Lucia and I made our way back to the town's gate. Mario was still the oanding guard. He seemed surprised as he saw Performance of Sword walking just behind us.

  “And who would this dy be?” He asked.

  “It’s just my summon.” I answered.

  “Are you pnning ing her into town? With bdes in the open like that?”

  Yeah, that might not be the best idea.

  “No, I’ll just unsummon her now.” I said to Mario, before turning to my summon. “Sorry I didn’t have anything for you to do. I promise, I’ll summon you again.”

  “It’s fine, Master. Any of us are gd to get summoned. A lot of us will never get the ce.” She answered. What kind of intelligence do they have before being summoned? Now I feel bad for all the cards I just sacked for the sleeves and toploaders. But it was a necessary sacrifibsp;

  Performance of Sword lowered into the card that appeared and I removed her card from my DiaDhank. After deactivating the bat mode on my terminal, I took a quick look at the card. It seemed perfect, like Slot Mae was when I got it back from Lucia. So it really is sleeved normally and I summon her again.

  “So, any other problems?” I asked Mario.

  “No.” He answered. “But your summoning is definitely iing.”

  “I guess it is.”

  Lucia and I got into town and made our way back to the guild. I guess it’s about lunchtime. And I’m hungry. ‘But you just ate like three sandwiches’ I hear someone saying. And I also went the st two days without food, so shut up.

  —

  We made it to the guild. It was still super silent. Other than us, there were only three other adventurers present. I guess most are still out in the fields doing whatever it is that they do. Herd the boars?

  Lucia went up to the food ter and ordered us lunch. She must have known I would be hungry. Well, she is a nurse, on some level. For lunch, we had boar steaks with mashed potatoes. The ones served i manor are slightly better, but that might be because of the seasoning. I should visit that inn Zayaan told me about some day. He said it has the best food in town. Holy, even this stuff would be amazing with some steak sauce. Could that be the secret of that inn? They know how to make steak sauce?

  As I about the secrets of food, Lucia dropped me a heavy question.

  “Brian, what would you do if there was something you wao do, but you ’t?”

  Where is this ing from?

  “Why would you ask something like that?” I asked back.

  “What if you didn’t get ao help you fight against the wyverns? What would you have done?” She asked.

  I think for a sed. I think there is still only oion.

  “I would’ve fought them on my own.” I answered. “I’d have done everything in my power to try and stop them.”

  “Why not fly away on your dragon?” She asked.

  “There is a legend I heard from my parents. A legend of a person who always ran away from problems. He could have stopped the age, but he didn’t want to take the risk. He was scared, so he ran. Only proteg himself, and his family. He ran, as the world around him was destroyed. And in the end, the age caught up to him. He had o run. Everything was gone. And so, the age took the st thing he had, his family. With no other choice, he fought the age. But with nothio fight for, he couldn’t win.”

  “But he didn’t die. The age left him alive, just to taunt him. He knew no matter what he did, he would never get his family back. In the end, he did something impossible. He went ba time, to make sure his younger self would not make the same mistake he did. He made sure his younger self would grow into a warrior, that would defend everyone, not just those closest to him.”

  “But, you are different from that legend.” Lucia argued.

  “Perhaps.” I answered. “But if you have the power to do something, but choose not to, it makes you responsible for the bad things that happen because of your ina.”

  “And here I was just trying to get small time advice, but you go on a storytelling spree.”

  “Sorry about that. But if you really want serious advice, please ask in a more direct way.” I told her.

  Lucia seemed to think for a moment. She then pulled out her fsk and took a sip.

  “If you had the blood curse, like I do, what would you do?” She asked.

  Well, that’s simple.

  “I would get rid of it.” I answered.

  “But it’s impossible.” She answered. “It only be removed by someone who use true Blood magic.”

  “Then I would learn how to use it.” I told her.

  “But you ’t, because of the curse.”

  “Then, I would ask for the help of someone else. Someohout the curse.”

  “But only dhampirs learn blood magic.” She argued.

