WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Ceaseless

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ The Northern Grand Duke’s Mad Son-in-Law ◈

Chapter 3: Clumsy

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“Nice to meet you. I’m Daniel, the lord of Garseton Castle.”

Daniel was a gaunt man. Gilbert was no short man himself, but Daniel stood a handspan taller than him.

‘Creepy.’

Galahad clicked his tongue softly as he clasped Daniel’s hand.

“I’m Galahad Ambertan.”

“...Ambertan? Ah, you’re Count Ambertan’s son.”

Daniel’s expression changed in an instant. As the corners of his mouth curled up, pointed yellow fangs showed.

‘He knows Count Ambertan.’

That was unexpected. Central nobles might know Count Ambertan, but this was the edge of the North.

The Ambertans were a fairly influential noble house, but not enough for their reputation to reach this far.

There were two possibilities. Either this noble named Daniel had ambitions of advancing into the capital...

‘Or he looked into Count Ambertan separately.’

Warmth spread from the large fireplace behind Daniel. Shadows deepened and faded across Daniel’s face.

“What business does Count Ambertan’s son have with His Grace the Grand Duke...?”

Daniel narrowed his eyes and trailed off.

“I was invited.”

“Invited?”

Instead of answering, Galahad pointed at Gilbert, who stood some distance away. Gilbert only gave a small nod. It was an arrogant gesture, but Daniel did not seem to mind.

“Ah, I see. Have you eaten?”

When Galahad shook his head, Daniel bared his yellow fangs again.

“Then let’s eat together. It should be ready by now.”

* * *

‘So it really was northern-style.’

Galahad muttered under his breath as he stabbed a piece of dripping meat with his fork.

He had suspected Gilbert had deliberately served him undercooked meat to mess with him, but the meat here was bloody too. If anything, Gilbert’s meat had been cooked more thoroughly.

“Won’t you have a drink?”

“I’m abstaining.”

Daniel grinned when Galahad shook his head. There was something oddly irritating about that smile.

Just then, a maid placed grilled vegetables on Galahad’s plate. He frowned at the maid, who stared at him without blinking. Another noble would have slapped the maid across the face by now, yet she slowly bowed her head.

“Aren’t you eating?”

“I’m fine. I ate earlier.”

Gilbert shook his head at Galahad’s question. Combined with the strange things Gilbert had said before they arrived, it made Galahad feel even more uneasy.

“Are you, by any chance, a mage?”

Daniel abruptly asked. The dining room fell silent. The maids moving about froze in place.

‘He did look into Ambertan.’

Galahad stared at Daniel. Those gleaming eyes looked just like the eyes of someone staring at delicious food.

“I heard a rumor that Ambertan’s third son is an exceptional mage.”

Daniel spoke as he cut his meat with a knife. Red blood splattered slightly. Looking closer, Daniel was eating raw meat.

It sounded more like Daniel was talking to himself than asking a question. Galahad suddenly remembered Gilbert’s words.

“In the North, they could not distinguish Demonkin from mages.”

“If I am a mage?”

Galahad lowered his hand beneath the table. Mana slowly gathered in it. He prepared himself to put a hole through Daniel’s head at any moment. It was one of the basics for any mage in an age that despised magic.

“Ah! My daughter loves magic. She even took the Academy entrance exam, but she failed. She was so disappointed...”

Warmth appeared on Daniel’s face. Unlike before, he chattered noisily. Bits of meat flew from his mouth, making Galahad frown.

“If you don’t mind, may I call my daughter? She’ll be thrilled to meet a mage.”

Did he misunderstand? Galahad kept the mana gathered in his hand.

“Bring Emma here! Quickly!”

Daniel shouted without waiting for Galahad’s answer. At his command, a maid ran off.

Daniel’s daughter Emma, who appeared shortly afterward, was quite beautiful.

The only thing she had inherited from Daniel was her height. She was the same height as Daniel, but unlike him, her face was full of life and her eyes were large. She was a rare beauty.

“Your wife must have been beautiful.”

