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Chapter 111
Silence fell.
The deep purple eyes exuded an almost dangerous aura, as if they could mesmerize anyone at any moment.
More than the perfect beauty, as if sculpted by the gods, what captured attention was that expression and gaze—completely unreadable, impossible to guess what thoughts lay behind them.
“Ha.”
Emperor Edward thought anew that there was no one more difficult to handle than this man.
“Valer.”
“Yes, Ed.”
“I like you.”
“I don’t dislike you either, Your Majesty.”
Their eyes met in midair. Hidden intentions and complex calculations passed between them subtly. Valer smiled.
“Then please keep favoring me for a long time, Your Majesty.”
“……”
“I don’t want to face another fool alone like this.”
“You’re the first one who tells me to live creatively like this.”
“I’m serious, Your Majesty.”
Emperor Edward sighed. His head throbbed.
“Valer, there are five million people in this city alone. And the entire country’s population is obviously more. So please, stop these foolish thoughts.”
“Ed.”
“Why?”
“It’s your duty to protect them.”
Valer smiled warmly.
“Don’t push your duty onto me.”
“……”
“My duty is something else. You know that, right?”
Edward’s eyes narrowed.
At moments like this, Edward thought it would have been better to just stay holed up in the Northern Castle, even if he couldn’t use this guy.
“Do you really want to die?”
“If dying solved anything, I’d be dead already.”
Their gazes clashed in the air. In this deadlock, Edward was the first to relent.
“Ha. Enough. Just don’t make me strike you down myself.”
Valer laughed softly at the sorrowful-sounding warning.
“Ed.”
“Why?”
“You’re too arrogant.”
“You’re too willful.”
Edward glared at Valer with a discontented expression. His grinning face only made him more irritated.
Since conversation was futile, Edward decided to satisfy his curiosity instead.
“So what was that thing about a wife before? Did you get married? Or did you have a fling at the Northern Castle?”
At the sudden change of topic, Valer burst into laughter.
Unlike before, he looked lively and gave a cheerful answer.
“When I came back, there was a wife that hadn’t existed before.”
“……?”
Edward was more confused than ever.
*
The highlight of the festival.
The auction, led by the Sperom twins, was exciting to watch.
The most popular items were dragon byproducts, coveted not only by domestic nobles but by foreign nobles, mages, and merchants as well.
“Everything’s about dragons.”
“They’re ultra-rare items that appear once in a millennium.”
Noel’s words made me feel a bit guilty. I still had dragon bones piled in a corner of my room…
“Arel, do you want to buy something?”
“I do want something, actually.”
I was more interested in health-related items.
“Tell me what you want. I’ll get it for you!”
“Can you really? Aren’t there age restrictions for entering the auction?”
“You can use a proxy, right?”
“…!”
Wow, a genius?
“Then I’ll take this and this…!”
Scanning the catalog and quickly selecting items, Ciel looked slightly shocked.
“Arel, are you planning to sell them?”
“Haha.”
It’s better to buy when you can. This way, I could make a good profit later. Low-price buying is the truth of investment.
“You guys should buy a lot while it’s cheap. Later, you’ll be praising me.”
“Hmm. Really?”
The twins hesitated, perhaps impressed by some of the items I suggested.
While the three of us huddled discussing money, Harun and Pession showed interest only in weapons, watching us indifferently.
“Cion, boring?”
“No, it’s interesting.”
“You look bored.”
“I’m enjoying watching Arel.”
“….”
Well, if he says so.
“Harun?”
“……”
Yeah, you’re fine as long as it’s peaceful.
I felt I could now somewhat interpret Harun’s gaze.
“Oh? What’s that?”
“Random draw?”
A large stall had been set up on one side of the auction hall.
“These are ruins items without certificates or appraisals, sold as souvenirs.”
“Mostly useless or cursed, bought just for fun. Sometimes a good one is mixed in.”
“Wanna try?”
We rummaged through the mixed-up items. Most seemed useless, just as the twins said.
But…
‘Why is this here?’
“Arel?”
The twins looked puzzled at the item I instinctively picked up. Their expressions said, Why are you picking up such a useless thing?
Even a golden eye couldn’t discern its value?
“A demon sleeps here.”
A sentence scrawled in unreadable characters on the first page of a torn diary.
My eyes sparkled.
“I want to buy this.”
“It’s all torn—how can you even write a diary?”
He picked up a crumbled dagger, narrowing his eyes suspiciously.
“It’s fine. I’m not buying it to write a diary.”
It wasn’t meant to be used that way anyway. Buying it quickly felt strange but satisfying.
‘It feels like I completed two adventure episodes in a novel just to get this one item.’
To think I could get Laplace’s diary so easily.
Perhaps it was possible because of the different timeline.
‘Of course, to use it properly, I’d need another matching item…’
Anyway, everyone looked at me with disbelief at my unexpected treasure.
“Do you like it that much?”
“Yes.”
Ciel pressed close beside me.
“Then do me one favor.”
“What kind of favor?”
I narrowed my eyes, and Ciel cautiously spoke.
“You won’t perform anymore, right, Arel?”
“That’s right?”
“Then at least give me the sheet music.”
Does he even have a conscience?
“I don’t have sheet music.”
Ciel pouted like a duck.
“Arel, do you dislike me?”
“Yes.”
“That’s cruel.”
Ciel started a lengthy persuasion.
“Keeping such incredible music a secret from the world is a sin! If you won’t perform, you should at least give the sheet music so people can enjoy it! Everyone should be able to experience such genius and beautiful music!”
Is there a ghost haunting him because he can’t handle art? Ciel’s passion for music was genuinely overwhelming.
Noel even chimed in from the side.
‘It’s not like I created it.’
“Eh. My fate.”
It couldn’t be helped.
“Yahoo!”
“Then promise me.”
We reached a threefold agreement with the twins:
-
Don’t reveal that I told them.
-
Properly credit the composer when releasing the music.
-
Use all copyright profits for music history development funds.
“Bach? Where does he live?”
Germany.
“Can we bring him here?”
Already deceased.
“He’s called the father of music.”
“Huh? Isn’t the father of music Glem?”
Nope. In my worldview, Bach is the father, Handel is the mother.
A minor worldview clash arose but was resolved. Fortunately, I had a spare sheet music note.
“I wish we could see the evening auction too.”
“Can’t, due to age restrictions.”
The twins were disappointed.
“When we grow up, we’ll all go together.”
Harun and I nodded at Pession’s suggestion.
It was as we were leaving the successful auction.
Thump.
Suddenly, my heart skipped a beat, and I froze.
“Why are there age restrictions for entering the auction?”
“Yeah, why?”
The children’s voices faded. Perhaps due to the crowd, my vision blurred, and they disappeared.
Thump thump thump.
The pain in my chest intensified.
‘I need help…’
Where are the guards?
Someone, please…
The approaching pain made my mind foggy.
“…Ugh.”
As my knees buckled with the sharp pain in my heart,
“Careful.”
A large white hand grabbed my waist.
Having narrowly avoided hitting my head on the ground, I looked up in relief.
“Th-thank… you?”
Reflexively, I greeted, eyes widening.
Hic.
Why is a mage here?
