WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Ceaseless

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

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

Chapter 6: Adrianna

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As soon as Ashley got up, they made the bed. Calling it a bed was generous. It was only a pile of straw covered with a worn-out sheet.

The other children woke one by one as well. After merely nodding to one another, they busily got to work. One child fed firewood beneath the pot, while another dropped hard bread into the equally frozen stew.

The division of labor was exact.

With one exception.

Snore.

At the center of the room, a woman slept, snoring loudly.

“Gwen must have been tired.”

“She’s terrible at housework, so of course she’s tired. She’s working as a maid.”

At Ashley’s answer, one of the children burst into laughter.

It was not a joke. Gwen was warmhearted enough to look after the neighborhood orphans even when she went hungry herself, but she was hopeless at chores.

When she cleaned, she broke the broom. When she did the dishes, she broke the plates. It was still a mystery how Gwen had become a maid.

“They said she’s been assigned to the man from the Empire. She said she’ll really get fired if she messes up this time.”

“...They’ve given her plenty of chances. But a man from the Empire?”

“You know. Lady Adrianna’s marriage partner.”

“Marriage? Ah, that imperial bastard!”

“Shh! You can’t say things like that!”

Ashley covered the child’s mouth.

The north’s hatred for the Empire was as strong as, if not stronger than, its hatred for the Demonkin. In that situation, the news that the hero Adrianna would marry an imperial mage was a considerable shock.

It was like hearing that she would marry a monster made from the Empire and the Demonkin combined.

“Alright! I get it!”

The child pouted and grumbled. Ashley let out a small sigh and headed toward Gwen.

‘How does someone sleep like that?’

Gwen’s skirt had ridden all the way up, leaving her stomach fully exposed. Ashley clicked their tongue.

“Gwen, wake up. You have to go to work. You have to feed us.”

“Uuugh... Just a little longer...”

“Gwen.”

Only after being shaken for quite some time did Gwen open her eyes. There was still no strength in them.

Ashley clicked her tongue and snapped her fingers.

The children gathered around Gwen and sat her up. One rinsed Gwen’s mouth with a cool-tasting twig, while another fixed her hair. A third even pried open her eyelids.

The division of labor was perfect.

Gwen had not lifted a finger, yet she was neat and clean.

“I heard you’ve been assigned to a man from the Empire.”

“Mmph.”

“You can chew first.”

Gwen, whose mouth was stuffed with bread, nodded.

“Mhm. He’s my responsibility.”

Her face was strangely dark as she answered.

“Did something happen?”

Gwen looked around. Ashley waved the children away.

“...I think he wants me.”

Gwen spoke very carefully, her face full of worry.

Ashley looked Gwen over. Gwen was certainly pretty.

Still, the sadness and gloom clinging to her hid it all. Just looking at Gwen made it hard to breathe beneath that suffocatingly gloomy air.

Besides, was he not Adrianna’s marriage partner?

There was no way he would choose Gwen over Adrianna.

Gwen had to be mistaken. Gwen sometimes had strange delusions.

“He’s going to become Lady Adrianna’s Consort... Ah... Why must I face such a trial...?”

When Gwen got like that, she never listened to anyone else. There was no point trying to talk her out of it.

“If it comes to that, tell him about us.”

“About you?”

“Tell him you take care of a whole lot of orphans. Once he knows you’re a woman saddled with all that baggage, he’ll lose interest right away.”

Gwen’s large eyes blinked.

Ah, that was a mistake. Ashley muttered quietly.

“How are you baggage?! You’re all my precious children!”

“Alright. Don’t cry. I get it.”

Ashley and the children had no choice but to remain trapped in Gwen’s embrace for quite some time as she sobbed her heart out.

Under the children’s glares, Ashley quietly apologized.

“You must never do bad things! And don’t worry about money. I’ll earn it somehow, so do what you want! But magic is absolutely forbidden! Magic!”

