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Chapter 74
“Today, here, the engagement of His Highness Prince Lerazie Dion Arenfrit and Calliope Verdi will be—”
The engagement ceremony proceeded smoothly after that.
Calliope kept stealing glances at the seats where the Gilbert family sat. All three of them looked pleased.
‘Auntie’s happy because she got a new dress for this engagement, I suppose, but my uncle won’t be pleased that I’m getting engaged.’
Gilbert was allied with the second prince, Manuel, the younger brother of Crown Prince Lucius.
As long as Crown Prince Lucius wanted her, Gilbert wouldn’t be happy about this situation.
‘It’s suspiciously quiet.’
To be honest, during the engagement preparations Calliope had expected Gilbert to cause a scene at least once.
But oddly, nothing had happened yet.
‘Maybe he’ll pretend to be crazy, burst in during the ceremony, and shout that this engagement is invalid.’
Of course, if he pulled something like that in front of all these guests, Archibald would permanently blackball him — the countship would be gone for good.
‘Well, I’d be glad if he just let it go.’
Calliope kept her nerves taut and watched Gilbert closely.
But he simply sat there, relaxed.
Before she knew it, the ceremony was nearing its end.
“And finally, the lovers’ kiss.”
Calliope, who had been on edge because of Gilbert, couldn’t help but flinch at that.
The two faced each other. Lerazie leaned close and asked in a low voice meant only for her.
“…Are you ready?”
“You think I’m the one who should be asking that?”
Who was it that trembled when they had their picture taken?
When Calliope scolded him with a look, Lerazie snorted with amusement.
The handsome man’s smile was enough to cause ripples.
Those standing a little away read that smile as a lover utterly smitten with his partner.
“I’m well prepared, Calliope Verdi.”
Lerazie told her earnestly.
“I even practiced.”
“How honorable.”
Calliope stretched her lips into a wry smile.
“Then go ahead. Do it.”
She teased him — she’d evaluate how well he did.
As Lerazie leaned down at her provocation—
“Big — big trouble!”
A soldier from House Verdi, carrying a barrel with a flag on his back, shouted loudly.
‘That’s the guild’s guard!’
Calliope had recently set up a new trading guild for processing and distributing mana stones.
That soldier had been placed there to watch over the guild.
A sense that something had happened rose in her. She shoved Lerazie’s chest and asked urgently.
“What’s the matter?”
The soldier had run up so fast he was out of breath and panting.
After barely catching his breath, he blurted out.
“Th-the mana stone warehouse is on fire!”
“The fire’s too large — they say human manpower alone can’t put it out.”
‘Damn it, I knew this would happen.’
Calliope immediately began removing her jewelry as if she’d been waiting for this moment.
She handed the pieces to Silvia, who had hurried over, and whispered.
“Watch Gilbert Roman’s movements. He’s the most likely suspect right now.”
“Yes, milady.”
Then she turned and gave orders.
“Agnes and Herald, explain the situation to the guests and politely send them away. Are the gifts prepared?”
“Of course, milady viscountess.”
“Yes. Please don’t worry.”
Lastly, Calliope said to Archibald.
“Please look after Prince Arcen for me.”
“I will. Don’t worry.”
He nodded seriously.
Meanwhile Lerazie reassured Arcen.
“I’ll come back as soon as this is resolved. Listen to the Viscount’s instructions, okay?”
“Yes! Brother, please… be careful too!”
Arcen had heard about the fire and, despite his youth, knew it was serious.
Having given orders quickly in the short time available, Calliope turned back to Lerazie.
“Please.”
Without a word, he swept her up into his arms.
Whoosh!
Flames roared up, and the blaze leapt high.
A choking smell of oil made Calliope curse.
“You fools — how much oil did they pour on this thing?”
While running, she lifted the pre-drawn magic circle she had prepared in Lerazie’s arms and cast it into the air.
“Keep the flames from spreading!”
“Got it.”
Lerazie generated a blade of mana and formed a translucent mana wall around the warehouse.
