CHAPTER 10………………………………………………
“Yes?”
“From what tier can spatial teleportation magic be used?”
“You know the answer already—why ask? Obviously from the 8th tier. And if it’s long-distance, it has to be at least the 9th tier. To begin with, it’s not magic a human can use alone. At best, even short-range teleportation—right now, aside from the next master of the Sky Ark, there’s probably no one who can use it.”
“Don’t tell me that insane woman was….”
“…Excuse me?”
At the sudden remark that bordered on insulting royalty, Beric jumped in alarm and glanced around, but Lektarion merely furrowed his brow in silence.
No. That can’t be.
If the intruder had been Princess Cecilia, he would have sensed it instinctively.
There was no way he wouldn’t have felt that overwhelming mana, and besides, that walking embodiment of arrogant, prideful mages made his stomach turn just from encountering her.
…Then who was that woman?
He’d thought she had no mana, yet she suddenly used spatial teleportation magic, and the necklace on her wrist had a 7th-tier defensive spell on it.
Has a grand mage appeared on the continent without my knowing?
Lektarion recalled the legendary 9th-tier grand mage—spoken of only in oral tradition, never officially confirmed in history—and let out a short, amused scoff.
Interesting.
He had already been in a foul mood, forced into a marriage by that damned imperial decree. And now, something this intriguing had happened.
Seeing his superior smile in rare, genuine amusement, Beric felt a chill crawl up his spine.
“Your Grace? Are you all right?”
“Go clean up the site.”
“Yes! Understood.”
At the duke’s order—his face once again expressionless—Beric hurried back to the scene.
Lektarion watched silently as his knights organized the aftermath.
With practiced efficiency, the criminals were escorted into prisoner wagons sealed with binding magic and massive locks, while the victims were guided into clean, well-insulated carriages.
He frowned again as the dull headache that had lingered since earlier throbbed on. It was a side effect of using the magic circle.
How tiresome.
Just then, the very group responsible for that headache was dragged forward. One of them was shouting in the Ruinac language, refusing to board the carriage.
“You lowly notches! How dare you lay hands on a noble! If only I could use magic, I’d crush slaves like you with a single finger—!”
Thud!
A sickening sound echoed through the area as a sword hilt slammed into the man’s head.
“You’ll be sentenced to mana annihilation, so that dream of yours will never come true. Now shut up. My head’s already pounding.”
“…Your Grace, he’s already unconscious.”
“Oh. Is he?”
Rubbing his aching forehead, Lektarion turned away. The man was slumped limply, hanging from the knights of the Belexa territory, where this estate was located.
At Lektarion’s actions, the faces of the victims riding in the other carriage brightened slightly.
Seeing the brown robes worn by the captured criminals, Lektarion was reminded again of the woman who had escaped earlier.
From the start, he hadn’t planned to kill her. Since Beric could use memory-erasure magic, the idea had been to wipe about half a day’s worth of memories and then release her.
But not only had she avoided his aura attack—she had fled using some strange power.
The corner of his lips lifted.
A cute prey that was good at running only heightened a hunter’s enjoyment. Perhaps thanks to that, his persistent headache seemed to ease a little.
Just then, a good idea came to him.
“Just because tracking magic doesn’t work doesn’t mean there’s no way to find her.”
As soon as he returned, he ordered the duke’s intelligence organization—Horseshoe—to track down the intruder. Northdian’s reputation for swift intelligence gathering came from Horseshoe’s skill—an organization rumored to even know the emperor’s underwear color.
Lektarion waited with pleasant anticipation for news of the intruder.
But…
“Still nothing?”
“We’re sorry.”
Horseshoe could usually track people down easily with something as common as blond hair as a clue. Yet for an entire month, not even a shadow of that esteemed intruder could be found.
And just as his patience was nearing its limit, Lektarion finally came face to face with her again.
“Eloa Fin Yuberis.”
No matter how many times he heard it, it was the same voice.
And of all places, it was at the estate of Count Yuberis—where he had come after Jayce, shocked by Horseshoe’s report that the bride candidate had fled as soon as she received the proposal, insisted that even in a contractual marriage, he should at least see his fiancée once before the engagement. Lektarion had carved time out of his busy schedule to visit.
“Have we met somewhere before?”
After the Duke of Northdian abruptly grabbed my arm, pulled me into the carriage, and dropped that bomb of a question, an awkward silence settled between us.
No matter how I rolled my eyes around, his gaze followed me relentlessly.
“…Haha.”
In the end, I failed to ignore it and let out an awkward laugh. I could feel the corners of my mouth trembling.
“I’m not sure what you mean.”
He looked at me meaningfully as if I were playing dumb, then slowly opened his mouth.
“I…”
At the long-drawn subject, I swallowed dryly.
“I feel as though I’ve met you before, young lady.”
As he said that, his smile deepened.
Cold sweat streamed down my back.
“Haha. Th-that can’t be.”
“Is it just my imagination?”
