Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Adrianne

Ashley cleaned the bed as soon as she got up. Even if it was called a bed, it was only a worn cloth laid on a pile of straw—.

The other children also got up one by one. The children who only nodded to each other moved busily. One child put firewood under the pot, and another child put similarly hard bread into the hard-frozen stew.

It was precise division of labor. Except for only one person—.

Snore—. In the center a woman was sleeping even snoring.

“Sister Gwen must have been tired.”

“She is terribly bad at housework, yet she is doing maid work so of course she is tired.”

At Ashley’s answer the child laughed brightly.

It was not a joke. Gwen was a warm woman who would starve herself to take care of the neighborhood orphans, but her work skills were terrible.

When she cleaned she broke the broom, and when she washed dishes she broke the bowls. It was still a mystery that Gwen was doing maid work.

“I heard she was assigned the man from the empire. If she makes a mistake this time she might really get fired?”

“······They did give a lot of chances. But a man from the empire?”

“You know. Lady Adrianne’s marriage partner.”

“Marriage? Ah, the live-in son-in-law.”

“Shh! You must not use those words!”

At the impure word Ashley covered the child’s mouth.

In the North the antipathy toward the empire was similar to or even worse than toward the demon race. In that situation the story that the hero Adrianne was marrying a mage of the empire was quite shocking. Because it was the story of marrying a monster that combined the empire and the demon race.

At that people called him the live-in son-in-law. It was language that even insulted Adrianne, but it was the law that even the king is cursed where he is not.

“I know! I know!”

The child grumbled and stuck out her lips. Ashley who let out a small sigh headed toward Gwen.

‘How on earth does one sleep to become like this?’

She clicked her tongue while looking at Gwen whose skirt was rolled up a lot and whose stomach was fully exposed.

“Gwen. Get up. You have to go to work. You have to feed us.”

“Ueee··· Just a little······.”

“Gwen—.”

Only after shaking for a long time did Gwen open her eyes. There was still no strength in her eyes.

Ashley clicked her tongue softly and flicked her finger.

The children stuck to Gwen and sat her up. One child rinsed Gwen’s mouth with wood that had a cool taste, and another child tidied Gwen’s hair. Even a child who peeled her eyelids—.

It was perfect division of labor.

Gwen had not moved a single finger yet she had become neat.

“I heard you were assigned the empire person.”

“Ugh.”

“You can speak while chewing.”

Gwen who had stuffed a lot of bread in her mouth nodded.

“Yeah, it’s my assignment.”

The face of Gwen who answered was dark somewhere.

“Did something happen?”

Gwen looked around. At that Ashley waved her hand and made the children step back.

“······It seems like he wants me.”

Gwen said extremely carefully. That face was full of worry.

Ashley examined Gwen. It was certainly a pretty face.

However, the full sadness and depression completely covered it. It was a depressing atmosphere that made one feel the breath stop just by looking.

Even the other party is Adrianne’s marriage partner, isn’t it?

There was no way he would choose Gwen over that Adrianne.

It was clearly a misunderstanding. Gwen often had bizarre delusions.

“He is the person who will become Lady Adrianne’s husband··· Ahh··· Why this trial······.”

Gwen in that state absolutely did not listen to others’ words, so saying it was useless.

“If it really doesn’t work, tell our story.”

“Your story?”

“Say that there are a huge number of orphans you take care of. If he knows you are a woman with baggage, he will immediately lose interest?”

Gwen’s large eyes blinked. Ah, I made a mistake. Ashley muttered softly.

“What baggage are youuu! You are all my precious children!”

“I know. Don’t cry. I know—.”

Ashley and the children had to be held for a long time by the sobbing Gwen.

At the children’s glares Ashley softly apologized.

“Absolutely do not do bad things! And I will earn the money somehow so don’t worry and do what you want! Magic is absolutely not allowed!! Magic!”

Gwen said the story that magic is absolutely not allowed about ten more times before letting go.

