The Arranged Suitor Was the Kidnapper

‘But I didn’t create this barrier…’

Puzzled by this inexplicable occurrence, Laria pondered various hypotheses.

She then recalled her previous speculation – that the white fox sorcerer who erected the barrier had also crafted the fox orb, which she had swallowed.

If she now shared that sorcerer’s magic power, then the barrier’s reaction…

While not definitive, it seemed the most plausible explanation.

“Lady Rohan!”

Having arrived at the main palace, Laria encountered Ishel, who had come out to welcome her.

As Laria prepared to offer her courtesies, Ishel waved her off.

“There’s no need for such formalities.”

Yet she could hardly behave too casually, given the presence of others.

She too had a social reputation to maintain.

“Are you feeling well?”

“It was merely a brief faint. Thank you for your concern.”

“Well, that is a relief.”

Nodding emphatically, Ishel seamlessly transitioned.

“I thoroughly enjoyed spectating the duel. Did you see me cheering you on?”

“Ah, no, I didn’t.”

She had been too preoccupied to spare him a glance.

“I even made a banner and everything…”

Laria inwardly mused that it was fortuitous he had gone unseen.

Engaged in their inconsequential banter, the pair made their way into the audience chamber.

“The palace sorcerers absolutely adore you, young lady. News of your visit today has caused quite a stir.”

“…Me?”

Bewildered, Laria tilted her head in confusion, prompting Ishel’s explanation.

“Their relations with the Sorcery Office sorcerers are rather strained, you see.”

Only then did Laria recall a fact she had overlooked.

Exceptionally talented sorcerers could pursue one of two paths:

Enlisting in the Sorcery Office or joining the Imperial Palace.

Those who chose neither were often regarded as eccentrics devoid of ambition for power or wealth.

This divergence had fostered an intense rivalry akin to sworn enemies between the Sorcery Office and imperial palace sorcerers.

Their contention stemmed from trivial reasons – believing themselves superior to the other.

Regardless, hailing from distinct institutions, their paths rarely crossed.

Yet on the infrequent occasions they convened, they wasted no time engaging in comparisons and disputes over which group excelled.

In recent times, the Sorcery Office’s ranks had swelled, granting them a formidable numerical advantage. As a result, their arrogance knew no bounds.

Amidst this backdrop, Laria had defeated the very head of the Sorcery Office.

Naturally, the palace sorcerers couldn’t help but favor her.

After enthusiastically chattering, Ishel slyly broached his true motive.

“So, any thoughts on taking up employment as an imperial palace sorcerer, in that sense…?”

“I have to decline.”

“Why? The compensation is quite generous!”

Without a moment’s hesitation, Laria flatly refused.

She had witnessed Herdin’s daily laments about not wanting to commute to work just that morning.

Her family would undoubtedly dissuade her from such employment as well.

If she required funds, she could always accept commissions through Solike’s information network.

She wished to retain her current freedom to pursue her desired research endeavors.

‘Am I being too thoughtless?’

A fleeting notion crossed her mind. Would Zenox deem her frivolous?

Then again, had she not once viewed his daily presence at the estate and wondered if he was simply unemployed?

Of course, being a Grand Duke was akin to a lifelong occupation in itself.

“I’ll think about it a little.”

Shifting her stance, Laria’s reply brought a satisfied smile to Ishel’s face.

His gaze then fell upon the ring adorning her finger.

“Incidentally, does this mean you and Zenox have reconciled?”

Flustered, Laria averted her eyes before nodding slowly in affirmation.

“Back then… there had been a slight misunderstanding between us.”

She added that they had since resolved their issues.

“That’s a relief. I was so worried you two had parted ways because of me.”

Laria silently studied the unaffectedly cheerful Ishel.

His guileless nature was both endearing yet exasperating…

Nevertheless, this incident had cleared her misconceptions about him.

She had initially perceived him as a cunning schemer concealing ulterior motives beneath his carefree exterior. Yet he had simply taken Zenox’s falsehood about courting her at face value and sincerely striven to facilitate their union.

The true, innocent victims of this affair had been Ishel and the Emperor himself.

And she had relentlessly vilified Ishel, unaware of the truth.

Reflecting now, her demeanor had been unforgivably disrespectful, yet Ishel had never once reproached or shown displeasure toward her.

“My apologies.”

Startled by Laria’s apology, Ishel nearly fell from his chair.

“Has Herdin finally resolved to poison me?”

Though bewildered by his reaction, her past transgressions rendered her speechless.

“No, I had simply misunderstood you until now.”

“Misunderstood?”

