The Arranged Suitor Was the Kidnapper

Jolted by his sudden epiphany, Banesion immediately rushed toward the bookshelves.

Rearranging their order and reciting an incantation revealed a hidden compartment.

A space he had coincidentally discovered in the past, now serving as a chamber for forbidden magic research.

Banesion rummaged through the shelves lining one side of the study.

The former occupant’s journal remained, carelessly discarded after he had lost interest midway through its perusal.

Though he vaguely recalled glimpsing a relevant passage, the aged, crumbling pages threatened to disintegrate at the slightest touch.

Skimming the densely scrawled entries, the name ‘Lumena Rohan’ repeatedly caught his eye.

[I envy and resent Lumena Rohan.]

[To manifest such prodigious talent at a belated age. The gods are truly unjust.]

Not only the Rohan surname but numerous similarities to Laria Rohan emerged.

Empathizing with the diarist’s emotions, Banesion scrutinized the contents intently.

[To require gemstones for spellcasting, it seems even you harbored a weakness after all.]

Banesion’s finger stilled upon the passage.

At last, he had unearthed the information he sought.

[The Gemstone Sorcerer – a moniker not entirely unfitting.]

“Aah, yes…”

Muttering to himself, Banesion’s gaze bore into the journal.

“This was her vulnerability.”

Requiring gemstones to wield magic – how utterly peculiar.

‘A mutation of sorts, it would seem.’

A sardonic smirk tugged at Banesion’s lips.

Until now, ignorant of her true nature, he had been ill-prepared to counter her effectively.

But no longer – with proper preparations, victory would be assured.

“If only I possessed the fox orb, all would be perfect.”

As compensation for subjugating Zenox to mind control, he had been promised the fox orb.

Though he yearned to demand its immediate delivery, that wily fox would undoubtedly refuse to relinquish it so readily.

‘A repulsive notion. I must secure the fox orb first, then swiftly extricate myself from this entire affair.’

Previously, he had even dispatched subordinates in an attempt to facilitate Ort’s escape, yet all contact had ceased since then.

Without word from Ort, formulating any further plans remained impossible.

A gnawing sense of unease gripped him.

Even if he succeeded in defeating Laria Rohan, his reputation would remain irreparably tarnished without the fox orb in his possession.

Especially considering Sienna’s current state of affairs…

“Tsk.”

Recalling Sienna, Banesion clicked his tongue in disdain.

Despite his meticulous grooming, she had proven utterly useless as his designated heir.

Yet the reason he had refrained from disowning her entirely…

-I will do anything you ask.

Since her defeat in the duel, her spirit seemed to have diminished, rendering her far more compliant and docile.

Displaying such an eagerness to comply, he had decided to afford her another opportunity.

-Can I get another dose of the elixir you provided? I wish to properly prepare for my vengeance.

Sienna desired the elixir he gave her.

It was only natural for those who had tasted forbidden magic, even once, to crave greater power.

Though he had yet to divulge the secrets of forbidden magic, deeming her too inexperienced, the time seemed ripe to share his research with her.

After all, she too must harbor resentment toward Laria Rohan.

Haphazardly discarding the journal, Banesion began gathering ingredients.

He intended to brew another elixir for Sienna’s consumption.

Yet as he realized the scarcity of certain components, his brow furrowed in consternation.

“What has that wretch Ort been up to?”

Despite dispatching him on an errand, there had been no word from him.

“After I so magnanimously took him back into my service.”

Upon his return, having lost a limb, Ort had remained secluded for an extended period.

Then, as if nothing had transpired, he had simply resumed his duties by Banesion’s side.

His abrupt change of heart had seemed suspect, but lacking able hands, Banesion had no choice but to assign him tasks.

Yet his debilitated state seemed to have rendered him increasingly insolent, in stark contrast to his former demeanor.

Unable to postpone brewing the elixir any longer, Banesion grasped a quill.

Simultaneously, words manifested upon the parchment before him:

[Meet me now.]

“…!”

Banesion rose abruptly from his seat.

Employing teleportation magic, he arrived at the receiving room of Marquis Hashir’s estate.

A guest had already preceded him, seated upon the sofa.

Recognizing the man, Banesion approached without delay.

“I didn’t expect you to seek me out so abruptly.”

Had he not been compelled to conceal himself for the interim?

In stark contrast to Banesion’s flustered demeanor, Rubenta exuded an air of nonchalant ease.

“Much has transpired in the interim, it seems. A duel was held?”

At Rubenta’s mention of the duel, Banesion’s face flushed crimson with humiliation.

“I couldn’t have emerged victorious under those circumstances!”

Rubenta’s eyebrow arched quizzically.

