"Pardon? Your what?"
"You heard me."
"..."
Did I hear him correctly?
He wants me to be his disciple?
Damn! What the hell?!
In that brief moment, my mind raced through numerous possibilities as I argued and reasoned with myself a thousand times over.
My initial thoughts were that he must be joking.
Leo Kurogami, one of the most indifferent characters of the story, asked me to be his disciple? Me? Lucas Morningstar?
Perhaps it was just his dry sense of humour once again! However, as I stared into his eyes, I could sense that he was telling the truth.
No, he was genuinely serious about it!
And so began a lengthy succession of arguments and reasoning that I engaged in with myself in my head.
Should I decline? I probably should, right?
I mean, I made a conscious decision to minimise my interactions with a separatist like Leo.
It would be best to reject his offer.
However, if my rejection damages his ego and he responds by exposing that footage to the Cadet Council, what then?
Ugh, dealing with Yelena after she discovers that I can use the first step of Dawnbreaker would be a major hassle.
If there's a chance to avoid that outcome altogether, I'd prefer to take it.
I guess I could always anonymously tip off the Central Government and tell them about Leo's affiliation with the Spider organisation if he dares to threaten me.
Although since that would change the story too much, I can only use it as a last resort.
Now, one would ask why I am hesitating to change the plot when it's only going to benefit me in the end.
You see, Leo played a significant role and was one of the catalysts for the War of Union, a civil war between the Central Government and Spider that occurred just before the final struggle of the Vampire race.
I won't dive into much detail, but the War of Union is important. It's an event that I absolutely shouldn't remove from the plot.
The War of Union must remain in the plot, as its occurrence is crucial for us to have a fighting chance against the Vampires.
An ending where we lose against the vampires and ultimately against the Kalis is something I definitely want to avoid.
Now, getting back to the main point, I should decline Leo's offer and distance myself from him.
Leo met a gruesome end during the War of the Union while battling against Nero.
If I were to align myself with him, it would lead to the same fate for me...
However...
What if I were to accept his proposal, on the other hand?
If I were to accept Leo Kurogami as my master, he would teach me everything he knows and provide me access to rare and valuable weapon art manuals.
Additionally, receiving personalised training from him would help me become stronger at a faster pace.
And when the time for the War of Union finally arrives, I would've exploited him for everything he has to offer.
Eventually, I would betray him and present him to the Central Government, thereby gaining their trust.
Indeed, it's a perfect plan, filled with its own share of risks, of course. However, I'm prepared to take a chance!
After all, I have two distinct talents that I have honed throughout my previous life: the art of lying and the thrill of gambling.
With carefully crafted lies and calculated bets, I can definitely do this!
After coming to this conclusion while going through all that in my head, I finally agreed to take Leo up on his proposal.
However, I decided to play it cool.
"But sensei, my mana core potential rank is merely Gold 3. Are you really sure you want me as your disciple?" I said, arching an eyebrow.
"Do you know what my mana core rank is?" Leo crossed his arms before answering his own question. "Platinum 1."
"....Wh-What?" I exclaimed in shock.
Leo's mana core rank was never mentioned in the novel. But since he was such a great warrior, I assumed it to be very high.
But his rank is only one tier above my own potential ranking.
"Shocking, isn't it?" His voice carried a hint of pride as he declared, "It seems the heavens compensated for my low mana core potential by bestowing upon me extraordinary martial arts abilities."
After a brief pause, he continued, "I can see that you have a similar talent, but it's going to waste. However, if you choose to train with me, I assure you that you can ascend to become one of the mightiest warriors of your generation."
My lips opened and closed up a few times, struggling to form a coherent response.
"I-I see," I finally managed to utter, my voice barely a whisper.
In truth, I was at a loss for words.
Having a large reserve of mana– meaning a high-ranked mana core, greatly enhances the effectiveness of one's usage in martial arts.
After all, a surplus of mana directly equals increased strength. Basically, the more mana you have, the more powerful you are.
To close the gap created by mana, one must possess either an extraordinary Gift or a heaven-defying talent for martial arts.
