The morning had come once again, and Lucas was prepared according to his morning procedures, like getting dressed, having breakfast and such. Today was a bit more special to Lucas as...
'Ryosuke would be coming here in the evening...' Lucas also felt excited by this idea. No matter what Ryosuke was once the protagonist of a novel he read and now he got to accompany him. Most of the readers would dream to do this if what he guessed was correct.
Actually Lucas couldn't sleep well yesterday as he was thinking about how to get close to Ryosuke. Should he talk with him a lot? Bring him out to a lot of places? Or may be he could also buy him presents to curry his favour.
But Lucas also didn't want to act just to gain Ryosuke's favour. He really did want to get close to him. Truly without just acting to his likes and dislikes. He also felt that Ryosuke would definitely need someone who is close to him.
'I guess I now remember why Ryosuke got bullied in the academy....'
Ryosuke merely went into the academy under the name of a scholarship student. He had no title and no family background. The church also didn't dare to strongly support him because they were worried that there might be spy for demons lacking around to find where the hero was. Nothing was trustable after all.
As most of the people from the royal academy were from nobility, except some scholarship students and some other commoners who were really rich enough, the system of the strong overpowering the weak was really common. For someone like Ryosuke, he must be one of the major targets of the corrupted ones.
Lucas somehow felt sorry for him. After Ryosuke was announced as the most powerful being in this world, all of them were turned into people who greatly praised the hero and wanted to curry his favour but on the behind, they just calculated for their benefits. That was one heck of self-centered minds they had.
Therefore, currently, Lucas's plan 1 was to make Ryosuke enjoy his stay in this world to the fullest. And for that his plan 1.1 was essential. He wanted to be a close friend for Ryosuke who would stand together with him whether the rise or fall as he felt a sense of similarity with him.
'According to Lucian, we have around 5 years to prepare Ryosuke to have decent power.... Lucian said he should at least be able to fight a demon commander so does Ryosuke have to fight a demon commander or someone of the same strength?'
Lucas tried to remember what kind of event happened but unfortunately he couldn't as he cursed at his brain once more.
'I should have read that novel carefully!!!!'
Lucas couldn't even count the number of the times he regretted. He wanted to ask more of what was going to happen in the future but Lucian said he could only see that smiling god only in the state of life and death.
'So should I bring myself to a dying situation?'
Lucas thought but it was instantly deleted, imagining how his family might react if the similar case should arise. He might even lose the rights he obtained currently from negotiations like being able to stroll around in the capital thrice in a month as long as he was accompanied by a capable bodyguard.
And there was no promise that he would not die. What if he accidently killed himself from trying this. And finally, Lucas decided just to trust his intuition and to not rely on the story plot so much. As long as he helped Ryosuke to become as powerful as he could be, then it should be fine.
In the evening, Ryosuke finally arrived at the mansion.
"Hello, as you must have heard, I am Lucas Evandall, the youngest son of Duke Cassius. It is a pleasure to have you as a guest in this mansion." Lucas made a welcoming smile as Ryosuke stepped in front of the entrance.
"Ah... Hello. I am Harada Ryosuke! Nice to see you!" Ryosuke also returned the greeting. He had to look down a bit because of the height of Lucas though. He couldn't help but think how cute child Lucas was. With Lucas's clothes which were simple and with a color of light blue that was a perfect fit with his white hair and glassy blue eyes, he definitely looked like an angel that descended upon this world. And even though Ryosuke was a kid himself, he had a weakness against children as he always wanted a younger brother or sister.
After exchanging some greetings, Lucas instantly led Ryosuke to where he would be staying as he would no longer be living in the guest room. 2 days ago, as soon as he heard Ryosuke was coming to live with them, he took part in preparing Ryosuke's room to be as simple and comfortable as possible since Ryosuke liked simple things and the decorations of a normal noble room style would make him feel more homesick.
