Looking at the 17-year-old Ciel, Loberian felt the passing of time. It was something he felt when he reunited with Eugene, but it seemed that kids these days grow up really fast. In her reunited Ciel, little of her childlike side she felt four years ago remained.
“Did you say you came for Anicilla-sama’s birthday?”
“yes. Oh, all the presents that Loberian sends every year are decorated in my room.”
“Haha, I always enjoyed reading Lady Ciel’s thank-you letters. Strangely, I was puzzled that you didn’t send it this year… but did you not like the gift I sent you?”
“No, nothing like that.”
It was a question that could have been embarrassing, but Ciel shook his head while maintaining a smile.
“It’s embarrassing to say with my own mouth… But since the beginning of this year, my personality has become sensitive in many ways. The gift you sent was very beautiful, but strangely, I didn’t feel the need to pick up a pen and write a letter.”
“Ah… I understand. If you’re the age of a young lady, that kind of time comes suddenly.”
Loberian agreed without feeling offended. Loberian had never had a child, so he couldn’t understand his father’s grievances, but Gil Reid had expressed his sadness several times about his only daughter’s puberty.
“It’s not polite to write and send a letter now. But I feel sorry for Loberian-sama for passing it on casually… I don’t think you’ll be sending me a present from next year.”
Ciel smiled mischievously and put his hand in his arms. What she took out was a neatly wrapped gift box.
“I picked out something that would suit Mr. Loberian. It’s not a big deal, but I bought it with my pocket money.”
“Oh oh…”
“Quickly release it.”
Ciel smiled softly and relented. Loberian felt a strange, warm feeling deep inside her heart. Is this why she gets married and has children? She didn’t think anything of it when Gilreid boasted of her children, but when she received the gift like this, for some reason, she felt overwhelmed with emotion.
“This…”
After unwrapping the gift box, Loverian’s eyes tremble. Inside was a neatly designed tie pin. As Ciel said, it wasn’t a big deal. The price of a well-crafted item seems considerable, but this level of goods can be purchased as long as there is money.
However, I felt more than the price of Loberian’s futures. He had never received a gift of this kind before…
“At first, since Loberian-nim is a wizard, I thought I would give her something related to magic. But now that I think about it, I think he already has a lot of stuff like that.”
“…”
“So I thought a lot about it… The Loberian I remember was always wearing a robe. However, just because he is a Loberian, I don’t think he’s always wearing a wizard-like robe…”
“I’ll change my clothes and come back.”
Loberian jumps to his feet. Then Ciel giggled and shook his head.
“no. Not right away, show it to me next year for my birthday.”
“Why is it next year?”
I want to see the car right now. When Loberian asked in a trembling voice, Ciel continued with a mischievous smile.
“It is a gift from me. I don’t know if you’re coming to my mother’s birthday party, but please come to my birthday instead. That way I can brag to Xian oppa and the other guests.”
Even though I went through puberty, I still want it. Eugene thought as she glanced at Ciel, who smiled and smirked. She was quite confident in the way Eugene dealt with her adults, but she was not confident enough to compete with Ciel.
“Ah… I see. Miss Ciel. Do you have any gifts you wish for next year?”
“Anything from Loberian-sama is fine. Oh, but please don’t give me too many presents. My brother is jealous.”
you’re jealous Loberian had no intention of caring about such a thing.
Since the Blood Ceremony, I have sent gifts to the twins of my parents’ family every year, and Xian also sent a reply of thanks like Ciel. However, Xi’an’s letters were always formal, and now I couldn’t even remember the contents.
“… Huh.”
Loberian, who was staring at the tie pin with dazed eyes, comes to his senses. He checked the clock on the parlor wall and smiled wistfully.
“I’ve been holding you two for too long.”
“Drink those words. To hold on to it… On the contrary, I’m taking away Loberian-sama’s precious time.”
How can you make your words sound so good? Loberian stuck out his tongue and pulled himself up.
“Absolutely not. I’d like to enjoy the story a little more, but… Lady Ciel will have something to do, so let’s end the story here.”
“I’m fine…”
“no. I have something to see.”
I think I should show my face to the council once to confirm the matter of the Black Lion Knights. When Loberian said that, Ciel couldn’t refuse any more.
“…Then I’m done…”
“Where? You should go with me.”
“why me?”
“I mean, this is my first time in Arot. So shouldn’t you be guiding me?”
“I’m asking you too, Eugene-nim.”
I also received the cloak of darkness, so I wanted to go down to the research building and test the performance… Loberian added strength to Ciel’s words. Eugene furrowed his eyebrows and nodded his head helplessly.
“Why don’t you put saliva on your mouth and lie?”
Immediately after leaving the Red Magic Tower, Eugene looked back at Ciel and smirked.
