Acting With Absolute Certainty
There are many people with good instincts. Plenty can sense danger coming. But no one acted with the kind of absolute certainty that Yohan did. Real or bluff? In any normal person that question would have surfaced at least once. Amelia, however, believed him without reservation. The Yohan she had come to know was neither a liar nor the type to put on a show.
“Just a moment, please.”
She opened the door of the still-rolling carriage and leaped out. Or rather, leaped upward. In a flash of light she vanished, only to reappear on the roof.
He said it was dangerous, so there must be something. I’ll know once I see it for myself.
Perched on the roof, Amelia turned her gaze toward the forest. She focused hard, not simply straining her eyes but reinforcing her vision with mana. Mana—the fuel of magic, the power that made miracles possible. It could be used in countless ways.
Ah… there they are.
With her enhanced sight, the forest came into sharp focus, right down to the bees darting through the undergrowth. Amelia gave a small nod. If this many were visible, the swarm posed a genuine threat.
“My lady, are you all right?”
Yohan’s worried shout rose from below. The concern in his voice sent a pleasant warmth through her chest.
“Yes. I’m coming down.”
She transformed into light once more and slipped back inside the carriage. Yohan’s eyes went perfectly round.
Seeing it up close is so much more incredible.
A mage who attacked with light and could become light herself—the description fit the sight perfectly.
“I’m sorry. I startled you, didn’t I?”
“You did. Still, it’s an honor to witness magic I’ve only ever heard about in rumors.”
“You’re too kind.”
Amelia’s cheeks flushed; she looked almost bashful. For a hero, her humility was unexpectedly charming.
“Ah. I checked the forest. There’s a swarm of bees flying around. Just the ones I could see were numerous—there are bound to be far more hidden among the trees.”
Only after forcing down her embarrassment did she deliver the report. Information came first.
“I see…”
Yohan finally nodded. Knowing the trigger for his Danger Sense had lifted a weight from his chest. No need for tension. The greatest threat to humans was other humans, but people weren’t the only danger. Natural disasters, freak accidents, starving beasts—and now the bees nesting in that forest. There were many hazards in the world.
Yohan understood this well. His intuition didn’t only react to intelligent life.
“Thank you for telling me. As soon as we reach the next village I’ll send word to the castle.”
He thought for a moment and reached a decision. Bees were dangerous, but not urgent enough to handle immediately. Danger was meant to be faced and overcome, yet sometimes wisdom lay in simply stepping aside. That was a lesson hard-won on the battlefield.
“Would it be all right if I took care of them?”
Amelia spoke without hesitation. She could not simply ignore someone else’s trouble.
“I can’t ask a precious guest to go catch bees. Instead, we’ll travel a little faster.”
Yohan shook his head, closed the carriage door, and slid open the small window behind the driver’s seat. It wasn’t that serious a problem.
“You heard her. Pick up the pace a bit. It’s not urgent, but leaving it alone still feels wrong.”
“Yes, young master.”
The driver gave a small chuckle and snapped the reins. The horses that had been walking broke into a brisk trot, hooves striking the ground with new energy.
The Danger Sense didn’t only fade once the threat was removed. It also disappeared when you simply moved far enough away. There were exceptions, of course, but that was usually how it worked.
Anyway. The moment we reached the next village I sent men to report the exact location of the bee swarm. They would handle it properly. After that the rest of the journey passed smoothly. We camped under the stars, and I talked with Amelia inside the cramped carriage.
We’re finally here.
At the end of the long road lay Marseille, where a beautiful sea spread out before us. It wasn’t a full port city, but the number of docks had grown, turning it into a proper harbor. Fishermen worked the waters, and the once-rural village had transformed into something resembling a European coastal town. The view was stunning.
“Ugh…! We’ve arrived at last. Please, disembark.”
The driver opened the door with a theatrical groan. Half of it was exaggeration, which meant the other half was genuine. He’d earned a proper rest.
“You worked hard. We’ll be staying here for a while, so take it easy and look after the horses.”
I stepped down on my own. I understood he wanted to help, but I simply accepted the sentiment.
“Oh my, thank you!”
The driver beamed at me.
In the meantime Amelia descended with the knight’s assistance.
“Thank you.”
“Not at all. It is an honor for this humble knight to serve a great hero.”
Amelia answered with modesty; the knight replied with a mixture of awe and determination. It was a pleasant sight.
“Aaron.”
“Yes, young master.”
The married knight Aaron snapped to attention, every line of his body perfectly straight. Reliable as always, yet I knew one kind word from me would melt him like warm butter.
“You’ll be staying here for the time being as well. You came as my escort, so that’s only natural.”
“Pardon? Do you truly mean it?”
Aaron’s eyes widened like saucers. Since I hadn’t said anything earlier, he must have assumed I would send him back after a few days.
“Of course.”
“Thank you!”
His eyes sparkled with childlike delight. Just as I expected.
Amelia blinked at the display, clearly unable to understand why he was so overjoyed. Well, she wasn’t a man.
