Kael felt too stunned to move at first, but the overwhelming scent of powerful magic quickly snapped him back to his senses. He noticed that Lady Marsha was pressing herself more firmly against his chest, her face far too close to his.
She was a beautiful woman, and anyone would be honored if she threw herself at them like this.
Even Kael was not completely immune to her charms, and if he had met her in a club, he might have accepted her advances.
But he had no desire to take advantage of her current state, so he knocked her unconscious.
Lady Marsha’s body collapsed against his, and he quickly laid her on the bed before investigating the source of the magic in the room.
It was intense and dark in nature. It was already starting to make him feel sick as well, so he decided to cleanse it. He was halfway done when Anjou opened the door and entered the room.
"What do you think you are doing, Grand Master Kael? Why are you cleansing the magic in Lady Marsha’s room? It is there because she needs it to cure her lifelong illness."
Anjou tried to bluff his way through the situation and blamed Kael for making things worse. So Kael decided to clarify the situation.
"Is this really a cure? As far as I can tell, this magic is much closer to a curse. Who told you that this was a cure?"
Kael asked, and Anjou went quiet. He did not respond, and Kael felt the need to drag the answers out of him.
Sigh
"It seems like you have no intention of speaking. Then, should I drag the truth out of your mouth?"
Kael asked, making his staff appear out of thin air and aiming it at the butler. Anjou looked shaken, but he took a deep breath.
"Grand Master, I do not doubt your claim that the magic in this room is a curse. But it is also the only thing keeping Lady Marsha alive at the moment. Otherwise, her illness would have consumed her from the inside. Please do not interfere in this matter, or I will no longer be able to guarantee your safety or our cooperation."
Anjou threatened him, but Kael was not impressed.
"It’s fine if you can no longer guarantee my safety. I never needed your guarantee in the first place. I will examine Lady Marsha myself once I finish cleansing this curse from her. I know many excellent healers who can help her."
Kael pointed out, and for the first time, Anjou showed genuine urgency.
He grabbed Kael’s arm and pulled him back with an almost desperate expression.
"Grand Master, I already told you that there is no need for this. Why won’t you believe my words? Lady Marsha is completely fine—"
"Is she fine? Or are you afraid she will break free from your control and discover the truth? Do you think I wouldn’t notice the faint traces of magic spread throughout this place? There is a spell interfering with people’s memories all over this mansion. Is that your doing?"
Kael asked in an easygoing voice, and the butler sighed.
"You are far too smart for your own good, Grand Master Kael. I tried to tell you to turn a blind eye to the truth, but you chose to ignore me. What gave me away?"
Anjou asked in a tired voice, but Kael had no intention of revealing the truth. His silence alone was enough to make Anjou sigh again.
"I see. So you are choosing to keep your secret? That’s fine. We can just do this the hard way."
Kael tightened his grip on his staff and prepared a defensive spell to counter whatever Anjou threw at him, but a pair of delicate arms suddenly wrapped around him, trying to hold him in place.
He looked back, only to see Lady Marsha’s delicate face staring at him with worry.
"I-I need to...protect...brother...Please...help..."
She looked awake, but her eyes were dull and lifeless. She was like a doll with consciousness while someone else controlled her body.
Kael could have used his magic or brute force to break free from her grasp, but he knew Marsha’s body would not be able to withstand the impact of his magic.
"What’s wrong? Why aren’t you using your magic now? Are you too afraid of hurting Lady Marsha?"
Anjou asked in a teasing voice, and Kael wanted to claim that he did not care about Lady Marsha’s well-being at all. But at this point, that would have been a lie.
He was someone capable of slaughtering countless people during war, but killing a person whose face he knew was a different matter. Especially when he had already struck a deal with that very person.
"Oh? So you really are having a hard time in Lady Marsha’s arms? Don’t get too comfortable, or I’ll get jealous. Now, hold still while I make sure you can’t move."
The butler quickly sealed Kael’s magic, but the restraints were flimsy and easy for Kael to break.
For now, however, he decided to cooperate so he could draw out more information. The butler seemed like the kind of person who would reveal his entire plan the moment he grew confident.
He led Kael to the same section where Gladion was being kept, and the butler looked excited. It was a miracle he had managed to hold his tongue for as long as he had.
Thankfully, he decided to speak once he brought Kael into the room. Otherwise, Kael feared he was about to lose his patience.
"Grand Master Kael, thank you for coming here and falling into my trap. You have no idea how difficult it was for me to fulfill all the conditions needed to activate this household’s ancient charm. But with you here, all the preparations are finally complete."
Anjou looked excited as he clapped his hands together before continuing.
"With your magic, I will finally be able to break the seal on the artifact in my master’s office. And once I obtain its power, I will become a Grand Master as well."
Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!
Use arrow keys (or A / D) to PREV/NEXT chapter