LUXCIA'S P.O.V
We're riding a horse-drawn carriage right now, and I don't know why, but I feel like I might puke, not because I'm nervous, but because I'm that excited.
It's my first time riding one of these! I didn't even know they had carriages here. It feels like I've been transported to some ancient era but with a touch of magic. Honestly, it's amazing.
I glanced at the guy who looked utterly bored, leaning back as he stared out the window.
"Careful, mortal. You're practically drooling."
He suddenly turned to me with a smirk, as if that made him any more attractive.
"And stop staring at me. I might just disappear."
I frowned.
"As if!"
I swear, I was this close to snapping back at him. The audacity.
"Brother," Elaine cut in, shaking her head. "Stop assuming things. Lulu's looking at you because she's wondering why you're inside the carriage and enjoying the view. And why did you even come along, huh?"
"First of all, I didn't want to," he said, pointing at me, of course, with his usual scoff. "I only came because I have to keep an eye on this weak mortal."
Wow. As if. He clearly just wanted to come and used me as an excuse.
"Yeah right, brother," Elaine muttered, rolling her eyes.
Then she turned to Michael.
"And you, four-eyes, why are you here? Who told you to come, huh?"
"That's so mean, Elaine!" he said, pretending to cry.
I couldn't help but smile at his act.
And just like that, the two of them started bickering again. They're really something.
But I couldn't help noticing, does Elaine have something against guys? Earlier it was Clide she was picking on, now it's Michael. Does she have a grudge or something? Hahaha.
"Tsk… so noisy."
Clide's voice cut through the chaos, his face still serious despite everything going on.
"Hey, mortal…"
He called out to me, so I turned to him.
"Don't wander off. Not if you want to stay out of trouble."
I was about to respond, but he suddenly looked out the window again.
I just frowned. Tsk. As if I'd wander off anyway…
After a few minutes, the carriage began to slow down. When it finally came to a stop, one of the most breathtaking sights I had ever seen in my entire life unfolded right before me.
We had arrived in town.
And I just stood there, mouth slightly open. When I first got here, I hadn't even noticed that...
What the heck… it's beautiful!
At first glance, it looked like a carnival mixed with a medieval festival but far more mystical.
On both sides of the road were wooden shops and stalls, carved with ancient runes. Above each roof floated glowing crystals that lit up the entire town.
The lights shimmered in different colors, blue, violet, gold, silver, almost as bright as the stars in the sky.
The streets were paved with smooth black stone, and every step of the horse echoed softly. The people- no, creatures, were mostly vampires. Some didn't look full-blooded, probably mixed with other races.
They wore colorful cloaks, like more elegant versions of medieval clothing. Around the area, there were floating instruments playing music on their own, something I couldn't even identify, but it sounded incredibly calming.
I looked around, my eyes practically sparkling at the sight.
There were stalls selling the strangest things, glowing mochi, drinks with tiny floating stars inside, even roasted meat that was violet in color. Some sold potions, magic scrolls, enchanted accessories and even talking plushies!
It was lively. Loud. Crowded. Every stall had some kind of spectacle, some vendors tossed small balls of fire, others had floating menus, and there was even a magic mirror that gave you your horoscope in real time.
But…
I noticed that almost every vampire was staring at me.
I suddenly froze. Did I do something wrong?
"We have somewhere to go. You'll stay here with Michael for now," Clide said out of nowhere.
"Where are you going?" I asked, a little uneasy at the thought of being left alone in the middle of a vampire night market.
"That's none of your business," he snapped.
So rude!
Good thing Elaine quickly smacked him.
"You seriously have no manners, brother. Lulu…" She turned to me and smiled. "We're going to see Ingkong, the oldest vampire in this place. He might know something about the kýklo exousías."
"Then why can't I come with you? I'm the one who needs it."
"Just don't—"
Clide didn't get to finish because Steven immediately stepped in.
"Not yet, Lu. Ingkong doesn't know you're here. And he really hates mortals. He was part of the second war, after all."
Oh… I thought we will be sightseeing. Guess that's not happening for me.
"Ah… fine."
I turned to Michael, and he gave me a reassuring smile.
"Don't worry, Luxcia. I've got you."
I relaxed a little at his words. Honestly, he's much better company than someone who's always acting like he's in a permanent bad mood.
I couldn't help but smile back, his smile was kind of contagious.
"Michael, don't leave her alone. And you, mortal. Don't wander off. Stay with him, and don't do anything stupid."
Tss… he keeps repeating himself. So annoying.
