Reincarnated as Twins: And Then, I Was the Only One Abandoned - ☆49 A Life-or-Death Mission

☆49 A Life-or-Death Mission 

After three attempts, Lucian finally passed the entrance exam for the Valford Knights. The new year had already begun. The exam had taken place under the feeble sunlight of midwinter. Which allowed him to push through the physical endurance test. Had it been held in the scorching summer heat, he might have given up. 

Even after joining, harsh training awaited him. However, in these times of economic hardship and scarce job opportunities, the high salary and stable life offered by the Valford Knights were undeniably appealing to young people. 

Lucian’s ability, “Charm”, was not simply a power that dominated those with weaker mana than his own. Rather, it depended heavily on compatibility. 

After testing it on a few individuals whose reactions wouldn’t cause trouble if discovered, he noticed a common pattern among those who were susceptible. 

He now understood what kind of people were most affected by his ability. 

◆◆◆

The knights’ campaign continued. 

After purging the royal family and military leaders of the kingdom, Alexis showed no signs of slowing down. His attention soon turned to the neighboring territories, where he brought one knight order after another under his control. He placed his most loyal confidants at the top of each domain. 

His advance was like a raging storm—unstoppable. 

And now, that dark hand was reaching toward Celestia. 

“Hmm… This is turning into something seriously dangerous.” 

Even lower-ranking members like Lucian were kept informed about the Valford Knights’ movements. The fact that information was so thoroughly shared was a testament to the group’s unified purpose. 

But to Lucian, it felt eerie—as if the knights were nothing more than mindless puppets. They moved solely by command. 

“Huh? Dangerous? What’s wrong?” 

The moment he realized someone had overheard him, his heart nearly stopped. 

However, when he turned around, he saw Dami, a fellow recruit. 

With his big, round eyes gleaming with curiosity, Dami peered at him expectantly. 

“No, it’s nothing. Forget it.” 

Lucian locked eyes with Dami. His gaze sharpened with a subtle yet undeniable force. 

For a moment, Dami’s expression went blank—then, as if suddenly snapping out of a daze, he frowned in confusion. 

“Huh? What was I just doing…?” 

“You were probably just lost in thought while walking. You were concentrating pretty hard—what were you thinking about?” 

“Was I…? Huh… I don’t remember.” 

Dami tilted his head, his face clouded with uncertainty. 

He was the first person Lucian had experimented on with his “Charm”—and it had worked perfectly. 

Dami had clung to him ever since the entrance exam. And Lucian suspected he might have some kind of attraction toward him. If the charm failed, he figured he could talk his way out of it. 

Since then, he had been using Dami as a personal errand boy. He was making him run all sorts of tasks. 

There was something about Lucian’s appearance that unsettled even straight men. 

His shimmering golden hair, his sculpted, statuesque features, and the seductive smile that graced his lips. They all exuded an irresistible allure. 

His slender, delicate frame looked so fragile that it seemed as if it would break with just a firm embrace. 

Back when he lived in the Elysia Autonomous Region, he had been completely unaware of his own charm. 

But now… 

He was starting to understand—this mysterious force that pulled people toward him. 

And even dangerous figures weren’t immune. 

One such person was the black-haired man with an unkempt beard—General Sinhar. 

He was known by the alias “The Bloodblossom Hemomancer”. But Lucian knew little about his actual abilities. 

What he did know, however, was that the overwhelming mana radiating from Sinhar made the difference in their power painfully clear. 

The man was on a completely different level. 

“Hey, Lucian. How’s life treating you?” 

Despite his rough appearance, the black-haired general carried a peculiar charisma. He exuded an effortless allure as he greeted Lucian in a casual tone. 

“General Sinhar. Thanks to you, I’m living a peaceful life.” 

Lucian had always found it odd—would someone in Sinhar’s position really bother remembering the name of a mere recruit he had barely interacted with? 

Looking around, he saw no one else nearby. 

‘Let’s test this a little.’ 

“Dami, on the other hand, doesn’t even have time to rest.” 

“Dami? Who’s that?” 

‘Just as I thought.

It’s worth a try.’

But— 

The risk of failure was too great. 

Would it even work, despite the vast difference in power between them? 

If he failed, he’d likely be beheaded on the spot. 

His gaze flickered to the sword strapped to the general’s left hip. Its razor-sharp presence sent a chill down his spine. There was no doubt—it was a blade that could be drawn in an instant. 

Failure was not an option. 

“…Ah, he’s my fellow recruit.” 

Lucian smoothly continued the conversation. 

“Apparently, he’s always busy running errands—seems like he’s constantly being asked to do things.” 

Though, of course, Lucian himself was the one dumping all those tasks on him. 

“Well, that’s part of the job for new recruits.” 

Sinhar responded lightly. He stepped closer and casually draped an arm over Lucian’s shoulder. 

A faint smile played on his lips, and the scent of fine cologne filled the air. 

“But if anyone starts pushing useless chores onto you, let me know.” 

His deep voice murmured right beside Lucian’s ear. 

‘Should I do it?’ 

His heartbeat skyrocketed. 

“Hm? What’s wrong? Your pulse just sped up.” 

Sinhar asked, watching him with intrigued amusement. 

“Ah… It’s just that being this close makes me nervous.” 

“Hah. We’re both men—what’s there to be nervous about?” 

Sinhar chuckled, staring directly into Lucian’s eyes. 

But there was a sharp, probing intensity behind his gaze. 

‘Now——!’ 

Instinct took over. 

Lucian activated “Charm”. 

“?” 

Sinhar tilted his head slightly. 

“Something wrong?” 

Lucian forced himself to stay calm. Though the tension was enough to make him lightheaded. 

“No, it’s nothing.” 

But— 

There was no visible change in Sinhar’s demeanor. 

Which was it? 

Had it worked, or had he failed? 

His heartbeat quickened further, his vision blurring slightly. 

‘Calm down.’ 

He ordered himself to stay composed, carefully choosing his words. 

“I appreciate your concern. Hypothetically—” 

He paused, watching Sinhar’s reaction. 

Nothing. 

No noticeable shift. 

“Hypothetically?” 

“If there were someone mistreating me unfairly…… and I asked you to eliminate them—” 

Lucian watched him closely again. 

Still nothing. 

“Would you take care of them for me, General?” 

At that, Sinhar’s lips curled into a grin. 

“Of course.” 

‘—I don’t know. 

Did it work? 

Or did he simply find the ability too insignificant to care?’ 

Cold sweat trickled down Lucian’s back. 

Pushing any further in this moment would be far too dangerous— 

And the overwhelming presence of the black-haired general made that fact painfully clear.