Chapter 80
Just as he said, Heraise was looking around at the moldy ceiling.
I was about to approach him with a tilted head when the duke stopped me.
“Sienna. Stay right next to Daddy.”
“Yes, Father.”
“It’d be nice if you called me Daddy…”
He whined regretfully about being called “Father” again, but I brushed it off and asked,
“How’s your body? Is it okay for you to be moving around like this?”
“Sienna is worried about me…!”
I was worried because he’d seemed weak, but instead, he hugged me tightly with a deeply moved expression.
“To think a day like this would come…”
Hmm. Judging by the strength of that hug, he’s perfectly fine.
Confirming his condition through the intensity of the embrace, I patted his arm, telling him this wasn’t the time.
“Father, this isn’t the moment.”
“Right. As much as I don’t want to ruin this emotional father-daughter reunion, we should get moving.”
“You…”
The duke’s wary gaze shifted to Heraise, who had suddenly cut in.
Realizing I hadn’t introduced them due to the chaos, I belatedly did so.
“This is Heraise, my magic teacher.”
And while I was at it, I pointed to the floating doll and introduced him too.
“That moving doll is Ban. Heraise made him with magic—he’s my guard doll.”
Noticing we were talking about him, Ban flew over and lifted his chin proudly.
“I am Lord Ban! The one who saved you!”
Then promptly got a flick to the head from me.
“Ban, how dare you talk like that to my father.”
“Ow!”
Most people would be amazed by a talking, whining doll—but the duke didn’t care about Ban in the slightest.
The only one who interested him was Heraise.
“That’s the magic teacher mentioned in the letter?”
Perhaps Noah had given him advance notice; the duke seemed to recognize Heraise.
“Hm.”
The duke began circling Heraise.
While assessing what sort of man he was, Heraise cheerfully asked,
“So, what score do I get?”
“Score? Nonsense! How could I score the benefactor who diagnosed Sienna’s illness and even found the cure?”
He clapped Heraise on the shoulder.
Seeing that Heraise didn’t stumble and stood upright, the duke’s eyes gleamed.
“Oho, you’ve got good endurance. Strong legs too. I thought mages were all frail, but you’re built well, teacher.”
“Thank you. It’s an honor to be in Your Grace’s favor.”
Why is this guy acting like this? Heraise, who even acted cheeky with Noah, was being polite for the first time.
The duke must’ve liked that, because he refused to take his attention off Heraise.
“Ever held a sword? Your hands look like a swordsman’s.”
“Briefly, back in the day.”
Just the mention of sword training earned Heraise the duke’s full interest, and he shrugged casually.
Feeling the conversation would go on forever, I quickly squeezed between them.
“Anyway, what were you looking at? If it’s nothing serious, how about opening the door already?”
“That one’s going to be hard for me to open.”
“What? If you can’t open it, then who will?”
That was the one thing I was relying on!
Seeing the shock, fear, and betrayal trembling in my eyes, Heraise patted my shoulder.
“Don’t worry. There’s a way to open it.”
“Oh, really? Then fine.”
“And I was watching that because… I think it’s about to come out.”
“What is?”
“That.”
Before he finished speaking, white smoke seeped out from the cracks in the ceiling.
Fssshhhh—
“Sleeping gas! Cover your nose and mouth!”
Recognizing the sedative that had been used on him, the duke urgently pulled me into his arms.
If I inhaled, I’d fall asleep without resistance.
I held my breath.
But even after a while, nothing happened.
“What are you worried about? I’m here.”
Heraise smirked, asking if I still didn’t understand him.
His wink was charming, but right now, I couldn’t care less about his face.
Watching the smoke scatter over a transparent barrier, I slowly turned my head.
It wasn’t just over us—barriers were deployed around all the scattered people as well.
And inside those barriers, every single one of them… had my face.
“Whoa… you can do that?”
“Of course. And you know this is the kind of magic you’re going to have to learn, right?”
“…I don’t think I can.”
