DSB 63

“Young Madam, I heard Karon released lightning toward the knights!”

“He did.”

“I’ve never heard that a Morbelk can use lightning. It’s likely this one is an unusual specimen. So may I take a small amount of Karon’s fur, just a little, to study?”

Jess took nail clippers and scissors from his coat. Lebel didn’t know what he intended to study with the fur and claws, but since he wanted it so much, Lebel nodded casually.

“Fur and claws grow back, so it doesn’t matter.”

“Thank you!”

“But before that, it’s better to give Karon proper compensation.”

Even now, Karon had backed away, growling as if he’d bite anyone who came closer.

“Of course! I brought special monster meat just for him.”

[…Delicious monster meat?]

Jess took the monster meat from the large bag he had carried since he arrived. Karon carefully sniffed it and smacked his tongue.

It seemed his appetite was stirred. After one bite, he liked it, and he finished it, then stretched out his paw as if granting favor.

[Hmm, well, since you showed such sincerity, I’ll allow it.]

Others were watching that scene from a distance.

The servants of the main castle rarely came to the annex where Yutis lived, so they had little chance to encounter Lebel. Naturally, they had few chances to see the rumored Karon.

And although Karon was indeed a demonic beast, his appearance looked more like a cute puppy.

“Um, can I touch him too?”

Lebel looked at the servants who had gathered before he nodded.

“It’s fine.”

[Uh, uh? Lo, Lord Lebel?!]

Karon sent a startled telepathic voice, but Lebel remained silent. He had allowed Jess to touch Karon because he thought this would be a good chance for Karon to get used to people.

But the servants’ curiosity wasn’t limited to Karon.

“Young Madam, is it true you’re a mage?”

They hadn’t seen what happened in the territory, but since the knights talked about Lebel’s feats everywhere, everyone had heard of them.

Moreover, it was known that Lebel could control a demonic beast. Since Lebel could do something no one else could, they couldn’t help being curious.

“I heard from a mage I know that mental magic is very hard. The caster also suffers mental exhaustion…”

“Well, I’m not sure. But I don’t prefer mental magic. If I have to use magic, I often use fire magic.”

He liked it because the blazing flames resembled demonic energy.

“Do you know many other kinds of magic too?”

“I think I know many.”

“Wow, that’s amazing!”

Questions came one after another. Mahan blocked the front to calm the servants and spoke firmly.

“Enough. Do you mean to trouble the Young Madam? Using magic puts strain on the body. You all know the Young Madam’s health isn’t good.”

Mahan was an attendant, but as the one managing Yutis’s castle, he held high authority among the servants.

“We, we are sorry.”

“We were just curious about the Young Madam…”

Lebel looked at the servants who still couldn’t hide their curiosity. It was true he rarely met or talked with the servants of the main castle.

And the fact that he was a mage seemed surprising. They also appeared interested in magic. He knew mages were rare among humans, but he hadn’t expected it to draw this much interest.

“Are mages rare here?”

“People born with talent for magic are rare in general, and since this is the North, it’s even rarer. People think swords are more practical than magic. Many types of magic aren’t for attack, and in the North, people must survive against demonic beasts, so they naturally choose swords.”

That made sense. Humans said they needed long years to learn a single spell. The only mage around here was probably Bron, so it was no wonder they were fascinated. Even in the Imperial Capital, mages weren’t many.

“Do you want to see magic?”

“C-can you show us?”

The servants looked at Lebel with expectant faces.

“It’s not difficult.”

“Young Madam…!”

“It’s fine.”

They were clearly worried he might collapse after showing a few spells. Karon had already offered himself to get along with humans, so Lebel thought he could do no less.

He also recalled the time long ago when he taught magic. Magic was fascinating. He recreated a few spells that young angels and demons had liked when he was a teacher.

Since Lebel was most skilled at fire magic, he showed one of its variations. The violet flame was different from an ordinary fire. The small flame shaped like a bird flew among the servants.

“Wow, it’s beautiful…”

“Um, can I use magic too?”

“If you can sense mana, it’s not hard to use.”