“That wench was the one who undid my brainwashing!”

A blank expression settled over Rubenta’s features.

On the day he had escaped from prison, finally the identity of the enigmatic sorcerer who had thwarted him had been unveiled.

He had found Zenox’s sudden betrothal perplexing, given the man’s utter disinterest in women.

“A mere disguise.”

To keep a sorcerer by his side, Zenox had feigned romantic affections.

With even a modicum of contemplation, the deception could have been deduced.

As Rubenta chuckled in amusement, Banesion flinched involuntarily.

“The hunting competition.”

Rendered speechless by the non-sequitur, Banesion could only remain silent.

Slowly lifting his gaze, Rubenta continued with a lingering smirk.

“The forest expanse provides ample opportunity for the Grand Duke’s lover to go ‘missing’ without arousing undue suspicion.”

Banesion’s eyes widened in realization.

The perfect chance for exacting vengeance upon Laria Rohan had presented itself.

The mere prospect kindled a euphoric elation, causing the corners of his mouth to twitch upward in anticipation.

Yet Rubenta’s subsequent words swiftly doused his momentary thrill.

“Prepare the brainwashing spells.”

“At the hunting competition…?”

Such a tight timeframe would severely hamper the necessary preparations.

Seeking clarification, Banesion inquired further as Rubenta reclined, resting his clasped hands upon his lap with indolent composure.

“I wish to reclaim my docile nephew as swiftly as possible.”

Madness.

Though Banesion had molded his own daughter Sienna to his exacting specifications, the notion of subjugating her utterly through brainwashing, reducing her to a mere puppet, had never crossed his mind.

While devoid of scruples, a shred of moral decency still lingered within him.

For Rubenta, however, all others existed solely as means to an end – even his own kin served no greater purpose than tools to be exploited.

“I will do my job, then.”

With those words, Banesion could only nod his reluctant acquiescence.

Devoid of even the faintest trace of mirth, Rubenta’s gaze bore into Banesion’s rigid form.

In a hushed murmur, he declared:

“This is your final chance, Marquis Hashir.”

* * *

Infusing the ring with her magic power, Laria exhaled a weary breath.

After steadily imbuing it for two weeks, the entire gemstone had taken on a brilliant, luminous white hue.

Lifting the ring, she could sense the potent magic power it now contained.

Sufficient to utilize in an emergency, should the need arise.

Idly toying with the ring, Laria became lost in contemplation.

Through Ort, she had learned of Marquis Hashir’s renewed efforts to amass blood and physical components. He intended to have everything prepared in time for the upcoming hunting competition.

‘The hunting competition…’

As Ishel had foreseen, Marquis Hashir indeed planned to subjugate Zenox through mind control during the event.

Laria had inquired about Marquis Hashir’s research location from Ort.

-He is likely situated in his private office on the Sorcery Office’s uppermost level, though I have never set foot in his actual research chamber.

Infiltrating his personal workspace would prove immensely challenging.

Even if she somehow managed to conceal her presence and gain entry, failing to locate any hidden compartments would render the entire endeavor futile.

‘How can I gain access?’

While exacting vengeance upon Marquis Hashir remained a priority, clearing Theodore’s name took precedence.

Though tangible evidence from so long ago would be scarce, the possibility couldn’t be discounted.

“Haah…”

Laria exhaled a prolonged sigh.

Having uncovered Marquis Hashir and Rubenta’s schemes while formulating countermeasures, an inexplicable sense of trepidation still gripped her heart.

A lingering premonition that something would inevitably go awry.

‘If only I could see Zenox’s face.’

Yet Zenox had been exceptionally occupied of late, spending the majority of his time in the North.

Though she had pinpointed Rubenta’s current hideout, apprehending him directly proved impossible.

The other Wolf clans had rallied around Rubenta, shielding him from the Krassium clan’s reach.

Zenox had issued a final ultimatum to the six clans.

In response, three had withdrawn their support for Rubenta.

The mere prospect of opposing the Krassium instilled greater dread than Rubenta’s mind control abilities.

The remaining clans persisted in harboring Rubenta, actively recruiting mercenary forces.

-My uncle’s objective is war.

Over a century had passed since the advent of the era of peace.

In other words, the current generation of sorcerers had scarcely experienced the ravages of open conflict firsthand.

Though she had offered her aid, Zenox had declined.

Insisting it was a personal matter between himself and his uncle.

‘Nevertheless…’

Recalling her encounter with Rubenta Krassium in the North, Laria’s expression darkened.

There was no predicting the lengths to which he might go.

Forcibly dispelling the ominous thoughts weighing upon her mind, Laria focused on the present.

And at last, the day of the hunting competition arrived.