091. Warning (3)
Stepping onto the terrace, Edward immediately drew the curtains.
As they were cut off from the ballroom, he called out to Lucia.
“Lucia.”
“Do you plan to continue being rude?”
Lucia tilted her head slightly at the attitude of calling her by the name she did not permit.
Despite the warning not to call her by name, Edward continued without concern.
“I have tried my best to accommodate you.”
He spoke instead of offering an apology.
Lucia narrowed her eyes as if trying to gauge the other’s intentions.
The swirling distant emotions were murky and opaque.
Not because they were hard to see, but because they were slimy and repulsive.
“Still, I don’t understand why you asked for a divorce. I’ve always been there for you.”
He was a person who didn’t know how to feel guilt.
Was it that he couldn’t feel emotions at all, or that his sense of morality was twisted?
Or perhaps, was it both?
Lucia couldn’t tell which it was, but she realized something.
The person in front of her, who was pouring out emotions in a disorganized manner, was now trying to pull off some trick.
“But since nothing worked, now there aren’t many options left. Please forgive the rudeness.”
Swish, a black aura rose.
Facing that aura, Lucia realized the opponent’s scheme.
‘Black magic…!’
A person born with the bloodline of the Viscount of Verdine, or someone who dabbled in black magic, theoretically, there were only these two cases.
“You might feel dizzy for a moment. But it’s just for a short while, so it’s okay. You’ll be fine afterwards.”
The newly rising black auras swirled and flew into the air.
“I’m going to hypnotize you. Would it be more precise to call it a suggestion?”
As Edward continued his explanation, he created a magic circle with dark magical power.
The magic circle inscribed in the air was dense and eerie.
It was filled with ancient runes, forming shapes that were difficult to decipher.
“It’s a mental magic. It will implant the thought that you want me.”
The magic circle shone black.
It was evidence that it was working.
“Now, forget all about the Viscount of Verdine and be my ally.”
***
“It’s really snowing heavily.”
As Bella predicted, Owen and his party found themselves stranded at Taylor’s domain.
The next day, waking up to find the snow piled up to adult men’s knees, it was difficult even to set up a barrier.
With the help of the knights, Bella barely managed to reach the Misty Forest and create a ‘Protection Array.’
They finally returned to the Taylor Viscountcy, but the snow continued to fall, reaching a point where carriages and horses couldn’t move.
It was natural, as the sky was still cloudy and the snow was pouring down heavily, obscuring the view ahead.
“When will the snow stop?”
Bella asked the Viscount Taylor.
In response, he replied, sweating profusely, “Well… It’s quite sudden even for us. It doesn’t usually snow this much in September.”
“This is troublesome….”
Bella looked out beyond the window with a worried expression and voice.
The still cloudy sky and the pouring hail painted the world white.
Looking at the white snow, she thought it resembled Owen.
Pure white, cold, firm yet innocent.
“Your Excellency.”
Owen, with an anxious look, was gazing beyond the window.
There was a hint of unease in his deep black eyes, as if he wanted to know the situation in the distant capital.
Bella called out to Owen.
“Are you worried?”
“…Well.”
To the probing question, he responded vaguely.
‘Huh. Is he relaxed now?’
Finding his demeanor quite baffling, Bella suppressed a chuckle inwardly.
Now was not the time for Owen to relax.
If only he could teleport, there would be a way to reach the capital in a short time, but besides that, there was no way to get there quickly.
However, teleportation was illegal under imperial law.
And in the capital resided Viscount Celid Yongsik.
He was waiting for Owen to vacate his position.
“I’m not too worried because my fiancée is quite strong.”
To Bella’s questioning gaze, that was the reason he gave.
Bella responded with eyes full of surprise.
She almost let her expression distort, but managed to keep her face composed.
“Indeed, Lady Edelt is quite resilient.”
It was an absurd reason, but not entirely wrong, so she couldn’t deny it.
Despite Owen’s words, Lucia was a strong and resolute person.
Even in front of others who desired the person she wanted, she was confident and unwavering.
“Still, an engagement is an important matter.”
In the lobby on the first floor, Bella spoke cautiously as there was a meeting in progress.
The group was preparing for the sudden snowstorm and planning for the upcoming days.
With the snowfall, adjustments to future plans were necessary, and they also needed to discuss and organize documents regarding the appearance of a large demon that had suddenly emerged.
The team had been in a meeting since early morning.
Tailor Viscount joined in to ask about the weather, and now they were taking a brief break.
“If things go wrong this time, we might have to suffer again… Are you okay with that?”
This was the true meaning behind Bella’s words.
If Lucia fell victim to the tricks of Lord Sylid Yeong-sik, everything would be thrown into disarray. Would that be okay?
