Chapter 106

(Lurelia’s Belated Bonus – Update 4/14 🎉)

 

“Your Grace, that…”

Angelina was bewildered.

‘He says I’ve given him a lot…?’

While he had asked her to do many things, like rescuing Catherine or guiding him through Kuns Village, she couldn’t particularly remember doing anything that would make him feel grateful.

‘Could it be that he’s been holding onto what I said at the Witch’s Tomb, that he wasn’t necessary?’

She certainly had said something like that.

“Honestly, you’re not absolutely necessary.”

But didn’t he agree with that assessment at the time? He hadn’t seemed upset about it.

Even so, he’s a Duke after all—wouldn’t it be a bit much to call him out for something like today’s incident?

This wasn’t about the Saint project confronting the Order; it was her personal matter.

“A promise…”

She was going to say that making a promise wasn’t difficult. Though she wasn’t sure exactly what he meant by asking her to need him more, there seemed no reason to refuse.

But when she opened her mouth, no answer came out. Somehow her throat felt constricted.

Her heart tightened.

As if instinctively knowing it was a promise she couldn’t keep, her mind blocked the words.

Just as Angelina failed to finish her sentence and her face stiffened:

The crystal ball hummed, and—

BOOM!

Something exploded outside.

Both of them turned their heads toward the outside at the same time, and Pudding, who had been drooping, suddenly raised his head in surprise, then his tail began to wag as if he had discovered something pleasant.

The source of the explosion was not far from where they were. Dust rising like a cumulus cloud revealed its location.

Blake frowned and activated the still-ringing crystal ball.

-Your Grace! The additional deal has been aborted!

“What about the men?”

-I’m sorry, we lost them. As the magical tools in the black market all went haywire, expanding our operational range, we couldn’t prevent them from using the scroll.

“I understand. Return.”

After turning off the crystal ball, his gaze remained fixed on the dust cloud.

That’s when:

CRASH!

Another explosion occurred about a block away. Blake grimaced and slightly opened the window.

“Why the hell is that bastard here!”

“F*ck, run! Block him somehow!”

As desperate curses could be heard, there was a pattering sound from the stairway.

Blake hid Angelina behind him and drew his sword.

“Your Grace!”

But the person who appeared was Mason.

“Their hideout has been blown up!”

“Was that the explosion just now?”

“Yes. If we want to catch them all as they scatter, you need to move now!”

“The explosion?”

Since he hadn’t ordered Mason to blow up the hideout, he was asking what it was.

“It seems to be an internal rebellion. One of the men there suddenly cast magic…”

Just then:

CRASH!

The glass window shattered, and a bright red fireball flew toward Blake.

“….”

“Your Grace!”

16.The Saint Is Not Blonde

 

Blake quickly surrounded his sword with blade energy and deflected the attack. But the opponent’s attacks didn’t stop.

BOOM, CRASH! CRACK!

Though he deflected all the magic, it was powerful enough to make his feet slide back as they gripped the floor.

Blake frowned.

Even for a surprise attack, there weren’t many skilled enough to push him back.

It wasn’t that he was being overpowered, but it wasn’t a situation where he could fight with his usual composure.

Thinking that securing Angelina’s safety was the priority, he let the attack flow past him and lunged forward to reach her.

“This way!”

Just as he was about to grab her:

WHOOSH!

A sharp ice spear flew in with the sound of cutting wind.

CLANG!

He deflected the attack’s direction with his sword. But it wasn’t just a simple ice spear.

The ice that stuck in the floor instantly spread and bound his feet.

“Damn it.”

If he were alone, this attack wouldn’t have been a problem—he could simply break the floor. But he hesitated to use such a rough method with Angelina beside him.

That’s when:

“Aesi?”

Angelina’s calm voice was heard.

At that voice, Blake’s sword stopped, and Mason, who was about to unleash holy power to help him, also paused.

Through the swirling dust, the attacker’s silhouette gradually became clear.

With the moonlight at his back creating a shadow, his elaborate mask and snow-white cape were dazzlingly bright.

“I don’t like blonde hair much.”

Those were the intruder’s first words. Then he extended his hand to Angelina.

“Let’s go. I’ll show you something interesting.”

