POTC - Chapter 40

A subtle pleasure enveloped Ivan's entire body.

"..."

Ivan's footsteps toward the magic tower were incredibly light. Unlike his usual expressionless face, he even wore a smile, as if something very good had happened to him.

"I don't understand a single thing you're saying. There's nothing left to talk about."

Presepe's stiff, yet unconcealed, figure was still vivid in his mind.

"It's like she's got the house and is acting all high and mighty..."

It's incredibly cute.

Ivan muttered to himself.

"Grand Duke Fenrir said that an urgent message came from the Imperial House... Could it be that the Archmage is the one who did that?"

"But surprisingly, she's quick-witted."

Presepe was right.

In fact, it was already a revealed fact that magic was used in this murder case, especially in the case of Noah DeVern

Therefore, unlike usual, Ivan was putting his efforts into this matter in his own way.

He wasn't just an ordinary wizard, but a Grand Wizard. And while his personality was a total pain in the ass, his skill was unrivaled.

Of course, the Church did not like Ivan’s interference, but it was obvious to anyone that his help was needed for this matter.

However, what Ivan was aiming for was not to uncover the true culprit.

The moment he saw the Book of Prophecy in the basement of the Magic Tower, Ivan realized. That Presepe was not entirely unrelated to this matter.

From that moment on, his interest was solely in Presepe.

"I don't think there is any reason for you to be curious about such things. Especially now, when we don't even know who the culprit is and haven't caught them."

But he could not just blindly go find Presepe.

The reaction Fenrir showed when he asked about her well-being was unusual.

It was he who took Presepe out of the Imperial Palace as murders broke out one after another, as if he had been waiting for this to happen, and there was no way that such a Fenrir would let him meet Presepe.

So, he devised a plan.

He dropped a hint that the recent incident was connected to the reduced frequency of monster appearances in the Forbidden Forest.

Naturally, the Church and the Knights were in an uproar. They claimed that the decrease in monsters was a result of the Knights had painstakingly achieved.

Conversely, the Magic Tower argued that they were the ones who best understood the nature of monsters and the Forbidden Forest, insisting that an investigation team must be sent to the Forbidden Forest immediately.

It was literally a dogfight.

Fortunately for Ivan, the Emperor was still ill, and the person who had to mediate their argument and make a decision was Fenrir.

As expected, an urgent message was sent to Fenrir, and Ivan, who had been waiting in advance, moved the moment he left the mansion. He slipped away from the meeting entirely on his own.

"I wonder if everything is settled by now."

Ivan glanced at the center of the Imperial Palace where the meeting room was located, shrugged his shoulders, and climbed the stairs.

He intended to leave the troublesome tasks to the children below him, return to his quarters to hear about today's events, and set up future plans.

In any case, there is only one objective.

Since Fenrir is currently handling the Emperor's affairs, sending him to the Forbidden Forest with the Knights and approached Presepe, who had been left alone, and eventually ensnared her by his side.

...So, it was the moment he stepped into the quiet room, lost in such pleasant thoughts.

"Hello, Archmage."

At the voice coming from the darkness, Ivan turned around immediately.

“Good night, right?”

However, someone's movement was much faster than that.

"Ugh...!"

Ivan let out a short groan as he was slammed to the ground in an instant. Then he looked up at the one on top of him.

It was Fenrir.

“What is this now...?"

"Right, I wonder what's going on, Archmage."

Fenrir asked back in a flat voice.

"What are you doing in a room where the owner isn't even here!"

"Weren't you the first to frequent the mansion without an owner?"

...Damn it

Ivan's brow furrowed unpleasantly.

He didn't think Fenrir would stay quiet if he found out that he had gone to meet Presepe so recklessly.

However, Ivan also had his own excuse.

Saying that they visited to investigate a murder case.

He was also about to step forward and speak first before Fenrir could question him.

Then Fenrir won't be able to cling to it either.

...So, even for Fenrir, he never imagined it would turn out like this.

"I think you're seriously mistaken about something, Archmage."

"..."

"There is no human in Ateloia that I cannot cut down."

"Ha..."

"And there is nothing more important than protecting Lady Presepe."

Fenrir's red eyes, holding Ivan, blazed.

"But what am I to do with you, you bastard, who dragged me out like that and approached Lady Presepe like a rat?"

Sreung.

With a chilling metallic sound, a sharp blade dug into Ivan's neck.

"..."

Fenrir's face, illuminated by the moonlight, was reflected in Ivan's dark eyes.

Extremely gloomy.

"Isn't that going too far, Grand Duke?"

Then Ivan looked straight up at Fenrir and spoke.

"You won't have any grounds to kill me. How do you plan to clean up the mess?"

“Clean up the mess?”

Fenrir snickered.

"That's already enough."

"..."

"I don't like you. Enough that even if I slit your throat right now, ripped out your guts, and scattered them, I wouldn't be satisfied."

At Fenrir's words, Ivan's face stiffened slightly.

'Crazy bastard...'

Ivan thought Fenrir was someone he could at least have a conversation with, but it seems he was mistaken again. Ivan reflexively bit his lip hard.

However, Ivan was not an incompetent person. If Fenrir drew his swords in that manner, it was not as if he could not attack.

Of course, unlike Fenrir, he wasn't that crazy, so he was just planning a reasonable counterattack.

For example, freezing their hands, or burning their entire arms so he can never climb back up again.

The latter will likely smell, so the former would be better.

