CHAPTER 103: A HUMAN

The Daimon hesitated for a bit, choosing his words while gulping the croissant down his throat. Johan and the others said nothing, patiently waiting for his answer.

"M-my name is Lukas. I was a... human." he said through gritted teeth. He clearly understood that these humans were just liars, pretending to care while planning to kill him using his glaring weakness.

But... he still said his name, feeling a strange warmth when the words escaped his lips.

Johan extended his hand from the chair, leaning a little on the wooden table, and passed him a tall wine glass filled with red wine—which Lukas didn’t hesitate to drink, finishing half in just one sip.

"I thought so. Daimons are usually human warriors who failed to control either their Aether or mana—or just meddled with things they shouldn’t have... By the way, my name is Johan Von Matilda. I am a healer." Johan said with a soft smile.

Lukas laughed like he had heard the greatest joke of his life.

"You? A healer? You’re clearly a spirit magic user..." He felt a bit betrayed by the blatant lie—but well, he hadn’t really expected the truth from someone he was just trying to kill.

"I am that too. But I still consider myself just a healer. For most of my life, I’ve been nothing but that..." Johan said, shaking his head. Even in his past life, he studied medicine from a very young age and wanted to be a doctor—he’d heard they got paid a lot.

"...Well whatever. I don’t care!" Lukas scoffed, turning to the others as if asking their names. He could clearly sense most emotions of living creatures—and could see Johan wasn’t lying. That made him curious about Johan’s past and what he’d gone through to become like this—from just a healer.

"Orihime." Orihime said simply at his probing gaze.

"I am Sebastian. Nice to meet you." Sebastian said with an emotionless face.

"Olivia Williams... You can call me Olivia." Olivia said grumpily, still clearly remembering what he had done to her friend.

"You know I won’t change my mind. There’s no way I’ll let you get past me. What is the plan with all this bullshit?" Lukas said finally, finishing his wine through his slimy lips, his eyes growing firm again.

"Radhaan couldn’t defeat you? The lightning mage?" Orihime, completely ignoring Lukas’ words, asked curiously about what Johan had speculated.

Lukas was taken aback, searching his memory—and suddenly, his body trembled. Not with hate or rage, but... fear.

Even Johan and Sebastian grew curious at the sudden shift.

Lukas, noticing their probing gazes, sighed.

"I was completely beaten. But I didn’t accept it. Both of them... they didn’t feel anything in their hearts. Not a single emotion. Just like gods wiping out each of the manabeasts that served me with a flick of their fingers. Even when I tried to fight with the rage of losing my friends—they were still stronger..." The light had completely left Lukas’ eyes.

"But my strength was growing. It grew so much that I was able to match the lightning mage’s strongest spell with a single punch... but the guy with sharp golden eyes just smirked once, and his muscles trembled... Then, for some reason, I felt a lot calmer..." Lukas looked confused, his eyes trembling—remembering all the power immediately leaving his body.

Johan’s breathing shook, but with a deep breath, he kept his expression neutral.

’So he just observed a reality in which Lukas was calm?’

Leor’s ability is just so convenient.

But Johan finally realized what Lukas’ words implied, his heartbeat quickening with horror. He could finally see the true power of Fell Hex, and the will of Lukas—thanking his past self for deciding not to keep trying to break Lukas’s will. That had been a very close call—otherwise, he would’ve had to fight Radhaan... or someone even beyond him.

"So, why are you so adamant about killing us? Let me explain clearly, without fluff—I will one day kill both people who wronged you. Brutally, at that. We have nothing against each other.

Maybe the corruption has rotted your brain and made you a beast of instinct, but I clearly see now, after entering Orihime’s spell world—you’re much calmer. You’re more than just an animal. You’re a... human."

Lukas’ eyes widened.

Why did he hate them so much? Why did he hate Orihime so much?

He had a daughter the same age as Orihime, who was ’used’ by his brother and committed suicide... while he hadn’t even noticed it happening. He only felt regret once he finally learned the truth.

He managed to kill his brother in a duel—and tortured that bastard to death. But his brother had been strong. Very strong. In that fight, Lukas had instinctively mastered Fell Hex, and with extreme hate, killed that disgusting animal. But...

His body wasn’t able to handle the power of Fell Hex, turning him into the monstrosity classified as a Daimon by humans.

Then why?

He started to feel so much regret at every single tear Orihime’s clone had shed—each of them burning deep inside his heart.

Lukas’ body shuddered.

’Will I go back to being like that once I leave this place!? No, please, no—I don’t want to hurt someone like Orihime again...’

Even though Lukas’ face looked completely emotionless on the outside, Orihime could read his every thought—and even see visuals of the state he’d found his daughter in.

A tear slipped from her eye. This world was really cruel.

Every manabeast, monster, merchant, priest, serial killer, corrupt politician—had a story like this. The only difference was the choices they made, and where their luck had led them.

Even though no one was talking, Johan could clearly get a picture of what was happening from the look in Orihime’s eyes. Lukas had clenched his eyes shut to suppress tears from escaping.

Lukas wanted to beg Orihime for forgiveness. And then, in any way—die inside this spell, never wanting to leave it again.

Johan’s words had actually stirred up the very speculations and thoughts he’d buried long ago—always forgetting them in the search for the next negative emotion.

"I can help you." Johan said with a gentle smile, making Lukas’ eyes widen to the limit.