“You left all the presents from Mr. Loberian in the corner of the room.”
“What kind of lie is that?”
“I heard that the room is well decorated?”
“It’s because you lack a sense of aesthetics about the interior for a long time. It may look like it’s been put in your eyes, but in my eyes, everything is decorated in the right place.”
Really? Eugene was dumbfounded, but couldn’t refute Ciel’s words. No matter how you look at it, it was put in a rough place, but that’s what it was decorated with?
“…I think there was some dust the last time I saw it?”
“You must have misunderstood that. Is there dust in my room? There’s no way that would be possible If that’s really the case, as soon as I return to my parents’ house, I’ll call my attendant and scold him.”
“On second thought, I don’t think there was any dust.”
“I must have remembered quite a bit.”
Ciel smirked and naturally joined Eugene’s side.
“what?”
“When you enter my room. I will remember every detail of the scenery in the room…”
“I’m sorry, but I have a good memory, so I remember everything in Xian’s room. Speaking of which, tell the planner to put away some strange books under the bed.”
“…what?”
“They seem to think they did their best in Xi’an and hid it from anyone. Not only me, but Nina knows that he has been collecting p**nography books since he was 15 years old wearing strange bunny ears headbands.”
“Disgusting.”
“yes? Nina said she was very worried. I wonder if one day, when Xian becomes the head of the household, the mansion’s servants’ uniforms will change to bunny ear headbands and stockings of different colors.”
“I’ll tell your mother.”
“That’s a bit.”
——————
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Eugene replied with a puzzled expression. If it was that strict Anicilla, it was certain that she would pull Xian’s ears and yell at her, but if that happened, Cyan might commit suicide out of shame.
“Just tell me what you’re saying.”
“What do you say?”
“I don’t like rabbit ears.”
Yujin said that and strode away. Ciel, who had been looking at Eugene while blinking her eyes, approached Yujin with quick steps.
“Then what kind of ears do you like?”
“Why do you say that?”
“I don’t like rabbit ears. So, don’t you like the other ear?”
“I’m sorry, but I just like my ears. If you think about it, isn’t it strange and gross? If you have rabbit ears on top of your head, what on earth do you have in the place where the ears should be?”
“…Couldn’t it just be filled in?”
“Doesn’t it look really creepy?”
“…then… there must be ears where they should be.”
“Then you have human ears and even rabbit ears? Isn’t that gross too?”
“…uh… uh uh.”
I wasn’t expecting such an answer. Ciel put on a trembling expression, then he cleared his throat low.
“Stop talking nonsense, let’s go pick out a present for mother.”
“I don’t know what Anicilla-sama likes.”
“I know, what does it matter? Just follow me.”
“If you’re just going to follow me, why did you ask for guidance?”
“You are still unlucky. So are you going to let me roam alone? You’re going to leave me alone in the capital of a foreign country I’ve never been to before, knowing nothing about it?”
“What about neglect… It’s not that you can’t take care of yourself because you’re not good enough.”
“I know that even if you say it, it will follow.”
“It has no choice but to be. If I bother you for no reason, I’m sure you’ll talk about this for a while.”
Eugene grumbled and fastened the cloak of darkness. It was still early in the season to wear such a fluffy cloak, but the heat was not felt even when wrapped in a cloak with many built-in magics.
“…Come to think of it, your birthday was last month.”
“It did.”
“What did you do for your birthday? What about the party?”
“I didn’t. I only read books.”
“book?”
“At the Red Magic Tower Library.”
“Didn’t you really have a party? Didn’t you get a present from someone?”
“I didn’t get it. Loverian-sama and Hera-sama were going to give it to me, but I felt burdened and asked them not to.”
“Who is Hera?”
“The wizard of the red mage tower.”
“Is it a girl?”
“Then your name is Hera, so you must be a man?”
“What do you look like?”
“Like a wizard.”
“…what else does it mean to look like a wizard?”
“It is literally. Wearing a robe, wearing a big hat, carrying a staff.”
“What about the face?”
“That person.”
I was bothered by the prying questions, but I saw Hera walking from the street on the other side. She was sniffing the smell of baguettes, hugging a large bag of bread.
“Oh, Eugene!”
Hera, who spotted Eugene, smiled broadly and waved her hand. In that brief moment, Ciel scanned Hera’s figure up and down her. She smiled and bowed her head to Hera.
“My name is Ciel of the Lionheart family.”
“oh…! My name is Hera Steely of the Red Magic Tower.”
Hera didn’t immediately understand the situation and glanced at Eugene.
“…He came with the Black Lion Knights.”
“Ah… the cloak of darkness! It looks like the deal went smoothly.”
“yes. Originally, I was going to go down to the research building, but he kept begging me to go with him.”
