Ch.41Mansion of the Sorcerer (2)

“A vague boundary zone straddling the edge between the capital and the outlands.

The area was surrounded by dense forest. The leaves of abnormally large trees created massive shadows that distorted one’s sense of time.

After walking for about two hours through a forest too dense for carriages to enter, a spacious estate came into view.

Commonly known as the Mansion of the Sorcerer. It was the collective name for a civilization’s condensed form that benefited the human world on a continental scale.

News that Serin would visit the Mansion of the Sorcerer as an envoy spread quickly. Therefore, it was expected that sorcerers in loose robes covering their entire bodies would come out to greet them.

Serin and the duke’s daughter, along with Luca. Including myself, it was a modest visit of only four people. Perhaps because of this, they didn’t seem particularly vigilant.

Soon, a middle-aged male sorcerer approached from the front and bowed with his hand on his chest.

“Pleased to meet you, Princess Seriniel Literion. I am Parlo, one of the mansion’s caretakers.”

“Nice to meet you.”

Serin was being courteous because sorcerers had transcended worldly status. Neither commoners nor nobles, they deserved respect for their achievements. That is, assuming they weren’t a group of puppets spreading dark magic.

“Actually, I’ve been looking forward to today. I was curious about how this place differs from the mansion located in the Empire.”

“You won’t be disappointed. After all, we are sorcerers with the continent’s finest research capabilities.”

“Hearing that makes me even more curious. Could we skip the trivial procedures and get a tour?”

“Of course. Let me guide you this way.”

Parlo led the way into the mansion. We followed him, briefly exchanging glances. It was a silent agreement that although we wouldn’t reveal our intentions yet, we needed to remain vigilant from now on.

“By the way, I didn’t expect the Second Prince would visit us as well.”

“I’ve been interested for quite some time.”

“Haha, we’ve been equally interested in you. After all, sorcerers who match the Second Prince’s abilities are extremely rare.”

“I find that statement curious, as I’ve never really showcased my abilities. I advise you not to put too much faith in rumors. Rumors are like wet cotton, aren’t they?”

“Hmm, indeed. That’s how rumors are. They get inflated beyond measure, with tiny grains of truth hidden inside like kernels.”

It was a battle of nerves.

The duke’s daughter and Luca had long been at odds with the black magic sorcerer group.

When directly encountering them, they tried their best to hide their identities, but it seemed the sorcerers had formed their own conclusions. Just as the duke’s daughter and Luca seemed to suspect the entire Mansion of the Sorcerer, despite lacking concrete evidence.

“And who might this person be? An attendant of the Princess?”

Parlo asked, looking at me.

“I am Rihart. I’m in charge of the Princess’s protection.”

“Ah… Well, one certainly can’t judge people by appearances.”

A suspicious man with his face hidden behind a mask and not a single weapon in sight. By all accounts, I didn’t look suitable for guard duty. Recognizing this, I offered no rebuttal.

However, Serin seemed to have a different perspective.

“I’d like you to retract that statement.”

“Princess?”

“You dare judge my person by your subjective standards? My person.”

“…”

Serin’s sudden shift to a cold tone created a chilling atmosphere. Instinctively, Parlo bowed his head, overwhelmed by her presence.

“I-I apologize…”

“As long as you understand, just be careful with your words.”

Then she left a final warning.

“Isn’t the mouth the source of all calamities?”

“Yes… I will deeply reflect on your guidance.”

Though he pledged obedience on the surface, his narrowed eyes revealed an unnecessary level of disrespect.

“Wow… Serin has such a strong presence.”

“Is this the dignity of an imperial princess…?”

These were the impressions of the duke’s daughter and Luca, in order.

Though both were naturally unassuming, they were undeniably of the highest social class. Serin’s behavior was radical enough to surprise even them.

Feeling indebted, I spoke to Serin.

“Serin.”

“Yes, Rian.”

“While I appreciate your defense, it would be better to refrain from now on. I can’t let your reputation suffer because of me.”

“But I don’t like my people being casually judged. Especially not Rian.”

“However, I am employed by His Majesty the Emperor as your guard. As such, I believe I should also protect your reputation as your guard. So we should avoid situations where priorities become reversed.”

“Is protecting reputation part of a guard’s duty?”

“…Even if it’s not a guard’s duty, I consider it my responsibility.”

“Wow…”

Serin covered her mouth with both hands.

For a moment, I regretted my words. Whenever she reacted excessively like this, it was usually followed by statements that put me in an awkward position.

And unfortunately, my ominous premonition was never wrong.

“So you’re saying that being my guard is just an excuse, and you want to do this for me?”

“…That could be one interpretation.”

“So you want to do this because you like me so, so much?”

“If there’s no other way to express it… that’s not incorrect, but…”

“Sigh… what should I do?”

Serin complained dramatically.

“This makes me want to cuddle you so badly. Would you like me to carry you? Or perhaps a princess carry?”

“What on earth do you gain from such absurd actions…?”

“Nothing much. Just emotional fulfillment and maybe a ten-year extension to my lifespan?”

“…”

I rubbed my face in response to her completely illogical answer. The cold touch of my mask cooled the heat in my palm.

The commentary from the two people standing shoulder to shoulder was an added bonus.

“Luca, why don’t you say things like that to me?”

“Maybe because you don’t princess-carry me?”