Usually it was five times, but it doubled.

***

‘Done.’

Galahad fully raised the corners of his mouth while looking at the crystal formed on his hand.

Because it was the first time with mana of such dense concentration, it took longer than expected.

Galahad put a cigarette in his mouth and flicked his finger. A fire twice as large as usual blazed.

It was not completely realized, but the possibility of development was clear.

Now mana was consumed twice as much, but instead he could spew twice the firepower.

At a glance it was an obvious statement, but magic was not a simple concept where putting twice the mana makes the firepower twice. If it had been so from the beginning, it would have been the era of mages.

To the twice as dense mana concentration—.

Clang!

‘Gwen.’

Turning his head, Gwen who was hiding a plate behind was visible.

“······Please eat.”

The meal as always was all placed on one plate. She had clearly been holding three when she came in—.

‘Under-cooked again.’

Galahad flicked his finger and made a small fire. The fire moved as if alive and pounded the meat. A fragrant smell fully wafted.

Gwen who had been blankly watching tightly closed her eyes. The eyelids trembled. Exactly like the appearance of a priest facing a devil.

‘Is the huge mana because of the dense mana concentration of the North.’

The mana tank was not the problem. What a mage needed was mana sensitivity. Not everyone who possessed mana could feel mana.

Everyone possessed mana, but those who possessed mana sensitivity were rare. One had to be able to feel mana to walk the path of a mage.

Yet Gwen, though very shoddy and unstable, followed Galahad’s magic in one go. That was something impossible even for Galahad.

‘This loser is a real genius?’

Galahad narrowed his eyes and examined Gwen. Gwen was greatly huddled and only watching the mood.

‘I should take care of her.’

He did not know how things would flow, but it was clear that the time in the North would be quite long.

It was a little concerning that the kid was timid, but a genius was a genius. That was a talent he had not even seen at the Academy.

‘Was it born because it is the North?’

He could not even gauge where the end would be. He had to take care of her no matter what.

The problem was that the antipathy toward magic was at a serious level. Gwen covered her own eyes or sat down every time she saw magic. It was a complete mess.

“Gwen.”

“Yes?!!”

He only called the name, yet Gwen jumped.

Was she doing something bad—. When Galahad narrowed his eyes, Gwen avoided his gaze. Behind that a broken bowl was visible. It was something Gwen always did.

“Will you learn magic? You have terribly no talent for maid work, but you have innate talent for magic.”

“Magic?”

Gwen who had been blinking her eyes for a moment had a face that became red as if it would burst. It was a reaction of having received a terrible insult.

“······Magic is the filth of the demon race. Mages receive and eat the filth of the demon race···.”

Gwen shouted clearly in a voice full of tears. It was amazing that the pronunciation was good with a voice that seemed about to cry at any moment.

“It is true that mages are derived from the demon race, but still calling it filth is a little off, isn’t it?”

“That··· That is not! I did not insult Lord Galahad! There is such a rumor!”

“Even so, calling it shit.”

“No! That··· I am sorry! Please punish me!”

Gwen suddenly planted her head on the floor. That sound was quite loud.

Gwen who did work like dog shit was excellent at apology. Gwen prostrated flat enough to stick to the floor.

‘The antipathy is worse than expected.’

Did her parents get killed by a mage or something? It became troublesome. Galahad clicked his tongue softly.

He had no thought of forcing. From the beginning there was no need to.

The pull of magic was more intense than anything else. That was something that could not be ignored.

A mage could not help but become a mage.

What Galahad had to do was only to keep exposing her to magic.

Organizing his thoughts like that and looking at Gwen, Gwen suddenly huddled her body.

“And I have about eight children I take care of so I can’t! They are all cute and pretty children!”

“Taking care of orphans? Kind.”

“······Yes?”

Gwen’s eyes shook sharply.

‘Should I lure with money.’

Galahad raised the corners of his mouth while looking at Gwen’s large eyes.

Money was plentiful enough thanks to the severance pay.