“iced coffee…”
Hera felt Ciel’s coy gaze. She cleared her throat and nodded her head.
“Have a good time.”
“yes?”
Hera didn’t bother to say anything. She passed her Eugene with her galloping stride, and Ciel looked at Hera’s back for a moment before nodding her head.
“You seem like a nice person.”
“Uh… a good person is right.”
“Is it because I smelled the bread? I’m hungry.”
“Then do you eat rice first?”
Eugene moved his steps and glanced at Ciel.
“But you. Did you really come all the way to Arot just to buy a present?”
“Did you come to see me?”
“Don’t do that. I’ve known you for 4 years, do you think I can’t even read your attitude? It’s not like it’s a big secret. What do you want to do with Carmen?”
“You are strange, but you are quick-witted.”
“You must be obvious.”
“I’m begging you to make me a seed.”
Ciel shrugged and replied.
“I’m going to be the older brother who goes anyway. I don’t want to become a householder either. It looks like your mother wants to arrange an arranged marriage…”
There, for a moment, Ciel examined Eugene’s expression. However, Yujin’s expression showed no change.
“…I hate arranged marriages. But I don’t want to lock myself in my parents’ house and play the role of a lady.”
“so. You want to join the Black Lion Knights?”
“I can’t go in right now, but I want to become Carmen-sama’s servant and receive personal guidance.”
“Carmen said yes?”
“If you really didn’t like me, you wouldn’t have come with me. You don’t know, but Carmen has been fond of me since I was little.”
Ciel smirked and smirked. Eugene thought of Carmen’s face, which looked desolate, perhaps trying to pretend to look desolate.
“…nice.”
“what?”
“It’s not like you’re trying to do something on your own instead of just feeding the family. How’s Xi’an?”
“You talk often. It was like that before I came here this time.”
“what?”
“My brother told me to keep it a secret…”
“What secret are you talking about anyway?”
“I asked you to find out how old your Baek Yeom-shik is.”
“Three stars.”
“It is.”
“What about Xian?”
“It’s two stars.”
“He’s the same, but what?”
Eugene replied with a smile. Unlike that stupid Iod, her twins are hard at work. Eugene liked it quite a bit. Sian’s inferiority complex became a nutrient for her training, and although Ciel was still spiteful and demanding, she did not become a vicious character that preyed on her.
The only thing that grew up like a dog is iodine.
“…Have you heard the news, bro? I heard he went down to his mother’s house.”
“I don’t know, I’m not interested.”
Ciel furrowed his eyebrows and sighed.
“My mother was happy with Iod’s lack of action, but I’m in a bad mood. My brother is also in a bad mood.”
“But don’t you know the news roughly?”
“…I heard that Master Theonis is looking for a wizard to hire as a tutor.”
“tutor?”
“Isn’t it funny? After having such an accident, I guess they’re still trying to learn magic. You won’t be able to become the head of household anyway, you just have to let them live on their own.”
Ciel grumbled and clung to Eugene’s arm.
“Let’s stop talking about unpleasant things and let’s go get something to eat. Are there any good restaurants?”
“There are many restaurants, but they won’t taste as good as the family’s cuisine.”
“The taste doesn’t matter.”
Ciel looked up at Eugene and narrowed his eyes.
“In the original cuisine, not only the taste but also the atmosphere is important.”
black lion
We had a late lunch at a restaurant with a nice view of Buyeo Station. The food was pretty good, but I didn’t like the lack of meat. The meal was satisfactory because they had been asking for a large piece of meat for several months at the Red Magic Tower, but the restaurant where they lived in this atmosphere did not serve the large piece of meat that Eugene wanted.
“Your body is already grown, do you really have to eat so ignorantly?”
“It could be bigger.”
“Then what are you going to do when you become like Gargis? I hate seeing you grow that big.”
“I hate it too. Who would like it?”
Yujin frowned and wiped her mouth with a napkin. All the meat that was plated was the size of a rat, and thanks to this, empty plates piled up like a mountain on Eugene’s table.
On the other hand, Ciel’s front was neat. Yujin clicked her tongue as she saw that only vegetables such as bell peppers and carrots were filtered out.
“I don’t grow up because I eat so unbalanced.”
“You don’t know, but I’m already grown up.”
“If you don’t eat unbalanced, you can grow bigger.”
“It’s gross to be too big.”
Saying that, Ciel stood up. Eugene glanced at Ciel’s slender forearm and shook his head.
“I like mana training, but physical training is just as important. If you run out of mana while fighting, you have to fight with only your body…”
“The words you said about playing with Gargis a while ago sound similar.”
“Cancel that.”
When Eugene was disgusted, Ciel stuck out his tongue and laughed.
“I heard from your father. I heard you spent 300 million cells to buy giant t**ticles instead of Gargis?”
