…

“We’ll take care of it, captain.” A royal guard said to Rose as he then ordered to take the thief away.

Alex was currently sitting on a wooden bench quietly eating something as the man with the Chinese hat kept on observing him, circling around Alex round and round. When Rose came back, she didn’t know what to make of these two. They were looking at each other like the other was an alien, well apparently, they were.

“Oi you two, stop with the weird stuff.”  Rose scolded after which they both backed off.

Alex, “Y-You are you following me?” Alex was the first one to break the silence.

“Well, I was certainly looking for you. It’s fascinating! Only among 10 million or something does one births with no magic. It’s a shame but oh well.”

Alex didn’t know what to say to the man, even though he felt like he was insulted just now. The man was certainly strange, that was true.

“Ah…ahem!” Rose cleared her throat to make them remember that she was still present.

Rose, “What’s your name?”

The man’s eyebrows raised in caution when Rose asked this.

He began to rub his chin as if in deep thought. Then sighing he reached a decision. He snapped his fingers and a zone spell was put around the three of them.

Rose and Alex immediately went on high alert. While they doubted whether the man wanted to harm them, they couldn’t be less careful. Rose and even Miracle were the ones who were the most surprised.

‘No incantation spell activation! He is definitely no ordinary man…’ Rose thought to herself as she remained on high alert.

In this world magic had to be brought to life with the help of incantations. Words necessary to move mana and have them do the required spell. It was sort of a clutch created to better operate mana. Even Alex has to say some incantations to activate his boost and cloning spells.

“Now, now, no need to be so cautious, this is to avoid any peeking. As for your question young lady, don’t you recognize this Saint? I am of course Luxario L. Sage.” The man said with a proud face.

There was a momentary silence that seemed to have last forever before Rose asked “Should I put you in a mental hospital or a jail?”

“Whhaaattt!!” was the only thing Alex and Luxario blurted out but for totally different reasons startling Rose in the process.

Alex, “There are mental hospitals here?!”

Luxario, “You don’t believe me?!”

Both of them said in unison.

“-_-“

A minute later.

“Oh I-I… s-see its …true t-then.” Rose fumbled as she held a square shaped crystal which Luxario gave her to inspect. The crystal was a proof that Luxario was bestowed with the title of ‘The Supreme Protector’. The title meant that Luxario was a legendary figure in not only the kingdom but the whole of the western continent. This crystal was granted to him due to his achievements. In other words, his status stood as equal to a king and in some cases even greater.

Luxario took back the crystal from Rose’s hand as he nodded proudly. Rose then went down on her knees to give a bow but Luxario stopped her midway.

“It’s alright young one, no need to get so formal now. I failed to mention this before, but that guard earlier addressed you as a captain, right? Attainting a captain’s position at such a young age in the Council, that’s a great achievement if I must say.” Luxario said as he made her stand straight.

Rose, “It’s nothing sir, compared to you—

“Now, now it’s alright.” Luxario cut off her mid-sentence.

Rose, “If you don’t mind me asking weren’t… weren’t you deceased?”

This was the main reason for Rose’s surprise. To her knowledge, the legendary Saint: Luxario L. Sage had died 10 years stopping a catastrophe. It was natural she reacted that way.

“Oh that? I faked it.” Luxario said casually. Rose was dumbfounded as she nearly fell over.

Rose, “b-but why!?”

Luxario, “Too much trouble, I needed a vacation, plus I was bored with all the tasks here and there.”

She again almost fell over after hearing this.

“10 years is quite the vacation.” She muttered under her breath. Luxario’s status was so great that, when this world came to knew of his disappearance, the world had plunged into shock and chaos. Crimes increased, there was a shift in the balance of powers. It was one of the biggest events in the history of Emerald.

“Well, enough about me, I came here to look for you kid.” Luxario said as he looked at Alex.

Alex, “And what do you want from me?”

He was slowly digesting all information he got out of their conversation. This crazy big shot looking for him didn’t look like a good sign to him.

Luxario turned to Alex, serious emotions written all over his face and said, “I want you to do something for me.”