Chapter 93

93

I had no idea how I managed to make it to the sponsor area. Zen must have noticed my unusual state, as he kept glancing at me with a worried expression.

‘...I shouldn’t be like this; I need to pull myself together now.’

I had been somewhat dazed, but I bit my lip and tried to steady my breathing. Calming my mind, I spoke to Zen.

“Let’s hurry back. We’re already five minutes late.”

“Okay, I got it!”

Zen summoned Ventus, and in an instant, he transported both of us to the garden of the Valentino Castle.

I blinked to clear my vision. The familiar scenery brought a strange sense of calm.

...We made it back safely without being caught. We obtained evidence that could persuade the other families, so the plan was successful.

Yet, my heart was still beating uneasily.

‘Father... No, I don’t even want to call him that. That man.’

Thinking of using an innocent girl as a tool for the Everett family again...

...I couldn’t just stand by and let that happen. The Eloyse orphanage, right? I’ll go there first thing tomorrow morning.

‘I’ll take her in before the Duke of Everett does.’

Deciding what to do, the shock subsided, and I felt more composed. After taking a deep breath, I slowly opened my eyes and turned to Zen.

“Let’s hurry. We need to go to the dining room.”

“Y-Yes, right!”

Zen nodded vigorously, looking somewhat startled. I found his reaction odd but dismissed it.

‘We’re already six minutes late... I hope it’s not too late. It would be troublesome if Owen suspects something.’

...But even if he does suspect, it shouldn’t matter much. Because we have solid evidence. With this, we can win over the Queen, the Crown Prince, and even other noble families.

‘...The Albines family is a bit ambiguous, though.’

Would the Albines family, known for their neutrality, step into this tumultuous situation? ...I doubt it. They would remain ambiguous unless they were guaranteed a clear victory and profit. History has proven that the Albines family lacks both a sense of justice and loyalty. What a bunch of despicable people.

‘Moreover, the Duke of Albines suspects Theodore because of Adeline’s disappearance.’

The Duke of Albines has no idea what Adeline did or who took revenge on her.

Adeline’s actions were all karma, but the Duke of Albines won’t acknowledge that.

No matter what Adeline’s sins were, he would seek revenge for his daughter.

...Therefore, the Albines are even more likely to not help the Valentinos. They might even side with the Everetts.

‘...The Duke of Albines and his mages are tough opponents, but they can’t compare to the Crown Prince’s mentor.’

The Great Sage Blesset, the Crown Prince’s mentor, is the undisputed best mage in the kingdom. ...And Derrick, the Valentino family’s mage, is also exceptionally skilled.

‘The Albines family isn’t a major concern. More importantly... the Duke of Everett and Owen’s spirits are the real headaches.’

Before I knew it, we had arrived at the main entrance of the manor.

I paused and looked around. Charlotte was supposed to be waiting for me...

“Lady!”

Just then, I heard Charlotte’s voice and turned to see her hurrying towards me.

“Lady, something terrible has happened!”

“Why? What’s wrong?”

My heart sank at the news. Could Owen have found out? ...Given his sensitive nature, he might have noticed something suspicious.

But we already have the evidence...

“Lady, you need to go to the training ground right away!”

“...?”

I was taken aback by the sudden mention of the training ground. ...The training ground? Out of the blue...

‘Oh no...’

“Did the Duke challenge Owen and Hessen to a duel?”

Could Theodore, unable to control his anger, have impulsively thrown down the gauntlet? My chest tightened.

“No, no! It’s not a duel, just a sparring match, so don’t worry about that! But... Owen challenged the Duke of Valentino first, and it doesn’t feel right. Owen isn’t the type to do something without thinking, so I’m worried he might have some ulterior motive...”

“...”

It’s a relief it’s not a duel, but I understand why Charlotte is worried.

I looked around and then took out the documents from my pocket. Handing them to Charlotte, I instructed her.

“Charlotte, put these documents in the second safe in my room. Be careful and make sure no one sees you.”

“A...! Yes, Lady!”

The second safe was hidden deep in the dressing room. Only Charlotte and I knew its exact location. It could only be opened with two keys, one of which I had, and the other Charlotte had.

Charlotte clenched her fist as if to show her determination and ran up the stairs leading to the upper floor.

