Translator: Cinder Translations
...
Paul looked at the red-haired woman.
She noticed him staring and seemed to become more nervous.
Paul suspected she was suffering from some sort of acute illness.
"Madam," Paul approached her and gently called.
"Ah?" The red-haired woman seemed startled.
"Do you need me to call a doctor for you?" Paul asked.
"Uh... no, no, no, I was just... a little nervous seeing the local lord up close, Earl Grayman."
"Oh, you know me?"
"I had the fortune of seeing you from afar in Alden Town."
"Sounds like you're not from around here?"
"Yes, we're... traveling performers."
Paul smiled. "I hope you have a pleasant journey in the Northwest Bay."
He looked at the young man who had stopped performing after Paul approached. "Don't stop, the children are waiting. I'm very interested as well."
The young man smiled cheerfully, without the usual fear that common folk had when encountering nobles.
"Earl Grayman, I eagerly wish to perform a wonderful magic show for our great local lord. But my teacher is also hoping for this honor."
That flattery was a bit awkward, but Paul asked, "Your teacher? Where is he?"
"He's preparing, please trust me, his magical skills will leave you with a lifetime impression. Perhaps you can wait a little longer, good dishes require careful cooking."
"I look forward to it." With that, Paul entered the church for a visit.
Marianna sharply warned Nathan and Edward, "Listen, no matter who I attack later, you must cooperate with me. Follow my instructions. Everything I do, and what I ask you to do... none of it is up for discussion."
The two had never been given such orders by Marianna before, but seeing her serious expression, they nodded with unease.
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"The great Lord Grayman, to meet you here is truly the greatest honor of my life!"
In less than ten minutes, Odanel came out and proactively approached Paul, exaggerating his flattery.
Derson followed behind his teacher, feeling an uneasy premonition.
"Strange, we prepared so thoroughly, but where is this sense of unease coming from? Is it from the lord's guards?"
He glanced at the mortal guards around them. With Marianna, Nathan, and Edward present, they didn't seem like a threat.
"Uh..."
He also noticed the strange expression on the face of the Crimson Witch. She looked troubled.
Could the unease be coming from her? Derson wondered, hoping nothing would go wrong.
In their plan, his role was to act as a "diverter."
Contrary to his appearance, Odanel was actually a cautious man.
As a powerful noble, his mind was much more complex than that of an ordinary person.
Odanel was worried that after casting the spell, his soul might not be able to withstand the massive stream of information in the Earl's mind. So, he arranged for his student to "divert" part of the load and also to ensure no important details were missed.
Earl Grayman had already stopped, quietly waiting for Odanel's performance, with his guards clustered around him.
Derson silently cooperated from a distance.
Nathan crossed his hands in his robe sleeves, already preparing a spell, just waiting for his mother's signal.
However, he had just noticed the hesitation and unease on his mother's face. She seemed to be struggling with a difficult decision, which worried Nathan. He had never seen her like this before.
Suddenly, Marianna's face showed a determined expression, and she slowly raised her arm. Was she going to attack?
Seeing this, Nathan also readied himself.
But the next moment shocked him completely.
His mother actually pointed her finger at Odanel.
What was going on? Nathan's mind went blank.
Odanel finished his last motion, throwing the silk cloth into the air.
Just as Paul thought there might be a rabbit or something else appearing, he suddenly felt a strange sensation.
A sharp pain hit his brain, and dizziness washed over him, but it was brief and quickly subsided.
Paul staggered for a moment but quickly regained his balance.
"Earl, are you feeling unwell?"
Guard Agram asked with concern.
"Uh, no, it's probably because I haven't slept much lately, just a slight headache."
Paul rubbed his temples.
But he didn't tell Agram that just a moment ago, his mind had been flooded with countless fragmented memories, both from his past life and this one. It was truly strange.
Agram frowned. "Perhaps, you should return to Alden Town and rest immediately."
"Oh, please, my dear Agram, at least let me finish watching this magic show."
Paul complained, but his eyes were full of anticipation as he looked at the magician performing.
"Sir, you're..."
The sight in front of Paul made no sense to him. The magician was staring at him with wide eyes, frozen in a rigid posture, not moving at all.
"Uh... is this part of the magic?"
Paul asked, confused.
Suddenly, there was a loud crash, and the magician collapsed to the ground before Paul's eyes.
Before he could react, another crash sounded, and the magician's assistant, who was standing nearby, also fell to the ground.
Okay, this didn't seem like a magic trick at all.
"Quick, help them!" Paul shouted.
Marianna, Derson, and Edward stood frozen, staring at the scene.
Derson and Edward didn't understand what was happening.
Marianna was equally bewildered. It shouldn't have happened like this. She hadn't made a move yet—why had Odanel and Derson collapsed?
Agram stopped the lord from rushing to help. Four other guards quickly stepped forward and lifted the two fallen magicians.
Both were rolling their eyes and foaming at the mouth.
"My lord, their breathing seems normal, but their heart rates are elevated," the guards reported.
"Oh, may the Lord bless these poor souls. We must find a doctor immediately."
Father Hershey said with sadness. The two magicians had brought so much joy to the children in the past few days.
Paul immediately ordered, "Use my horse, take them to..."
"Earl Grayman."
Marianna snapped out of her shock, though she still had no idea what had just happened.
She smiled, and her warmth made Paul feel at ease.
"No need to trouble you, we'll take care of our companions. This is a recurring issue for them, so please don't worry."
(End of the Chapter)
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