Edelmar snorted.
“Are you serious?”
I thought they had gained his favor, but it seemed like they still hadn’t caught Edelmar’s attention.
Ian shook his head.
“And what about the two of them?”
“Claude seems to have gotten a grasp, but William is still clueless.”
Ian stroked his chin.
“Is it because of their age?”
“One can’t deny that possibility.”
The more experience one has, the better it is for climbing walls, but when it comes to creating auras, the younger, the better. It’s easier to perceive and control mana when you’re young.
“How is Lachik?”
“I’m on my way to see her now. Are you coming along?”
Lachik was someone who feared men.
If Edelmar, with his imposing build, were to go along with Ian, who already intimidated her, it would make it impossible to have a proper conversation; Lachik might just tremble in fear.
“Yes.”
Ian shrugged his shoulders. He figured that if Lachik started shaking, they’d just leave.
Just as Ian was about to knock on Lachik’s door, they overheard Rose’s loud voice through the slightly ajar door.
“That’s right! The spirit of illusion! That’s it!”
“Oh.”
Ian covered his eyes with his hand.
‘Rose.’
“Was it a spirit that was with Rose?”
“Have you ever seen Er?”
The energy of emptiness that destroyed everything and the pure energy of the spirit were opposites.
Since Edelmar arrived at the duke’s castle, Ermenia disliked his emptiness and stayed near Rose without materializing.
When had Edelmar seen Er, who even refused to materialize while sleeping?
In response to Ian’s questioning look, Edelmar replied.
“Rose bragged about it.”
‘Ah.’
A sigh escaped Ian.
“However, she didn’t mention it was a spirit.”
“…Because I told her not to.”
Feeling a headache coming on, Ian sighed deeply.
“I’ll explain it in detail later.”
Ian knocked on the open door and entered.
“Uncle!”
Ian, who had just embraced the running Rose, looked over at Lachik, who immediately lowered her head.
“Miss Lachik.”
“Yes? Yes.”
“Please forget what Rose just said.”
Lachik looked up with a start.
Though still frightened, her posture showed that she didn’t understand why she had to forget.
But Ian had no intention of explaining the details to an outsider.
“Feel free to stay at the duke’s castle as long as you wish. If you need anything, you can ask the maid. Should you wish to leave the castle, let me know.”
“Oh…”
Lachik lowered her head again.
Ian took out a magic stone from his inventory.
“Fenrex.”
He handed the stone to Fenrex, who came over quickly.
“Give this to Miss Lachik.”
Lachik’s eyes widened as she received the fist-sized magic stone.
“This is your compensation.”
“I, I haven’t done anything.”
Since coming to the duke’s castle, all Lachik had done was read the magic book in the room assigned to her.
She had never done anything that warranted receiving such a gift.
As Lachik hesitated while holding the magic stone, Ian spoke.
“It’s the payment for the seeds.”
“B-but… that, that…”
“The seeds you gave us are growing well. The ones we’ve planted will become seeds for planting next winter, providing food for the people of the territory.”
Lachik’s eyes widened as she looked down at the magic stone.
“This magic stone is your compensation for helping solve the food shortage in the duchy. Thank you for giving us the seeds on behalf of the people.”
Tears started to fall from Lachik’s eyes.
“Let’s go.”
Just as Ian was about to turn around while holding Rose, she started to squirm in his arms.
“Rose?”
“Put me down, Uncle. Put me down.”
“Hold on.”
When Ian carefully set Rose down, she quickly ran over to Lachik and took her hand.
“Sister, don’t cry, okay?”
At Rose’s kind words, the magic stone slipped from Lachik’s grasp and rolled away.
Seeing Lachik cover her face and cry, Rose wrapped her small arms around her.
“Shh, it’s okay. Don’t cry.”
Rose gently patted Lachik’s back, comforting her like a child.
Edelmar patted Ian’s shoulder and gestured for them to step outside.
Ian looked between Rose and the sobbing Lachik, sighed, and then left the room.
“You seem skilled at comforting people who cry.”
“…I didn’t know either.”
Not everyone knows how to comfort a crying person.
It’s normal not to know what to do when you encounter it for the first time.
But Rose was skillfully comforting an adult much larger than herself.
‘…Marianne.’
There was only one person close enough to Rose to comfort her when she was rejected by the villagers.
“Tsk.”
Edelmar clicked his tongue, whether he was thinking the same thing or just feeling sorry for Rose.
“Why are you keeping that woman around?”
“Because Rose wants it.”
Ian’s plan to keep his magic hidden was over.
