Chapter 37
Chapter 37
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: Flowers of the North Sea (8)
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"Kuaaaah... My thighs... my thighs hurt..."
On the way back, aside from Lehel grimacing every time the magic train jolted, things were mostly peaceful.
The two women seemed relieved that the incident had wrapped up surprisingly quickly, but Darling's expression was complicated.
As she stared out at the scenery to fight off her motion sickness, she suddenly tugged at the sleeve of Louis, who was sitting beside her.
"Hey, Canteen Owner."
"Yes?"
"My throat's dry. Go buy some plum wine."
"Why not go yourself? And do they even sell alcohol here?"
"You're the one running the canteen, so you should know how to pick the good stuff. Hurry up."
"If we're talking like that, you're the head of a trading company..."
"'Canteen Owner' rolls off the tongue nicely! Now go, go!"
She practically shoved him out before fixing Lehel with a cool gaze.
The compartment felt subtly different now that they were alone.
"Chairman."
"Yes, my lord."
Lehel smiled brightly from across the way, her thoughts impossible to read as befitted a master of magic. Darling, on the other hand, was a merchant.
She posed her questions based purely on logical deduction, focusing on the parts of the situation that needed explaining.
"I've handled your messes before, but this is the first time I've fronted such a small amount. Just 80,000 gold—more than enough to settle verbally even without cash on hand, wouldn't you say?"
"Well, yeah. But for some reason, the casino wouldn't budge this time. They insisted on immediate payment in full."
"I see. Still, the timing feels unnaturally rushed. You travel the continent hitting gambling dens, but did you really rack up such a paltry sum in just a week?"
"Gambling has its lows. I just had a terrible run this time."
Lehel hummed thoughtfully, one hand still clutching her thigh as she brought the other to her chin.
"Come to think of it, something felt off about the gambling in Alsas. The other players seemed weirdly focused on stopping me specifically..."
"Probably blinded by your revealing outfit. You should dress more modestly."
"I'm not planning to bundle up like you, my lord~. Anyway, yeah, I lost most of it in Alsas. Pretty suspicious."
Lehel picked up on Darling's insinuation, sensing something amiss. Could someone have been trying to keep her pinned in Alsas?
If danger threatened Pharenchia's chairman, Darling Tokarev de Luhillen would have no choice but to mobilize.
It wasn't the first time, making the reasoning all the more sound.
"Were they trying to target both of us?"
"Any suspicious traces on the train?"
"Not that I can sense. It's operated by Merak Magic Tower to begin with."
"Then..."
Silence. A bad premonition hung in the air.
"Looks like bringing you along was a mistake on my part, Chairman."
Their thoughts naturally turned to something happening at Pharenchia.
Having identified the goal, the next question was motive.
But to uncover that, they first needed to identify the culprit behind it all—
"No way."
"Impossible."
Lehel and Darling chuckled it off dismissively.
Who owned the casino and underground auction house? The Martiniqa Trading Company. And where did that company pledge its loyalty?
To the North Sea's overlords, Roshiar.
Roshiar turning their blades against Helzev? Absurd.
Even so, as Pharenchia's lord, Darling couldn't shake a lingering unease.
It was an era of peace.
A full decade since the Great War, yet noble feuds and territorial skirmishes were always possible.
"Just to be sure—Reincarnation Duke."
"Yes, Luhillen Viscount."
"Do you think you could beat the Snow Duke?"
Among the five grand dukes, who was strongest? Or was there any grand duke who could defeat Terra Ernisten?
Debating the might of unique magics was a perennial favorite among mages.
"No way~."
Lehel waved it off. She stated firmly.
"I couldn't beat the Snow Duke."
"Really? You have far more experience and mana."
"My unique magic has fixed limits, independent of total mana or karma."
A bitter smile touched Lehel's lips.
"I burned too much power during the Great War."
"I see... In the capital?"
"Yes. You know your history."
"Anyone who doesn't isn't worth talking to. Humanity was on the brink."
Unlike her current reputation as Archmage, Terra Ernisten's intervention had come quite late.
Right after the Raviere Mountains front collapsed, humanity suffered unspeakable losses against the demons' overwhelming might.
Two grand dukes fell, and Reincarnation Duke Lehel repelled the demon horde advancing on the capital Tesalon at the cost of half her lifespan.
Terra joined after that. Her appearance in Tesalon coincided almost exactly with Whitelett's return from Bachran alongside Nova Rate and the Holy Kingdom dispatching Eris Frashuhra.
