Lucius looked calm — on the outside — but inside his chest, his heart thundered like a drum. His hands were clasped together tightly, so tight that his knuckles had turned pale.
Around him, whispers began to ripple like waves breaking through silence.
"What? He didn't get his Grimoire?"
"Too bad, right? He had such a handsome face…"
The murmurs grew louder. Some were sympathetic, some mocking, most curious. Lucius stood still, frozen as if the entire world had stopped moving except for the voices echoing around him.
In the corner of the room, Boris and Dekri stood together. Both had already received their Grimoires, their confidence painted across their faces.
Dekri crouched slightly, holding his Grimoire to his chest as a twisted grin spread across his lips.
"Ke ke ke keh… that magicless bastard really thought he'd get a Grimoire?"
Boris didn't laugh. His eyes were sharp but quiet, unreadable. His frown deepened, the corners of his lips twitching in something between pity and restraint.
Another voice rose from the crowd.
"What a failure! Was his face the only thing he had?"
Laughter followed — loud, cruel, echoing through the stone walls.
Lucius didn't move. His eyes trembled slightly, pupils dilating as the laughter hit him harder than any spell could. His mouth opened faintly, but no sound came out. His vision blurred — tears pooling as his thoughts collapsed into one single, crushing realization.
Looks like… I'm gonna be magicless throughout my life.
The Tower Master — an old man draped in long silver robes — slammed his staff on the ground. The echo silenced the laughter.
"Silence!" he said, his voice deep, carrying the authority of countless ceremonies past. He cleared his throat, staring down at Lucius.
"Looks like… you'll have to try next—"
Before he could finish, a strange sound tore through the tower.
It came from the very top — the highest shelf of the tower where only the rarest Grimoires rested untouched. Dust fell from the ceiling as a faint light began to glow above them.
Everyone looked up.
"What is that?"
"A light? Maybe… a tribulation?"
The whispers returned, but this time with awe. The golden light grew brighter, swirling and pulsing like a living star.
Boris's eyes widened — he clenched his jaw, his throat tightening.
Dekri followed his gaze, his grin fading as confusion and sweat took over his face.
Lucius looked up too, his breath caught mid-inhale. The golden radiance reflected in his eyes, numbers flickering wildly across his pupils. His lips quivered into a faint smile. A single tear rolled down his cheek.
Don't tell me...
The light exploded downward.
A trail of golden light crashed straight into Lucius's stomach, throwing him across the hall.
BAAAM!
He slammed into the wall, dust bursting around him. The crowd gasped. The Tower Master's eyes widened behind his glasses.
Lucius groaned, pain shooting through his body. His chest burned — but amidst the pain, he smiled. Slowly, trembling, he looked down at what had struck him.
A massive, golden Grimoire lay at his feet — thick, heavy, glowing faintly with warmth. Its front cover shimmered like metal, meticulously carved with flowing runes. At the center — a single three-leaf clover, gleaming brighter than any light in the tower.
Lucius's hands shook as he reached for it.
"O-Ohh, Scheiße…Don't tell that it's my—" he muttered, his voice trembling with disbelief.
It was heavy — absurdly heavy. His arms trembled, his breath ragged as he struggled to lift it. Finally, with one hard push, he raised it high above his head, his golden eyes shining brighter than the Grimoire itself.
He smiled — wide, genuine, almost childlike. Tears streamed down his face.
"Grimoire…" he whispered, then shouted, "This is my Grimoire!"
His voice echoed through the tower — and, for reasons no one could explain, the entire hall erupted in cheers.
"WOOOAAAHHH!!!"
The tower thundered with applause and shouting, echoing up to the shelves above. The energy of the crowd reversed — awe replacing mockery.
Dekri clenched his teeth and spat, "Tch! That bastard!"
Boris didn't move. His face remained stoic, but his gaze never left Lucius. There was something in his eyes — curiosity, maybe fear.
The Tower Master stroked his beard, his expression shifting into deep contemplation.
What's with that unusual Grimoire…? I must inform him about this.
Lucius held his Grimoire to his chest, heart still racing, smile trembling. He felt the warmth of the golden cover against his skin — heavy, but comforting.
After a few moments, the ceremony ended, the crowd dispersing slowly. But Lucius barely noticed. His mind buzzed with one single thought.
