The Isolated Marchioness Just Wants to Make a Living [Novel] Chapter 79

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Chapter 79

“You’re laying it on a bit thick.”

Leopold frowned in obvious annoyance, but Harrison merely shrugged.

“Pretty amazing perks, aren’t they? It’s too late to regret not becoming my dance partner instead, Leopold. Even if you begged me now, it wouldn’t do you any good.”

After casually firing that remark back at Leopold, Harrison quickly drafted a report. Dalia was immediately restrained and sent to the Magic Tower.

“I don’t have to worry about getting kidnapped by the Magic Tower anymore.”

His beautiful reddish-blond hair swayed as he beamed.

“Which means I can finally brag about my talents as much as I want!”

“Oh, Wow”

I couldn’t help but admire that.

“So all this time… you weren’t bragging?”

Back at the Academy, Harrison had hidden his abilities. What he hadn’t hidden was the fact that he was hiding something.

In other words, he said this almost every single day:

The girls who had fallen for him would always answer in unison,

Even the professors would say,

Anyway, Now that he had stopped hiding his abilities, he had apparently decided to start openly showing off as well.

With his arms folded, Leopold surveyed the field before speaking.

“Well then, I suppose that’s everything settled. Now that we’ve confirmed dark magic was involved, the Magic Tower will handle the investigation. Everyone, you may disperse.”

It had only been five minutes since Harrison arrived, and we were already saying goodbye.

“I’ll return to the Grand Duke’s residence. Harrison’s heading back south. Brisa, you’ll accompany the Marquis back to the Sayre territory. Sorry, but I have an urgent matter that requires me to return immediately.”

Come to think of it, Leopold had mentioned that he had ‘something to take care of’ starting tomorrow.

“Ah, Uh… Okay. Take care.”

Since the lord of the West had spoken, there wasn’t much else to say.

All that remained now was harvesting the summer wheat in about half a month. He had promised to send half the harvest to Sayre, so all we had to do was wait.

Our territory had also worked hard to become self-sufficient. Winter no longer seemed frightening.

In the end, my trip to the West had truly been worthwhile.

“If you’re busy, go ahead without me. I still have something I need to discuss with Harrison.”

Leopold blinked.

“What is it?”

“Oh. I wanted Harrison to examine Dalia.”

After screaming herself hoarse, Dalia had eventually lost consciousness.

Alpheus had securely tied her up where she lay.

As I pointed toward Dalia, Leopold stared back and forth between Harrison and me as though he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“…What?”

“Harrison knows a great deal about dark magic.”

Back in the Academy library, Harrison was always reading books about dark magic. That didn’t make him a dark mage.

“I just wanted to study it. You know what the South has been going through.”

The South had long been plagued by the Curse of Slumber.

“I thought… maybe dark magic had something to do with it.”

I understood his true intentions better than anyone.

Instead of entering the Magic Tower, he had studied on his own because he wanted to help the South.

He had never become interested in magic simply because he loved it. That was why he had never intended to join the Magic Tower.

“I don’t think the Duchess of Devostan simply threw Dalia away. I’m sure she prepared some kind of safeguard so she could cut ties whenever necessary.”

Leopold narrowed his eyes.

“And how would you know that? I shared a room with Harrison, yet even I had no idea he was this talented at magic.”

Harrison casually placed a hand on my shoulder and grinned.

“Because we’re much closer than you think.”

Well… ‘Close’ wasn’t exactly the right word.

It was more accurate to say Harrison simply felt comfortable around me.

“Whenever I try to have a serious conversation, everyone just stares at my face. But you actually listen to what I’m saying instead of staring.”

“Have you ever considered that I’m neither looking at your face nor listening to you?”

“Exactly! The fact that a girl can be that cold toward me is incredible in itself.”

Of course, it wasn’t that Harrison had feelings for me. He was simply an easygoing person who treated everyone lightly and comfortably.

“Anyway, leaving this to me was the right decision. Just like you said, they’ve already taken all the necessary precautions.”

Before I could even respond, Harrison lightly hopped over and placed his hand on Dalia’s forehead.

At once, a black magic circle spread across her skin.

“…Just as I thought.”

He clicked his tongue.

“These people are vicious. If we’d left her alone, she would’ve died before reaching the Magic Tower.”

“What exactly is that?”

“A spell designed to slowly drain her life. I can dispel it for now… But there’ll probably be side effects. Still, that’s better than dying.”

Harrison quietly chanted an incantation. The black magic circle covering Dalia dissolved into wisps of smoke before disappearing.

“Ugh… This one’s nasty. Whoever cast it was incredibly skilled.”

He shivered once before making a suggestion.