However, even after all that, there is no guarantee that individuals will reach the level achieved by those with a high-ranking mana core.
But Leo here did it anyway. Even with a merely above-average potential, he became one of the most feared names in today's world.
And he's saying I have the potential to do that too? No, since I'm going to break my potential cap soon, doesn't that mean I have the potential to surpass Leo?
"So, what's your answer?"
When Leo repeated his question, I had no reason to say no.
I had already decided on my plan. It would be very foolish of me not to make the best of this opportunity that presented itself.
"Yes," I finally answered, performing a respectful short bow. "It would be my honour to learn from you, Leo sensei."
Hearing my response, Leo nodded his head affirmatively.
"Good," he replied. "From here on out, you shall address me as master, even during the class. If you ever have any problems, come to me for assistance. However, do not mistake my support as a license to act without accountability, for I will not endorse unjust actions."
"Understood, master!" I nodded my head.
A hint of foreign expression flashed in Leo's eyes as I addressed him as master.
But swiftly resuming his usual demeanour, he added, "Alright, for the time being, get to your class. Tomorrow, we shall begin your training. Stay prepared, as I may summon you at any hour, even during the middle of the night."
"Hahaha!"
".....?"
"...."
Fuck! I thought he was just kidding!
He wouldn't actually summon me in the middle of the night, would he? Right?!
"I-I'll take my leave," I stammered, bowing once more before turning around to depart, while Leo simply nodded in response.
But just as I was about to take a few steps, a sudden realisation hit me, causing me to halt in my tracks.
"Um, master, if you don't mind me asking, where exactly was the security camera that captured that footage?" I asked.
Leo raised an eyebrow in response. "Hmm? It was a discreet camera hidden within the chandelier in the hall."
A hidden camera! Of course! How could I overlook something like that?!
I should have conducted a more thorough search of the banquet hall when I had the chance!
"By the way, even though I've asked you this before, I'll ask again: the night before the incident, the security cameras' batteries were removed by someone from their blind spots. Is there any connection to you?" Leo stroked his chin thoughtfully.
"Nah, as I mentioned earlier, it's most likely the work of vampires," I lied effortlessly as my words flowed out naturally. "Anyway, it's time for me to attend my class."
With that, I swiftly made my way out of the training hall, eager to put some distance between myself and the questioning gaze of Leo.
†
As Leo observed Lucas's figure fading into the distance, a deep sigh escaped his lips.
There was definitely something unsettling about that kid.
"I've really done it, haven't I?" Leo mused aloud to himself.
Indeed, he had truly taken on a disciple, a decision he never would have envisioned making in his entire life.
To be perfectly honest, he himself couldn't understand why he chose Lucas as his disciple.
Sure the boy was definitely talented, maybe as much as himself, if not more, but Leo still couldn't understand what exactly made him want to take him under his wing.
The longer Leo gazed upon Lucas, the more he noticed the striking resemblance the young man bore to his parents.
Lucas's fair skin, which harmonised with his snowy white hair, brought to mind the soothing presence of Yennefer, his mother.
Yet, Lucas' piercing scarlet eyes and lean physique evoked bitter memories he had of Reynold, his father.
There was no doubt Lucas was definitely their son. But then why?
Why did they push their own son away like that? Why did they abandon him? Why did they do what they did to him?
Even though Leo doesn't like Reynold very much now, they were once inseparable. He knows him more than anyone.
He knows that Reynold isn't the kind of person to abandon his own son. So then, what changed?
He doesn't know.
Even if he had to nurture the next head of the Morningstar house, it's no excuse for shunning his other son.
"Haa," Leo pinched the bridge of his nose, and the image of Reynold flashed in his mind. "Damn it, you bastard."
Well, whatever. It doesn't matter now.
Perhaps he took Lucas as his disciple because he was the son of his former friends, or maybe it was his talent that caught his attention.
It could also be that Lucas's circumstances reminded him of his own past.
Whatever the reason, one thing was certain: he was now someone's master.
Thinking that, Leo couldn't help but let out another sigh, "Haa."
