CHAPTER 60…………….
“Your Highness! You can’t let him go!”
“Owen, why are you acting like this today?”
“Let go of him!”
Owen was completely relentless.
He tried to grab me as if possessed by something, his movements frantic.
“I need to check before he runs away!”
“Runs away? Where does the Duke think he’s going… Owen!”
“There’s no time! How did you even find him…? We might lose him if we delay!”
“What are you talking about! Snap out of it!”
Owen struggled to hold me back, Leonhart tried to stop Owen, and Luspell just stamped his feet, helpless.
“Your Highness, do I need permission to leave?”
“Please, just trust me once and hold the Duke. Yes?”
I asked sharply, and Owen hurriedly stopped me.
Leonhart frowned, rubbing his brow with his thumb, conflicted.
Then he subtly stepped in front of me to block my way.
“Duke, I’m sorry, but you’ll have to delay your departure for a little while.”
Not only that, he signaled the attendants, and the audience chamber doors were firmly closed.
It was clear: we were going to act according to Owen’s will.
Honestly, I wasn’t resentful—if I were in Leonhart’s shoes, I would have done the same.
‘Owen isn’t the type to act like this without a reason.’
But still, my heart was pounding.
I clenched my fists until my palms ached and lifted my chin haughtily.
“And if I refuse? Will you imprison me?”
“Then do not refuse. Today’s rudeness will be repaid later.”
“I don’t understand why you’re doing this. I won’t let this humiliation slide.”
I feigned anger, scanning for a way out.
Leonhart in front, Owen behind, Luspell at my side.
‘I’m a rat trapped in a jar.’
The only escape would be to break through the floor or jump out the window.
Damn.
‘Focus. Don’t panic.’
Owen probably wanted to use the method for detecting dark sorcerers on me.
‘First, he’ll check if I have magic, then try to draw blood. He’ll need to use a sacred relic.’
If the relic turns black, it confirms a dark sorcerer—or a dark spirit mage.
In the worst case, I’d have to bluff and claim I’m a dark spirit mage.
It wouldn’t save me, but there was no other choice.
‘Wait a second!’
I realized Luspell and Leonhart didn’t seem to know anything.
Even during Luspell and Owen’s secret conversation, they looked very surprised by Owen’s behavior.
They probably thought it was silly that the Duke was hiding magic.
‘They don’t know Owen suspects me of being a dark sorcerer.’
Why hadn’t Owen told them? Why was he the only one suspicious?
‘Ah!’
My racing heartbeat gradually slowed.
“Duke, it is known that the Ibrante family has never produced an ability user. Is that correct?”
“That’s correct.”
“I recently acquired quite reliable information that differs from what was previously known. So, I will ask directly.”
Leonhart paused.
“Duke, has your magic manifested?”
The audience chamber fell silent.
Receiving the gaze of all three men, I replied firmly:
“No.”
“Are you certain?”
“Yes.”
“Then we may proceed to check.”
“If you must, go ahead. But I will not allow physical contact.”
“…There is no way to check magic without contact.”
“Oh? Is that so? I didn’t know, since you’re a magician.”
“Then briefly hold my hand…”
“I’m sorry, I’m uncomfortable with contact with men. Do it without touching me.”
“…You mean I should not?”
“No, I said go ahead. Just don’t touch me.”
“….”
“I’m busy, so I hope you do it quickly.”
“Ha…”
Leonhart sighed in frustration.
I grinned inwardly.
‘So, what now? You gonna forcibly grab my wrist to sense my magic?’
I couldn’t do that—it would be a crime.
Leonhart and Luspell didn’t know I was a dark sorcerer, so they naturally couldn’t act coercively.
‘Look at that apologetic expression. Leonhart can’t do anything to me.’
However, if my identity were revealed, the situation would change.
Using coercion to hide being a dark sorcerer would be considered self-defense.
‘But the only one suspecting me is Owen.’
Even Owen couldn’t openly say I was a dark sorcerer.
‘He isn’t 100% sure himself.’
If he falsely accused a Duke of the Empire of being a dark sorcerer and it went wrong…
Not only he, but the temple itself would face repercussions.
This was why Owen hadn’t shared his suspicions with Leonhart and Luspell.
“Your Highness, how long should we wait?”
“…No need.”
“May I leave now?”
“Yes, go ahead.”
As I bowed to Leonhart and prepared to leave, Owen blocked my path.
“Duke, wait a moment.”
“Do you have more to say?”
“I want to apologize.”
Owen quietly extended his hand.
“You were greatly displeased because of me, weren’t you? I misjudged you due to a misunderstanding. I was wrong.”
“…Really?”
“Yes, I’m truly sorry.”
“I… accept your apology.”
“Won’t you shake hands?”
He had a kind expression, yet it felt ominous.
Was it because of the strange light in his golden eyes?
“As I said, contact with men is unpleasant.”
“I’m not taking your hand to touch you, but to bless you. I’ve been terribly rude.”
“I’ll decline your blessing.”
“Please, just hold my hand. I am very sorry. I beg you.”
“You persist even though I said no.”
“If you forgive me, at least accept my blessing.”
“….”
Even after repeated refusals, Owen didn’t back down.
He acted like someone desperate to give me a blessing. Suspicious.
“Accept it.”
“Yes, Duke. It wouldn’t hurt to be blessed by a cleric, right?”
Even Luspell and Leonhart sided with Owen.
If I kept refusing, it would raise suspicion.
‘He probably won’t give up. Should I just go along?’
Owen isn’t a magician—he cannot sense magic through touch.
So holding his hand shouldn’t be a problem.
As I reluctantly reached out, the spirits’ telepathy rushed into my mind.
[Rian! Don’t hold his hand! You can’t!]
“What?”
[There’s a tiny hidden needle in the ring Owen is wearing! If you hold hands, you’ll get hurt!]
[Is he crazy? He dares to pierce my contractor’s hand?]
Unable to detect my magic, he was skipping straight to drawing blood.
‘What if it fails? Why has Owen gone so reckless?’
Owen’s mind was filled solely with uncovering my identity.
‘He’s not normally like this…’
Why was he so desperate to reveal my identity?
As if he had to find the dark sorcerer at any cost.
“I…”
I tried to lower my hand, thinking I could say I didn’t believe in God, when a prompt appeared:
[Stage 3: (Extend your hand to Owen) You cannot refuse the blessing of a cleric with supreme divine power. Good.]
‘A-Are you crazy?’
Didn’t I just hear? Owen hid the needle! If I hold hands, he’ll cut my hand and draw blood!
[Stage 3: (Extend your hand to Owen) You cannot refuse the blessing of a cleric with supreme divine power. Good.]
Seeing the prompt again, I realized:
‘He’s trying to force me to reveal that I’m a dark sorcerer.’
I couldn’t guess the author’s intention.
Is the story always like this? Or…
‘Maybe he’s trying to eliminate me because I’m hard to control?’
[Stage 3: (Extend your hand to Owen) You cannot refuse the blessing of a cleric with supreme divine power. Good.]
As I hesitated, the prompt appeared again—a final warning.
“You cannot refuse the blessing of a cleric with supreme divine power. Good.”
I had no choice but to extend my hand. Owen gently took it and drew me closer.
Then, a small voice whispered in my ear:
“I need a dark sorcerer.”
“…?”
As I stared at Owen to figure out his intent, a sharp pain shot through my fingers.
At the same time…
Fwoosh!
A powerful backlash erupted, sparks flying.