Laria had believed Ishel aimed to forcibly wed her and Zenox in pursuit of unity between the Fox and Wolf clans. The Emperor had chosen the Rohan family as Zenox’s in-laws to curb his growing influence.

Now enlightened, she realized both of them had acted out of genuine concern and goodwill toward Zenox.

‘Does Zenox truly possess such admirable character…?’

To shamelessly deceive and manipulate the Emperor and Crown Prince for his own ends…

For a fleeting moment, she doubted if such a man deserved her affections.

Yet her fondness for Zenox remained undiminished, suggesting she too had erred.

Having heard Laria’s full explanation, Ishel’s jaw dropped in disbelief.

“Wow… Zenox really did paint me as the villain of the century, didn’t he?”

Ishel unleashed a torrent of curses against Zenox.

Ordinarily, Laria would have defended him, but Zenox’s wrongdoing was indisputable.

Only after thoroughly venting did Ishel exhale a long, cathartic sigh.

“Alright, I’m good now.”

“…Are you certain that suffices?”

Ishel solemnly countered Laria’s query.

“Did you witness Zenox shattering the barrier you erected at the dueling grounds with his sword aura?”

“I didn’t get a clear look.”

“Well, I nearly soiled myself thinking, ‘If this brat so much as fidgets, I’m demolishing it too.'”

Ishel had simply been terrified.

Laria studied him with a wry gaze.

So this was why Zenox could so easily deceive him.

“By the way, are you truly alright with this?”

From Laria’s perspective, she had been abruptly commanded to marry, essentially.

Moreover, now that Zenox’s deception had been exposed, Ishel must have found their continued courtship perplexing.

“I’m alright with it.”

For the first time, Laria voiced the earnest sentiments she could never confide even to Zenox himself.

“Because I care for Zenox.”

Ishel’s eyes gradually widened in surprise before settling into a warm, contented smile.

“That’s a relief. I was worried Zenox might have been coercing you in some way!”

Though his remark betrayed a complete lack of faith in Zenox, it was a well-deserved consequence.

As their conversation concluded, Laria recalled the matter she had intended to broach.

“There is one request I would like to make.”

“What is it?”

“I wish to learn about the sorcerer who cast the Imperial Palace barrier. If it wouldn’t be too presumptuous, I’d like to search the palace library for any relevant materials…”

Ishel momentarily hesitated, his demeanor suggesting familiarity with the subject, prompting Laria’s heightened attentiveness.

Abruptly adopting an uncharacteristic solemnity, devoid of his usual levity, Ishel stated:

“That is, in fact, the very reason I have summoned you here today.”

Blinking in surprise at his unanticipated response, Laria remained silent.

“You see, I had a prophetic dream this morning.”

Ishel ran his fingers through his hair, revealing the telltale protruding horn amidst his tresses.

The Golden Elk clan occasionally experienced prophetic visions, accompanied by the growth of their horns.

Ishel had previously dreamt of Zenox embracing the white fox, though that vision had yet to manifest.

“Your inquiry about the barrier seems to suggest this was meant to be.”

Rising from his seat, Ishel gestured for Laria to follow as he led the way.

Exiting the main palace, the pair boarded a carriage bound for one of the outer palaces.

Amidst the numerous auxiliary palaces within the Imperial grounds, one structure drew particular distinction.

In contrast to the predominant marble architecture, this edifice was constructed entirely of wood, exuding an altogether different ambiance.

The moment Laria stepped inside, she froze in her tracks.

The very building itself housed a vast spell circle.

Unlike the overwhelming menace of Ort’s circle, this formation exuded a breathtaking, expansive grandeur on an entirely different scale.

“This is the sole location within the palace grounds where magic can be employed.”

Heeding Ishel’s explanation, Laria ventured further inward.

After traversing an extensive corridor, Ishel halted before a door secluded in the innermost recesses.

“According to my findings, this was the sorcerer’s chamber – the one who cast the Imperial Palace barrier.”

Laria’s heart raced at his words.

Could she finally uncover clues about the fox orb?

“However, this door has remained sealed for centuries, impervious to all physical and magical attempts at entry.”

Ishel added that it had simply been abandoned, untouched.

“In my dream, I saw you reaching out to open this door.”

He shrugged, admitting he hadn’t witnessed the actual opening.

Laria studied the door intently.

An utterly ordinary door, its simple handle suggesting it could be easily opened by turning the knob.

Entranced, Laria extended her hand toward the door.

In that instant, a gust of wind whipped through the corridor, causing her hair to billow wildly.

As if locating the perfect key, the components seamlessly interlocked with an audible click…

And the door swung open.