“Was that explosion just now your doing, Aesi?”

Angelina asked, looking outside.

“There was something dirty, so I did some cleaning.”

“Something dirty?”

She was curious about what he meant, but he didn’t answer. Instead, the lips visible beneath his mask curved into a smile.

“Let’s go.”

“Ah, well…”

As she hesitated, glancing briefly at Blake, Pudding suddenly jumped up from her arms.

“Kyu!”

“Pudding!”

Angelina reflexively reached out to Pudding, who was leaping toward Aesi. And that hand was firmly grasped by Aesi.

He pulled her sharply into his arms.

“Miss Flaubert!”

Blake reached out belatedly, but—

BOOM!

“Ugh!”

The fierce wind mixed with the attack pushed him backward. When he cut through the wind, the window was already empty.

“Ha.”

A hollow laugh escaped him out of disbelief.

Though Angelina had never properly confirmed it, Blake was fairly certain that her collaborator was the Magic Tower Master.

If so, it meant they were all heading toward the same goal, yet the Magic Tower Master openly showed hostility toward him.

There was clearly malice in the attack just now.

Yet his attitude toward Angelina was incredibly affectionate.

From the beginning, it meant he had attacked to separate him from Angelina.

“I guess I was right.”

He muttered quietly.

He couldn’t help but think of someone who cherished Angelina so much that he wanted to keep her within a fence.

Overprotective, Ante Flaubert.

‘But then, why the Order…?’

Considering that the Empress, who has the Order’s support, has a close relationship with Marquis Flaubert, it doesn’t make sense.

‘Is it not him?’

The complicated political circumstances made him doubt his thoughts.

After glaring for a long time in the direction they had disappeared, he clicked his tongue and stepped onto the windowsill.

“Mason, let’s go.”

“Yes!”

He jumped out the window.

Since the Magic Tower Master wouldn’t harm Angelina, he decided to set aside his concerns for now.

In a way, there might not be a safer place in this world than by the Magic Tower Master’s side. That man would clearly give his life to protect her.

Right now, it was more urgent to check the hideout that had exploded and deal with the traitors who had escaped.

***

He carried Angelina in a princess hold and flew high into the sky. His long black hair fluttered in the night breeze. It stood out even more in contrast to his flapping white cape.

Angelina caught his hair in her palm, smoothing it down as she whispered:

“Why don’t you do silver hair?”

“…Silver hair?”

“Yes. I’ve seen blonde, red, black like this, um… have I seen light blue too? But I haven’t seen you with silver hair.”

Aesi answered somewhat slowly.

“It’s not to my taste.”

“I originally have silver hair, don’t you like it?”

“You’re pretty.”

“Silver hair isn’t pretty?”

“Your silver hair is pretty.”

“What kind of forced logic is that?”

“Because you’re pretty.”

“I like you too, Aesi, because you’re pretty.”

Aesi let out a hollow laugh at Angelina’s direct approach.

“Who taught you to confess so carelessly?”

“There is someone. A handsome man who makes everyone around him fall in love just by smiling.”

“That guy from earlier?”

Aesi pushed out his lips in a slight pout.

“Hmm? Oh, the Duke is handsome too.”

“He’s not?”

His voice softened a bit at the negative response.

“Then who?”

“There’s someone like that. A wonderful man with the same surname as me, and exactly the same hair color. He’s so kind that you, Aesi, couldn’t even imagine.”

At that, the corners of Aesi’s lips twitched.

Seeing this, Angelina smiled brightly and checked the building they had left. Pudding, in her arms, also peeked out over Ante’s shoulder to look down below.

“Still, what you did back there was too much.”

“Are you taking his side?”

“That kind of attitude isn’t good toward someone who’s helping us.”

“We don’t need him.”

“Yes, we do.”

“Don’t you trust me?”

“That’s separate from trusting you.”

How could we possibly exclude from this battle the male lead whose very purpose is to fight against the Order?

“Seems like you like that guy.”

Aesi muttered in a low voice.

Angelina looked down again at the building that was now too far away to see.

“Will you promise me that?”

Honestly, wouldn’t it be strange not to feel a flutter at those words?

The unexpected pounding of her heart that had raced of its own accord still lingered faintly in her chest.