20:01

So, he demanded for his clothes to be delivered to the Clan Leader's office as he already handed over the ones that he borrowed, remaining only in an undershirt and some pants he made at the moment to not look strange. His father was mad, but he waited until the man who came to hand over the clothes leave first.

On his body it's not only one scar though. What can you say? The kid loves danger. His hands, his back, wherever you look, there is at least a small scar from different missions. They are not something serious, that's true, but it does seem as he is just mutilating his own body. Still, all of them seem to have healed a very long time ago now. The scar on his face is six years old, it doesn't affect him anymore.

He was obligated by his father to come in his office again. After all, he needs to give him some explanation. He can't hide the truth from him forever, and he knows that too.

[XANTH3]-...So? Are you ready to tell me the truth?

[LUK3]-No?

[XANTH3]-You told me all this time that the job you chose is safe, that there is nothing I should worry about and that it's better than the title I could offer you. Mind explaining me why do you look like you've got eaten by the crevaators?

[LUK3]-Well, it's still better than that title.

[XANTH3]-I will call Master M4TTH3W to inform him that you don't need to work for the Southeast Base anymore if you don't tell me the truth, LUCAS!

[LUK3]-WELL, I WISH YOU THE BEST OF LUCK BECAUSE THE GREAT LEADER IS D... is by my side! Alright!? You won't convince Him of anything!

The Leader seems pissed off by his response. He doesn't really know if that's true or not, because the Great Leader that he once knew vanished and become a totally new person.

[LUK3]-You want the truth, Father!? The Southeast Base is having collaboration with Mr. M1SH4M for years now! Whenever his team can't be present in a location, we intervene and help them out, alright!? We save people! I SAVE PEOPLE! THIS IS WHY I LOOK LIKE THIS! ALL THESE YEARS SINCE I LEFT THIS HOUSE I'VE BEEN DOING THIS JOB! AND YOU WON'T TAKE IT AWAY FROM ME!!

[XANTH3]-Look at how the job affected you, LUCAS! Are you really that blind!?

[LUK3]-SO WHAT?? I LOVE WHAT I'M DOING! I LOVE DANGER! IT... It makes me feel alive!

[XANTH3]-...

[LUK3]-Why do you believe that this title fits me so much? While others do the real work out there, you are trapped in this house to supervise everyone with the production of Novha and Verha! You do nothing all day, and yet history says that this family is full of some kind of gods! ...What gods is history really talking about anyway? The "god" that stands in front of me, that barely saw the city with his own eyes in a lifetime? The "god" that chose me to be his son just because he wanted a successor? Tell me, what god does history actually talk about? You don't care about what I like, you don't care about what I enjoy! You are my own goddamn father, yet you only care that I'm a descendant of the bloodline and I will have to take your role! Yet the people that I work with care! They let me be who I want to be! And this is who I am!!

Truth to be told, nobody saw LUK3 this mad before, not even this Leader. He was always that stupid boy annoying everyone around him, but this time he is serious in what he is saying. Not even MY4, who is his best friend for a lifetime now could say that she saw him mad. He loosens his hair and disorganises it as it was before because there is no need to pretend to be someone he isn't anymore.

[LUK3]-...It's not my fault you chose me to be your successor just because of the colour that represents me as a C born. It's not my fault you take these old traditions too seriously! You can't expect me to be like you! ...But I know you don't listen anyway, no matter how much I'm giving my soul while talking, so I think it's best for me to leave. My friends are probably waiting for me for hours and it was a waste of time coming here anyway. I thought that... maybe after all those years you've changed, that you've changed this mindset of forcing me to be exactly like you... but seems like I was wrong. Maybe the only way of showing you that I'm right is for you to see me in action, but since you never leave this area, that will never happen.

He doesn't look at him anymore. He doesn't know how his father is feeling now. He thinks that there is only anger in his eyes as it always was, but he won't look at him even if he wanted. Why would he? He just wants to leave at this point and never come back. And so he does. He opens the door but not before to say his last words. For the Leader, it was maybe the first time...

[LUK3]-...And my name is LUK3, not "LUCAS". I don't want to be associated with you, XANTH3 LUCAS.

...he ever felt guilt in his heart.

The Underground City

20:57

So, LUK3 finally manages to meet up again with his friends after the whole thing that had happened at the XANTH3 Residence. And of course, the first thing he hears is KYR4 being mad at him.

[KYR4]-Damn, two hours and a half? You sure took your time, dipshit!

[MY4]-How did it go?

[LUK3]-It went pretty well, I guess. I think I managed to solve the problem!

[N04H]-What was the problem anyway? You still didn't tell me!

[C0NNER]-...I think it's better for us to not know, N04H. If this guy says it's a problem, surely he got some huge debt to pay. Other than that, I can't think of any other explanation.

[KYR4]-Well, that still doesn't spare him from the time we've wasted just because he wanted us to come!

[RY4N]-Oh, dear Father... Just stop arguing and let's move on. At least we didn't have anything important to do. Be grateful.

[KYR4]-And who are you to tell me to be grateful? We have the same title in this base, remember? This smartass just drives me insane, don't I have the right to complain?

[RY4N]-Well, that would mean I have the right to complain about your behaviour too. And for now, I AM your superior! Oh, dear M1NERV4... Now I know how CHE5TER felt...

[LUK3]-Oh, oh! Speak of the devil, did you guys go to the bar already? I would really like to get something to drink now! Who carries me home? Hehe!

[KYR4]-Not again... You can count on the boys, LUK3! Drink as much as you want!

[C0NNER]-And what exactly did I do to deserve this punishment, hm? Surely as my superior, you are stronger than me, aren't you, Officer KYR4?

[KYR4]-Well as your superior I demand you to carry him this time! Little brat...

Even with the chaos, this is better than anything that had happened in that house. These are people that he trusts and that he knows they trust him. Sure, they don't get along every time, but they are his friends. It's normal for close friends to argue sometimes.

"...I'm LUK3, and I am a soldier from the Southeast Military Base for some good years now. It's not much to say about it though... Being a soldier has its ups and downs, having to face danger as if it's a part of your daily tasks. But I do not mind that at all. To be honest... I like this danger that I have to battle. I like being around the people that had the same fate as me, being obligated to survive this war and make our lives have a meaning. I like... being around them... as they are my friends.

Each soldier has their past, restful or painful. I cannot say mine is a bad one knowing others' pasts though... I had beautiful days during my life and I cherish these moments till the moment I die. It doesn't really matter if the people around me had changed their views on me, even if it's for my own father to be one of them. In our culture it's a saying that if we remain the same people we were before, our glory remains with us as well. And I guess, even with all the things people have told me during my life... I still didn't lose my glory yet. And I'm not thinking of giving up on it any sooner.

As for what's going to happen in my future... hard to say, actually. I'm a simple being after all, just like all the others around me. For now, I just want to focus on the life I have instead of troubling myself with not being able to find the old person I used to be one day. After all, the people around me are the best people I've met, and I wish that we will remain together for a long time. And the reason behind it..."

"...is because they are the people that let me be who I truly am."