“Jared, I’d like to speak with you privately for a moment. Is that alright?”
After finishing the adjustments to Conrad’s magic flow, Jared nodded at the Duke’s invitation.
Promising to continue his self-training until the next session, Jared parted ways with Conrad and Therese. He then returned to the mansion, and found himself alone with the Duke after seeing the other two off.
“Are you aware that Cornelia is still resisting?”
“I heard from Olivier-sama.”
Several days had already passed since Cornelia, the mastermind who threatened Hannelore and Olivier, fled back to her family’s home. It was a troublesome fact that her father seemingly doted on his daughter, and was now protecting her despite knowing her crimes.
Frankly, Jared couldn’t help but feel it was outrageous.
He felt anger towards Cornelia, who, after attempting to take lives for her own reasons, acted as if she had done nothing wrong.
The Duke continued, “I’m considering taking forceful measures soon, but it seems Cornelia’s family is also in trouble. Her father, who doted on her and continued to protect her, has had his position as head of the house taken by his eldest son and is now confined and treated as an invalid.”
“That’s… how should I put it…”
While it was a reasonable judgment, Jared hesitated, unsure how to respond. Sensing Jared’s conflicted feelings, the Duke gave a wry smile.
“It’s alright to speak your mind. I consider you like a son, Jared. There’s no need for you to hold back.”
“Well, I believe it is a reasonable decision. If Cornelia-sama continues to barricade herself in her home, no one other than herself will benefit. In fact, everyone else will undoubtedly suffer losses.”
Perhaps the eldest son thought the same, which is why he took the headship from their father. And no one had objected.
“Cornelia’s brother, Linus Norland, is not an exceptional man, but he is a good person. He possesses a strong sense of justice, which is rare these days, and I find him to be a commendable noble. Therefore, he requested a grace period to persuade his sister, and I granted it, respecting his feelings.”
“How long of a period?”
“Honestly, I haven’t set a specific timeframe. If possible, I would like to secure Cornelia’s person and settle this immediately. The Norland Count Family possesses their own private army, but they would hardly fight me over a clearly guilty individual like their sister. If I were to act, this would be concluded swiftly.”
“However, if we clash, it could be considered a civil war.”
“Precisely. I do not wish to show such a spectacle to the surrounding nations. Perhaps Cornelia understands this, which is why she remains defiant. Truly, she is a woman unacquainted with reflection.”
Jared silently agreed, though he didn’t voice it.
If he hadn’t been caught up in this affair, he might have even felt a sense of relief. However, what filled Jared’s heart was a burning anger. As long as Cornelia remained at large, Olivier and Hannelore would never know true peace.
“To be honest, I agonized over whether to ask for your help.”
“Please, tell me anything you wish.”
—
“As you are now confirmed to become a Court Mage, it’s not something I should normally ask of you… but in the worst-case scenario, I would like your cooperation in capturing Cornelia. Since we cannot deploy troops, I need someone with the power to drag that woman out of her mansion single-handedly.”
“Please use me as you see fit.”
“Are you sure?”
The Duke’s expression held a mix of surprise and relief at Jared’s immediate response. Jared, who had expected to be asked to kill Cornelia, felt a sense of anticlimax. He still had reservations about taking a life, but he could compartmentalize it, viewing Cornelia as nothing but a menace. Considering Emilia Alway, he couldn’t assert he had no hesitations, but Jared’s priority was the safety of Olivier and the others. For that, he was willing to get his hands dirty. His hands were already stained with blood, but he was prepared to get them dirtier for the sake of those he cared about.
“This is not an issue I can disregard. Furthermore, you mentioned you consider me like a son. Therefore, please do not hesitate to ask your son.”
“Jared—thank you.”
Even from their first meeting, Jared had recognized Duke Harald Alway as a good person. Despite his noble title, he was close with his grandfather, a baron, and treated Jared without any discrimination, which made him happy. While he naturally trusted the Duke because his grandparents did, the primary reason was that he was Olivier’s father and Hannelore’s husband. If his relationship had only been with his grandparents, his connection with the Duke might have remained distant, even knowing his character. It was possible he wouldn’t have involved himself with Conrad either. The connections between people were strange and complex, but Jared deeply felt their importance.
“It feels like yesterday that we first met. I never imagined you would become a Court Mage so soon. I had always thought that even if you became a Court Mage, it would be after you reached adulthood.”
“I am the most surprised of all.”
As Court Mage Association staff Dennis Beckman had said, Jared, by killing Barnabas Kaif, the murderer of a Court Mage Candidate, had stopped the crimes and was recognized as possessing the caliber fitting for a Court Mage. The fact that he defeated a Minotaur, something even current Court Mages might struggle with, and incapacitated a serving Court Mage also contributed to his recognized strength. Above all, the reason he was recognized as a Court Mage was that he resolved an incident that had been spreading beneath the surface, causing public anxiety, which the Mage Association and the Royal Palace had tried to keep hidden. Now that a part of the incident and its conclusion had been announced, it was said that a majority of the people recognized Jared as a Court Mage. Many were also watching the future of Linus Herring, who had bravely fought Barnabas. However, Jared could not honestly rejoice in being recognized as a Court Mage after Barnabas’s death. While Barnabas was undeniably the perpetrator, he had started as a victim.
“There’s no need to look so somber. The Barnabas Kaif incident was unfortunate. However, if you hadn’t intervened, more harm would have been done. Besides, he was someone who would not have stopped unless he was stopped by someone.”
“Perhaps.”
“Then you should strive to be a great Court Mage, worthy of his efforts too. That is the only thing you can do for him.”
Jared knew the Duke was trying to comfort him, but he couldn’t wholeheartedly agree.
“If you’re not busy, would you care to join us for dinner? Conrad and Therese would be delighted. It might be a bit sudden, but would that be alright?”
“Your invitation is most welcome, but I have an important prior engagement…”
“No, it’s quite alright. I apologize for the suddenness. I should have invited you in advance, but I was so preoccupied with how to discuss Cornelia’s matter that my mind was elsewhere.”
Jared felt bad declining, knowing the dinner invitation was a gesture of concern. However, he had a promise to keep with someone he had to meet today.
“Perhaps next time we can have a meal together. I hope you’ll also converse with Conrad about matters beyond magic. Due to his position, he finds it hard to make friends, and he doesn’t get along well with his siblings.”
“Of course.”
“Thank you. I appreciate it.”
Jared grasped the hand extended by the relieved Duke. He spent as much time as he could with Conrad and Therese, deepening their connection, and then left the Duke’s estate after making plans for their next meeting.