“What is that?”
“Did you eat too? I asked Hezar, but it’s true that the t**ticles of beasts are good for the body, not just giants. But no matter how healthy it is, how do you eat something like that?”
“I didn’t eat.”
“really? Jehard will like it.”
“Why do you like my father?”
“Because he groaned about whether you were the only one eating that good thing.”
father please
“It’s already been over three months since you came to Arot. What have you been up to?”
“Read books, learn magic.”
“Don’t be so obvious. Didn’t you have a fun and different experience?”
“Learning magic is a fun and different experience.”
“How about Akryon?”
On the subject of having come to buy Anicilla’s present, Ciel did not go down to the street and took a walk around the outskirts of the floating station. She pointed to the lake in the distance and to Abram’s palace.
“It’s a place no one can go in there. Do you know how happy Father and Jehad were when they heard the news that you received the Akryon pass?”
“What about Anicilla-sama?”
“My mother pretended to be happy on the outside. It must be complicated inside.”
“What are you complicating? Anyway, I can’t even become the head of the household.”
“That’s right.”
Ciel smiled and looked back at Eugene.
“You can’t be the head of a household, but you are more worthy of being the head of a family than any of your father’s children.”
“That’s because I’m good at it.”
“It’s a shame that I’m too good. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a corner that was lacking in moderation?”
“It’s because I don’t understand, Ciel. Did you come all the way here to warn me?”
Eugene smiled like Ciel. Ciel’s eyes tremble slightly at that smile. She had lived with them for four years, and had seen Eugene smile several times.
The gaze is different. Seeing Eugene’s staring eyes, Ciel remembered the first time he met Eugene four years ago. When he accepted a duel. Eugene had been glaring at Xian with such eyes.
“…A warning, no way.”
Ciel lightly shook his shoulders and shook his head.
“It’s just… I’m complicated in many ways. Xian oppa wants to become a family head. Things turned out very well for my brother. Thanks to you, Iod and Theonis-nim left their home.”
“Then you should thank me.”
“My mother is thinking of thanking you. Xian oppa… I don’t like it.”
“That’s why I like Xian quite a bit. Someone with a strong sense of pride resembles someone.”
“who?”
“Yes, the guy whose ego was too strong compared to his abilities.”
Eugene muttered that as he walked past Ciel.
“I know what you are thinking. You yearn for my brother, yet you like him, and you are dissatisfied with Anicilla, but you are worried.”
“…”
“I have no intention of becoming a householder. I don’t even want to be no matter who makes it In the future, I will never go out of my way to make a meal out of it.”
“Don’t say things like that easily.”
“What do you think?”
Eugene looked back at Ciel and asked.
“If I change my mind and say I will go to California. What are you going to do?”
“…Xian oppa will accept it.”
“you.”
“Father… will acknowledge you. Uncle Gion and the family’s family members. If you make up your mind and say you’ll do it, you’ll have no choice but to admit it. Because Xian oppa and you are very different.”
“I asked what you would do.”
“…I’ll admit it.”
Ciel pursed his lips and murmured.
“…I don’t think you’ll feel very comfortable. Your mother will never approve of you.”
“Look at it.”
Eugene laughed and leaned against the railing.
“If I say I will go home, some people will be dissatisfied. that’s unavoidable No matter how good I am, I am not the enemy of the original family.”
“…You don’t mean to give up for Mother’s sake, do you?”
“There are many reasons for giving up. Even if the head of the family, your twins, and the knights of the main family acknowledged it, the senate would not acknowledge me. First of all, that would be very annoying and difficult, right?”
“…”
“That alone is irritating, but I don’t want to become a family head myself. What do you do when you go home? The head of the Lionheart family. How amazing can you do that?”
“…isn’t that great?”
“I have the confidence to be treated anywhere in the world even if I don’t go home.”
“A poor fellow.”
“Did I say something wrong? Let’s just look at the facts.”
Eugene chuckled and raised a finger at Ciel.
“Now, I am from the collateral. But at the age of 13, he won the Lionheart’s first championship in the blood ceremony. In addition, he was treated unconventionally, became the adopted son of the original family, and became the owner of the storm sword, Winid. At that age, I first started to learn mana and learned the white flame ceremony. now? He has a higher level of white salt than cyan, which he learned several years earlier than me. In the history of Lionheart, there are people who reached 3 stars before reaching adulthood, but no one reached 3 stars at 17 like me.”
“You are unlucky.”
“It’s not just that. He studied magic on his own and was able to practice magic in 1 month, and now after 3 months, he received a pass to the Royal Library, Akion. You’re so handsome, but you think the head of household will be noticed?”
“Good job, you poor bastard.”
Listening to it one by one like that makes me think that Eugene is really a monster. Ciel looked at Eugene’s smiling face and shook her head.
