IVF 07

Chapter 07

When Lumina’s hand touched the glass orb…

“Didn’t you say you were a Legion?”

Nothing happened.

The shopkeeper tried to put on a regretful expression, but his true thoughts were written all over his face.

See? I knew it.

That’s what his face clearly said.

And yet he also seemed to want to show some sympathy, which made his expression look rather bizarre.

‘Isn’t it strange that there’s no reaction at all? I really am a Legion!’

If only the glass orb had at least trembled slightly, she wouldn’t have been pitied to this extent.

Lumina had never undergone a test like this before, so she couldn’t be certain.

She thought it might be faster to just demonstrate her ability instead, but just as her confidence was shrinking like a balloon pricked by a needle—

Crack.

A fracture spread across the glass orb.

Then it flashed—

“…It broke?”

“Huh? That can’t be.”

“But it did.”

No matter how much he denied reality, the result was right in front of them.

Lumina hurriedly pulled her hand away from the orb and looked at the stunned shopkeeper.

“W-Wait, just a moment…”

In his daze, he grabbed the broken glass with his bare hand.

“Ow!”

The shard immediately pricked his finger, drawing blood.

As he fussed and tried to pull his hand back, Lumina quickly grabbed it.

“Please stay still for a moment.”

In her previous life, perhaps—but this was the first time she had ever treated someone in reality. She needed to concentrate.

Her voice devoid of playfulness, Lumina used her ability. Fortunately, using it wasn’t particularly difficult.

Butterflies made of light gathered around the wound. A moment later, when they disappeared—

The cut had healed cleanly.

Having witnessed a miracle right before his eyes, the shopkeeper’s eyes widened so much they looked ready to pop out.

“Y-You’re really a Legion?”

“Yes. I’ve been telling you.”

He was trembling so much he could barely get the words out.

The shopkeeper turned pale.

“Does that even make sense?”

He hurriedly closed the shop door and told her to wait.

“That seat’s uncomfortable, isn’t it? Go sit at any of the tables over there.”

Just moments ago he’d been desperate to throw her out; now he seemed anxious she might leave.

Lumina hopped down from the tall chair and moved to a much more comfortable table.

“Ah, right. What’s your favorite drink?”

“Pardon?”

“Shall I warm up some milk for you? I don’t have any tea that would suit a young lady’s taste—it’s all alcohol here. Milk is about the only thing I’ve got.”

“Then just one cup, please.”

“I’ll add plenty of honey! Don’t go anywhere—drink it while you wait.”

He kept glancing at her nervously, his attitude completely different from before.

“Just wait a moment. Just a very short moment. Don’t go anywhere!”

He repeated that several times before rushing out.

In an instant, the shop became as quiet as a grave.

“Hm.”

Lumina looked down at her palm.

The cut from the shopkeeper’s finger had appeared on her own.

“Just like I thought.”

When she had healed Endymion’s wounds, they had all transferred to her as well.

It felt less like healing and more like transference.

“Well, a wound like this will heal quickly.”

Even though she hadn’t been properly fed growing up, Lumina was sturdy and healthy.

When she got hurt, her wounds closed faster than others’, even without ointment.

‘I hardly ever got sick, either. Getting to meet Duke Hart over a small wound is totally worth it.’

Thinking that, she took a small sip of the milk—just enough to taste it.

“Too sweet.”

He must have added an absurd amount of honey; it was sweet enough to make her tongue sting. It felt like there was more honey than milk.

Frowning, Lumina pushed the cup slightly away.

And after some time—

Jingle.

Hearing the door open, Lumina turned her head.

A man who looked about her father’s age—though younger than she remembered from her previous life—entered the shop.

“You.”

The moment he saw Lumina, he strode toward her in surprise.

‘He’s tall.’

She looked up at the towering man approaching her.

He was well over 180 centimeters—probably close to 190.

He wore black sunglasses, so she couldn’t properly see his eyes.

But judging by his aura alone, he looked like the type who could bury several people in the ground with only their heads sticking out, stuff them into a narrow box, and toss it into the sea.

In short, he looked like the leader of some criminal organization.

And that kind of man was approaching a little girl quietly sitting and drinking milk?

Nine times out of ten, anyone would burst into terrified tears.

Even a sturdy adult man might gasp and stumble backward.

The man now standing right in front of Lumina—Lucius von Hart—studied her carefully.

He seemed to recognize something.

‘Could it be…?’

Did the Duke remember his previous life too?

Her heart began racing at the wild possibility—

Then Lucius finally spoke.

“Where did you get those clothes?”

“My clothes? A relative bought them for me.”

“No, not that. The outerwear.”

“This was a gift, too.”

“From whom?”

For some reason, she felt like a criminal under interrogation.