“There’s a warp gate nearby, right? We should get her to the Magic Tower immediately. It’d be best if I went personally and explained everything.”

Just then—

“Huh?”

Someone suddenly came running through the distant warp gate. It was a servant from the Sayre Marquisate.

“My Lord!”

He rushed straight toward Alpheus, who was still carrying the sack of mint leaves.

“A highly urgent letter has arrived! Lord Rangsi is in an absolute frenzy and ordered me to bring you back immediately!”

I instinctively frowned.

Who on earth would be sending Alpheus an urgent letter at a time like this?

Alpheus wasn’t exactly well connected with anyone important.

Yet Alpheus’s face immediately lit up.

“Ah! Has the Second Prince finally returned from the South? If Rangsi’s that excited, then the money must have arrived!”

“…Ah.”

At those words, Harrison scratched the back of his head.

“Well… I don’t think that’s the case.”

“Hm?”

“I mean, I’m certain the Second Prince hasn’t returned. So far, no one has ever made it back alive from the forest afflicted by the Curse of Slumber…”

Alpheus stared at Harrison as if to say, ‘Who are you to ruin the mood with something so pessimistic?’

Only then did I realize I had never introduced the two of them.

Alpheus had probably assumed Harrison was just some wandering mage. After all, Harrison’s sloppy appearance inspired very little confidence.

“Ah, this is Harrison of House Naisar.”

I hurriedly introduced him to Alpheus.

“So I think he’s probably right about the Second Prince. He just came from the South, after all.”

Then I turned to Harrison.

“And as you’ve probably guessed, this is Alpheus Sayre. The new Marquis of Sayre.”

“Ah, I’ve heard a great deal about you.”

Harrison greeted him first with an easygoing smile.

“Brisa and I were very close back at the Academy.”

To my surprise, Alpheus looked unconvinced.

“Brisa couldn’t possibly have friends.”

I stared at him in shock.

“Well, maybe ‘friends’ is stretching it… But Harrison is still a close classmate who came all the way to the West just because I asked him.”

“What? You’re that close?”

Alpheus cried out in disbelief.

“…Mages are physically frail. I don’t think they’re suitable partners for my little sister. They look like they’d die young. If a man makes a living as a mage, he’d have to be at least five years younger than my sister before I’d even consider approving of him…”

“What kind of ridiculous logic is that? If you’re going that far, you might as well say he’d need to be ten years younger. And while you’re at it, add that if he’s more than five heads tall, that’s another major point against him.”

I smacked Alpheus lightly on the arm.

Harrison looked straight into Alpheus’s eyes and smiled brightly.

“The idea that mages are frail is merely a stereotype, my Lord.”

Accompanying his words with a smile as beautiful as a flower, he continued,

“Take a good look at me. Don’t I look perfectly healthy?”

Alpheus narrowed his eyes and carefully examined Harrison from head to toe. Then he shrugged.

“Well, you’re all still young. I suppose I was looking at others through the lens of an overprotective older brother. My apologies, Young Master Naisar.”

It was an exceptionally reasonable and proper response.

“…Hm?”

But Harrison blinked in utter disbelief.

“My charm… It didn’t work at all?”

He stared blankly between Alpheus and me.

“There’s Another person like Brisa Sayre…?”

Moments like this always made me envy Harrison.

He could spout complete nonsense without anyone whispering behind his back that he’d gone insane.

“Anyway. You said you needed to get to the Magic Tower as soon as possible. To examine Dalia.”

I gently pushed Harrison forward. Truthfully, I was also curious about the letter Alpheus had received.

“Please take good care of Dalia. And thank you—seriously. If there’s ever anything I can do for you, just let me know. Anything except money.”

Honestly, I already knew what Harrison would probably ask for.

@Thought
‘He’ll probably ask me to be his partner at some future banquet. He always says he hates it when girls fight over him.’
#end

In other words, it was nothing more than a promise I’d likely have to make good on someday.

Not to be outdone, Alpheus joined in.

“You’re welcome to visit the Sayre estate anytime. Any friend of Brisa’s is always welcome.”

To be honest, it sounded like nothing more than polite courtesy.

Unexpectedly, however, Harrison’s expression turned completely serious.

“Then there is something I’d like to ask. After I deliver this test subject to the Magic Tower, I’ll come straight to the Sayre estate.”

…That suddenly?

I looked at Harrison in surprise. I couldn’t even begin to guess what he wanted.

“What is it?”

“It’s a long story. I’ll explain when I get there.”

“No. At least tell me what it’s about. You never do what I expect, and that’s making me nervous.”

Harrison’s eyes wandered for a moment. Then he let out a quiet sigh.

“Have you ever heard… of the ancient curse of the Four Founding Houses?”