There’s No Way Back

“Who is it?”

His blinking eyes darted around restlessly. Eren was inwardly flustered that the man asked who he was, having assumed he would know of his arrival. Moreover, the face revealed through the narrow gap was filled with wariness.

“Hello. My name is Eren Lloyd; I have an appointment to visit today.”

Peering through the gap, Eren greeted him politely. Only then did the silver-gray eyes, which had been busily surveying the surroundings, look directly at Eren’s face.

“…Eren Lloyd?”

“Yes, that’s correct. Did you receive a letter from Mr. Arnold Harrison?”

Eren asked cautiously, wondering if he had come to the wrong house or if the man hadn’t received the letter. Instead of answering, the man abruptly stepped back. Fearing he might be rejected at the door, Eren hurriedly reached for the handle, only for it to swing wide open.

“I received it. Come in.”

The door swung fully open, revealing the man completely. The man presumed to be the magician was unexpectedly very young. He couldn’t be more than twenty. Though his snow-white hair seemed incongruous with his youthful face, he was not the elderly, venerable man Eren had expected.

“Why are you standing there? Don’t you want to come in?”

“Ah, no. I’ll come in.”

The man took another step back as if telling him to enter, asking gruffly. Fearing he might be turned away, Eren hurried his steps. Dragging his heavy bag inside, three or four cats rushed out and began rubbing against him.

“I live with these cats. You’ll be staying here for a while, so if you hate cats, say so.”

“Why?”

Eren asked, startled, fearing the man might offer to put the cats out for his sake. He would feel too sorry for them to be turned out into the cold.

“To prepare a room for you in the barn.”

Ah, I see. It made more sense for the guest to leave than the cats who lived here. Realizing his foolish assumption, Eren waved his hand.

“No, I like cats. Actually, cats usually don’t like me, but strangely, these ones seem to like me.”

Eren answered flusteredly as the cats climbed all over him.

“That is strange. They’re usually very wary.”

The man also answered as he skillfully detached the cats one by one.

“I’m Luke, and as you know, I’m a magician.”

He had suspected as much, but this man was indeed the magician. Eren swallowed hard and nodded slightly.

“I heard your story in advance. I owe Arnold an old debt, so I agreed to his request. Follow me.”

Luke took the bag from Eren’s hand, almost snatching it, and gestured with his eyes. His tone was cold, but his actions were kind, making it a little confusing whether he was a good person or not.

Eren, carrying his bag, dutifully followed behind him. The house, which had looked small from the outside, was surprisingly spacious inside. There were three or four more rooms branching off from the living room connected to the entrance.

Luke passed through the living room and opened a small door. It looked like it might have been a storage room; a bed-like thing was awkwardly placed in one corner of the cluttered space.

“This is the first time I’ve had a guest, so clean up the room yourself.”

Luke said, tossing the bag onto the bed as if dropping it. At least he wasn’t being thrown out into the cold, he supposed. Still, he had many questions.

Most of all, he wondered if this man was truly a magician. If not, the reason Eren had come all this way would disappear.

“Ah, yes. Thank you.”

Eren stood at the door, quietly studying Luke. Perhaps Arnold had been deceived. Eren was suddenly terrified that he had no hope left.

“You seem to doubt that I’m a magician.”

Luke crossed his arms, as if reading Eren’s thoughts. Eren flinched noticeably at having his mind read. Perhaps he was a magician who could read minds.

“Ah, well… actually, I expected you to be much older.”

“You seem to have a bad habit of judging people only by appearances.”

At Luke’s blunt remark, Eren’s face reddened. He was embarrassed at being exposed as a narrow-minded person. Only a few hours ago, Harold had told him to look at the inner self, not the outer appearance.

“I’m sorry.”

“That’s the word I hate hearing the most. If you’re going to live in this hut, remember that.”

“I see. I’m truly sorr—”

Having lived with Kazen, ‘I’m sorry’ had become a habit, and Eren automatically began to apologize before hastily covering his mouth.

