Chapter 114

'I'm not doing this because I'm worried about Deborah. I'm just intellectually inquisitive.'

Belreck insistently searched the area near the academy until dawn with the investigators.

Duke Seymour, who stayed up all night worried, appeared and asked about the progress of the investigation. The time that the Duke was able to persevere was until dawn today. Because Deborah had no magic power, he knew that it would become difficult to endure being in the subspace the more time passed.

"Belreck. Don't worry about my feelings and just speak objectively."

"At this moment, the fastest and most realistic way is for the people inside the subspace to destroy the inner core."

Belreck spoke in an uncomfortable mood, knowing that his answer wasn't what his father wanted.

"What about a way to get in from the outside?"

"Currently, only traces remain of the space distortion field. On this basis, I searched for the coordinates of the subspace, but the error margin was too wide..."

While speaking slowly of the danger of entering from the outside, Belreck had a strange feeling. Duke Seymour's eyes glowed.

"... It's an ancient mana wave."

The Seymour father and son, who had good mana sensitivity, were able to notice that the flow of mana around them was changing, even if slightly.

"It looks like Isidor succeeded in destroying the core with his aura."

"I guess a knight with only muscles in his brain is also useful sometimes."

"The ancient mana core has a high density, so Sir Isidor must at least be in a higher class among Sword Experts."

"He's just a petty swordsman anyway."

"But swordsmen usually have a slightly better personality than wizards."

Frankly speaking, Belreck wasn't inclined in having a wizard as his brother-in-law.

"Sensitive and demanding people make bad husbands."

"When are you going to catch a hint!?"

While the two were talking, the space distortion field, which had only traces left, began to take shape again and grow in volume. Soon after, a beautiful man with an unrealistic appearance slowly escaped from the abyss-like darkness.

'What's with this timing? It's dawn right now.'

The golden hair that permeated the sunrise and the man's beautiful profile created the illusion that they were looking at a famous painting. To the point that the remaining investigators were mesmerized by the sight.

"Isidor... Huh?"

Belreck, who was about to say that he was quite good for a young man, paused with a subtle face.

"Get him out of here right now."

Duke Seymour ordered with his eyes full of anger. Isidor was holding Deborah, who was asleep in exhaustion, tightly in his arms as if he were carrying a princess.

"..."

"..."

"Hmm."

At that moment, Princess Deborah frowned and dug deeper into Isidor's arms.

Three pairs of eyes intertwined sharply in the air. When Duke Seymour's murderous gaze reached him, Isidor suddenly became thirsty and gulped.

'I didn't expect to meet him so suddenly.'

In any case, he wanted to look good to his father-in-law... no, to the Duke.

"I greet the great Lord of Seymour, who is wise and resonating."

He greeted him politely with a smile that the noble ladies of the social world praised for being attractive.

"Why don't you put my sister down first and then give your greetings?"

Belreck said with a bitter face. Duke Seymour could not speak properly due to his rising blood pressure.

"How dare this bastard take my daughter... in such a disgraceful manner...! Men and women are distinguished!"

Isidor, who became a shameless person in an instant, moistened his dry lips once.

He did embrace Princess Deborah several times, but he did not have any bad intentions. The shield magic could prevent physical attacks, but it could not block mana waves caused by spatial distortion. The only way to give less of a shock to Princess Deborah's body was to embrace her as much as possible with his body wrapped in his aura.

"I was trying to protect the Princess from the waves..."

Because no one would listen to his excuse, the more Isidor spoke, the more pathetic he looked.

"Are you finished?!"

With Duke Seymour's bloody energy, Isidor carefully let Princess Deborah out of his arms and apologized.

"I apologize. My thoughts were short."

"If you know it's something to be sorry for, you shouldn't have done it!"

"I'll be careful."

"That's right. You, be careful not to wander around and disturb my daughter who has regained her composure after a long time and is studying. Do you understand?!"

He yelled. It was obvious that Isidor had rescued Princess Deborah from the subspace, but Duke Seymour was adamant. Since old times, even if Seymour returned a grudge three or four times, he was unable to pay back one's kindness.

"I will never do anything to disturb Princess Deborah. I will do my best to help her in any situation, Duke."

