Chapter 67: Black Magic Circle
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 67: Black Magic Circle
When Blair stepped down from the carriage, a muscular man waiting before the villa bowed politely.
“I have been waiting for you, my lady.”
Surprised by the unexpected companion, Blair returned the greeting reflexively and glanced at Mikhail, who offered a broad smile in explanation.
“I thought it was time to add another player to our little scandal. A trio is far more scandalous than a duo, wouldn't you agree?”
Blair was taken aback as she grasped his meaning, but he was right. The bigger the scandal, the better.
After a brief exchange of greetings, the three of them entered the villa together.
The villa was quiet and clean, with no one else in sight. Though uninhabited, it was stocked with basic necessities—the perfect place for a short stay.
Blair stared blankly out the large floor-to-ceiling window in the living room, taking in the view of the lush forest. The scenery was peaceful, filled only with the sound of wind rustling through the branches and the occasional chirp of a bird. As she listened, her mind began to ease.
It was a stark contrast to the Delmark Ducal Mansion, where the moment she stepped out of her room, she was swept up in the bustling sounds of daily life, an atmosphere that always compelled her to be doing something.
'Once Asiel is born, it would be nice to live in a house in the woods like this.'
While Blair lingered by the window, admiring the view, the hulking man who had briefly disappeared returned with teacups.
“You both must be thirsty. Please, have some tea.”
“Thank you.”
Once they had finished their tea, Mikhail made a suggestion.
“Do you remember when I promised to show you a wonderful place?”
Blair recalled their conversation at the art auction and nodded.
“If you don't mind, would you care for a short walk? I have something beautiful to show you.”
“Something beautiful?”
“We will be heading down a forest path, so please let me know if you feel uncomfortable.”
Blair readily followed Mikhail. She had worried the path might be rough, but it turned out to be a pleasant forest trail, perfect for a stroll.
In the quiet, secluded forest, the only sounds were the chirping of wild birds and the whispering wind. Simply walking while listening to those sounds and breathing in the scent of the grass brought a sense of peace to her heart.
Mikhail adjusted his pace to match Blair's smaller strides and spoke casually.
“It might sound strange coming from the man who brought you to a place like this, but you shouldn't trust strange men so easily. Especially when they ask you to go somewhere secluded, like now.”
“It's not that I trust you. I trust the commission fee I promised you, and my own status.”
Mikhail, who had thought her naive, burst into laughter at her cold but harmless reply. He found this side of her amusing.
“It seems my worries were unnecessary.”
Blair looked at him.
Just as Herdin had said, she didn't know much about Mikhail. Since he worked in a rough guild, he might not be as good a person as he seemed. Still, she could tell he wasn't the type to betray her trust. The very fact that he'd offered such advice proved it.
Blair carefully brought up the words that had been on the tip of her tongue since she had met him again.
“I wanted to apologize on my husband's behalf for what he said at the art gallery.”
Mikhail looked puzzled by her sudden apology, but a moment later, he realized what she meant.
“He shouldn't have spoken to you like that. He didn't know any better, so please don't take it to heart.”
“It's fine. His Grace wasn't entirely wrong, after all.”
Mikhail laughed it off lightly, just as he had back then. At that moment, he came to a stop.
“Ah, we've arrived.”
Blair followed his gaze.
A faint glow emanated from the center of the forest, but they were still too far away to see it clearly. As they drew closer, the scenery gradually came into view.
In the middle of the forest lay a small pond surrounded by a cluster of transparent, sparkling flowers that looked as if they were woven from pure light. While a pond in the woods was a common enough sight, the unique appearance of the flowers made the scene extraordinary.
Flowers like nothing she had ever seen before swayed with the breeze, rippling like waves on water. It looked as though countless stars had fallen to earth and were dancing.
“My goodness, it's so wondrous… and beautiful.”
Mikhail chuckled softly as he watched Blair, who couldn't take her eyes off the sight.
“They're called Glasica,” he explained. “They're incredibly delicate and will wither and die if moved from the spot where they first took root. I've heard that every noble who tried to transplant them to a private greenhouse failed.”
“Thank you for showing me such a beautiful sight.”
