Translator: Cinder Translations
...
At the inn in Alden Town, Marianna stared blankly out the window, lost in thought.
A soft knock on the door broke her trance.
"Come in."
"Mother."
Nathan cautiously entered the room.
Marianna looked at him, "How are Odanel and Derson?"
Nathan sighed, "They're still unconscious."
He didn't understand what exactly had happened, and...
Nathan hesitated, seemingly struggling to say something.
Marianna furrowed her brow, "What is it?"
"When we were in the church... I saw you direct your gesture at Odanel, so... did you do it?"
Marianna smiled slightly, "You're suspecting that I turned them into this state?"
"Uh... yes." Nathan nodded.
Marianna shook her head, "Then you've misunderstood your mother. Odanel and Derson are entirely responsible for their own fate."
Nathan said incredulously, "You mean they suffered a magical backlash? Derson makes sense, but with Odanel's skill, how could that happen against such a young person?"
Marianna fell silent for a moment. Even she found it unbelievable that Odanel, someone who had spent his life immersed in mental magic, would fail so badly.
"One can only say... magic is always a mysterious and awe-inspiring force. We cannot be arrogant enough to think we can completely master it," she said.
"But..." Nathan insisted, "Even if it wasn't because of you, you did make Odanel your target, right?"
Sigh... Marianna sighed, "Do you remember what I told you back at Horns Bay? The Grayman family in the Northwest Bay has done us a great favor."
"Mother," Nathan frowned, "I believe personal grudges shouldn't come before the greater cause of the spellcaster's work."
Marianna immediately rebuked him sternly, "Your life was given to you by the Grayman family!"
Was it that serious?
Nathan was startled. It seemed that before he could remember, he and his mother had gone through a huge ordeal in Northwest Bay.
"Alright."
Although Nathan was still indifferent toward the Grayman family—since he had no memory of them in his mind—he understood his mother's feelings.
"Let's stop with the Grayman lord's affairs for now. As for Bennett, we'll find another way. If necessary, we can just forget about him. His life or death has nothing to do with us."
Marianna nodded. "We should never have come here. Northwest Bay is a peaceful and serene land; it should never be disturbed by the conflicts of the outside world."
Nathan shrugged, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with her statement.
At that moment, there was another knock on the door.
It was Edward, who came in to report: "Derson has woken up."
---
Mage Derson stood by the window, silently with his hands behind his back.
His eyes moved occasionally, carefully observing the streets and buildings of Alden Town.
In the distance, rows of factories looked like neatly arranged boxes, with thick black smoke billowing from iron furnaces.
"Heh! So the gears have already started turning..."
He muttered to himself, the meaning unclear.
"Derson!" Nathan pushed open the door and immediately gave him a big hug, with Marianna and Edward following him in.
"I was so scared, old friend! You just collapsed without a word."
Derson awkwardly returned the hug.
"Sorry for worrying you."
"Glad to see you're awake!" Nathan let go of him.
As their eyes met, for a brief moment, Nathan sensed something strange in Derson's gaze—something fleeting.
Was it... pity?
He must have been imagining things. Nathan thought to himself. "You were unconscious for three whole days!"
Marianna spoke gravely, "What exactly happened that day? What happened with you and your mentor?"
"Uh..." Derson held his head, his face contorting in pain. "Whenever I try to recall that moment, my head starts hurting terribly. Sorry, Lady Marianna, I can't remember the details. Maybe... maybe there was some error in the setup from Master Odanel."
Marianna sighed and glanced at Odanel, still lying in bed. She didn't know when the old man would wake up.
Edward suggested, "Perhaps Derson should rest for now."
Marianna agreed, "Yes, let's go for now. Derson, if your mentor wakes up, let us know."
Derson nodded respectfully.
The three left the room.
Derson walked to Odanel's bedside and looked at his mentor with a complicated expression.
"My dear mentor, thank you for all your teachings, and even more for... choosing me as your assistant in this spell."
"Although the spell failed, I... can say that I've been reborn. I am no longer the old Derson."
He spoke in a very sorrowful tone: "Please forgive me for making a new choice."
---
At the Lord's mansion.
"My lord, you should change your coat."
The old butler, Philip, respectfully made the suggestion.
"Ah? I just wore it for a few days!"
Paul had just returned from inspecting the military camp.
"Oh, it's already been three days."
"Well, you sure remember everything," Paul smiled and started taking off his coat. Just as he was about to hand it to the butler, something fell out of the pocket with a thud.
Paul picked it up from the floor, his brows furrowing tighter as he stared at it.
It was a pebble, entirely black.
But it should have been white three days ago.
He sighed deeply, the relaxed expression on his face vanishing.
"Call Rubin, Cecil, and Ladia here."
Half an hour later, the three Paul had mentioned arrived in his office.
The black stone lay quietly on the desk.
"Someone cast a spell on you without you noticing?" Ladia said in astonishment.
"Obviously, isn't it? The Demon Detection Stone has proven that!"
Paul spoke anxiously.
In this world where mystical powers existed, someone had secretly cast an unknown spell on him...
Oh my goodness! Could he end up like Henry's older brother—the previous Duke of Northwest Bay?
The key question was, who did this?
Paul felt a growing sense of unease.
"The people from Horns Bay in Frand Bay don't seem unusual. My lord, have you met any strangers recently?" Cecil asked.
"Strangers? I've met a lot of strangers these past few days. Let me think..."
As Paul began to recall, a guard came in to report.
"A man claiming to be a magician wants to meet with you."
"Magician!"
Suddenly, Paul remembered something.
(End of the Chapter)
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