Callius tilted his head as if he didn't understand.
“Even if it were possible to set up a moving magic circle without being monitored by the Magic Tower, didn’t Chloe try to stop Count Elbern from setting up a magic circle here?”
"As I mentioned earlier, this place offers excellent conditions for establishing a magic circle. If a magic circle were established here, communication with the outside world would become much more active."
I planned to aggressively pursue and expand my business.
To do that, we needed a window that would allow us to communicate with the outside world more smoothly.
Communicating with the outside world over several days of rough roads like this would be a major constraint on business.
"I plan to make a big push into the outside world. To do that, I absolutely need a teleportation magic circle."
The moving magic circle has a fatal flaw: it can easily attract external forces.
So, it is essential to install a defensive fortress near the moving magic circle.
Of course, I also planned to build a defensive fortress on that cliff.
But there was another way to more definitely prevent external invasion.
'Setting up a moving magic circle that only I know of.'
What if I were the only one who knew that there was a moving magic circle here, and that I was the only one who could use it?
Upon hearing my plan, Callius couldn't understand how I could personally use the moving magic circle.
I insisted.
“You can hire a wizard who is not affiliated with the Magic Tower and have him secretly set up a moving magic circle.”
“If there were a great wizard of that skill, there’s no way the Magic Tower would have left him alone.”
I smiled meaningfully.
“What if there is a great wizard who was expelled from the Magic Tower?”
"If the Archmage is banished, it means he committed a grave mistake. Then he must have been banished, stripped of all his power, or executed."
That was right.
I was after some archmage who had been cast out and lost all his powers.
“I know a wizard. He has lost his power and has been exiled, but I know a way to restore it.”
“...!”
"Besides, I know a way to get him to come to Ronheim on his own. So, if only Callius would agree, I'll start dropping bait. What do you think?"
I looked at Callius longingly.
Obviously, my words must have sounded like nonsense to him.
If you had even the slightest doubt or distrust of me, you wouldn't have listened to me.
Callius thought about something and then asked me.
“So what do you ultimately want to achieve?”
I said firmly.
“I want to make money.”
“Money?”
“Yes. A lot of money.”
Callius shook his head slightly, as if that didn't answer his question.
"Money is just a means. What do you hope to achieve by acquiring that means?"
“My goal is simply to make money.”
For now, that was really the only goal.
I'm the first to intercept the money Andrea will earn in the future.
It will hinder him from achieving what he so desperately wants to achieve and take away everything he wants to have.
So I wanted to give back to him the terrible helplessness he had caused me.
'Once you've destroyed Andrea, the next step is Kavala.'
I can't explain to Callius why I harbored such dark and poisonous feelings.
I just look at him, hoping that my sincerity will reach him.
"I promised. I would help you. I would use the wealth I'd accumulated to reclaim Ronheim."
Callius stared at my earnest gaze for a moment, then finally nodded.
“Honestly, I’m not entirely convinced, but let’s give it a try, like Chloe said.”
“Really?”
"Yes. I realized this a dozen years ago, when I saw the Arrental army trample Ronheim. Ronheim needed a change. I now know that Ronheim cannot be protected by sticking to the ways of the previous Kings."
He sighed deeply.
“I wish I had known that sooner.”
I held his hand tightly.
“It’s not too late!”
I squeezed the hand that held him twice, three times.
“Let's make a difference together. I'll help you.”
Callius and Chloe returned to the castle. Chloe was too cold to stay outside for long.
The snow cats had been wandering around outside the whole time, but when Callius entered the castle, they calmly followed him in and lay down on the floor of the drawing room.
Chloe, having heard that snow cats don't attack people, hovered nearby. Callius watched her.
Chloe found the snow cat's long tail fascinating.
She carefully grabbed the tip of the tail of the snow cat that was napping on the floor.
Then the snow cat opened one eye and looked at Chloe, then swung its tail as if it was annoyed and pushed her away.
The snow cat had a tail that was long and thick compared to its body. Its tail was equally strong.
"Oh!"
Callius caught Chloe, who was staggering, with a single scream at the flick of the snow cat's tail.
“Be careful.”
"Thank you."
Chloe looked up at Callius and smiled brightly.
It was a smile that caught people's attention because it looked clear and pure.
Callius almost fell over, but he just stood there, silently watching Chloe leaning back and forth, still pacing around the snow cat.
'I can't get a handle on it.'
At first glance, she seems like an innocent child who can't do anything, but if you listen closely, you'll see that she has grand plans in her head.
Even the plan was incredibly detailed and surprising.
'From the beginning, I planned to install a moving magic circle at the location of the gold mine.'
The statement that a flower garden would be created there was a metaphorical expression.
The moving magic circle was simply a huge and complex picture.
