040 – The Thought Alone is Enough…

In a single moment, I moved behind him and shattered the bones of his legs.

On the northern border, fighting demonic beasts, the highest priority was always to sever their legs to prevent them from fleeing.

I could only say that I targeted his legs out of habit.

And the result…

“How long will it take?”

“At the very least, a month, even at the fastest.”

A man rendered a semi-invalid for a month.

“…”

They say habit is a fearsome thing…

The moment Mihen used Ella as a hostage, my brain registered him as a demonic beast.

Without grasping the situation or anything else, I immediately tried to eliminate him.

‘And of all times, it had to be when I was most sensitive…’

My heightened senses from facing demonic beasts in the north just hours earlier.

The fact that Mihen attempted to lull my guard down with a truly unexpected method, it would be more accurate to say I crossed the line.

Of course… I did say to fluster me by any means necessary.

Who would have foreseen he’d use my daughter as a hostage in such a manner?

And this from a man who came seeking permission to court her.

“Haa…”

Even as a sigh escaped me, my mind kept circling back to the same thought.

‘The magic he used to try and subdue me, while impressive…’

To Ella, this man was a dangerous individual.

‘Dangerous.’

A magic that can lull someone to sleep at will…

While the novelty of wielding an unheard-of spell is admirable,

I couldn’t help but see the myriad ways the magic could be twisted, should the user harbour ill intent.

Just a moment ago…

While I conceded that he could use any means to overwhelm me, he’d held a blade to my daughter’s throat.

‘Still, considering the alternative…’

Fortunately.

If it had come to this, even Ella would find this Miheen character so terrifying that she would have put a knife to his neck…

“…What is this?”

“Miheen-nim said… if he wins, he’ll grant me anything… anything I want…”

“…”

Ella, her tear-streaked face hastily wiped, approached and handed me a sheet of paper.

“Yes… this father will grant you anything…”

-Marriage Vow-

“Absolutely not.”

“Father…!”

Without hesitation, I crumpled the paper in my hand.

“!!!”

Clearly, Ella was wearing rose-tinted spectacles of the sturdiest make.

“Do you remember what happened today?”

“…Are you referring to how you injured Miheen-nim, Father?”

“Yes, the reason I acted as I did was because-.”

“Are you referring to how you crippled the life-saver who rescued me from the doppelganger who nearly killed me?”

“Yes…”

“Are you referring to the person who risked their life searching for the doppelganger for the Eloise family, whom you rendered a semi-invalid?”

“That…”

“Just a few days ago… how you… Father… did this to Miheen-nim , who somehow saved me from the Midnight Auction, when even the imperial family was struggling to track it…-“

“Alright… just wait a moment, Ella…”

I understood that there were plenty of reasons for her to be smitten.

Even so… I was her father.

“There are many reasons, but… could you at least hear my perspective?”

“…Yes.”

“Firstly, a man who would put his seal on a marriage vow without the permission of either family’s head… well, I don’t find that very trustworthy, Ella.”

“I… I took these while Mihane-nim was asleep, secretly.”

“Ah…”

The very first condition, a whim of our daughter, no less…

Is this how the soldiers felt, watching me head to the front lines?

“Secondly…”

“Your father.”

“…”

Regardless, I was her father.

Truthfully, I’d meant to tell her that *my* condition wasn’t ‘if Mihane wins against me,’ but ‘if Mihane pleases me…’

“..No, Ella.”

“..Yes?”

Not once.

Not once had I even considered asking for concrete information about this Mihane. Realizing this myself…

“Tell me, Ella. About Mihane, and the days you spent together. Could you tell your father, too?”

This time, I’d listen.

I couldn’t block my daughter’s path, not when she was trying love for the first time… not just because I was her father.

*

*Kyaaah!!*

“?!”

That scream, like a sound effect from a horror game, jolted me awake.

“A scream even *I* didn’t make with a broken leg?!”

Even when the Margrave broke my leg, twisting it in a way legs shouldn’t bend, I didn’t scream.

What weakling dared to wail like that…

“My apologies, Mihane-nim. The scream came during the interrogation of the human trafficking ring you brought in.”

Oh…

Go ahead and scream.

You got this.

If he was the type to endure torture, he wouldn’t have become a kidnapper in the first place.

“I will ensure the treatment room door is securely closed.”

I almost made a silly remark as usual, but with others around, I felt strangely self-conscious.

As I lay quietly on the bed, the healer-priest who had closed the door began to brief me on my physical condition.

“It will take at least a month for Mihane-nim’s leg to heal fully.”

‘A month to heal a shattered leg?’

Seriously?

On Earth, a broken leg meant at least four months of being laid up.

They’re reducing that to a month?

