<Episode 32>
“If Solomon gives you any trouble, by all means, let me know.”
In the garden of the Duke of Beardsley’s house, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is elegantly sipping tea.
After a period of busy with official duties, he comes to visit us with a small escort. Today, He tell me with a pale face that he have come to relax, and I can’t turn him away.
“Is it something that bothers you?”
Lord Solomon continues to be kind to me.
He is generous with words and gifts so generously that there is no room for anxiety.
However, I am a little hesitant to say that I am not being pestered.
It’s not the first time he has said or done something out of the ordinary, and I know it’s because of his deep love for me that he has run off the deep end, so I don’t blame him at all.
“I don’t care if it’s a small thing or a big thing. I swear I will fully stand by you in the event of marital strife.”
“…… fight is not always the fault of one side or the other, right?”
“But still. I owe you a favor.”
“Thank you?”
For a moment, I thought of the case of His Royal Highness the King’s brother in the neighboring country. But I immediately denied it.
As a result, she ended up rejecting the marriage proposal, so it was actually the opposite.
“It is because of you that Solomon has a happy life and this country is at peace.”
“……? I’m not sure I understand what you mean.”
“I guess so.”
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince wry smiles on his beautiful face.
His hand gestures sent the guards and servants away.
“The contents of an ancient document that Dolph had been researching for some time have finally been revealed recently.”
Lord Dolf is my father-in-law’s foster brother, the vice commander of the mage corps. He is also Lord Solomon’s magic teacher.
Such was Lord Dolf’s research on the mage who tried to destroy the world.
Apparently, the jet-black mage and Lord Solomon are in very similar circumstances.
He was good-looking and had a good command of both literature and the military arts. He was the eldest son of a high-ranking noble family and was very popular with the opposite sex.
And like Lord Solomon, he was not good at using magic, even though he had a large amount of magical power. Although he is called a jet-black “mage” for the sake of convenience, it is said that he was not in a profession that involved the use of magic.
He had a smooth sailing life, but that changed when he fell in love with a woman.
It was not that the woman was a bad person. Apparently, she had another love interest and was getting married.
When the woman married, he could not give up.
He began to withdraw from those around him who comforted him, became confined to his home, and gradually became weaker.
When he turned 30 years old while still single, the woman he had feelings for died suddenly of an epidemic.
He came to the funeral looking like a different person, and his hair and eyes had changed from their original color to pitch black.
He forcibly took the body of his loved one and let his magic went out of control.
The magic that he unleashes in order to avoid being robbed reaps everything around him and burns it down. I don’t know if there was a clear intention to ‘destroy the world’.
But because of his sacrifices, the jet-black mage came to be spoken of as such.
There is no way to stop him, as he has let his magic run wild instead of using it of his own volition.
He said that he continued to cut down his life along with his magical powers, and eventually he himself passed away.
The story was so shocking that I paled and was left speechless.
But His Royal Highness the Dolf laughed, as if he didn’t feel the weight of it at all.
“So the jet-black mage was a virgin who was an extremely heavy heart love, just like that thing.”
“………… I see.”
Not as much as it should be.
I don’t, but I can’t think straight.
(If I had refused Lord Solomon’s offer and married someone else, would he have followed the same path as the Jet-Black Mage?)
I thought about it and cringed.
I have the urge to go to Lord Solomon right now and hug him.
(No, that’s not possible. I know the kindness of Lord Solomon best.)
He is not the one who can hurt anyone, and even in the unlikely event that I am unable to think properly due to a magical outburst, I will stop him.
Such a future will never come. No, I will not let it happen.
Take a deep breath and calm your mind.
“Don’t worry. I’ll be with my husband.”
When I told him with a smile, His Highness the crown prince blinked lightly.
Next, the eyes are downcast and the corners of the mouth are lifted.
“…Solomon is truly a man of great fortune.”
“I’m jealous”, he muttered as he let out an exhale.
The sound of a lonely voice caught my attention and I tried to call out to him. But just before I could, something bumped into my leg.
“Mom!”
“Oh, Cliff.”
Clinging to my legs in the chair was my son, who had just turned three.
“Weren’t you supposed to play with your father today?”
I thought Lord Solomon had been enthusiastic from this morning, saying, “I’m going to take care of him today.”
Cliff nodded in response to my question.
“We’re playing hide-and-seek.”
“Now?”
“Yes, I know. So, let me in, Mommy.”
Cliff says innocently and tugs at my skirt.
In other words, He want me to hide him in my skirt.
I had a headache as my son, who looked just like Lord Solomon, with his cute little face, was extorting me.
“…… your mother’s skirts are no place to hide.”
I manage to tell them, holding back the urge to let out a sigh.
Then another voice interrupted Cliff’s protests with puffed cheeks.
“That’s right. That’s for your father’s exclusive use.”
He puts his hands on both sides of his son and holds him up from behind.
It is my husband who is smiling with such a beautiful face that it seems like an illusion that he made an outrageous statement.
“It’s off-limits to everyone.”
I said with a light glare, and both parent and child looked dissatisfied.
As I think to myself, “I wish we didn’t have to look so much alike,” I hear a gurgling cough.
“You two get along well.”
I had completely forgotten about the presence of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince during the course of the event.
Unlike me, who was flustered with embarrassment and apology, Lord Solomon replied with a relaxed attitude, “Yes, very much.”
“You are as narrow-minded as ever. If you keep biting everyone, people will lose patience with you someday.”
“Don’t worry, we have our pick of people to bite. But more importantly, shouldn’t you get back to work now?”
“No, I’m still good. Cliff, come play with me.” Dolf replied.
“Cliff has promised to play with me for the rest of the day.”
“Then I’ll have tea with the lady and look around.”
“No, go home. Stay away from my wife and son, my treasures.”
My son looks bored in Lord Solomon’s arms as they begin to argue.
When I looked at him, he reached out his hand and gently held it up.
She alternates between her son, who has started eating baked goods on her lap, and her husband, who is cheerfully arguing with him.
(I’m happy.)
I muttered to myself as if savoring the thought, and let out a soft smile.
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