Chapter 61
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“Stop wandering around and come home now.”
“Why? You’re still hale and hearty. I have no such intentions.”
In a corner of the banquet hall, Ronius and the Duke of de Xtion exchanged terse words. The conversation between the two stern-faced men went in circles. The father, telling his son to return soon and prepare to inherit the Dukedom; the son, insisting he had no interest and playing dumb. Neither was willing to yield, and neither seemed to have any intention of doing so. The Duke believed it was time to bring his heir, who had been refusing the succession and roaming outside for over ten years, back to his rightful place. Ronius, indifferent to his father’s intentions, had his mind entirely elsewhere. He merely parried his father’s words as if it were a military drill, while his entire being frantically searched for the woman’s presence. The fire she had lit within him showed no signs of dying down, and his still-very-alive lower body kept twitching, making him miserable. Thus, in this ridiculous situation where he was standing there swirling aura specifically around that area, there was no way his father’s words were getting through.
‘I should have followed her immediately. Through there, to the second hall, then to the back, where did she disappear to? Or maybe…’
No matter how exceptional a Sword Master Ronius was, it was impossible for him to fully grasp the mana flow of an even more exceptional mage. His senses, developed far beyond the norm, seemed of little use when it came to matters involving her. In any case, he no longer had the leisure to engage in this meaningless debate. He spoke before the Duke could continue.
“Anyway, my decision won’t change, so I have nothing more to say. It’s not like we were ever on affectionate terms to begin with.”
“……”
“Thank you for coming today, Your Grace.”
“Is that so? Hmm. And what about the mage?”
Just as he was hastily trying to conclude the conversation and search for where she might be, the Duke abruptly changed the subject, detaining him. Ronius paused for a moment, staring at the Duke. The Duke of de Xtion had smoothed his furrowed brow and was looking at him with a relaxed gaze.
“Why would you ask about the mage, Your Grace?”
“Don’t play dumb with me.”
“……”
“No matter how powerful a mage is, to properly put down roots in new soil, she needs allies. Do you really think a knight, bound by loyalty to the Imperial Family, can manage that, even if he is a war hero? You know the Emperor’s temperament better than anyone, I don’t need to spell it out.”
He wasn’t wrong. It wasn’t a matter Ronius had never considered.
The unknown factor was the Duke’s reason for bringing this up. It was as if she represented some opportunity he was trying to leverage.
‘Has he noticed?’
He wracked his brain, feeling a sting of self-consciousness, but couldn’t recall anything specific. His mind might have been in turmoil, but his outward appearance had surely remained consistent. Of course, that was excluding the times he was alone with her…
As his thoughts veered into unsavory territory, his face hardened even further to mask the churning inside.
“You should think carefully about which side can become her most reliable supporter.”
The Duke’s weighty voice jolted him back to reality. Frankly, even without deep consideration, the answer was already clear. He couldn’t presume to know if she even intended to put down roots here, but if she were to stay, the answer was predetermined. Yet, he had to ask.
“What is your reason for trying to persuade me using the mage?”
“…Do you truly think I was unaware of your… ‘secret friend’?”
The Duke then muttered, almost to himself, “I knew from the moment that miserable, moping wretch started walking around with a grin on his face.”
Ronius continued to stare at him with a stony expression, but his red pupils trembled faintly. The Duke’s ever-sharp eyes also softened, if only for that moment. He cleared his throat a couple of times before his gaze turned steely again.
“The task you set out to do seems to be over. I see no reason for you to keep wandering like this. Moreover, I see no more time to waste cleaning up after the Emperor.”
Only then, as if having said all he needed to, did the Duke give his son’s shoulder a few firm pats and take his leave. His aide, who had been suffering through the suffocating standoff between father and son from a short distance away, quickly followed.
『The Basement Mage’s Chaotic Practice Sessions』 Continues in Volume 2.
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