HMC 10

~Chapter 10~

“So, Lukas. Even if you find out my real identity…”

Rosedale was about to ask if Lukas would still treat her the same—but she couldn’t finish.

“Lord Lukas!”

Cain and Burnett, who were supposed to meet him, came running from a distance.

As soon as Lukas saw them, his face turned quiet and sad again—like someone who knew it was time to return to reality.

“The sun has set. It’s time to return.”

Cain hurried Lukas and shot Rosedale a sharp look. She simply shrugged as if saying, “What did I do?”

“Did you finish the task?”

Lukas asked in a cold voice as he stood up.

Rosedale stood too, uneasy. She had a bad feeling. It felt like she was about to lose him.

“We searched the shop like you said but found nothing. The survivors were arrested, and the black panther statue is under investigation.”

“Alright.”

Lukas pulled up his hood and turned to Rosedale.

She bit her lip.

How would she meet him again? She hadn’t even solved the gold arrow mystery.

She couldn’t meet the emperor freely. And spying from afar wouldn’t get her far either.

She had to meet Lukas again.

“Will we meet again?”

Her face looked like someone sending a lover off to war. They’d only spent hours together, but it felt like a farewell of a lifetime.

“I can’t promise.”

Lukas looked conflicted, and Rosedale looked like she might cry.

“But… I’ll try to find a way.”

His eyes seemed to say, “I don’t want to say goodbye either.”

As heir to the fairy king, Rosedale knew how heavy crowns could be. For Lukas to say even that—it meant a lot.

“Promise?”

“Yeah. Promise.”

Lukas nodded, and Rosedale smiled softly.

“Then let’s go back now.”

Cain rushed him again, as if it were urgent. Even Burnett stepped forward with his large frame.

It was truly time to part. The freedom she felt with Lukas already felt like a fading dream.

When would she see him again?

Then, suddenly—

“Aaaahhh!”

A scream tore through the plaza.

Everyone—including Rosedale, Lukas, Cain, and Burnett—turned toward the sound. A woman had collapsed, pointing and shaking in fear.

“A-a-a monster!”

Following her trembling finger, others gasped.

“W-what is that?!”

A terrifying creature stood there. It had a dragon-like head, a lion’s body, hairless skin, and claws like blades. It was huge—definitely not a normal beast.

It drooled, its eyes wild with hunger.

“Kyaaaahhhh!”

“Help!!”

The monster’s roar echoed across the city. Panic exploded.

People screamed and ran, but no one could outrun it.

“Lukas! You have to get out of here!”

Cain and Burnett tried to shield him.

Sand and dust flew everywhere, and the peaceful plaza turned into chaos.

“Where would I run to?”

Lukas threw off his robe and mask.

“This is my empire. I won’t abandon my people.”

He drew his sword and stepped forward.

Rosedale’s eyes widened.

“Burnett, Cain. Get the people to safety. Take Rosedale somewhere safe too.”

“Your Majesty!”

“Lukas!”

Before anyone could stop him, Lukas dashed forward like a flash.

Sand clouds blew over them. Rosedale covered her eyes with her arm.

But she couldn’t stand by—she knew Lukas couldn’t handle that thing alone.

She summoned her magic, and wind burst forth, sweeping away the sand like it was never there.

“What the—”

Cain and Burnett were shocked. While they stared, Rosedale turned, looking for Lukas.

Then, she saw it.

“That’s…”

A blue aura was glowing around Lukas’s sword.

“Aura…?”

She had read about it in books. Only Sword Masters could use aura—rare warriors with superhuman strength and incredible speed.

Most humans couldn’t even become one in a lifetime, even with talent. It took decades of training.

Which meant…

“Lukas became a Sword Master… at that young age?”

Just how much pain had he endured?

“No. I don’t have time for that now.”

Just as she stepped forward to help, Cain grabbed her arm.

“Don’t just stand there! Run—”

BOOM!

A loud crash cut him off. The fountain statue had been smashed to the ground—probably while Lukas fought the monster.

People were still trapped nearby—some crouched in fear.

A mother clutched her child tightly.

The situation was getting worse. The monster, wounded, became even more violent. Lukas leapt and drove his sword into its neck.

“Kyaaaaah!”

The monster bled. The mother screamed.

Its blood hit the ground—and melted the stone. Smoke rose, foul and ominous.

“You go. I’m staying.”

Rosedale shook off Cain’s grip.

“I can’t leave Lukas behind.”

She swung her hand. A bubble-like magic surrounded the people left behind and floated them safely into the air, away from danger.

“…!”

Cain and Burnett’s jaws nearly dropped.

“You two should go too—LUKAS!”

Rosedale suddenly shouted and reached out.

She had seen Lukas falling from the monster’s back.

As he tried to land, a gust of wind—guided by her panic—wrapped around him and gently helped him touch the ground.

Lukas turned, looking back to see who had helped.

“Rosie…?”

Their eyes met.

Just then, the monster—furious—breathed fire at Lukas.

“LUKAS! In front of you!”

BOOM!

A beautiful shockwave spread from Rosedale’s hand.

A glowing pink shield wrapped around the fire and extinguished it instantly.

Cain and Burnett were already speechless.

Lukas, stunned for a second, quickly came to his senses.

He jumped again and drove his sword into the monster’s eye.

KWAANG!

As the beast roared in pain, Lukas slashed again.

Blue aura burst out of the monster like a column of fire.

And finally—

THUD.

The beast collapsed.

“LUKAS!”

Rosedale ran toward him.

She jumped and hugged his neck tightly. Lukas looked startled.

But soon, he gently wrapped his arms around her.

She hugged him harder.

Humans are weak. And this was her human.

She was terrified something might happen to him.

It wasn’t just that he was brave—it was that he was alive. That’s what made her chest ache with emotion.

“Your Majesty!”

Cain and Burnett ran up.

Lukas let Rosedale go, but still held her shoulders softly.

That touch alone made her heart tremble.

“Are you okay, Your Majesty?! Are you hurt?”

Cain looked so pale, he seemed ready to faint.

“Stop being dramatic.”

Lukas pushed him away, annoyed.

Then he looked at Rosedale again.

His eyes weren’t cold, but they were sharp.

“Aren’t you surprised?”

“About what?”

“Cain called me ‘Your Majesty.’ You heard it, Rosie.”

“Oh…”

Right. He thought she didn’t know.

Rosedale quickly smiled.

“When you ran off earlier, Cain was already yelling, ‘Your Majesty, Your Majesty.’ I was already surprised back then.”

She was experienced—she’d survived tricky moments with Elpis before. So she played it cool and watched Lukas’s face.

He didn’t show much emotion, but he looked more relieved than suspicious.

Good.

She decided to redirect the conversation.

“Honestly, I’m more shocked that a magical beast showed up in the human world.”

Cain and Burnett stared.

“Magical beast? That thing?”

Cain sounded doubtful.

“Weren’t demons just myths?”

“Nope. They’re real. It’s just that after the gods sealed the Demon King a thousand years ago, demons stopped showing up here. So humans stopped believing.”