The Demon Queen's Disciple
Chapter 56 - Boundaries

"Uughh, I'm sorry." said Lucius who walked while embracing the old man's body. Using it as a crutch to be able to continue standing.

"No problem, Mr. Lucius." Albert replied with a very friendly smile.

Wrinkles can be clearly seen on Albert's skin. And so did her hair that started to turn white.

Even though he was that old, he still worked hard to serve the Brown family well. Lucius who was curious wanted to ask the reason. But....

"You know what, Lord Lucius? You remind me of Young Master first." said Albert suddenly.

"Eh?"

"Young Master used to be a very fond figure of practicing. Not only blessed by strong talent, Young Master is also hardworking. Even to the point of making his father continue to scold him for not caring about his family business. It's just...."

Lucius' curiosity was now moving. He wants to know how a strong figure Alex can fall into class F and just focus on his family business.

In fact....

"Young Master's father at that time was a talented businessman. He managed to control this city with his business, even almost controlling the city next door. But what he doesn't see, is a business opponent who doesn't like it."

Albert seemed to stop for a moment. The friendly smile on his face disappeared while talking about it.

"He was attacked by bandits hired by other trade groups. Make him paralyzed for life."

'Deg! The deg!!'

Lucius' heart was racing after hearing that. What he had heard all along, was only Alex's figure who was more talented compared to his father.

Even the news that all the achievements that the Brown family has gained lately is his father's hard work.

But in reality, it was all a conspiracy.

"Young Master Alex, who knew that, stopped practicing magic and martial arts. Focused all his mind and energy on the Brown family business. Although at first the business started to weaken, eventually Young Master managed to overcome it.

And to maintain the strong image of the Brown family, the Young Master always gave up most of the gains for his hard work on his father's name. Makes a lot of people think that the brains of all those achievements are from his father." explained Albert with tears that began to drip slowly.

Hearing the explanation from Albert, Lucius was also powerless to feel sorry for Alex.

Behind his friendly smile at the academy, in the presence of his friends....

He always held that huge weight on his back. Even so, humans cannot stand on two boats at once.

That's why Alex chose to leave behind a boat called the Damacia academy. He doesn't care if he falls into class F, as long as his family business can be saved.

But nevertheless....

Everything Lucius had heard just now, was what he had feared until this very moment. If only his strength were known to the world, and the world considered him dangerous....

It won't be hard for the whole world to antagonize and get rid of him.

Therefore, Lucius kept trying to become much stronger again. Strong enough to fight the whole world if they intend to fight it.

It's just....

"Therefore, Lord Lucius. Don't push yourself too much on one thing, because you'll unwittingly forget about something else that might seem trivial. But in reality it has an important role in life." explains Albert at length.

The old servant seemed to slow down his steps as he climbed the stairs in this old building. The building where Lucius lived in one of his rooms.

"For Young Master, it was his closeness to his parents that was ignored. But for Lord Lucius.... That is your health." continued Albert after standing right in front of the door of the room he rented.

Such soft and friendly words, it felt much more painful than any sword blade for Lucius.

Stabbed right at his heart. Slicing it with gentleness and friendliness, as well as warmth.

"Mr Lucius. You are a very talented person. Even the talented Mr. Alex admits he can't dream of standing next to you. Therefore, take care of your health." Albert said, bowing his body in front of Lucius.

From Lucius who still felt that headache and weakness, only one word could come out of his mouth.

"Thank you." Lucius replied before closing the door and throwing his body on the little bed.

Albert, who was still bowing his body in front of Lucius' door, continued his words. But with such a soft voice.

"The talent you have is truly extraordinary, Lord Lucius. Throughout this old man's life, I've never heard of a single person who could increase their Mana capacity 3-fold in less than a month.

It's possible.... This old man just saw the birth of a new human hero candidate?" murmured Albert to himself, before walking away from this building.

.............

"Well.... It hurts a lot." Lucius lamented to himself on the bed.

'I told you, right? Your body won't be strong. This is the limit of your training madness, Carmilla replied in Lucius' mind.

