༺ There are too many people above (2) ༻
mories from the past surged up. The painful mories of accidentally tapping on a ssage that wasn’t ant to be read, and then having to respond to it because the ssage showed ‘read’. Every ti that happened, I pondered desperately if there was any way to revert it back to ‘unread.’
‘I wonder if breaking it would make it like it never happened.’
I struggled with the urge to throw the communication crystal against the wall. Would it be excusable to claim that the communication crystal was broken and that I was unable to receive ssages? But if I did that, it might lead to even more troubleso situations.
‘That bastard.’
No matter how I thought about it, the Executive Manager of the Special Service Agency was the worst. How could he do this to ? How many tis had I turned a blind eye to what his family had done?
Feeling dejected, I closed my eyes and operated the communication crystal. It would beco even more troubleso if I kept delaying it and the Mage Duchess contacted first. Just thinking about that was frightening.
I looked at the blinking communication crystal with a bitter expression. It would be great if she didn’t receive the call so I could just leave a ssage instead. Please, don’t pick it up. Please, don’t pick it up. Please, don’t pick it up…
— Baby? Long ti no see.
She answered.
“I, heir of the Krasius family and Executive Manager of the Prosecutor’s Office, is calling Your Grace, the…”
— It’s okay. You don’t need to bother with the formalities.
“Understood.”
She dismissed as I bowed my head to greet her. The Mage Duchess didn’t like botherso procedures and ceremonies, so she often cut it off if she thought that things would drag on. Of course, those who shortened greetings without the Duchess’s permission might find themselves in trouble.
— My child, you’ve beco quite bold in the ti we haven’t seen each other.
“I’m sorry, but what do you an…?”
— I heard you were curious about a lady’s private life.
That bastard, he really said it all… Thanks for saving the trouble of saying it myself.
While I was considering whether to investigate the Special Service’s Executive Manager’s family one more ti, the Mage Duchess’s white eyes silently looked at . I just can’t get used to those white eyes. It was hard to distinguish between the iris and the white, which was sowhat startling.
Still, the owner of those eyes was a beauty, so they felt more mystical than scary. The iris was closer to silver than white, and the pupil was also pale. The Mage Duchess, who seed deep in thought, opened her mouth.
— I’ll be going to the Prosecutor’s Office, so wait for .
“Pardon?”
Did I hear her wrong?
I made the mistake of questioning the Duchess’s words, but the words of the Mage Duchess were perplexing. To the Prosecutor’s Office? The Mage Duchess herself? No. Not only that, but I’m in the Academy in the first place.
“I was assigned to the Academy. So unfortunately, I won’t be able to welco you.”
— Is that so?
The Mage Duchess tilted her head while her long ears perked up as if she’d encountered an unexpected problem.
— Should I go to the Academy, then?
“If you’re going to co personally, it would be rude for not to return to the Prosecutor’s Office and greet you personally.”
— My baby, as expected. You’re so considerate of .
“You’re flattering .”
And my struggle ended just like that. I simply bowed my head at the indirect comnt to stop fussing and co quickly. The Mage Duchess looked at as if she were asking why I was squirming when I would submit anyways. It was a sad thing.
— I’ll send soone, so you can co comfortably.
“Thank you for your consideration.”
She ant that she would send a teleportation magician to ensure I couldn’t run off. I was so moved by the generosity that I felt like shedding tears.
There was no way to resist the call of the Mage Duchess. She was even going to send a teleportation magician, so there was nothing I could do about it. I urgently contacted the Principal, Vice Principal, and Villar to tell them I had to go sowhere. At least those three needed to be aware of my absence so they could respond quickly in the case of an ergency.
As I waited for the magician to appear in the main building, soone popped out of thin air and dropped before . They appeared faster than I thought. Well, he probably received a sudden order, so it was understandable why he hurried so much.
We looked at each other in understanding of each other’s feelings.
“Executive Manager, I ca here to take you.”
“Okay.”
We didn’t say anything unnecessary. For work comrades, it was best to each do our part and part ways.
See? This magician also disappeared when we appeared before the Ministry of Finance’s building. Disappearing after your duty was fulfilled was the attitude a good Civil Servant needed to have.
‘I’m back here again.’
After being left alone, I silently looked up at the Ministry of Finance’s building. When I left for the Academy, I wanted to co back soon, but this wasn’t what I had in mind. Did soone gift a monkey’s hand? My wishes were coming true, but the process was a ss.
I sighed and was about to enter the Ministry of Finance’s building when the communication crystal shone.
— Executive Manager! We’re in trouble!
