Regret Always Comes Too Late
“Regret always comes too late.”
“Hmm, is this the place?”
At the very moment Albert departed for Monster Land, an unexpected guest arrived in Legrian Territory. It was Grandel, who had been dispatched by Hades, the Master of the Mage Guild, to locate the site where a world-class spell had been activated.
“Oh? I wondered what sort of place it would be, being right next to Monster Land, but it’s not half bad.”
Grandel stroked his distinctive beard as he observed the territory. It was nothing like what he had heard. Before coming here, he had been told that Legrian Territory was a ruined domain on the brink of collapse, starved of support. Yet what he saw now was far from that image. While not exactly prosperous, it was remarkably well-maintained for a territory bordering Monster Land.
If I were told to live in a place like this, I’d be too anxious to stay…
“The faces of the residents show no trace of worry.”
Normally, people living in such a dangerous border region would be constantly on edge, fearing monster attacks at any moment. But the people here showed no such anxiety.
Does that mean they feel safe? Can the word “safe” even apply to a place like this?
“Heh, this is quite the curious place. I was a bit tense, thinking it would be dangerous, but…”
He continued to look around. Then his gaze fell upon a man in the corner repairing a house with a hammer. The sight made Grandel cry out in shock.
“I-Is that a dwarf!?”
His exclamation was so loud that the man—Hort—stopped hammering and turned around with clear displeasure.
“Yeah, I’m a dwarf! What of it, brat? Never seen one before!?”
Grandel stared in disbelief at the dwarf’s irritable outburst.
“H-How is there a dwarf here…?”
“Who the hell are you? Never seen your face around here before.”
Hort frowned, then noticed Grandel’s robe and scowled even harder—an impressive feat, considering how deeply furrowed his face already was.
“Damn it all! A mage guild lackey. Tch. What’re you staring at? Want me to smash that fancy head of yours with this hammer!? Huh!?”
“N-No, I…”
“Whatever. Stop wasting my time and get lost! Now!”
Intimidated by the sharp rebuke, Grandel instinctively bolted. Hort had looked ready to swing that hammer at any second—in fact, he already had. If Grandel hadn’t dodged, he would have been hit.
“No, why is there a dwarf in a place like this…? Why?”
Dwarves were a reclusive race blessed with divine craftsmanship. They avoided contact with humans and had supposedly fled to unknown lands beyond human reach. No one had seen them since.
So why is one here, in this remote territory?? Why?
His shock refused to fade. He forced his pounding heart to calm and steadied himself.
This territory is not ordinary.
There was definitely something going on. He began walking again to explore further. Soon, he came across farmland.
Paddy fields. The soil looks quite fertile. Crops would grow exceptionally well here.
Such rich land in such an isolated territory was remarkable. Even a layman could tell how good the soil was.
As he examined the fields, his gaze stopped at a particular spot.
There, buried up to his neck in the ground, was a person.
“……A person?”
“……It feels like Lord Albert is gradually turning me into a mental recharge station…… Is this really what I signed up for……? But as his vassal…… I have a duty to obey my master’s orders…… Haah……”
The buried man muttered something strange.
“Gah! W-What is that……? Why is someone buried there!? And why isn’t anyone doing anything!?”
Grandel was so startled he fell backward. A person was literally buried with only their head sticking out.
“I-Isn’t that live burial? And no one cares……?”
Panicked, he grabbed a nearby farmer.
“H-Hey! There’s someone buried over there! Why isn’t anyone doing anything!?”
“Hm? Who might you be?”
“Does it matter who I am right now!? Over there……”
“Ah, that gentleman? It’s fine. The lord said it was necessary.”
“Necessary……? The lord? For what……?”
“Who knows? We don’t really understand it ourselves. We just do as we’re told.”
The farmer returned to his work. At this point, Grandel’s head was spinning. What exactly was happening in this territory, and how was it connected to the world-class spell? To find out for certain, he needed to meet the lord.
* * *
“You’re from the Mage Guild?”
“Indeed. I am Grandel, disciple of the Mage Guild’s master, Lord Hades.”
In the elegantly furnished reception room, Elena received the sudden visitor. Hans, the butler, served warm tea. Normally the nanny’s duty, but since the guest had come from outside, the butler handled it personally.
“By the way,” Elena began, her tone deliberately displeased, “dropping by unannounced like this without any prior arrangement is quite rude, don’t you think?”
“Ah, my apologies. I was in such a hurry that I didn’t have time to send a proper messenger.”
He gave a slight nod. Though he claimed to be sorry, there was no sincerity in his tone, voice, or manner. It was a perfunctory gesture, nothing more.
“Such insolence……”
When Hans tried to interject, Elena gently held his arm to stop him. Letting him speak would only escalate things. She studied Grandel carefully.
The Mage Guild…… and he claims to be Hades’ disciple.
Hades’ reputation was so great that even Legrian Territory had heard of him. As his disciple, Grandel wielded considerable influence, noble or not. His apology was nothing but empty courtesy. He wasn’t sorry in the slightest. He was only going through the motions because she had pointed out his rudeness.
This is like demanding I bow to him. He’s clearly looking down on me.
He knows we can’t possibly stand against the Mage Guild.
Backed by Hades and the Mage Guild, he was openly contemptuous of the Legrian family. No one would act this way otherwise.
What can you do to punish me for being rude?
He sipped his tea with complete ease, as if her displeasure meant nothing to him.
If this were before……
Before Albert returned, she would have had no choice but to endure this insolence. But not anymore. Albert had told her:
“You don’t need to be looked down on anymore. I’m here. Who would dare ignore you?”