The painting looked like a gorgeous flower when viewed from above.
So, bards sometimes likened travelers who travel around the world through moving magic circles to bees or butterflies.
'She didn't choose Ronheim simply because she wanted to get away.'
Callius had assumed that even before setting foot in Ronheim, she might be unable to withstand the bitter cold of the North and would want to return, but he was completely wrong.
Chloe never once complained of being cold or tired.
She was focused on carrying out the grand plan in her head, rather than worrying about the cold, the stares of people, or the harsh environment.
'She is never weak.'
Also, she is neither a runaway nor a loser.
Chloe.
'A pioneer with ambition.'
Callius chuckled as he watched Chloe burst out laughing like a child after barely managing to pat the snow cat's head.
“I want to make money.”
“A lot of money.”
How can someone who says they chase money look so innocent?
Even for someone greedy for money, she didn't act calculatingly or seem to be very materialistic.
Don't you think she'll use the money she earns to feed the people of the land, or use it to raise Ronheim?
It really seemed like she was more interested in making money than in the money itself.
Callius vaguely felt that there was something Chloe wasn't telling him.
There must be something more desperately desired than accumulating wealth to satisfy one's own selfish desires.
"I promised. I would help you. I would use the wealth I'd accumulated to reclaim Ronheim."
“Let's make a difference together. I'll help you.”
The hand that held him as she said that was quite strong.
'I guess that means Ronheim's independence and what she ultimately wants are on the same line.'
Perhaps it was revenge against Kavala and Andrea.
She must have her own circumstances that are difficult to explain.
He doesn't know for sure, but he had a feeling that if it was a problem involving Kavala, it wouldn't be an ordinary experience.
Just like him now.
Even Callius had his own circumstances, which were difficult to explain. They were related to Kavala.
He clenched his fist tightly.
'The shadow of Kavala cast over Ronheim must be removed as soon as possible.'
Currently, there is a traitor in Ronheim who helped Kavala assassinate the Saint.
Callius had been secretly searching for the traitor for a long time.
If he were to just leave Kavala alone, Chloe might be taken away from him in vain, just as the Saint was taken from him.
'I have to protect her.'
After the defeat by the Arrental Empire, Callius, who had been gloomy about the future of Ronheim, saw hope for the first time through Chloe.
So protecting Chloe was no longer just a husband's duty, but his mission as the leader of Ronheim.
“Even if it were possible to set up a moving magic circle without being monitored by the Magic Tower, didn’t Chloe try to stop Count Elbern from setting up a magic circle here?”
"As I mentioned earlier, this place offers excellent conditions for establishing a magic circle. If a magic circle were established here, communication with the outside world would become much more active."
I planned to aggressively pursue and expand my business.
To do that, we needed a window that would allow us to communicate with the outside world more smoothly.
Communicating with the outside world over several days of rough roads like this would be a major constraint on business.
"I plan to make a big push into the outside world. To do that, I absolutely need a teleportation magic circle."
The moving magic circle has a fatal flaw: it can easily attract external forces.
So, it is essential to install a defensive fortress near the moving magic circle.
Of course, I also planned to build a defensive fortress on that cliff.
But there was another way to more definitely prevent external invasion.
'Setting up a moving magic circle that only I know of.'
What if I were the only one who knew that there was a moving magic circle here, and that I was the only one who could use it?
Upon hearing my plan, Callius couldn't understand how I could personally use the moving magic circle.
I insisted.
“You can hire a wizard who is not affiliated with the Magic Tower and have him secretly set up a moving magic circle.”
“If there were a great wizard of that skill, there’s no way the Magic Tower would have left him alone.”
I smiled meaningfully.
“What if there is a great wizard who was expelled from the Magic Tower?”
"If the Archmage is banished, it means he committed a grave mistake. Then he must have been banished, stripped of all his power, or executed."
That was right.
I was after some archmage who had been cast out and lost all his powers.
“I know a wizard. He has lost his power and has been exiled, but I know a way to restore it.”
“...!”
"Besides, I know a way to get him to come to Ronheim on his own. So, if only Callius would agree, I'll start dropping bait. What do you think?"
I looked at Callius longingly.
Obviously, my words must have sounded like nonsense to him.
If you had even the slightest doubt or distrust of me, you wouldn't have listened to me.
Callius thought about something and then asked me.
“So what do you ultimately want to achieve?”
I said firmly.
“I want to make money.”
“Money?”
“Yes. A lot of money.”
Callius shook his head slightly, as if that didn't answer his question.
"Money is just a means. What do you hope to achieve by acquiring that means?"
“My goal is simply to make money.”
For now, that was really the only goal.
I'm the first to intercept the money Andrea will earn in the future.
