บท 22: Chapter 22 - Meeting Gorilla
As Lucian moved through the long corridor, he reflected on how much he could have learned about mana with the help of the Count, given his experience as a battle veteran.
However, the issue was that whenever he attempted to ask the count, the head maid, and others about it, they all provided him with vague answers regarding mana.
They spoke in cryptic terms, suggesting he should "try to feel it" or indicating it would manifest when he exerted pressure in his body—advice that left him more confused than enlightened.
It was evident that, since they all possessed awakened abilities, they lacked the concrete knowledge needed to teach him how to harness magic.
This realization led Lucian to understand that his only option was to enroll in the academy, which he was eligible to join at the age of twelve at the very least.
"Greetings, Young Master."
"Hope you have a good day, Young Master!"
As he passed by several maids who greeted him with warm smiles, Lucian pondered the social structure of this world.
Currently, he inhabited the Vendal Kingdom, which was divided into four major duchies. Here, in the kingdom, existed barons < viscounts < counts < marquesses < dukes < ultimately the king.
This hierarchy clearly indicated that his father was higher up the social ladder, given the various ranks and titles present in the Vandal Kingdom.
'Sometimes I wonder if this old man's kindness will be the death of me,' he mused inwardly.
Although his father held the title of Count, he was less than a baron, governing a territory that lacked a strong economic foundation, as well as special resources or fertile land suitable for agriculture.
The land they called home was perpetually ravaged by unending snow and cold, resembling a frozen desert.
The Count had chosen this desolate territory from the royal family, and Lucian often cursed his luck for being born into such a household.
Yet, deep down, he recognized that the Count's kindness was evident in how the people thrived in this harsh environment.
Despite their dire circumstances, they displayed remarkable unity.
So far, he had mostly witnessed the villagers' respect for their lord, rather than fear or disdain—a refreshing perspective given their dire situation.
Not that Lucian cared too much about that; he knew that respect wouldn't earn him money.
Setting aside those thoughts, he considered the state of technology in this world.
It was far less advanced than in the world he had come from—not due to some mythical stagnation, but rather because these people had the ability to produce fire, water, and what not through magic.
This ease of access to elemental manipulation had led to a complete lack of interest in burning fuel or, consequently, any research into the development of machinery.
Each individual possessed some kind of awakened ability, no matter how small or seemingly trivial.
Some had powers akin to a mosquito-repellent body, while others had abilities that allowed them to forgo bodily functions altogether.
On the more impressive side, talents such as telekinesis, telepathy, and pyrokinetics existed too, showcasing a range of capabilities that could be considered overpower.
In the Vendal Kingdom, abilities were typically categorized into various types: daily life abilities, attack-type abilities, defense-type abilities, space manipulation abilities, and so forth.
However, a striking 84% of the population possessed daily life abilities that had little practical use in battle.
As Lucian passed through the corridor, he entered the hallway leading to the training ground.
A glance at the soldiers engaged in their drills revealed a disheartening sight: their numbers were alarmingly few.
With a heavy sigh, he made his way towards the guest room, fully aware that, should a battle or attack occur, this territory would likely crumble into ruins within minutes.
The scarcity of attack-type individuals in the territory was concerning.
It was even more troubling that there were very few defense or healing-type users.
Other than the head maid, none in the region could utilize defense-type abilities.
This desolate area felt as if it were predestined for destruction.
Lucian faced two pressing issues.
Firstly, he had no idea what kind of awakened ability he might develop.
The original Lucian from the story had died at the age of sixteen, having met his end while attempting to assault a heroine.
In this world, heroines and heroes were not merely characters found in romantic tales; they were defined by their remarkable superpowers, which earned them such titles.
These individuals were known for their extraordinary awakened abilities.
If everything unfolded as expected, Kassidy Liander would emerge as a heroine in Volume 2.
Unfortunately, Lucian had no understanding of how she would attain such status—how she would achieve a feat deemed exceptional.
Moreover, he was oblivious to the nature of his own potential ability or the destiny that awaited this territory in the face of an impending war.
As for the war itself, all that was mentioned was a vague threat from the demon realm in Volume 1.
But he knew one thing: if a war occurred, given his territory, he was at the border of the Vendal Kingdom. Added with such weak power, they would be the first to be slaughtered.
Lucian had scoured every book in the library, yet he found no indication of a place called the demon realm or any documentation describing its existence.
It seemed that either the books were lackluster in knowledge, or the people were simply unaware of the looming war that was about to erupt.
No matter what had transpired, he certainly hadn't planned on becoming a hero—not until he dealt with that woman, at least—and he certainly had no intentions of saving this world by any means.
His priorities were firmly set.
Of course, if circumstances changed in the future, then perhaps he would consider it, but for now, survival was paramount.
He was laser-focused on taking his revenge on her.
With that in mind, he opened the door to the guest room, his gaze sweeping across the large, spacious area adorned with curtains and sofas.
Two servants stood on one side, while a chubby man with gold rings and gold teeth lounged comfortably on a sofa, clearly a merchant of some sort.
"How are you, gorilla?" Lucian greeted, pushing aside the swirling thoughts about this world.
He had plenty of time to reflect on everything, especially considering that the original Lucian in the story had died at the age of sixteen on his way to the academy.
According to the story, Lucian was late to awaken his abilities, which made him decide to join the academy at the age of 16.
But, not caring about that, Lucian, at just twelve years old, was planning to enroll in the Academy.
As for how Lucian was going to awaken his ability sooner than mentioned in the original story, he had some ideas...
Though, of course, it wouldn't be easy.
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