As soon as I received the call, the 2nd Manager’s face appeared. I reflexively shouted. Trouble? From the mouth of the 2nd Manager?
“You bastard! What did you do this ti?!”
I instinctively cursed him. The Mage Duchess was going to visit, and yet the 2nd Manager said that there was a problem. Seeing how the ssage didn’t co via the Senior Manager, it must really be an urgent matter.
— I didn’t do anything! The Mage Duchess said she was going to pay a visit! We don’t know what happened!
With a look of injustice, innocence, and exasperation, the 2nd Manager blurted out words, leaving speechless. Ah, so it wasn’t an overlapping incident. It was my doing, after all.
— We’re preparing to receive her, but can we handle this by ourselves? Executive Manager, shouldn’t you be here too?
“I’m already here.”
— What?
“I’ve also co.”
After a mont of silence, the 2nd Manager began shouting again.
— What did you do while you were outside?!
It was the first ti this year that I was lost for words at sothing the 2nd Manager said. I’m sorry. I’m really sorry… Fuck, I didn’t know that bastard from the Special Service Agency would do this.
***
Beatrix Catoban of Servette, the Mage Duchess.
One of the five Dukes of the Empire.
It was said that the current Servette Duchess had reached the peak of magic. This wasn’t sothing people said lightly. Even the mages of the magic powerhouse, United Kingdom of Yuben, were no match for her.
Other magicians would find it unfair to be compared to her. After all, she wasn’t even human in the first place.
“My child, you shouldn’t make a lady wait.”
“I apologize, Your Grace.”
Long white hair and pointy ears. The blood of elves runs through the veins of the Catoban family, And the Mage Duchess was a half-elf. Among the five Dukes, who were practically non-human in various ways, the Mage Duchess stood out as a non-human, not just in terms of race but also in abilities and personality.
It was said that the Iron-blooded Duke was the oldest one, but that was the case only if we took into consideration the human Dukes. The Mage Duchess was a half-elf, so she was the oldest in reality. So calling her a lady was…
“Take a seat.”
“Yes.”
My thoughts were interrupted by the words of the Mage Duchess. Although I was the host welcoming the guest, the title of Duke was enough to overturn such aningless things.
The Mage Duchess seed relaxed while drinking the tea the Senior Manager put on the table before he escaped. I wish she would realize how the pitiful Civil Servant before her felt. Or maybe it was better for her to just drink the tea silently.
“Baby.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
The Mage Duchess, who was savoring the fragrance of the tea with her eyes closed, opened them and looked at . She put the teacup on the table and looked like she was about to start talking seriously.
“Since when did the Prosecutor’s Office beco interested in a Duke’s private life?”
‘Damn it.’
I was prepared for an attack, but this was too strong. The Mage Duchess seed disappointed when I couldn’t find a proper answer.
“I thought we had a close relationship, but it seed like it was one-sided. It hurts.”
“How could I not know Your Grace’s affection? It’s just that I failed to control my curiosity.”
“Co closer.”
I cautiously approached the Mage Duchess. She pointed downward with her fingers and understanding what she ant, I bowed my head. Her hand gently touched the top of my head. What was this? An implication that she would use a lightning spell to fry ?
“What hurt the most was having heard the news about you through the Special Service Agency’s Executive Manager. Do you understand?”
“Yes. Yes, of course.”
“Good. Be careful from now on.”
Although her words were soft, in reality, she was annoyed that I had found information about her through the Special Service Agency.
Still, instead of burning my head with lightning magic, she lightly stroked my head. It felt like I’d beco a dog for a mont, but I’m glad. It seed she wasn’t thinking of blowing up the test subject yet. On days like this, I felt glad I had cooperated with the Mage Duchess’s experints.
“You’ve seen a kid using my unique magic?”
“Yes.”
It seed like the Mage Duchess wouldn’t just forgive but answer the mystery, too. Today was a lucky day…
“Isn’t she a girl with pink hair and blue eyes?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
It seed like she rembered her appearance because she’d taught her unique magic. Then, had she raised a disciple intentionally? I wonder if there were more like Louise.
“She’s actually the daughter I gave up for adoption with tears in my eyes. I couldn’t believe how beautiful she’d beco after growing up.”
“…What?”
What?
I was frozen at Louise’s unexpected secret of birth. It was disturbing enough that she was her disciple, but she was also her daughter…?
The Mage Duchess nodded at my reaction and kept talking.
“I was just joking because you seed tense. Did you find it funny?”
Ah.
“Your Grace’s sense of humor is always admirable.”
“Fufu. Right?”
Seeing her satisfied smile, I managed to awkwardly smile back.
I montarily forgot that this old woman liked to tell weird jokes.
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