Magician Marigold

18.

Under the full moonlight.

Marigold knelt on one knee, resting her face beside it.

A horn adorned with blooming flowers, a silk dress revealing a generous amount of skin, and a faint smile directed at Lancel.

It was certain. It was the Unicorn Marigold he had seen before. Though, unlike last time, she didn’t suddenly pounce and steal a kiss.

‘I can’t move.’

Lancel was nailed to the bed, unable to do anything but toss and turn. His body felt strangely heavy. It was like swimming in water while carrying a whole bale of cotton.

With great effort, he managed to raise his upper body, and Marigold quietly descended from the windowsill.

“Mary. No. Don’t. Mary.”

Despite Lancel’s protests, Marigold didn’t even blink. Without a word, she smoothly climbed onto the bed. Her skin gleaming under the moonlight and her lithe movements were reminiscent of a viper.

Marigold straddled Lancel’s waist.

Her upper body filled his slightly upward view.

Gleaming blonde hair cascaded like curtains, softly draping over Lancel’s left and right vision. His world instantly became a space solely occupied by Marigold.

Plop.

Something shimmering like glass fell onto his cheek. Lancel raised his hand and wiped it away. Moisture.

“…Mary?”

The scene he looked up at was still filled with Marigold’s smile.

-Lancel.

A voice directly in his head.

Marigold’s two palms carefully cupped his head.

Lancel sensed what was about to happen and tried to pull away, but his body, already trapped on the bed, was completely blocked from retreat. He had neither the strength nor the space to escape.

“Wait. Can we talk?”

Marigold’s face drew closer.

“Talk… Mmph!”

Not again.

Lancel’s body stiffened once more at her presence invading his lips repeatedly.

“Mmmph!”

Marigold’s energy poured in like a waterfall. It was as if she was savoring his very existence. He could even feel an obsession, as if she wouldn’t waste a single moment.

‘I can’t breathe, Mary.’

The scent of wildflowers permeated his nostrils. The fragrance emanating from the blossoms on her unicorn horn.

“Mmph! Mmmph!”

He couldn’t escape from Marigold’s overwhelming presence.

That was the last thing Lancel remembered.

.

.

.

“Don’t do it properly.”

“Ouch!”

Marigold clutched her forehead, having been hit by a piece of jerky.

“If you lose, scrub the floor as diligently as possible.”

Marigold glanced at Lancel, tears welling up in her eyes.

“…Um, Professor Lancel.”

“Professor.”

“Professor Lancel.”

“Yes.”

“Why are you angry at me from this morning? I thought I was the one who should be upset…”

“None of your business.”

“Ouch!”

The guy who got hit by a piece of jerky again made a face like he was about to cry. Even though he knew it was just spite, Lancel was constantly picking on Marigold.

It was an outlet for the helplessness he felt under that full moon, in what felt like a dream or not. Not once, but twice was too much, wasn’t it?

“…Professor Lancel has become a Corrupted Knight. I have to turn him back somehow…”

“Your hands are idle, Mary.”

The jerky hit Marigold’s forehead once more.

“Ugh!”

19.

———

[Fallen Noble Lady Simulation]

Schedule for the 2nd week of April.

Mon – Lecture followed by punishment cleaning. (Location: Academy)

Tue – Lecture followed by punishment cleaning. (Location: Academy)

Wed – Lecture followed by punishment cleaning. (Location: Academy)

Thu – Lecture followed by punishment cleaning. (Location: Academy)

Fri – Overnight training. (Location: Hunting grounds outside the Imperial Capital)

Sat – Overnight training. (Location: Hunting grounds outside the Imperial Capital)

Sun – Airship development assistant. (Location: Jenis’s mansion)

※Cleaning the Knights’ dormitory! What humiliation!

———

“It’s a sight to see. The Wizards.”

After the first match ended.

Hundreds of Wizard Department students, regardless of whether they were commoners or nobles, visited the Knight Department dormitory every day. They carried cleaning tools in their hands.

“Scrub, scrub!”

They watched the Wizard Department members cleaning every corner of the dormitory with disgusted expressions. It had now become a daily routine for the Knight Department.

“Those bookworms are cleaning so awkwardly, they must be having a hard time.”

“You better get used to it in advance, because you’ll have to keep doing it! Hehehe!”

They endured the Knights’ sneers as they snickered for a day, two days, three days.

“Ughghghgh!”

Marigold gritted his teeth while holding a cleaning broom.

“To lose to Knights, to lose to Knights…”

“Hey! Mary!”

“Hick!”

“Look here. There’s still dust left. Are you not going to do it properly?”

“I’m doing it, I’m doing it. Tsk.”

“Are you clicking your tongue?”

“When did I?”

“Loser. If you lose, clean obediently.”

Marigold’s eyes gleamed in the corner.

“I won’t forgive them. Knights. I won’t forgive them. I won’t forgive them. I won’t forgive them…”

When they finally completed the entire week.

“Good work. I look forward to next week as well.”

The anger that had been accumulating within the Wizards had gradually surpassed its ignition point.

“Damn it, you bastards.”

“We have outdoor training this week, I wonder if it’ll be okay.”

“I don’t care! We’re going to win this time no matter what.”

Marigold was, of course, included in the group of Wizards who were venting their frustrations.

“I won’t hold back anymore either. I will never lose again until all the Knights in this land bow their heads! Until they tremble in front of the greatness of Magic while pissing their pants under my ass!”

“Uh, uh. Yeah.”

The Wizards seemed to sense a different temperature from themselves, but they didn’t care right now. They would make the Knights clean the Wizard Department’s dormitory. That was their only thought.

