【Chapter 30】
‘Ramande, does that impression come out when you look at my clothes?’
It’s an era where clothes are practically equivalent to revealing one’s social status. While I didn’t dress up in a lavish manner like attending a grand party, the fabric itself was unmistakably different from that of commoners.
He was so oblivious that I wondered if he had ever seen a noble up close, so I couldn’t find any words to say, and even the thought vanished from my mind.
As I swiftly filled in the paper with the intention of supporting Palos, a long shadow loomed over my head.
“Hooh, did Judith have such a grown-up daughter? You look just like your father.”
‘Who do you think you are, calling our mother’s name like that?’
When I looked up, there stood a middle-aged man who appeared kind. His beard, extending from his chin, looked neatly trimmed and quite stylish, not at all messy.
“I am the youngest daughter of Grand Duchess Karinen. Who are you?”
“Hohoo, and you’re the youngest, too. Time has passed so quickly. I am just a passing magician… Let me see.”
While he was looking at the documents, I glanced briefly toward the counter. Suddenly, the employee stood up stiffly, with a stern expression on his face.
‘Judging by his demeanor, the claim of being a passing magician was probably a joke. Are you a professor?’
“Hoho, Palos. He was a student I noticed during the exams. I wondered if a commoner like him could get admitted… Well, well. It seems he has found a sponsor. That’s a fortunate turn of events.”
Whether it was because the magician pretended to know him or not, the employee obediently accepted the documents without further hesitation.
‘Other faculty members wouldn’t behave like this, right?’
As someone who became a sponsor for Palos, albeit with a sudden decision, I became interested in the operational state of the magic school.
‘Just try to bully that child. I’ll give you an even bigger dose of bullying.’
At that very next moment, another thought crossed my mind and passed by.
‘Oh my. That thought just now, it feels too villainous, doesn’t it?’
I shouldn’t be like this. I should focus on good thoughts, positive thoughts!
“What are you doing, Minuelle?”
“Oh, nothing.”
Shaking my head, I quickly followed behind Ramande, who had already reached the front entrance.
“You’ve been standing there absentmindedly. Are you sure your ankle is okay?”
“Even if it is, let’s go home now!”
It was when I exerted more strength than usual to reassure worried Ramande that we stepped outside the main gate and set foot on the ground.
Crack!
In the midst of winter, with a sound resembling the cracking of a frozen lake, the air around us changed.
“Minuelle.”
Ramande grabbed my arm, his tightly clenched hand revealing how tense he was.
Given the amount of time we had spent together, I could read Ramande’s intentions from his expression alone, but I cut him off decisively, refusing his words.
“Don’t tell me to stay behind you.”
He was not even a knight but just an ordinary priest, why would you ask me to stay behind you?
However, as I carefully looked around, nothing was waiting for us except for the carriage. There were no sudden appearances of someone wielding a sword or any other unexpected events.
“Is it just my imagination?”
I murmured with the hope that it would be the case, but Ramande immediately denied it.
“No. I felt it, too.”
That’s true.
I nodded my head and pressed the knight’s pager. However, despite the fact that everyone should be nearby, no one seemed to appear. It was surprisingly empty around, even though it was still early for people to disappear completely.
“Let’s go back home for now.”
“Yeah, okay.”
As Ramande opened the carriage door and hesitated, I followed behind him, feeling flustered. But just as I was about to do so, someone appeared to obstruct us. It was someone who had suddenly appeared in the very spot where there was no one just a moment ago.
“If it were me, I wouldn’t get on that carriage.”
“…Passing magician?”
“Hohoho. My name is Brasidas.”
Finally, the brown-bearded magician, Brasidas, revealed his name. He produced a long staff from somewhere and tapped it on the ground twice.
Thump, thump.
As soon as a dull sound echoed.
Bang!
The carriage, which had closed with an eerie force, slowly began to move.
“Uh….?”
Tak, Tak
The sound of hoofbeats quickly transformed into the sound of galloping, and in an instant, a black passage-like structure appeared in front of it, swallowing the carriage with a gulp before vanishing. A shiver ran down my spine.
‘No, what kind of underworld bus is that?’
My legs trembled sweetly. I’m not even a successor to any throne, and yet such a threat sneaked up on me while I let my guard down!
In the midst of catching my breath, the oppressive air that had weighed us down gradually lightened, and I began to hear the voices of startled knights.
“My lady!”
“Priest!”
Our ‘real’ carriage and knights were right behind Ramande and me. It truly felt like being possessed by a ghost.
“I was surprised because it seemed like you couldn’t hear us no matter how much we called out. It was as if there was an obstruction preventing us from approaching. But then the magician appeared…”
Finally, I regained my composure and expressed gratitude to the magician.
“Thank you, Magician Brasidas. Would you like to come to our house together? My mother will be delighted.”
“Hehe, no need for that.”
“But you’ve done us a favor…”
“Since you’ve admitted the student I wanted as my first disciple, it’s enough.”
His deep green eyes, which had been bent the whole time, looked at me as if piercing through me.
“The spark is growing. From now on, you must be even more careful, young patron.”
“…..!”
I wondered if the magician could see what was embedded within me.
However, I couldn’t figure out what to ask, so I hesitated, and at that moment, Brasidas tapped my shoulder a couple of times before leaving.