“…so what are you going to do if you don’t go home?”
“I will do anything.”
“I know that? My mother wants me and you to marry.”
“It is terrible.”
Ciel’s eyebrows twitched at the immediate reply.
“What else could be terrible?”
“You and I are family. siblings.”
“You never called me sister.”
“We’re the same age. Who’s older sister? You can’t believe that you were born a few months earlier, like when you were a 13-year-old kid, so you’re not trying to call me an older sister, are you?”
“I’ve been asking you to call me noona for four years. If I’ve heard this much, I can pretend I can’t win.”
“I’m winning, so why pretend I can’t win? If you want to listen to my older sister, why don’t we have a fight? Even when you were locked in your room, you studied hard from Gion-sama and the head of the household.”
“Don’t talk about it then.”
“If anyone sees it, it would seem that it was a very long time ago. I’m sorry, but the last time I saw you freaking out about being a puberty was three months ago.”
“Originally, puberty starts suddenly and ends suddenly. Sian oppa was like that too.”
“I didn’t?”
“That’s… you’re weird.”
Ciel grumbled without holding back his pursed lips. To the twins, it was clear that Eugene was strange. The age is the same, but the difference in skills is far superior, and they do not go through puberty as they did.
‘What is puberty? If I’m a puberty and I’m f*cking, it’s dementia.’
Ciel didn’t want to think of his adolescence, which was just a few months ago. As I said, her puberty came suddenly. I don’t like the way I see myself in the mirror, and I feel like I’m bland for no reason. Her body odor, which she had never felt unpleasant in her life, was unpleasant…
Then it suddenly ended. Ever since Eugene left for Arot, things that were strangely intrusive felt less intrusive.
“Can I ask you something?”
“what.”
“That, why? When I was a teenager.”
“Last time?”
“…Long ago.”
“Anyway, then what?”
“Doesn’t it smell strange to me?”
“Didn’t you? You didn’t even come out of the room because you didn’t want to smell it in the first place.”
“…now?”
“It smells a little like perfume.”
“How does sweat smell?”
“Why am I sweating when the wind is so cool? Hey, don’t mind the weird stuff. People might smell like sweat.”
“So did you smell it?”
“I didn’t. If that bothers you, go see Gargis.”
“Why am I meeting that pig?”
“Because when you meet him, you will think that the smell of your body is not the smell of sweat, but the scent of flowers.”
Eugene sighed and started walking again. Ciel, who stood there for a moment, followed Eugene, hiding her twitching smile.
“Are you saying I smell like flowers?”
“The body is big, but the head is the same?”
“I did sprinkle some rose scent on it.”
“I like the smell of soap more than the smell of flowers.”
“Like an uncle.”
Ciel’s grin stings me in my heart. Eugene cleared his throat and pointed to the busy street under the floating station.
“…when are you going to buy a present?”
“Where else would you like to see… Umm…”
Ciel stopped talking and checked his watch.
“…The appointment time is five o’clock.”
“Where are you watching?”
“In front of the warp gate.”
“Are you going back today?”
“We also signed a contract regarding Winid. The matter about the warlock was also finished before he came… He decided to just take over the new recruit and go right back.”
“To the hometown?”
“no. Go to Mount Uklas. Do you know where it is?”
“I know it’s south of Kiel.”
“The Black Lion Knights live there.”
“You haven’t even joined the Knights of the Black Lion yet.”
“I decided to go there and take a simple test from Carmen-sama. shall we go together?”
Being hooked without warning was the same as when I was 13 years old.
“Why am I going there?”
“Carmen cares more about you than me.”
“me? to? why?”
“Why are you asking that when you said it earlier? you are good She’s so handsome, but she can’t be the owner. Isn’t it natural that the Black Lion Knights are interested in you?”
It’s natural. To be honest, what Ciel said was interesting. The Black Lion Knights are Lionheart’s greatest strength.
“Don’t pay attention now, tell them to pay attention later.”
“why?”
“Learning magic is much more fun now.”
“There are many wizards in the Black Lion Knights. Palago-nim, who came with me today, has 5 circles.”
“Prince Honein over there in the palace is 23 years old, and he is in the 5th circle.”
“That’s because it’s the prince of Arot.”
“Anyway, I’m not going with you right now.”
“Wouldn’t it be more helpful to practice Baek Yeom Sik while learning magic?”
“While learning magic, Baek Yeom-shik is training.”
It was true. After coming to Arot, Eugene did not miss Baek Yeom-sik’s training even for a single day.
“Your appointment is at 5:00, and there are only a few hours left. Can I not choose a present?”
“My mother likes anything I give her, so it’s okay.”
“If that’s the case, why did you say you would come all the way to Arot to buy a present?”
