"Such a pity," Lucius said, flipping through a book.
"If he hadn't noticed my intent, I might've taken him down instead of letting him slip away."
Before other Campiones, Lucius's standout abilities were his worldview—a potent but heavily restricted trump card—and process-skipping.
But against someone like the Black Prince with Divine Speed, it came down to reaction time and agility.
And that was assuming a direct confrontation.
In Lucius's view, Alexander Gascoigne's personality was the most admirable among Campiones.
Like others, he acted on his own will, but unlike the reckless majority, he planned carefully, weighing consequences.
If he were this world's so-called protagonist, he'd outshine certain others.
In some ways, his temperament mirrored Lucius's.
Among Campiones, he might not be the strongest, but as an enemy, he'd likely be the toughest.
So, in Lucius's mind, seizing the right moment to crush him was ideal.
After all, this Grail-obsessed Devil King wouldn't consider Lucius's interests when pursuing his goal.
That could disrupt many of Lucius's plans.
Thus, neutralizing him early, as with Doni, was the best move.
But letting him escape now made future confrontations trickier.
Lucius wished others besides himself could be a bit braver—or rather, more reckless.
"You showed hostility outright. Isn't that already a declaration of enmity?" Mozlis asked.
"No, not quite," Lucius replied, flipping a page, his tone enigmatic. "He has bigger priorities. As long as I don't directly obstruct him, he won't target me first."
"But if I truly hinder his goal, he'll likely go all out to neutralize me. Then, a reckless, unscrupulous Campione would be a real headache."
He set the book down, picking up another.
"Showing hostility or attempting a sneak attack won't make him drop the Grail to focus on me. It's not worth the risk for him."
"Such a complicated way of thinking," Mozlis remarked after a pause.
"When raw power can't crush everything, you think more," Lucius said evenly, eyes on the book. "His personality is exactly why I—"
"Showed hostility without fear of immediate retaliation."
"Against a reckless, calculating powerhouse, I'd ensure a one-shot victory."
Though Alexander wasn't exactly virtuous, his cautious nature made him exploitable.
Lucius felt no guilt bullying him—only a touch of satisfaction.
The book in his hands wasn't a grimoire but a history of physics.
Yes, despite Heretic Gods and magic, this world's physics thrived.
So did biology, chemistry, and more.
From available books, academic progress mirrored his original world: Greek philosophers, heliocentrism versus geocentrism, evolution, classical physics, and quantum mechanics.
But mage association records revealed hidden truths.
For instance, Isaac Newton's late-life fascination with alchemy stemmed from real contact with the occult.
Some believed quantum mechanics' quirks were due to mystical influences.
Though the supernatural existed, the surface world dismissed it as superstition.
Lucius wondered if his original world was similar.
"I should visit a museum to check fossils," He mused.
In the hidden world, opinions varied, much like Mozlis's talk of the multiverse.
Some saw fossils as divine tricks to fool mortals.
Regardless, Lucius wanted to see for himself.
To alter reality with his worldview, his own worldview needed stability.
A real, consistent world, free of flaws, could aid him.
Thus, studying this world's magic and science was to truly understand it.
"Mozlis, do you know what lies at the end of this path?" Lucius asked.
"There is no end," The demon loli replied, swinging her legs, her face slightly squished by her hand.
"Just keep walking."
"Until our contract ends, I'll watch you go on."
"And before that, whether you like it or not, I won't let your life end."
Her soft voice carried a chilling edge.
She licked her fingertip, her dark golden vertical pupils glinting.
"Since I've acknowledged our pact, I won't let you fall short of fulfilling it, no matter your wishes."
"Sounds terrifying," Lucius said, eyes on his book, a faint smile on his lips. "Then it's a deal."
He felt the magical heart Mozlis crafted in his chest, beating steadily, pulsing mana.
His hand reached for the bottle.
"Since that's the case— given our relationship, you helping me out more shouldn't be an issue, right?"
"Huh?" Mozlis's voice mixed confusion and shock.
***
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