Chapter 33
“To be stabbed in the back like this……”
Thermion bit down on his lower lip, and Ailesia calmly voiced her thoughts.
“If I were them, I’d run a decoy operation.”
Unlike the past few days spent camping outdoors, tonight they would be staying in a proper inn inside the city. Their enemies were likely assuming there was a chance Ailesia and Eleonora would not return to the ducal estate this time.
After a night’s sleep, Ailesia’s perspective had completely shifted from the irritation she’d felt the day before.
They saw clear signs of spatial teleportation magic and still don’t believe it? No. That’s not it.
It means they’re confident they can suppress that level of power.
She had already openly revealed her abilities, and Kubera had officially vouched for her. For their opponents to act so boldly under those circumstances meant they had a hidden trump card.
And Ailesia already had a good idea what that power was.
The power that leader of the intruders tried to use last time. The forbidden thing the First Empress meddled with in the original story.
That acrid, burnt stench. The ominous presence described in the novel as “demonic energy.”
There was no doubt—it was black magic.
“Ail, there’s such a thing as black magic in this world.”
“I think I’ve read about it somewhere. It’s extremely dangerous, right?”
“At the end of the day, it’s still magic. But black magic operates on a different principle.”
“How so?”
“It offers sacrifices and twists the laws of the world in return. It makes things possible that should be impossible. It simply creates a concept.”
“…Like reviving the dead?”
“That’s the most common example. Black magic doesn’t need a ‘how.’ Only the result matters.”
Of course, the “book” Ailesia referred to was the original novel.
In that story, black magic was a shameless plot device that crushed logic whenever convenient. Just as her master Rubia had once said—‘It just works.’ That explanation alone made everything possible.
There were two main ways to counter black magic, if I remember correctly.
First: using divine power—holy energy capable of purifying the negative energy of the sacrifice. The problem was that only chosen priests could wield it, making it highly restrictive.
Second: overwhelming the phenomenon itself with sheer magical power and nullifying it outright. Because black magic, in the end, was still magic.
The biggest issue with this method was efficiency. Black magic had atrocious cost performance—like pulling out several cattle-slaughtering knives just to kill a chicken.
But what if you have someone with an endless supply of mana?
That would be me—Ailesia.
The strongest witch in the world.
Curses, rituals, forbidden spells—just smash them with raw power. Simple. Brutish. Effective.
She did have to consider collateral damage, but—
If it gets dicey, I can always use my master’s legacy.
Unless a divine artifact or an army of demons suddenly descended from myth, she honestly couldn’t imagine losing.
“I was aware that we’ve been under surveillance for some time,” Thermion said. “It wasn’t bothersome, so I let it be.”
“You were?”
Not just the estate—eyes had been on them here as well. It seemed Thermion had already grasped the entire situation.
“I’m used to this sort of thing.”
Something about his bitter expression made Ailesia’s chest ache faintly.
* * *
Upon arriving in the city, Thermion immediately secured lodging and applied for gate usage. Just as he’d predicted, approval came back for 10 a.m. the next morning.
“I’ll come by tonight. Get some rest.”
“Woof!”
Ailesia sent Whitey and Blanky back to the forest for the time being. Two wolves that large suddenly appearing in a city would cause absolute chaos.
“You’re free until dinner,” Thermion said. “There’s even a bathhouse in the basement.”
“What about the other knights?”
“They’ll rotate shifts. We can’t have everyone resting at once.”
“Then I’ll excuse myself.”
No matter how clean magic could make you, soaking in hot water was a completely different experience. Just thinking about a sauna for the first time in ages lifted Ailesia’s mood.
“Woooow!”
“Is it fascinating?”
“I’ve never been to a place like this! And it’s my first time bathing with you, Teacher!”
Come to think of it, Ailesia had never actually bathed with Eleonora before. Even in the forest, she’d only prepared water for the child, cleaning herself with magic afterward.
Honestly, it’s just because I’m lazy.
Undressing, heating water, washing, drying, getting dressed again—why bother when a snap of the fingers does it all?
In a world without modern infrastructure, everyday life was full of small hardships. After 500 years, a little laziness was inevitable.
“All hail magic.”
“Hmm?”
Eleonora tilting her head was unbearably adorable. Her cheeks, flushed pink from the hot water, were beyond precious.
“Uncle!”
“All clean?”
“Yep! Sparkly clean!”
After changing clothes and heading downstairs, they found Thermion already there, arms open toward Eleonora. She ran straight to him and latched onto his neck.
“Well done.”
“Heehee.”
Thermion smiling with his niece perched on his knee looked refreshingly gentle. As Ailesia watched fondly, he gestured to her.
“Please, sit. You must be tired.”
“Tired? From what?”
“Bathing a child isn’t easy.”
“Oh, it’s nothing.”
If anything, this deserved a bonus. Ailesia grinned nonchalantly.
“By the way, about what we discussed yesterday…”
“Something bothering you?”
“…No.”
Thermion hesitated, clearly aware of the child in his arms.
[Don’t worry about Ellie. Tonight, she’ll be in the safest place in the world.]
Only then did Thermion nod.
They hadn’t gone into detail yesterday. There could be a traitor among the knights traveling with them.
Thermion noticed the pursuit far earlier than I did.
Only Thermion and Kubera knew the full route from the capital to the ducal castle. For Eleonora’s safety, security had been airtight—daily routes were only shared with the knights on the morning of departure.
After a week of travel, predicting the route wouldn’t be impossible.
It was too early to assume an inside traitor. They might have been tracked from day one, or black magic might allow long-range surveillance.
“Uncle.”
“Yes?”
“Did you secretly go on a date with Teacher yesterday without me?”
“What? No!”
The usually quiet Eleonora dropped a bombshell. Thermion’s face instantly turned red.
“Then what did you talk about yesterday?”
“…Stuff.”
He couldn’t exactly mention an ambush. But Eleonora narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
“You played without me! Just you and Teacher! Right?”
“I said no.”
“Oh my, Thermion. Then were all the things you said yesterday lies?”
“…Hey.”
Ailesia looked faintly hurt, pouting. Thermion clenched his teeth, swallowing his frustration.
“Lying makes you a bad adult!”
For the first time in his life, Thermion felt the terrifying urge to smack his niece. Surely her parents in heaven would understand—this would count as self-defense.
“…Ailesia.”
“What?”
He gave up responding to Eleonora entirely.
“There must be a reason you’re both doing this.”
“Who knows? It’s not like puberty’s hit.”
“…What does that even—”
“Sweetie. Lately, does the world feel meaningless? Do people around you seem trivial?”
“No! Ellie likes Uncle and Teacher!”
“See? She says no.”
At this rate, Thermion felt like he was the one entering puberty. He buried his face in his hands.
* * *
Late at night, when the streetlights had dimmed and everyone slept, thick violet smoke seeped quietly through an open window.
After confirming the room was filled with it, a man carefully drew back the curtain and stepped inside. A chemically treated mask covered his nose and mouth.
Just as I was told.
Through the dense haze, he could see a grown woman and a young girl lying motionless in bed, sound asleep.
