Chapter 38

The barrier around the mansion had been broken.

Immediately after saying that, Julius kicked through the window and flew toward the mansion—but he didn’t.

Ignoring the frozen Verneli, he closed his eyes, remained silent for a few seconds, and then called Verneli’s name.

“You go back to the mansion first and check the situation.”

“...Sir Julius?”

“I will apologize to everyone for the change of plans, report to the director of the research institute, and get permission for the investigation team to accompany me. Verneli, go back first and check if Laila and Helka are safe.”

“...Yes, sir.”

That’s right, Verneli thought, feeling a warmth in his chest, and he opened the window and kicked the frame, flying out. Since he was alone, this was much faster than floating a carriage.

...But even so.

Even if Verneli flew with all his might, it would take at least twenty minutes from the capital to the mansion.

Flying through the air at an unprecedented speed, Verneli finally reached the mansion, drenched in sweat and out of breath, only to find it filled with an eerie silence.

Normally, Julius didn’t set up barriers around the mansion. If he did, it would repel ordinary visitors and delivery people as well.

But today, he had set up a barrier before leaving, as he was leaving Laila and Helka behind. He knew that the barrier’s effectiveness would weaken the farther he was from the mansion, but he thought it was better than doing nothing.

There was a large hole in the barrier. It was clear that it had been crudely broken from the outside by multiple people, and Verneli gritted his teeth.

It was evident that the intruders’ purpose was not to destroy the mansion or steal, as the mansion was mostly undamaged.

The most damaged area was near the front gate. That’s where Helka and the intruders probably first exchanged spells—Helka must have lost.

“...Lady Laila, Helka!”

The faces of the two women who called him Verneli with smiles flashed through his mind, and he rushed through the front door, which had been broken.

The moment he saw the platinum-blonde woman lying on the floor at the end of the first-floor corridor, a chill of terror and intense anger made his vision go white.

“Helka!”

He leaped to Helka, lifting her up from where she lay face down. Her body was cold, and when her head tilted back, he thought his heart would stop, but the faint sound of her breathing made his eyes well up.

“Helka, hey, Helka! What happened? What about Lady Laila?”

When he shouted, Helka, who had stirred, mumbled.

“...I’m injured, so be a little gentler...”

Gritting his teeth at his colleague, who still managed to make snide remarks even at a time like this, he shook her shoulder.

“Shut up! Hey, if you’re in this state, what about Lady Laila?”

“...I’m sorry. I couldn’t protect Lady Laila...”

Her blood-stained, hoarse lips whispered regretfully, and Verneli clenched his teeth and quickly cast a healing spell on Helka.

“Hang in there! ...Sir Julius should be back soon with the researchers from the institute. Just tell me what you know.”

“...Magicians stormed in, pretending to be Lady Laila’s father. Lady Laila was hiding in the distillery...”

Verneli nodded, gradually healing Helka’s wounds with light and laying her down on the floor. Then he headed to the distillery in the basement—where the door had been magically destroyed and shattered cooking utensils were scattered. He found a place with a strong magical presence and knelt down.

Laila must have hidden behind this cabinet as Helka told her to.

But when Helka was defeated, she was found—

“Did they fly away with magic...? The destination is... Damn, I can’t read it...!”

He could tell that powerful magic had been used here, but unfortunately, Verneli couldn’t determine where the people who took Laila had fled.

But there was no need to panic.

If Verneli couldn’t, Julius could.

Born with rare abilities and trained by the prestigious Bartsek family, he could—

At that moment, there was a commotion outside.

Julius had arrived, and Verneli quickly went out into the corridor, where he saw Julius running toward him, his coat flapping. There were no researchers, but it was probably only Julius who could reach the mansion in such a short time.

“Sir Julius, this way.”

“Thank you. ...Please carry Helka.”

At Julius’s serious face, Verneli was momentarily taken aback but quickly obeyed, carrying Helka, who was unconscious in the corridor, to her nearby room.

He laid her limp body on the bed and wiped the blood and dust from her cheeks. As he did, he heard multiple voices from the garden. The researchers had finally arrived.

Verneli headed to the distillery but hesitated to call out when he saw Julius kneeling silently beside the cabinet.

“...Julius—”

“East, toward the kingdom of Orva.”

Interrupting Verneli’s call, Julius said calmly.

Verneli gasped, grinding his teeth, realizing that this was indeed the case.

“...Is there a magical presence?”

“That’s part of it, but I can sense the magic that has seeped into Laila’s body. It’s in the direction of Orva, but not too far. ...Around the Miasis region.”

As he spoke, Julius made a statement that would make others widen their eyes, but he remained calm.

But how much resolve it took for Julius to say “Miasis.”

Verneli, who knew Julius’s “past,” gripped the front of his robe tightly.

“...The researchers have arrived. What will you do?”

“...”

“Sir Julius”

“...Helka is safe, right?”

Caught off guard by the sudden question, Verneli quickly nodded.

“Yes. She was injured but conscious. I’ve cast a healing spell and laid her in her room.”

“I see, that’s good. ...Then, I’ll be stepping out for a while.”

With that, Julius stood up and quickly left the distillery, so Verneli hurriedly followed him.

“Stepping out...?”

“I’m sorry, but I’ll leave the report to the researchers and the search request to you. I’m...going to the annex.”

The annex.

It was Julius’s bedroom before Laila came to live there.

A room with no furniture, a place where Julius could release his magic. Verneli immediately understood why he was going there and stared at his master’s back.

Julius wasn’t calm.

He was desperately trying to remain calm.

He must want to fly to Orva and rescue Laila. And with his level of magic, it wasn’t impossible.

But he wasn’t doing that; instead, he was trying to reduce his own magic, which he had in abundance. The reason was—

“If I go now, I won’t be able to resist flying east. If I do, I’ll cross the border without the country’s permission. ...That would give them a reason to start an invasion.”

Indeed, what he feared was that acting on his emotions would give Orva a reason to start a war.

The kidnappers were probably Orva’s magicians, but there was no way to prove it now. If Julius crossed the river to rescue his fiancée, what would happen?

That’s why he said this.

“...Yes. I’ll handle the reports to various places and the application for an official envoy to Orva. When you’re ready, I hope you’ll join me, Sir Julius.”

“Yes, thank you. ...I’ll leave it to you.”

Watching Julius hurry to the annex, Verneli’s usually emotionless eyes lit up with determination.

Julius was indeed a wise man. Even without Verneli’s advice, he understood the situation well.

But how much did Julius have to endure to give up on rescuing his fiancée as quickly as possible?

How much pain did he feel under the mask of trying to remain calm, prioritizing the country’s stability over his fiancée?

He was asked to “leave it to him” by such a man.

For Julius, who made a bitter decision, for the Laila he loved, and for Helka, who fought desperately—Verneli started walking.