“Huh? Ah, she was, I suppose. Not anymore, though. Say hello. This is Galahad, a mage from the capital.”

Emma held both sides of her skirt and lowered her head. It was an awkward capital-style greeting. Her gaze on Galahad was remarkably persistent.

‘Being popular is exhausting.’

Emma sat pressed close against Galahad. A fishy smell drifted through her fragrant scent.

“Did you really graduate from the Academy as the youngest valedictorian ever?”

Emma asked, her eyes sparkling. Galahad gave a bitter smile and nodded.

“Wow! It was true! My friend who got into the Academy told me! They said there was someone named Galahad!”

“She talked about you so much. The moment I heard your surname, I recognized you. Graduating at the top of the Academy at such a young age, when it’s so hard just to get in, is truly amazing.”

‘They didn’t investigate Ambertan.’

They had investigated Galahad, not Ambertan. Perhaps it was the same feeling parents had toward someone who had studied for years to pass an exam.

“I worked hard.”

“Oh, come on. Being the youngest valedictorian in Academy history is an unprecedented achievement. You’re a genius among geniuses!”

Emma bumped her shoulder against his and laughed brightly. Galahad scratched the side of his neck with a finger.

It was true that he had talent. Still, graduating at the top of the Academy was not simply a matter of talent.

Having an adult mind in a brat’s body was a truly horrible experience. Rather than run around playing with brats, Galahad chose to read books.

From the age of three, he had studied magic books as though preparing for a civil service exam.

He graduated from the Academy at the youngest age because he had begun studying magic at the youngest age.

These people’s workload, even with time set aside for naps, could not compare to Galahad’s.

There was no need to explain that, though.

“Would you look at my magic?”

Emma asked cautiously. Galahad nodded. He should at least earn his meal.

Emma began reciting a flamboyant chant. She even spread both arms wide. Anyone watching would think she was casting some grand spell. Galahad desperately smoothed out his furrowed brow.

“Show forth! Your wrath...!”

‘Why is the chant in inverted word order?’

Then Emma cried, “Hap!” and thrust both hands forward. A faint flame burst from her palms. It did not even have enough power to light a cigarette.

Should he praise her courage for thinking she could enter the Academy with that level of skill...? Galahad seriously considered it.

“You’ve improved again! At this rate, you’ll pass next time!”

Contrary to Galahad’s thoughts, Daniel even clapped in delight.

Galahad shook his head. Emma had no chance of getting into the Academy. That was more pathetic than the magic Galahad had cast at the age of three.

Still, there was no need to say it.

“Relax your palms a little more and put more force into your mana.”

“Relax my palms? But how can I put more mana into it?”

“Do you need to tense your palms for mana to move?”

“...What?”

She’s an idiot. Galahad forced down his irritation.

“Mana moves through your will. It doesn’t move through your muscles. A lot of people mistake it for using their muscles, but then they can’t move mana as they wish. Separate the two.”

Galahad explained as kindly as possible. He had said this more than a hundred times, so the words came easily. There were plenty of idiots among mages too. It was rare for anyone to understand magic as magical formulas.

“...Is that so?”

Emma furrowed her brow. She did not look like she understood.

Well, if she could understand it all at once, she would have realized it on her own. Being stupid was not a crime.

With a soft sigh, Galahad held out his hand. Emma’s eyes widened.

“Give me your hand.”

“Huh? Ah, okay.”

Perhaps she had poor circulation, because Emma’s hand was cold. Galahad poured mana into her through his hand.

Normally, putting mana into someone else was dangerous, but not for Galahad. He had done it hundreds of times already.

‘She has quite a bit of mana.’

Galahad was genuinely impressed. Despite her trash-level skill, she possessed a fair amount of mana. Had Daniel fed her something good?

“My lessons are expensive, so focus.”

“Yes!”

“Don’t open your mouth. Focus on the mana.”

Emma pressed her lips shut and only nodded. Galahad touched Emma’s mana and guided its flow. Taking her stupidity into account, he repeated it about five times.

“...Ah!!”

Emma let out an excited cry. Her hand curled briefly, then opened.

“Do you understand now?”

