Chapter 4 – Part 7

Whether black hair was common in this world or not, Troy Marsden was definitely a standout.

Not only was he impressively tall, like a tree with a history of five thousand years, but he also exuded an aura distinctly different from small fries like Harry Palmer.

It made one envious as a person. With that face and that height, life must be easier. It’s a pathetic inferiority complex, really.

“Did you sleep well, Buddy?”

Even dressed in simple riding clothes, he looked quite handsome. Wearing only pants, a white shirt, and a coat, he still drew more attention than the dashing Gael Abyss.

“Do you think I slept well?”

Thinking it would be unnatural to act nonchalant, Olivia answered honestly. Marsden’s gaze lingered near Olivia’s neck.

“…The wound.”

Olivia turned her head away from his concerned eyes.

“It wasn’t a serious wound to begin with. There was no need to overreact.”

Of course, she had tried, knowing he would overreact. Though she hadn’t expected him to show such extreme emotions,.

“You might not remember, but in class, I didn’t even like you holding a ruler.”

“You mean because it’s sharp?”

“You could get cut.”

Wow. Olivia openly stuck out her tongue.

“And how did you watch me go off to war?”

“I wonder that myself. How did I endure it?”

Marsden’s deep eyes made Olivia feel troubled in various ways. The air felt strange, so she clasped her hands behind her back.

“Ahem, anyway, you need to learn to be more considerate. I didn’t expect you to come so early in the morning.”

“Yeah, I told you yesterday, I’ve given up on consideration, Buddy.”

A faint twitch appeared on Olivia’s cheek. This guy was subtly mimicking her way of speaking.

“I’ll say it again: I can’t allow you to mess with my prisoners. Only I can punish those who…”

“Buddy.”

Marsden spoke warmly, handing his reins to the escort knight. Then he approached her more closely.

This feels serious. Olivia tried not to shrink back. ‘Don’t flinch. Don’t flinch!’

“What?”

“‘My’ is a possessive pronoun used with the determiner ‘of,’ usually indicating possession. When you say ‘my prisoner,’ it sounds like you own the prisoner. It doesn’t sound very nice. My ears take it that way, but if you insist on saying it, who am I to argue? However, I’d prefer if you didn’t refer to Harry Palmer as ‘my prisoner.’ Can you do that?”

‘This is a crazy bastard.’

Olivia pressed her forehead. She wanted another iced Americano, but could she leave him here and go back inside?

“You know what, Mas? You really make people tired, especially in the morning.”

“Whenever you curse me, please add ‘my’ in front. My nuisance, my madman, my future prisoner…”

“Okay, just be quiet, ‘my’ Mas!”

She intended to mock him by adding ‘my,’ but the surroundings fell silent instantly. Feeling the sudden stillness, Olivia glanced around. It seemed everyone misunderstood her intention.

Cold sweat broke out. ‘No, that’s not what I meant!’ Just as Olivia was about to explain, Marsden spoke first.

“I like it, actually.”

“No, I mean…”

“Maybe it’s because it’s a nickname you gave me.”

This man kept leaving her speechless.

Nickname. Did he gift her the nickname ‘Buddy’ too? If so, that meant they had exchanged nicknames.

An unusual relationship for a mere teacher and student.

“Let’s go. Idle chatter only tires the mind further.”

Olivia turned around and mounted the horse brought by the knight.

Olivia’s obsession with Marsden grew stronger as she became more convinced of his innocence. Understanding and empathizing with the original Olivia, who had once loved this man, left her in a difficult position.

The morning wind was cold. Even while riding, Olivia found herself worried about whether Marsden was dressed warmly enough.

***

When Olivia bought a rundown building from Roderick, she gave specific instructions: no one should get hurt in a collapse, but don’t clean it up.

Criminals were one thing, but the guards couldn’t be harmed. Olivia meticulously ensured the prison’s safety.

Everything else didn’t matter! Should criminals have more rights than good people? Olivia believed that those who committed crimes should suffer more.

“Hello, 127.”

“Ahhh!”

A mere knock on the cell bars made 127 jump and cower in the corner. Olivia smiled and moved on.

“As you can see, the conditions aren’t great. That was intentional.”