As Lucas had expected, Ryosuke appeared to love his room and that really made Lucas feel pleased. After that Lucas asked him whether he wanted to rest or take a stroll around the mansion. Of course, Ryosuke agreed with the latter as the trip from church to here was not really tiring and he still had a lot of energy to spend.
Lucas took him to places one by one, the library, the dining hall, the living room, etc., explaining how to use the paths around the mansion as one could get lost if they were not familiar with the place. Whenever Lucas looked back at Ryosuke, he could see that this teenager was amazed by everything he was seeing and was astonished by it. Lucas really understood this feeling as he also felt like this when he first strolled around his mansion in Evandall.
Finally Lucas brought Ryosuke to the garden area, which was his most favourite place because of its tranquil atmosphere and the soft smell of flowers and leaves. The blow of the wind is also quite stable here and it was the best place to walk around and relax.
When they arrived at the resting area in the garden which was a small round wooden gazebo, with four white chairs and a round white marble table in the middle, they decided to take a rest, by taking a seat respectively in each chair.
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"That was quite an amazing stroll. I still can't believe that I am seeing such a mansion and even worse, think about living in it." Ryosuke said in a cheerful voice. He seemed to really enjoy it.
"It is great to know that! I really like it here, too." Lucas replied.
"Yea, I know that it will definitely be better than living in the church. The church rules are so strict and every morning I have to get up early and also have to sleep early. The lectures from the priests are also long and really boring!" Ryosuke started to feature his troubles that he had during a week stay in the church.
Lucas took a sip of the chamomile tea that Alisa had served, enjoying its mild honey-like sweetness, while listening to Ryosuke protests which made him release a giggle from time to time. After talking for a while, Ryosuke also tried to drink the tea but it made his eyebrow twitch for the taste. Well, it was rare for the modern young people to like the taste of tea, right? Lucas was another case, of course.
"By the way, Lucas, thank you for saving me that day. I think I might have die if you didn't help." Ryosuke thanked him with a joyful laugh. That boy really looked innocent and cute if he stayed like this. Lucas couldn't let this boy turn to a villain in the future.
"That's ok. Big brother also didn't leave me behind while you ran, so it was a payback." replied Lucas in a tender tone as he put the tea cup down to its plate.
"By the way, don't you want to know where I have come from? Or like where is my family or why am I coming to stay in your home?" Ryosuke scratched at the back of his head, while taking a glance at Lucas.
"Hmmm, ... It's not like I don't want to but I think it is not my place to be nosy. For me, you are a guest of our home, brought by my father and so I have to be hospitable enough" Lucas did realize that Ryosuke was not stating about where he had come from and he instantly knew that the king and church prohibited him from telling.
"You know, I feel really happy to get to live with you! Though we have only known each other for a short time, I feel that we will be close to each other!"
"I do feel, too! Speaking with big brother is really fun and amazing!" Lucas replied cheerfully! He really did enjoy talking with the dear protagonist, the one that got transported to the other world, like him.
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It was already the night time and Alisa had already excused herself. Normally Lucas would be sleeping at this time, but now he couldn't, thinking back all the events that happened during the day.
Meeting with Ryosuke was fine and they had a great talk but somehow they still felt a distance between them. Of course, Lucas knew that two people could not get immediately close to each other like buddies but still he hoped that he could tear down that distance in the future.
With his eyes which were fully awake, he looked outside through the big glass window in his room. He could see the fountain in the garden from there and with some candles lit up in the garden, it was always a good night view to enjoy. But this time, beside the view, he spotted a figure under the high lantern stand near the fountain.
'What is Ryosuke doing there?'
The said boy seemed to be lost in thought while gazing at the scenery in his front. At first, Lucas decided to let him be but then he decided to go and accompany him as he felt the atmosphere was too lonely.
He met with some of the staff and guards, along the way to the garden, asking him to let them be his escort but he refused them.
"Big brother, what are you doing alone out here? Isn't it chilly outside?"
