Chapter 15

Chapter 15: Just Do What You’re Good At

Jed glanced sideways at Ferda.

The unfaithful servant Ferda had brought up was undeniably the petite girl walking a step behind him. Living by instinct and razor-sharp awareness, Jed could read hostile intent with total clarity.

No matter how I look at this, that murderous glare is directed at her own master, not at me…

His assessment was completely accurate. Ruri was silently fuming over the outrageous amount of money Ferda had just thrown away. While the sum was nothing compared to the boundless treasury of Valdrova, it was an astronomical fortune for a single individual to blow through in one sitting—especially in an establishment in Halim. It was definitely not pocket change one should casually discard at a gaming table.

Yet Ferda had tossed it aside without batting an eye.

Oblivious to the strange tension between master and servant, Jed remained bewildered.

“…Very well.”

The blade in Jed’s palm twirled cleanly before vanishing into his rear pocket.

“Let us talk. Say what you came to say.”

“A casino hall is hardly the place for private matters. Let us find somewhere quieter.”

“Come with me.”

Jed led the way to his private quarters—the premier luxury suite of the casino’s grand hotel. In spite of the extravagant interior, the bottle he set on the table held cheap, unrefined rum.

“My personal preference. I doubt a fine young aristocrat would care for it, but would you like a glass?”

Ferda shook his head in refusal. “I do not partake in alcohol.”

“A practitioner of magic who shuns the bottle?”

“It is because of my craft that I avoid it.”

“A mage who refuses a drink? Truly an oddity.”

For spellcasters, whose days were consumed by taxing mental calculations and severe focus, wine and female company were customary escapes. Ferda, having spent his entire existence charging forward without pause, had never developed the habit, and staying sober had become second nature.

“Tell me… where did you uncover that name?”

“I merely stumbled upon it during my inquiries.”

“And who provided that intelligence?”

The informant had been Jed himself, decades ahead in an unwritten timeline. Knowing Jed would dismiss the literal truth, Ferda chose ambiguity.

“There is no purpose in discussing the source. What matters is that I know.”

“If you intended to play games with me,” Jed whispered, his tone chilling, “perhaps I should have simply slit your throat, regardless of the consequences.”

“I am not playing games. I know the entirety of your affairs. You have been extracting coin from wealthy widows and gullible nobles alike, slowly building capital to claw your way into the upper nobility, have you not?”

“All because you require aristocratic connections to track down your younger sister, Emilia.”

Jed, accustomed to keeping an unreadable poker face, stared blankly, yet his fingers shook. Ferda had not spoken with speculation; his voice carried unyielding conviction. That certainty had struck Jed’s deepest secret with flawless precision.

“Remarkable. You are not even using a spell, yet it feels as if my mind is laid bare before you…”

“It requires little imagination. I harbored identical ambitions once.”

It was a dream Ferda had cherished when he was first cast out into the cold: to rise above the Rosnova family and force them to bow before him. Back then, in his youthful folly, he had sworn to make them confess their sins.

Even though I utterly failed in the end.

Ferda had been cast out by the Magic Society due to his Red Circle. Jed had failed to enter high society because his scandalous reputation as a wealthy widow’s kept companion had left an indelible stain upon his name.

“I can offer you that ladder.”

“An inexperienced greenhorn noble like you?” Jed scoffed.

“Green nobles.” Even when gifted enough to draw eyes, young aristocrats walked a tightrope where a single misstep meant being branded a traitor. The fewer one’s allies and the younger one’s age, the more ruthless survival became. For someone of Ferda’s youth, standing in high society should have been as fragile as an ember in a gale.

Yet Ferda was anything but an ordinary nobleman. Above all else, he was the chosen consort of the Archduchess.

“Allow me to state my identity clearly. My name is Ferda. I am the sole consort of Archduchess Elisabeth of Valdrova.”

“Consort… You mean the madman who claimed the Archduchess’s hand…?”

“I am indeed that madman.”

“…Are you serious?”

Jed’s jaw dropped in genuine shock, his composure crumbling into embarrassed disbelief.

“Damn it all. If such massive news broke, it should have reached my ears… I suppose holing up in this casino truly isolates a man from the world.” He quickly covered his blunder before pivoting. “Regardless, if you are truly the spouse of Valdrova… even if the world sneers and calls you a kept pet, your authority is immense, is it not?”

“It is. You will gain access to the very aristocratic circles you have risked your life to infiltrate.”

Jed looked up from the table, locking eyes with Ferda. “What are your demands?”

Ferda extended his hand toward Ruri. Just as he had done with Burnell, he presented an official letter of appointment.

“Use your particular set of talents in service under my command.”

“What sort of duties?”

“From trivial errands to critical assignments. Rest assured, I will never demand anything beyond your abilities.”

Jed mulled over the proposal before muttering, “…So, you want me as an errand boy?”

“An attendant.”

“A polished title for a common lackey.”

“The choice is yours. Will you be a lackey with entry into high society, or remain a mocked outsider laughed at as a vulgar swindler?”

