"M-my ancestor…?!"
Lancelot nodded at Ciara's surprised reaction. His genuine smile and the soul-filled smile didn't display an atom of dishonesty.
"I knew it from the moment I saw you… that you were my descendant. Let's call it one of my special abilities. We resonate quite well too. Do you not feel it?"
Ciara didn't know what to say. She was stunned beyond words.
'Yes, I've also been feeling something within myself, but I just thought that it was because of the Mind Magic. What is this guy saying?'
Ciara Epilson grew up in the slums. She hadn't had the easiest of lives, and she certainly wasn't one lost princess that needed salvation from her long lost lineage or parents.
Her parents died pretty early, but they left her their thatched house and the surname she now carried.
Nothing about her life resembled being related to some great guy in the past.
"I see… so that's how your life had gone. That sucks."
"W-what?! You read my mind?" Ciara burst out in annoyance, obviously peeved by the invasion of privacy.
Lancelot Epilson didn't seem to have an issue with it, though. His simple shrug showed that much.
"I really don't know what happened over the years that deteriorated our lineage, but… you come from a prestigious family, Ciara. The vast pool of Mana, as well as the special affinity you have with Magic, are what you inherited as a member of the Epilson household."
It all made sense, now that Lancelot explained it. Wasn't it a bit irregular that someone like Ciara, who was from the slums, would end up being so dangerously powerful.
She was simply too strong.
"And? What of it? What does that have to do with your decision? Are you playing favorites now?" Ciara still wouldn't budge from her request to make Jerry the new wielder of the [Judgement Arcana].
"I realize you do care about the boy. But, Ciara, a tool is only as good as the wielder's skill. I am entitled to play favorites, since it is my power, but this isn't about that. It's about your immense skill in Mind Magic—the very same kind that I have."
[Judgement] was a mind-based Arcana, and who else was better suited for it than her?
"What about Jerry?"
"He's undergoing certain tests in the other room. He won't be getting the Arcana, though. At least I was considerate of his feelings." Lancelot sighed.
"I… see…" Ciara muttered.
Her eyes fell and her mood suddenly became cloudy. It seemed like everything was happening the same as last time, for her.
Why was it that she always got the greater portion of anything, and Jerry ended up with less?
'At this point… won't he lose his drive to catch up with me?'
Ciara just kept getting stronger and stronger. It bothered her that he would eventually realize the futility of his actions and give up.
'I don't want that.'
"Well, then, Ciara. Here you go—"
"No. I don't want the Arcana. I refuse to wield it." Her voice suddenly echoed, as she boldly declared her decision.
"It's not up to your decision. If you really want to save the world, as I've seen in your memories, you need this power." Lancelot responded flatly.
"I don't care about the world, though. Only Jerry matters."
"Well, big news… Jerry lives in the world."
"I'll work my way around it."
"Sigh… how did my descendant end up becoming like this?"
The two beings grew tired of arguing, and thus began staring blankly at each other.
However, in a snap, Lancelot caused the Arcana in his grasp to slip past Ciara's guard and embed itself in her body.
"W-what did you do—?!"
"Hahaha! Now you have no choice but to accept my precious gift. It's fused with you currently. You won't be able to throw it away so easily."
"You…" The girl gritted her teeth, causing Lancelot to laugh even more.
"You'll be needing this power soon. Once you do, please don't hesitate to call for it. To protect both yourself and Jerry—and ultimately the world—you will require the power of [Judgement]."
Ciara realized that she couldn't do anything at this point. Her best bet was to simply be patient and go along with the man's wishes.
'Jared's gonna find a way around this, anyway.'
"I can hear your thoughts, you know?" Lancelot groaned in exasperation.
"Well, I don't care. By the way, do you mind if I ask you a few questions?" Ciara placed both her arms on her hips as she defiantly stared at the beautiful man in front of her.
"I would love for that, but… time's up."
"Ah, you're going already?"
"Yeah. Thanks to The [Judgement] Arcana's projection ability, I remained. However, now that it is yours… I'll naturally fade away."
Ciara was speechless. She watched as Lancelot turned into sparks of light. Little balls of energy emanated from him and he slowly lost color.
It wasn't just him, though. Everything around as well. The classy interior designs, the furniture, the carpet, the chandeliers, everything slowly faded away.
"J-just asking… erm… how strong is… this Arcana?" Ciara whispered, her cheeks flushing in slight embarrassment.
Her gaze unintentionally met Lancelot's as she hesitantly stared at him. A warm smile spread out on his face—at least what was left of it.
"Crazy strong."
Ciara didn't know why, but that made her heart feel fuzzy. She, who had decided not to give in to the power, now found herself getting increasingly excited.
"Nurture it well. Also, as for your friend, I gave him a little present as well. Not as good as an Arcana, but its decent. Consider it his consolation prize."
"I-is that so? Thank you." Ciara beamed at Lancelot's words.
"Ah, one last thing. Be careful with how you handle the Arcana. There's someone called Ciel. She's extremely dangerous, so make sure you avoid her at all costs!"
At this point, Lancelot's voice was fading fast, but his tone took on a more serious vibe than ever before.
"If you do encounter her… never try to use your Arcana. She's…"
At this point, Lancelot's voice was totally gone. His leftover state realized this, so he sighed and shrugged as a result.
'Goodbye Ciara.' His thoughts loudly echoed across the vast room, and Lancelot Epilson vanished.