“It is.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
After the relentless back-and-forth, I was drenched in cold sweat, while he continued to look at me with that gentle smile.
He’s smiling so beautifully—so why is he this terrifying?
I even glared at him briefly, silently urging him to look away, but he showed not a shred of mercy.
…Did he really figure out who I was?
That was impossible. He hadn’t seen my face or hair, and we’d only crossed paths briefly.
To shake off the suspicion, I deliberately spoke to him.
“Um, Your Grace?”
“Yes, my lady.”
The polite reply and smile came instantly.
I squeezed my eyes shut.
I’m scared to death.
The man who had charged at criminals with terrifying eyes at our first meeting was now smiling like an angel. That gap—like heaven and earth—only made him more frightening.
I kind of want to jump out of the carriage.
The duke looked at me as if wondering why I’d called him if I wasn’t going to speak.
“If you have something you’re curious about, feel free to ask. We have a tedious week-long journey ahead, and since it’s our first meeting, I’m sure we’re both curious about many things.”
As he said that, he gazed at me steadily, his stare feeling like it was digging into my entire body.
I needed to make conversation—anything—to escape this atmosphere. But no matter what I asked, it felt like I’d be digging my own grave. After much deliberation, I chose the most innocuous question possible.
“…Don’t you ride a mana-powered carriage?”
Mana-powered carriages were similar to cars from my previous life. Since they ran on mana stones instead of fuel, even notches could operate them.
About ten years ago, after mana-powered carriages were developed, most nobles switched from horse-drawn carriages to them. Given that the Duke of Northdian was wealthy thanks to mana stone mines, it was only natural to find it strange that he still used a carriage.
“There’s no special reason. I’m simply sensitive to mana, so I avoid using objects that rely on mana stones.”
“I-I see.”
Sensitive to mana? Could that be because of the magic circle on his back? I thought I’d avoided the topic, but it felt like I was walking straight into danger, so I hurriedly changed the subject.
“Then… where are we headed right now?”
“For now, to the ducal territory.”
“The Northdian duchy?”
“Is there somewhere else you’d prefer to go?”
“N-no. It’s not that, but…”
His dark crimson eyes fixed on me.
How does that look like the eyes of someone who fell in love at first sight and decided to take me with him?
Even a passing monster wouldn’t believe that story.
No matter how I thought about it, I couldn’t understand why the duke had brought me along.
It feels like he impulsively dragged me away after seeing me threatened… but the way he keeps observing me, maybe he knows who I am and did it on purpose…
Cold sweat started again.
“I’d advise you not to think about running away. I don’t want to be known as the man whose betrothed ran away twice.”
At his gentle warning, I leaned back and laughed awkwardly.
“No matter how bold I am, I can’t jump out of a moving carriage.”
“Hmm. That’s not quite what I meant—but if you say so.”
His tone clearly said he didn’t believe me. It felt like he knew I could use doors, and feeling guilty for no reason, I avoided his gaze.
These gloves are uncomfortable.
I fidgeted with the gloves that reached all the way up my forearms. Used to wearing only old clothes, silk gloves felt nothing but awkward. Still, I couldn’t take them off now.
Underneath, my arms were covered in bruises and wounds.
Whatever the reason, it’s a relief I got out of that house. If not, I’d have been locked back in the basement.
Remembering the past month, my body trembled slightly.
The reason I hadn’t been able to flee to the cabin during the last full moon and had remained at the Yuberis estate was because I’d been locked in a windowless basement.
Unable to see outside, I had no idea how full the moon was—or even whether it was day or night—so I couldn’t open a door. …And I hadn’t had the strength to try anyway.
It was only when the maids dragged me out to wash and dress me that I realized I’d been trapped in the basement for nearly a month.
That night, after being struck on the head and losing consciousness, I woke up already in the estate’s basement.
Cosette had grabbed my hair and screamed at me.
“Hey! What did you do with my emerald necklace?! Huh?! What did you do with it?! Hand it over right now!”
Having completely lost any lingering attachment to this household, I didn’t beg Cosette for the first time—I sneered at her.
“I sold that stupid necklace ages ago. It didn’t fetch much. That’s all your value was to your fiancé.”
Of course, it was a lie—but watching Cosette’s face shift moment by moment was quite satisfying. I should have done this sooner.
She stared at me blankly for a moment, then turned red and blue with rage before finally kicking me, screaming as if she couldn’t contain herself.
“You notch bitch! So you’re finally showing your true colors! You can’t even use magic! Uneducated, useless trash! Aaaagh!”
Kicking instead of using magic—how refined.
After that, my father—no, Count Yuberis—came down, misunderstanding that I’d fled in shock over the marriage, and caused another uproar. Beside him, my stepmother, who always looked down at me in silence, coaxed him sweetly, saying that if I was kept weak, I wouldn’t be able to run away again. She was always the most vicious of them all.
I have no strength left in my body.
Thanks to that, I was like a malnourished colt. Even entertainers about to debut wouldn’t be managed this extremely.
At that moment, the duke quietly asked me.