"You're right. I'm really exhausted...."

'No. What I mean is not just that. Lucius, when you put your hand on the measuring crystal, I realized something.' Carmilla replied in a tone that sounded so serious.

"Aware something? What'sthat?" asked Lucius curiously. He placed his right arm to cover his eyes, letting his body rest a little in the midst of the fatigue.

Unusually, Carmilla was silent for a while before retaliating. It was as if he was considering something in his words.

'Lucius, your growth is very fast. No, it's just too fast. When I touched the crystal, I could faintly feel it. That soon, your body will reach its limit.' explains Carmilla.

"limits? I'm gonna die?" lucius asked a little scared.

'No. Not about that. But boundaries in the true sense. Lucius. You don't have any talent. So naturally, if you will reach your limit in about a few months with the usual portion of training.

Hearing it once more, Lucius understood it immediately.

The limit intended by Carmilla, was the limit of her body's abilities. A body that has no talent at all.

'Seeing this untalented body reach S level in this modern standard is already incredible, Lucius. You should be proud of that.'

No matter what the next Carmilla said, Lucius could only fall silent. Staring at the figure of Carmilla on the mirror reflection that looks to keep trying to cheer him up.

"Is that so? So then.... This is my limit, as a human being with no talent?" lucius asked in a voice that grew louder with each word.

'That's why, Lucius. Rest up. Reduce your training portion and improve your knowledge and technique. When you reach the limit of your potential, there is nothing else you can do but hone your techniques and knowledge.' explains Carmilla at length.

Even if it is true....

Even if it was true, that Lucius managed to surpass the S level even with his untalented body....

Once again, Lucius felt the world was truly unfair.

"Stellastra's magic ring, can't it do anything at the limit of my power?" asked Lucius who seemed to have started to despair.

'Well, you can put up one more magic ring. But looking at the condition of your body, the third magic ring was almost impossible to install. Not to the limit of your ability.'

"You.... No lying, right?"

'For what? I just realized it myself. Sooner or later, every human being will reach his limit.'

'Braa!!!'

Lucius fell limp on the floor after hearing that fact. The fact that he is limited by his own powerlessness towards what is called talent.

Realizing that, Lucius began to think that it would not hurt to reduce the portion of his training drastically.

After all, he will reach the maximum limit of his ability as well right? Sooner or later.

In a moment of despair filled Lucius' heart and mind....

'Well though, you can do a body reshaping. Forcing the talent itself to appear in your body.'

"Eh?! Why didn't you tell me from earlier?! But, what does that mean by body reshaping?" asked Lucius curiously. His spirit had returned after hearing there was such an opportunity.

'Body Reestablishment, Body Refinement, Awakening, Resurrection, Rebirth, Rebirth. Many names follow it, but they are basically the same. Where this is one of the secret techniques of ancient humans to fight demons.'

Lucius' spirit has returned, also with the condition of the body that began to improve makes him able to rise and stand. Now stand right in front of the mirror to see Carmilla's expression directly.

'In other words, you sacrificed all the Mana you had trained and exchanged it to form a stronger body. Making that weak human have a higher potential limit after using this technique.'

"Bu-isn't that a really great technique?! Why haven't I heard of it in any book?"

With a somewhat complicated facial expression and a little embarrassed, Carmilla replied.

'Well, it's because it's the same as the name. After using this technique, you can increase the potential limit of your untalented body. But on the other hand, you will feel tremendous pain throughout the process, plus your ability will return to being the weak Lucius in that goblin cave. No. gabe.... Maybe weaker than that.'

"Eh?"

Lucius gaped wide after hearing the weakness of the secret technique. But calling it a weakness seems too kind-hearted.

No matter how great a technique is, if the results make the user as weak as ordinary people....

Then it won't do any good.

And it's true.

'In result. Many of the users of the technique were killed by lowly demons because their strength returned like childhood. And therefore, I heard that the King of mankind at that time forbade the use and spread of this technique in any form. Maybe that's why this technique is extinct?'

"Aah, yeah. Sure oes. It's no longer weakness, but suicide."