LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 2
“A little while later, the nun brought Lacrina before Enoch.”
Lacrina looked up at the man in front of her with her big blue eyes.
He was tall, with gray hair and a somewhat moody but unwavering gaze.
Broad shoulders and a look that seemed to look down on her.
He had a strikingly intellectual appearance.
This was Lacrina’s first impression of Enoch.
Maybe it was because the nun told her some strange things, but he actually looked quite wealthy.
Meanwhile, Enoch was quietly observing Lacrina as well.
Silver hair and blue eyes.
She had a strange blend of fluster and oddly calm demeanor.
That was enough to identify her.
The girl before him was indeed the Lacrina he had been looking for.
“So, you are Lacrina.”
“Uh, yeah…”
Enoch initiated the conversation first.
He knelt on one knee to meet her gaze and spoke with a gentlemanly tone.
“Nice to meet you. My name is Enoch. Just think of me as a businessman or inventor.”
“I’m Lacrina. I heard you wanted to take me along.”
Lacrina said with a soldier-like attitude.
Maybe due to her orphan background, she seemed too mature for her age.
“I see you’ve already spoken with the nun. Yes, that’s true. If you’re okay with it, I’d like to take you with me right away. What do you think?”
“I’m okay. Just…”
Lacrina fidgeted with her hands for a moment.
It looked like she had something to say, so Enoch waited silently.
Her lips slowly opened again.
“May I ask why you want to take me, if it’s alright?”
“Why?”
“Yes. The reason.”
“Hmm, the reason…”
Enoch stroked his chin, pondering.
The reason he wanted to take Lacrina was simple.
Having her would make clearing the challenges much easier.
But he couldn’t just say that outright.
After collecting his thoughts, Enoch licked his lips.
It was time to spill it out.
“The reason is simple. Lacrina, I see potential for a hero in you.”
“…Huh?”
Lacrina’s eyes widened in surprise.
The nun beside her looked just as shocked.
In a world where monsters invade, the word ‘hero’ carries a heavy weight.
It was a response neither of them could have imagined.
“A hero? When did you ever see me? I’m just an orphan!”
“Hmm, does that matter?”
“Of course it does! I have nothing and no special talent…”
Lacrina huddled as she said that.
With her feet crossed and gaze diverted, she looked like the sudden declaration of ‘hero’ was quite burdensome for her.
However, Enoch didn’t see disappointment in her but rather a flicker of hope.
‘Is it because she’s young? I can clearly see her wavering with just a few words.’
The Lacrina Enoch knew from the game was a personification of self-deprecation and cynicism.
She had exceptional talent, but her background failed to support it.
Even after entering the academy, it was the same story.
She had to endure countless slanders and trials as if it were the most natural thing.
Bullying, exclusion, subtle disdain.
To bear all of that, Lacrina had to bury herself and harden her heart.
Cold. Even colder.
Not a single warmth could seep into her heart.
The world pushed her down, and fate whipped her.
And the result of that was the Icebound Master of Magic.
With a single breath, she could freeze an entire city, a ‘Boundary-Class’ Magic Swordsman.
The Lacrina Enoch knew was a character born out of such bitter circumstances.
But now, it was different.
The Lacrina in front of him was not the Magic Swordsman who had tasted all the world’s bitterness, but just a timid little girl scared of disappointing others.
In short, she was an incredibly easy person to manipulate.
Not what he expected, but not bad either.
Feeling this way, Enoch cleared his throat and spoke.
“Lacrina.”
“…Yes?”
“I’m sorry, but I don’t particularly enjoy persuading others. It’s a waste of time and frankly, I don’t even have the will to do that.”
At Enoch’s words, Lacrina lowered her head.
It seemed that she felt her attitude had disappointed him.
Enoch put a finger under her chin and lifted her face to meet his.
“Lacrina. I purely ask this out of curiosity, but what do you think the qualities of a hero are?”
“A hero? Well, it would be talent, background, and mindset, I suppose?”
“Is that it?”
“…That’s all? It’s easy to say, but it’s definitely not easy.”
Lacrina frowned as if frustrated.
She seemed to believe that the other was brushing off her opinions lightly.
But Enoch couldn’t help but smile at her.
The reason was simple.
Enoch knew what kind of future she would walk into.
Even while receiving the malice of immature humans, she didn’t give up on them until the very end, he remembered the silver-haired hero.
Perhaps Enoch knew Lacrina better than she knew herself.
To hear such a girl arguing against being a hero with all sorts of evidence was simply amusing to an observer like Enoch.
“Lacrina, I understand your viewpoint on heroes well enough.”
“…It’s not that grand, really.”
“Is that so? In any case, it’s strange. Even after hearing you, I still can’t figure out what the problem is?”
“Huh?”
