Chapter 57
I already knew that the Ingda Marquis family felt inferior to our family.
The Marquis family had always been behind the Duke Clotilde’s family and had never once surpassed them.
There were times I chuckled when people talked about rivals.
But after learning the content of the “video stone” they were making this time, I realized that their feelings weren’t mere jealousy—they harbored genuine malice toward the Duke’s family.
“Hah, wasn’t Mother the Marquis’s first love?”
I had heard stories that he had pursued her fervently, but she didn’t like him, giving him no chance and coldly rejecting him.
Yet, the Marquis himself married as soon as our parents did. Was it necessary for his grudge to be this deep?
If he was going to attack others like this, he must have known he would be attacked in turn.
Since the wizard didn’t know the Imperial language and had taken the interpreter’s family as hostages, he must have been speaking freely at that moment—but he probably didn’t imagine there would be a recording device.
Still, this alone wasn’t enough.
“If we submit this as evidence, it might give the impression that we’re trying to bring down the Marquis family. It’s better to save the interpreter’s family, get their cooperation, and then gather proof.”
I decided to ask them to leave evidence for us.
“I didn’t expect the Ingda Marquis family to stoop this low… they even went after the young lady’s father. Is that… alright?”
I received an unexpected consideration.
I nodded firmly.
“I’m burning with the thought of returning the favor equally. Don’t worry.”
I explained my plan to Damian, the Master of the Mage Tower.
He agreed with everything, but opposed the part where I wanted to see the hostages in person.
“You’re not exactly in strong health. Why do you insist on going personally?”
“I’d prefer that no one else know about the interpreter issue besides you, Master Damian. Since the royal family is involved, it could endanger the Duke’s family and the Mage Tower. The fewer people who know, the better.”
“That was my plan anyway. But what does that have to do with you going personally?”
“I’m sorry, but I don’t think you can persuade the hostages effectively and gain their cooperation yourself.”
I decided to speak honestly. Damian fell silent at my straightforwardness.
“Of course, Master Damian, you are the head of the Tower, and I’ve seen you skillfully move others during meetings.”
“But why…”
“And you also know better than anyone how thoroughly you put Mrs. Mira and the Ingda Marquis’s young lady in their place when you met them.”
That’s right. Damian was not someone who could be easily defeated in conversation.
“But from that, I couldn’t imagine that you could soothe and reassure people who are struggling…”
I recalled what Damian had said at the Tower.
“I’m impressed. What you just said isn’t the level of an ordinary wizard.”
“Uh, thank you…”
“It’s the level of a wizard-in-training. You talk a lot, but maybe you should write a novel about magic instead?”
Or…
“It’s fine if a wizard is weak.”
“Then…”
“But the Tower’s wizards can’t afford that.”
Hmm, but the Tower’s wizards weren’t exactly sane… hearing those words somehow motivated them more.
‘Wizards really are all perverted maniacs obsessed with magic…’
After all, the Tower gathered only the most brilliant geniuses, and some of them were slightly… eccentric, so that kind of whipping worked well.
But the hostages wouldn’t be like that.
“Does my way of speaking displease you, young lady?”
“I’m just saying that hostages will likely be mentally fragile.”
Just like when he first worried about my father.
‘Master Damian… doesn’t act like that toward me.’
Still, I couldn’t relax…
“The Marquis must have planted people to prevent the hostages from escaping. But even with you by my side, could it still be dangerous?”
“…It’s possible.”
Damian considered a few things, then brought something from the Tower.
My eyes widened.
“What is this?”
“It’s best to equip yourself with protective artifacts first.”
When I regained focus, I found myself wearing eight bracelets, six necklaces, ten rings, and three belts.
Going outside like this? I’d be too embarrassed.
No, embarrassment aside, it’s incredibly uncomfortable.
“Won’t this make it more dangerous? I don’t think I could dodge even if someone attacked me.”
“Even without these, you wouldn’t be able to dodge anyway.”
“….”
“Seriously, your dodging ability is worse than a hopping frog.”
That was true. In a world where people swing swords and cast magic, how could I possibly evade attacks by being weak?
“Ahem, I don’t mean to belittle you, young lady.”
Damian coughed awkwardly and quickly tried to cover it.
“If anything dangerous happens, it wouldn’t matter if you tried to avoid it anyway.”
“Yes, that’s very comforting.”
“Since my lack of eloquence puts you in danger, I’m the useless one here.”
Damian hesitated, then added,
“You may ignore me, young lady.”
Was he flustered and nervous? What had I done to provoke this?
“I boldly criticized your speaking style earlier.”
“That’s—”
“So let’s leave it at that. I don’t get joy from crushing others with words.”
“…I didn’t mean that.”
“No matter how much you wish, I can’t do that for you.”
My continued verbal assault made Damian’s eyebrows twitch.
“Are you calling me a pervert?”
“Whoa, calm down. I didn’t say that.”
I raised both hands to make it clear I had no aggressive intentions, then added,
“Do you call someone a pervert over just this much? Master Damian, what are you usually thinking about?”
“Heh… From the start, I felt that Representative Clotilde has a remarkable talent for making people uncomfortable.”
Damian chuckled dryly and changed the topic, pointing at my magical artifacts to explain.
“About eighty percent of these will activate automatically in danger. Shields and barriers…”
I could have teased him for changing the topic, but I didn’t.
If I argued here and delayed going to rescue the hostages, it would be dangerous.
‘I’m grateful just to have borrowed all these magical artifacts.’
But his explanation went on forever.
I interrupted him at intervals, asking,
“Good news for someone with worse dodging than a frog. But what about the rest?”
“They’re insurance, just in case. If harm comes to you, young lady, I’ll be alerted… just to be safe.”
He pointed to several of my rings, explaining that magical storms would erupt everywhere except within a one-meter radius around me, and other spells nearby…
Listening to all the spells and incantations made my head spin.
Damian shook me firmly, noticing my dazed state.
“Focus. This concerns your safety.”
“No… I don’t think all of this is necessary. With what you said, I could probably destroy a whole castle.”
“Yes, but you understand the principle.”
“No, that’s not what I meant.”
“Then you don’t understand?”
…He explained again. I suspected this was payback for my earlier teasing.
‘A frog wouldn’t need to study this much.’
I sighed and asked,
“…Can we cut this down by half? I don’t know for sure, but these seem very rare.”
“You, young lady, are more precious. Because—”
“Ah, yes. I am precious.”
Before he could continue explaining why I was so precious, I hurriedly stopped him.
After a while, seeing that I had memorized all the incantations, Damian looked relieved.
“With this, you could withstand all the knights of the Marquis family for over a week, even if they all attacked at once.”