Ferda’s blunt assessment struck true. Was it better to remain a disgraced playboy viewed as garbage, or take up a legitimate position with actual power, however strenuous? Jed calculated the risks.

“If I turn you down… will you hand me over to the authorities?”

Ferda tilted his head slightly. “What benefit would that bring me?”

“You are a spellcaster, and my blood belongs to the Red Eye Tribe. Our kind is supposed to be extinct. Wouldn’t capturing me bring you prestige?”

A race naturally blessed with the innate trait to dispel magic. Mages and the Red Eye Tribe were eternal adversaries, like hounds and foxes.

“I see no profit in such an act.”

“When my people were slaughtered, I heard the mages rejoiced for days on end. Do you claim to be different?”

“That is an absurd notion. Cowering because one’s magic proves useless against a foe is no different than an infant trembling under bedsheets from fear of phantoms. Anyone harboring such dread is a fool.”

This man is incomprehensible.

Normally, youth paired with authority produced either blind arrogance or unearned vanity. But Ferda carried none of that childish swagger. He treated Jed not with the bravado of an upstart, but with the measured coldness of a veteran aristocrat who had conquered the political board.

Perhaps he truly holds the means to grant my wish…

The sheer certainty Ferda projected began to chip away at Jed’s chronic distrust.

“Ah, damn it all.” Jed ruffled his hair roughly. “Is this what signing away one’s soul feels like? It leaves a sour taste in my mouth, yet the offer is impossible to refuse.”

After a tense pause, Jed tapped his finger against the parchment.

“Very well. I accept, my lord. But I have two conditions. Surely that is reasonable?”

“State them. I will include them right now.” Ferda drew an ink pen from his coat.

Jed raised two fingers. “First, ensure I am adequately paid according to the difficulty of each task. Whatever the goal, I require solid coin to move.”

“Agreed. You will receive proper remuneration.”

“Second, if I suspect you are setting me up or using me as disposable bait, I walk immediately. Do we have an understanding?”

“Understood. I have no desire to trick or discard you. Are these all your terms?”

“For now, yes.”

In truth, Jed had considered demanding the contract terminate the moment his sister was recovered. However, committing that to writing might create unintended constraints and delay his search. He chose to hold back.

“Since we are outlining the terms, allow me to add one detail.” Ferda uncapped his pen and wrote across the open margin of the appointment paper. “Our arrangement shall naturally conclude the day you locate your younger sister.”

Jed’s eyes widened in disbelief. “…You would grant that so freely?”

“Once she is safely in your care, your obligations end. What you do afterward will be your own decision.”

The terms were remarkably clean and entirely devoid of greed. Jed stood dumbfounded that Ferda had voluntarily inserted the very restriction Jed had held back from requesting.

Who in the world is this noble?

Jed’s bewilderment deepened. No matter what angle Jed tested, Ferda remained entirely unshakeable, treating the entire scenario as a foregone conclusion. He possessed the icy poise of a statesman who had survived countless ruthless intrigues.

It unnerves me that he knows of Emilia…

Yet at the same time, this man was the only person who possessed that knowledge and held the power to help. Regardless of martial or magical strength, his backing was unquestionable.

“Understood, my lord. Or rather, I shall obey your orders, sir.” Acknowledging his new role, Jed adopted respectful phrasing.

The agreement was settled.

Ferda’s reasoning for the clause was straightforward. Forcing someone into servitude against their will was useless. He needed Jed’s unique gifts, not an unwilling slave. Furthermore, attempting to trap him was futile; Jed was a master escape artist who had broken out of the realm’s most fortified dungeons.

Besides… locating her will not mark the end of the struggle.

Ferda watched Jed slide the document into his coat, then spoke. “In that case, your initial assignment begins immediately.”

“Already?”

“I would like you to fulfill a task utilizing the funds you just claimed.”

“Did I not win that coin fair and square?”

“That purse was originally meant to fund your hiring commission. Did I not whisper the winning play just as you were about to throw your hand away? It serves both our interests to treat that sum as your advance.”

“I suppose considering the first job ‘prepaid’ is fair enough. What is the assignment?”

“Something well within your talents.” Ferda pointed toward the roster Ruri held.

—Echidna Philias.

“Simply do what you do best.”

With their transaction complete, the carriage departed Halim at a rapid pace. Unlike their previous journey, Jed now occupied a seat among them.

“As expected of the carriage belonging to the Archduchess’s consort, the ride is exceptionally smooth. The cabin is grand, and even along these unpaved trails, there isn’t the slightest jolt.”

“And it comes attended by such a petite, charming maid.” Jed flashed a practiced grin, effortlessly steering his charm toward Ruri. He shifted closer, resting his forearm near her seat with the polished flair of an experienced rogue. “We have yet to properly greet one another. May I know the name of this lovely young lady?”

“Allow me to introduce myself properly.”

In place of words, Ruri unleashed the crushing weight of Dragon Fear.

“Ugh!”

Jed gasped, recoiling violently as his hands flew to his chest. Even with his Red Eye lineage, Jed possessed a mortal heart, leaving him entirely vulnerable to the primal terror commanded by high dragons.

