CH 65

No matter how hard I looked, I was unable to find anyone who was casting a spell.

It was highly likely that he was hiding, but given that he couldn’t get too far away from the magic circle, it was likely that he was inside this building.

‘There isn’t anywhere to hide.’

Because it was located underground, there was neither a terrace nor any other separate rooms.

I bit my lip hard. I was anxious because I didn’t know how much time was left with Ian, and it made it difficult for me to concentrate.

After that, I was startled to hear a voice that sounded inebriated.

“Hmm… Doesn’t this cake really make you fat? More, more, please. Give me 500. I’m going to eat it every day. Keep giving it to me.”

A jester knocked out a nobleman and then forced him to sleep, during which time the nobleman talked while his face was all screwed up. Because I went all the way, I could hear it much more clearly.

Although the aristocrat’s sleep talking was exceptionally loud, upon closer inspection, the vast majority of the victims who had fallen were struggling in their sleep, regardless of how large or small they were.

A smiling face, a terrified face in which the subject seems to be being pursued by something, or a face that is drooling.

The victims had different outward appearances, but they were all the same in that they were immersed in their dreams.

However, some of the fallen victims were lying on their stomachs or with their backs turned away from me, so I could not check their faces.

When I turned around, I saw a large number of nobles scattered across the ballroom floor. There were a significant number of people who were unable to get away in time and ended up getting killed by the clown.

‘The wizard will not be able to leave this place to finish his spell, and there is nowhere for him to hide. Then……’

I swear to you, they were around here somewhere.

As I looked around at the scattered group of people, I couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

Perhaps in there?

“Ian. Do you happen to…….”

Having said that, I suddenly realized that I was still holding Ian’s arm in my hand.

‘Have you removed it yet?’

It’s a silly thing to say to the person holding it, but it was a little embarrassing.

That Ian, I knew, was someone who had an extreme aversion to physical contact with people of the opposite sex.

‘I’m curious as to whether or not he’s actually enjoying the effect of calming both his mind and his body.’

I couldn’t help but ruminate on the peculiar query of whether my body temperature was that warm.

Or perhaps-

‘Has magic completely destroyed it?’

With wide eyes, I looked up at Ian.

“What is it? Why did you stop talking?”

The way he spoke was the same as I knew. It was harsh and cold, and there was not the slightest sign of affection present.

The fact that Ian has such a personality is widely known at this point. Even those people could easily fake this much information if the current version of Ian was not the real him but rather a puppet controlled by Nine.

‘Besides, they probably don’t even know that Ian and I have a thorough business relationship.’

First of all, they’ll know that I lured Ian out by any means, so they don’t even know that we’re a show-window couple with no physical contact whatsoever.

‘Could it be that’s why he’s so lenient about the touch?’

I looked suspiciously at my hand, which was still on Ian’s arm.

No. I quickly shook my head. If Ian was truly consumed by black magic, it would be the worst-case scenario imaginable. It was prudent to move on without considering that possibility for the time being and to proceed.

After reaching my conclusion, I had another conversation with Ian.

“There are a lot of people lying down there, and I have a sneaking suspicion that one of them is a wizard.”

After putting my thoughts into words, I realised that it was a plausible suspicion.

As I got closer to the area where the people were congregating to sleep, the clowns, who had been keeping their silence for a while, started to struggle.

“Die!”

“Bad bastard, die.”

Clowns came at me, swinging trumpets and yelling gibberish like babbling children.

But they didn’t try to rush in like they had before. As if frightened of something, perhaps Ian is behind me.

‘By the way, these bastards are behaving strangely.’

I decided to put my theory to the test by taking another step towards the clown who had fallen.

After that, the clowns let out a loud noise and began blowing their trumpets.

“Go away! Go away!”

“Die! Go away!”

My eyes lit up.

As expected, these clowns. When I get close to people who have fallen clowns, it seems that they become more sensitive, as if they had received orders to keep someone safe in the middle.

“Die! Die!”

The number of clowns increased rapidly, even in the midst of short thinking. Where the hell did it keep coming from? It was doubling every few seconds.

‘It’s difficult if only like this.’

It was already a foregone conclusion that the Black Wizard would perform a spell while concealing himself among the fallen clowns.

But finding the answer did not solve the problem. Even after we broke through the thick wall of clowns that was blocking our path, we still had to check each and every one of those numerous people.

‘How frustrating. A huge number of clowns are coming in.’

I only gave it a light nibble.

It was something that I had brought to my attention on a number of occasions, but Ian didn’t have very much time left.

I couldn’t help but feel anxious about the situation. I quickly turned around to look at Ian again. I had my doubts that Ian could prevail, even if he ordered every holy knight in the world to fight for him.

Then, the sound of a child whining pierced my ears.

“Move! Get out of the way!”

“I’m going to kill them all! I’ll kill it without leaving a trace!”

Because of the clowns approaching me and blowing trumpets, I finally reached the end of my patience.

I couldn’t take it anymore. I wanted to hit the clowns on the forehead with their trumpets like playing Whack the Mole.  I yelled at the clowns while yelling at them while my mouth was open, which annoyed them.