“We will carry the luggage. Please go inside.”
“What? No, I can handle my own bags…”
“If we make an honored guest carry luggage when we have perfectly good hands, we’ll be severely scolded. Please go in and rest comfortably.”
The driver and Aaron took the bags. Amelia looked terribly apologetic but eventually gave in and stepped inside the large mansion prepared for us.
A castle was a residence for those of noble rank or higher—in other words, a home. Therefore any dwelling built away from the main estate was inevitably a grand mansion. The Meyer family followed the same principle: the villa in the capital, and this white mansion on the hill in Marseille.
The Marseille estate was predominantly white, accented with blue on the roof and at strategic points. Its architectural lines were elegant and pleasing.
“Ah……”
Amelia’s eyes widened as she took in the mansion. The sight filled me with pride.
“Shall we go in?”
“Ah… yes.”
I gently pulled her from her stunned daze and led her inside. The interior was every bit as beautiful as the exterior. Servants lined both sides of the lobby, bowing in greeting.
“Young master, welcome home.”
What I hadn’t expected was to find the one person who should have been busiest standing right in the center. Why was he here?
“What are you doing here? Did you take vacation? Or did you run away?”
“When the young master arrives, of course I must greet you in person.”
The man with the sycophantic face smiled exactly like a sycophant. On the surface he looked like the last person anyone would trust. In truth he was the complete opposite—serious, deeply loyal, and entirely dependable. If he weren’t, I would never have placed him in an administrative role.
“Wow… you really do sound like a scheming courtier.”
“Courtier? Where else would you find a loyal subject as fine as me?”
Gunter, chief administrator of Marseille, gave me a wounded look, eyes narrowed in playful offense.
Acting cute again?
“Don’t act cute. I don’t like it when men do that.”
“It’s simply my way of expressing how hurt I am.”
“Fine, enough. Before you return to your post, greet Lady Glacial first. She’s the benefactor who saved our nation.”
I subtly stepped aside, directing everyone’s attention toward Amelia. This was the proper thing to do.
“It is an honor to meet such a distinguished guest. We welcome you with all sincerity.”
Gunter took the lead with a flawless greeting. The servants who had been standing in line quickly followed, bowing their heads in respectful silence. Amazement and a touch of fear showed on their faces. They had been informed of the visit in advance, yet seeing her in person was clearly overwhelming.
That’s understandable.
It was the same as hearing a celebrity was coming, or that the division commander would arrive. Even when you knew ahead of time, the actual moment still left you stunned. Just like now.
“Ah… thank you.”
Amelia answered with a slightly dazed expression, even stammering a little. Still, having experienced this sort of attention before seemed to have made her somewhat calmer.
“I will show you to your room.”
“Show her? Go do your actual work.”
I shook my head before Gunter could glide any closer with that ingratiating smile. Absolutely not.
“Ahem. How cold of you.”
Gunter cleared his throat theatrically, looking wounded. At least he hadn’t gone full cute this time.
“Cold? Just hurry up and go.”
“I would love to, but since the young master has arrived I have official matters to report. It is proper administrative business.”
Huh? That was unexpected. He hadn’t simply come to greet me; he had a legitimate reason. I would have to listen.
“My lady, I apologize, but would you mind going to your room and resting first? It seems there’s work waiting the moment I arrive.”
“I’m perfectly fine. But you must be tired after the long journey……”
Amelia’s voice trailed off. The worry in her eyes and tone carried a clear note of intimacy. If she still thought of me as a stranger, she would have simply left.
“Can’t be helped. I came here to rest, but there are still documents that require my approval. Rest well.”
“Please don’t push yourself too hard either, young lord.”
“Don’t worry. I’m the sort of person who stays far away from overwork and overtime.”
I smiled and saw Amelia off, assigning her a dedicated maid. It might feel burdensome for the maid at first, but she would grow accustomed to it soon enough. My own luggage was carried away by the servants, leaving me free to follow Gunter to the first-floor study we used as an office.
“Shall I have tea brought?”
I settled into the high-backed sofa—the seat of honor.
“No need. The honored guest who traveled with you is correct—you must be tired. I will keep this brief. May I proceed?”
Gunter sat on the long sofa beside mine, eyes sparkling with anticipation. Of course he could.
“Go on.”
“The preparations for the Marseille Resort you mentioned previously are nearly complete. When would you like to open?”
The resort project had been moving forward slowly since the final stages of the war. Only the border regions had seen real chaos, so this area had remained untouched by the fires of conflict. There had been little danger here. Still, I was surprised by how quickly it had come together. I had expected another two years at least.
“Already?”
“Everyone worked with great dedication.”
“They’ve done well. Compensate the workers generously. As for the timing……”
I paused, considering. The theme of the resort was leisure and relaxation. The concept called for seasonal attractions suited to all four seasons. That needed to be taken into account.
“Let’s wait one month.”
After careful thought, I settled on the answer. Winter would arrive soon.