It's real… my Grimoire. It's really mine.
---
A Few Moments Later
The sky outside the tower was orange and dim — the sun slowly dipping behind the hills of Kikka. Lucius walked down the dirt path toward home, clutching the massive golden book close to his chest. His boots kicked up dust, but his steps were light. His heart hadn't stopped racing since the light hit him.
But after a while, he stopped walking. The path to his home curved right — toward the warm glow of village lanterns. Yet his gaze turned left, toward the dark outline of a forest at the edge of the border — between the Common Realm and the Forsaken Realm.
He hesitated for only a second, then took the left turn.
Ineed to check this Grimoire. What if this—
No… no, don't think negatively, Lucius.
The forest air was cool and damp, filled with the hum of insects. A few fireflies floated by, their soft glow reflecting off his golden eyes. He found a flat rock near a tree and sat down, setting the heavy Grimoire on his lap.
It was breathtaking — the golden cover glowed faintly even in darkness. The three-leaf clover symbol shimmered with a strange pulse, like it was alive.
Lucius exhaled deeply and slowly opened the first page.
…Blank.
He blinked.
Then frowned.
He turned to the next page.
Blank.
The next. And the next.
Nothing. Not a single symbol, not a single spell circle — just smooth, delicate, white pages that smelled faintly of mana but showed nothing.
Lucius's heart dropped. He flipped through faster and faster — hundreds of pages whispering in the wind. Nothing. All empty.
His palms began to sweat. His throat went dry. The golden glow of the Grimoire suddenly felt heavier — suffocating.
Why… why do the things I fear always happen? What if this really doesn't have any magic? What if—
He shut the Grimoire with a loud thud, his breathing uneven. Panic crawled up his spine. Suddenly his eyes shot up, he thought something.
Mom… She might know something. She always does.
He stood abruptly, hugging the Grimoire tight to his chest, and ran. Branches snapped under his boots as he sprinted back toward the village. The orange sky had turned dark violet — night settling in fast.
After five minutes of running, panting hard, Lucius reached the wooden door of his house.
He raised his fist and knocked.
TUKK! TUKK!
But before he could say anything he suddenly tried to jump sideways but couldn't and a large amount of water exploded from the doorway.
BOOOOSH!!
A massive wave slammed into him, sending him flying several feet back into the mud.
He coughed, drenched, blinking through the dripping water.
"Mom?! Why—"
He stopped mid-sentence as the figure in the doorway appeared.
A woman with silky white hair, wearing an apron and holding a Magic Stick — Eiceo Rhyais, his mother. Her eyes widened in shock.
"Ohh! Luci!?" she cried, running forward. She dropped to her knees and hugged him tightly.
"Oh boy, you're safe!"
Lucius flustered, cheeks red. "M-Mom! Didn't I tell you not to call me Luci!?"
Eiceo laughed nervously, pulling away. "Oh, sweetie, I thought you were one of those Dark Market bandits that kidnapped you!"
Lucius frowned, wiping mud from his hair. "Why would I be kidnapped!? And stop calling me Luci!"
"It was getting dark, and you didn't come back from the Tower, Isn't that what a mom would think?" she said quickly, looking over her shoulder. "Isn't that right, Mr. Stomppam?"
Their neighbor, Mr. Stomppam — a tired-looking man holding a hammer — nodded awkwardly. "Uh… yes, ma'am."
Lucius sighed, frustration building. "Listen, I just wanted to show you something."
He lifted the massive golden Grimoire and turned it toward her — but as he looked at the open first page, his eyes froze.
…There was something...
His breath caught in his throat. He blinked rapidly, disbelief widening his eyes.
Without saying another word, he sprinted inside, clutching the book.
"Luci! Where are you going!?" Eiceo shouted after him.
"Stop calling me Luci, Mom!!" his voice echoed from the stairs.
Eiceo sighed and turned to Mr. Stomppam, rubbing the back of her head.
"Can you… fix the door, please?"
Stomppam only sighed and went to fetch his tools.
---
Upstairs, Lucius slammed his door shut and sat on his bed.
The Grimoire lay open on his lap, glowing faintly. His golden eyes widened as he stared at the first page .
He whispered, voice trembling with awe.
"No way… this is—"