Episode 169. Where the Sound of Firecrackers Barely Reaches (1)
“…Luden?”
Chloe lowered her hand and called Rubin with a trembling voice. She closed and opened her eyes several times, but it was unmistakable. The black-haired magic student stood opposite her, finishing with calm footsteps.
Even Celesne couldn’t help but gasp. Something was off. The trumpet-shaped magic tool she had installed inside the banquet hall. It was a portable magic tool that could detect movement, but it didn’t respond to Rubin’s movements.
“Master Luden, what is happening here?”
However, we cannot conclude that Rubin is Per. After all, it was Per who had to reveal the reason for the secret meeting first.
“Whatever it is, I came to the party. To congratulate Dahlia.”
Is this just a coincidence?
However, Celesne’s eyes were filled with wariness. She clearly did not detect anything, not only the magic tools spread out inside, but also the barrier outside. Then when on earth did she come in?
Then Rubin continued speaking.
“Did I get the time wrong? Why is there no one here?”
“Luden, are you really here for the banquet? Is there another reason?”
“What other reason?”
“… It’s nothing. I was waiting for someone.”
Chloe walked towards Rubin. Celestia tried to stop her, but Chloe gently lowered the hand holding her arm.
“Celeste, I’ll go talk to you.”
“Miss, but… … .”
Knock, knock. The sound of Chloe’s shoes echoes.
As Chloe approached Rubin, the trumpet-shaped magical tool responded to her movements. The trumpet’s petals glowed in a variety of colors in the darkness.
‘What? The magic tool is reacting this time. Why isn’t it reacting to Lord Luden?’
Celestia was anxious. She had a strange intuition. She felt like she had to let Rubin and Chloe go.
She had many questions about Rubin, but she couldn’t prove a single one of them.
The unusual calmness that Rubin possesses. The detachment that seems unaware of fear. The unmeasured, unmanned material… .
These were questions that would not subside because they could not be proven. That was why Celesne had no choice but to prepare magic. She was planning to attack Rubin if necessary.
“It looks like Celestia is angry.”
“…Celesne is a little nervous because something important is coming up right now.”
Chloe answered, taking one step at a time.
“Yeah, it looks like that. And Chloe, you seem a little different than usual too.”
“Really? I’m the same. I just look that way because I’m wearing a dress.”
“Now that I think about it, it’s the dress I wore at the entrance ceremony ball.”
Chloe nodded with a smile and stood across from Rubin.
Chloe had to raise her head slightly to meet Rubin’s eyes. Rubin’s black eyes seemed even more mysterious in the darkness.
‘There were all sorts of things happening on the Blue Cat and at school.’
Now that Perga has appeared, and I am returning to Americmana, I might not have the chance to see him again. Suddenly, I remembered the anecdotes with Rubin.
A chance ride on the Blue Cat, witnessing the mysterious underwater creature called Actonia, playing board games all night long on a submerged ship, helping to control his unstable mana… and the two years he was thought to have died in Philimond.
There were many more. A chance reunion at Capotini. The surprising sides of Rubin that I learned about later… … .
“Luden, I suddenly wanted to ask you something.”
“… … ?”
“Why don’t you join the Magic Brigade? You said you got first place in the Jang Gyo-Yok-Seong-Gyo exam.”
“I can’t answer that.”
“You can’t answer that? Do you think I can’t figure it out? You know what they say, ‘There’s nothing that’s beyond the pale, except the future.’”
Rubin laughed lightly.
“It’s an expression used when showing awe at the power of the imperial nobility.”
“Yes, if you put your mind to it, you can… … .”
“But Chloe, just because you’re the Witherspoon family doesn’t mean you can figure everything out.”
Rubin cut Chloe off. From his perspective, there are so many truths that even the Witherspoons can’t access.
Some truths, the closer you get, the more the blade is pointed at the nape of your neck. For example, when approaching the true identity of the assassin swordsman.
“Chloe. You said you were waiting for someone earlier. Who was it?”
Chloe smiled faintly. Then she repeated what Rubin had just said, mimicking his voice.
“I can’t answer that question. How is it? Did you get hit once?”
Then Chloe turned her head and looked at Celestia behind her.
“Celestine, not yet?”
Celesne nodded. The outer barrier was still intact. That meant Per had not yet appeared.
Where on earth is Per? Is he in danger? Then, all of a sudden, it occurred to me that maybe Enzo’s letter was fake.