“Then a lot of money will be needed. Is it okay if I give money?”

“Yes? Then how much······. Ahh! No! I am not an item for sale!”

“I can give a lot.”

“·········Up to how much?”

“Up to how much did you check?”

Gwen blinked her eyes and clenched and opened her fingers.

As expected, preemptive was the best.

Gwen who pondered briefly soon shook her head horizontally, then said in a clear voice.

“As expected no. Magic is absolutely not allowed! I hate it!”

“That is something to wait and see.”

At the openly sticky gaze Gwen trembled.

***

Galahad opened his eyes at a small presence.

There was a shining woman in the dark room. Flowing hair, skin without a single blemish, and features as if drawn—.

A beautiful woman who looked like she could not be made even if a craftsman poured his heart and soul into crafting was quietly looking down at Galahad.

Just meeting those eyes made the heart flutter and the head dizzy. That was a kind of coercion, and domination.

If not for the mana he instinctively circulated, Galahad would not have been able to come to his senses either.

‘Why is a goddess in my room?’

The clarified head spun quickly.

There were largely two possibilities.

The first was a goddess who fell from the sky. However, Galahad was an atheist.

Then···.

“Adrianne?”

The woman’s eyebrows rose slightly.

‘The rumor that she is the continent’s number one beauty is not false.’

No, rather there was a sense of insufficiency. Galahad stealthily tidied his hair.

“Father ordered not to meet, but I thought it was etiquette to see the face and talk so I visited. It is to avoid external eyes, but I am sorry for visiting rudely.”

Unlike the appearance that voice was solid. There was no wasting a single word.

Just exchanging words once the disposition was felt.

‘A righteous hero.’

The compatibility with Galahad was not good.

‘She came to refuse.’

Seeing the face full of a somewhat apologetic look, the situation was roughly drawn.

“It is shabby, but will you sit?”

“Thank you.”

Because he had continued research even after Gwen left work, the dining table was quite messy. Galahad let out a small cough and roughly organized the things on it.

Adrianne herself showed no sign of caring.

‘Seeing up close she is even more beautiful.’

Just seeing Adrianne sitting still pure admiration came out.

It was an appearance insufficient to express with the word beautiful. One could immediately understand why a woman in the remote region was said to be the most beautiful on the continent.

“I am truly sorry for dragging you into this kind of situation.”

Then, Adrianne deeply bowed her head. The abundant crown of the head came into view. Even the hair volume was abundant. She has everything—.

“I have no thought of marrying.”

Adrianne declared with unwavering clear eyes.

It was a shocking word to hear from a fiancée he faced for the first time, but Galahad was not that surprised.

It was natural that she refused. Compared to her who was the hero of the North, the youngest Sword Master, and the one who would become the next Grand Duke, Galahad was considerably lacking.

Even if he had accumulated quite a lot of achievements in the Intelligence Bureau, it could not be known outside. That was the Intelligence Bureau. In a word the balance did not match.

“I understand. Compared to you it is a fact that I am lacking. However—.”

“Lacking? How can there be lacking in the meeting of person and person.”

Adrianne looked with a lot of strength in her eyes. With that beautiful appearance making that expression, an inexplicable sense of guilt rose.

It was an atmosphere exactly like being scolded. What is she trying to do. Galahad let out a small cough.

“I cannot marry.”

The corners of Adrianne’s mouth faintly rose.

Where did I see that smile···. Galahad recalled the ‘chick who plans to marry the empire’ he had seen before leaving the Intelligence Bureau.

“Married the North— is it something like that?”

“···Because I cannot leave the front line, I have no room to marry. I am sorry.”

Adrianne bowed her head again. Galahad admired the fact that the crown of the head could be beautiful and organized his thoughts.

‘It is that she cannot marry because she is busy.’

The reason was different from expected, but the conclusion was the same as expected.

Galahad also had no thought of marrying, and Adrianne also had no thought of marrying. The two parties had the same thought, but unfortunately in this era the thoughts of the parties did not matter much.

