4
Delia did not want to think too deeply about it.
She let out a small sigh and opened her basic textbook on magic again.
She had grown up overhearing countless stories about magic since childhood. Because of that, the contents of the book did not feel particularly difficult.
And yet, she could not bring herself to abandon the lingering attachment she had toward magic. Perhaps it was tied to everything she was currently struggling with.
If she truly could not become a mage, it would not only mean the end of the Owens family’s tradition—it might also strip away the very reason her marriage existed in the first place.
In the Owens family, regular mana tests had always shown a response. That alone proved Delia possessed mana.
And yet—
“Then why won’t it manifest…?”
The question she had tormented herself with hundreds of times lingered like an afterimage.
Just then, the book she was reading began discussing low-ranking mages.
If one possessed even the faintest trace of mana, they could, through education and training, become a low-grade mage—someone capable of casting practical spells useful in daily life.
Delia’s heart wavered.
Perhaps she should ask Eden to hire a magic instructor for her.
The Grace family and Eden would likely expect a great mage, not a low-ranking one.
But even so… wasn’t it better than remaining as utterly useless as she was now?
At least then, she would be someone who could use magic at all.
Delia thought this with a strangely bright expression—like the sky after rain, still clouded, yet paradoxically clear.
The sound of waves drifted in.
The northern nations had generally maintained favorable relations with the Atlantis Empire—or more precisely, with the Grace territory along the empire’s northern border.
Aside from minor, routine border skirmishes over the long course of history, there had been no major conflicts. Trade flowed without obstruction.
Once ports and merchant ships were prepared, commerce began as if it had been waiting all along.
Eden watched a large merchant vessel bound for one of the northern countries. It was fully laden with cargo as it sailed away.
The shipments were mostly minerals, crafts, and foodstuffs.
The minerals produced from the Grace territory’s mines were renowned even within the empire, attracting great interest from northern nations.
The same applied to crafted goods made from those minerals. With such rich materials available, craftsmanship in Grace territory had naturally flourished.
It was no secret throughout the empire that even the imperial family favored jewelry produced in Grace lands.
“Your Grace, this is already the second departure. Congratulations.”
Viscount Benjamin offered his congratulations.
He was a man who had served as Eden’s right hand in ensuring the success of the trade enterprise.
He was keenly attuned to economics—a rare talent in that field. He was obsessed with gold and resources, and worked harder than anyone for their accumulation.
Such a man might easily have been corrupt or untrustworthy, but Eden had been willing to accept that risk.
He had been in desperate need of capable personnel.
Yet, unexpectedly, over the past two years, he had come to trust Benjamin.
Through extensive experience, Eden had realized that the viscount was not one to become entangled in unsavory dealings. Rather, he was simply a peculiar man who found genuine joy in accumulating wealth and strengthening economic power.
“You’ve worked hard, Viscount.”
At Eden’s words of praise, Viscount Benjamin responded with an expression of genuine excitement.
“It’s all thanks to Your Grace. I’ve honestly enjoyed myself immensely.”
“I see.”
“Now that even southern nobles are requesting trade agreements, departures will only become more frequent. The Grace territory will grow even wealthier than it already is.”
“You look pleased.”
“Of course I am. I’m going to be rich, after all. Your Grace, once gold begins piling up in abundance, you should also start a lending vault business.”
“Don’t get ahead of yourself.”
“Haha, it’s only a matter of time. And when it happens, you must leave it entirely to me! This place will become the empire’s treasury!”
When Eden first proposed building merchant ships for commercial purposes, many nobles of the empire had been skeptical.
At the time, Eden found negotiating with nobles far more exhausting than building ports or ships.
Every time he muttered that this was unbearable and cursed under his breath, Viscount Benjamin would soothe him and lend his support.
“Captain!”
A voice called out to Eden as he stood lost in thought, gazing at the departing merchant vessel.
Eden turned to look at the knight who had called him.
“What is it?”
“I’m sorry, but we need you to come with me for a moment.”
