He had never once sensed it.
Not a tingle.
Not a flicker.
Nothing.
Magic was every man's dream.
A symbol of power.
A path to survival.
But Lucien couldn't even sense mana, let alone control it.
By the age of ten, most children could already perform simple Household Magic spells used for daily necessities.
Summoning clean drinking water.
Lighting a fire for cooking.
Cleaning oneself.
These were considered basic life skills, like breathing or walking.
But Lucien couldn't even manage that.
He always had to ask others just to fetch him water or light a flame and each time he did, frustration ate away at him.
If not for the system, he would've remained weak and powerless.
While others grew stronger through meditation and mana refinement, Lucien had taken a different path.
A darker one.
He grew stronger by killing.
And for that… he couldn't help but feel grateful to the system. It gave him a chance in a world where he should've been left behind.
Sebastian noticed the worry in Lucien's voice.
He had been by the young lord's side since childhood. He knew better than anyone that Lucien longed for magic.
With a calm and confident smile, Sebas replied:
"Young lord, if there is one person in this world I believe without a shred of doubt can wield magic... It's you. Even if the rest of the world fails, you will succeed."
Lucien blinked, caught off guard by the certainty in his voice. But hearing those words, something within him eased.
"Really? …I'll trust you on that," he said softly.
What Lucien didn't know was that Sebas wasn't offering comfort out of pity.
He spoke with conviction because he had proof.
Lucien wasn't just any child. He was "their" child. He had inherited "their" power.
And someday… he would awaken it.
Lucien's thoughts slowly quieted. For the first time in days, his mind felt at peace.
He closed his eyes and this time, sleep came gently.
Peacefully.
•••
The third morning after the fierce battle…
Lucien finally stirred with energy. The heaviness in his limbs had faded and color had returned to his face.
He was still sore but it was nothing compared to before. At last, he felt like himself again. Alive and sharp!
Over the past few days, the only thing that kept him sane was checking his status screen and admiring the loot he'd acquired. It was a small comfort but one that gave him hope.
Just then, the door creaked open.
Kael stepped in.
"Young master, you called for me," he said with a cheerful smile. "Are you feeling better now?"
Lucien returned the smile faintly, pushing himself to sit upright.
"Great. Never better," he said. "I wanted to ask you for a favor."
"Anything, young master. Please let me know what you need."
Kael straightened with eager attentiveness.
Lucien reached into his inventory with a casual gesture.
Plok!
Something heavy dropped onto the wooden floor with a dull thud and rolled toward Kael's feet.
"KYAA!!" Kael shrieked, high-pitched and panicked, like a startled girl.
His eyes widened in horror.
It was a head.
The severed, still recognizable head of Coalheart's second son.
Lucien tilted his head, unbothered. "Ahem. I was wondering. Would it be too much to ask you to deliver this to the Coalhearts' doorstep? I believe it belongs to their second child. HAHA."
Kael stood frozen.
Lips twitching.
Face pale.
Lucien smiled faintly, amused. The reaction was worth it.
'Yes,' Kael thought in horror. 'He's definitely a devil.'