Lucifer: Godless Reawakening-Chapter 242: Freedom

The dining hall was mostly silent, broken only by the occasional exchange between Sherry and Emma.

William, meanwhile, was focused on his food. He was quite hungry, having not eaten anything since morning.

At the church, there had been no arrangement for breakfast. And along the way, they did not have enough money to spend on food.

’I need to find a way to earn fast.’ He could not keep relying on Emma and his father for his expenses.

He would need to either work as a hunter again or get recruited by the Great Hall, since they paid quite handsomely.

But the second option felt problematic. They were an unreliable bunch who let things happen as if control and management were concepts unfamiliar to them.

He wanted to discuss this with Emma, but he already knew what she would say. She would tell him to stay focused on his schooling for the time being.

She would not hesitate for even a moment to support him financially. She considered it completely normal, and William agreed that they should support each other.

But there had to be a limit. William was not helpless, nor did he lack ways to earn. And despite having options, if he relied solely on his lover, it would only make him lazy and overly dependent.

’Maybe I should go job hunting without telling Emma...’ It felt strange to hide something from his beloved. However, he knew that even if Emma found out, she would understand.

"So, William," Jeromy suddenly spoke. "Since we have some time, may I ask you a few questions?"

William looked up and nodded. "Yes, sure."

The others fell silent, their attention shifting to the two men.

Jeromy set his spoon down and asked politely, "When was the last time you felt helpless, as if despite all the abilities you possess, nothing seemed to work?"

The question struck Vitori, making Emma’s gaze harden.

Unaware of the situation, Jeromy remained calm, not understanding why his friend had flinched.

William chuckled and replied, "It happened recently when I faced a Prism Ape, and none of my abilities worked against it." 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

Sherry gasped. "You fought a Prism Ape?"

William nodded. "Yes, inside a dungeon."

Her eyes widened. "Did you actually reach the sixth floor or something? But I heard you’re only four-starred?"

Vitori coughed, doing anything except looking at his daughter.

William smiled but offered no answer.

Jeromy sensed that something about the topic had unsettled them, so he moved on to the question he truly wanted to ask.

"What changes did you discover in yourself in that moment, if you can remember?"

William hummed in confusion, so Jeromy clarified, "For us conventional magicians, our spells are our limit. Knowledge of spells is the only resource we have to fight our foes, no matter how strong they are or how hopeless the situation appears."

The blond man nodded in understanding. "I can’t speak for other unconventional sorcerers, but for me, disaster means opportunity."

That caught Jeromy’s interest, and he nodded, silently urging him to continue.

William explained, "As I mentioned before, there is no limit to our abilities except our own mind. When I realize that nothing is working, it feels as if my mind opens a gate that didn’t exist before, and I create an entirely new ability out of nowhere."

How honest was he? Maybe half and half. Because it was not just imagination or some sudden awakening that saved him from that ape.

It was a memory.

A memory of someone who was always following him.

A memory that could terrify a human to the point of driving them to end their own life.

"Hm, so you wait until you’re cornered to unlock a new skill?" Sherry wondered.

William shook his head. "I’ve only been cornered twice in my life. All my other skills? I created them naturally."

Sherry narrowed her eyes. His words dripped with pride, and that irked her.

Jeromy hummed in understanding, secretly jotting things down in his notepad as he asked, "What’s the secret behind your efficiency? I was speaking with Kaizek earlier, and he mentioned that your aether is purer than Emma’s."

"That’s a lie," Sherry retorted. "Emma is the best when it comes to aether purity. I’ve never seen anyone better than her."

Emma gave a mocking smile and said, "Will, show her."

William tilted his head. "Is it really necessary?"

Jeromy immediately replied, "Yes. I’m very eager."

Sherry scoffed, crossing her arms as she thought, ’I never knew Emma would become so love-struck one day.’

Then, under a mix of gazes, some mocking, some curious, William raised his hand.

Soon, a small droplet of aether seeped out of his skin, shimmering like a pearl.

Sherry’s lips parted. She could see it clearly, but how?

Jeromy, on the other hand, felt as though his skill had been rendered useless, because what he could see with his special eyes was now visible to everyone.

And that was something only achievable with perfect magical control.

Vitori hummed. "And that’s what allows you to chant so many spells without feeling even the slightest exhaustion. Your efficiency is staggering."

Jeromy hummed before asking, "Considering your skills, have you ever been able to truly use your full potential in battle until now?"

William replied, "You mean releasing spells without caring about the destruction? No, I haven’t had the chance to enjoy that yet."

There were skills like Droplet of Oblivion that he always had to restrain while using. A single second of miscalculation, and he would end up harming his allies.

So yes, he had yet to taste freedom.

"Then why don’t you visit Gahtua Island in the west?"

Vitori frowned. "What are you saying? That place is a death hole right now."

Emma turned to her father. "What’s on that island?"

Sherry hummed in surprise. "You don’t know? The whole island is currently under the control of countless devils. Thankfully, only a small number of people used to live there, so they were evacuated before any real damage could be done."

Jeromy continued, "It has never happened before for a single Death Sink to spill so many devils at once. The Great Hall left the responsibility to the central administration, but since they’ve been quite busy lately, the island still hasn’t been dealt with."

Emma and William shared a glance.

William’s eyes showed curiosity and excitement while Emma looked uncertain.

Jeromy didn’t force him to make an immediate decision and just told him, "If you feel like it, in seven days, meet me in Donavan."

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A/N:- Thanks for reading. If you have been enjoying the story so far, drop a comment.