The Duke, sitting on a chair supported by Rudnine, held onto Yvonne's limp hand and muttered.
“It’s warm.”
Yvonne doesn't seem to be sick, her body temperature is normal, and her complexion is good, but why can't she get up?
The face of Rudnine, standing behind Duke Argenthoz, who was silently looking at Yvonne, grew even darker.
His insides were burning so much that he turned to ash.
But, believing that she would wake up again, Rudnine did not give up hope and stayed close to Yvonne's side.
Because when Yvonne opened her eyes again, he wanted to be the first thing she saw.
“Is this hamster also a familiar?”
The Duke of Argenthoz pointed to Pembe, who was sleeping on Yvonne's pillow, and asked.
"Yes, that's right. It's Yvonne's most cherished and most powerful familiar. Every day, he pours all his black magic into healing Yvonne, and now he's so exhausted he's falling asleep."
“I see... But why is his whole body wet?”
"Well, Pembe is a tearful person. He cries every day."
Rudnine smiled bitterly.
Duke Argenthoz looked at Pembe with a hollow laugh.
And then he reached out and gently stroked Pembe's pink fur.
“Thank you. For loving our daughter.”
“...”
“You too, Rudnine.”
The Duke of Argenthoz was the first to call Rudnine by name.
Rudnine's eyes widened, then his lips curled upward. Then he lowered his head and muttered softly, "No."
"Excuse me!"
Just then, the bedroom door opened with a knock, and Carol and Liana came in.
"A healing wizard from the Kingdom of Mare has just arrived at the mansion. He wants to check on the Princess as soon as we finish eating..."
“No, right now!”
“Now, quickly!”
When Liana reported, Duke Argenthoz and Rudnine shouted loudly at the same time.
Carol smiled with satisfaction and quickly ran out.
“I will drag him here right now, even if I have to grab him by the collar.”
'Ugh.'
King Mare ordered him to go as quickly as possible.
The illegitimate Princess becomes a high-ranking warlock and holds the key to summoning the Great Demon!
He said that the reputation of the Mare Kingdom had been damaged and that the Verbent Empire had to be repaid quickly.
The great healing wizard Monet Ergel, who ran tirelessly from the Kingdom of Mare to the Verbent Empire, has not eaten a single meal since yesterday.
'I'm dying.'
However, he came in happily, thinking that he should have a proper meal first after seeing the Argenthoz Mansion, which was more splendid than the Mare Palace.
But then, out of the blue, he was grabbed by a young-looking maid and dragged away.
“I’m so hungry...”
“The Duke wants me to bring you quickly. Please have this first.”
Carol roughly stuffed some bread into Monet Ergel's mouth.
He was appalled by this treatment.
But the bread in his mouth was so sweet and delicious that he started chewing it and felt angry inside.
'Your Majesty, you are too much.'
Even though he is a great wizard who has fought and defeated the great demon, the King sent him here to heal a warlock.
He entered the Princess's bedroom with a sullen expression, his pride hurt, and he trembled as he encountered an unexpectedly murderous atmosphere.
Because the aura of the three men standing near the Princess's bed was so frightening.
“Welcome.”
“Please look into it immediately.”
"Hurry."
Monet Ergel was upset because they asked him to check on the Princess's condition without even introducing himself.
But among them, he quickly ran to the murderous pressure from a handsome man who stood out and answered.
“Yes, yes.”
Rudnine didn't like the healing wizard who appeared with a disgruntled expression, so he quietly glared at him and stood behind him.
Still, he's said to be the most famous healing wizard on the continent, so there's hope.
'Please... Yvonne.'
His hands, clenched into fists, trembled.
Monet Ergel carefully channeled his magic and observed Yvonne's condition.
How much time has passed?
The healing wizard's eyes narrowed.
He tilted his head and broke out in a cold sweat. He checked a few more times and then let out a sigh.
“This is... Huh?!”
“Are you guessing? Why is that?”
The frustrated Duke of Argenthoz could no longer bear it and asked him impatiently.
Monet Ergel stepped back from Yvonne's bed and cautiously opened his mouth.
"So this is the extent of the warlock's magical power. This is the first time I've seen such a vast amount of magical power from a great warlock, so the other healing magicians seem to have gone unnoticed."
"What?"
“What are you talking about?”