“Why do you keep asking?”
Ciel giggled and clung to Eugene’s arm.
“I came to see you.”
“It’s disgusting, so get away.”
“It takes less than 30 minutes to choose a gift for my mother. So, you have to use your time efficiently. Is there anywhere I can go to see?”
“Would you like to see me perform magic?”
“I don’t think it would be fun to watch. where… yes Arrot said that the night view is famous. I don’t think I’ll be able to see you today… Shall we go and see the wise Senya-sama’s mansion?”
“I saw you on the first day.”
“You haven’t seen me.”
arms are dragged
*
“I can’t help it if I don’t know.”
dungeon.
The smell of blood mixed with the smell of cigarettes. Carmen, who was standing with her back against the wall, threw the cigar she was holding onto the floor.
Gavid. A black magician belonging to the wizard guild. Among the numerous people caught up in the drug dens of Bolero Street, those who could be killed died and those who should not have been killed were imprisoned.
Gavid was a person who could be harmed by killing him. He does not belong to the Black Mage Tower. He is just an insignificant black magician wandering the streets of Arot at night, without much power even within the wizard guild.
Even so, Gavid did not die, and was still alive to this day.
and just died
tortured first. Carmen didn’t even have to step out. Nation, the vice-captain of the 3rd division, is good at using spears, but also good at torturing. Most of Lionheart’s black lions were like that. Their teeth and claws aren’t just good at biting and tearing enemies from the front.
It was Gevid who arranged the contract with Iod Lionheart. I hear you met at a succubus shop on Bolero Street. The friendship started at the beginning of this year, and whenever Bolero Street was held every month, Gavid said he hung out with Iod.
“It’s funny.”
Carmen murmured as she pulled out a new cigar.
“A black magician of such a low rank contacted the legitimate son of Lionheart’s family and arranged a contract for black magic? Either the liver went overboard or went crazy.”
“It must have been desperate.”
The answer came from outside the prison.
“He had been initiated into black magic decades ago, but had not achieved much. If he dies of old age like this, his soul becomes the property of the demons, and he will not be able to reincarnate.”
“…”
“So I would have liked to try something. Even if this matter becomes a problem and you get into trouble, you would have thought that you would be able to overcome the difficulty with the ‘power’ obtained by selling Lionheart’s deficit.”
Gavid shouted that too. Throughout the torture, he screamed that this was done solely out of his own greed.
“I heard that Noir Jebela was not involved in this.”
“That said, Duke Jebela gave a reward when an incubus under his command came back with the lion heart deficit, but he was not the one to punish.”
“you?”
“I don’t know why the arrows are coming back to me.”
Balzac, standing outside the prison, shrugged.
“I cooperated with everything related to this, and I think I showed enough apology and respect.”
“It’s more reasonable to suspect you of plotting it than to have the dark wizard do it.”
“hmm. It’s understandable that you think so. What do I get in that case?”
Balzac said, pointing to Gavid’s dismembered corpse.
“If I had taken the lead on this… I wouldn’t have been left on my tail. It must have been done thoroughly, so that no one would notice the connection to me. isn’t it? This day, it’s very awkward. A drug den in the middle of Bolero Street. A weak escort who is unable to detect the 17-year-old boy’s behavior and prevent mishaps. Haha… I don’t force myself to do that.”
“What if the purpose was to be caught and blocked?”
“Am I leading you? Why would you want to cut my flesh like that?”
Balzac laughed and snapped his fingers. Then the light was lit at the end of Carmen’s cigar.
“Sir Carmen. I have a lot of enemies.”
“…”
“The demon lord of confinement whom I serve. Thankfully, you give me a lot of faith and love. And there are a lot of people in Helmud who don’t like the favors I receive.”
“Edmond Codlet?”
“Of course he must be uncomfortable with me. Amelia Merwin won’t like me either.”
In this era, there are three black magicians who made a direct contract with the demon king of confinement.
Countess of Helmud and owner of Bloodberry. Edmond Codlet.
Arot’s black magic tower master. Balzac Rudbesse.
The dungeon master of the desert Nahama. Amelia Merwin.
“Of course, there are many ‘Evils’ who hate me besides them. In my opinion, it looks like some of them… wanted to embarrass me with this.”
“There is no evidence.”
“There is no evidence that I led this. Seriously, how many times have I said no in the past few days…”
Balzac chuckled and shook his head.
“By the way, Sir Carmen. Am I not the only one in trouble with this?”
“You are free to let the thoughts in your head come out of your mouth.”
Carmen straightened her leaning body and glared at Balzac.
“But with freedom comes responsibility. Do you have the confidence to take care of your words and take responsibility?”
“Couldn’t you?”
Balzac put on his spectacles and laughed.