Ivan quickly reached out his hand toward Fenrir with a face full of mockery.

However, his attempt ended in spectacular failure.

'What, what...?'

Unlike usual, nothing happened. Even though he had clearly gathered all his magical power and condensed it at his fingertips.

Instead, something resembling black mist briefly wafted out behind Fenrir. It was so faint that it would likely be invisible to others, but Ivan, at least, could clearly notice it.

"Black magic...?"

Ivan, dumbfounded, muttered blankly.

"You... What are you?"

It was absurd. And understandably so, as everyone was talking in unison. They said Ivan was a man of such caliber that he comes along perhaps once in a hundred years, and that was not a lie.

The world of magic seemed complex, but in fact, looking inside, it was incredibly simple.

Under no circumstances can wizards attack someone with greater magical power than themselves. Even if they try, there is no reaction. This was especially true when the power gap was significant.

So, it meant that the opponent absorbed the magic power shot out just like this, showing absolutely no reaction.

It was the first time he experienced something like this.

"Ah, no."

Ivan muttered, his mind blank.

"If that were the case, there is no way I wouldn't have noticed all this time...?"

As if mocking him, not a single trace of magic-related power could be felt from Fenrir before him. Except for that brief moment when the black mist appeared.

"That is a pathetic last will."

"Ah. No... Wait, wait!"

Ivan shouted in a panic.

"The reason I went to meet Presepe, Lady Presepe..."

"I don't remember asking for a reason."

Ivan wore a look of disbelief, but to Fenrir, such a reason meant nothing.

It was obvious anyway.

It must be because, just as his assigned settings dictated, he felt an endless obsession and affection for Presepe.

However, since Fenrir had taken her out of the palace before Ivan could even meet her, it was not surprising that he tried to approach her in some way.

"..."

Ivan, who had been glaring at Fenrir, clenched his fist for no reason.

He didn't know exactly what was going on, but for now, the wisest choice was to get out of this situation safely. Ivan quickly finished thinking and continued speaking.

"Stop acting all high and mighty and be honest. Grand Duke, in the end, you're just doing this because you're concerned about that woman, aren't you? Just like the late Prince Attar, Noah DeVern, and me."

"..."

"You manipulated the frail Emperor to your liking to take Presepe away, and now you're acting like some great bodyguard has arrived?"

Ivan laughed.

"Just as you acted according to your own whims, I simply acted according to mine. Come to think of it, there is no difference between you and me. It’s absurd."

...There's no difference?

The dumbfounded one was me.

“No, it’s completely different.”

"...? Wait, just a moment..."

Before Ivan could even finish speaking, Fenrir's hand gripping the sword tightened.

Along with a sharp pain, he felt sticky blood soaking his throat. And Ivan realized.

The fact that this man could really kill him right here.

Even without any justification.

"..."

Fenrir's eyes glared sinisterly at Ivan.

He is a human who must be killed anyway.

Things might get a bit complicated, but he would rather just leave it as is.

Right now...

"Ivan, you're finally back? So much happened just now... Aaaargh!"

The uninvited guest who suddenly appeared was the young wizard Ivan was taking with him. He had also gone along when investigating Noah DeVern's mansion.

"Hey. What is going on right now?"

The child was flustered.

"Lord Fenrir... Th-I'm sure Lord Ivan said something that displeased you, but, yes, yes."

Unable to do anything, the child's body trembled as he paced back and forth.

Fenrir glared at it silently, then bit his lip and put away his sword.

"Grand Duke, why are you doing this to me...!"

Ivan, who was trying to get up and protest in the meantime, rolled on the floor once again like a rag with a crashing sound.

It was because of Fenrir, who kicked him squarely in the stomach.

"This is...."

Fenrir stared at Ivan, who could not even breathe properly, as if staring at an insect.

"You'd better straighten up, Archmage."

Then, he pursed his lips in a voice dripping with coldness.

"Because today's incident has given me one more reason to kill."

With an extremely cold expression, Fenrir took a step without lingering regret.

"Uh... that crazy... lunatic..."

...Leaving behind the pale-faced child and Ivan, who was panting and spitting out curses.

***

By the time Fenrir returned to the mansion, it was already late at night.

"I'm sorry. The knights, the maids, and I tried to stop it, but the Archmage's authority and blah blah blah..."

Hannah, trailing closely behind Fenrir, still had a pale face.

"Uh, that person told me to leave... so I didn't hear what they talked about. Instead, Lady Presepe did tell me to wait at the door, but..."

"Lady Presepe."

"Even after the Archmage left, she continued to be in poor condition. She seemed confused and out of her mind."

"..."

"So, I gave her some medicine with sedatives for now. I figured it would be best for her to find some stability first."

As soon as Hannah finished speaking, Fenrir stopped walking.

Standing in front of Presepe's room like that, Fenrir pursed his lips while fixing his gaze on the closed door.

"Hannah, you go now."

"Yes?"

"Come when called."

"Ah, yes... I understand."

Hannah, who had been rambling incoherently, nodded and scurried out of the hallway, still wearing a worried look.

And Fenrir, standing in front of the door...

"Lady Presepe."

In a low voice, he called Presepe's name.

Knock knock.

When there was no reply, the sound of knocking on the door echoed through the cold hallway. But once again, there was no response.

"I apologize, but..."

Fenrir grabbed the doorknob.

“I’m going in.”

Then, he stepped into Presepe's room, where darkness had fallen.

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