“I’m sorry, Luden. If the person I’m waiting for is detected by the barrier, then you have to leave.”
Chloe looked back at Rubin and said. Rubin nodded nonchalantly.
“You must be an important person. Or you’re just shy.”
“Shy? Well, I don’t know about that.”
Chloe stifled a laugh, wondering if the joke was funny. Then Rubin’s voice followed. The voice was soft and solid.
“Or, someone who has spent most of their life running away.”
“… … !”
Chloe opened her eyes wide. If you were someone who had lived on the run, were you talking about Per? Rubin, in front of her, seemed indifferent even though he had said something meaningful.
That was when the words that confused Chloe continued.
“Chloe. Do you remember when we met back at Capotini?”
“At the ballroom?”
“I’m thinking of doing the same thing as before.”
“…Do you want to dance, Luden?”
Rubin smiles softly, shaking his head.
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“I’m talking about a soundproofing curtain. The strongest soundproofing curtain you can make with your magic.”
Only then did memories of the past come back to Chloe’s mind.
At the entrance ceremony ball, Chloe found Rubin, who she thought was dead. She approached him first and asked him to dance, and she herself created a soundproof screen so they could have a secret conversation.
“Well, this is a banquet hall, so dancing wouldn’t be a bad idea… but then you’d have to dance every time you greet someone.”
“Every time you say hello?”
What does that mean? As soon as I asked, I understood. Luden knew that he was leaving Capotini and returning to Americmana.
Phew.
Chloe immediately complied with Rubin’s request. With a solid soundproof barrier created, their conversation was now shrouded in secrecy.
“Luden. What did you know about those words you just said?”
A voice that trembled without him knowing it. In comparison, Rubin’s voice was so firm.
“About Per.”
“… Then, it’s you?”
“If you want to hear the story, don’t let Celesne get near you. I don’t have enough time to convince your maid.”
“Celestine?”
“Yeah, I have a lot to do today.”
It didn’t sound like everyday words, like having a lot to do. It even had a certain sense of solemnity, like a soldier about to go to war.
‘Will you listen to me? Or else… … .’
He tried to say a few more words to convince Chloe. As expected, Chloe seemed a little hesitant. The moment Rubin opened his mouth to persuade her, Chloe obediently accepted his request.
“…miss?”
Following the soundproof curtain, a barrier was created to push away Celesne.
Phew!
A vacuum boundary appears around the two people. Anyone who attempts to cross the boundary and approach the two people will be affected by the psychic effect without exception.
‘They say you have talent that rivals that of the Yemdong Monster.’
Psychokinesis magic is a higher level of magic than the four element magic.
Before she could even walk, Chloe’s first magic was telekinesis. Even based on Witherspoon’s lineage, there was no other magician who specialized in telekinesis as much as Chloe.
Squeak. Squeak.
Chloe continues to spread her psychic powers. She crumples up the trumpet-shaped magical tools scattered all over the place like crumpled paper.
“I think this won’t be necessary anymore since the person I was waiting for showed up at the meeting place.”
“… … .”
“As expected, you’re not afraid even when you see something like this.”
Whenever he manifested such threatening psychic powers, most people were surprised or scared, but it was surprising that Luden did not do so.
“Before I tell you the story you’ve been waiting for.”
“Is there another condition?”
“I wish the Witherspoons could do some magic.”
“Magic that only our family can do… …?”
“You know what I mean? It’s called ‘Witherspoon’s motto.’”
I couldn’t help but doubt my ears again.
While Witherspoon is undoubtedly famous on the continent, their unique magic is unknown to the world.
Did Enzo tell you? That was the only realistic possibility.
It was probably McEwan Witherspoon, his father, who told Enzo, and Enzo told his son, Per.
“Stop wondering how I know and just cast the spell, Chloe.”
“What… what kind of promise are you hoping for?”
“Per and Enzo’s safety.”
Witherspoon’s statement.
It was literally an unconditional oath. Most oath magic involves risking one’s life, but the Witherspoon family’s oath magic was a little different.
To Witherspoon, life was nothing more than the ability to do magic, the Mana Ring. If a promise is not kept, the Mana Ring freezes.
Long ago, the Witherspoon name was the pride of their family, before they became imperial nobility.
A family that put their mana ring on the line and gave absolute trust to someone. To that extent, it wouldn’t be strange to be called the ‘Clan of God’.