“Tsk. Even if you can’t do this much yet, you should at least know how to protect your own body.”
“You’re telling me to study even here?”
I recoiled in horror, but Heraise grabbed my shoulders.
The kind smile vanished, replaced by the face of the teacher who always tormented me.
“No better study method than real combat. Let’s use this chance to awaken you.”
“Tired…”
“You can’t already be tired. Come on. Let’s open the door and head out.”
“Why didn’t you say that earlier!”
At the mention of leaving, I quickly followed Heraise up the stairs.
“Alright, place your hand here. Yes, like that.”
I placed my hand on the iron door as instructed.
“Now, earnestly wish in your heart that the door will open, that the magic seal will release. You can even say a spell if you want.”
Huh? This is…
I hesitated, recognizing something I’d heard long ago.
But Heraise urged me.
“Go on. Try it.”
“…That’s it?”
No, come on. Tell me you’re joking.
Seeing my desperate gaze, Heraise beamed and nodded.
“That’s right.”
“How am I supposed to do that?!”
The only magic I’ve learned is offensive magic!
I couldn’t even manage the basics of shield spells!
“You can do it. If I thought you couldn’t, would I have stayed silent until now? Go on, try.”
He truly believed in me.
With him believing in me like that, I couldn’t just say no.
“Isn’t there some kind of special chant? Can I just say anything?”
I asked in resignation, and he encouraged me to say whatever felt right.
Sigh… fine. Let’s do this.
‘Open, open, door, please open.’
I muttered in my head, then shouted,
“Open sesame!”
KUKUKUNG.
“…Seriously?”
I pushed lightly, and the iron door that even Noah’s sword aura couldn’t break swung wide open.
I muttered blankly,
“It actually worked…”
“Ta-da! That’s Sienna’s power!”
Clap clap clap—Heraise applauded and proudly presented me to the dazed onlookers.
“How did I do it?”
“How indeed? That’s your homework.”
“What?”
Homework? Here?
Leaving me stunned, he stepped outside before anyone else could regain their senses.
“Well then, shall we go?”
“Go where?”
He grinned.
“Where else? To cut off the cult leader’s head.”
Heraise’s eyes gleamed murderously, as if he’d been waiting for this very moment.
‘What did I just hear?’
Lucas couldn’t even think to close his gaping mouth.
It was shocking enough that the immovable door opened with Sienna’s magic, but Heraise’s words that followed nearly made him lose his mind.
“What are you doing? Hurry up.”
“Y-Y-You’re really going after the cult leader?!”
Terrified of Heraise, Lucas nonetheless mustered his courage and followed beside him, asking cautiously.
“Um, since we’ve rescued the duke, shouldn’t we just leave quietly?”
“The one using dark magic is the cult leader, right?”
Lucas nodded earnestly, puzzled by the sudden question.
“Y-Yes, that’s correct.”
“Then unless we capture the cult leader, your parents and all the villagers will live like puppets forever. The forest and the lake will keep dying too. You still think it’s fine to leave?”
“O-Of course it’s not fine! But how are we supposed to do it with this many people?!”
Lucas, who had just yelled at Heraise without fear, suddenly realized what he’d done and shrank.
But Heraise didn’t care in the slightest.
Instead, he looked back and scanned the group.
“This is plenty.”
“How is this plenty…”
Thinking he had offended the duke’s family, Lucas hurriedly tried to clarify.
“I-I don’t mean to doubt His Grace or the young lord’s skills, but there’s only eleven of us! The enemy—”
Before he could finish, figures in black came charging at them the moment they stepped out.
“E-Executioners!”
“What’s that?”
“They deal with traitors! They’re here to kill us!”
“Traitors, huh.”
Clicking his tongue at the overly fancy title, Heraise scoffed.
Lucas grabbed Heraise’s arm, screaming in panic.
“See?! There’s too many of them! If we go like this—!”
“Ice.”
Suddenly, ice burst from the ground, freezing the executioners’ feet and locking them in place.
