Chapter 153: His Nemesis (2/2)
”I shall,” she said before staring at Lucas for a long time, and the man returned it with a smile. ”I will leave now,” the princess excused herself and left.
”People will think you are harassing the princess if you keep looking staring at her back,” warned Nikolai to the mesmerized Lucas.
”I will marry her one day, so it does not matter what they think,” said Lucas with confidence. Nikolai could tell that this was one of his purposes to live.
”Love is not so bad, after all,” sighed Nikolai, and Lucas finally turned toward him. ”From all the things you live for, love is the most meaningful.”
”Have you ever been in love?” Lucas asked. Nikolai was quiet and glanced toward Lilith, chatting to another noble. Their eyes met, and an attraction was similar to the one they shared in their past life.
”I thought that I did, but it was an illusion of love.”
”You can try again, Lyle,” said Lucas as he lightly punched Nikolai's chest. ”This heart is still beating, and it can still feel.”
Nikolai stared at the young man, who was quite similar but so different. They shared a similar beginning, but their current selves were far different from each other.
'Why did I end like this? I became weak, obsessed, and defiled. Lucas was similar to me, but he kept true to himself. I don't think he would ever compromise anything for a place to belong.'
This was his sin. Nikolai did everything to stand beside Lilith, even changing himself. Lilith did not kill him only once, but twice. She killed his body before he went back in time, and she killed his soul ever since he met her.
***
Taly stared at the mansion in front of her. The dark being looked nothing other than a young man wearing a mask, and he had led her to a luxurious estate.
”I will remind you once again. My friend does not know that you are deciphering how to sneak into Celestia, but a prophecy regarding the next ritual. Do not reveal the truth, or I will kill you.”
”I am not a kid,” she frowned. ”I will do my job as long as you protect me. However, are you a noble? This mansion belongs to nobility.”
”What difference does it make?”
”I hate nobles.”
”I am not a noble, but my friend is,” Nikolai said while alerting his voice using mana. ”I feel the same toward nobles, but my friend is different.”
”They are always different,” grumbled Taly. ”I will trust you for now.”
”You have no one else to trust. I can tell that you haven't slept for the past few days, and my protection will change that. We must go in now; my friend is waiting.”
Nikolai walked into the mansion, and the guards did not stop him under their master's instructions. Instead, a butler was bowing toward him as soon as he entered the estate, and he led the way toward Lucas.
”You are finally here,” said Lucas, looking bored. ”This must be your friend, the archeologist. You didn't tell me that she is the prettiest woman in existence.”
”You are only making her feel disgusted and scared, so drop the niceties,” Nikolai said as he walked in, and Lucas stared at him silently because of his altered voice.
”You need to teach me how to make your voice sound so cool,” said Lucas with amusement, and Taly squinted her eyes at Nikolai. ”Well, we are going to protect her from here. This door leads you to your room, where you can work and rest.”
”I think you should send the guards away,” Nikolai suggested. ”The creatures that are after her will kill them all to get to us, and I want no unnecessary bloodshed.”
”They only listen to my father's commands,” said Lucas with a sigh. ”However, we can find a different place to protect her. I know of a hidden house where we can stay there.”
”The guards will be helpful,” said Taly. ”We are fighting against an army, and I fear that only the two of you won't be enough.”
”She is underestimating your strength,” Nikolai turned to Lucas. ”Are you going to depend on your father for this?”
”Let's go to the secret house,” Lucas jumped off his chair with a smirk. ”I will show you that I can do more than water a forest.”
Nikolai smiled at how carefree this youth was until his father was mentioned. It seems that out of everyone who rivaled Lucas, his father was his nemesis.