“Does His Grace the Grand Duke also have the same thought?”

Adrianne bowed her head instead of answering.

“Because of the pressure from the empire side we cannot break off the engagement immediately. If the problem is resolved, will you break off the engagement with me?”

‘Truly a sweet request for breaking off the engagement.’

Galahad smiled bitterly.

“It is only maintaining the relationship. In the meantime it is fine to embrace other women. Because it is only a relationship in name only.”

To be dumped without even confessing—. Galahad smiled bitterly.

“Wouldn’t it be cleaner to do even a superficial marriage?”

At Galahad’s question Adrianne’s eyebrows furrowed for the first time.

“Marriage is a once-in-a-lifetime important matter.”

It was a somewhat fairy-tale-like story to come from the mouth of the hero of the North who tears the demon race.

‘The atmosphere of being scolded again.’

Galahad clicked his tongue softly.

“Someday when peace comes, I will marry the person I love.”

It was a sound so out of the blue that it seemed like a joke, but Adrianne’s face was serious.

‘Hope.’

Galahad knew that words spoken with those eyes had no gap to pry.

“Couldn’t you come to love me?”

Galahad scratched his cheek for no reason. It was a little strange to say, but Galahad was on the handsome side.

“Ah, you are not my type.”

Adrianne’s answer was firm.

Galahad who was rejected twice smiled faintly.

“What is your type? I am popular.”

This time Adrianne smiled, but that smile was somewhat sorrowful.

Adrianne took off the silver gauntlet. The long white hand was full of calluses. She very slightly placed her long index finger on the back of Galahad’s hand.

Crack—. A tingling pain as if chewing electricity pierced the entire body. The spread mana gathered to Adrianne’s index finger in an instant.

And it began to burn.

Pain worse than being burned by fire assaulted. Galahad could not even scream and made a “keok—” sound.

Adrianne placing the index finger was only a fleeting moment, but Galahad was soaked in sweat.

“I burn mana.”

In the eyes of Adrianne who said that, sadness and anger were mixed.

Galahad spat out the breath full of air as if vomiting, and brushed back the sweat-soaked bangs.

‘Burns mana?’

Galahad’s eyes shook for the first time. Even Galahad who prided himself on knowing quite a bit about magic was hearing the concept for the first time.

‘Does it work on the demon race too? Because mana is based on the demon race? But why not say it with words······.’

Galahad’s head became tangled. Countless thoughts passed through his head.

“I want someone with warm hands.”

Looking at Galahad who had deeply bowed his head, Adrianne smiled bitterly.

“Wait.”

A voice full of breath caught Adrianne.

Is this man also being stubborn. Occasionally there were those who did not give up even after experiencing the pain.

They insisted they could endure the pain. Even if given a chance the result was the same.

Those who could not endure the pain rather cursed Adrianne as a dirty witch who received the god’s curse and shifted the responsibility.

Adrianne did not deny it.

Because she also thought that was the fact.

She felt Galahad was a little different—.

‘In the end it is stubbornness.’

Muttering like that and lowering her head, Galahad’s eyes were something strange.

Originally in the eyes of the men who held Adrianne, stubbornness and recklessness were full.

But Galahad was different.

He was rather smiling.

“How does that work? Is it only transmitted by hand? If it burns mana it would work on the demon race too? Through the sword too—.”

At the questions pouring without stopping and the eyes full of madness Adrianne stepped back without realizing it.

“No, I will confirm it myself.”

Then, Galahad’s hand wrapped Adrianne’s hand.

Adrianne’s body froze. The man, as if that was not enough, even interlocked fingers.

“Mmm, really the mana is burning uuuuuaaaaak! It works like this uuuuun!”

At the man who did not let go of the hand even while screaming Adrianne’s eyes widened.

When Adrianne belatedly came to her senses, the man had already fainted.

Adrianne left the place as if fleeing at the awkward warmth remaining on the hand.