Ryosuke, who heard Lucas's voice, was surprised to see this child as he replied, "I was just getting some fresh air as I can't sleep." A sense of loneliness could be seen in his eyes.
"Are you perhaps getting homesick?"
It was Lucas who understood these eyes and this feeling most. During the first two to three years of his arrival to this world, he couldn't get rid of the feeling of missing his original home. The life here was amazing, and filled with warmth and love but he still couldn't help but to feel like that.
"Haha. Yes, I am." Ryosuke looked up to the moon that was shining brightly, his eyes still drowning in some kind of sorrow.
"Actually, you are really amazing, Lucas. You are also brave and really mature. When I was your age, I think I might be hiding afraid if I had to be a tour guide to a stranger." Ryosuke added while cracking a smile. "Even before, while I was trembling from the sights of monsters, you were calmed and collected and even managed to save me. That's really cool."
'What's wrong with this sudden sweet talk!? Of course I am mature as my mental age is over twenty! And who said that I wasn't trembling!? My knees were shaking and I was afraid like hell as I thought about the death flags rising!!' Lucas was internally screaming. But in front he just said, "It is just because I am used to it. And I was also afraid at that time, you know?"
Ryosuke just nodded with an expression of "Yea, everyone would be scared, right?" and a silence came into the atmosphere, again. Lucas was even thinking why it was hard to make conversations nowadays and was trying to think of what to say but then stunned by what Ryosuke said next.
"Actually, I came from another world."
'AREN'T YOU SUPPOSED TO KEEP IT AS A SECRET!?' Lucas was dumbfounded.
Ryosuke cracked a laugh after seeing a super surprised face of Lucas thinking that 'Oh, this kid can also make a face like this.' although he did not realize that the reason for Lucas being stunned was different to what he had expected.
And Lucas listened to his story from the beginning and till the end for a few minutes. Ryosuke seemed to be a little bit lighter in mood after telling all of these to Lucas.
"So, big brother is someone who has multiple mana and will become the hero of this world, like this?" Lucas tried to go with the flow.
"This is what they say but I don't look like one, right?" Ryosuke spread his arms like he was telling "Look at me. Which part do I look like?"
Lucas just laughed at his posture while Ryosuke gladly joined him. Ryosuke continued to talk about the world he left behind which Lucas also listened to, quietly without interrupting. After speaking to his heart's content, Ryosuke ended his monologue with a sigh.
"I was supposed to keep it a secret, though. I am just telling you because I feel that you can be trusted. They said that it is for my security. I feel like I am a protagonist with a hidden identity, haha"
'You are already a protagonist, bro...' Of course, Lucas didn't say it out aloud.
"You are just feeling that you can trust me because I am just a child, right? You shouldn't trust the children easily, too" Lucas said out of concern. What if some devil deceived him to get information by using transfiguration magic. "Don't trust the others too easily in the future!"
"Haha, not even you?"
"Yes, not even me." Lucas never expected to tell these famous lines from anime and manga to lecture someone in his life. He wanted Ryosuke to trust him, of course. But he firstly had to teach him not to trust anyone, too easily. This world was definitely not the same as theirs and it could sometimes be more deceiving. If he trusted the wrong people, backstabbing and betrayals would come to him sooner or later.
"So are you going to tell about this to others?" Ryosuke lifted an eyebrow.
"Of course not!" Lucas replied immediately which made Ryosuke cracked a smile.
Ryosuke said nothing more and together with Lucas they just spent some time, feeling the freshness of the night breeze and walk into the mansion once more.
Before they parted ways to their own bedrooms, Ryosuke said "Call me Ryo! It is what my friends from my hometown call me!" which was simply replied by smiling at Lucas "Of course, big brother Ryo!"
It was such a long night and the moon was still shining brightly with twinkling stars as its guardians. Lucas felt like he got to get closer to Ryosuke, within just one night which made him really happy. Maybe the distance between them could disappear sooner than he expected?