  “And vampires.” I added. I might not know much, but vampires should know how to use it. Vampires are the in of dhampirs, after all.

  “But the vampires have all passed away.” She said to me.

  “Then I would revive one, have it heal my curse, learn true blood magid go around the world treating others.” I told her.

  “But your pn still has a big issue. You ck the in point.” She tried t me back.

  “Perhaps, but then all I would have to do is find one.” I told her.

  In truth, I do have one. My cards. I don’t remember in what set ‘Vampire’ cards inate in, but I know they exist. Camu from GX is all the firmation I need. But I don’t have GX sets unlocked yet. Lost Millennium should be the first oo have GX era cards.

  (Master already has sets with ‘Vampire’ cards unlocked.) Laura told me.

  … (How do you know that? Laura, expin yourself.) I demanded.

  (When Master’s skill leveled up to level three, card lists were unlocked.) She told me. (You view the cards avaible in each set with it.)

  WHAT? I gained something like that?

  Pack opener. Get over here. Now!

  Pack Opener ColleSleeve makerInstrusSet listsOpen PacksIt really is there. How did I not notice it at the hospital? I must have been sleeping. Or on hospital drugs

  Legend of Blue Eyes White Dragoal RaidersMagic RulerPharaoh’s ServantLabyrinth of NightmareLegacy of DarknessPharaonic GuardianMagi’s ForceDark CrisisInvasion of ChaosA SanctuarySoul of the Duelist Dark Beginning 1

  All of my unlocked sets are here. And I just pull up the card lists for any of them? Nice.

  “Is something wrong?” Lucia’s voice brings me bato reality.

  “No, everything is fine. Almost better than fine.” I told her.

  “How e?”

  “Lucia.” I said to her in a serious tone. “If I could cure your blood curse, what would you do? Would you wao cure it? And what would you do after I cure it?”

  “How would you do it?” She asked.

  “You answer my question first.” I insisted.

  “... I want to be a doctor.” She gave her answer.

  “And what is holding you back at the moment? You did a fine job taking care of me.” I said.

  “I ’t be a doctor if I have the blood curse.” She told me.

  “Why? Who said you ’t? Tell them that you are one. If you take care of people on a high enough level, you are a doctor. At least in my books.” I told her.

  “But I won’t be officially reized.” She said.

  “Why does that matter?” I asked. “Even if some crummy noble or some stuck up anizatio reize you, what would it ge? The people you help are the ohat will reize you. They will be the ones calling you Doctor Lua.” I hope she won’t mind me using her niame like that. I think she prefers it over her ‘longer’ name.

  “...but a doctor should be able to use light magic.” She said.

  “And who decided that? Some anization of doctors? Again, you be a doctor, without being a doctor. And in all hoy, you do have the skills for it. You’re just afraid.” I told her.

  “Afraid? Of what?”

  “You’re afraid of yourself.” I told her. “You don’t trust your trol over your curse. You are afraid you’ll just sueone dry when you see their blood, aren’t you?”

  “....” She didn’t respond.

  “Just don’t give up, Ok? I ’t help you if you give up.” I told her.

  “Like you helped Miss Alice?”

  “You know about that?” Did Alice tell her? “But, yes. Like I helped Alice.”

  “Could you do it? Right now?” She asked.

  “...sorry, but nht now. I don’t have the cards for it. But I try to get them as soon as possible.” I told her. I have like 20 pack tokens to gh, so that’s at least some ce to get a vampire card.

  “Then, I’ll wait.” She said to me.

  “Don’t just wait. Work hard on your other problems. Study things you are bad at, and improve the things yood at. It’s never a good idea to just wait. Waiting will get you nothing.” I told her.

  “Then I’ll do that.” She said with vigor in her voice.

  “Good, then I guess you deserve a little something. We should move to a more private room for that.” I told her. If she wants light magic, who am I to say no? Luminous Spark is on, I believe, so using the one I have is no problem.

  (It also appears in Dark Beginning 1.) Laura added.

  “Then, we should head to our house.” Lucia said as she got up from the table.

  “Sure, lead the way.” I responded.