“Ah, so not sorry… Ah, what’s wrong with me. I’ll just be quiet.”

Watching the flustered Eren, Luke scowled as if finding it absurd. He stood there looking at Eren for a moment, then let out a short sigh and spoke.

“The magician you came to see is my master. He passed away last year.”

“Oh… my condolences.”

As his bewilderment faded, disappointment washed over him. In the end, it was as if his last hope had been extinguished.

“You look disappointed that I’m not the magician.”

Luke raised an eyebrow as he watched Eren’s forlorn expression.

“It’s not that… but I came from quite far away because I wanted to meet the magician.”

“I’ve heard the gist. Mana depletion, wasn’t it?”

“Yes, that’s my diagnosis.”

Luke leaned his head close to Eren, eyeing him with interest. Eren gazed back at his approaching silver-gray eyes with curiosity. He had never seen eyes this color before and couldn’t look away.

“Wait, take a deep breath.”

Not knowing why, he did as he was told and took a deep breath.

“Now, hold it. Stop.”

Luke placed his hands on Eren’s chest and back, which were fully expanded. Startled by the sudden touch, Eren shrank back. Luke then grabbed Eren’s shoulders and forcibly straightened them.

“Don’t move. Stand still and exhale slowly.”

Still full of questions, but Eren was used to following instructions. So without any resistance, he slowly exhaled. Meanwhile, Luke very carefully stroked Eren’s chest and back with his palms.

“Hmm, I can feel a very faint trace of mana. When were you diagnosed?”

“About a month ago. At that time, they said I had about six months left. But I’ve used mana excessively since then, so I think I probably have about three months left now.”

Withdrawing his hands, Luke nodded slightly with a thoughtful face.

“My assessment isn’t much different. I’ve never seen anyone alive and moving with such faint mana.”

Eren wasn’t particularly hurt by Luke’s matter-of-fact reply. Rather, he was grateful for his honesty. Having received confirmation from two professionals, it finally sank in that he truly had only three months left.

“I studied magic under my master for a long time. I may not be perfect, but I can mimic it to some extent.”

“…Ah, I see.”

His spirits dampened, Eren replied without much enthusiasm. The situation was so dire that he considered it a testament to his emotional control that he didn’t scream or collapse on the spot.

Luke walked in a full circle around the dejected Eren. Finally stopping before him, he spoke as if he had made a decision.

“I’ll help you.”

Eren’s head, which had been studying the old rug on the wooden floor, snapped up.

“Truly?”

“Actually, that was a joke.”

“…Excuse me?”

What on earth was he saying? Too dazed even to get angry and ask how he could call that a joke, Eren’s eyes only widened. Luke stared at Eren’s expression, then suddenly burst into laughter.

“Your expression was so gloomy, I played a little prank. I’ll help you.”

What is with this person? He seemed a very peculiar sort. Eren was unsure whether to be happy at his answer or angry at his unfunny joke, so he simply slumped his shoulders. Still, he didn’t want to think badly of someone offering to help.

“There’s no way to restore depleted mana, but I’ll try to find a way to help you hold on a little longer.”

A way to hold on a little longer… Eren wasn’t entirely happy with his answer. He didn’t want to live long in a painful state.

“Actually, I have no desire to live a long life. I just hope I can live until the end without being in pain.”

Hearing Eren’s earnest voice, Luke, perhaps feeling the gravity of the situation, turned serious again.

“If that’s the case, I can find a method quickly. So don’t look so frightened and unpack your things first.”

Fortunately, Luke’s reply was positive. At last, a glimmer of hope, and Eren’s face brightened slightly.

“More importantly, let me show you how things work around this hut. Change into comfortable clothes and come out.”

Luke tapped Eren on the shoulder and left, closing the door behind him. Only then did Eren let out a sigh of relief and slump onto the bed. The bed, cluttered with odds and ends, was made of wood, hard and creaky.

Sitting on the old bed and looking around the old room, it finally felt real that he had left the Ducal residence completely. Now, he truly had nowhere to go. He had to prepare for his end here.