"I don't know what's wrong with you, brother. You're really mean to Lulu," Elaine cut in, rolling her eyes at her brother.
Soon after, the three of them left, and it was just me and Michael. I turned to him, and he smiled back. His smile was so gentle, it felt like he was silently telling me I was safe as long as I was with him.
"Clide only came because he heard Ingkong is here in town," he said as we started walking.
"Is it true he really hates mortals?"
"Yeah. He really does. So while they're gone, want to look around first?"
I nodded, smiling.
We wandered from stall to stall. There was food, trinkets, even magic tricks. And everything I tried tasted amazing!
There were drinks that were cold but released colorful smoke, and fruits shaped in the strangest ways like something straight out of One P**ce. Some were heart-shaped, others looked like smoke or water. Waaah… I'm definitely going to gain weight here.
As we passed by a jewelry stall, one necklace immediately caught my attention. It had a circular gold pendant with intricate carvings along the edges, and at its center was something like a tiny glowing clock. I couldn't explain it, but… it looked like something was moving inside.
"That's a Lierex," Michael suddenly said beside me, as if he had read my thoughts.
"Lierex?" I asked, pointing at it. "Why does it look like something's moving inside? Is it a clock?"
He smiled and picked up the necklace.
"Do you like it?" he asked.
I hesitated. I didn't have any money not just because I hadn't been paid yet, but because I literally had no money in this world. I forced a small, bitter smile and was about to shake my head and walk away.
"N-No… I can't afford it."
I had just turned around when Michael suddenly paid the vendor.
Wait, what?!
"Wait! Michael, I can't pay you back for that!"
He simply smiled, then gently placed the Lierex around my neck. He stepped closer, unclasping the lock and carefully fastening it. I could feel the cool metal against my skin.
"No. It's a gift."
He smiled and I couldn't help but smile back, even though there was still something about the Lierex resting against my chest that made me feel a little uneasy.
"Thank you, Michael! Wait… I can tell this isn't normal. What does it do?"
He smiled and pointed at the tiny clock inside the pendant.
"It's from Magicalonia. All you have to do is turn the part that looks like the clock's hand."
"And then?"
"You can summon a Cien."
"A Cien?"
"Let's just say… it's like a doorway to their world. So if you notice something moving inside your pendant that's where a Cien lives."
I stared at the necklace. The light inside seemed more alive now like something was really moving within it, something I couldn't quite understand.
"What kind of creature is a Cien?"
"They're tiny beings about the size of your finger. Like miniature elves, but smaller. They have pointed ears and can do all sorts of things… depending on the contract you make with them."
"A contract?"
"Yeah. If you summon a Cien, they can change your clothes, shrink you, or even sing for you. They're actually known for their beautiful voices. But you need to form a contract first."
"Wait… like in Fairy T*il?!"
I broke into a wide grin and even let out a small squeal. Michael looked confused, so I just laughed.
"Sorry, that was an anime reference. So… what do I do?"
"Just place your finger at the center of the pendant."
I followed his instructions. Slowly, I pressed my index finger against the center of the necklace. It suddenly glowed, and I felt warmth flow from the pendant into my finger.
Then, a small light burst out of the necklace...
And in an instant, it transformed into a tiny being.
A Cien.
The Cien was a tiny girl, small enough to fit in the palm of my hand. She had long pink hair tied into twin tails, pointed ears, and wore a dress that looked like it was made of flower petals. But more than her appearance, what really stood out was her expression, arms crossed, one eyebrow raised, and a face that clearly said she was not impressed.
"So, you're my new master? A mortal?!"
"Uhm… yes?" I answered awkwardly. I glanced at Michael and instinctively stepped back a little.
"Wait! How did you even get into this world?! It's not normal for a mortal to possess a Lierex!"
"Uh… Michael? Help."
I looked at him, waiting for support but the idiot just burst out laughing.
"Hahaha!"
I suddenly yelped when Cisn leapt out of the pendant and oh my God!! It landed right on my nose!
"Waaaah! Wait! What did I even do?!"
She didn't listen. She started kicking me at my face, my forehead, my cheeks! Even if she was only the size of a finger, I could still feel those tiny but furious stomps!
"I refuse to accept a weak mortal as my master! A weak mortal?! This is unacceptable!"
"Wait! Wait! Michael! Help meee!"
But instead of helping, Michael just laughed even harder, smiling like this was the best show of his life.
"Hahaha! Cisn… long time no see."