Lacrina tilted her head, as if wondering if he was serious.
Enoch pointed to himself while looking her in the eye.
“Listen carefully, Lacrina. I can promise you one thing, even if I don’t know much else.”
“A promise?”
“Yes. A promise. I can be your background. As family, a mentor, a supporter, or a benefactor. I’ll support you from behind in whatever way you desire. Because—”
Enoch moved his finger to point at Lacrina, who had been frozen in surprise.
“Because you already possess everything else.”
“…”
“What was it you said? Talent, qualities, background, mission? Or perhaps mindset? Yes, you even mentioned many more things. That’s why it’s all the more amusing. What you lack is only background. Yet you were just listing what you already have, like you were trying to brag to me.”
“…I—”
“Stop.”
Enoch blocked Lacrina’s mouth as she was about to say something.
“The pointless exchanges end here. Self-deprecation is unnecessary too. What we need now is not words but action.”
Enoch pointed to her heart with the finger that was just blocking her mouth.
Despite her efforts to remain calm, the girl’s heart had been racing nonstop since earlier.
What was it beating for?
Even the nun who had watched her closely, and Lacrina herself, didn’t know the reason.
From the gentle flow of her heartbeat, everyone lost their intentions.
Whether what came to mind was an excuse or expectation, no one could tell.
The only thing that spoke unwaveringly was one.
The one who remembered the blade standing alone in the cold of the Icebound Realm, fulfilling its mission till the end.
The only person who truly remembered the girl’s destiny.
Enoch. Just him.
“Lacrina.”
“…”
“From now on, I’ll ask your heart, not your mouth.”
Meeting her gaze, Enoch quietly asked.
Instead of her mouth that was clinging to reality, he asked her heart that was shouting louder than a hundred words.
Because, in the end, it was her heart that created the Lacrina he remembered.
“Lacrina.”
“…”
“I will make you a hero. Will you follow me?”
Lacrina didn’t answer immediately.
For some inexplicable reason, her mouth remained stubbornly shut, even though there was nothing blocking it.
However, her heart was screaming things far beyond words.
It was a feeling that was hard to explain with words.
Perhaps that was why, shortly after, Lacrina displayed an action instead of words.
-Plop
Lacrina’s small face rested on Enoch’s palm.
She had a lot to say, but it didn’t leave her lips.
So she simply placed it all on his hand as it was.
For some reason, it felt like he would understand the meaning of this.
And surprisingly, he did.
Enoch chuckled softly after looking at Lacrina, who buried her face in his palm, as if she had done well.
“You had a lot to say but found it difficult to express. So you just poured it all out, huh?”
“……”
“Good decision, Lacrina. Welcome.”
Lacrina nodded with her face buried.
That was a yes.
@
A little while later, Lacrina raised her head again.
In that time, her face had become a mess.
Tears, snot, and all sorts of other things.
Enoch thought about offering her a handkerchief but decided it would be better for her to just wash her face.
“First, go wash your face. And if you have friends, go say hi to them.”
“…Okay.”
Lacrina rubbed her eyes and went into the building.
As Enoch finally stood up, the nun, who had been quietly standing, sniffled and spoke.
“It’s the first time I’ve seen Lacrina show such emotions. I thought I had treated her well, but it seems like there were so many things piling up in her heart.”
“She’s still young. Even a little wound feels enormous at that age. It’s not your fault, Sister.”
“Is that so? I hope so.”
The nun pulled out a tissue to wipe her tears. Then she slightly bowed her head towards Enoch, as if to thank him.
“But now I feel relieved. It seems like Lacrina has found a better guardian than I expected.”
“Well, I’m not so sure about that. I’m ultimately planning to send her into the dangerously perilous front lines. Maybe she won’t resent me now, but later on?”
“No, she won’t. Because Lacrina is a strong girl. At least I don’t think she would be easily swayed to go against her own will.”
The nun said that and then added softly, “But you’ll have quite a tough time moving forward.”
Enoch merely smiled at that.
After all, he already knew she had a strong will.
If she didn’t, she wouldn’t have survived the ridicule at the academy.
“Oh, by the way, Sister?”
-Sniff
“Yes?”
Enoch reached out the stack of bills to her again, after she had just blown her nose.
The nun felt a moment of confusion.
What? Is he asking me to wipe my nose with that?
“Lacrina is more trusting than I expected. This must be thanks to your kind words about me, right? This is my way of repaying you. Please use it for the operation.”
“…Just put it away.”
If we’re talking about operating costs, they had already accumulated more than enough for over a year.
This was beyond greed, and she couldn’t accept any more.
The nun sighed softly, thinking that way.
He’s a good person, but why does he seem so frivolous with money?
“Sister? This is a bundle of fifty-thousand kroas. Not ten-thousand kroas.”
“I know that…”