The only thing that needed to be known was that a mage had stayed at the duke’s castle. Ian had initially planned to let her go as soon as his work was done.
But Rose wanted her to stay.
“I don’t want sister Lachik to leave. I really, really like her.”
If his beloved niece wanted the mage, of course, he had to help.
“Hmm. Is my position in jeopardy?”
Ian looked baffled.
“Why are you looking at me like that? I was the only adult friend she had.”
Ian shook his head and quickened his pace.
But Edelmar, with his long legs, easily caught up to Ian and asked,
“Do you think the mage won’t leave?”
“Who knows.”
“What are you going to do?”
Rose wanted the mage to stay at the duke’s castle. He could let her stay, but if she wanted to leave, not even a duke could stop her.
“It’s easy to tempt a mage.”
“With magic stones?”
“Yes.”
Mages could control mana, but the amount they could handle was limited.
That’s why they used magic stones as a supplementary method.
Magic stones not only provided a stable source of mana, but they also helped mages break through their limits, making them extremely valuable to mages.
“Hmm. Isn’t that a waste?”
Ian stopped and looked back at Edelmar.
“What is?”
“If you used the magic stone you just gave the mage, you could hire a powerful mage to melt the frozen lands of the north. Lachik may be a mage, but she only knows a few spells and has very little mana. If you need a mage, wouldn’t it be better to hire someone else?”
Ian chuckled.
“It seems you didn’t listen to what I said earlier. Giving the magic stone to Lachik was indeed her payment.”
“…For the seeds?”
“Yes. Hiring a mage to melt the northern lands is good for now. But how long will that last?”
“If you have magic stones, the Magic Tower would welcome you.”
“Grand Duke, it’s best not to gamble with your life.”
At first, the Magic Tower would obediently send a mage.
But once the duke’s castle got used to melting the land and securing crops, the cunning Magic Tower would surely turn its back.
Then the ones who would suffer the most would be the people of the duchy.
It’s easy to go from poverty to luxury, but it’s hard to bear going from luxury back to poverty.
The people who had already enjoyed a plentiful winter after melting the land wouldn’t be able to endure a return to poverty.
The Magic Tower would take advantage of their desperation, and the duchy, caught by the throat, would have no choice but to comply with their demands.
Ian didn’t want that outcome.
Even if they secured wealth and declared independence, it wouldn’t be complete independence.
It would just mean handing the leash to someone else.
“…I see.”
Edelmar nodded.
“The independence I seek is not just about breaking away from the Empire. I want to create a place where the people of the duchy can live without being swayed by any power. That’s what I desire.”
“Is my brother pressuring the duchy?”
“No.”
Edelmar’s brother, who is the current Emperor, wasn’t an ideal ruler but was still a decent ruler. He was trying to maintain the Empire in the same state as he had inherited from the previous Emperor.
It wasn’t exactly a golden age, but the citizens of the Empire thought it was a good place to live.
“Then why? Why seek independence?”
‘It’s because of the Crown Prince… because of your nephew.’
Ian swallowed the words he couldn’t say and responded nonchalantly.
“Do you need a reason to seek independence?”
“From what I’ve seen of you, you wouldn’t do something without a reason.”
Ian, who had been wearing an unexpected expression, replied.
“I want my niece to live comfortably.”
“What?”
“I don’t want her to become a victim of power struggles. I want her to live a life full of laughter and happiness, without any worries.”
“That’s what independence is about?”
“Yes.”
Ian’s face hardened with determination.
“The title of Duke is the highest rank among the nobility, but with just one word from the Emperor, it can fall to the lowest position, can’t it?”
“……”
Ian turned to look out the window.
The winter sky outside was clear and transparent, just like winter skies should be.
“I want to give Rose a solid foundation, not one that can be shaken by someone’s word.”
“I see.”
“I’m glad you understand.”
Ian looked at Edelmar, who seemed lost in thought, and then said,
“We still have some time. Would you like to spar?”
“That sounds good.”
Edelmar, snapping back to attention at the word ‘spar,’ smiled broadly.
“Are you planning to keep the seal on today as well?”
“Yes.”
“What if I give you a permit to kill?”
“No, thank you.”
What good would a permit to kill be if the person who issued it ends up dead?
Especially when the Emperor, who cherishes his younger brother, would never acknowledge such a permit from a deceased person.
“That’s unfortunate.”
“Win first before you say that.”
As Ian spoke, Edelmar suppressed a bitter laugh.
At that moment, May, who had apparently rushed back from the capital, came running with disheveled hair.
“Duke!! Something terrible has happened!!”
