Male Lead, Don’t Follow Me! - Chapter 26

***

Something felt off. Not only did she comply with his words so easily, but given her personality, it was obvious she would be thinking something else behind her apparent obedience.

Bishwaltz recalled Kiara trying to back out. Anyone could see she had no interest in him at all.

Even though her true feelings were evident in her eyes, she brazenly lied in front of him, claiming she was interested.

Of course, knowing his secret that no one else knew was enough to attract attention.

“It’s really strange.”

She wasn’t attractive in any way. So why did she keep bothering him? Above all, he was curious about how she knew so much about him.

She’s too clumsy to be a spy, isn’t she?

It was very unfortunate that she was caught by him, but he had no intention of letting her go.

He could predict how Serhin would react when he found out she was going to the provinces with him, but he had no intention of changing his mind.

She always seemed to tremble at the sight of him, so why did she act like she knew everything?

Even while shaking in fear, she said everything she wanted to say.

“The way she trembles, it’s just like…”

She was like a herbivore trapped in fear before being eaten by a larger beast. Is that why she couldn’t take her eyes off him during the investigation?

Bishwaltz’s mind was strangely filled with thoughts of Kiara Lowell.

Even when he tried to clear his mind and focus on work, he couldn’t concentrate.

She wasn’t the type to quietly follow his words, so it was obvious that something would happen tomorrow.

“Well, this is exciting.”

But that’s what made him even more thrilled.

It was suspicious from the moment she eagerly accepted the card he presented. Not that it mattered. She would be in his grasp anyway.

Kiara Lowell.

She must not have realized what kind of person he was yet.

He was more persistent than others and never let go of what he had caught.

It meant he wasn’t generous enough to give away what had fallen into his hands to someone else.

“I suppose I should keep her on my side.”

Her weakness, and the one person she reacts sensitively to.

Ephelia Kirin. A woman who captivates everyone’s attention with her outstanding abilities among spirit mages. Moreover, her perfect appearance made many secretly admire her.

The pink rabbit stuck to her side like gum didn’t seem to have received anyone’s attention before, but now things would be different.

Once the rumor spread that she was Bishwaltz’s hidden woman, it was natural for everyone’s attention to shift to Kiara Lowell.

“Now, what will you do?”

Bishwaltz smiled as if he had discovered quite an enjoyable entertainment after a long time.

Truly interesting things were happening, weren’t they?

‘Ah, I think I understand why Serhin took a liking to her.’

She was a woman who brought excitement to a boring life.

Since she reacted to matters concerning Ephelia Kirin, it was clear she would come to him if he stirred things up a little.

He continued to smile as he read through the documents about Ephelia Kirin. He was so excited about tomorrow that he could hardly sleep.

“Your Grace, Lord Serhin has arrived.”

“Tell him I’m busy.”

“He says he’ll wait…”

The servant looked at Bishwaltz with a troubled expression. The atmosphere between the two, who had always been on good terms, was strange. It seemed they had quarreled.

“I know it’s not my place to say, but wouldn’t it be better to talk to him?”

“Was he ever a person one could reason with?”

“…Well, that’s not entirely true.”

The servant felt a thirst at Bishwaltz’s chilling voice.

In the end, he opened the door to refuse, but Serhin, who should have been in front of the door, was nowhere to be seen.

“It seems he left on his own.”

Bishwaltz turned his gaze to the window as he looked at the empty doorway.

He had told him to use the door, but it seems he came in and left through somewhere else again today.

The reason he came today was probably to talk about Kiara.

However, Bishwaltz didn’t want to share any information about Kiara.

“Interesting, I wonder how he’ll react.”

The corner of Bishwaltz’s mouth curved up crookedly.

***

He boarded the carriage in the morning and headed for the Kaibern region.

He thought it would be better to go and see for himself, as she wouldn’t be waiting for him at her house anyway.

However, when he arrived in the Kaibern region, he wore an expression as if he had been hit on the back of the head.

“Spirit Mages Ephelia Kirin and Kiara Lowell have not arrived here.”

She wasn’t there, even though he had thought she would certainly be.

Bishwaltz doubted his ears.

“Did you say they didn’t come here?”

“Yes. We received the documents and waited, but we got a separate message midway.”

The spirit mage of the Kaibern region shrugged. They had been waiting for them, but since they didn’t come, they were about to send a message.

Fortunately, they received a message first and understood the situation.