Even though it was Lucius who looked more like the criminal.

Lumina had considered many possibilities in her head.

But she hadn’t expected this question, and she couldn’t answer immediately.

If he’d said something classic like, “Haven’t we met somewhere before?” it would’ve been easier to respond.

After a brief silence, Lucius seemed to decide that was enough and shook his head.

“My son wears clothes about that size. I asked without thinking.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. So…”

Bang!

“You’re that Legion?”

‘That startled me.’

Instead of asking normally, Lucius slammed his fist down on the table.

The table split cleanly in two.

Even a sword strike couldn’t have cut it more neatly.

‘Is that a warning that if I say the wrong thing, I’ll end up like the table…?’

Lumina already knew the Duke of Hart didn’t have a gentle personality.

When she met him in her previous life, the circumstances had been special—that was why she hadn’t fully experienced it.

Still, she hadn’t expected him to smash a table upon their first meeting.

“Boss, even so, she’s just a child. You should refrain from such violent behavior…”

‘Boss?! He really is a boss?!’

The shopkeeper hurriedly tried to stop Lucius.

“She can’t be more than ten years old. And she’s a precious Legion—perhaps you should soften your expression a little while speaking…”

“Excuse me, may I say something?”

Lumina spoke carefully.

Both men’s gazes snapped to her.

“I’m twelve years old. So you don’t have to treat me like I’m too young.”

“…”

“Of course, at your ages, ten and twelve might look about the same.”

Her age was an important matter for what she intended to say next.

She had to clarify it.

The shopkeeper, who had clearly expected her to be frozen in fear, stared in shock.

“Ah, right. The little miss is a Legion too.”

He muttered as if struck by sudden enlightenment.

To speak so calmly in this situation—she truly was a Legion.

“Brandon, leave us. I’d like to speak with her alone.”

The shopkeeper—Brandon—stared blankly at the once-perfect table before leaving.

He looked deeply sorrowful.

“Let’s move seats.”

“Yes!”

Since the broken table had also sent milk splashing everywhere, they moved to a relatively clean corner.

The curtains were drawn completely, making it dark despite the daytime.

An oddly suspicious atmosphere settled over the room.

“I’ll ask again. Are you a Legion with healing abilities?”

“Yes.”

Lumina replied with a bright smile that could have dispelled the darkness.

The man before her was the greatest weapon she had against that wretched Joseph and her relatives.

She needed to make the best possible first impression.

“How much can you use your ability?”

“I’ve never used it to its limit. But whether it’s an ordinary person or a Legion, I can heal any wound.”

“The dead?”

“…I can’t bring back the dead.”

“I see. Can you show me your ability?”

“Yes.”

The moment she answered, Lucius pulled a dagger from his coat and lightly sliced his thumb.

‘Don’t mess this up.’

Though she kept smiling outwardly, Lumina steeled herself and used her ability.

Butterflies of light gathered around the wound.

When the light faded, his finger was perfectly healed.

“I can treat wounds regardless of their size.”

Lucius, who had been silently watching her, suddenly grabbed her hand without warning.

“W-Wait…! Even if you cut off my hand, you can’t steal my ability!”

Startled, nonsense slipped out of her mouth.

While her mind turned completely blank, Lucius carefully examined her fingers.

“So it’s a form of transferring the other person’s injury onto yourself.”

He hadn’t been trying to cut off her wrist.

He had noticed that the same wound he’d just had now remained on Lumina instead.

Her cheeks flushed slightly with embarrassment.

Did he dislike that her ability wasn’t purely beneficial?

‘But in my previous life, he didn’t seem to mind.’

She wanted to know what he was thinking, but with his eyes hidden, she couldn’t read his expression.

“Knowing you’re a Legion with such a rare ability, why haven’t you gone to the imperial family? Even if not the Empire—any nation would be scrambling to take you.”

“Hmm.”

She already had her answer.

But Lumina pretended to think.

If she seemed too mature, she couldn’t hide behind the excuse of being “just a Legion.”

“To be frank, I dislike battlefields. And monsters, too.”

Even if it was a war they were bound to win, it was still war.

Harsh environments, terrible food, constant tension, and being surrounded all day by socially inept Legions.

Her view of Legions wasn’t an unfair generalization.

Perhaps because of their overwhelming power, many Legions had lost their humanity.

It was common knowledge that many of them were eccentrics.

‘That’s why “You’re like a Legion” is used as an insult.’

There were even worse remarks, like “Do you resemble a Legion?” or the absolutely forbidden, “Are your parents Legions?”

“I see you have an ability unlike others. But…”

Lucius’s voice echoed coldly.

“What do you want from me?”

Lumina met his gaze directly and said,

“Please become my guardian.”