CH 141

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Sapphiras Perfectio, 2nd son of the Earl of Aldridge

Percival Belisario, 3rd son of Margrave of Vanderwall on the Eastern Frontier

Gabriel McMillan, Commander of the Order of Magicians

“Your Excellency, sorry to keep you waiting! I’m sorry to the both of you for being late too.”

By the arrangement of His Excellency the Duke, I was leisurely drinking tea while waiting to be called in the waiting room, Gabriel-san came in a hurry. I have time, so I don’t mind if I have to wait a bit. Besides, the confectioneries in the castle are very delicious. By the way, the confectioneries I received a gift from His Highness the Crown Prince.

“No, I know that the Order of Magicians’ Commander is busy, so I don’t mind. Then, please take care of the two.”

“Yes, please leave it to me. Now, can I have the two of you move towards the Order of Magicians’ camp?”

“……”

There are still some confectioneries left. Oh, I wanted to eat some more. I left my seat while looking at the confectioneries with regret. Nameless confectioneries, until the day we meet again.

“I’ll make sure you can take these confectioneries home with you, so go and listen to the Commander of Oder of Magicians without a care in the world.

His Excellency the Duke, who had noticed that I had left some unfinished confectioneries, was kind enough to say so. Of course, don’t hesitate, and leave gratefully.

“Thank you very much!”

His Excellency the Duke is a really nice man! From now on, when we pray for our meal, let’s chant His Excellency’s name along with the Goddess’s name.

After parting with His Excellency, we were led to the Order of Magicians’ camp. Along with the Knights, the Order of Magicians also has a station on the grounds of the Royal Castle. It is located just opposite the Knights’ camp.

The people who were involved in the riot were interviewed at the camps of either the Order of Magicians or the Order of Knights. Gabriel-san told me along the way. Incidentally, the Second Prince and the Marquess of Fargerson are being interviewed by the Order of the Knights.

“I’m really sorry it took so long to pick you up. Some people weren’t very cooperative and I couldn’t leave my seat, so I’m just going to have a quick chat with you two, so please don’t be too uptight.”

Many magicians come and go in the camp, bowing lightly to Gabriel-san. Gabriel-san raises his hand to each of them and greets them with a smile. Gabriel-san is surely adored by the people of the Order of Magicians. That kind of feeling is transmitted.

Compared to that, I wonder about the advisor. I’m sure he wouldn’t return greetings. He is neither friendly nor popular. On top of that, including what happened this time, it really seems like he’s nothing more than a burden for the Order of Magicians……Even though I thought he was someone who had nothing to do with me, when I was looking far away, suddenly a loud voice resounded.

“Don’t be silly! Who the hell do you think I am!”

The angry Earl Aldridge bursts out from the corner of the corridor. Here comes that very baggage. Behind him, the people from the Order of Magicians hurriedly chase after him.

“Please wait!”

“Shut up! Don’t touch me!”

The Earl roughly shakes off the hand that tries to hold him back.

Haha-n, I see. So that’s the person who’s uncooperative. It’s true, there’s no way he’ll cooperate. Because in this person’s plan, he would have been the one in charge of solving the disturbances. It must be unbearable because it’s the other way round.

But he’s a good adult, so he should at least try not to cause trouble to those around him.

When I was thinking about this, I inadvertently made eye contact with the Earl. Instantly, the Earl’s face, which was originally distorted with anger, turns into that of an even angrier ogre.

Uwah, is that really a person?

“You1貴様 (kisama): very rude way of saying ‘you’……!”

The Earl closes in on me at a furious pace. Percival steps forward to protect me, but he can’t stop the Earl’s momentum.

“You’re in the way! Get lost!”

“Ugh!”

Just when I thought he had violently pushed Percival away, he suddenly grabbed me by the lapels. My neck suddenly tightened, and I made a funny noise.

“Aldridge-kyou! What are you doing!”

“Shut up! Don’t interrupt me! Under the law of the Goddess, I exercise my power! Barrier!”

Percival and Gabriel-san, who tried to stop him, were bounced off an invisible wall. Heh, I didn’t know he could use barrier magic. Even if he’s rotten, he’s still a magician.

“It’s because of you that the venerable Perfectio is being subjected to such humiliation! Why do you keep getting in my way like this? You magic-less disgrace that can’t use magic! You should have stayed small in the detached house! Ah! How infuriating!”

I was violently shaken and my vision blurred. O-oi, oi! If you shake like that, I’ll throw up the confectionery I just ate Really……

“That’s enough!”

