After bawling his eyes out for a few long minutes, Nero swiveled and staggered back to sit on a nearby waiting bench.
Lucas' words hit too close to home for him.
He was already in a distressed state after seeing Liz's condition, and at the back of his mind, he was also feeling guilty for all the cadets who died.
He told himself that their blood wasn't on his hands, but somehow he knew that they were.
Just as Lucas said, if he hadn't prioritized his victory in the Mock War and used his Gift, the vampires would never have made him their target.
Yes, by that logic, those deaths really were on him. In fact, he was also to blame for Liz's current condition.
If Lucas hadn't confronted him, he was probably going to delude himself into believing that he wasn't at fault.
Thankfully, the young wolf came to talk to him. With bleary eyes, Nero shot a furtive glance at Lucas, who was standing a few steps away from him, looking back at him with discerning eyes.
"Sorry you had to see that," Nero spoke up, taking in a deep breath.
Nero never used to break down easily, but lately, it seemed like nothing was going his way. Everything was just awry.
His frustration had been building, along with a well of anger that had yet to burst. It was a wonder he hadn't reached his breaking point sooner.
Liz's fall was the final nail in the coffin. Had Lucas not confronted him now, Nero was sure that he might have let his rage fester and done something he'd have regretted later — perhaps sabotaging his relationships like he usually does.
On second thought, there was another matter Nero needed to apologize to Lucas for.
After a brief silence, he hastened to add, "And this time, I'm genuinely sorry. You were right before. I failed to understand your perspective and wrongly let out my anger on you."
Lucas stayed quiet for a moment before giving a nod.
"No worries. If you ever feel indebted, just stop me if I'm ever doing anything foolish in the future. Or, you know, you could always keep in mind what an amazing person I am and just serve me for life."
Taken aback, Nero gazed at Lucas' self-assured grin, then responded with a slight smile, remarking, "You know, before I met you, I thought I had a bit of a narcissistic streak. Now that I've met you… Well, let's just say you've set the bar quite high."
Lucas threw his head back, bursting into hearty laughter, which eventually subsided as he quipped, "Yeah, well, I also hate your guts."
Nero scoffed before his smile deepened. Gradually, his amused expression evolved into one of genuine gratitude, as he said, "Still, thank you once again."
Lucas waved a dismissive hand. After a short contemplative pause, Nero furrowed his brow and inquired, "By the way, where are you going to go now?"
The first semester was over. That only meant one thing – Vacation was around the corner!
In three days, the cadets would be allowed to leave the Academy City and return to their homes or whatever destination they might see fit to spend their hard-earned holidays.
For some people, however, one last task remained incomplete before their vacation.
What might that be, one may ask?
Well, the winner of the King's Tournament or the next King will choose his royals or the next Cadet Council.
Yes, the president is allowed to pick his or her whole crew. After all, they need to be able to work together for the next two to three years.
Aside from that, three people were going to receive honorable medals from one of the representatives of the Government for slaying the Vampire that attacked Class 1-A-1 during their trip to Silveserine City.
Yes, those three Cadets were Anastasia Bigod, Lucas Morningstar, and of course, Nero Dekrauf.
Initially, the medal presentation ceremony was going to be held during the King's Tournament.
However, due to some delay, it was now being held after the Tournament. Whether this delay was a result of his involvement or not, Lucas possibly could not know at this point.
However, just thinking about attending a regal award ceremony caused Lucas' head to ache feverishly.
However, forcing his mind to stray from that train of thought, Lucas parted his lips to answer the black-haired swordsman.
"Well, I was thinking about heading back to Wolfshire."
"The Western capital?" Nero looked at him for a few seconds before speaking bluntly, "But weren't you banished from there?"
"I wasn't banished!" Lucas retorted in an offended tone. "My father just disowned me unofficially. Officially on paper, I'm still a Morningstar. Even though I don't have any noble titles now, that is still my city, you know?"
"I see," the corner of Nero's lips curled up but soon his expression crumbled.
Lucas knew the reason for his somber mood, of course. Nero had no home to return to this vacation.
Returning to his father's town was out of the question for obvious reasons. And even though he had keys to Liz's mansion, she herself was unconscious.
Seeing the lost look on his face, Lucas heaved a deep sigh and uttered, "I suggest you go to Shaolin."
Nero's brows curled into a frown. "Shaolin, you say? Why?"
"They say that those who try to seek out peace often find themselves standing in front of the gates of Shaolin," Lucas said.
