WGMFTR | Chapter 5

Episode 5

For now, she locked the store door and followed into the carriage, but she couldn’t help falling into the agony of whether this was really the right decision.

‘Is this really okay? Is this right?’

It was because she was still trapped in the question of whether all this really had to go through the means of marriage.

Even though she thought there was no other choice since the family heirloom was being held as a hostage.

She wondered if she was being excessively swayed by Marquis Esteban, who was pushing things forward with such unwavering confidence.

This kind of regret made her wonder if she should withhold a definite answer about marriage for now.

“There’s no need to rack your brain so hard.”

“Yes?”

Lydia sat across from him, staring intently only at the hands placed neatly on her knees with a serious expression. It was clear what kind of thoughts were flashing through her mind even without asking.

“I told you earlier, didn’t I? Just think simply. This is just a deal. I have something I want from you, and you can ask for compensation from me. That kind of deal.”

“……What if I can’t completely break the curse?”

In fact, what was truly troubling Lydia was this issue. What if she wasn’t skilled enough?

If she was holding onto someone who should be seeking another solution, simply out of baseless confidence.

Ilian responded in a consistently relaxed tone.

“Are you worried that you won’t get the ring?”

“That’s not what I’m asking.”

Lydia quietly shook her head. He was missing the point of her words entirely, speaking so nonchalantly like a joke.

Only then did Marquis Esteban fully look at her and still spoke indifferently.

“Either way, you’re the last hope I found.”

“But I might not be. I don’t know how far and how thoroughly you’ve investigated, but there might be someone more suitable to resolve this curse somewhere in the world.”

The slanted smile that usually masked boredom when dealing with others completely disappeared from Ilian Esteban’s face.

For some reason, it felt difficult to face the clear gaze looking up at him.

A memory from long ago suddenly surfaced—of facing such eyes.

<Do you think I can become someone as great as my brother?>

<Of course. You’ll be even greater than me.>

The one who had believed that Ilian could willingly yield the heir’s position and lead the marquisate well in his place was no longer in this world.

Only Ilian, crushed under the stifling burden of the marquis title, remained.

Feeling as if something was tightening around his throat, Ilian started to adjust his posture but instead nervously ran a hand through his hair and spoke.

“You said it yourself, didn’t you? That if you had time, you could definitely break the curse. Why are you so lacking in confidence?”

It was a reproachful remark, but his true feelings were the exact opposite.

Why do you care so much about the well-being of someone you met today? Those words rose to the tip of his tongue but were swallowed back down.

Such a statement would only be filled with unnecessary emotion.

Lydia’s calm, subdued violet eyes met his.

“Saying I think I can break it isn’t the same as having certainty. I may not be a real wizard, but I still believe a magician should take responsibility for the magic they attempt. That’s all there is to it.”

Unlike Lydia, who had never witnessed real magic as a child, her grandmother’s teachings had instilled that belief in her.

Never forget that magic is a double-edged sword, and taking responsibility for the results of your own magic is part of being a true magician.

It was also in that context that Lydia had taken on the task of running the antique shop inherited from her grandmother, erasing traces of the magic left in this world.

She felt a sense of duty that someone had to take responsibility for the spells left behind with no one to own them anymore.

‘Of course, I do make a living from it on the side.’

She hadn’t originally taken money to erase magic or dispose of items.

But when people started forcing money into her hands as a token of gratitude, she eventually decided to accept a minimum fee to keep the antique shop from closing down.

“To take responsibility for what you’re doing, huh.”

If even half of those sitting in high positions in this kingdom had just half the sense of duty this small woman before him had, his migraines would surely be far fewer.

Ilian gave up on pointing out the flaws in Lydia’s words and changed the subject.

“From the beginning, my decision wasn’t wrong. So you don’t have to worry about unnecessary things.”

“Have you never made a mistake or an error in judgment?”

“Only those who can’t even take care of themselves make those kinds of mistakes.”

The man’s arrogance pierced the sky. But somehow, that attitude suited him shockingly well.

With his legs crossed, staring out the window with an expressionless face, there was not even a trace of doubt about his own decisions.

“We’ve arrived.”

Before Lydia could continue the conversation, the carriage came to a halt.

The tightly packed old buildings and trash rolling along the ground were visible, but the familiar sight made her feel unexpectedly at ease.