It will hinder him from achieving what he so desperately wants to achieve and take away everything he wants to have.
So I wanted to give back to him the terrible helplessness he had caused me.
'Once you've destroyed Andrea, the next step is Kavala.'
I can't explain to Callius why I harbored such dark and poisonous feelings.
I just look at him, hoping that my sincerity will reach him.
"I promised. I would help you. I would use the wealth I'd accumulated to reclaim Ronheim."
Callius stared at my earnest gaze for a moment, then finally nodded.
“Honestly, I’m not entirely convinced, but let’s give it a try, like Chloe said.”
“Really?”
"Yes. I realized this a dozen years ago, when I saw the Arrental army trample Ronheim. Ronheim needed a change. I now know that Ronheim cannot be protected by sticking to the ways of the previous Kings."
He sighed deeply.
“I wish I had known that sooner.”
I held his hand tightly.
“It’s not too late!”
I squeezed the hand that held him twice, three times.
“Let's make a difference together. I'll help you.”
***
Callius and Chloe returned to the castle. Chloe was too cold to stay outside for long.
The snow cats had been wandering around outside the whole time, but when Callius entered the castle, they calmly followed him in and lay down on the floor of the drawing room.
Chloe, having heard that snow cats don't attack people, hovered nearby. Callius watched her.
Chloe found the snow cat's long tail fascinating.
She carefully grabbed the tip of the tail of the snow cat that was napping on the floor.
Then the snow cat opened one eye and looked at Chloe, then swung its tail as if it was annoyed and pushed her away.
The snow cat had a tail that was long and thick compared to its body. Its tail was equally strong.
"Oh!"
Callius caught Chloe, who was staggering, with a single scream at the flick of the snow cat's tail.
“Be careful.”
"Thank you."
Chloe looked up at Callius and smiled brightly.
It was a smile that caught people's attention because it looked clear and pure.
Callius almost fell over, but he just stood there, silently watching Chloe leaning back and forth, still pacing around the snow cat.
'I can't get a handle on it.'
At first glance, she seems like an innocent child who can't do anything, but if you listen closely, you'll see that she has grand plans in her head.
Even the plan was incredibly detailed and surprising.
'From the beginning, I planned to install a moving magic circle at the location of the gold mine.'
The statement that a flower garden would be created there was a metaphorical expression.
The moving magic circle was simply a huge and complex picture.
The painting looked like a gorgeous flower when viewed from above.
So, bards sometimes likened travelers who travel around the world through moving magic circles to bees or butterflies.
'She didn't choose Ronheim simply because she wanted to get away.'
Callius had assumed that even before setting foot in Ronheim, she might be unable to withstand the bitter cold of the North and would want to return, but he was completely wrong.
Chloe never once complained of being cold or tired.
She was focused on carrying out the grand plan in her head, rather than worrying about the cold, the stares of people, or the harsh environment.
'She is never weak.'
Also, she is neither a runaway nor a loser.
Chloe.
'A pioneer with ambition.'
Callius chuckled as he watched Chloe burst out laughing like a child after barely managing to pat the snow cat's head.
“I want to make money.”
“A lot of money.”
How can someone who says they chase money look so innocent?
Even for someone greedy for money, she didn't act calculatingly or seem to be very materialistic.
Don't you think she'll use the money she earns to feed the people of the land, or use it to raise Ronheim?
It really seemed like she was more interested in making money than in the money itself.
Callius vaguely felt that there was something Chloe wasn't telling him.
There must be something more desperately desired than accumulating wealth to satisfy one's own selfish desires.
"I promised. I would help you. I would use the wealth I'd accumulated to reclaim Ronheim."
“Let's make a difference together. I'll help you.”
The hand that held him as she said that was quite strong.
'I guess that means Ronheim's independence and what she ultimately wants are on the same line.'
Perhaps it was revenge against Kavala and Andrea.
She must have her own circumstances that are difficult to explain.
He doesn't know for sure, but he had a feeling that if it was a problem involving Kavala, it wouldn't be an ordinary experience.
Just like him now.
Even Callius had his own circumstances, which were difficult to explain. They were related to Kavala.
He clenched his fist tightly.
'The shadow of Kavala cast over Ronheim must be removed as soon as possible.'
Currently, there is a traitor in Ronheim who helped Kavala assassinate the Saint.
Callius had been secretly searching for the traitor for a long time.
If he were to just leave Kavala alone, Chloe might be taken away from him in vain, just as the Saint was taken from him.
'I have to protect her.'
After the defeat by the Arrental Empire, Callius, who had been gloomy about the future of Ronheim, saw hope for the first time through Chloe.
So protecting Chloe was no longer just a husband's duty, but his mission as the leader of Ronheim.
Comments
Post a Comment