Chapter 87
Chapter 87: What the Hell Kind of Mage Is This?
"The First Prince, to this day, remains without a wife."
Hearing this, Leah's expression didn't shift in the slightest. She leaned back against the sofa and asked:
"So what does that have to do with our Clavena Family?"
Jess Rether heard Leah's feigned ignorance and shook his head with a laugh.
"Miss Leah, you really don't understand, do you? The Clavena Family is at its peak right now—your brother has become the Princess's private instructor. If you were then to be joined in marriage to His Highness the First Prince—"
Leah listened to Jess's words and extended her hand, holding it up against the sunlight streaming through the window, carefully examining her freshly done nails.
The afternoon sunlight was warm and gentle, falling across Leah's delicate, fair face in a way that made her look every bit the picture of aristocratic elegance.
Without sparing Jess so much as a glance, she spoke in an easy, unhurried tone:
"Did Viktor agree to this?"
"Hmm?"
Leah looked up at the somewhat dazed Jess Rether and said lightly:
"Mr. Jess, my brother is the head of this household. You had best keep that in mind."
"If he hasn't arranged for me to be married off, then even if the First Prince came himself, I wouldn't marry him. You may show yourself out."
Jess Rether seemed to want to say something more, but a faint glint of cold light stirred in Gwen's eyes. He narrowed his own and let out a quiet laugh.
"Then I won't trouble Miss Leah any further."
"His Highness the First Prince will be returning before long. We can speak more at that time."
Jess Rether stood, smoothed his clothes, and departed the Meeting Room with his Servants in tow.
Leah remained on the sofa. Gwen looked at her with some concern.
"Leah, are you……"
"Don't worry, I'm fine."
Leah waved a hand dismissively. In truth, she hadn't anticipated that the other party would set their sights on her specifically.
Was it because she, too, was a member of the Clavena Family?
One person's rise lifting the whole household was certainly a good thing—but by the same token, she had become a piece of the interests others were now eyeing.
"What kind of person is the First Prince? All I know is that he's been in the south all this time and almost never returns to the Royal Capital."
Gwen thought for a moment and said:
"He is said to be the Prince who most resembles the current Emperor."
It was said the First Prince was a man of great integrity and magnanimity, who treated commoners with kindness, and who had personally led his army to suppress the Magical Creature uprisings in the south.
The southern border of the Empire was home to an enormous Magical Creature rift, which spewed Magical Creatures at all times.
The relative peace the smaller cities in that region enjoyed today was owed to the First Prince's leadership in defending them with his forces.
He was a hero in the hearts of many throughout the Empire.
A man like that—still unmarried at 30—naturally attracted admiration from noble ladies both inside and outside the Royal Capital.
Leah nodded and said:
"I see."
"The way you describe it, a man of such leadership and personal charisma, who has no shortage of women at his disposal—would he really take any interest in me?"
After saying it, she couldn't help but laugh at herself.
Interests.
She wasn't sure whether Jess Rether's approach to the Clavena Family had the First Prince's blessing—but regardless.
The moment Viktor had become the Princess's teacher, the Clavena Family had inevitably been swept into the vortex of Imperial politics.
Leah shook her head and said mildly:
"Viktor is someone who puts interests first. I can't build my life around him."
Though……he did seem to have changed somewhat lately.
But who was to say whether that change might not be some elaborate lie.
She also wanted Viktor to come home—and as a member of the family, to tell everyone:
No one gets to decide what Leah does with her life.
But she didn't want that to remain nothing more than a fantasy and a wish.
Leah rubbed her temples, stood up:
"It seems I'll have to handle this myself."
Gwen quickly said from beside her:
"Is there anything I can help with?"
Leah smiled and glanced at Gwen:
"No need."
Gwen was too upright. Someone as principled as her had no business getting tangled up in this kind of mess.
Besides, this wasn't the first time Leah had dealt with something like this. She flexed her fingers. The Magic Crystal at her waist lit up faintly, as though passing along some message.
***
On a street nearby, a plainly dressed passerby boarded a Carriage.
He sat down and looked at the distinguished man across from him.
The 2nd Prince of the Kingdom of Carencia—Owaise Sorel.
"Your Highness, Jess Rether has just left the Clavena household."
The Second Prince smiled with eyes curved, listening to his subordinate's report without the slightest urgency.
David felt a flicker of unease and couldn't help but ask:
"Your Highness, if the First Prince truly gains the Clavena Family's support, you……"
"What makes you think Viktor would let Leah marry him?"
The Second Prince narrowed his eyes, gazing out the window.
"Do you know, David—my favorite emotion is envy."
David was somewhat taken aback, but he didn't dare make a sound. He could only listen to his master muttering away to himself.
"Envy is fascinating. It stirs up a person's greed."
"Because of envy, Jess Rether will grow furious—so he'll rush impatiently to help that hopelessly foolish brother of mine."
"And in doing so, he'll selectively forget certain things. In the end, he'll do something beyond his control—but all of it can be made to look perfectly ordinary and reasonable."
He smiled. Within that smile, something was faintly and inexplicably chilling.
"Jess Rether is that way. His foolish little brother is the same."