Gwen only released them after repeating that magic was absolutely forbidden around ten times.

She usually said it five times, so it had doubled.

* * *

‘Done.’

Galahad grinned as he looked at the crystal formed in his hand.

It had taken longer than expected because this was his first time dealing with mana at such a high mana concentration.

Galahad put a cigarette between his lips and snapped his fingers. A flame twice as large as usual sprang up.

He had not fully grasped it yet, but its potential was obvious.

It would now consume twice as much mana, but it could produce twice the firepower.

That sounded obvious, but magic was not as simple as doubling the mana to double its power. If it were, this would have been an age ruled by mages.

With mana concentration twice as high...

Crash!

‘Gwen.’

Galahad turned his head and saw Gwen hiding a plate behind her back.

“...Your meal is ready.”

As always, all the food sat on one plate. She had clearly entered carrying three of them.

‘Undercooked again.’

Galahad snapped his fingers, creating a small flame. It moved like a living thing and tapped against the meat. A savory scent soon filled the room.

Gwen stared blankly before squeezing her eyes shut. Her eyelids trembled.

She looked like a priest who had come face to face with a demon.

‘Is that enormous amount of mana because of the north’s dense mana concentration?’

Her mana capacity was not the issue. What a mage needed was Mana Sensitivity. Not everyone with mana could feel it.

Everyone possessed mana, but few had Mana Sensitivity. Only those who could feel mana could walk the path of a mage.

Yet Gwen had copied Galahad’s magic after seeing it once, even if it had been pathetic and unstable. It was something even Galahad could not do.

‘This dork is really a genius?’

Galahad narrowed his eyes as he watched Gwen. She had curled herself up and was only watching his reaction.

‘I’ll have to look after her.’

He did not know how things would unfold, but it was certain he would be staying in the north for quite a while.

Her timid nature bothered him a little, but a genius was still a genius. He had never seen talent like that, even at the Academy.

‘Was it because she was born in the north?’

He could not even guess where her potential ended.

He had to keep her close.

The problem was that her aversion to magic was serious. Every time Gwen saw magic, she covered her eyes or collapsed to the floor. It was a complete mess.

“Gwen.”

“Y-yes?!”

Gwen jumped at the sound of her name alone.

Had she been doing something bad? Galahad narrowed his eyes, and Gwen avoided his gaze. Behind her was another broken plate. It was the sort of thing Gwen always did.

“Would you like to learn magic? You’re terribly untalented as a maid, but you have an innate gift for magic.”

“Magic?”

Gwen blinked for a moment, then her face turned red enough to burst. It was the reaction of someone who had received a terrible insult.

“...They said magic is Demonkin filth. They said mages swallow Demonkin filth...”

Gwen shouted each word clearly in a tearful voice. It was strange how good her pronunciation was when she sounded ready to cry.

“It is true that mages originated from the Demonkin, but calling it filth is a bit much, isn’t it?”

“N-no! I wasn’t insulting you, Sir Galahad! I meant there are rumors like that!”

“Even so, calling it shit...”

“No! I... I’m sorry! Please punish me!”

Gwen immediately slammed her forehead into the floor. The sound was remarkably loud.

Gwen was hopeless at chores, but her apologies were excellent. She lay so flat against the floor that she looked glued to it.

‘Her aversion is worse than I expected.’

Had her parents been killed by a mage or something? This was getting troublesome. Galahad clicked his tongue.

He had no intention of forcing her. There was no need to.

The pull of magic was stronger than anything else. It was not something a person could turn away from.

A mage could not help becoming a mage.

All Galahad needed to do was keep exposing her to magic.

As he organized his thoughts and looked at Gwen, she suddenly curled up.

“And I can’t because I take care of about eight children! They’re all cute, pretty children!”

“You look after orphans? That’s kind of you.”

“...What?”

Gwen’s eyes shook wildly.

‘Should I tempt her with money?’

Galahad looked into Gwen’s large eyes and smiled.