Arcane Magic Kingdom’s medical technology is too good to be true, isn’t it?

“Of course, you must take the elixirs we’ve prepared for you every day.”

“Ah, I will make sure to take them.”

Who would refuse when the recovery period is reduced to a month just by taking medicine?

Thus, to take the medicine steadily…

“First, take one pill to start.”

“…”

A familiar scent.

A familiar fragrance.

A familiar… color.

“..This, you said it’s called a Spirit Pill?”

“That is correct.”

“..By any chance, is the Spirit Pill made from, like, a spirit medicine?”

“Indeed it is.”

Ah…

I hate medicine.

I’ll just be a patient for four months.

I’ll just not use my legs for four months…!

“Please, take it.”

I want to fall asleep again.

I want to go back to a time when I knew nothing…

“Here is the dosage for a full four months.”

“..Didn’t you say earlier that one month would be enough…?”

“The Lord desires to offer as much as possible, as a sign of apology.”

I’d be happy just receiving his sentiment…

I truly would…

I sincerely would…

…

The faint, subdued screams of the woman gradually died down.

Around the time I sensed the torture of the female organization member, extracted from the Midnight Auction, had ended.

“The Lord has arrived.”

“Yes, sir!”

Lord Alexander Eloise opened the infirmary door and entered.

“Leave us for a moment.”

“Understood, my Lord.”

No sooner had the Count finished speaking, than only the two men remained inside the treatment room.

And so.

The time for a private meeting between the Lord of the Eloise Family.

And the madman who had taken the future Lord of the Eloise Family hostage, was upon us.

Gulp…

Considering what I’ve done, I feel like I should bow my head low and beg for my life.

As I carefully tried to kneel on the bed, using my broken leg…

“I am late in expressing my gratitude.”

“Pardon?”

“For uncovering every doppelganger lurking within the Elois Estate…”

Lord Alexander Elois himself.

I found myself facing the shocking sight of him, a noble, bowing slightly to me, a mere commoner.

“…!”

“And for saving the life of Ella Elois, heir apparent to the Elois March, no less than three times, I extend my deepest gratitude.”

“Ahaha… I simply did what had to be done…”

I didn’t know how to react.

Ella had drilled me in countless noble etiquettes, but she had never taught me how to respond in a situation like this…

Flustered, I spat out the most humble response I could muster.

“Might I be permitted to call you Mihyeon, informally?”

“..!! Y-yes, you may…!”

Lord Alexander Elois, out of the blue, was asking to address me casually.

It felt like he was already being informal, but for the Margrave to explicitly say he would treat me so…

“Good. Then, you must also call me with the same informality now.”

“Father?”

He was formally granting permission for Ella and I to marry-

“That’s… getting ahead of ourselves, wouldn’t you say? How about we ease into things with a bit of courting, hm?”

“Aah…! L-Lord Alexander?”

“‘Alexander.’ A pleasing and balanced sound to the ear.”

…

Two days had passed since I received formal permission to court Ella.

Of course, within the Academy, we weren’t making our relationship public for fear of unsavory rumors swirling around Ella.

“Then how does next Saturday sound?”

“Wonderful. I find it terribly unfortunate that I must accompany the Tower Lord to the Vatican this week.”

“Nonsense. If the Tower Lord requires it, there’s nothing to be done, is there?”

On weekends, in locations and times where we didn’t need to worry about the scrutiny of other academy students,

we had agreed to have a normal, pedestrian courtship just like any other couple.

Both Ella and I were greatly satisfied with this arrangement.

Clunk. Clunk.

As I conversed with Ella, I hobbled out of the lecture hall, leaning on my crutches.

“…Mihyeon?”

“Professor Leighton? I was concerned, not having seen you all week.”

I was finally able to see Professor Leighton, who had been absent for reasons unknown.

“…I feel like the person who needs to be worried about this situation has changed…”

“That’s not the important thing, professor!”

“Could it be my imagination or does that look like most important point?…”

“Ahaha, it’s not like me getting injured is a rare occurrence. You’ll get used to it.”

“What’s the plan for the freshmen sparring matches tomorrow?”

“…Huh?”

“…Didn’t I explain it sufficiently during the afternoon lecture on the first day of freshmen enrollment?”

“Ah. That day, wouldn’t you know it, I was caught up in being kidnapped with Ella, so I must have missed it.”

“Kidnapped, you say?”

“Yes. By, uh, the Succubus Queen.”

“You met the Succubus Queen??”

Saying it, I realized something.

Why in the world was I worrying about Professor Layton?

“..That succubus back then, was that… the Succubus Queen?”

“Uh, yes… That is to say…”

“..Miss Miyeon, how is it *you* know about that?”

Ah…

This blasted mouth is nothing but trouble…