“As a faithful servant of the demon lord in captivity, I love him just as much as he loves Lionheart. So he bowed his head and apologized, cooperated, and showed respect. But I’m a human too… I can’t suppress the feeling of resentment coming out like an awl until the end.”
“…”
“I am Balzac Rudbesse. Arot’s black magic tower master. Servant of the demon lord in captivity. I understand that you do not show me any respect, but excessive insults… I will not endure unconditionally even for myself and for the sake of the demon lord in captivity.”
Balzac’s eyes darkened. Nation and Palago, who were in the prison, block the front of the bar with hard faces. Gion, who had been watching the prison situation with frowning eyes, put his hand on the sword at his waist.
“…I don’t want to go to another country and commit any more rudeness than this.”
“If you want, I’ll make things right so no one feels it’s rude.”
“For that to happen, your neck would have to be still attached.”
Balzac did not answer, but only laughed. Balzac’s shadow on the prison wall fluctuates. Carmen, who had been looking at him coldly, shrugged his shoulders and shook his head.
“It’s something to think about.”
“what?”
“Someone from Lionheart wants to harm the prestige of the head family.”
There are too many Lionhart families. For 300 years, all but the direct line of the family head were made independent as collateral, and there was no limit on the number of collateral lines.
Among those many collaborators, there will be those who have disrespect for the original family.
“It’s just a heart attack. I couldn’t find out through torture, and I couldn’t figure it out with mind magic. Very tidy. That’s why I suspect you.”
“This is true. Did you say something?”
Thoroughly, without stepping on the tail.
“If I have to add, the ‘tidy’ I’m talking about is different from this. There is no reason to do something like this.”
“I believe.”
“If you need help, we can help. If you want… yes. Gavid’s spirit hasn’t left this place yet… Shall I call you?”
“I don’t want to see dirty magic. I don’t even want to interrogate you with your help. In the process, you may be tricking something.”
“haha…”
“What about Olfer’s neck?”
“It wouldn’t be a very nice sight.”
“I saw a lot of cruel and terrible things. It’s right in front of you.”
Carmen’s eyes did not look at Gavid’s body. Her thinly opened eyes were fixed on Balzac. For her, the most cruel and terrible thing here was not the tortured corpse, but the warlock.
“If so.”
Balzac snapped his fingers, and the shadow following him wriggled upwards. What came out with a dark hand was the head of a handsome incubus.
“The soul was taken by the demon king of confinement. If you want, I can give it to you.”
“Not required.”
Balzac smiled and put the head of Olfer, the good man, inside the prison. Immediately, Carmen kicked Houin Olfer in the head.
Kwajik! The head hit the bar and shattered. Blood and brains splattered on Balzac’s face and clothes on the other side, but Balzac’s smile did not waver.
“Go back.”
Carmen walked out of the prison, shaking the jacket off her shoulder.
“…I’m telling you just in case. Eugene Lionheart who remained in the Red Magic Tower. If you come into contact with him…”
“The only one who can control my actions and desires is the demon lord of confinement.”
Balzac did not listen to Carmen. He wiped the blood from his glasses with his fingertips and turned around first.
“Sir Carmen. You have no right to control me.”
Fairytale
Gion couldn’t help but feel a complicated feeling.
Black Lion Knights. I have known about them since childhood. Not only did I hear about it, but I also encountered it several times. When I was young, I gave up on the race for home ownership and wandered around the world. He once stayed in the Black Lion Castle deep in Mount Uklas.
‘All I need is… right.’
Lionheart is one of the most prestigious families on the continent. Not only that, but he has been growing in power by adhering to bizarre traditions. The one who stood at the center of that gigantic lion heart was the original family. To keep that position, you need someone dedicated to the messy, rough work.
Ryan Hart is not the only one raising such a ‘hunting dog’.
‘…Ciel.’
It didn’t matter that Gion himself became a member of the Black Lion Knights. It was something he himself wished for, and he wanted to help his older brother, the head of the household, even in the dark. Since his older brother’s wish was contrary to the tradition the Senate insisted on, he wanted to become a black lion himself and become a bridge between the Senate and the main family.
Dirty, cruel things. The blood directly on my hands. Gion could do anything like that. Not for Lionheart, but for the brother who is the head of the household. for family.
I thought it was enough for me to take on such a role. Ciel, I hope that little nephew doesn’t step into this. Ciel himself may not want it, but Gion… He wanted his nephew, who had called himself uncle since his nose-heavy days, to live peacefully without being exposed to the smell of blood.
It’s not just Ciel. Cyan, Eugene… and Iod. To Gion, who was not married and had no children, they were like children.
‘…Iodine. Why do you use black magic…’
“Temperatures.”
While I was thinking with a bitter taste. Carmen, who was walking ahead of her, opened her mouth.