Thanks to his severance pay, he had more than enough money.

“Then you must need a lot of money. Would it be alright if I paid you?”

“What? Then how much... Ah! No! I’m not something you can buy!”

“I can pay a lot.”

“...How much are we talking?”

“How much did you have in mind?”

Gwen blinked and opened and closed her fingers.

Getting the first move in was always best.

After thinking for a moment, Gwen shook her head and spoke in a clear voice.

“No, I can’t. Magic is absolutely forbidden! I hate it!”

“That remains to be seen.”

Gwen trembled beneath his blatant, lecherous gaze.

* * *

Galahad opened his eyes at a faint sound.

A glowing woman stood in the dark room. Her flowing hair, flawless skin, and features that looked painted into place...

She was so beautiful that even a master craftsman could not have created her after pouring in all their devotion. She silently looked down at Galahad.

His heart churned and his head spun just from meeting her eyes. It was a form of coercion, of domination.

If he had not instinctively circulated his mana, even Galahad would not have been able to regain his senses.

‘Why is there a goddess in my room?’

His now-clear mind spun rapidly.

There were two possibilities.

The first was that a goddess had fallen from the sky. Galahad was an atheist, though.

Which meant...

“Adrianna?”

The woman’s eyebrows rose slightly.

‘The rumors that she is the most beautiful woman on the continent were not lies.’

No, they did not go far enough. Galahad casually fixed his hair.

“My father ordered us not to meet, but I thought it only proper that we speak face to face. I came secretly to avoid unwanted attention. Please forgive the rude intrusion.”

Unlike her appearance, her voice was firm. She did not use a single word carelessly.

He had only exchanged a few words with her, yet he could already sense her character.

‘A righteous hero.’

She was not compatible with Galahad.

‘She came to reject me.’

The apology written all over her face gave him a rough picture of the situation.

“It is humble, but would you like to sit?”

“Thank you.”

He had continued his research after Gwen left work, so the table was a mess. Galahad cleared it in a hurry with a small cough.

Adrianna did not seem to care.

‘She’s even more beautiful up close.’

Pure admiration rose in him as he looked at Adrianna sitting quietly.

The word beautiful was not enough to describe her appearance. He instantly understood why a woman living at the edge of the continent was called its greatest beauty.

“I’m truly sorry to have dragged you into this situation.”

Adrianna bowed deeply. Her thick crown of hair came into view. Even her hair was abundant. She had everything.

“I have no intention of marrying.”

Adrianna declared it with clear, unwavering eyes.

It was shocking to hear from a fiancée he had just met, but Galahad was not particularly surprised.

It was natural that she would reject him. She was the hero of the north, the youngest Sword Master, and the next Grand Duke. Compared to her, Galahad lacked far too much.

Even if he had amassed considerable achievements in the Intelligence Bureau, outsiders could not know about them. That was the Intelligence Bureau. Simply put, they were not an even match.

“I understand. It is true that I fall short compared to you. But...”

“Fall short? How can there be anyone lesser when two people meet?”

Adrianna looked at him with force in her eyes. Seeing her frown with that beautiful face filled him with inexplicable guilt.

It felt as though he was being scolded. What was this about? Galahad gave a small cough.

“I cannot marry.”

The corners of Adrianna’s lips rose faintly.

Where had he seen that smile before? Galahad recalled the chick who was supposed to marry the Empire, whom he had seen before leaving the Intelligence Bureau.

“Something like, ‘I am married to the north’?”

“...I cannot leave the front line, so I do not have the leisure to marry. I am sorry.”

Adrianna lowered her head once more. Galahad marveled at the fact that even the crown of someone’s head could be beautiful as he organized his thoughts.

‘She can’t marry because she’s busy.’

The reason differed from what he expected, but the conclusion was the same.

Galahad did not intend to marry, and neither did Adrianna. The two people involved wanted the same thing, but unfortunately, the thoughts of those involved did not matter much in this era.

