CHAPTER 101………………………….
After wrapping up the kidnapping case involving Jacques Horel, Lynes was summoned by Benjamin.
As expected, it wasn’t for a pleasant reason — Benjamin scolded her harshly for quite a while.
“Honestly, what were you thinking? Hiding something that was obviously going to be a problem!”
Thanks to her significant contribution in solving the case, the reprimand had been delayed — a week, even. Lynes didn’t bother to hide her bored expression.
“But, Your Holiness, you know as well as I do — the temple’s full of lunatics. This guy was just one more.”
Benjamin’s eyes narrowed at her unrepentant tone. Weighing whether to continue scolding her, he was met with Lynes’ deliberately confident reply.
“It was a rare case. If I’d told the researchers beforehand, a few of those magic-obsessed idiots would’ve caused even bigger trouble.”
“How much were you paid?”
“That’s a secret.”
She replied quickly, almost cheekily. Benjamin sighed instead of getting angry.
“Fine. Explain everything that happened. I assume you don’t plan to keep hiding things now.”
He had already heard a version from Noah, but it was clear the boy had left things out. To prevent further complications, Benjamin needed to grasp the full picture.
“So, it started when a strange man came to see me…”
After listening to Lynes’ rough account, Benjamin let out a low groan.
He had already thought it troublesome that Tirane May had been involved as a sponsor, but learning the identity of the other party left him beyond surprise.
The Weitzen family — and worse, the woman in question was the Queen’s younger sister.
That alone was enough to give him a splitting headache.
Lynes patiently waited as Benjamin fell silent. His fingers tapped his folded arms as if in thought.
After a long while, he shook his head sharply. His weary eyes fixed straight on Lynes.
“It can’t be helped. For now, I’ll be borrowing you.”
“…Excuse me?”
“I mean, I’ll be taking charge of that matter personally. If your body’s already switched four times, that means the spell can only activate twice more before completion. We need to stop the magic from triggering and find the caster.”
Benjamin muttered to himself, face grave. A stream of magical jargon poured from his lips — theories Lynes barely understood — until he finally fetched a piece of paper, scribbled something, and handed it to her.
“Go to the Hazel Workshop and ask them to craft a bracelet engraved with this formula.”
“A bracelet?”
Peering at the paper, Lynes narrowed her eyes.
“That’s a mana control formula. Though… it’s a little different from the basic model.”
“When did you learn to read that? Anyway, I mixed in some high-level barrier formulas. Since it’s for a non-mage, it needs to function differently from a mage’s version.”
“For a non-mage, huh.”
“This will turn into a race against time. We’ll take every precaution we can.”
For all his easygoing demeanor, Benjamin Sandria was a man who couldn’t ignore problems once he saw them. It was part of why so many priests respected him.
It was fortunate, really, to have someone of his rank as an ally. Still, Lynes cautiously asked the most important question.
“And… what about Lord Eir?”
Benjamin gave an exasperated snort.
“Of course I won’t tell him. You know he’d never tolerate something like this.”
Indeed — that was exactly why Lynes was glad Benjamin had found out instead.
Unlike his elder brother Eir Sandria, who was rigidly upright, Benjamin was the sort who could bend the rules when necessary.
“You’re more lenient than I expected.”
“Think of it as paying off a debt.”
“A debt?”
“From the incident two years ago. I owed a favor then. This should about settle it.”
Benjamin gave a bitter smile, recalling the man who had once declared himself Noah’s guardian.
Even though that man hadn’t asked for repayment, the sense of indebtedness lingered.
Without his intervention, the temple would have struggled to resolve that matter cleanly.
If the royal family had taken charge instead, the temple’s reputation would have been irreparably damaged.
“And just in case, I told Daniel to collect rumors circulating in the marketplace. Here — this.”
He pulled a scroll from his robes and handed it to Lynes.
She accepted it with a skeptical look, and Benjamin smiled.
“A compilation of all the rumors about magicians.”
Lynes unrolled the scroll and blinked slowly.
“How on earth did you find all this?”
“Let’s just say there are ways. I hope it helps.”
Help was an understatement — this was enough to narrow down potential leads to three or four locations.
Benjamin’s faint smirk seemed to say: You’re still dancing in my palm.
“Thank you. Shall I report once a week?”
“Yes. Daniel will come to you.”
“Isn’t that a waste of your apprentice?”
“He enjoys it. Temple life’s a bit dull for him anyway.”
Benjamin smiled serenely, his words carrying just enough bite to make Lynes almost laugh.