“Shut up and get out of my way – uh huh?!”

It was the moment when I felt that my shouting vocal cords were getting emotional, perhaps because I was too angry.

The size of a palm covered my mouth.

I opened my eyes wide and groaned in response to the sudden approach. However, the palm would not release its hold on my mouth.

I tried to look back at Ian with absurd and bitter eyes. This human was the only one who could do this to me.

But right before I turned around, Ian decided that covering my mouth wasn’t enough and hugged me.

“Huh! Hmm?”

‘Why are you acting this way? Are you insane?’

“Ugh!”

‘Why are you doing this!’

My arms shook with indescribable embarrassment. It was physically impossible for my arms to move while he had such a firm grip on me.

Ian walked away from the clowns while still holding me in his arms. I noticed the holy knights who were fiercely fighting, looking at us with surprised expressions on their faces.

I felt dizzy with bewilderment. Hugging me in front of so many people. That was really Ian Esteban?

I couldn’t figure out why he was doing this. After all, he didn’t even know that the enchantment had fully progressed.

“Calm down. Madam. I will take care of it from here.”

Unlike me, who was in a panic, the voice from behind was eerily calm. It was difficult to believe that the voice belonged to someone who had been possessed by dark magic.

A man who takes care of himself holds an old lady in the middle of the battlefield?

I was stunned,  I whirled around to face Ian and glared at him. But, of course, Ian wasn’t going to be stunned by the attack in my eyes.

“All knights, get in line.”

Ian knew how to give orders with dignity even while holding me.

After gathering in the ballroom, all of the holy knights attentively listened to Ian’s command.

“Bring them all in five minutes.”

The knights charged at the clowns in unison.

***

The work was completed in an instant.

Although there was some friction, the holy knight successfully subdued the clowns.

Because Ian had already eliminated Nightmare, their leader, the fight appeared to go in our favour from the beginning.

After having to deal with the clowns, this came as a big surprise.

A black wizard was indeed hiding among the fallen nobles.

The black wizard, who had pretended to be asleep, moved his lips to recite spells until the knights discovered him, but that was the end of it.

After receiving severe blows to the back of the head, the black wizard eventually nodded off to sleep.

When the caster falls unconscious, the magic circle loses its power.

Ian was certain that the magical power contained in the severed goat’s head had been completely cut off.

With that, everything was settled. There were quite a few knights who were injured, but there were no holy knights who passed away, and even more importantly, there were no holy knights who were sacrificed as part of a dark magic ritual.

‘The most important thing is.’

The colour that was once in Ian’s eyes has also returned to normal.

During our trip back to the cathedral, I made sure to keep a close eye on Ian, who was sitting in the carriage across from me.

‘For now, there’s nothing wrong with his outward appearance.’

His eyes, which had been dyed black, had returned to their natural colour of a transparent sea as if they had never been coloured black.

But that didn’t prove Ian was safe from black magic.

It was clear that the black wizard hadn’t finished the cast, but Ian was already enchanted. It’s possible that reminiscences of it are still lingering in his mind.

“What are you staring at so intently?”

Ian tilted his head and said something to me.

Ian’s harsh voice was unmistakable. But as I said earlier, this much could be imitated enough by puppets.

‘It’s risky to ask for information that fake Ian wouldn’t know.’

For example, I could confirm Ian’s authenticity in front of me by referring to the agreement that we had previously established between Ian and me.

However, if it is fake, it will be like revealing only my secret to the enemy.

‘It’s necessary to scoop it up without being caught that I’m doing it.’

“Why are you not talking? You seem to be aware of your mistake?”

“…….”

“Why in the world are you not even pretending to listen to my request?”

Ian interrogated me with a stony expression on his face.

I would have been so anxious that I would have felt numb, but because I am preoccupied with other things, it didn’t really affect me.

‘It’s a natural way to tell if he is real or fake……’

Suddenly, I had a thought pop into my head.

It brought to mind the time when Ian, who abhors skinship, gave me a hug earlier.

‘This is it. How to distinguish the real person.’

It was a wise decision to reconsider.

The sooner I take action, the better. I sat down and called Ian.

“Sir Ian.”

Ian furrowed one eyebrow, probably noticing the sudden change in my demeanour.

“What is it? If you’re going to try to find an excuse for it…”

I mumbled the words of apology as quickly as I could.

Ian, whose speech was cut off, looked at me as if he was dismayed.

“I’m sorry. I was wrong. So…… please forgive me.”

My voice for forgiveness grew smaller and smaller until it was as inconspicuous as the hushed utterance.

The whites of Ian’s eyes appeared to be trembling slightly, as though he had become aware that something was wrong.

“Forgiveness… You won’t hold it against me, will you?

After saying that, I quietly stood up and walked to the other side.

Ian’s body stiffened with tension as I sat close enough to cling to him.

“Right, honey?”

I looked up at Ian while murmuring in a low voice, at a distance close enough that the skin would be rubbed in the event that the carriage rattled badly. I was doing it on purpose, but his eyelashes were flickering.

Of course, there was only one reaction from the real Ian here.