NOVEL NEXT Chapter 6
Margaret, having stopped crying, began to assess the situation very calmly.
At first, she held resentment towards Jeongjae. Even though she had lived for over 400 years, she had never taken an interest in romantic feelings. Naturally, when she first developed a fondness for a man, her clumsiness, shaped by the years, was bound to show.
Moreover, she fundamentally had a commanding and stern tone. It wasn’t so much that she disliked fire; rather, it was more accurate to say she was highly cautious and vigilant about it.
As for Jeongjae, while he wasn’t entirely careless, he was still a beginner when it came to handling mana. So, when he worked with fire magic, there were times she had been a bit too strict, worried he might make a mistake.
In truth, when she didn’t know much about him, she had coldly judged him as being just like every other wizard.
Looking back, despite his magic being strong, his skills in actual combat were lacking, and he kept trying to rush into fights, which made her worry and often reprimanded him to fall back instead.
Ah, Margaret felt she might have been in the wrong. No matter how inexperienced she was in communicating with humans, upon further reflection, it was clear that she had been wrong.
How could a princess expect a man she treated like an unwanted subordinate, as one manages a very disliked follower, to recognize her fondness?
“Alright, I’ll start reflecting on this from now on and be kinder to that wizard…”
Huh? Margaret realized something was off and opened her clenched fist. After crying for 40 years, she was starting to lose her mind and felt she had forgotten something crucial.
Ah, right. That crazy plan. The suicidal bombing plan that the wizard, whom she had feelings for, had seemed so resolute about.
Being kind was secondary; preventing that proposal came first. Hadn’t she sworn to stop it and then rushed out right away?
“What should I do? What on earth can I do?”
The princess of Eramenia, still unable to think straight, held her head in her hands and paced in circles. Should she really barge in and burn that suspicious scroll in the university?
Or should she use mental manipulation magic to interfere with his memories until he forgot about that magic? No, that was not only unethical but also impossible. Naturally, Jeongjae, being a professional magician, was far superior to her in mental magic as well.
What if Jeongjae, having been rejected by her, secretively sought out another companion to cast the spell? Margaret thought of a list of characters Jeongjae would likely turn to for help. Colleagues from the magic faculty, beloved students, or companions within the hero party…
Companions from the hero party? That was it! What worried her even more was the possibility that if he requested help from a knight like Rose, who had a lack of mana-related knowledge, it could be easy to explain away the suicidal mission without revealing the crucial details.
Margaret, with her vast experience and basic knowledge, had merely deciphered the essence of a scroll that could not be executed without a life force conversion.
“I have to stop this immediately!”
Resolutely determined, Margaret rushed to the barracks that night to find Walter Hellhound and Rose Caprice.
She yelled at the princess to wake her up and bring her to her, and the frantic voice attempting to delay her mixed with guards waiting for the maid to arrive was loud enough to rouse Rose from her deep sleep.
As Rose emerged from the tent, rubbing her eyes while clad in light armor, Margaret clapped her hands.
“There comes the princess! You can step aside now. I said, step aside! I have matters to discuss with her!”
Even though her opponent was the princess of Eramenia, it was the protocol to not step aside until the princess herself gave permission. Nevertheless, having grasped the situation, Rose signaled the guard it was okay to leave since the noise from waking her could not be ignored.
The guard, looking as if he had aged ten years, fled the scene. For him, the situation of being caught between the princess and another princess was a disaster beyond comprehension.
“Oh, Margaret. What’s up so late? Is it urgent?”
“It’s very urgent.”
Only then did Rose recall the incident from that afternoon, where she had witnessed Margaret running off in tears. She quickly shook off her sleepiness and brightened her eyes, as if to show she was prepared for any shocking news.
“What’s going on?”
But Margaret’s words easily surpassed Rose’s expectations.
“Jeongjae… Jeongjae is going to commit suicide!”
“…Huh?”
Rose blinked blankly in place, while Margaret realized she had rushed the explanation too quickly, but in her flustered state, she couldn’t think of anything else to add, only waving her hands helplessly.
While the actions of a princess of high standing were comical, Rose was too shocked by what she just heard to even laugh.
“W-wait a minute, Margaret. Please explain properly. Take a deep breath, and follow me. Inhale, exhale…”
“Inhale, exhale…”
“Now explain.”
“Our party’s excellent mage Jeongjae has created a scroll to kill himself and shoved it in my face.”
“Sorry, it got a bit more specific, but I still don’t understand what you mean.”
The rapid progress was notable, but she still couldn’t grasp the meaning. What kind of idiot wizard makes a scroll for suicide? That can be solved with just a bundle of rope, no magic needed.
“So what I’m saying is…”
“Ah, I think I get it.”
The one who interjected into their comedic routine was the hero, Walter Hellhound, who appeared to be well-prepared with his spectacles. Walter squeezed between the two and gravely began to explain for Margaret.
“There’s no way he would want to die without reason; he’s created a magic scroll to achieve something tremendous at the cost of his life. Something like instantly killing a demon lord’s high-ranking officer, or summoning an ancient monster to terrify all. Am I correct, Princess Margaret?”