How would they handle it?
“I’m not someone who would be affected by such things.”
Owen remained firm and resolute.
Bella was slightly annoyed by his unwavering trust in Lucia.
“Fine. Since I have nothing but trust anyway.”
But when she thought about it, that was all Owen could do at the moment.
In other words, if he didn’t find solace in trusting her, it meant he was in an unbearable state of anxiety.
“I hope he gets shocked or hurt by trusting so blindly.”
Looking at Owen, Bella sighed inwardly.
Owen, who had just answered her, turned his head back up.
His gaze was fixed on Kyle.
The two of them seemed to be together almost every time there was something to discuss.
Even though Bella knew that Kyle didn’t have romantic feelings for Owen, she felt almost as jealous as if he did.
“I hope things get sorted out quickly and we can go back…”
Bella stared at them for a moment before turning her head abruptly.
Watching the snowstorm outside the window, she wished for the day to pass quickly so they could return.
Because everything would be different once they returned to the capital.
-“Mental magic, you say?”
Lord Sylid Yeong-sik was a dark wizard.
There were suspicions that he engaged in illegal activities, and there were many rumors circulating about him.
But she didn’t know he would dabble in that kind of magic.
-“Yes. It’s a type of magic that can induce brainwashing, hypnosis, or suggestion.”
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-“Isn’t that… considered dark magic?”
-“Correct.”
In magic, there were legal normal spells and illegal dark magic, divided into two categories.
All the magic used by the wizards of the Magic Tower and those known to the public were considered normal spells.
They all dealt with blue mana and used only legal magic.
“Even if it’s dark magic, it’s not significantly different from normal magic. It just makes it easier to manipulate others.”
Originally, there was a time when dark magic was also legal.
That was how it was in the setting of “Empire’s Flower.”
However, as time went on, each country, including the Freyon Empire, banned dark magic.
This was due to the increasing number of dark wizards who were using dark magic for criminal activities.
The reason dark wizards exploited dark magic was simple.
Dark magic was a very suitable medium for crimes and misdeeds.
Naturally.
Dark magic was originally passed down from the demons.
“Dark magic isn’t inherently evil. It’s just magic that comes from demons. In the beginning, magic was all dark magic. The origin of present-day magic was dark magic.”
Bella gave Lord Sylid Yeong-sik a skeptical look, prompting him to add more explanations.
It was a story she was not familiar with, but it was about the history that had existed in this world for a long time.
“Originally, magic belonged to the demons. Humans wanted power to make this world their own, so they learned magic from the demons.”
According to Lord Sylid Yeong-sik’s explanation, the foundation of all magic came from the demon realm.
But human bodies were different from demons, so mana had a blue hue.
Later on, they classified the magic primarily used by humans as normal magic, and what demons primarily used as dark magic, discriminating between the two.
“It’s not a laughing matter. Even though they detest the power used by demons, the Berdine Marquis praises it.”
Then suddenly, he cursed the Berdine Marquis.
“The symbol of the Berdine Marquis being a black wolf is because the founding Marquis was a hybrid of a demon and a human. That’s why they all have a dark aura.”
Bella was astonished by the unfamiliar setting.
But at the same time, she started to like Owen even more.
Their lineage was secretive, grand, and extraordinary.
Internally, she was full of admiration, but she didn’t show it in front of Edward.
It seemed like he held a considerable amount of pride in front of Viscount Verdine and Owen.
-“To be treated like nobility, just like that. While all sorcerers are treated as criminals… I cannot give Lucía to someone like that.”
That was the conclusion she came to while saying these words.
“I cannot give Lucía to Owen, so I will even resort to using dark magic to marry her.”
Edward, who harbored pride in front of Owen, the protagonist of this world, was quite amusing, but Bella simply nodded her head vaguely.
No matter what happened, it didn’t matter.
As long as Lucía stayed away from Owen by any means, it would be Bella’s turn from then on.
Using dark magic to fail would be a big problem, but even so, it didn’t matter.
“Anyway, even if caught, he will die alone.”
It was Edward who used dark magic, Edward who captured and imprisoned the giant demon with that dark magic.
He was running the arena business, and engaging in illegal drug trafficking, gambling, and human trafficking was also Edward.
Edward had too many weaknesses.
He had a lot to lose, and Bella knew his weaknesses very well.
Even Edward had enemies.
Bella readily agreed to a deal where she had nothing to lose.
All she had to do was keep Owen and Kyle in check.
If the transcendent beings interfered, it would be pointless.
Bella finished her thoughts while watching the fluffy snowflakes fall.
“I hope things don’t go wrong like a fool.”