When I said in a low voice, the Earl suddenly stopped moving as if my voice reached his ears.

“……Wh-what?”

Don’t blame me for everything. It’s time to face reality. I am a person who has long had no connection with the Earl. I don’t have an obligation to go along with the Earl’s fantasy forever.

“That’s why, I’m telling you to stop it. Don’t blame me for everything. The reason Perfectio is in trouble now is because of your own stupid vanity, isn’t it? Even though you can’t use much magic, all you do is show off and don’t have a shred of humility or make any effort. You just pretend to be bossy and don’t do anything, and complain more than anyone else. No one would want to follow someone like that. The proof of this is that not a single person is willing to defend you in this situation. Even such an empty person like you could only have had a path of gradual decline if you hadn’t taken on such a boring scheme. But with this incident, you yourself have shortened the life of Perfectio.”

“Yo-You’re kidding me! In the first place, since you were born, our Perfectio has become weird! You’re a cursed child! I should have dealt with an unwanted child like you as soon as you were born! Someone like you, someone like you, die! In the law of the Goddess, I exercise my power!”

The Earl, his face red with anger and trembling, raises his hand and starts chanting. I’m aware that I’ve agitated him, but I’m not going to use magic in such a narrow barrier magic. I may be fine, but the Earl won’t go unscathed.

“Mighty……Uehh!”

Suddenly, the surrounding barrier shatters and disappears, and the Earl, who was about to release a mighty flame, is seized from behind by Gabriel-san. He was strangled by a muscular arm and was about to burst into foam with his rolling.

“Sapphiras, are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere!”

It was Percival who broke through the Earl’s defences. I could see him punching the barrier out of the corner of my eye. The Earl’s barrier wall is not that strong, but normally a magic barrier wall cannot be breached with bare hands. I don’t know what the trick was, but I’m worried about Percival’s fist.

“I’m fine. I almost threw up a little, but……uwah!”

I was hugged tightly and my face was pressed tightly against Percival’s chest.

“……I’m sorry I couldn’t hold the Earl back.”

Even though I’ve cut ties with the Earl, I still have blood ties with him. In fact, I feel more sorry for letting such things go unchecked. I wrap my arms around Percival’s back and strongly embrace him, expressing my apologies for the inconvenience.

“Rather, I’m the one who’s sorry……it’s really embarrassing that I’m blood related to that thing.”

“It looks like you’re not hurt, thank goodness.”

Gabriel-san gave me a warm look, and I exchanged glances with Percival. We accidentally hugged each other in public, but……well I guess it’s okay. Percival also doesn’t care anyway.

I separate from Percival as if nothing had happened.

“I’m sorry for causing trouble.”

“Sapphiras-kun is not in the wrong right? But it’s no longer just Sapphiras-kun’s problem. The lord The Lord used magic against the unresisting minor with obvious murderous intent. Those words said to Sapphiras-kun have been heard by many people here. There’s no excuses for what he did.”

Gabriel-san has a stern look on his face.

It’s true that he said ‘die’ with all his heart. Even if the real intention was elsewhere, no one would believe it. You’re too careless, Earl. Maybe that’s why he didn’t get promoted.

The Earl had already lost consciousness as he was strangled.

“I’m sorry, both of you. I’m afraid we’ll have to take care of this problem first, so we’ll have to listen to your side of the story some other time……Sapphiras-kun, you should take the rest of the day off too. I’ll call the white magician, and Belisario-kun, you must heal properly before leaving.

“Eh?”

I take Percival’s hand in a hurry.

Percival made a slight refusal, but quickly gave up.

His white gloves are scorched……

“I broke the barrier with lightning wrapped around my fist. It’s really reckless.”

He said he wrapped lightning around his fist! That’s really reckless!

I gently wrap Percival’s hands in my own.

“No matter how you look at it, it’s too powerful. I can use most magic, but I can’t use healing magic. I can’t heal even the smallest wound.”

“Sapphiras seems to be easily involved in commotions. If I can’t do this much, we won’t be able to fight together in an emergency, right?”

“!”

I’ve been unexpectedly reminded of this.

Aren’t I, without needing to guess, being cherished by Percival? When I realised that, my whole body was hot as if it had caught fire. Embarrassment, shyness, happiness, apologetic, all kinds of emotions burst out at once, and my heart began to make an unbelievable fuss. It’s not about hugs and kisses. Just when I thought that my face was so hot that I felt like I was crazy, the area around my eyes began to tingle and tears began to overflow without permission.

Uwah……I’m broken! But I can’t help it! How can I be normal with such sincere thoughts?”