“But……”
“Don’t worry. Our family may lack power, but we don’t lack ability. Now that I’m back, no one can look down on us—not even the king.”
Those words had been incredibly reassuring. Thanks to his powerful support, she had regained her composure and strength. So she no longer needed to tolerate this kind of rudeness.
“Is that how the Mage Guild teaches its members to apologize? With a mere nod?”
“……”
“How utterly disrespectful. I’m afraid I have no intention of speaking with someone so rude. If you wish to converse with me, at least show some basic courtesy.”
There was no need to endure it. Elena calmly sipped her tea.
“The tea is quite good. My butler is exceptionally capable. I can’t bear to waste the tea he worked so hard to prepare, so drink that and be on your way.”
It was a clear order to leave. Grandel stared at her in utter disbelief. He had never imagined a mere baron’s daughter would speak to him like this. Though visibly flustered, he masked it and spoke.
“I came here on Lord Hades’ orders.”
Grandel invoked Hades’ name. In other places, that name alone opened every door. His achievements and reputation were not something a baron’s family could ignore. Even a marquis house would not dare offend Hades.
But Elena remained unmoved.
“Ah, I see. Well, it looks like you’ve finished your tea. Would you mind leaving now?”
Hades was an extraordinary mage who had accomplished great feats. She knew that. But—
Is he stronger than my brother?
Her own backing was far more reliable. Just hearing Hades’ name made her heart race with anxiety. But thinking of Albert brought her peace. She felt no fear at all.
It’s really nice having my brother around.
Seeing her smile serenely, Grandel furrowed his brow. He couldn’t understand what she was thinking. Lowering his eyes, he spoke in a deeper voice.
“Am I to take that as a challenge to the Mage Guild?”
His sharp tone was filled with threat. Challenging the Mage Guild meant making enemies of mages across the world. For a ruling lord, that could only bring trouble.
“My, my.”
Elena set down her empty cup and looked up at him. When her amethyst eyes met his, Grandel couldn’t help but flinch. They were deep. More than that—they held unwavering resolve and unshakable conviction. Just as he relied on Hades, she too drew strength from someone she trusted deeply.
“Aren’t you being rather roundabout with your threats?”
“Threats……? Heh, you’re making it sound quite menacing.”
“Then it’s not? You said it was a challenge to the Mage Guild. If that’s not a threat, what is it?”
“Ahem.”
He coughed, avoiding a direct answer. He hadn’t expected her to pin him down so precisely. Hans, pouring tea nearby, smiled with satisfaction.
She’s back.
The Elena of old had returned. She had protected the territory alone for so long, enduring countless hardships as its lord. The problem was that those experiences had all been defeats. Thrust into the position without proper training, she had fought desperately, only to be torn apart by hyenas from every direction. Defeat after defeat. The county became a barony. The curse robbed her of her mana. The Carnival family cut off the merchants. Monster attacks. Knight rebellions.
That’s why she lost so much confidence. She became powerless……
Recently, she had seemed weak and uncertain in everything she did. It had been heartbreaking to watch.
But everything changed when Lord Albert returned.
With his return, both the territory and Elena had transformed. His presence had restored her lost confidence. His bold actions had shown her that no one could look down on them anymore. It was time to say goodbye to the days of being ignored for their weakness and start anew from zero. His path had been so radical that no one could easily follow it. Thanks to him, Elena had cast off her powerlessness and returned to her true self.
She’s back. Not the weak young lady, but the strong lord.
In the past, she would have been flustered by a visit from the Mage Guild. But now, even facing Hades’ disciple, she stood firm and unshaken.
This was Elena. Elena Legrian, head of the Legrian family and lord of the territory.
“I came under Lord Hades’ orders to investigate the world-class spell that occurred here. Since I’ve been given a command, I must conduct my investigation.”
Seeing that things weren’t going his way, Grandel grew stubborn. He wasn’t even sure if a world-class spell had truly been used here—it was a probe.
A world-class spell? Come to think of it, Brother said he used a dimensional transfer magic circle when he crossed over. Could it be……?
Elena hesitated for a moment but tried not to show it. Unfortunately, her opponent was Grandel. His sharp eyes caught her reaction immediately.
So there is something. The world-class spell was definitely used here. In that case……
“If you know anything, it would be best to tell me without hiding it.”
He released a subtle wave of mana. Since words weren’t working, he intended to apply light pressure through force.
The little girl is quite bold, but it’s time she learned her place.
He planned to seize control of the conversation with a mild threat—to make her feel firsthand what happens when one defies the Mage Guild.
“If you hide it, I’ll have no choice but to use force.”
The threat came without pretense. Sharp mana filled the reception room, pressing down on Elena and Hans. The piercing energy sent chills down their spines. As expected of Hades’ disciple, the pressure was immense. It felt as though the air itself had weight, making it hard to breathe.
Usually this much is enough, but……
For most people—especially a young noblewoman—this level of pressure would have been sufficient. Anyone else would have been begging for forgiveness, swearing they’d never do it again. But—
Slurp.
Elena simply continued sipping her tea at a leisurely pace. She set down her cup and looked at Grandel with eyes full of strength.
“This is a threat, isn’t it?”
She smiled as she spoke, and for some reason, that smile was terrifying. Grandel didn’t understand why at the time. But less than a minute later, he would.
“You…… just threatened my brother?”
In the future, Grandel would come to deeply regret the day he tried to intimidate Elena Legrian.