~Chapter 62~
“I want to take this mage with me.”
Of course. That bad feeling I had? It was never wrong.
Ricardo said those words without hesitation. And right after, Lily ran over in a panic.
“D-Duke Hessen, this girl is—!”
“You’re not going to take your words back now, are you?”
His voice was cold enough to give me chills.
“You said everyone here is a reliable mage.”
“I heard it clearly!”
Elliot, standing nearby, quickly jumped in to back him up.
“Lady Lily definitely said so.”
Elliot, you little traitor…
“I mean, I did say something like that, but… she’s still an apprentice mage.”
“…Hah.”
“She can’t even use proper mana yet.”
While Lily rushed to explain, Peril cut in.
“She’s not good enough to be by your side, my lord. Maybe it’d be better to look for another mage?”
His tone sounded light, almost amused, but his eyes were deadly serious.
“There are plenty of mages around here, after all.”
Peril leaned back in his chair slowly.
“Is she your fiancée?”
Ricardo asked, voice eerily low and cold.
“Yeah.”
Peril replied without hesitation, which honestly caught me off guard.
I blinked in surprise.
Wait, since when?!
But… who would believe that?
I mean, we’ve got the same hair and eye color, and our faces are super average and almost identical. Who wouldn’t raise an eyebrow?
Ricardo seemed to have the same thought because I heard a dry, amused laugh escape him.
“If family members wear rings on their fourth fingers, people get the wrong idea.”
“Does it matter if it’s family or fiancée?” Peril replied smoothly. “What’s important is that they’re by your side.”
The blue veins on the back of Peril’s hand were standing out.
God, is he even trying to hide who he really is?
Using informal speech to a duke? Any normal mage would never dare.
“Taking a kid who can’t even properly use mana… That’s just your stubbornness, my Lord.”
Gasps rang out from all around.
Does Peril… not know what a normal mage should or shouldn’t do?
If not… then he’s seriously insane. Well, I don’t know either.
“Yeah. I just do odd jobs at the mage tower. I wouldn’t be any help to you, Your Grace.”
Getting out of this situation was my top priority, so I quickly played along with Peril’s words. And just then, Simon must’ve decided things were getting out of hand, because he suddenly stood up from his seat.
Yes! To fix this mess, Simon!
“Uh, Ann’s caused a lot of trouble at the tower! She’s got zero talent for magic! Lady Lily scolds her every day! She’s seriously the worst of the worst, and if she goes with you, she’ll definitely be a burden!”
You absolute idiot, you could’ve just called me trash and been done with it! His ruthless ranting left me completely speechless. Can people get so dumbfounded they forget how to talk?
I was so shocked, I couldn’t even speak. Apparently, when you’re too shocked, you go silent.
Ricardo let out a short laugh.
“Why do you have so many protectors?” he said.
“…”
“It’s annoying.”
There was a faint, chilling edge in his voice—enough to make Simon hiccup in fear.
“All I need is someone to fill the role. Just enough to look right. Why is this so hard?”
He turned his icy gaze directly on me.
Just then, Elliot stepped in again, trying to smooth things over.
“There’s really nothing the mage has to do. His Highness won’t want someone with overwhelming power like Lady Lily. It’s fine.”
“R-Really? I was just worried I’d be a burden…”
Please, someone save me!
But Elliot only smiled and delivered the final blow:
“You don’t need to worry. The Duke will be with you, after all. Just stay close to him.”
That’s the problem…!
Lily sighed deeply.
“If the Duke insists, we won’t stop him. Ann, you heard that, right?”
At this point, saying no would just make things worse for Lily.
Fine. I’m disguised anyway. What could go wrong?
“…I’ll do my best to be helpful to the Duke.”
I said it through clenched teeth.
Forcing myself to smile, I gave my answer.
“I’ll do my best to be of help to you… Your Grace.”
***
Later that night, on the way back to our rooms.
“Hey, wait!”
I hurried after Peril, who was walking ahead of me.
“Can’t we go back together?”
Why was he in such a hurry?
“H-Hold on!”
Out of breath, I finally got him to stop. He turned around, surprised.
“…Oh.”
Did he just now realize I was following him?
I caught up and breathed deeply.
“You walk so fast.”
“Why are you even following me?”
Wow. Blaming me now?
“You didn’t look happy.”
“…”
“Also, you were walking in the wrong direction. Our rooms are that way.”
I nodded in the correct direction.
“Come on. Simon’s waiting too.”
Even though I knew Peril didn’t plan to come back, I followed him anyway.
Even Simon had told me to go after him.
Why do I always have to handle everything?
Thankfully, Peril quietly followed me back.
Trying to lighten his mood, I chatted as we walked.
“Simon said there’s a lot to see where we’re going. Lots of food too.”
“…”
“I got a ton of money out of Simon. I plan to drain his wallet, so you have to come!”
To my relief, Peril gave a soft chuckle.
“You really don’t give people time to be sad, do you?”
“Well, I’ve been sad before. And I found that noisy places help the most.”
With me and Simon around, it’d be as noisy as it gets.
“No thanks. What’s the point of playing with kids?”
“Didn’t you say you were young not long ago?”
“Why do you always remember the useless stuff?”
He glared at me briefly, then let out a long sigh.
“Don’t do that,” he said quietly.
“…Do what?”
“Don’t make it so hard to let go.”
He lightly tapped my forehead. I rubbed the spot and mumbled,
“How is that my fault?”
“It is your fault.”
His voice dropped softer.
“…Can’t you just stay here with us?”
“Only if you promise not to die and stay with me too.”
“…Maybe I will.”
I froze.
I was joking—but he answered so seriously.
Then he laughed like it was no big deal.
“I’m kidding.”
…Of course he was.
Still, my throat felt dry. I clenched the fabric of my dress tightly and bit my lip.
How am I supposed to ignore this?
I couldn’t pretend not to notice anymore.
I couldn’t laugh it off or act like I didn’t understand how Peril felt.
This is driving me crazy.
At first, I thought I was imagining things.
I kept telling myself—there’s no way he likes me. He loves Idette.
But as this world became more real and my old logic started to fade, I couldn’t ignore it anymore.
His feelings were too clear now.
I couldn’t pretend I didn’t see it.
I was truly thankful to Peril. But accepting his feelings? That wasn’t right.
Because our hearts were going in different directions.
“I’ve thought a lot about why I kept denying reality,” I said quietly.
“…”
“I think it was because I had a place to return to. I didn’t want to get too attached here.”
If I fully accepted this world as real… I might forget the people waiting for me back home.
“I don’t hate this world. But I still have people who’d be worried if I disappeared.”
My family was probably so scared.
I couldn’t be happy here while they suffered.
“That’s why… I have to go back.”
Peril paused for a long moment, then sighed.
“…Forget what I just said.”
“Haha… too late! I already did.”
I laughed awkwardly and waved when I saw Simon waiting nearby.
***
The next day.
“…Good morning.”
I greeted Ricardo awkwardly.
He gave a small nod in return.
And just like that, an uncomfortable journey began.