Bishwaltz’s face in front of him subtly crumpled. Nevertheless, the corners of his mouth curled up in a crescent, as if something was so amusing.

“May I see what was written?”

“Ah, that’s not possible. It burst into flames and disappeared the moment it was read.”

The spirit mage marveled, saying he had never seen such magic before.

It seems that the woman has obtained another interesting item.

‘Relying on other things rather than her own power, huh.’

It was a train of thought unbecoming of a spirit mage, but not bad. It made things more interesting because it was unpredictable.

“Will you be going somewhere else?”

“No. I had business here, so it’s fine if I stay for a while.”

“Do you know where they went…?”

The startled spirit mage asked Bishwaltz.

‘How did he immediately realize it when even I don’t know the location?’

It only said they would stop by somewhere else before coming, with no other details.

They just kept quiet because there was a request not to say anything else to Duke Bishwaltz who would come here.

“I don’t know. I’m just guessing.”

Bishwaltz sat at the table and looked at the spirit mage.

“Well then, shall we deal with the urgent matters first? I’ve heard about it through a separate letter.”

“Ah! Please wait a moment.”

The spirit mage hurriedly pulled out sealed documents from the drawer.

Unlike before, Bishwaltz read through them with a rather serious face.

‘The things happening around here are quite strange. Though sporadic, the intervals are getting shorter and shorter.’

They didn’t see any magical beasts in the forbidden forest, but strange things started happening around after that unusual light.

The Imperial family secretly requested an investigation, and the Kaibern region also reported consecutive occurrences of this light power.

“I understand a similar incident happened once in the capital as well.”

“Ah yes, nothing has happened since that day, but we’re still keeping watch. Do you know what the light looked like?”

“When the spirit mages arrived, they said a single beam of light was shooting up towards the sky.”

“Were there any other peculiarities?”

“Well… Strangely, when spirit mages got close to the light, their powers weakened. As if their strength was being drained.”

The spirit mage shuddered as he recalled that day.

A feeling of helplessness and nausea swept over the entire body. They thought it was a beautiful and sacred power, but when they actually touched it, it had the opposite properties.

“I’ve never seen anything like it before.”

“Does the magic tower know about this as well?”

Bishwaltz thought of Serhin. If the situation was this serious, there’s no way he wouldn’t know.

Although they had been friends for a lifetime, he couldn’t read his mind.

“The magic tower said they would send an investigation team, but we’re still coordinating schedules as the timing didn’t work out.”

“Are the spirit mages who were affected alright?”

“Fortunately, they still have their powers, but it seems some are experiencing side effects like difficulty in summoning spirits.”

The spirit mage furrowed his brow, recalling the spirits being sucked into the pillar while emitting beautiful light.

Their pain was palpable, like a nightmare.

“It seems… someone might be using black magic.”

“…But that should have been extinct long ago.”

Bishwaltz felt he needed to see the place where the light pillar had appeared with his own eyes.

“I should go there.”

“I’ll accompany you. It’s dangerous to go alone.”

“Then I’ll be in your care. I might need to prepare a report to send to the Imperial family, so it could take quite a while.”

“On the contrary, I’m grateful for your help.”

The spirit mage stopped abruptly while guiding Bishwaltz.

“Ah, there’s a skilled child here, it might be good to take her along.”

He immediately called for his disciple.

“Call Helia. She knows the situation well from that time, so she might be helpful.”

“Ah, Helia has gone somewhere else right now.”

The spirit mage tilted his head at his disciple’s words.

He hadn’t given such an order, did she act on her own?

“I haven’t heard any report about this.”

“She said it was urgent and that she’d report as soon as she returned.”

“Is that so? Can’t be helped then.”

Bishwaltz quietly observed the two and then looked at his watch. Quite some time had passed, and they weren’t in a situation where they could wait for anyone.

“It doesn’t matter, let’s go ahead first.”

“Yes, I think we should.”

The spirit mage quickly turned his head to look at Helia’s room for a moment.

‘She probably hasn’t fully recovered yet.’

He couldn’t help but worry. She was his cherished disciple and as talented as Ephelia in the capital.

She had been quite shocked by the incident that day and hadn’t come out of her room for days.

‘In a way, it might be fortunate.’

Seeing her slowly coming out, it seemed her trauma was getting better.

Thinking he could ask her when they returned, the spirit mage immediately followed Bishwaltz.