“Yes! So that’s what you meant by moving it with my will instead of my muscles! Ah!”

Emma jumped up and down in excitement. The flame in her palm remained exactly the same.

She still didn’t understand. Resisting the urge to smack her on the head, Galahad took her hand again.

Only after repeating it around ten more times did Emma’s flame grow larger. At least she could light a cigarette with it now. Galahad clicked his tongue softly.

“Thank you so much, Galahad!”

“It’s fine. Sharing knowledge is a mage’s basic qualification.”

Galahad shook his head at the flood of thanks.

It was not much of a lesson in the first place, and exploring another person’s mana was useful to Galahad as well.

‘For someone with such a stupid head, she has more mana than I expected. Is she naturally gifted...?’

“Or perhaps she took supplements?”

Galahad murmured, narrowing his eyes.

“Stay the night. We’ll prepare a comfortable room for you.”

“That’s right! Please stay! You have to!”

Daniel, who had become strangely calm, and Emma, whose face was flushed with excitement, spoke one after the other.

Galahad looked at Gilbert. Gilbert still seemed to be standing a step back, as though it had nothing to do with him.

It could be dangerous, but Galahad was curious. Curiosity was a mage’s basic qualification.

“Then I won’t refuse.”

Galahad smiled and nodded.

“...Adultery is punishable by death in the North.”

Gilbert, who had edged closer, whispered to him. His expression was quite serious.

“Didn’t you say I’m not married yet?”

Gilbert gave a quiet laugh at Galahad’s answer.

* * *

Considering this was the North, the room was rather excellent. It had a bed, a simple bathtub, and even a fireplace. Of course, it was smaller and dirtier than a shabby inn room in the capital.

‘It’s the North.’

Galahad lightly washed himself with magic and sat on the bed.

‘Candles in this day and age...’

When he lit the candle, its orange flame swayed precariously and illuminated the room.

Out of habit, Galahad circulated his mana. Then he set up a simple alarm spell. It was one of the basics for any mage.

And there were Gilbert’s unsettling words as well.

‘The North.’

Galahad closed his eyes while leaning against the headboard. As a mage, he could make do with light sleep.

How much time had passed? The alarm spell went off. Galahad slowly opened his eyes.

The long candle had burned down to its base. Since he had left the window closed, the only light came from the fireplace, which looked ready to go out at any moment.

Crackle. The faint sound of the fireplace tickled his ears.

Galahad circulated mana and roused himself. In the time it took to exhale once, the muscles stiffened by the cold loosened. His sunken mind became fully alert.

Creak.

The door slowly opened. A familiar voluminous skirt came into view.

‘Emma.’

Galahad frowned. Opening the door to an unrelated man’s room in the middle of the night...

Emma certainly was beautiful. Her chest was small, but she made up for it with long, slender legs.

Still, Galahad was on his way to marry the Grand Duke’s eldest daughter. He was not stupid enough to ruin everything over lust.

“I taught you magic with no other intentions. If I gave you the wrong idea, I apologize.”

Galahad rejected her as politely as possible.

Perhaps his refusal had been too weak, because Emma strode closer. The room was dark, so he could not see her face.

‘This damned popularity.’

As Galahad sighed, Emma stopped beside the bed. She held something in her hand. Was she the type to use tools? That was even more unsettling...

Then Emma jumped. Her skirt fluttered like wings.

So forward... Galahad could not stop his gaze from shifting on instinct.

A grotesque thing that should not have existed beneath her skirt swung vigorously in greeting.

‘...Swinging?’

Galahad had experienced enough that not much could fluster him, but the situation was so unexpected that his mind went blank.

The skirt fell, revealing Emma’s face.

A shaggy beard and hollow eyes...

It was not Emma. It was Daniel.

Wearing Emma’s clothes...

“A mage’s heart is said to be so good! Please become nourishment for my daughter! I’ll repay this kindness for the rest of my life!”

Daniel, his fangs stretched long, lunged at Galahad.

Swing!

“You really are too much.”

Galahad’s eyes crumpled into a deep frown.

Footnotes:

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