Eden gave Benjamin a brief nod in farewell and followed the knight. The knight led him toward a watchtower near the northern wall.
Below the tower, several knights had gathered, including Scott Ford, a senior member of the order.
Upon spotting Eden, Scott approached from a distance and spoke.
“Captain, please take a look at this woman.”
Eden’s gaze followed where Scott was pointing.
There stood a woman in tattered clothing, her garments half in disarray.
She was small in stature, with red hair.
Her pitch-black eyes were filled with tears, threatening to spill at any moment.
Eden had been about to reprimand them for calling him over just to see a single person.
But perhaps reading his expression, Scott quickly explained.
“She has a faint trace of mana.”
“Mana?”
“Yes. However, she herself insists she knows nothing about it. We would normally dismiss someone like a wanderer, but…”
Only then did Eden understand Scott’s troubled expression. Someone with mana could not simply be sent away without consideration.
“You there.”
He called out to the woman in a dry, hardened voice.
She trembled as she approached him, as though barely able to stand.
Her gaze lifted toward him, tears already threatening to fall at any moment. Her shoulders shook.
“Yes…”
“What’s your name?”
“Ka… Karen…”
“Why are you in such a state here?”
“I don’t remember much… That’s all I’ve already told the knight. I think I was traveling with others… then something attacked us… and when I came to, I was the only one left here…”
Eden fixed a cold stare on the woman as she spoke.
Even he, a high-ranking knight, could clearly sense the faint flow of mana within her.
“And the others?”
“I don’t know… I really can’t remember…”
Her answer only made Eden’s eyes colder.
“Expel her from the territory.”
He did not feel good about sending away someone who bore mana.
But the territory’s strict rule stood first: anyone unable to identify their origin could not remain within its borders.
“W-wait, please…!”
Suddenly, Karen dropped to her knees and grabbed Eden’s leg, clinging to him desperately. Tears streamed down her pale cheeks.
Eden frowned, his expression growing harsher at her behavior.
“What is this?”
“Sir knight, I’m so… so scared… Please don’t throw me out. Just until I get my memories back…”
Her voice broke as she sobbed, her body shaking so violently that her red hair trembled against her thin shoulders.
To any observer, the sight of the red-haired woman trembling and crying before him would have been pitiable.
But to Eden, it was simply bothersome.
He looked away from the kneeling woman toward the ridgeline in the northwest.
Winter days were short. Night would fall soon. It was time to return to the castle.
Time to return.
As Eden remained silent, Scott spoke up.
“What shall we do, Captain?”
“Is there anywhere in the territory she can stay?”
“If we pay a sufficient fee, someone will take her in.”
“Assign someone to watch her.”
Eden stared down at Karen for a moment before continuing slowly.
“No… bring her to the castle.”
“…To the castle?”
“Yes.”
Scott was visibly startled at the order.
Eden had always been extremely reluctant to allow outsiders into the castle. Only high-ranking knights from other orders were admitted for essential meetings.
At first, they had assumed he simply lacked the time to deal with outsiders.
But the knights of the Skyler Order soon realized the truth.
It was because of Delia.
The captain disliked, in any form, the idea of exposing his wife, the Duchess of Grace, to the outside world.
Scott looked at him with growing confusion.
‘Don’t tell me…’
It was absurd, but a thought crossed his mind—that the captain might now be interested in this woman.
The red-haired girl crying before them was quite beautiful. But still…
Compared to Duchess Delia, whose beauty transcended mere description, could Eden truly be swayed by someone like this?
Scott frowned as he looked at Eden.
If that were true, their captain had truly lost his mind.
Eden noticed Scott’s increasingly strange expression as he looked between him and the woman.
His own expression darkened further.
“Stop making that disgusting face.”
“What face are you talking about?”
Scott replied defensively, as if struck at the core.
“It’s almost night. It’s better to keep a suspicious person where we can see her rather than leave her out of sight. That’s why I’m taking her.”
“Understood.”
“Take her and lock her in the basement cells of the annex.”