‘Are you asking this knowing what it means?’
Chloe suddenly becomes curious.
It is true that safety can be guaranteed by obtaining a promise through ‘Witherspoon’s Proclamation’. However, in fact, this oath was not without its weaknesses.
‘Because there are those who can break this promise.’
In other words, there are those who can make truly absolute promises that can nullify all previous promises.
The existence of the royal family. And a first-class magic stone.
“… … .”
Chloe instinctively placed her hand on her left collarbone, where she suddenly felt a pain.
Every Witherspoon is born with a Grade 1 magic stone implanted near her collarbone.
There was only one reason to implant a first-class magic stone that only the royal family could own into their body.
This is to limit ‘Witherspoon’s exact words’.
Whatever promises anyone under the royal family could get from Witherspoon were meaningless in front of the royal family, because they had the power and the right to make the previous promises worthless.
‘So, every time a new Witherspoon dynasty emerges, they meet the emperor and renew the ‘Witherspoon Manifesto.’
Only royalty can guarantee Witherspoon absolute loyalty.
however…….
What if ‘Hidden Royal Family, Rubin’ takes the lead in securing the title? What if Enzo and Per’s safety is guaranteed?
Chloe didn’t know Rubin was royalty. She would only find out after Witherspoon’s “true name” manifested.
Once a declaration is made, it cannot be undone, so it becomes an eternal oath. Not by Emperor Telmach, but by the Imperial Family Rubin.
“Okay. I’ll make sure you and Enzo are safe.”
Chloe was sure Rubin was Per, so she said ‘you’, not knowing that there was someone who had been hiding and protecting Per all this time, and that it was Rubin’s role.
“Let’s get started.”
Rubin held out his left hand to Chloe. It looked like he was asking her to dance, but it was more like a formality for Witherspoon’s “Saying No.”
Chloe placed her right hand on Rubin’s left. Behind her, Celesne, who had no idea what was going on, was calling her urgently, but she didn’t stop.
“I, Chloe Witherspoon, will do my utmost to keep Enzo Lorenzini and Pereira Lorenzini safe… … .”
While Jeong Eon-myeong’s long spell was being recited.
Rubin looked at the objects in the banquet hall floating around due to Chloe’s psychic powers.
And then.
Dozens of intricate circles were drawn in his field of vision, difficult to imitate. Jeong Eon-myeong’s whimsical style was finally revealed.
Now, Chloe’s Mana Circle is permanently frozen when she fails to protect Enzo and Per.
Of course, even if such a disaster were to occur, it wouldn’t be the worst. As long as Rubin, who possesses the ‘right to swear’, doesn’t die, he can always get rid of the chains he’s put on.
‘Now you will know that I am royalty.’
The moment I thought that.
Chloe realizes that the Grade 1 Magic Stone implanted under her collarbone is reacting.
A sharp pain bloomed in her collarbone. At first, she didn’t know what it meant. It was the first time in her life that she had ever cast ‘Witherspoon’s True Name’.
“… … !”
Now the pain began to take root. It slowly descended, reaching the mana ring near the heart, and for a moment, it sent ripples through the mana ring.
Chloe momentarily lost her balance and almost fell. If Rubin hadn’t caught her, she would have fallen to the floor.
The barriers and psychic powers she had created all stopped. Objects fell to the floor with a dull sound.
“miss!”
With the barrier gone, Celesne was able to approach them. She was poised to attack Rubin at any moment.
Chloe muttered.
“Luden, you, you really?”
“Chloe, I’m not Per. But I’m protecting Per and Enzo.”
Rubin helped her regain her balance. Celestia came over to them, but Chloe waved her back.
“Celestine, you must finish talking to Luden.”
“…miss!”
“It’s my life now!”
Mana is life to the Witherspoons, so saying that didn’t feel awkward at all.
“I’ll tell you about Per and Enzo from now on. You made an absolute contract with me.”
Chloe tilted her head. A contract? A contract is a transaction made when both parties are on ‘equal footing’.
But ‘Witherspoon’s Proclamation’ is, strictly speaking, closer to a ‘Pledge of Allegiance’. It is a kind of pledge where one side is subordinate to the other.
But why on earth?
“Ready to listen, Chloe?”
However, Luden in front of me only showed a pure smile, as if he had absolutely no intention of abusing ‘Witherspoon’s famous quote’.
