Despite what he said about Lukas's character, the Emperor is still an honest man. He wouldn't rob him off of the things that are meant for him. Moreover, Lukas is very talented and has the right qualities to rule an empire.

"I already said no, Your Majesty,

" Lukas replied just as instantly.

He already guessed what he was talking about and readily answered like always.

'Doesn't he get tired of asking the same thing over and over again? Because I am.'

So many times he had turned down all his offers and yet the persistent emperor still can't leave him alone.

Mikhail wasn't perturbed and had ever anticipated his answer.

"If you ever change your mind then just tell me..

"

'That won't happen.' Lukas thought.

"Well, then,

" Lukas swiveled and waved his hand dismissively as if he wasn't talking to a king.

His hands are already full of other things and the throne doesn't dazzle Lukas at all. It is merely a responsibility he doesn't wish to have. Other people might fight tooth and nail for a golden throne but he wasn't like them. A throne, in his eyes, is merely a fancy uncomfortable chair.

Lukas left the study without looking back while the other two could only watch him do so.

Outside the palace, he notices the presence of Ylmer nearby and immediately thinks of Nadia.

He had sent him to watch over her before he left after all.

'She's in the palace too huh.'

As he was just thinking about it, he then felt the onslaught of familiar energy and perked up. The source of that said energy then revealed herself.

"L-Lukas! I mean, your grace,

" Nadia stammered as soon as her eyes landed on him.

Lukas didn't answer right away and just stared at the woman in front of him, more particularly at the things that were with her.

"You seem busy,

" he commented.

A bird was sitting atop her head, pecking on her once well-done hair. Another bird was on her right shoulder, tweeting away. Some butterflies had landed on her hair and left shoulder and even with her jerking around, they wouldn't come off. Behind Nadia, an army of little critters is following her closely, a few of them were even clinging on the hem of her dress.

All in all, it looked absurd.

Nadia's face flushed in response to his comment and glanced at the very much infatuated animals in embarrassment.

"Err… These… They just follow me around and I can't shake them off,

" Nadia responded sullenly.

She then tried to swat the bird off of her head but it only flew to avoid getting hit before settling down again. Nadia let out a deep sigh and stopped trying.

She had shooed them all away before but to no avail, these things still latched on her and won't budge however she tries to drive them off. This is why she stopped the futile attempts and began to feel depressed.

She can't go to the training ground looking like this! It would be a strange sight!

"You…

" Lukas trailed off, narrowing his eyes on Nadia.

Without warning, he stepped forward and shoved his face closer to hers, causing Nadia to be shocked.

"Uwah?

"

Lukas ignored the lass's flustered expression and caught her wide-opened eyes.

"You're leaking a lot of power right now. Can't you put a lid on it?

" He muttered in dissatisfaction.

Nadia, who was taken aback by his sudden move, had composed herself.

"But I don't know how!

" She cried out.

She really doesn't know! If she could, she would have done it a long time ago. In that way, she would never be fawned over by these animals and would never have this problem at all. She had ignored it before because, at the least, they would just follow her around and not cause her trouble but now...

It's not as fun as she had initially thought.

"You're pathetic,

" Lukas scoffed.

"And a handful too.

"

He can't even leave her alone without attracting some shady forces.

"Excuse me?

" Nadia blinked.

Why is she a handful?

"You walk around like this? Do you really want to attract trouble that much?

" Lukas berated as he pointed to her.

Letting out such dense powers, she's really begging for trouble, isn't she?

Nadia, who had felt like she had been wronged, frowned. She was feeling rather helpless.

'Why is he reprimanding me like this?'

"I really don't know how to control it, okay? I'm still learning.

"

She's not even aware that she's leaking out her powers. How could she? It's not like she knows or she could feel it. Nadia was truly aggrieved.

Lukas stared at the audience clinging to Nadia. Without a hint of hesitation, he raised his hand, summoned a dark flame, and shooed them. The animals, upon sensing the ominous dark flames scurried away in fright. He then threw a fireball behind her which then landed in front of the critters. Just like the others, they all ran away in terror.

Nadia saw it all and glanced at the suspect.

"You didn't have to do that.

"

A brow lifted on his face.

"You want them to linger?

"

"I mean, your method was too much.

" Those animals weren't necessarily hurting her and were just harmlessly following her around.

Lukas snickered.

Too much? That was him being generous. Normally, Lukas would just burn them all to crisps and won't let any of them get away. What Nadia said almost made him laugh.

"Do you have any other way?

"

Nadia paused. She then pouted as she looked away.

"You're scaring them though.

"

"That's the point.

" Lukas then resumed driving the animals away with his fire until there was none of them lurking around anymore.

He then looked at his hand and the flames that disappeared as soon as he willed it. He had never thought he'd ever use his flames for this menial task.

Nadia was watching in wonder as Lukas threw the fireballs with ease and without needing to chant. It was the first time that she had seen Lukas using his magic and with such precision too.

"Wow… So that's the Infernal fire,

" she whispered to herself.

Infernal fire. The thing that brings death and destruction. In the novel, Lukas had fought his enemies with this fire and none of them were able to survive it. This fire doesn't extinguish no matter what others do. And yet it was used to shake off the animals that were pestering her.