[Cisn - pronounced "Sisen"]
Cisn suddenly froze.
"Michael?"
She paused for a few seconds, then slowly flew toward him. When she landed on his face, her expression completely changed.
"I missed you… you and Master…"
I was caught off guard when the atmosphere suddenly shifted.
Michael, who had been laughing just moments ago, went quiet. The two of them just looked at each other. No words.
There was something heavy between them, something I didn't understand yet. It felt like sadness, like memories… like something had been lost.
But just as quickly, Michael smiled again.
"I missed you too, Cisn. I can't believe it… you're the one Luxcia was chosen by."
The moment he said my name, Cisn flew back in front of me, glaring and still clearly annoyed.
"What does this mean?! Why is a mortal here?! Why does she have the Lierex?! Is she… my new master?!"
"Long story short," Michael replied calmly, "yes. She's the chosen one."
"What?!"
Cisn looked like she was about to explode.
"WHAT?! A weak mortal was chosen?!"
"Huh… I feel like I've heard that somewhere before…"
Cisn shot me a look like I was mocking her, a mix of suspicion and irritation.
Well, girl, don't worry. Even I can't believe it either.
Michael just nodded, though I could tell he had hesitated earlier.
"D-Don't worry… once she finds the seven Circles of Power… she'll become strong too."
I forced a smile. And yeah, forced is the right word.
Because honestly? I was kind of scared of this tiny Cien.
I mean… how am I supposed to deal with a creature that's only finger-sized but has the attitude of a dragon?
Jumped? Flew? I honestly couldn't tell. All I know is she zoomed up into the air and stopped right in front of me. Then she landed on the little clock, well, the Lierex and placed her hands on her hips.
She stared at me like I was some impossible question she couldn't solve.
"So annoying! If I didn't desperately need a job, I would've left already! And you of all people are going to be my master?!"
Huhuhu… why does everyone in this world treat me like this? This is so draining…
"Name."
Her tone was so strict it sounded less like a question and more like an order.
"L-Luxcia Locrane."
The moment I said my full name, the Lierex suddenly glowed. It shimmered with a soft yet blinding light, and on the back of the pendant, my name, Luxcia Locrane slowly engraved itself.
Uwaaah… so she really acknowledges me as her master now?
"Listen first. You can be amazed later."
"S-Sorry."
"Since you're going to be my master…"
I could feel the weight of her sigh. It was the kind that said she had already accepted her fate.
"You need to take care of this pendant. If it gets lost or broken, the contract disappears as well. The engraving of your name on the Lierex is proof that I acknowledge you as my master. I can only be summoned once a day. There's no limit on the time, but if you want to call me, this is what you have to say…"
She looked at me seriously, like this was some kind of formal ceremony.
"'I, Luxcia Locrane, the owner of this Lierex, command thee to open thy door. Sas kaló Cisn.' Got it?"
"Wait… what was that again?"
My brain literally froze. It felt like a whole magic chant just exploded in my ears and expected me to memorize it instantly. Like I got thrown into Hogwarts without any briefing.
"I didn't get it."
Cisn looked at me, completely deadpan. Full poker face. Like she was reconsidering all her life choices including me.
"Whatever," she said, turning her back. "And if you want me to go back, just say antío."
I was about to respond, but she suddenly turned to Michael, smiled, and said...
"Michael, I'm heading back now. Antío."
Puff.
She disappeared right in front of us and just like that.
Like a bubble popping.
And there I was… left standing, mouth hanging open.
Wait… I think I'm starting to regret buying this no, wait, accepting it? Ugh, whatever. Why did I even agree to this in the first place?
I looked at Michael and him? He was laughing his head off. Like, full-on, loud laughter, as if he was watching the best comedy show of his life.
"AHAHAHAHA! Just bear with Cisn. That's really how she is. She's got an attitude, but she's actually kind deep inside."
I just stared at him. I really wanted to ask about Cisn's previous master but I hesitated.
Not yet, Luxcia. It's not the right time…
"O-Okay…"
I forced a smile, and he ended up laughing again. He looked so happy meanwhile, me? I just unlocked a whole new Cien trauma.
"Come on, do you want to watch a show?"
I frowned slightly.
"A show?"
"Yeah, come on."
Waaaahhh! They even have shows here?!This world just keeps getting better and better!
My eyes instantly lit up with excitement, like a kid promised ice cream. I quickly followed Michael, unable to stop the huge grin on my face.
And just like that, I completely forgot about Cisn…
Haixt… are me and that tiny creature ever going to get along?