CHAPTER 43…………………………………
The day before yesterday, my back almost split from the fight between Jace and Beric, and today… it’s the Duke and the Princess!
“Why exactly have you come?”
“I told you I’d come, didn’t I?”
“I never replied that you should.”
“Oh my. How cold-hearted. Ignoring a royal family member who says they’ll come… I might just tell His Majesty.”
“Go ahead and tell him. When he finds out you wandered around alone without an attendant, I wonder how he’ll react.”
That seemed to be the Princess’s weak spot. She pouted.
“Tch. Anyway, you seem like someone a needle couldn’t even pierce.”
With that, she returned to her seat as if her interest had evaporated.
“D-Duke… now, could you… let me—”
“Ah.”
Only then did the Duke release me.
My face felt like it would burst.
Once we sat down, the servants finally began bringing breakfast.
Soft egg dishes, blanched vegetables, and sous-vide chicken seemed to make up the morning menu.
The Princess skillfully dismantled the chicken and spoke.
“I only came to see the Duke’s wife, who seems utterly infatuated. Don’t you think treating guests like this is a bit much?”
The Duke focused on the blanched vegetables.
“There will be a royal banquet soon. Even His Majesty seems relaxed, and everyone else too. How about chasing criminals around in my place for a change?”
“Then you plan to stay shut away with your lovely wife during that time? After all, you’re the one who had no rumors attached to you until you turned twenty-four, yet you rejected me and brought in that young lady. How could I not be curious?”
“Anyway, Your Highness, you didn’t intend to accept the royal command either. If you had, the owner of the Sky Ark wouldn’t have been summoned to the palace.”
“Ugh. Did they hear that far? Those gossiping old fools…”
‘What could have happened that the world’s greatest magician was summoned?’
I played the part of a quiet, lifeless sack, listening closely to their tense conversation. Even the normally delicious omelet tasted like nothing.
Apparently, spite is a thing, but it didn’t exist between these two.
‘Haha, so this is what walking on thin ice feels like.’
I felt like I might choke.
Then, suddenly, the arrow turned toward me.
“Be grateful to my wife. Thanks to her accepting my proposal, we both avoided a future as criminals.”
“Hmm.”
The Princess lazily flicked her eyes between me and the Duke. Resting her chin on her forked hand, she gave off a curious, dangerous vibe.
“No, I’m actually a bit disappointed.”
“And what kind of curse is that?”
The Duke’s face instantly brightened, as if annoyed, creating a tense moment where a dining knife could easily fly.
The Princess spoke nonchalantly.
“I’m not joking. If I’d known you’d steal her away, I should have taken her for myself long ago. How did you, who never cared about anyone, even women, find such a lovely young lady?”
She pointed the fork at me.
“How about it, Duke’s wife? It’s not too late. My offer was sincere. I never neglect my people.”
A royal scouting proposal. Just a month ago, I couldn’t have imagined it.
But I wanted out of their mental sparring badly enough to ignore it.
Click. I put down my fork.
“You said you heard rumors about me earlier.”
“Yes. There were also rumors you were a ‘Notch,’ but that must be nonsense. From what I can see, you’re definitely a magician.”
I didn’t answer, just smiled.
“But Your Highness… you weren’t interested in me when the rumors circulated, were you?”
“Well, I’m only interested in magicians.”
She answered as if it were the most natural thing. I took a sip of water.
“But I’m still just me. If you’re interested in me because I’m a magician, then you’re admiring my magic, not me. I have no intention of being Your Highness’s chess piece.”
The Princess’s expression turned as if struck from behind. She hadn’t expected me to answer this way.
“Besides, I’m here thanks entirely to the Duke. I have an agreement with him and am content living here. That’s why Your Highness’s proposal doesn’t attract me at all.”
I smiled lightly, delivering a decisive blow.
“Still, if you insist, make your proposal like the Duke did—empty a jewelry shop display case first. Then I’ll consider it.”
“What?”
The Princess looked at me like a broken doll for a moment, then laughed loudly.
“So, I got bested. I never imagined I’d hear my Majesty’s scolding about paying attention to people from someone else’s wife. You’ve got an incredible wife, Duke.”
“That’s what makes her endearing.”
The Duke smiled lightly at me. While drinking tea, I almost choked as our eyes met.
Looking at me like that again…
By now, I was completely confused about the Duke’s intentions.
“What if I’m interested in you as a person too?”