Rudnine intervened urgently.
“...‘Magical amnesia’?”
“Yes? Yes, yes. Oh, you know?”
“Then, is the cure for this magic loss also the Thiels Magic Stone?”
“Oh, that’s right. Why do you know so much about it...?”
Monet Ergel was taken aback when Rudnine, who looked like a knight at first glance, learned about rare magical diseases.
A light returned to Rudnine's dark eyes.
“...First, we need to wake up Pembe quickly.”
His voice trembled slightly, filled with hope and a sense of unease at the same time.
Pembe, who had woken up, the healing wizard Monet Ergel, Carol, and Rudnine began to seriously research and discuss Yvonne's treatment method.
Although they could not directly communicate with Pembe, the familiar, Carol was quick-witted and could roughly guess Pembe's intentions.
And thanks to Yvonne becoming a great warlock, Pembe's abilities were enhanced, and he was able to use magic language himself and communicate with the wizard Monet Ergel.
Monet Ergel, impressed by the vast knowledge of the familiar Pembe, quickly broke free from his prejudices about black magic and familiars.
“It’s warm.”
Yvonne doesn't seem to be sick, her body temperature is normal, and her complexion is good, but why can't she get up?
The face of Rudnine, standing behind Duke Argenthoz, who was silently looking at Yvonne, grew even darker.
His insides were burning so much that he turned to ash.
But, believing that she would wake up again, Rudnine did not give up hope and stayed close to Yvonne's side.
Because when Yvonne opened her eyes again, he wanted to be the first thing she saw.
“Is this hamster also a familiar?”
The Duke of Argenthoz pointed to Pembe, who was sleeping on Yvonne's pillow, and asked.
"Yes, that's right. It's Yvonne's most cherished and most powerful familiar. Every day, he pours all his black magic into healing Yvonne, and now he's so exhausted he's falling asleep."
“I see... But why is his whole body wet?”
"Well, Pembe is a tearful person. He cries every day."
Rudnine smiled bitterly.
Duke Argenthoz looked at Pembe with a hollow laugh.
And then he reached out and gently stroked Pembe's pink fur.
“Thank you. For loving our daughter.”
“...”
“You too, Rudnine.”
The Duke of Argenthoz was the first to call Rudnine by name.
Rudnine's eyes widened, then his lips curled upward. Then he lowered his head and muttered softly, "No."
"Excuse me!"
Just then, the bedroom door opened with a knock, and Carol and Liana came in.
"A healing wizard from the Kingdom of Mare has just arrived at the mansion. He wants to check on the Princess as soon as we finish eating..."
“No, right now!”
“Now, quickly!”
When Liana reported, Duke Argenthoz and Rudnine shouted loudly at the same time.
Carol smiled with satisfaction and quickly ran out.
“I will drag him here right now, even if I have to grab him by the collar.”
***
'Ugh.'
King Mare ordered him to go as quickly as possible.
The illegitimate Princess becomes a high-ranking warlock and holds the key to summoning the Great Demon!
He said that the reputation of the Mare Kingdom had been damaged and that the Verbent Empire had to be repaid quickly.
The great healing wizard Monet Ergel, who ran tirelessly from the Kingdom of Mare to the Verbent Empire, has not eaten a single meal since yesterday.
'I'm dying.'
However, he came in happily, thinking that he should have a proper meal first after seeing the Argenthoz Mansion, which was more splendid than the Mare Palace.
But then, out of the blue, he was grabbed by a young-looking maid and dragged away.
“I’m so hungry...”
“The Duke wants me to bring you quickly. Please have this first.”
Carol roughly stuffed some bread into Monet Ergel's mouth.
He was appalled by this treatment.
But the bread in his mouth was so sweet and delicious that he started chewing it and felt angry inside.
'Your Majesty, you are too much.'
Even though he is a great wizard who has fought and defeated the great demon, the King sent him here to heal a warlock.
He entered the Princess's bedroom with a sullen expression, his pride hurt, and he trembled as he encountered an unexpectedly murderous atmosphere.
Because the aura of the three men standing near the Princess's bed was so frightening.
“Welcome.”
“Please look into it immediately.”
"Hurry."
Monet Ergel was upset because they asked him to check on the Princess's condition without even introducing himself.
But among them, he quickly ran to the murderous pressure from a handsome man who stood out and answered.