“Does the Grand Duke feel the same way?”

Instead of answering, Adrianna lowered her head.

“Due to pressure from the Empire, we cannot immediately break off the engagement. If the problem is resolved, will you end the engagement with me?”

‘What a sweet request to end an engagement.’

Galahad smiled bitterly.

“We will only maintain the relationship. You may embrace other women in the meantime. It will only be a relationship for appearances.”

He had been rejected without even confessing.

Galahad smiled bitterly.

“Would it not be cleaner to at least have a nominal marriage?”

At Galahad’s question, Adrianna’s eyebrows creased for the first time.

“Marriage is a serious matter that happens only once.”

It was a somewhat fairy-tale-like thing to hear from the northern hero who tore Demonkin apart.

‘It feels like I’m being scolded again.’

Galahad clicked his tongue quietly.

“When peace finally comes, I will marry the person I love.”

It was so sudden that it almost sounded like a joke, but Adrianna’s face was serious.

‘Hope.’

Galahad knew there was no room to push against words spoken with eyes like those.

“You might come to love me.”

Galahad scratched his cheek for no reason. It was somewhat strange to say, but Galahad was rather handsome.

“Ah, you are not my type.”

Adrianna’s answer was firm.

Rejected twice, Galahad gave a short laugh.

“What is your type? I’m quite popular.”

This time Adrianna smiled, but there was something sad about it.

Adrianna removed her silver gauntlet. Her long white hand was covered in calluses. She placed her long index finger very lightly on the back of Galahad’s hand.

Crackle.

A sharp pain like chewing electricity shot through his entire body. His scattered mana gathered on Adrianna’s index finger in an instant.

Then it began to burn.

A pain worse than being burned alive swept over him. Unable even to scream, Galahad let out a choked gasp.

Adrianna’s finger had touched him for only an instant, but Galahad was drenched in sweat.

“I burn mana.”

Sadness and anger mixed in Adrianna’s eyes as she said it.

Galahad exhaled the breath trapped in his lungs and swept his sweat-soaked bangs back.

‘She burns mana?’

Galahad’s eyes shook for the first time. Even Galahad, who prided himself on knowing a great deal about magic, had never heard of such a concept.

‘Does it work on Demonkin too? Because mana is rooted in the Demonkin? Then why didn’t she say so...?’

Galahad’s thoughts tangled. Countless ideas flashed through his mind.

“I want someone whose hands are warm.”

Adrianna smiled bitterly as she watched Galahad lower his head.

“Wait.”

Galahad’s breathless voice stopped Adrianna.

Was this man going to be stubborn too? There were sometimes people who refused to give up even after experiencing the pain.

They insisted they could endure it. Even when given a chance, the result was always the same.

Those who could not endure the pain instead cursed Adrianna as a filthy witch afflicted by God’s curse, shifting the blame onto her.

Adrianna did not deny it.

She believed it was true as well.

She had thought Galahad was a little different, but...

‘In the end, it is just obstinacy.’

She muttered to herself and lowered her head, only to see something strange in Galahad’s eyes.

The men who had tried to hold on to Adrianna always had eyes full of stubborn defiance and reckless bravado.

Galahad was different.

He was smiling instead.

“How does it work? Is it only transmitted through the hand? If it burns mana, it must work on Demonkin too, right? Through a sword as well...”

At the unceasing flood of questions and the madness in his eyes, Adrianna unconsciously stepped back.

“No, I’ll confirm it myself.”

Then Galahad’s hand wrapped around Adrianna’s.

Adrianna’s body froze. As if that were not enough, he even interlaced their fingers.

“Mm, my mana really is burning, guuuuh, aaaaargh! This is how it worrrrks!”

Adrianna’s eyes widened at the man who screamed yet did not let go of her hand.

By the time she came to her senses, he had already fainted.

Adrianna fled the room as if escaping the awkward warmth lingering on her hand.

Footnotes:

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