“See you again.”
What?
‘Ah, was he telling me to come to the enrollment ceremony?’
It was a moment when my thoughts suddenly changed, as I had never considered showing up at such a school event before.
‘I need to talk to the magician.’
I tried to become a nosy aunt, but it was a complete failure. As I sat in the carriage, awkwardly scratching my cheek, Ramande remained silent and then apologized.
“I’m sorry, Minuelle.”
“Huh? What?”
“If it weren’t for that person, we would have gotten into that carriage.”
Somehow, I sensed that something was bothering Ramande as he remained silent. His face had turned pale, and his hand clenched into a tight fist on his knee, trembling uncontrollably.
“I told you to get on the carriage, and if you ended up being taken to a strange place because of me….”
Ramande remained silent, biting his lips tightly. His pale skin had lost its natural color. It had been a long time since I had seen him so shaken. Honestly, I was a bit scared myself, but I didn’t want Ramande to feel sorry.
“Hey, there’s no need to be upset over something that didn’t happen.”
I actually got Esadien into a trap, but….
“Huh? Ramande.”
I shifted to the side and playfully poked Ramande’s cheek, but his expression remained serious. I deliberately chuckled and begged.
“If you’re really sorry, please don’t tell my family about today’s incident.”
“What about the knights you called?”
“Well, it wasn’t a big deal. If anyone asks, just say it was a mistake.”
“You seem to be taking the situation too lightly.”
Ah, that sounds disappointing.
“Ramande.”
I tightly held his hand and let out a sigh as I spoke.
“There are few people who take this matter as seriously as I do.”
Who else could there be, besides the masked assassins, to do such things to me or a group of people? The more I pondered, the more it felt like Esadien’s words about the Second Prince targeting me could become a reality. And at the same time, I also worried if he was okay.
“Alright, I won’t say anything about it.”
Ramande finally nodded as he looked at my face, where all traces of laughter had vanished.
“Okay.”
I immediately opened the window and spoke to the knight who approached me.
“I’m going to the Third Prince Palace. Leave only the minimum number of people behind and return.”
“….All right, my lady.”
While the knight followed my order without question, Ramande was different.
“At this hour?”
The sky was already tinged with purple.
“This is why I’m going.”
Even if Esadien was absent all day, he would return in the evening.
“This matter is also related to the Prince. That’s why.”
I not only had concerns but also harbored suspicions that Lafesch was up to something, but I kept those thoughts to myself and tactfully concealed them. Visiting twice a day had already surpassed any sense of embarrassment.
‘If it’s frustrating enough for you to feel that way, then it’s enough.’
I witnessed such scenes earlier, you know. Even though I tried to believe, deep down, my patience had run out a long time ago. Esadien should have been grateful to me for not eating or sleeping in the Palace.
💧
The northern magic district was even gloomier than the southern one. While it was difficult to find certain things in the southern magic district, here in the north, as long as you found the right sellers, you could acquire them.
As always, Esadien followed behind Lafesch, wearing a black hood. Lafesch, in turn, would wander from one shop to another, sometimes looking for someone and asking the shop owners questions, but with little success.
‘It seems that this time His Majesty had unwarranted suspicions.’
Esadien sighed heavily and rubbed his forehead, clearly showing signs of fatigue. Despite his efforts not to dwell on it, the image of Minuelle, who had been with the Ramande, kept popping into his mind. The sight of Ramaned, without his priestly robes, leaning affectionately against each other like any other couple, lingered in his thoughts.
‘Even though I am following His Majesty’s order, what is this…’
Esadien kicked his tongue and raised his head. At that moment, Lafesch was pocketing a small fistful of coins given by the shop owner and their eyes met.
“Ah.”
“….”
“Ah, well. Let’s, let’s move on to the next shop.”
Lafesch walked briskly past Esadien, looking surprised, and strode away.
‘Was it an intentional act to show such surprise?’
“Love requires a push and pull. Don’t contact first.”
“Meeting every day can get boring. It’s necessary to keep some things hidden in a romantic relationship.”
“I heard that Miss Minuelle even wears gloves when sleeping. Do you happen to know the reason, Your Highness?”
“I envy that both of you have old friends. Your Highness has the noble knight, Tregosnan, and Miss Miuelle has a handsome priest.”
When discussing Minuelle, the conversation flowed smoothly, as if she had prepared her own words. However, her lack of any display of discomfort seemed suspicious.
‘I should observe a little longer before reporting back.’
As Lafesch continued to make her purchases, Esadien followed behind her. That’s when it happened. Suddenly, with a sense of unease in the air, the shopkeepers of the magic district came out of their stores and turned their gaze in one direction.
“This magical power…”
“I heard that the Great Magician has arrived in Roquette. Could it be true?”
While they were murmuring, Lafesch swiftly slipped through their midst, unlike Esadien, who didn’t know what to say.
“Is this the power of the Great Magician?”
“Yeah. Tsk, I need to be more cautious for a while.”
The shopkeeper quickly turned his body and went inside, but Lafeshc was muttering excitedly.
“He is nearby. Nearby…!”
‘Does she possess magical power?’
Since accompanying Lafesch, Esadien had silently kept a close watch on her, as he always did.
💧
Thank you for reading!