At the same time, Calliope’s magic circle rose above the warehouse, spread outward, and then poured down a waterfall of water.
Sshhhh—
The blaze was fierce, but against the tremendous water barrage it had its limit. Before long the flames ebbed and then went out.
The warehouse, now dripping wet, stood charred pitch-black. It was a pitiful sight.
“Viscountess!”
A man with curly brown hair and a bear-like face hurried over.
“Diego.”
He was the man Calliope had left in charge of the guild while she was away.
He was a bit timid but honest and diligent — someone she trusted with her affairs.
Diego looked a sight. His clothes were singed in places and his face smudged with soot.
Calliope quickly scanned him and asked.
“Is anyone hurt? Are the others all right?”
“N-no, milady viscountess! Thanks to your warning ahead of time, no one’s seriously injured.”
He explained that a few staff had small burns or bruises from flying embers, but nothing serious.
“And because the warehouse is in a remote spot where few people pass, no bystanders were harmed.”
“That’s a relief.”
Processing mana stones was a finicky business and accidents were frequent in the manufacturing process.
‘That’s why I deliberately placed the guild office and warehouse in a less trafficked area — so no one would be hurt. Good thing that worked.’
Also, since Gilbert had previously shown interest in the territory’s mana stones, Calliope had told staff to avoid approaching the warehouse when she wasn’t around.
That’s why the guild staff all came out of this without major injuries.
‘If they’d been caught in the explosion, they wouldn’t have survived.’
If they’d let their guard down even slightly, it could have been a major catastrophe. They’d been lucky.
“But the warehouse burned to the ground… what are we going to do about this…?”
Diego fidgeted timidly, watching her for a reaction.
“That’s nothing to worry about.”
Calliope replied casually. Money mattered little compared to lives.
Lerazie, who had been quietly checking the surroundings, asked Diego.
“Have you reported this to the constabulary?”
“Yes! Of course!”
“Then they’ll be here soon.”
Lerazie nodded and instructed Diego.
“When the constables arrive, tell them the situation. Tell them we’ll handle the property damage, so don’t worry.”
“Understood!”
“Oh, and tell the staff we’ll give them time off for now. They’ll receive compensation soon.”
“Thank you, viscount!”
Diego bowed almost halfway and hurried off to share the good news.
Once they were alone, Calliope turned to Lerazie.
“Shall we do some investigation now?”
“Let’s go in.”
Near the door, Lerazie found a lock and chain cut cleanly and discarded on the ground.
“They cut it neatly.”
“This one’s really sturdy. It’s the thickest chain used among the distributed chains in the system.”
Lerazie shook his head.
“No matter how thick and sturdy the chain, it’s not invincible. If an Aura user was involved, that’d be useless. Though Aura users are very rare.”
“Hmm…”
Calliope hesitated as if unsure whether to speak, then shrugged and said,
“I set it to zap anyone who touches it.”
“…”
Lerazie was momentarily speechless. He quickly regained his composure and raised his voice.
“Were they planning to turn the area in front of the warehouse into a graveyard?!”
“Isn’t secretly touching someone else’s warehouse — let alone a lock — a pretty strong statement of intent to commit a crime?”
Besides, she had repeatedly warned the staff not to touch it!
Despite Calliope’s explanation, Lerazie grabbed the back of his neck.
“If an Aura sword user shows up, they can just smash the lock without touching it. Ordinary people can’t even open such a sturdy lock, so what good is an electric shock?”
“Hmph, it’s useful! If Gilbert touches it—”
Calliope, arguing back, suddenly swallowed and shut up.
Unintentionally, she’d told the truth and her eyes darted nervously.
“Hah…”
Lerazie let out a half-laugh of astonishment, and Calliope tensed.
‘Is he going to curse me for using such a petty, cowardly trick?’
She felt a little guilty, so she grew anxious.
“So this was a trap to catch Gilbert, then?”
“Something like that…”
Calliope answered timidly, expecting his rebuke.
“What a pity.”
“Hm?”
“It would have been a legal way to send him to the gods.”