“Please wait here. I’ll be right back.”

Lydia, surprisingly quickly, opened the door and left first.

Ilian, who had been about to stand up and offer a hand to help her down, could only watch her retreating figure.

The deep blue ribbon swaying atop her neatly tied-up hair caught his eye.

Something about her that insisted on holding his gaze and her unique, lively speech that oddly sparked interest fit the image of her owner well.

‘Nothing about her is ordinary.’

The corners of Ilian’s mouth lifted in a crooked smile. It wasn’t that he disliked it, but rather, he simply couldn’t get used to this strange, unfamiliar sensation that seemed to make everything feel new.

How much time had passed since Lydia disappeared through the door?

As he stared at the quiet street, he eventually stood up and stepped out of the carriage.

“Wait here.”

Indeed, simply waiting didn’t suit him. He also didn’t like following others’ instructions.

Since he had already conducted a basic investigation into Lydia’s residence, he knew there wasn’t much to see here.

Still, his steps naturally followed Lydia’s.

Climbing the low stairs and opening the front door, he saw a worn-out wooden floor and frayed carpets in a living room and kitchen that matched the building’s exterior.

Though it showed signs of daily life, there were no strong signs of a specific person’s taste, indicating it was a shared rental.

He passed through the shared space on the first floor and stepped up the stairs ahead, entering a hallway with multiple doors on the second floor, where only silence lingered.

Wondering where Lydia had disappeared to, he turned to the end of the hallway and saw a tall, steep staircase clearly leading to the attic.

Walking naturally up the creaking stairs and turning one more time, he saw a heavy wooden door at the top.

Sunlight from a spring day leaked through the crack in the open door.

“……Didi. Have you been doing okay…….”

He faintly heard a voice, as if someone was talking to someone else.

‘Who is it?’

A friend? An acquaintance? If it was someone close to Lydia, he thought he should get a grasp of them, so he gently pushed the door open.

Then he saw Lydia holding a bundle of pure white fur.

“Sorry. I have to move for a bit…… Oh, Marquis?”

Looking more closely, the bundle wasn’t just fur, but a cat as white as snow.

“This is the cat I mentioned earlier. Her name is Didi. Isn’t she pretty?”

Whether or not she was pretty, he didn’t like it. But to the woman smiling so brightly while asking, he couldn’t bring himself to say she couldn’t bring a shedding animal into the mansion.

It wasn’t for nothing that he had a reputation for being a sharp-tongued marquis. Even when his beloved niece had begged and pleaded to bring her puppy, he had firmly said no.

But now, the faint smile hovering at the corner of this brown-haired woman’s lips—he thought it would be a shame if it disappeared, so he stayed silent.

Like coaxing a child, Lydia hugged the cat tightly and looked around with a sigh.

“I packed the basic clothes and books, but I’m worried because I have way more stuff than I thought.”

“Leave the rest to someone else. If you’re ready, let’s go.”

Ilian, who had been staring quietly at Lydia, finally snapped out of it and spoke.

“Oh. Just a moment. I can’t just carry Didi out like this.”

Then Lydia did something from Ilian’s perspective that was truly outrageous. She suddenly pushed the cat into his arms.

“You’ll be seeing each other often from now on, so try to get along. She’s super gentle and loves people, so you don’t need to worry.”

He ended up holding the cat awkwardly, though the only times he had been near animals were watching his father’s hunting dogs from a distance or occasionally stroking the mane of a horse he rode.

So even just holding a cat felt awkward.

As expected, the warm living creature in his arms felt uncomfortable and wiggled with a meow.

But just as Lydia said, the cat was surprisingly calm.

Lydia came back holding a picnic-like basket from somewhere, chuckled at how ridiculous he looked, and came closer.

“If you hold her like that, even Didi won’t like it. Should we go in here for a bit? I know, you don’t like it. Just bear with it for a second.”

As she reached to take the cat back, the glove on his hand slipped, revealing his wrist, and again, their bare skin touched.

Again, that perfect sense of liberation returned.

But the pain that started in his left arm and pierced through his entire body also returned the moment Lydia stepped back.

Ilian stood completely frozen in place. Lydia, focused on placing the cat safely into the basket, seemed completely unaware of the change in his expression.