“Yes, yes.”
Rudnine didn't like the healing wizard who appeared with a disgruntled expression, so he quietly glared at him and stood behind him.
Still, he's said to be the most famous healing wizard on the continent, so there's hope.
'Please... Yvonne.'
His hands, clenched into fists, trembled.
Monet Ergel carefully channeled his magic and observed Yvonne's condition.
How much time has passed?
The healing wizard's eyes narrowed.
He tilted his head and broke out in a cold sweat. He checked a few more times and then let out a sigh.
“This is... Huh?!”
“Are you guessing? Why is that?”
The frustrated Duke of Argenthoz could no longer bear it and asked him impatiently.
Monet Ergel stepped back from Yvonne's bed and cautiously opened his mouth.
"So this is the extent of the warlock's magical power. This is the first time I've seen such a vast amount of magical power from a great warlock, so the other healing magicians seem to have gone unnoticed."
"What?"
“What are you talking about?”
Rudnine intervened urgently.
“This individual is in a state of severe magical energy depletion. It's a condition classified alongside magical amnesia, a rare disorder known as magical energy loss syndrome...”
“Yes? Yes, yes. Oh, you know?”
“Then, is the cure for this magic loss also the Thiels Magic Stone?”
“Oh, that’s right. Why do you know so much about it...?”
Monet Ergel was taken aback when Rudnine, who looked like a knight at first glance, learned about rare magical diseases.
A light returned to Rudnine's dark eyes.
“...First, we need to wake up Pembe quickly.”
His voice trembled slightly, filled with hope and a sense of unease at the same time.
***
Pembe, who had woken up, the healing wizard Monet Ergel, Carol, and Rudnine began to seriously research and discuss Yvonne's treatment method.
Although they could not directly communicate with Pembe, the familiar, Carol was quick-witted and could roughly guess Pembe's intentions.
And thanks to Yvonne becoming a great warlock, Pembe's abilities were enhanced, and he was able to use magic language himself and communicate with the wizard Monet Ergel.
Monet Ergel, impressed by the vast knowledge of the familiar Pembe, quickly broke free from his prejudices about black magic and familiars.
"Hmm."
Even though he hadn't had a proper meal yet, his hunger and dissatisfaction had disappeared.
Instead, he put the cookie he received as a snack in his mouth, swallowed it, and came to a conclusion.
"So, this is magical amnesia. It's on a completely different level from magical amnesia. A wizard who loses their magical powers appears to be asleep, but one day, suddenly! They die!"
There was silence.
“It would be a problem if you said something like that so carelessly...”
“...Don’t say such ominous things.”
Rudnine and Carol both glared at Monet Ergel with menacing eyes.
“Ugh.”
He choked on cookie crumbs and barely managed to speak.
"That's how serious the situation is. After consulting with the Pembe, we've concluded that if things continue this way, the Princess will be out for at least a month."
“A month? Really, Pembe?”
When Carol asked urgently, Pembe nodded with sad eyes.
Carol covered her mouth with her hand in shock, but Rudnine remained calm and looked at Monet Ergel.
“It can be treated. Now, what is the treatment?”
But he answered hesitantly in an uncertain voice.
"As I said, we need Thiels, but it's an absurd amount... Black magic is especially tricky. Does anyone know how to replenish it?"
"There's a warlock Yvonne captured. Carol Demirant, please bring him here."
“Yes, Your Excellency.”
Carol, who moved quickly, received a special pardon and brought in the warlock Fromdy, who, unlike the other warlocks, was living a relatively comfortable life in the Argenthoz Prison.
After hearing the explanation of the current situation, Fromdy opened his mouth with a skeptical expression.
"Of course, there is a way. As you know, Your Excellency, to obtain black magic, you must kill someone and use their life to infuse it."
"...Ha."
Rudnine bit his lip.
"I heard she's become a great warlock. To fill that dark magic, countless lives will have to be sacrificed... The Princess detests that method. Absolutely not."
“I know too.”
"Yes. Absolutely not. She'd rather choose death."
As Fromdy insisted, recalling Yvonne's contemptuous gaze, Rudnine's features contorted even more painfully.
Monet Ergel sighed.
"Then all that's left is to take Thiels. The amount of Thiels magic stone needed to fill the vast black magic of the Princess, the great warlock..."
