Magician Marigold

21.

“Ooh, they’re fighting.”

The Seventh Prince’s eyes sparkled at the sight outside the train window.

Wizards and knights brawling with each other. It certainly wasn’t a common sight.

“Agh!”

“The wizard threw the first punch!”

“Move! You bastards!”

“What a mess!”

“Weaklings picking on knights!”

“Fierce! Very fierce!”

“Keong!”

“A woman got punched!”

The Seventh Prince seemed quite amused, watching the fight unfold right from the train.

“Do wizards and knights always fight like that?”

“It’s not a common sight.”

“Really?”

He was perched on Lancel’s shoulder, clenching his fists and exclaiming in amazement.

Only Laura, wringing her hands beside them, looked anxious and chewed on her nails.

Perhaps it was because the fight seemed to be escalating.

“Should we stop them soon?”

“Hmm, it was fun, though.”

“We need to depart, Your Highness.”

“Then I guess we have no choice. But how are you going to stop them?”

“That’s…”

With a sullen nod from the Seventh Prince, still on his shoulder, Lancel boarded the train.

Loud noises and shouts erupted constantly, and countless people bumped into each other in the cramped space. Objects were scattered everywhere, tripping people up.

“Your Highness, once we’re inside, could you repeat what I say?”

“That’s easy enough. But what are you going to say?”

“You’ll know when you hear it.”

Lancel kicked the door open with all his might.

Kwaaang-!

“Everyone, heads down.”

“Ahahaha! Everyone, heads down!”

The Seventh Prince, beaming, repeated Lancel’s words. Everyone inside the chaotic train stopped moving at once.

“Didn’t you hear? Please say it again, Your Highness.”

“Everyone, heads down! Ahahahaha!”

.

.

.

“Academy students engaging in a brawl, of all things. Where has their knightly spirit gone, and where is the pride of the wizards?”

Lancel strode through the train car, where strained groans echoed.

The Seventh Prince followed behind him, grinning.

Inside this train, there were no nobles or commoners anymore. Few would dare defy a Prince who ordered them to bow their heads. Only royalty, perhaps.

And Lancel had even made Aldehar, a member of the royalty, stand quietly facing the wall in a corner.

“Mary.”

“Y-yes, Professor… Heeiiik!”

Lancel plopped down on Mary’s back as she was bowing her head.

“Eugeugeugeuk!”

Her legs trembled, and a groan of pain escaped her lips.

“Who started it? Tell me honestly.”

“T-the knights started it first… Keueueueung…”

“D-don’t be ridiculous! When did we…!”

“Sit on him, Your Highness.”

“Can I?”

“Heoeop!”

Right and wrong didn’t matter.

Lancel’s only goal was to sit on Mary’s back and watch the reactions of the struggling Academy students.

“Heuak!”

He pressed down on Marigold with his hand, preventing her from getting up.

Lancel spoke from atop her back.

“Can you endure this until we arrive?”

A wave of despair spread through the train car.

Playing with Marigold’s braided pigtails, Lancel spent a leisurely time with the Seventh Prince.

“The weather is nice, Your Highness.”

“Indeed.”

Only groans of pain continued.

“Ah, what killer weather.”

“Is it that great?”

22.

Swish-!

Heavy rain poured down on the entire forest. Even a brief moment outside would leave one completely soaked.

Where had the good weather gone?

“Looks like night training is off the table.”

It hadn’t been like this during the day.

Until then, the Knight Department and the Wizard Department had been engaged in a ‘Hunting Competition’ under the clear sky.

The method was to release rabbits with red collars and award points to the department that caught the most rabbits.

A medieval-style game, or something like that.

For the record, the results were 330 rabbits for the Wizard Department and 150 for the Knight Department. That was why the knights had looked gloomy since earlier.

Surprisingly, magic was much more efficient than running around and catching rabbits.

Swish-!

And this happened while they were resting in their tents. Dark clouds poured down rain endlessly, like a monsoon sky.

All the Academy students were holed up in their pre-installed tents, taking shelter from the rain.