Lebel explained the concept of magic as if teaching a child. But in truth, the human body wasn’t well structured to sense mana. The servants looked down, disappointed.

“Can we see another kind of magic too?”

“If you want.”

Lebel showed every kind of magic he could, as if he were a circus performer. He used not only fire but also water and wind, and he even made small flowers bloom.

“Young Madam, using your power like that puts a strain on your body. Your health isn’t good already…”

Then a familiar voice came from behind. The one who spoke to Lebel was Bron.

Not only Bron but also Yutis’s subordinates stood behind him. They all greeted Lebel warmly at first, but soon, like Bron, they worried about his health.

“I’m fine.”

“Young master Yutis worries about you.”

Bron gave Mahan a look that asked why he hadn’t stopped Lebel. Mahan shook his head.

Both Mahan and Bron knew that while Lebel usually lived calmly, his persistence in what he wanted to do was exceptional.

“Do I look like I’d collapse from this?”

“No one can know that. Magic doesn’t work just because you want to use it. It consumes mana after all.”

‘I can use magic just by thinking I want to. I use demonic energy, not mana, so it doesn’t affect me at all.’

The servants gasped and looked at Lebel. Since Bron, a mage himself, worried so much, they began to worry.

“Young Madam, do you feel short of breath?”

“I’m sorry. It’s our fault. You don’t need to strain yourself to show us magic.”

“It’s not hard work.”

“Of course it is. I can’t believe your words anymore, Young Madam.”

Bron decided in his mind that Lebel had no sense of danger. Bron dismissed the others. Nearby, Karon shook himself after finally escaping everyone’s hands and started licking his fur.

“More importantly, where are you going?”

All of Yutis’s subordinates were fully armed.

“ Young Master Yutis is resting, but it doesn’t mean we can rest too.”

“Ah, an expedition.”

Like Edmund had gone on campaign, they seemed about to leave as well. They were Yutis’s direct subordinates, but also knights of this castle.

Without Yutis, who was their strongest force, it would be burdensome.

Bron noticed Lebel’s gaze and said, “We’re just going for a short patrol. We’ll be back when the snowstorm starts. None of us want to end up stranded.”

“I see.”

‘He knows the North better than I do, so he’ll handle it.’

Lebel thought for a moment, then gestured to Bron. When he beckoned him to come closer, Bron approached slowly.

“What is it?”

Without a word, Lebel touched the sword hanging at Bron’s side. No one else noticed what Lebel had done, but Bron, as a mage, realized it.

“This is… a protection spell…”

“You noticed. I cast a small protection spell. It’ll help.”

It was much stronger than the spell he had once cast on the hair he had given to the child in the territory. His control of demonic energy had improved since then.

“It’ll block a monster’s attack once.”

In fact, he had already placed several layers of protection spells on Yutis too.

‘Next time Father-in-law comes, I should cast one on him as well.’

When he thought about it, he realized he was the one who asked to keep Yutis by his side and then sent him off alone, yet he hadn’t thought to cast one on him then. He was strong since he carried demonic energy, but if he got hurt, it would bother him.

“If you get hurt, Yutis will blame himself for no reason. I’ll cast it on all of you, so come one by one.”

“What? Every one of us? That won’t be easy…”

When Bron hesitated, Lebel said firmly, “If I say I’ll do it, I’ll do it.”

[Yes, don’t argue with Lord Lebel! You should bow your heads in honor instead of refusing such glory!]

Karon barked fiercely, saying they should not reject such an honor. Among the hesitant knights, Theo stepped forward, bowed, and spoke.

“I’ll be in your care.”

Starting with Theo, each knight approached and received a protection spell. Lebel only touched their swords, so they couldn’t tell what had changed, but Bron, the mage, nervously watched Lebel.

“Young Madam, are you really fine? Haven’t you been using too much power since earlier?”

“This much is fine.”

“Even my master couldn’t do this much.”

A mage used mana to cast magic, and the amount of mana within the body had a limit. Casting protection spells on dozens of people was enough to worry anyone. It wasn’t a weak spell either.

But the difference between Lebel and ordinary mages was that for him, mana depletion didn’t exist.