“I'm glad you like it.”
Blair sat on a nearby rock and quietly gazed at the scenery. The world outside was far wider and more mysterious than she had ever vaguely dreamed while cooped up in the Imperial Palace. The realization made her heart flutter.
Yet, why did Herdin's face come to mind at a moment like this? It was almost a habit.
“Shall we head back now?”
As Blair was lost in thought, Mikhail noticed the wind blowing through the forest carried the chilly air of the approaching night.
Blair stood up to follow him, but there was a problem.
“Ah…”
Her heels were chafed, a sharp pain shooting through them with every step. The shoes hadn't been made for walking, and the friction had rubbed her skin raw.
Blair did her best not to show it, not wanting to be a burden, but Mikhail quickly noticed her limp and frowned.
“I'm sorry. I failed to consider that your shoes might be uncomfortable.”
“No, it's my fault. I can just fold down the backs and wear them, so don't worry.”
“If you leave an open wound exposed in a forest like this, it might get infected. May I take a look?”
Blair sat down on a nearby tree stump.
Mikhail slipped off her shoe to examine her foot. The scrape wasn't deep, but it was bad enough to have stained her shoe with blood.
'For it to get this bad, it must have hurt quite a bit.'
Once again, he was amazed by Blair's endurance. In this state, it would be best if she didn't walk any further, but he knew her well enough to know she was unlikely to let him carry her.
'Then I suppose there's only one way.'
After a moment of thought, Mikhail looked up at Blair, his mind made up.
“Since you trusted me enough to commission me, I shall share one of my secrets with you.”
“A secret?”
Instead of answering, Mikhail gently touched Blair's wound. A faint light began to emanate from his hand.
'Is this…?'
Blair blinked in surprise. The power he was using was undoubtedly divine power.
Strangely, the wound remained unhealed. Mikhail's brow furrowed.
'The healing magic… isn't working?'
He looked up to check on Blair and met her wide-eyed gaze, her expression filled with shock at his display of divine power. And there, just below her face, he found the cause: a black magic circle, faintly shimmering near her collarbone.
'…Black magic?'
'Black magic naturally resists divine power. I've heard it often fails against black mages or those targeted by their spells.'
'But black magic is forbidden. Almost no one uses it anymore.'
So why did this woman have a black magic circle on her?
Mikhail searched her face, but there wasn't the slightest hint of concealment in her expression. She seemed completely unaware of the mark engraved upon her.
Before he could examine it properly, the black magic circle vanished without a trace.
Mikhail channeled a stronger wave of healing magic into her wound. Fortunately, this time it took effect.
Watching this, Blair asked cautiously, “Why didn't you become a cleric?”
Divine power was a gift bestowed upon a select few chosen by the gods. While the chances of inheriting it were slightly higher if one's parents possessed it, the probability was still incredibly low, making it a rare and precious ability. Anyone born with divine power could live an honorable and comfortable life as a cleric, even if it didn't bring immense wealth.
She wondered why he had chosen such a grueling path instead.
At her question, Mikhail smiled and gave an ambiguous answer.
“A power that someone else desperately yearns for can sometimes be a mark that another wishes to erase.”
He didn't refuse to answer, but Blair could tell from his vague response that he didn't want to talk about it further.
Once the treatment was finished, Mikhail slipped her shoe back onto her foot. His touch was incredibly gentle, as if he were handling delicate glass.
“Shall we head back now?”
Blair stood up and took the lead.
Walking in step with her, Mikhail's sharp gaze briefly swept over her collarbone. But the black magic circle was nowhere to be seen.
* * *
The languid afternoon scenery drifted past the window of the gently swaying carriage.
As Herdin watched the late afternoon sunlight take on a platinum hue, his thoughts naturally drifted to Blair.
His wife resembled the sunlight in many ways: her hair, her soft warmth, and above all, her fleeting aura—one that felt as if it would slip through his fingers the moment he tried to grasp it.
Perhaps that was why.
Even when she was right before his eyes, even when he held her in his arms, an inexplicable anxiety always lingered.
The strange sense of unease had been particularly sharp since this morning, when he'd seen the geography book he had left by her bedside.