MFWSP 53

Chapter 53

“When did you come this far? I told you I’d prefer if you walked at a distance.”

David looked slightly flustered as he tried to take my hand and pull me forward.

“I said to let go of her hand.”

Carsiel stepped closer and spoke coldly.

“I understand, so please just take a few steps back. We’re almost at the end of the portal…”

“You let go first.”

“I said I understa—”

Pop—

As David stepped back to create some distance from Carsiel, a flash of white light flared behind his back.

“…Damn it.”

David muttered under his breath, and the three of us were sucked into the portal exit before we had any chance to resist.

Fwoosh—

With a burst of hot flames, the portal door vanished behind us. I felt both David and Carsiel support me as I staggered between them.

Step.

As my vision cleared from the sudden brightness, I realized we had arrived in a dark room inside a mansion. And someone was standing in front of us.

“David.”

A sharp voice came, like someone walking on the edge of a blade.

I looked up and saw a stone wall. In front of it stood a nobleman I had never seen before, leaning on a long, black cane.

His hair curled like David’s, though it was grayed. He had a slim face, a tall and thin build, and looked over fifty. His eyes were sharp, giving him a strict impression, but otherwise, his appearance resembled David’s quite a lot.

I immediately knew who he was.

“You were here, Father.”

“You thought I wouldn’t know if you left your escort behind?”

The man—Marquis Adellon—spoke in a voice laced with fury.

His face was cold and devoid of any smile, glaring fiercely at David.

The man standing next to me swallowed dryly.

His sky-blue eyes trembled slightly.

Unlike the calm demeanor he had shown at the imperial palace earlier, he was clearly tense.

“T-That’s not it.”

No—this was beyond just being tense. He was afraid of the man before him.

“I’ll give you a chance to explain.”

“I—I brought Duke Iris Apellémion.”

David gestured toward me as he spoke.

“You must have heard. She’s the one who inherited the Apellémion mansion, domain, and title. She wished for some time alone with me, so I brought her here.”

He explained quickly.

Although there was something off about the focus of his explanation, and some subtle distortion of facts, I didn’t interrupt.

The air was simply too heavy for that.

“…Dark hair and green eyes. You resemble your father.”

Marquis Adellon muttered as he stared at me intently.

“Congratulations, Duke.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Marquis Adellon.”

Though it wasn’t a polished greeting, I calmly accepted his words.

“The Duke was curious about the Adellon estate. She might visit often, so I thought I’d show her around…”

“Come to seduce the lady, have you?”

Marquis Adellon sneered at David, who was hastily explaining.

“You say it’s just the two of you, but there are three. And a royal, no less.”

“…”

“I don’t get out of the domain much, so I tend to confuse the royals. Are you Prince Carsiel? Or Prince Balthazar?”

“I’m the First Prince, Carsiel.”

“I greet the second sun of the Empire.”

When Carsiel replied, the Marquis nodded slightly.

Though the words were polite, his eyes scanned Carsiel from head to toe with open suspicion.

The air grew heavier again, and David swallowed dryly once more.

“Father.”

“Marquis, I apologize for arriving without prior notice.”

Just as David tried to explain something, Carsiel spoke up.

“It’s true your son wanted to show the Duke the mansion. I asked to come along out of curiosity.”

He placed a hand on David’s shoulder and continued.

“It’s simply for the sake of friendship. I ask for your understanding.”

“Is that so?”

The Marquis’ lips twisted again. It was clear he didn’t believe a word from either Carsiel or David. No—in truth, he seemed like a man who trusted no one.

“You’ve already entered the domain. How can I hold the prince responsible?”

The Marquis turned his gaze to David. His eyes were cold—almost murderous.

“Please wait here for a moment. I need to speak with my son.”

He gestured to David, then turned and walked toward a door to the side.

“Father, please listen to me…”

“Follow me.”

David took a deep breath and walked after him.

Just before leaving the room, he turned back toward me and offered a small smile.

“Sorry. I suppose I’m about to get scolded.”

His crescent-shaped eyes and upturned lips were as charming as always, but the tension within his gaze hadn’t disappeared.

Thud.

The door closed, leaving only me and Carsiel in the empty room, facing each other.

“That’s surprising.”

Carsiel muttered.

“What is?”

“That the rumor about Marquis Adellon torturing his sons turned out to be true.”

“What?”

I widened my eyes, and Carsiel shrugged.

“You wouldn’t know, since you rarely attend social gatherings, but it’s a long-standing rumor.”

“Even if it is… are you saying it’s true?”

“Yes. I suspected it the moment I saw the wound on his wrist before we entered the portal. More precisely, I noticed how he tried to fix his sleeve so we wouldn’t see it.”

“There was a wound on his wrist?”

“Very faint.”

Carsiel nodded.

“It was a sign of torture—specifically, ancient sorcery. It leaves minimal traces, has no side effects, but causes excruciating pain.”

“Ancient sorcery can’t be used without considerable magical power. And it’s not allowed either…”

“The Adellon estate borders the Black Valley, doesn’t it? You know magic comes not just from people, but from the land itself.”

Carsiel replied as if it were obvious.

“Even though it’s illegal, some noble houses pass down one or two rituals within the family. Did you see the black staff the Marquis was holding?”

“Then that was…”

“It’s a tool for ancient sorcery. The imperial family owns similar ones.”

There wasn’t a hint of doubt in Carsiel’s voice.

“…”

I felt like I’d been hit in the back of the head.

David’s bright smile and relaxed demeanor came to mind. It was hard to imagine such a person being regularly tortured.

“Do you have any idea why?”

“When people want to control something beyond their control, they turn to sorcery. A father trying to control his son is nothing new. If it started from childhood, it makes sense that even with torture, David Adellon couldn’t run far. The grip of sorcery isn’t something you can escape with willpower alone.”

Carsiel answered calmly.

“Still hard to believe?”

He stepped closer and pulled out a small red object from his coat.

“A communication stone?”

“I’m quite the curious type, you see.”

Carsiel raised a corner of his mouth slightly.

“I don’t really care about David Adellon’s well-being, but I thought illegal sorcery was worth investigating. I attached one half of this stone to David’s back.”

He rubbed the red stone on one side.

Soon, a heated voice began to come through.

-Ugh… I told you to speak with words, Father.
-You’ve grown bold. Even your brothers didn’t talk back to me like this.
-Kuh…!

David’s voice was gasping, followed by the Marquis’ sharp retort.

-You say you brought her to seduce the Duke? And with another man tagging along? Did you really think I’d believe that?
-Ugh…
-I know. You only pretended to seduce the Duke to fool me. I’m sure the prince’s presence wasn’t your idea. You’re trying to escape me—through Apellémion, outside of my influence.
-…
-Your brothers rebelled too. But not like this.

The Marquis’ voice grew more furious.

-You started suffering the moment you rejected Princess Phara’s proposal.
-…We were only fourteen back then.
-She was heir to a kingdom at that age.

The Marquis continued coldly.

-It was the most lucrative marriage proposal possible for you.