“Haa… haa… Wh-what in the world… A dragon?!”

“I had no idea Dragon Spawn could manifest authentic Dragon Fear… yet she lacks both horns and a tail.”

“It merely indicates she is an exceptionally high-ranking Dragon Spawn,” Ferda remarked casually.

I took her for a regular demi-human…

A sudden chill ran down Jed’s spine as he recalled drawing a blade near Ferda earlier. Had he made a hostile move, this girl would have ripped him apart on the spot. He pulled at his collar, desperately trying to cool the cold sweat drenching his back. Ruri gave Jed a look of cold contempt before snapping back into her prim, composed posture.

“Pay her no mind. Though she has a sharp temper, she calms down instantly if you offer her food.”

“Who are you calling bad-tempered?!”

Ferda gave an agreeable nod. “True enough. Rather than fierce, you resemble an agitated hound.”

“Excuse me? Are you mocking me again?”

“It is high praise. I am told there exists a tiny yet excessively ferocious breed called a Chihuahua. It captures your essence entirely.”

“Would you grant me permission to strike him just once?”

“I must decline. I have little tolerance for physical injury.”

Ferda continued his light banter, and Ruri continued to simmer with annoyance. Had an ordinary mortal endured that direct burst of Dragon Fear, they would still be paralyzed and gasping for air. Yet Ferda sat completely unbothered. Jed, trapped between the bizarre pair, finally raised his hands in defeat.

“I think I’ll ride up front with the driver. Call for me when you have need of my services.”

No matter how soft the cushions were, personal safety was far more important.

In search of Echidna Philias, Ferda’s party pressed deep into an overgrown wilderness. Eventually, the dense undergrowth forced the carriage to a halt.

“The coachman states the trail ends here. The foliage is too dense for the wheels.”

“Then we proceed on foot.”

“It is quite a walk, though the incline is gentle. Let us treat it as an afternoon stroll.”

Ferda climbed down from the carriage, followed closely by Ruri and Jed. While the two retainers navigated the rough terrain effortlessly, Ferda was quickly breathing heavily, slick with sweat.

“Perhaps some physical conditioning is in order, my lord.”

“Curiously enough… this represents the height of my stamina.”

“Would it not improve if you trained diligently?”

“My lineage was originally an esteemed martial house of knights, and it was precisely this frail constitution that led me to become the Archduchess’s fiancé.”

“I shall refrain from further comment.”

Though clearly exhausted, Ferda refused to slow their pace, pressing forward through raw determination. At last, an isolated cottage situated in the heart of the ancient woods came into view.

“There it is.”

“The ominous energy around that place is suffocating. Unquestionably a witch’s domain.”

“And that is where you will be stepping inside.”

“Understood. Ahem!” Jed rolled his shoulders, preparing his demeanor. “Phew. Charming a witch as my debut assignment… it feels like walking straight into a dragon’s maw.”

“Do not overcomplicate it. That handsome face of yours is all the preparation you require.”

“You make it sound as if my looks are my only redeeming quality.”

Ferda studied Jed’s features impassively before answering. “Without that face, you would likely leave that cottage as a lifeless corpse.”

“Ha, you truly have little faith in my craft. Just wait and see.”

Jed swept his hands through his dark hair, adjusting his appearance. Slipping seamlessly into his charming persona, he strode confidently toward the witch’s threshold.

“Echidna Philias. What kind of person is this woman?” Ruri inquired as Jed vanished through the front entrance.

“A true witch.”

“I am aware of that much. They are the coven who bind themselves as spiritual sisters through dark arts, adopting the name Philias upon induction, correct?”

“Indeed, your knowledge is thorough. Take a sweet.”

“Do you take me for a child?” Even while snapping, Ruri snatched the confection and tossed it into her mouth. “My question is, why are you seeking to recruit such a dangerous entity?”

Enlisting a witch was an inherently perilous gamble, particularly one tied to the Philias lineage. Only female spellcasters bearing a Red Circle and immense arcane mastery could join the sisterhood. A Red Circle materialized from profound emotional torment; for most women, its awakening was born of deep betrayal by a spouse or obsessive grief over a lost child. Consequently, the coven was fundamentally comprised of individuals harboring absolute malice toward men.

“Witches are notoriously unreasonable and entirely self-absorbed.”

“That is true.”

“If she was exiled as a heretic even among those twisted sorceresses, is she an unhinged lunatic like Burnell?”

“She shares more traits with my bride-to-be than with Burnell.”

“How dare you compare a lowly witch to my esteemed master!”

“I merely refer to their underlying dispositions.”

“Do not treat such comparisons so casually.”

“There is no reason for concern. We are only able to bring her into our fold precisely because the Philias coven cast her out as an outcast.”

“For what reason?”

Before Ruri could finish her inquiry, the cottage door swung wide. Barely three minutes had passed. Jed walked out, wearing a completely bewildered and dazed expression.

“Uh…”

A unique truth regarding Echidna Philias:

“The very second she laid eyes on me, she swore she would obey any demand I made. Is this truly normal?”

She was utterly, helplessly powerless against an attractive face.