CHAPTER 61: CH 61: THE MAN IN WHITE - PART 1

Lucian felt uneasy the next morning.

There was no clear reason for it, yet as he walked through the village, he couldn’t shake the strange restlessness gnawing at his chest. It wasn’t just him either.

The air felt heavier than usual, thick with a tension that refused to dissipate.

Even the fairies, who were usually buzzing about in playful, mischievous ways, seemed agitated. Their wings flickered erratically, and their movements were sharper, almost hostile.

Berry was kneeling in the fields, tending to the crops with his usual care when a group of fairies suddenly swooped down toward him, their hands glowing faintly with magic.

Berry flinched back in surprise, nearly dropping the herbs he was gathering, but before things could escalate, the fairies froze midair, as if realizing what they had just done.

"We’re... sorry. We didn’t mean to attack. It was an instinct."

One of them said quickly, lowering her head.

"We’re sorry..."

"Not attack..."

Berry blinked at them, then gave a sheepish smile.

"Don’t worry about it. Just... maybe warn me next time?"

He waved them off lightly, but Lucian had been watching from nearby. His expression hardened. Instincts didn’t just make the fairies lash out. Something had disturbed them.

He stepped forward.

"What’s going on with all of you?"

The fairies exchanged uneasy glances before fluttering closer. Their normally playful tones were gone, replaced with a quiet, almost reverent seriousness.

"An omen of evil approaches. It draws closer with every hour. Its presence... it is not safe for you, Lucian. Not for this valley, not for anyone."

One whispered, her small hands tightening around the hem of her dress.

The other fairies nodded in agreement, their wings trembling faintly as though even speaking about it disturbed them.

Lucian narrowed his eyes.

"An omen of evil...?"

He could feel their fear. Yet, despite it, there was also a firmness in their voices when they spoke again.

"But we will not abandon you. You saved us. This valley gave us life again. No matter what comes, we will stand by you."

Another fairy declared, raising her chin defiantly.

"We will stand by you."

"Good human should be helped till the end."

Lucian paused. Their words carried warmth, and though their bodies were small, their loyalty weighed heavily on his heart.

"Thank you."

Lucian said sincerely, lowering his head slightly. Gratitude shone in his young yet piercing eyes.

But alongside gratitude came curiosity. His instincts as both a survivor and someone bound to the system refused to let things lie.

"Where is this ’omen of evil’ right now?"

He asked.

The fairies instantly stiffened. Their wings stopped moving, hovering as though the air itself had frozen.

"You can’t mean..."

One began.

"I do. If danger is coming here, then I want to see it with my own eyes before it reaches us. If I understand what it is, I can prepare. If I sit back, I’ll only be caught off guard."

Lucian’s voice was calm but resolute.

The fairies fluttered anxiously, protesting all at once.

"It’s too dangerous!"

"You don’t understand, Lucian!"

"That thing isn’t human!"

But Lucian simply raised his hand.

"I’ll be fine. You said it yourself—you won’t abandon me. Then trust me too."

His tone carried the weight of quiet certainty.

Silence fell over them. The fairies looked at one another, torn between fear and respect. At last, one of the older ones sighed and nodded reluctantly.

"Very well. But don’t say we didn’t warn you. The omen lies to the east... near the abandoned clearing."

Lucian gave a small smile.

"Thank you."

With that, he turned and began walking.

The path eastward wasn’t long, but the atmosphere grew heavier with each step.

The valley’s warmth seemed to thin, replaced by a creeping chill that coiled around his small frame.

Then he saw it.

A lone figure walked toward him across the snow.

At first glance, it looked like a young man—no older than a teenager. His clothes were pure white, impossibly clean against the bleak backdrop of the frost.

His hair was the same—white as snow, flowing lightly in the wind.

But Lucian’s eyes narrowed the moment he saw the boy’s gaze.

His eyes weren’t human. They were inverted—black sclera with white pupils glowing faintly in the light.

And from his body, an aura of danger radiated like an invisible blade pressing against Lucian’s throat.

Every instinct screamed at him to stop, to retreat, to hide. If he got closer, he would die.

But Lucian kept moving forward.

The boy’s gaze shifted toward him. For a fleeting moment, Lucian thought he saw curiosity flicker in those unnatural eyes—before it vanished under hostility.

The figure in white blurred.

Lucian’s instincts roared, and he barely managed to dodge as a strike sliced through the ground where he had just stood.

The snow exploded outward.

Lucian exhaled sharply, his heart pounding, but he didn’t hesitate. His body was small, his strength nowhere near enough to withstand a direct hit. His only choice was to evade.

The boy attacked again. Faster this time. Each strike was merciless, carrying a weight that would shatter Lucian’s fragile frame if even one connected.

But Lucian adapted. He bent low, rolled, twisted, and shifted his weight perfectly, using his childlike size to slip past the flurry of blows.

His movements weren’t reckless—they were calculated, every dodge shaving by mere inches.

Five minutes passed like that.

The snowfield was scarred with gouges and cracks from the relentless assault. But Lucian remained unscathed, his breathing steady despite the strain.

Finally, the figure halted. He stood still, his white hair brushing against the cold air as he stared at Lucian.

"You’re quick. If I wanted to... I could kill you right now."

The boy said. His voice was smooth, but it carried a strange echo, like two tones speaking in unison. He tilted his head slightly.

Lucian straightened, brushing frost from his clothes. He sighed, his expression calm despite the tension.

"If you really wanted to kill me, you would have done it already."

Lucian said quietly.

The figure blinked, his inverted eyes narrowing ever so slightly.

"So, I can only assume you’re here to talk. This ’omen of evil’... has something to say to me, doesn’t it?"

Lucian continued, folding his arms.

The white-haired boy’s lips curled into the faintest of smiles.

"Interesting."