"Because he is simply acting out of envy."
***
The next morning, the sun rose early. The guards still stood steadfast at the Manor gate.
But a look of weariness had settled onto every face.
Although the Clavena Family had provided them with sufficient food and water, their mental state couldn't help but grow fatigued and worn.
Gwen had not left Clavena Manor—she had remained by Leah's side the entire time.
Leah, however, seemed entirely without worry, carrying on as normally as ever—she even found the leisure to scold the Servants who weren't doing their jobs properly.
Yet everyone knew perfectly well.
Viktor hadn't returned. These days would continue on like this.
On the 2nd day, the Clavena Family had another visitor.
This time, however, it was Duke Livi.
Unlike Jess Rether's forceful, pressing manner—
The very first thing Duke Livi said upon seeing Leah was to ask whether she needed his help.
He was invited inside to the Meeting Hall, where he settled into a leather chair with composed, dignified ease—like a gracious elder gentleman.
Duke Livi raised his teacup. The mellow fragrance of the tea lingered on his lips long after.
"I've heard what's happened, Miss Leah."
"Your brother has helped me greatly on more than one occasion. Though I've repaid the Clavena Family in kind, the debt still leans in your favor."
A life-saving debt naturally outweighed all else—and moreover, what Viktor had saved was his most beloved daughter.
And furthermore……
The Duke glanced at Gwen standing beside Leah.
The Empire's youngest Grand Knight Commander. Viktor's Fiancée.
She, too, had once saved his daughter.
He sighed inwardly. Truly—Erika owed this entire family a debt of gratitude.
Leah was somewhat puzzled. When had Viktor helped Duke Livi again?
"That remarkable red Miracle Potion—was it made by Viktor's hand?"
Leah immediately recalled it—that red potion capable of pulling someone back even from death by poison.
It seemed she wasn't the first person to know of it.
So Leah nodded.
"To be candid, I've come here with a personal matter as well."
Duke Livi drew a slow breath, then said:
"My daughter, Erika."
"She has recently fallen ill with a very strange ailment. No matter how many physicians I've consulted, none have been able to treat it."
Leah understood—Duke Livi was pinning his hopes on the red potion bottle.
But she was still curious.
"What kind of illness is it that not a single physician in the Royal Capital can cure?"
Duke Livi made no attempt to conceal it, and said plainly:
"Her body……is covered in strange flowers……"
***
Viktor had already been locked in fierce battle with Druga for 2 days.
Over this time, Cocotte and Heim had passed through shock, bewilderment, and had now arrived at a state of complete numbness.
One terrifying magic spell after another detonated wildly through the space. Viktor seemed utterly unconcerned with his Magic Power—the towering flame assault had not let up for even a moment.
A full 2 days—he hadn't stopped once.
Even with Druga's formidable recovery and summoning abilities, it was struggling to find any opening to strike back against this ocean of molten fire. Any flower bud on the verge of blooming nearby would be consumed entirely by flames within seconds.
The dense jungle and sea of flowers that had been holding its ground against Viktor had by now been completely set ablaze, lava flowing freely between the flames.
In Viktor's eyes, Druga's Health Bar had dropped below 50%.
Because the Calamity of Wood possessed a hideously effective regeneration skill, Viktor could only maintain a relentless assault to outpace its recovery.
A warm green radiance slowly pulsed from Druga's body, gradually seeping into its enormous form—the burn wounds on its surface were immediately half-erased once more.
But Viktor poured magic out without a moment's hesitation, steadily chipping away at Druga's immense reserves of life.
Amid the withered grass, a cluster of black vines rose from the lava like towering pillars.
The vines thrashed through the sea of fire like writhing Tentacles, driven into even greater frenzy by the heat of the flames.
The withered grass was crushed and snapped apart by the massive shapes, sent flying through the void.
The black vines receded. 3 enormous Magical Creatures burst out from within them, hurtling toward Viktor as 3 spinning green iron balls—
The numbed Cocotte and Heim spotted the incoming Magical Creatures and suddenly realized something—but there was no time to warn Viktor.
In the instant the creatures were about to slam into Viktor, he reached to his waist and drew the Evil Knight. With 3 rapid flicks against the high-speed spinning shells—
Clang!
Precise. Perfect.
The monsters' shells struck against the metal round shield and sent the 3 creatures into immediate disorientation. Their tightly coiled bodies began to unfurl, exposing their soft underbellies directly before Viktor.
The hand bearing the round shield moved in a blur of afterimages. He swiftly drew the Longsword from his pack with his other hand and drove it hard into each creature's weak point.
In an instant, 3 streams of black blood burst from the creatures' abdomens. They lost consciousness, and their bodies fell away into the void.
Meanwhile, Viktor's other hand remained suspended in the air, maintaining control over the endless, intricate magic behind him—outputting damage without pause. He didn't even turn his head, and only said with cool indifference:
"Is that all?"
He seemed to have calculated everything in advance—even the fodder creatures' attack had been accounted for ahead of time.
The 2 Mages who had watched every last second of this were seized by a full-body shudder.
"What……what the hell kind of Mage is this?"