“That would be most welcome.”
I smiled.
From the day I received the letter, the Duke said she would be the next owner of the Sky Ark. She seemed like a very useful connection.
“Duke’s wife, wait.”
After finishing the mysterious breakfast, the Princess stopped me as I tried to go to the study to finish the remaining work.
“You’ll come along too.”
“Excuse me? Me too?”
The Princess had told the Duke she wanted to discuss something, and I was about to step aside. I figured ignoring the busy aristocrats might be wise, but I had no real choice.
When we entered the Duke’s private reception room and sat down, the butler served tea and left.
The Duke leaned back and asked the Princess,
“You must be busy with the upcoming academic conference. Please state your business and leave.”
The Princess’s face immediately soured at the brazen tone.
“Duke’s wife, are you still reconsidering? What could anyone see in someone so rude?”
“Haha.”
The Princess, speaking like an elder, waved her hand. A stack of documents suddenly appeared in the air and dropped onto her hand.
It was a strange sight.
‘Is that magic too?’
It seemed she possessed a magical tool capable of storing items. That also explained why her outfit today was different from yesterday.
She handed the documents to the Duke of Northdian. He examined them, and a cold smile spread across his face.
“This is… about the Beatrice extermination.”
‘Beatrice?’
Lately, that dreaded guild’s name kept coming up. I had no intention of getting involved, and tried to sneak away.
“I really should be leaving…”
“It’s fine. You’re Northdian now too, aren’t you?”
“That’s right. As Northdian, you have the right to hear this.”
‘I’m just a fake… please let me go.’
Both of them grabbed one of my hands, so I lost my chance to escape.
While tears quietly ran down inside, the conversation proceeded quickly.
“You know that a magician’s limits are innate, right?”
The Duke and I nodded silently.
“However, recently, the number of those surpassing those limits in a very short time and reaching high ranks has rapidly increased.”
“That’s impossible.”
“Exactly. Absurd, right? But it’s happening, and even the Sky Ark has seen such cases. That’s why my grandfather came to me, demanding to find the cause. He said he would replace the successor test with it. Such a cunning old man.”
The Princess insulted skillfully with a pure-looking face, then shrugged.
“Anyway, what can powerless me do? I asked those people to come and kindly explain.”
A request? I could have sworn I saw the Duke’s similar smile on her face.
“And this came out.”
I was startled as the Princess waved her hand and revealed something.
“This is…”
It was the same as what I had seen when picking up the hat yesterday.
I instinctively reached for the red stone, but the Princess stopped my hand.
“Careful, Duke’s wife. This can mesmerize people.”
“Ah.”
She winked and picked up the stone with a handkerchief.
“Hm. Looks like both of you already know what this is.”
The Duke seemed to know too.
“It’s called a Bloodstone.”
“The people who fought yesterday had it.”
Seeing that they both knew, I spoke up. They both gasped and stared at me.
“Is that true?”
“Duke’s wife, really?”
“Yes… that’s right.”
I nodded absentmindedly.
“It was next to the hat. It shattered under the Princess’s wind magic, though.”
The Duke seemed to consider something, then called someone waiting outside.
“Sir Dale.”
He entered promptly.
“Yes, Your Excellency.”
“Find the two commoners who caused the commotion yesterday on their way home.”
“Yes, understood.”
Dale bowed and left immediately.
“The lower-ranking Beatrice members recently captured were killed during a transfer. Securing these two quickly is better for them too.”
I nodded slightly.
I stared at the blood-red stone glowing ominously on the table.
“Your Highness, what exactly is this stone?”
“Not sure. I’m curious too. Even when handled directly or infused with magic, it doesn’t react. But those who gave me the info said each time it’s consumed, magic increases tremendously. And…”
Her expression darkened mid-sentence.
“Most of them died suddenly shortly after.”
The Duke said, as if guessing,
“Magic overload, I see.”
“Exactly. That’s how I recognized it immediately. Only Beatrice makes a potion that quickly corrupts and overloads magic. This stone came from them.”
The Princess tossed her sky-blue hair back, narrowing her brows as if irritated.
“Because of this, I was ordered to exterminate Beatrice. Really troublesome. I was deeply involved in magic crystal extraction research recently.”
“His Majesty seems to have made the decision.”
“The victims aren’t only magicians.”
“Could it be…”
A terrible premonition made me cover my mouth instinctively.