Pembe suddenly covered his eyes with his small hands and started whining and crying.
“Pembe, why are you crying? Why are you like that?”
An anxious Carol tried to calm Pembe down, but Pembe wouldn't stop crying.
Monet Ergel glanced at Pembe and sighed as he continued to speak hesitantly.
"A total of about 200kg is needed. This amount of Thiels... doesn't exist, so it can't be a cure."
“200kg?”
Tears welled up in Carol's eyes, knowing full well how rare a magic stone Thiels was.
“200kg.”
But Rudnine quickly calculated the amount while muttering it in his head.
The Thiels Magic Stone stored in the treasure vault of the Duke of Iels Castle is only about 36kg.
He bitterly regretted destroying the Tiels Mine, but after all, only 36kg had been mined from the Tiels Mine over the past 30 years.
In fact, the only mine on the continent called 'Thiels Mine' is the mine owned by Rudnine.
Thiels is a rare magic stone that is occasionally found by chance in small quantities in other mines.
‘Then, the only place to save is...’
Rudnine, who had finished calculating, narrowed his eyes.
And then he hugged Pembe and sang a crying carol earnestly.
“Carol Demirant. I have work to do.”
Rudnine continued speaking carefully to her as she turned her head.
"The Iels family will provide the funds, so gather all the Thiels across the continent as quickly as possible. Is this possible with Demirant's intelligence?"
“Yes? Yes, of course, Your Excellency.”
Carol wiped her tears with the back of her hand and nodded quickly.
"Very well. I'll have the Duke of Iels send the Thiels Magic Stone to the Argenthoz Mansion. Then I'll go and get the rest of the Thiels Magic Stones. I'll be back within a week."
“Excuse me, Duke. Where exactly are you going to get the Thiels Magic Stone?”
Monet Ergel looked at Rudnine, who suddenly stood up from his seat, in bewilderment.
"No way."
The face of the warlock, Fromdy, who had been standing blankly, turned pale.
"Sir, you're not saying you're going to the 'Frozen Lands', are you? That place where all the rare ores are buried, but it's also called the Land of Death?"
“...”
When Rudnine nodded silently, Monet Ergel jumped up from his seat in shock.
"You'll die if you go there! You're going to a land where no one has ever returned alive! What kind of nerve do you have?"
Rudnine looked at him coldly and smiled.
"Why should I die? My lover is waiting for me. You should prepare to treat Yvonne with Thiels."
“Your Excellency!”
"Oh my!"
Monet Ergel and Fromdy tried to stop him again, but he walked on without looking back and entered Yvonne's bedroom.
And then he approached Yvonne, who was lying beautifully with her eyes closed, bathed in the pouring autumn sunlight.
“Yvonne.”
He smiled brightly, placed both hands on the sides of Yvonne's head, leaned in, and gave her a light kiss.
And he whispered, caressing her cheek affectionately.
“I’ll be back.”
Rudnine gently removed the key necklace of the Iels family's treasure vault that was hanging neatly around Yvonne's neck.
“I’ll borrow this for a moment. I’ll definitely return it.”
Duke Rudnine Iels, who had completed the order to transport the Thiels stored in Iels Castle, left for the Frozen Land that very day.
Even though he hadn't had a proper meal yet, his hunger and dissatisfaction had disappeared.
Instead, he put the cookie he received as a snack in his mouth, swallowed it, and came to a conclusion.
"So, this is magical amnesia. It's on a completely different level from magical amnesia. A wizard who loses their magical powers appears to be asleep, but one day, suddenly! They die!"
There was silence.
“It would be a problem if you said something like that so carelessly...”
“...Don’t say such ominous things.”
Rudnine and Carol both glared at Monet Ergel with menacing eyes.
“Ugh.”
He choked on cookie crumbs and barely managed to speak.
"That's how serious the situation is. After consulting with the Pembe, we've concluded that if things continue this way, the Princess will be out for at least a month."
“A month? Really, Pembe?”
When Carol asked urgently, Pembe nodded with sad eyes.
Carol covered her mouth with her hand in shock, but Rudnine remained calm and looked at Monet Ergel.
“It can be treated. Now, what is the treatment?”
But he answered hesitantly in an uncertain voice.
