Chapter 152
Valar jerked his head sharply as the three of them began to talk.
“Anything to clear up?”
“Quite a bit, if you don’t mind my playful lord.”
Valar narrowed his eyes at Mehen’s snide remark.
“Mehen, are you underpaid?”
“No, the working conditions suck.”
“Oh.”
The veins in Mehen’s temples bulge as he looked at Valar, who smirked, as if he couldn’t help it, but he could barely contain himself.
‘Come on, if this turns into a three-way fight, it’s only good for him.’
When Valar remained blatantly uncooperative, Mehen pulled out his last resort.
“Arellin.”
“…!”
“I’m going to…”
There was no point in making a scene. Just saying Arelin’s name was enough.
Valar’s face crumpled in disbelief as Mehen looked on, smiling serenely.
“How dastardly of you.”
“Who started the shenanigans?”
Mehen, who had suddenly calmed down, now that he’d gotten rid of the embarrassing family bully, looked at the other with a more relaxed expression.
Much to his relief, Ludwig, whom he had expected to be a formidable opponent on Valar’s level, remained cooperative and demure, contrary to his preconceived notions.
That alone increased Mehen’s favorable opinion of the regent.
“Now, may we get down to business?”
“Yes, as you wish, Regent.”
Ludwig turned to face Valar.
“Archduke Halbern, take over the troops on the border.”
“I refuse.”
“And now you see no reason to keep them there, do you?”
Valar smirked and crossed his legs.
“Well, I’ll bite you when you get out of here.”
Ludwig snorted.
“You think that’s going to turn me off?”
“Yeah.”
“…”
Their gazes clashed in the air. Not quite as murderous as before, as if they were going to hack someone to pieces, but still fiery.
Mehen sighed at the conversation going nowhere.
‘These people.’
Finally, Mehen spoke up.
“My Lord, the late Emperor of Albrecht the Great has expressed a desire to hear a report on this matter in person.”
“Ah, yes?”
“You’ve been avoiding him, citing Arellin’s health as an excuse, but now that he’s recovered, you have no more excuse, and I encourage you to come quickly.”
“And while you’re at it, get some medical history.”
“Yes.”
Valar smiled, the corners of his mouth tugging at the corners of his eyes, but the pressure was not lost on Mehen.
‘How much money does it cost to pay for an entire army?’
One down, one to go.
Taking the data from Dylan, Mehen looked at Ludwig this time.
“Regent, what about international lawsuits? The Kingdom of Lemren has demanded my attendance at a trial over Arel’s custody.”
Ludwig’s expression crumpled subtly.
“I will settle that case on my terms.”
“Why would you obey?”
Valar sneered, which Ludwig and Mehen neatly ignored.
“I will be traveling to the Kingdom of Lemren myself soon.”
“We appreciate your sincerity, but is it necessary for you to travel there yourself?”
“I have business to attend to here as well.”
“Well, if you say so.”
Mehen nodded, looking more relaxed now that his two most pressing problems were solved.
“So you’re still staying in Albrecht, then?”
“Is there a problem?”
“Well, until there is, I don’t think there will be a problem.”
It bothered Mehen’s conscience that he was staying so long in Halbern with only a single annex to call his own, when even the imperial palace was supposed to give him special treatment.
‘It doesn’t matter, as long as you’re happy.’
Ludwig stared at Mehen.
The commoner’s genius aide, the Archduke of Halbern’s right-hand man, the Archduke’s deputy.
The man who had reorganized everything in Halbern since Valar succeeded him as Archduke of Halbern.
Because of this, he had lost many of the eyes that had been watching over the House of Halbern, so meeting him in person was a special treat.
‘I can’t believe that the ‘mom’ who kept saying she wanted to see was Sir Mehen.’
It still doesn’t make sense that such a figure would suddenly become Arellin’s mom.
‘Well, when you’re young, you want to play with your family.’
The Regent was simply envious. Especially with Arellin’s absolute adoration.