At Walter’s clear deduction, Margaret’s face brightened with joy.
“That’s it! But the content is a bit different. The magic he brought is a spell that causes a tremendous explosion. An explosion that has never existed before… If such an explosion were to occur, it would probably create a giant mushroom-shaped cloud. Simply put, in terms of destructive power, it could annihilate six or seven high-ranking demon lords along with millions of soldiers at once.”
“That madman.”
Walter muttered it reflexively. No one could argue that his words were excessive. It was madness. No matter how dire the situation, a Grand Mage sacrificing his life to create a scroll for a massive explosion? What on earth would he use that for?
“S-so, was he just making it? Did he plan to use it too?”
“He asked me to help activate it. He said that sacrificing his life should lead to a worthy outcome, and he needed my assistance for that.”
Margaret said this matter-of-factly, and Walter now understood why Margaret had been crying so desperately.
Walter made a displeased expression, growling softly.
“Selfish brat. How can he ask that of his teammates while being human?”
“Can it not be called selfish? Just… No, never mind.”
Rose responded to Walter’s words, shaking her head.
“That guy is our companion. He might still not be able to accept it internally, but I consider him a real friend.”
Rose’s thoughts mirrored Walter’s. In truth, all the party members could tell that, while their party appeared to be just fine on the surface, Jeongjae alone harbored an undeniable loneliness.
Park Jeongjae was an exceptionally good person. With a strong ethical standpoint, a smart brain, and a gentle personality; he was a talent that most people would feel fond of.
However, he had been rushed into military training in the Audrich Empire and thrown into the battlefield, and during that process, some parts of him had become broken.
He struggled to break free from his view of himself as a ‘tool.’ He seemed to be obsessively committed to some mission, believing that if he couldn’t accomplish that mission, he wouldn’t be valued by his companions.
It was not that he suffered from serious social maladjustment or low self-esteem. However, it was clear that Jeongjae did not recognize himself as a ‘companions who will love unconditionally,’ and this was the exact issue that had arisen.
“I think I messed up… I gave him the impression that I hated him. If I had just treated him a little better, maybe he would have noticed my feelings and would never…”
Margaret realized that she had accidentally revealed her special feelings for Jeongjae. The moment she blushed and covered her mouth, Rose couldn’t help but chuckle and waved towards Margaret.
“I know you like him. So there’s no use trying to hide it.”
“W-what! That’s true, but how did you know?”
“It’s obvious just by looking at you… Walter said so. I didn’t notice, sorry.”
“Isn’t it strange for you to notice?! I’ve never said it out loud!”
“Just because you never said it doesn’t mean I can’t pick up on it, Your Highness.”
Walter chimed in. The heavy atmosphere regarding Jeongjae’s suicidal attempt had lifted slightly, but the problem still remained.
What were they going to do about Park Jeongjae now?
“I’ll talk to him again. I’ll beat him up until he realizes how precious he is.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
Rose Caprice rolled her eyes as she spoke. Walter nodded in agreement with Rose’s opinion.
“Rather than that, Princess, both you and Jeongjae are not in your right minds right now. Talking to each other again in this state would have counterproductive effects. I’ll think for a bit…”
Walter adjusted his glasses and closed his eyes. With his eyes shut and concentrating, he seemed to lightly flinch a few times before slowly opening his eyes and taking off his glasses.
“Did you see something?”
Rose asked. Walter nodded.
“Lightly. I think I at least have a rough idea of how to tackle this situation.”
This was yet another reason Walter was called a sage. He was the best at utilizing “Harriet’s Glasses.” Harriet’s Glasses had the basic effect of enhancing the wearer’s observational power and cognitive abilities but had supernatural power in the hands of a skilled user, enabling them to glimpse into the future through rapid calculations.
While Walter usually handled issues with his own reasoning, in situations where answers were hard to find no matter what, he would exhaust his stamina to gather fragments of the future through the power of his glasses.
“What should I do? Should I break into the university now? That guy definitely has the original scroll stored in the vault! I’m sure of it!”
Margaret made a sharp deduction for someone in a confused situation. Walter mildly agreed with her suggestion but politely declined the idea of breaking in.
“Let’s calm down first, Princess. An aggressive approach isn’t good. Instead… I’d rather approach him directly for a conversation.”
“Eh? Would that be enough?”
Rose asked. Walter shrugged.
“Not every future is visible; it’s uncertain. But if there’s a distressed companion, as the party leader, it would be the most proper approach to at least consult with him first, wouldn’t it?”
“I guess that makes sense…”
Rose nodded. Nonetheless, Margaret was still restless and paced back and forth.
“But what if he’s already preparing to activate that magic somewhere?”
“It won’t be easily activated. Don’t worry. And over this matter, I swear by the name of Walter Hellhound, I will surely stop it. Don’t worry too much and try to get some sleep.”
The hero declared firmly. Only then did Margaret manage to calm down a little, lightly greet the two, and head back. A short while later, Jeongjae found himself arrested by Bernard, under Walter’s orders, and was being escorted in front of Walter Hellhound.