Before Nero could interject, however, Lucas spoke up again. "And then I suggest you go find a petal of Ambrosia flower. On second thought, find two."
"Wha… What?" Nero squinted his eyes in downright confusion. "Why?"
Lucas patiently responded:
"You might not know this, since it's information that nobles gatekeep, but it's said that the petals of Ambrosia contain the vitality of five hundred springs."
Lucas cringed inward at how xianxia-like that sentence sounded, but it was a direct quote from the novel so if anything, it's the author's fault.
Nero, on the other hand, just grew even more confused. Before he could voice any questions, however, Lucas spoke up to clarify.
"Generally, the Ambrosia flower is used to create a myriad of stuff – its roots are used to make strong aphrodisiacs, its stems are used to brew anabolic substances, and its nectar is used for making psychoactive drugs."
Lucas paused for a brief moment to observe Nero's face. Apparently, he still had no idea where Lucas was going with this.
That's to be expected since everything that Lucas listed right now was just common knowledge.
However, what he said right after was something new to Nero.
"And its petals, unlike what you've been told, aren't useless. Petals of Ambrosia can be used by alchemists to make healing potions strong enough to regenerate lost limbs and gaping wounds. However, that's not all. A potion brewed from the Petal of Ambrosia can also heal one's mana core."
Instantly, a gleam lit up in Nero's dark pupils, and his eyes widened. His shocked reaction was expected.
After all, there are some top-class healers who can help regenerate a person's lost limb.
Hell, there are some alchemists who could brew healing potions that could achieve the same result.
However, no one, no matter how strong or experienced they are, can ever heal, let alone, regenerate a person's mana core.
"What? Are you serious? Why do I not know about it?" Nero shot up in surprise and exclaimed.
Lucas shrugged. "As I said, nobles don't want the general public to know about it. It's not the only information they gatekeep anyway."
"But… why?" Nero questioned. "I mean, information like this would benefit everyone, right?"
"Nero," Lucas began. "When I told you that the Petal of Ambrosia contains the essence of five hundred springs, I wasn't poetic. It really takes five hundred years for one Ambrosia flower to bloom."
Nero's shoulder slumped and a spark of realization flickered in his eyes. Lucas nodded.
"Now do you understand, Nero? Ambrosia flowers are a luxury. And what do nobles do? They monopolize and prioritize all luxury for themselves, of course."
Nero gritted his teeth and cursed under his breath. "So how will I find a single petal of Ambrosia then let alone two?"
Lucas smiled, the corner of his mouth widening until he was practically grinning.
This was it. He threw the bait and the fish took it. Or should he say he gave a quest and the player took it?
"Don't worry. In three weeks, a black market auction will be taking place in the Eastern Continent. One of the items up for auction will be the Ambrosia flower," Lucas informed.
Nero listened to Lucas' words with intense focus. He wanted to inquire about the source of the Fallen Angel's information but in the end, held his tongue.
Ultimately, he kept on listening intently.
However, it was clear that Lucas wanted Nero to head to Shaolin not only because he wanted him to find peace.
Nero was absolutely sure about this because Shaolin was located amidst the Eastern mountains.
"Go to Shaolin. Assemble a group there. Since Shaolin monks are righteous and there are going to be some questionable items in the auction, it's likely that at least a few of them will agree to raid the auction venue," Lucas said, pausing briefly to catch his breath before resuming:
"Be vigilant and keep your guard up all the time. Of course, trust no one. When the monks initiate the raid, use the opening to break in and secure the Flower for yourself. Some of my people will retrieve the flower from you and craft a healing potion for Liz. In simple words, your quest is to acquire an item from a super shady underground auction and smuggle it."
Nero parted his lips several times, only to close them again without speaking.
However, as Lucas concluded his explanation, all Nero could manage was a feeble nod. "Alright."
Acknowledging Nero's response, Lucas nodded in return. "Good. In that case, I'll go and check up on Amelia and Kent. I guess I'll see you tomorrow at the medal presentation ceremony."
Nero's emotions shifted once more at the mention of the upcoming ceremony. Lucas, meanwhile, suddenly remembered something and turned around:
"By the way, take this."
With a swift gesture, Lucas summoned a plain white full-face mask from a red dimensional ring on his finger, handing it to Nero.
Nero gave him a questioning look. Lucas' grin widened even further as he explained, "It's a mask that can conceal your identity."