“Why are you suddenly looking at my Mehen like that? Look away.”
Ludwig asked as he glanced over at Archduke Halbern, who was making another childish comment.
“What exactly is the relationship between you two?”
“Just lord and subject.”
Mehen replied.
Mehen’s efforts to shut him up quickly in case he spouted some other nonsense didn’t work.
“Mehen is…”
Valar said, the corners of his mouth curling up smoothly.
“Family.”
Mehen pressed Valar with a look in his eyes that said, ‘What bullshit, Im not even on the family register.’
“We may not be related by blood, but we did raise a child together.”
“…”
“Isn’t that right, honey?”
“Do you want to die?”
Mehen clenched his fists and then touched his forehead with a sigh. For a moment, was unable to contain his emotions and reacted again. Valar chuckled in amusement.
Mehen turned to Ludwig.
“Please ignore My Lord’s nonsense.”
“I’m afraid not, sir.”
“If you keep coming out like this, My Lord, I won’t stand for it.”
“What kind of way have I come out?”
“You’re going to die.”
“In your hands, I’d be happy to die.”
“Die, die, die!”
The office went to hell in a handbasket.
Ludwig’s jaw clenched as he watched Mehen chase Valar with a fountain pen and Valar dodge and dodge.
‘Such a bitey relationship.’
“Mmh.”
Mehen had drawn the line first, but Valar didn’t care if there was a line or not. Ludwig could see the complexity of their relationship, more than just lord and subject.
It was a far cry from the hierarchical atmosphere of Locke Castle, where the hierarchy was cut like a knife.
Ludwig felt pity for Valar, who showed no majesty as an Archduke, but he was also shocked that someone could be so comfortable with him.
His behavior doesn’t change the fact that he is the Archduke of Halbern, and all the vassals and servants of the House are in his absolute service.
“Shadow.”
“Yes, My Lord.”
“In the meantime, I must claim Arellin. Where is Arellin now?”
“…”
The Shadow was at a loss for words for a moment, but soon regained his composure.
“I will take you there.”
***
Matap.
The starry-eyed wizards were sighing heavily, making the already dark atmosphere of the tower even darker.
The reason was this.
“How did we prepare for this?”
“I was prepared to get my ass kicked by Master…”
“I can’t believe we lost a player.”
In the short span of a few short days, they had spent an overwhelming amount of magical talent preparing for Arellin’s abduction, and it had failed.
“The castle was a mess…”
“The lack of security was due to the absence of Regent Locke.”
The wizards, who had been informed that Archduke Halbern had gone undercover with a few of his knights first, and had taken Arellin with him, struck the ground.
The distraught wizards attempted to enter Halbern.
“Breaking news, Lady Arellin has fallen!”
“What?!”
The wizards barely managed to compose themselves as the news hit them like a blow to the head.
“The healer who was summoned to Halbern Mansion says that Lady Arellin has fallen very ill, but she is recovering!”
“Is she weak?”
“Does she have a pre-existing condition?”
“Judging from the records of her periodic visits to the healer, I’d say she has an ailment, but what is it?”
The mages had never been interested in the world, but for once, they sat together and read the records of the healers they had stolen with their magic.
“I can’t tell from this. I’d have to see it in person to realize how serious it is.”
“But none of us can use healing magic, can we?”
“Master can use it, can’t he?”
“Eh? Speaking of which, where is Master?”
Everyone scratched their heads as the whereabouts of the envied archmage became a topic of conversation.
“Didn’t he go into the library?”
“Library?”
The Wizard’s Library, also known as the Infinite Library.
The infinite library, which could be considered another world, was itself one of the mysteries of the Magic Tower.
“Doesn’t that mean we won’t be seeing him for a while?”
“Rather well.”
Everyone welcomed the absence of the only thing that could keep the star wizard in check.
Then.
“Attention all, we have a message from Halbern!”
“Ohhhh.”
“Read it quickly!”
A reply to the ‘polite request for a visit’ they had sent.
“Huh? They want me to come?”