And so, the second training session organized by Lancel was just a day away.

“Then let’s stop here for today… Everyone has heard the news about this year’s Founding Festival, right?”

“What news are you talking about…?”

“I’m talking about the Academy selecting a skilled Wizard to open the festival.”

Lancel, who had been trimming his nails in one corner, raised his head at that voice.

It was the voice of the Headmaster. All the professors in the Academy were gathered in one place for a weekly meeting.

He had no desire to interfere with the school’s operations, so he was just letting the stories flow in one ear and out the other.

“Since the Imperial Family will also be participating, we should select the most talented people possible. Fortunately, this year’s class is full of talented individuals.”

“That’s not difficult, but the Founding Festival is only half a year away, I don’t know if we’ll be ready by then.”

“That’s your job.”

The Headmaster joked at Professor Laura’s concern.

“I hope you prepare them well.”

“You’re passing the buck, Headmaster. You’re planning to pass it all on to us and get out of it yourself.”

“Surely not. Please think of it as trusting in your abilities.”

In the end, it was a sound of ‘you guys take care of it’.

It wasn’t a big deal for Lancel, who wasn’t in charge of the Wizard Department.

Hmm.

‘Marigold is chosen as the Wizard to decorate the opening of the Founding Festival?’

He imagined it for a moment.

Marigold showing off his Magic in front of all the promising nobles and royals of the Imperial Capital.

-Ah, this is the Magic of the game’s protagonist.

-Amazing!

‘Maybe not.’

He woke up from his thoughts.

In the first place, it was unlikely at this stage.

No matter how talented Marigold was, it was difficult to be sure that he would be at that level in half a year. To decorate the opening of the Founding Festival, he had to be at least one of the top Wizards in the entire Wizard Department.

-Mission: Founding Festival Opening Wizard.

-Reward: Popularity, Reputation, Favorability, Reward Money and Support Funds.

There was a lot to gain as much as that.

‘If he does well at the Founding Festival, the probability of being selected as a Court Wizard will increase, his reputation will improve, and he will immediately be on the fast track to Archmage…’

Lancel was briefly having such a delusion.

“Sir Lancel. Sir Lancel? Professor Lancel Dante!”

“Ah, yes.”

“Are you listening?”

“I wasn’t listening.”

The Headmaster laughed in vain at the confident words.

“There’s an outdoor training tomorrow that you and Professor Laura are leading, right? I was about to say that all the Academy students will be participating.”

“Yes?”

“His Highness the 7th Prince will also be following.”

Lancel was puzzled.

‘The 7th Prince? That brat?’

The 7th Prince.

He was the youngest of the Imperial Family.

“He said he would follow you as much as possible, so please take good care of him.”

“…Isn’t it annoying? Can’t you just tell him to stay cooped up in the Imperial Palace?”

“Would that work?”

20.

“Are you Lancel Dante? I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“…Yes, Your Highness.”

Lancel was sweating as he looked at the small, 140cm tall boy Prince. He was so small that he was even shorter than this round’s Marigold.

Cheee-!

Right next to them, the train’s Magic Power engine was spewing hot steam. As more than a thousand people participated in the class going outside the Imperial Capital, they had chartered the Imperial train.

This was all because of the boy, the 7th Prince, in front of Lancel.

‘7th Prince Molly Comet Phrygia.’

Even when he was trying to drag Marigold to the Empress Ending, this guy was always excluded.

First of all, he was too young.

In the game, he was almost the only one who could be captured only in the later part of the story, when Marigold was over twenty-three years old, so he was always excluded from the candidates. A Prince who had to endure and coax for 8 years didn’t sound very good just by listening to it.

Adult circumstances… something like that.

No matter how thoughtless his sister was, she would have been afraid of the law.

“Actually, I rarely have the opportunity to go outside the Imperial Capital, so I created this opportunity. I’m sorry if I made you tired.”

“Yes, it’s definitely tiring… Ugh.”

Someone pinched his side next to him. It was Professor Laura Coat.

“We are also honored to serve His Highness the precious Prince. Isn’t that right, Professor Lancel?”

“…Yes.”

“Is that so? Then I’m glad.”

The 7th Prince’s face, smiling with a grin, was truly innocent.

‘Okay, let’s be patient. He’s not a bad person. He’s just a kid.’

Thinking that, Lancel continued to draw the character for patience in his mind. Patience. Patience. Patience.

“Professor! Professor!”

“…?”

It was then.

“P, Professor Lancel! Professor Laura!”

A desperate voice was heard from afar.

It was a woman wearing the badge of the Department of Public Administration.

She ran up in a hurry, catching her breath, and opened her mouth.

“The Wizards, the Knights… now… now…!”

“What is it? Speak clearly.”

“Now…!”

For some reason, her face had turned white.

“The Wizards and the Knights are fighting fiercely, really fiercely, over seats…! The atmosphere has become so bad… you have to stop them… Heh, heh!”

Huh?

Lancel poked his head out and looked at the train window.

‘…!’

‘…!’

Marigold, grabbing a Knight by the collar and shouting, was clearly visible.

‘What are you doing?’

Judging by the atmosphere, a brawl was about to break out.

Lancel turned to the 7th Prince.

“Would Your Highness like to watch?”

“Watch a fight?”

“Yes.”

“That sounds fun! Let’s go right away!”

The 7th Prince’s eyes sparkled.

“Let’s go.”

“Departure!”

Lancel and the 7th Prince held hands and jumped into the train. Laura, who had been frozen with a dazed expression, followed behind.

“W, wait! Wait!”