For someone who was supposed to maintain discipline, he spoke with refreshing frankness.
“Working with a foreign mage — just hearing it excites me. I’m reminded of my younger days, sneaking into the black market to debate the essence of magic all night with a sorcerer from the Carmine Kingdom. Ha ha!”
What on earth were you doing in your youth?
Lynes bit back the urge to ask if that had been illegal.
“Anyway, I hope this collaboration goes smoothly. And if they give you any trouble, tell me immediately.”
Though he was smiling, a dark aura seemed to rise from behind him. Why did it suddenly feel so chilling in the room?
“Y-Yes, I’ll do my best.”
Definitely not someone you want as an enemy, Lynes thought as she turned to leave.
“Cody!”
A girl with neatly braided brown hair burst into the room. Her rosy cheeks and wide, sparkling eyes made her look utterly charming.
“What’s wrong, Linda?”
Cordelia’s face lit up with delight at the sight of her niece — Linda Weitzen, sixteen this year.
Her brother Frederick had three children with his wife Pamela: an eldest daughter and a pair of twins, one boy and one girl.
Linda, the liveliest of the three, was the one who got along best with Cordelia.
“Do you want to go out to the city with me?”
Judging by her outfit, she was ready to leave immediately. Cordelia closed the book on her lap and stood up.
“Sure.”
“Yay! The weather’s lovely today.”
“You’re not just saying that because it’s easier to get permission if you’re with me, right?”
Linda giggled and wrinkled her nose. Her adorably cheeky gesture made Cordelia’s heart soften.
She really doesn’t resemble Rick at all. Thank goodness she takes after Pamela.
Cordelia hugged her much smaller niece tightly, smiling from the heart.
When they stepped outside the castle in their travel clothes, a carriage was already waiting.
Cordelia, dressed modestly with a hooded cloak, sat opposite her bright-eyed niece, who was practically vibrating with excitement.
“Where are Oscar and Milona?”
“Oscar’s studying about the fief, and Milona said she’s visiting the dress shop.”
“Don’t they usually come to her instead?”
“She just wanted an excuse to go out. Father always complains it’s unseemly for a grown woman to wander around.”
Linda pouted, mimicking her father’s grumbling tone. Cordelia almost nodded vehemently in agreement before catching herself.
“So why didn’t you stay with her?”
“She said she wants some alone time lately. Lots on her mind, apparently.”
A late-blooming rebellious phase? What was I like at her age…?
Cordelia tried to recall her eighteen-year-old self — all flowers and romance — and nearly groaned aloud.
What were you even doing back then, Cordelia? Were you insane?
She puffed out her lips, mentally scolding her younger self, then quickly changed the subject.
“So, Milona’s making her social debut this year?”
“Yes. She was supposed to debut in spring, but Father said the capital’s too unsettled lately, so he postponed it to autumn.”
“Can’t blame him — things have been noisy. After that incident…”
It was precisely that incident that had driven her down to Devron in the first place.
Linda clamped her mouth shut, realizing her slip, but Cordelia waved it off.
Encouraged, Linda relaxed and cupped her cheeks with both hands.
“I just want to go back to the capital soon — before Father does.”
Cordelia could completely sympathize.
I need to return before Rick comes down too. What kind of exile is this, being stuck here and unable to see my rabbit-like lover?
“Oh right — you said you’re attending the Academy, right?”
“That’s right.”
Linda had enrolled two years ago at the capital’s Academy — quite rare for someone of a ducal family. It had taken plenty of persuasion to make it happen.
“I was supposed to enroll alone, but Oscar said he’d be bored without me, so he just joined too.”
“You two are still inseparable, huh? He still follows you around?”
“Pretty much.”
Despite her mild appearance, Linda was known as the least obedient of Frederick’s children — the one who simply had to do whatever she wanted once she set her mind on it.
“Rick made such a fuss back then,” Cordelia chuckled.
It had taken Pamela’s gentle persuasion to win him over. Truly, they were the picture of a loving couple.
Since becoming Duke, Frederick rarely invited guests to his estate, leading society to gossip that the Duchess wasn’t fulfilling her duties.
But the truth was simple — he just didn’t like letting anyone else lay eyes on his wife.
Marriage, huh… I wonder if I’ll ever do that.
If she did, the wedding dress would surely be the family color — deep navy blue.
Cordelia smiled to herself, imagining a handsome man standing beside her.
What would be the best fabric for the ceremony…?
Noah would look good in anything, but red silk would suit him best…
“What are you smiling about, Cody?”