"As I said, we need Thiels, but it's an absurd amount... Black magic is especially tricky. Does anyone know how to replenish it?"
"There's a warlock Yvonne captured. Carol Demirant, please bring him here."
“Yes, Your Excellency.”
Carol, who moved quickly, received a special pardon and brought in the warlock Fromdy, who, unlike the other warlocks, was living a relatively comfortable life in the Argenthoz Prison.
After hearing the explanation of the current situation, Fromdy opened his mouth with a skeptical expression.
"Of course, there is a way. As you know, Your Excellency, to obtain black magic, you must kill someone and use their life to infuse it."
"...Ha."
Rudnine bit his lip.
"I heard she's become a great warlock. To fill that dark magic, countless lives will have to be sacrificed... The Princess detests that method. Absolutely not."
“I know too.”
"Yes. Absolutely not. She'd rather choose death."
As Fromdy insisted, recalling Yvonne's contemptuous gaze, Rudnine's features contorted even more painfully.
Monet Ergel sighed.
"Then all that's left is to take Thiels. The amount of Thiels magic stone needed to fill the vast black magic of the Princess, the great warlock..."
Pembe suddenly covered his eyes with his small hands and started whining and crying.
“Pembe, why are you crying? Why are you like that?”
An anxious Carol tried to calm Pembe down, but Pembe wouldn't stop crying.
Monet Ergel glanced at Pembe and sighed as he continued to speak hesitantly.
"A total of about 200kg is needed. This amount of Thiels... doesn't exist, so it can't be a cure."
“200kg?”
Tears welled up in Carol's eyes, knowing full well how rare a magic stone Thiels was.
“200kg.”
But Rudnine quickly calculated the amount while muttering it in his head.
The Thiels Magic Stone stored in the treasure vault of the Duke of Iels Castle is only about 36kg.
He bitterly regretted destroying the Tiels Mine, but after all, only 36kg had been mined from the Tiels Mine over the past 30 years.
In fact, the only mine on the continent called 'Thiels Mine' is the mine owned by Rudnine.
Thiels is a rare magic stone that is occasionally found by chance in small quantities in other mines.
‘Then, the only place to save is...’
Rudnine, who had finished calculating, narrowed his eyes.
And then he hugged Pembe and sang a crying carol earnestly.
“Carol Demirant. I have work to do.”
Rudnine continued speaking carefully to her as she turned her head.
"The Iels family will provide the funds, so gather all the Thiels across the continent as quickly as possible. Is this possible with Demirant's intelligence?"
“Yes? Yes, of course, Your Excellency.”
Carol wiped her tears with the back of her hand and nodded quickly.
"Very well. I'll have the Duke of Iels send the Thiels Magic Stone to the Argenthoz Mansion. Then I'll go and get the rest of the Thiels Magic Stones. I'll be back within a week."
“Excuse me, Duke. Where exactly are you going to get the Thiels Magic Stone?”
Monet Ergel looked at Rudnine, who suddenly stood up from his seat, in bewilderment.
"No way."
The face of the warlock, Fromdy, who had been standing blankly, turned pale.
"Sir, you're not saying you're going to the 'Frozen Lands', are you? That place where all the rare ores are buried, but it's also called the Land of Death?"
“...”
When Rudnine nodded silently, Monet Ergel jumped up from his seat in shock.
"You'll die if you go there! You're going to a land where no one has ever returned alive! What kind of nerve do you have?"
Rudnine looked at him coldly and smiled.
"Why should I die? My lover is waiting for me. You should prepare to treat Yvonne with Thiels."
“Your Excellency!”
"Oh my!"
Monet Ergel and Fromdy tried to stop him again, but he walked on without looking back and entered Yvonne's bedroom.
And then he approached Yvonne, who was lying beautifully with her eyes closed, bathed in the pouring autumn sunlight.
“Yvonne.”
He smiled brightly, placed both hands on the sides of Yvonne's head, leaned in, and gave her a light kiss.
And he whispered, caressing her cheek affectionately.
“I’ll be back.”
Rudnine gently removed the key necklace of the Iels family's treasure vault that was hanging neatly around Yvonne's neck.
“I’ll borrow this for a moment. I’ll definitely return it.”
Duke Rudnine Iels, who had completed the order to transport the Thiels stored in Iels Castle, left for the Frozen Land that very day.
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