Duke Seymour's slender eyes twitched at Isidor's bold reply. He recited a plausible line, but avoided saying that he would not wander around her and even gently reminded him of how he helped her during this incident.

'He's like a fox.'

He didn't like Isidor for various reasons.

"Sir Isidor."

"Yes, Duke."

"I can't say that you don't deserve credit in this incident. I admit that part. You did well."

"Thank..."

"However! I don't think you, who don't have any knowledge about magic, can be that much of a help to my daughter's research."

"I..."

As Isidor was about to say something, Duke Seymour quickly cut him off.

"But you look intelligent for a knight, so I believe you understand me. I will go now so my daughter can rest. You worked hard too, so go in and rest."

Duke Seymour dismissed Isidor and looked at Deborah, who was sleeping without a care in the world.

"Rest well. I will send you a tea that is good for recovery."

The Duke's eyebrows wriggled.

The words to send tea were usually a farewell between aristocrats. However, Isidor's words just now sounded like he would continue to contact Deborah despite his warnings.

If no one was there, he would have criticized him to his heart's content. In his behavior, tone, appearance, posture, and expression. The Duke thought, looking at the impeccable Isidor.

'How come this guy doesn't even look human?'

Seeing Isidor bowing politely, the Duke clicked his tongue inwardly and turned around. The Seymours quickly disappeared with a teleportation scroll. Isidor, who was left alone at the scene of the incident, was deeply troubled.

'For some reason... I think I am already disliked.'

***

As soon as Deborah returned, Duke Seymour and Duke Montez met. It was in fact to discuss damage compensation.

"What do you wish?"

"It's not a matter that will end with just a couple of things, so take note. Do you understand?"

Duke Seymour threatened the secretary. In addition to substantial compensation for the damage, Duke Seymour demanded more mental compensation.

Currently, Montez was sandwiched between Seymour and Visconti, and would have to fight the two families if there was a war, so he had no choice but to cater to them and extinguish the fire in a hurry. In addition, many people were watching in the social world, so it was difficult to end this incident simply with probation or internal punishment.

"Philap will be sent to the most conflicted and remote region in the outskirts for the time being. Can you please turn a blind eye?"

"Why should we turn a blind eye? Never let that Montez bastard catch my attention."

"How..."

"If you intend to keep him as a successor, you must keep that name hidden from me for the next five years, and never let that face be seen."

"..."

Although it was unfair, he was in this kind of situation, so Duke Montez only bit his lips in shame.

From the family heirloom to honor. He had already lost so much, and now his pride was being tarnished. He was even considering abandoning his son and setting up someone from a collateral family line as his successor. The Montez didn't easily have children, so it was not an unprecedented situation at all.

"And, one more thing."

Duke Seymour gave him a contract that should Philap appear in front of Deborah again, he would immediately surrender himself to Seymour.

"This is too much..."

Duke Montez said in a hoarse voice, his chin trembling. Surrendering to Seymour. Didn't that mean that if he showed up in front of his daughter again, he would drag him to the Seymour mansion and kill him?! The contract seemed simple at first glance, but if he signed it, it was like killing Philap twice.

The truth is, it was impossible to avoid all events associated with Deborah Seymour in the capital. He needed to find a spouse in the capital that could help the family, recruit talented people, and build strong relationships, but he was preventing all social activities by saying he would kill him. This was a political death sentence.

'This venomous snake!'

Seeing the look on Duke Montez's face, filled with contempt and anger, Duke Seymour's eyes glowed coldly.

"Did you just say it was too much?"

"..."

"Philap Montez tried to commit a wicked and horrible sin against my daughter. My daughter was trapped in a subspace and almost died. But, if it feels like preventing him from entering the capital is too much, I will pay you back in the same way."

"..."

At Duke Seymour's threatening mood, who seemed to be ready for war, Duke Montez closed his eyes for a long time before eventually signing the contract.

***

"Father! Where are you sending me to!?"

When Philap heard the command to go down to a region he had never heard of, he went wild.

"I can't believe you're telling me to go to those rough, messy outskirts where there's nothing! I don't want to, Father! I won't! It's time for me to build personal connections in the social world. This is ridiculous!"

Philap complained while being restrained in the underground cell, but everything had already been decided. He was expelled from the splendid capital, and forced to go to a rough area that was like a monastery.