“Isn’t it weird for someone who’s the Second Prince to want to be carried like a princess?”

“It just shows how well I understand women’s hearts.”

The thought of a disinherited child being princess-carried by the imperial princess made me dizzy just imagining it, but I kept that to myself.

Meanwhile, Parlo, who had heard everything from my conversation with Serin to the whispers between the duke’s daughter and Luca, suddenly turned around.

“…… From here on, we’re within the influence of spatial magic. This means if you stray more than ten steps away from me, you might be transported to a completely different location.”

He added ominously.

“And perhaps… that location might be an experimental chamber full of hazards. Of course, the capable sorcerer Second Prince might be fine… but I advise the rest of you to be extremely cautious.”

“Ahaha, as a mere amateur sorcerer, I find that advice quite frightening.”

Luca joked, but it didn’t seem to affect Parlo at all.

“Follow me.”

He took a step forward.

Just that was enough to make the space ripple, momentarily distorting Parlo’s figure.

The same happened to the duke’s daughter and Luca as they followed him.

“Shall we go too, Rian?”

“Be careful, Serin.”

“Of course.”

Serin let out a small chuckle. Just as we were about to fall in line behind them—

Crack!

“Rian? What was that sound just now…”

Crackle, crackle…!

“Serin? Your appearance is becoming blurry.”

Hissssss!

Strange noises resonated.

Serin’s form, though not far from me, became increasingly blurred, and the surrounding space began to distort strangely.

The distance from Parlo was less than six steps—far less than the radius he had warned about. Yet the phenomenon he had cautioned against was faithfully enveloping me.

“Rian! What’s… happ… ing…!”

Serin’s words reached me in fragments. Even through my blurred vision, I could tell she was rushing toward me in panic.

“Don’t come closer, Serin! You mustn’t approach!”

Whether my words were clearly conveyed was uncertain. Just as her shouts reached me in a muffled state, my intentions likely reached her only faintly.

The warped space reached its climax, and my vision was engulfed in darkness, losing its function.

◇

“What is this?! Luca, don’t tell me you already…!”

“No! I didn’t do anything!”

Amid the chaotic scene, Kanarin and Luca quickly assessed the situation.

It had happened much closer than the distance they had been warned about. However, it wasn’t something done by Luca, the sorcerer. Then, inevitably, who did the line of suspicion point to?

Thwang!

A jet-black figure streaked past Kanarin and Luca’s eyes, leaving afterimages. It was a leap so swift that it was difficult to track even with eyes wide open.

Serin, who had easily surpassed human limitations, charged at Parlo like a predator targeting prey.

Crash!

“Gahk…!?”

Parlo, though a sorcerer, had the physical abilities of an ordinary human. He was instantly subdued by Serin and slammed to the ground.

Then Serin spoke with furious intensity.

“You goddamn bastard, what did you do to Rian?”

“Urgh… wh-what are you…”

“You fucking bastard, I’m asking what you did to my man!!!”

“Huk… heurk…”

It was a first.

She had never lost her composure and raised her voice at someone like this before. Throughout both her past and present lives, Serin had never shouted with such vulgar curses.

The fact that Rahilt was strong was irrelevant. She knew well that unless her father appeared, there could be no threat to Rahilt’s safety. Nevertheless, Serin gave in to impulse and anger.

The problem was that this gloomy black sorcerer, this puppet group, had dared to direct malice toward Rahilt.

How dare they target someone who had hidden behind a mask all his life to avoid hostility? How dare they… what safety, what right did they have to direct malice at anyone?

‘Kuhk…’

Parlo was gasping for breath.

‘What kind of human strength is this…!’

He had heard rumors that the Empire’s princess was known as a monster. But since exaggerations about the abilities of noble individuals were common, he hadn’t taken it as truth. It was a reasonable judgment, as the princess had never directly participated in bloody conflicts.

‘But this is just abnormal…!!!’

Yes, abnormal was the only way to describe it.

And for good reason.

Because Parlo had truly done nothing.

‘What the hell is this shit!’

Prince Luca knew his own magical power. The quality of magical power was like a person’s fingerprint, and skilled sorcerers could remember magical power they had experienced once.

Though it was long ago, as someone who had once confronted Luca as a black sorcerer, he couldn’t carelessly reveal his magic.

Even if he did reveal it, he planned to do so only in a space where he had a definite advantage.

‘Damn it, what the hell is that gloomy guard…!’

An absurd hypothesis formed in his mind.

The spatial magic surrounding the interior of the Mansion of the Sorcerer was structured to fix the existence of marked individuals at specific coordinates.

And people within a certain range of the mark were likewise affected. On the other hand, humans outside the mark’s range were all randomly repelled.

Because the space itself was warped, this penalty couldn’t be avoided no matter how extraordinary a person was.

‘What if… that person is such a powerful being that he can’t be fixed by magical coordinates…?’

If he was outside the effectiveness of the mark from the beginning, he would have immediately entered the warped space. Into an unknown space where no one knew where or how he would fall within the mansion.

‘No, that’s just theoretical talk. There’s no way such a human exists in this world. I heard even the Empire’s Emperor was calmly guided through the Mansion of the Sorcerer…!’

Then what on earth was the problem?

Bearing the unexpected weight of fury with his entire body, Parlo could only mutter in bewilderment.

“This is fucked… really.”