A few minutes later.
Once the pain had fully subsided and his breathing was steady, Lucian exhaled a long breath and rose to his feet.
Just as he reached for the door, it creaked open.
Edgar peeked his head through the gap.
"Lucian," he called, "Miss Prudence is asking for you. Breakfast's ready, come quick before it gets cold."
Lucian blinked, momentarily disoriented by how mundane the words felt after everything that just happened. He forced a smile.
"Thanks for letting me know. I was just about to head there."
"Alright! Don't be late!" Edgar said, already running down the hallway with light, quick steps.
Lucian lingered for a moment. He glanced back at the room behind him, the chair, the scattered pages, the fading scent of sulfur that was still faint in his nose. A shiver crawled up his spine, but he shoved it down.
'No time to dwell. Not now.' He thought as he followed Edgar through the corridor, his boots lightly thudding on the old stone floor.
The hallway opened into a small flower garden, the kind that clung to a sense of peace despite the weathered look of the building. A narrow dirt path that was worn bare by countless feet, wound through the garden and led to a separate stone building that served as the dining hall.
It was nothing extravagant. Just a wide rectangular room, built from solid gray stone and supported by thick wooden beams.
As Lucian stepped in he saw three long wooden tables filled the hall, each seating about fifteen children. Most were already in their seats with folded hands and heads bowed.
Lucian's eyes briefly met Miss Prudence's. She sat at the front table, her posture straight as ever, but her warm smile softened the stern lines of her face when she saw him. She gave a small nod, acknowledging his presence.
He moved to the closest table and slid onto the bench beside Edgar, who gave him a quick grin before closing his eyes again.
Lucian looked around. Everyone had fallen silent. Even the younger children that are usually fidgety and talkative, now sat quietly with heads lowered.
A quiet voice broke the stillness.
"Let us give thanks."
It was Miss Prudence, her hands clasped and eyes closed, speaking in that calm measured tone that carried through the room.
Lucian hesitated a second longer before bowing his head as they started the prayer.
About thirty minutes later,
Lucian found himself alone in the orphanage's back garden again. It was hardly more than a patch of dry earth boxed in by crooked fences and overgrown weeds. Just a few square meters to work with, but it was all he had.
He glanced around with crossed arms and lips pressed in thought.
"First of all... all we ever get here is stale bread and that sorry excuse of a soup, boiled water with floating vegetables. There's no way I'm building a warrior's body off that and eating outside? Too expensive. I'd burn through my coins super fast. Better to buy the ingredients myself and cook it."
He rubbed his chin as his brows furrowed.
"But then again... I have no idea how much money I'll need to reach Solmere. Can't blow it all on groceries and end up begging on the road. I need to save. Every coin matters right now."
Several minutes passed as he sat there, silently working through possibilities. Then suddenly a thought sparked.
"Wait... I did pass the Solaraine Academy exam. One of the only kids in Rubel who did, too. That's gotta count for something."
A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
"Parents here are always desperate for a way out. If I play it right and sell them hope, tell them I can help their kids pass next year, they'd probably pay for tutoring. Not much, but enough. I could maybe rent a small place. Buy real food and build myself up."
The idea wasn't perfect, but it was something. For now, he had to start with what he could control.
Lucian dropped to the dirt and began his workout, pushing his body through every basic routine he knew utilising his body weight. Pushups. Squats. Sit-ups. Planks. and many more.
Hours passed like a blur.
The sun stood high in the sky, blazing directly overhead.
"Huff... huff... huff…"
Thud.
Lucian collapsed onto the ground hardly able to breathe. He'd been doing handstand pushups, but now every limb screamed in protest. His head was pounding and his vision swam with black spots.
"Maybe I… went a bit too far for day one…" he muttered, shutting his eyes close.
And then the same sudden wave spread from the center of his chest. It washed over his body like a splash of cold spring water after hours in the desert.
His muscles relaxed.
And the pain vanished.
Even the dull ache in his head faded into nothing.
Lucian sat up, startled. He looked down at his arms, running his hands across his skin. His muscles were firmer, no longer soft and lifeless like before.
"Wait..What... was that? That couldn't be normal."
He looked down at his chest. "A talent? But… I never went through the awakening ceremony. So how…?"
His mind spun, but curiosity beat confusion.
He stood up again.
This time, the training lasted longer, about fifteen more minutes before exhaustion caught up once more. Just as he was on the verge of collapse, the same mysterious pulse spread through his chest. Again, the fatigue was draining away slowly, untill it suddenly stopped.
Grrrr.
His stomach growled in protest.
"…I need food," Lucian groaned, grabbing hold of his stomach.
Like a war survivor crawling through enemy lines, he dragged himself toward the dining hall.
When he finally pushed open the creaky door, the first thing he heard was…
"AHHH! D-DEMON! DEMON!"
The high-pitched shriek came from one of the kitchen girls. She looked about sixteen, pale as a ghost and clutching a ladle like it was a holy weapon.
Lucian blinked, his mind still foggy.
"…Sister…?"
He took a step forward. The girl froze, confused, until he collapsed again, this time right at her feet. With the last of his strength, he reached out and grabbed her leg.
"...Food… I need food…"
"AHHHHHH!"
Her scream echoed across the hall as Lucian's world faded to black.
As Lucian's eyes fluttered open, the familiar wooden ceiling of his room greeted him once more. The scent of herbs lingered faintly in the air, and the soft creak of the old chair beside his bed hinted he wasn't alone.