“Just having all their limbs intact is already a mercy, Buddy.”

Despite the playful tone, Marsden seemed sincere. Olivia continued showing him the prison, pretending not to notice.

“This floor houses those who embezzled taxes and exploited the townsfolk. We confiscated their assets and redistributed them to the victims, which is quite exhausting.”

“I overheard them talking fondly about you. They said they could live off what you gave them for decades.”

How did he hear that? Olivia felt embarrassed and scratched her chin.

“I don’t intend to be a saint. I just don’t want the scumbags here to be happy.”

“Sure, whatever you say.”

Marsden laughed, and Olivia glared at him. He moved closer, grinning.

“How does it feel to become more popular every day, Marchioness?”

Feeling bone-deep fatigue, Olivia rubbed her dark circles.

“That’s enough sightseeing.”

“Hm? But we haven’t seen ‘our Harry’ yet.”

Where did he hear that?

Olivia tried to recall if she had ever referred to Harry as ‘our Harry’ in front of Marsden. She couldn’t remember.

“Who knows what I’d cut off if I saw him? Let’s go check the prisoners’ belongings instead. That’s our main goal here, right?”

She reminded him of their real purpose.

She had brought him here not just because of fleeting emotions. Marsden, known for his expertise in magic, was crucial in identifying related evidence. She couldn’t leave Harry Palmer’s curse unbroken. After his downfall, Harry refused to explain how he cast his spells. Olivia needed to use Marsden’s knowledge more.

Besides, the mastermind behind the bomb theft hasn’t been fully revealed yet. There was much to do regarding Harry’s curse and other tasks in the prison.

“So, earn your keep. Not just anyone gets brought here.”

“I’ll do more than that. Do you need more land, Buddy?”

“Forget the land… there is something I need.”

Olivia, now able to dismiss Marsden’s nonsense, fell into thought.

“What is it? Is it a person or an item? I hope it’s me.”

Marsden quickened his pace to catch a glimpse of Olivia’s face, but she remained silent.

Hopefully, she wasn’t about to ask him to leave the country or something. That would be problematic. Curious but patient, Marsden waited for her answer.

They arrived at the storage room, which held the prisoners’ belongings.

“Can you promise not to get angry?”

Was she about to ask him to leave? Marsden nodded. If she did, he would just change his nationality and stay close. He was determined.

“Gael Abyss.”

Thump… thump…

Marsden felt the ground shake, but the world remained silent.

“I need Gael Abyss. If I say I need him, can you help me?”

***

A name held power. Whether one had a surname or not, and what story the surname carried, the meaning of a name mattered.

Nicknames, however, were a clear sign of a relationship. They were a kind of vanity, boasting how close two people were.

Many desired to call him by a nickname.

“I can’t allow you to call me by a nickname.”

“Why not?”

“Because the intent seems highly impure.”

Marsden was already weary of the hypocritical pretenses of people, and explaining things to a young apprentice felt like a chore. He didn’t want to see such falsehood in his young apprentice.

“Well then, Mas!”

“What?”

“How about calling you Mas? I won’t do it in front of others. Can’t you allow it, teacher?”

Despite being hesitant, Olivia’s attitude was oddly confident. She was far from the typical intimidated successor.

Meeting her guardian for the first time, Olivia was remarkably composed. Her curious eyes captivated Marsden, making him feel a genuine desire to protect her.

That’s why, when he heard those words years later, Marsden felt nothing but intense revulsion.

“After years on some mission, you come back and now cling to Liv?”

When Marsden returned after a major purge of sorcerers, much had changed. Gael Abyss was calling Olivia by a nickname.

‘Liv.’ Marsden’s mind seethed. Hearing someone else use a different term of endearment for Olivia ignited his possessiveness. It felt like an invasion of his world.

“You should know Liv loves me. You’re too late, Duke.”

“Don’t talk nonsense.”

“We’re engaged. We even set a date.”

No. The ground beneath Marsden seemed to shake. No other man. No one else…

“You acted as if I embarrassed you.”

“I never did.”

“Yes, you did, teacher.”

‘You did.’

The arrogance of thinking she could wait. The presumption that harsh words would be understood. Those emotions shattered Marsden’s world.