“Jared, I have a favor to ask.”
“What is it?”
Wiping away his tears, Laurentz’s eyes were red as he looked directly at Jared and bowed deeply.
“Please let me get involved in Kevin-sama’s case. Or rather, at least get me some information?”
“Laurentz-sama!”
Bertha exclaimed reproachfully, but Laurentz didn’t look up.
Jared thought it had become troublesome, and Bertha looked at him and shook her head. She probably wanted him to refuse.
“I’m sorry, Laurentz, but you shouldn’t get involved in this matter.”
“Why!”
“Because you’re letting your blood go to your head like that. Whether the culprit was an acquaintance of Kevin Harrington or not, they possess the ability to kill a Court Mage Candidate. He was your Master, wasn’t he? Can you guarantee you can defeat an opponent stronger than your Master?”
His voice hardened slightly, and Laurentz faltered.
He surely understood in his heart that if he got involved, he would end up like his Master.
Bertha, relieved that her master had been rejected, looked at him and bowed her head slightly. Jared responded with a nod and placed his hand on Laurentz’s shoulder.
“I understand that you can’t stay calm when someone close to you dies. It’s natural to want revenge, to want to avenge their death. But don’t act rashly. If something happens to you, Laurentz, including to me, there will be people who will be sad. Do you understand?”
Jared knew Kevin Harrington was a capable person from the achievements listed in the materials he received from the Mage Association, but since he had never met him in person, he couldn’t completely believe it. He likely had the ability to be chosen as a Court Mage Candidate, but when he heard that he also had connections in addition to his sheer ability, it was understandable to question how much he could trust.
But, at the very least, he should assume Kevin was more capable than Laurentz. If that were the case, he had to consider the culprit who killed Kevin to be even more capable.
Jared knew Laurentz’s abilities. And he knew that he was a capable person.
Laurentz Herring was a magician who surpassed his age, and in the future, he would likely become a representative of this country. That was precisely why he didn’t want him to die here.
More than anything, he didn’t want to lose a precious friend.
“But I-”
Laurentz, unable to accept it, gripped Jared’s arm painfully.
However, he likely understood in his head. Tears welled up in his eyes. Tears of frustration.
“I understand that you’re worried about me, painful as it is. And that a magician like me would be no match for the culprit who killed Kevin-sama, even if I found them. Still, I can’t forgive the culprit. I will get revenge with my own hands!”
Laurentz broke free from Jared’s arm and left the mansion.
“Hey! Wait, Laurentz!”
Even when he called out, there was no sign of him stopping.
“Jared Murphy. I apologize for making you say the unpleasant things in my stead.”
“It’s alright. More importantly, stay with Laurentz. Please stay by his side and make sure he doesn’t do anything reckless. Just in case, there’s a possibility that the culprit might attack Laurentz.”
“I understand. I won’t leave Laurentz-sama alone.”
“Contact me immediately if anything happens, please.”
“Understood. You be careful too.”
“You too.”
After exchanging words, Bertha went after Laurentz.
“He was quite emotional, wasn’t he? Is he your friend?”
“Yes, a precious friend. That’s why I don’t want him to die.”
They had only become close recently, but now he was an irreplaceable friend. He hoped Laurentz felt the same way.
To prevent his friend from acting rashly or falling into danger, he wanted to resolve this matter quickly.
Whoever it was, if they wanted to kill a Court Mage Candidate, they should just appear before him. He would defeat them.
“Let’s go back to the mansion after I’ve thoroughly searched this one. Olivier-sama will surely still be angry, so maybe I’ll buy him some sweets on the way…”
“I want to eat sweet baked goods.”
“I didn’t ask for your preference!”
Bantering, Jared and Pfeil searched the mansion.
The scene was next to what appeared to be a laboratory. There was a simple bed and signs of meals. It wasn’t a bedroom, but perhaps a resting room.
There were two entrances to the room. One from the outside, through which they had just entered, and another one from inside the mansion. Neither showed any signs of being forced open.
“It seems to be the work of an acquaintance. There are no signs of disturbance inside the room.”
“And no magic was used either.”
Pfeil inferred from his perspective as an assassin, while Jared, as a magician, interfered with the holy spirit to trace magical traces, but found nothing.
Whether it was premeditated or impulsive was unclear, but he couldn’t help but think they did a good job.
The Mage Association likely wouldn’t be able to identify the culprit just by looking at the scene. After all, they didn’t even know the method. As Laurentz had told him, a sword pierce through the chest—that was all there was to it.
Beyond that, they would have to investigate from the angle of resentment, but he would leave that to the Mage Association.
All he had to do was to be prepared to respond to any attack. That was enough for now. If someone intended to target him, they would appear before him sooner or later.
“By the way, Jared, have you noticed?”
“That someone is watching us?”
“So you noticed too. We’ve been watched ever since we left the Alway Ducal Family Villa. They think they’re good at concealing their presence, but it’s clumsy.”
Like Pfeil, Jared had felt a scrutinizing gaze ever since they left the mansion. There was no malice, but there was hostility. He had been receiving such a gaze all along.
However, since there was no direct action, he had left it alone, but it was annoying to be so obviously watched.
Given that Court Mage Candidates, including Kevin Harrington, had been murdered, his guard had been raised.
“Do you think it’s the culprit in this case?”
“No, someone who killed three Court Mage Candidates wouldn’t be so easily discernible in their tailing. Of course, that’s assuming this clumsy trailing isn’t a disguise.”
If they were deliberately making themselves known to be followed, they were either quite capable or confident in their abilities.
“Are they simply bad at tailing, or is it an invitation… it’s hard to judge.”
Ultimately, since they were merely being watched, they didn’t know the other party’s objective.
“I can’t believe it, but maybe Dennis-san hired a bodyguard? No, but would that person do something like that?”
“Who knows. I don’t know that person, so I can’t judge, but the Mage Association certainly wouldn’t want to lose the only remaining Court Mage Candidate. Therefore, it wouldn’t be strange if they prepared someone to report on the situation, in lieu of the bodyguard you refused.”
However, if they were from the Mage Association, they wouldn’t direct hostility, so he thought it was unlikely.
As long as he didn’t know their identity, he had no intention of lowering his guard.
“I don’t want to bring this tailing party back to the mansion.”
“Should we make a move somewhere?”
“We should see how it plays out. If the tailing continues, I think it would be better to change locations, engage them, and force them to reveal their objective.”
“Then, let’s do that.”
After re-examining the scene for any overlooked details, they decided to leave the mansion with nothing new.
It was still before noon, and he was thinking of appeasing his fiancée in the afternoon when,
“They’re moving.”
“I know.”
The person who had been watching them began to move.
They had just left Kevin Harrington’s mansion, and there were civilian houses around. If a fight broke out, there was a possibility of involving them, so he would prefer not to fight here.
No matter who appeared, the priority was to move to a place where they could concentrate on the fight and prepare themselves.
Then,
“Nice to meet you. Jared Murphy.”
A young girl appeared silently before them. Her voice was like the ringing of bells, but her way of speaking felt somewhat archaic.
The girl, dressed in a distinctive ethnic costume adorned with floral patterns and with long red hair tied in pigtails, glared at Jared.
“That outfit, where have I…”
He had seen such an outfit somewhere before, but he couldn’t remember where or who had worn it.
More importantly, he didn’t recognize the girl and had no idea why she was directing hostility at him.
“Who are you?”
“My name is Rio! I will not forgive you! Prepare yourself!”