"Anyway! The new Snow Duke who succeeded the one who died then is handling demons just as well as her predecessor. No need to worry."
"I only asked out of caution. Oh, speaking of which—"
Louis's footsteps approached from afar. Darling figured it was time to wrap up.
"In your prime, could you have beaten Terra Ernisten?"
"Heh, that's a good one. This life's going backward, so..."
Lehel giggled at the question, flashing a deeper, toothier smile than before.
"If I'd aged thirty more years, maybe I could've given her a run for it?"
The jolting carriage made it a struggle to reach the rear car and buy booze from the attendant.
Luckily, the menu wasn't limited to protein blocks, but asking for a bottle of plum wine in this shaky ride earned me a look like I was insane.
I carefully returned without spilling a drop, only to find Lehel and Darling staring out the window as if they hadn't exchanged a word.
"Viscount? Got the wine."
"Hm? I don't drink. Just leave it there."
"..."
Then why send me?
I sat down to drink it myself when I remembered something I'd forgotten.
Right, I had a question for Lehel.
"Chairman."
"Yes?"
"Step out for a sec?"
"Ah... Kinda hard to move right now."
I coaxed Lehel out into the corridor. I supported her unsteady rise and helped her lean against the wall.
"Thanks. Wait, is this what they call teasing?"
"Not in the physical sense."
"Whatever. Why'd you call me out? Need more school rules?"
"Nah, that's fine. No point reciting them on stage at the festival anyway. Hey... do you know anything about Roshiar?"
It was a casual question, but Lehel's eyes widened in surprise.
"I figured you wouldn't..."
"Pardon?"
"Tell me more. What about Roshiar?"
"Oh, nothing major—just curious if they have genetic heart issues or something."
"Nope, not that I know of."
What? Then Adella was overreacting. As I sighed in relief, Lehel dropped a bombshell.
"Even if there was, it wouldn't matter. I'm taking it anyway."
"Huh? What?"
"Didn't hear me? I'm taking it. Like this."
She hooked five curved fingers at her chest, mimicking ripping out a heart.
The shock hit me like a truck.
"Why?"
"Hm, bit sensitive... Mind giving me your hand?"
"Here."
Lehel placed my palm below her solar plexus, overlaid her hand, and pressed gently, eyes closed.
"Feel anything? That's my mana and karma, inverted into electrical signals."
"A little."
"Look closely—they're twisted like a vortex, equal in form and mass. My unique magic requires perfectly halving mana and karma."
She released my hand and shrugged.
"Mages preserve mana and karma differently, but unique magics take it to extremes. Know what Roshiar's ice magic fundamentally means?"
"No."
"The pinnacle of white magic. Ice purer than holy spells, without a speck of karma."
Then it clicked.
"Don't tell me the heart-ripping is because..."
"No guilt, no karma. No emotions? The human core becomes pristine."
Thus, Roshiar kills the heart.
For magic stronger than anything.
"Adella didn't seem like that at all."
"She's been rated so poorly as a mage—let alone unique magic potential—until the recent magic tournament."
Lehel paused, realization dawning, then glanced out the window.
"Speaking of, the royals sent congratulatory letters to the first-year families for the tournament win not long ago."
"..."
"Roshiar got one too... right?"
"Going to the ball?"
Late evening, the old butler met Adella in front of the dorms. She was beautifully dressed in a gown.
Adella flashed a flawless, innocent smile at his question.
"Grandpa, did you know? Acacia's already blooming all over Bachran! Its honey's way sweeter than other flowers. Can you get some for me?"
"Miss..."
Tears welled in the butler's wrinkled eyes. He'd known her since she was little.
He knew exactly how she'd lived until now.
Pretending to be a fool—not just ignorant of magic to hide from the family, but her entire life—a miserable act he'd witnessed up close for half his life.
"You can stop now... can't you?"
She'd finally escaped Roshiar's eyes by entering the academy, even forging ties with the count.
But Adella fiddled with her left earring, feigning ignorance.
"I really want to try it! Please...?"
The butler realized. She was trying to send him away.
The moment the family discovered her 'fool' act was pretense, no one close to her would survive.
"I... I...!"
His clenched fists trembled. Tears fell.
He wanted to say he'd stay by her side to the end.
But seeing the sorrow in Adella's clear eyes—
He knew not saddening her further was the only thing he could do.
"I'll fetch the finest bouquet... from Bachran."
So he bowed deeply.
"No matter how long it takes."
Even if his master changed utterly upon reunion. He vowed quietly that his loyalty would not waver.