I smiled briefly at her retreating figure, then returned to a serious expression and said to Zen.

“Zen, let’s hurry to the training ground.”

“Yes...!”

Zen seemed surprised by the unexpected news and looked flustered. We hurried to the training ground without stopping.

I was already feeling tired, probably because today was more active than usual. But I had to stay alert until Owen and Hessen left. I couldn’t let all our efforts go to waste...

“...Lily, are you okay?”

“...?”

Zen asked cautiously. For a moment, I didn’t understand his question, but then I realized what he meant and opened my mouth slightly.

Somehow, a shallow smile escaped my lips.

“I’m fine. Thank you for your concern.”

“Still... after today’s events, you should get a good rest. You don’t look well.”

Zen glanced at me with a worried look, like a panting puppy. Maybe it’s rude to think this, but he really does resemble a large sheepdog.

“I will, so please don’t worry.”

Speaking with a firm tone, Zen finally seemed a bit more at ease.

Soon, we arrived at the training ground.

* * *

As we entered the training ground, my body tensed up.

The sound of clashing blades was sharp and piercing, and Theodore and Owen were locked in a fierce sparring match. They were so focused that they didn’t even notice our arrival. Their skills were evenly matched, and it was impossible to tell who was better.

‘This... it’s going to be a draw.’

Then, suddenly, Theodore flinched and took a step back, turning to look at us.

His gaze immediately fixed on me. Even in the midst of such intense concentration, he somehow sensed my presence.

“...Duke of Valentino, you’re impressive. I would have been completely absorbed in the sparring and lost all focus.”

Zen said admiringly. I didn’t know how to respond, so I just tried to shake off the strange tremor that had run through me.

Meeting Theodore’s raw, blue eyes filled with fighting spirit, I reassured myself that it was just a momentary shock.

“...!”

At that moment, Owen lunged at Theodore with a terrifying momentum. His eyes, focused on Theodore, were filled with a deep, unsettling madness. Theodore skillfully blocked Owen’s attack, but a faint sense of unease crept into my heart.

‘Owen... why did he challenge Theodore to a sparring match?’

Just as I wondered this, a pale, frosty coldness began to form at the tip of Owen’s sword. It was clearly the aura of Fria. And I instinctively understood Owen’s intention.

“Stop!”

Without thinking, I moved forward. But Owen didn’t stop his frost-covered sword.

Shards of ice scattered in all directions. One of them was about to hit Theodore.

Whoosh!

A strong wind suddenly blew, shattering the ice. The wind, carrying the warmth of summer, was golden. It was none other than Zen’s Ventus.

“...Interrupting a sparring match is not polite, Young Duke Delacroix.”

Owen reprimanded Zen without hiding his hostility. Zen flinched reflexively and forced a stiff smile. His fingertips, controlling Ventus, were trembling slightly.

“Do you forget the rule that elemental powers are not allowed in regular sparring matches? I merely stopped an unfair match.”

Zen’s words made Owen glance at the cold aura surrounding him, then he muttered dismissively.

“Oh, did I use elemental power? I must have done it unconsciously. I was too absorbed.”

“...”

Even Hessen, who was watching with his arms crossed, looked bewildered. I found it absurd, and I couldn’t help but agree with Hessen.

‘Owen did it unconsciously? What a joke.’

It’s true that elemental contractors sometimes accidentally use their powers when they get too absorbed in a sparring match.

But Owen wasn’t the type to make such a mistake.

He did it on purpose.

With the intention of harming Theodore...

‘...The question is, what did Owen intend to do with Fria’s power just now?’

The ice shards that scattered were clearly not ordinary. Being created by an elemental, they must have contained extraordinary power.

...What was he trying to do?

As I pondered this, a sudden burst of blue flames enveloped the area.

“...!”

Startled, I watched as the flames cleanly extinguished only the cold aura of Fria before disappearing.

Theodore’s eyes, now glowing a much brighter blue, were more intense than usual. They seemed capable of burning everything in their path to ashes.

Staring at Owen with those eyes, Theodore said coldly.

“Do you lack the confidence to defeat me fairly? Your use of such a cheap trick suggests otherwise.”

“...”

Owen’s lips twisted cruelly. His eyes, glaring at Theodore, were dark and ominous.