His gaze drifted sideways and sure enough, Miss Prudence sat with her arms crossed with a faint smirk on her lips. Across from him, Simon and Edgar perched on the bed with legs crossed, their expressions brimming with poorly concealed amusement, as if they knew exactly what was coming.
"Well, well…" Miss Prudence tilted her head slightly and spoke. "Lucian, full of energy, are we? Seems like you're fit enough for some chores."
Lucian forced a smile, knowing better than to argue. "Yes, Miss. Absolutely. I'll get to them right away."
"Oh really?" she drawled, rising from the chair. Her hand came down to rest firmly on Lucian's shoulder. The subtle pressure wasn't painful, but it was…clarifying. He avoided her eyes with the skill of a seasoned criminal caught in the act.
"Then, clean the entire garden, scrub the dining hall, polish every cabinet and table, and tonight, help Eli with the cooking," she ordered. Her gaze drifted toward the door, where Eli stood with a wooden tray in hand, watching silently.
Lucian turned, catching her eye, he gave her a sheepish grin with an awkward "S-sorry…"
Eli said nothing. Just lifted the bowl from the table, shot him a sideways glare, and walked off.
The door shut behind her with a soft click.
"Pfft..HAHAHA! You should've seen your face!" Simon doubled over, slapping Edgar on the back, who was also laughing uncontrollably.
Lucian groaned, ran a hand through his hair, and leaned against the wall with a long sigh.
At least I'm alive…that recovery wasn't "free" it probably burned through my stored energy to restore my body. Honestly, not bad. Better than having a limited number of uses. I can work with that.
With a grunt, he sprang to his feet and soon slipped out of the orphanage and wandered the town's narrow alleys, eyes scanning for "To Rent" signs.
Eventually, he found a modest two-room house with a small bath attached. Not in the heart of the town, but not much far away either.
He met the landlord, a wiry old man who eyed Lucian like a hawk, but after a bit of haggling and Lucian's best impression of a struggling innocent student, the rent was dropped to 7 silvers a month.
With the deal struck. He came back to the orphanage. Lucian sat at the table and began sketching a pamphlet:
_____
"45-Day Crash Course to Solaraine Success!"
-Taught by a certified Solaraine-passed student
-Personalized study plans. With complete guidance.
-Guaranteed to pass next year's exams, or your money back..?!
-Only 23 silvers per student.
To join come to House No. 23/3, Fern Lane, from 7 AM, 20th of Luma
[§20 silvers for first few limited seats§]
_____
He leaned back and admired his work. "Perfect."
Later, he bought a brush and glue from a local vendor and spent the evening pasting his pamphlets around the busiest intersections, bulletin boards, and markets. Children ran past him, vendors called out prices and townsfolk glanced at his flyers with curious eyes.
As the sun dipped below the rooftops and the sky turned to lavender, Lucian stood in the middle of the town square, hands on his hips with gleaming eyes.
The first stone of his plan was set.
Now all he had to do was wait.
"Wait… am I forgetting something?" Lucian muttered with his hands folded behind his head as he strolled leisurely down the street.
"If I forgot it, then it probably wasn't important anyway."
"LUCIANNNNN!"
A sharp, angry voice cut through the air just as his foot touched the threshold of the orphanage gate.
"Oh, shit… maybe it was important."
-One hour later-
"Huff…"
Lucian wiped the sweat from his brow, the rag in his hand stained from scrubbing the dining hall spotless. The smell of soap still lingered in the air. Every table gleamed, every chair stood properly tucked in, and the cabinets sparkled like they were newly built.
"Well… at least I had that talk with Miss Prudence," he thought, rolling his shoulders.
"She looked genuinely concerned when I told her I'd be leaving tomorrow. But once I assured her the new place was just minutes away, and that I'd drop by if there were any issues, she seemed to calm down."
The next morning came quickly,
Lucian stood at the gates of the orphanage with a small knapsack slung over his shoulder. Inside were a few clothes and some books. He waved goodbye to the others, who had gathered in the yard half-asleep to see him off, Simon yawning and Edgar trying not to look sad, and Miss Prudence watching silently from the upstairs window.
The front room was the larger of the two, totally empty other than a sturdy wooden table and two chairs. This space was where Lucian planned to hold lessons.
The adjoining room served as a kitchen and bedroom combined. An old iron stove crouched in the corner. Beside it sat a small sink and a narrow counter, barely enough for more than the basics.
A simple bed was pushed up against the far wall, tucked just beneath a window that opened onto a small garden patch in the back. Nothing more than a few rows of soil with few bushes.
And on the other side of the room was sliding door that revealed a cramped but clean bathroom.
He spent the morning training, till he was totally exhausted and after he recovered he headed out to the market, buying groceries focused almost entirely on cheap protein like eggs, lentils, dried fish, and a chunk of hard cheese. He returned, cooked a simple meal, ate it and then trained again.
His routine for the day was clear: break the body, recover, feed it, then break it again. He repeated it until his mind was exhausted. As the last rays of sunlight slanted through the window and the sky faded into a dusty purple, Lucian collapsed onto the bed and drifted into sleep.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
He stirred, blinking through the haze of sleep.
Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock.
More urgent this time.
Lucian stumbled out of bed, barefoot, and shuffled to the door. He unlocked the latch and swung it open…
..and froze.
Outside, a crowd of people had gathered. Not one or two. Not five. A crowd.
Men, women, parents with their children. All staring at him. All silent for a beat… and then the murmuring began.
"You're the tutor, right?"
"Is this where the Solaraine prep classes happen?"
"Can we register now?"
Lucian blinked, eyes wide.
"…Oh."