“It’s a good thing, in a way.”

Laura said, watching the torrential rain.

“I heard that bandits were spotted in this area.”

“Bandits?”

“Yes. The guards who were monitoring the area earlier reported seeing suspicious individuals. I suspect they’re targeting the nobles, since there are so many of them around.”

“Those are some bold fellows.”

Were they planning to kidnap Academy students from noble families and collect a hefty ransom?

Normally, that would have been impossible, but the situation was a bit different now. If they were unlucky, one or two people might have been captured.

There were more people than expected on this camping trip.

‘Why did you insist on bringing the entire Academy?’

It was difficult for Lancel and Laura to manage so many people.

That was why Laura said it was fortunate that it was raining. It was safest to stay inside the tents in this situation.

‘My camping trip is ruined.’

Of course, he didn’t say it out loud.

Because the Seventh Prince, who had fallen fast asleep, was lying on his lap.

The very person who had brought all the Academy students to this place.

“Then, Sir Lancel, please take care of His Highness until the rain stops. I’ll be going now.”

“Are you running away?”

“Perhaps. Hehe.”

As Laura left the tent, only the sound of rain remained.

Swish-!

Just then.

Soon after, a familiar shadow appeared outside the tent.

“Professor Lancel. May I come in?”

“What is it?”

“This.”

The shadow brought in something rectangular.

“Sandwiches. I brought them. I thought you hadn’t eaten anything today…”

“…Come in.”

“Yes.”

With a bright reply, Marigold, soaked in the rain, entered the tent.

She looked around the large tent, which was exclusively for the Prince and even had a fireplace and chimney.

“I didn’t know you were using such a nice place… Ah!”

She quickly lowered her voice after spotting the sleeping Seventh Prince.

“It’s okay. Once he falls asleep, he doesn’t wake up easily, they say.”

“I-is that so?”

Marigold carefully sat down next to Lancel. Her rain-soaked hair reflected the light from the fireplace, making it sparkle.

“This.”

She took out the sandwiches she had been carefully holding. There were twelve pieces, enough to fill a wooden box, as if she had planned this for today.

“Did you make these for me?”

“……”

Marigold hesitated for a moment, pursing her lips, before finally nodding.

“I thought you liked them before…”

Now he felt bad for teasing her this morning.

The red mark on Marigold’s forehead, left by the discipline he had given her on the train this morning, was still clearly visible.

“…Okay. I’ll enjoy them.”

Lancel picked up one of the sandwiches from the box she had offered. Vegetables and meat were carefully layered between the bread. She must have woken up early to make them.

“Lancel-nim.”

“Professor.”

“Ah, Professor Lancel.”

“What is it?”

Lancel replied, chewing on the sandwich.

For some reason, Marigold was fidgeting with her hands, hesitating for a long time before answering.

“What is it?”

“Well, um… Aldehar-nim…”

“……?”

Aldehar.

The heir to the Lucia Kingdom.

His name suddenly came out of Marigold’s mouth.

Lancel could hardly believe what she said next.

“I received an invitation to have dinner together at his mansion after the camping trip.”

“……!”

Suddenly?

‘Aldehar?’

She had been invited to a banquet by Aldehar, the heir to a vassal state, who was known to be the most difficult character to win over.

What on earth had happened to make that possible?

“Were you two close originally?”

“No, not really. We just occasionally take classes in the same group, sometimes hang out together for magic research activities, and sometimes he escorts me until I arrive at the women’s dormitory, that’s all… Nothing else happened.”

That’s not ‘just that.’

That was quite a lot.

Based on the game, it was practically a completed route.

If Marigold wanted to, she could get married at any time. Aldehar was even taking the initiative to invite her to dinner.

‘Aldehar was an easier man than I thought. Or did Marigold just happen to get lucky?’

Lancel stroked his chin, his mouth agape.

“…I declined.”

Marigold lowered her head slightly, glancing at Lancel with her eyes.

“I said I wouldn’t go.”

Perhaps it was because of the warmth of the crackling fireplace. A blush was rising on her face.

“……”