RFNM 10

Chapter 10

“You could just use cleansing magic to wash yourself.”

“I hate light-attribute magic.”

Magic had different attributes, and cleansing magic belonged to “light,” which was the opposite of Sarah’s “dark” attribute.

Still, most people used cleansing magic in daily life because it was very convenient, but Sarah was stubborn about things like that.

“You’re really sensitive, you know.”

Sarah was a habitual latecomer anyway. I was already used to it, so I decided to let it slide and pointed at the paper on the table.

“Sarah, can you take a look at this?”

But as soon as Sarah saw the paper, she frowned deeply and stepped back.

“Your Highness, this is a high-level defensive spell. And it feels extremely unpleasant. Who on earth cast this?”

“Unpleasant?”

“Several spells are layered on it. Dark, wind… and fire is the strongest. I hate mixed-attribute magic like this.”

I didn’t really care whether Sarah liked it or not, but I was still a kind master. I stepped closer and held her hand tightly.

“Sarah, you still have a lot of debt to repay. Should we go to Galatia Bank and check your balance to properly confirm our master-servant relationship again?”

“…I’m going to blow that bank up one day.”

“Oh dear, Galatia Bank is a continental-level bank. You’d have to destroy the Serbi Kingdom’s Magic Tower first. That tower is protecting the bank, you know.”

Sarah frowned hard, then pulled her hand away from mine.

She then grabbed her staff from empty air and walked briskly to the table.

“Anyway, there’s a tracking spell on this. They may already know that Your Highness touched this document.”

Sarah raised her staff, then looked at me.

“I know that.”

“It could be dangerous. Are you sure you’re alright?”

“There’s a barrier over the entire princess palace. You also made plenty of defensive items for me. If it really comes to it, want to stay here for a few months?”

“I hate bright places. I prefer to research magic in dark, damp places.”

What an uncooperative colleague.

I knew Sarah had no affection, but I also knew she had so little affection that she wouldn’t even care if the princess died.

“You’re too cold.”

“Isn’t that all your fault, Your Highness?”

We casually bickered while staring at the paper.

Sarah’s staff was as thin as chopsticks, with no jewels attached at all.

I heard it was carved from a tree with extremely strong magical energy, but as expected of Sarah, who hated everything troublesome, its design was extremely plain.

Sarah poked the string tying the paper with her staff.

At that moment, a swirl formed over the string. It was small but powerful. The wind was strong enough to whip both our hair upward.

The bookshelf shook, the curtains flapped violently, and all the ink and pen nibs on the table fell to the floor.

Knights and maids waiting outside, as ordered not to enter, shouted in panic.

“What’s going on in there?!”

“Don’t come in!”

I shouted firmly, then looked at Sarah’s face. Sweat was running down her cheek—something very uncharacteristic of her.

‘This must be a really powerful spell. It’s the first time I’ve seen Sarah struggle like this.’

Right now, Sarah was forcibly breaking a defensive spell with an attack spell. In other words, she was overpowering a high-level defensive magic tied to the string with an even stronger offensive one, causing a magical collision.

How many minutes did the wind rage?

Crash!! Smash!!

All the glass in the room—including the windows—shattered, and the string finally came undone.

Even the glass spheres around the chandelier candles broke, nearly causing the chandelier to fall.

Sarah quickly pulled me into her arms and pressed me against the wall. Startled, I blinked while being held.

“Sarah, th-thank you…”

“What is going on?!”

Knights and maids rushed into the room. They froze at the chaotic scene.

“T-This is…!”

Then they saw me pressed against the wall in Sarah’s arms and immediately drew their swords and spears.

“Release the princess at once!!”

“Stop it! Sarah did nothing wrong!”

At my shout, the knights slowly lowered their weapons. Sarah’s arms relaxed, and I stepped out from her embrace.

“Thank you, Sarah.”

“…Yes.”

I nodded at her, then slowly approached the paper on the table.

‘Such a powerful spell. It must really be classified information.’

My curiosity, once sparked, wouldn’t stop, and before I knew it, my hand was already unfolding the paper.

And then…

The moment I saw the contents, I froze.

“Your Highness, is something wrong?”

“….”

“Your Highness.”

Sarah called me several times, but I couldn’t say a word. It wasn’t just because of the contents.

The message itself was shocking—but more importantly, the writing on the paper was something that should not exist in this world.

[ On the last day of the founding celebration, kidnap Saint Aurora and teleport her to a cave in the Lesher Desert. ]

“…Hangul…!”

In deep shock, I sat in my study and stared at the paper.

‘Is there someone else who knows Hangul besides me?’

My thoughts branched endlessly, one after another.

‘No… maybe it’s just the language of a small tribe or a rare species I don’t know about. It’s a novel after all, I can’t remember everything…’

But I had years of experience reading romance fantasy novels.

Usually, protagonists immediately gain the ability to read, write, and speak the world’s language after reincarnating or possessing a body—some genius-level adaptation ability.

So such a thing as Hangul simply shouldn’t exist in this genre. And when I possessed this body, I naturally started using the Singkester language, not Korean.

It made no sense for a medieval fantasy world to have Hangul.

And the contents were also a problem.

Since Eric, the adjutant, had dropped it, it must be a secret order given to him.

[ Kidnap Saint Aurora… ]

Anger surged, and I shot up from my seat.

“How dare they kidnap a saint?! Unbelievable! It must be Prince Leonard who ordered this.”

Trying to fool me with that clean face? Did he think being handsome meant I’d fall for it?

…Well, I had fallen for it a bit.

Just as I was boiling with rage, I suddenly heard a sound from the window frame.

“Sir Aron?”

Thinking someone had come on my brother’s behalf, I turned around excitedly—only to feel my heart stop.

It wasn’t a white owl on the windowsill. It was Prince Leonard, wearing a cold expression I had never seen during the entire celebration.

Before I could even scream in surprise, he moved faster than anyone I knew and covered my mouth.

The princess palace was protected by magical barriers, and no one except me and those I permitted could use magic inside.

Moreover, there was also a sacred barrier layered on top—meaning only overwhelming force could break in.

In other words, the man in front of me was a monster beyond belief.

‘This prince… just what is he?!’

At the same time, a bitter taste filled my mouth, my vision grew hazy, and my consciousness began to fade. His words echoed in my ears as my eyes slowly closed.

“Princess, you’ll have to come with me for a moment.”

Drip.

“Ah, cold!”

A drop of cold water hitting my head brought me back to consciousness. When I opened my eyes, I was somewhere I did not recognize at all.

There were no windows, and moss covered every surface.

Even more chilling was what I saw far away—iron bars.

A prison.

“Are you awake?”

Startled, I turned around. Behind me stood the man who had abducted me earlier, silently.

His face was hidden in shadow. He looked like the grim reaper.

“W-Where is this…?”