“Are you skeptical about coming to the Black Lion Knights?”
“…no way. It’s not like that, Carmen.”
Gion replied with a wry smile. Just as Gion had seen the childhood of Gilreid’s children, Carmen had seen Gion’s childhood. Decades ago, Carmen lived with her family, and Gion called Carmen his aunt and followed her.
His wanderlust was also something he learned from Carmen.
“This doesn’t happen often. You know it well.”
“yes.”
It is not uncommon for a person who becomes a leader to go directly. Most of the strong men who lead the Black Lion Knights do not escape from the Black Lion Castle.
The fact that the son of the family head of the time tried to enter into black magic was a serious matter enough to move the captain of the Black Lion Knights.
“What do you think the truth is?”
“…I don’t think the Black Tower owner was involved. Rather, as he said… I think someone in the collateral might have a disturbing intention.”
“Amelia Merwin.”
Carmen blurted out.
“I suspect her. She is also a person who wants to keep Balzac Rudewes in check. The Demon King of Confinement is not suppressing the will of the black magicians who contracted with him. He does not mediate every one of the quarrels of the lower ones.”
“If Amelia plotted this, wouldn’t that also mean Nahama was behind it?”
“Coincidentally, Nahama’s movements are suspicious. Sultan Alabur is a greedy young pig. There will probably be a war in a few years.”
War. At those words, Gion’s eyes went cold. The desert kingdom of Nahama has long desired to be called an empire.
“You mean Kiel?”
“I’ll hit Turas first.”
The Kiel Empire borders Nahama. Relations between the two countries are not hostile, but there are frequent quarrels with the Kingdom of Turas, west of Nahama.
“There must be no justification?”
“If you want to make a cause, you can make it as much as you want. If Nahama strikes Turas, Kiel should also prepare for war. Of course, Lionheart will also be called in for that ‘preparation’.”
“In case of that, Amelia put her hand first. Do you see it that way? To divide Lionheart?”
“There is no such thing as division, but it will be a seed. Perhaps, as Djinn Gavid said, it could be dogma without conspiracy. But… we can’t be sure of him. That’s why I’m suspicious.”
Carmen’s eyes narrowed.
“Iod didn’t know anything about him. When I saw him as a child, I thought he was pretty smart. Didn’t the family head have a lot of talent in educating children?”
“…you wanted to believe in your child.”
“Idiots have to take the rod and teach them. It’s just meaningless now. The next lord will be cyan, not iodine, the deficit.”
Saying that, Carmen turned around to the prison she had just come out of.
“…Temperatures. If you hadn’t condoned Balzac’s provocation there, what would have happened?”
“It must have been a big deal.”
“Don’t give me an obvious answer. He is asking if he could have killed him.”
“…I don’t think it was an insult to the point of being killed. It was also a shameful thing from the point of view of the black pagoda owner. If … he had a fight with him. Everyone except Carmen would have died there.”
“You are too humble.”
“I am not good at fighting wizards.”
Gion replied with a shy smile.
“It’s the same with me that I don’t have. So we didn’t fight.”
Carmen clicked her tongue and took out her pocket watch. It is the time we promised. Gion remembered Ciel, whom he had agreed to meet in front of the warp gate.
“…Are you really going to take Ciel to the Black Lion Castle?”
“Isn’t that what the child wants?”
“…”
“Don’t try to confine a child who has grown that much in your arms too much.”
short silence. Gion shook his head, shaking off his mixed feelings.
“Eugene Ryanhart. What do you think of him?”
It was a sudden question. However, Gion was not surprised and replied immediately.
“You must have heard the story.”
“I heard you. Four years ago, when the family head said he would adopt the child. When he said he would open the treasure house of the head family. Do you know how noisy the senate was?”
“I guess so.”
“Even at the bloodline ceremony at that time, the Senate protested. Because it was unprecedented.”
“It was worth it.”
Gion saw Eugene as an outrageous monster.
For four years, he taught various fighting techniques, with swordsmanship as the basis… To be honest, Gion wasn’t sure if he was really teaching Eugene anything.
‘I knew I could do it all.’
As Gion felt, what made Eugene truly remarkable was not the ability to respond to mana or the rapid achievement of Baek Yeom-sik.
No matter what weapon was put in his hand, Eugene handled it skillfully. It’s not just a level of handling well, it’s a master’s level. Technology that did not originate from a prestigious family, but only pursued extreme practicality.
It’s not something I learned from anyone. In Gidoll, Yujin’s hometown, there was no master with such skill. Could it be that Jehard is hiding his power? nonsense. Everything about Eugene was polished by himself.
An unbelievable fighting sense for that age. Gion also had sparring with Yujin several times. When he competed purely with skills without drawing mana.
