WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Ceaseless
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ The Northern Grand Duke’s Mad Son-in-Law ◈
Chapter 67: Support
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“Tell us the truth!”
“Eek... Eek...! Why are you doing this to me?!”
At the knight’s roar, Fren, Bunch’s assistant from the White Magic Tower, flinched and shrank back.
“Sir Gilbert, I’ll handle this.”
A stunningly beautiful blonde woman stopped the knight. Gilbert stepped back.
“I am Adrianna, commander of the First Battalion.”
Fren nodded. Fren already knew her name.
One might forget their parents’ names, but how could anyone forget the name of such a beauty?
“I have a few questions about this match.”
“Yes! I’ll answer anything!”
Fren nodded vigorously.
“First, can a mage duel end in a draw?”
“Yes! It’s extremely rare, but if both mages suffer mana exhaustion at the same time, it is ruled a draw.”
“...What is mana exhaustion?”
“It’s when you use every last bit of mana! Mana is needed for survival apart from magic, and using even that is called mana exhaustion!”
Fren answered without the slightest hesitation. Talking to such a beautiful woman felt good.
“Does mana exhaustion happen often?”
“No! Mana exhaustion comes with such terrible pain that it is called a mage’s death sentence! Most people would rather die than experience it, so everyone is careful. It almost never happens!”
Adrianna stared at Fren for a moment.
The duel had been between the Grand Duke and the Princess. Rigging it would have been no different from trampling both their honors at once.
It was a serious crime.
Adrianna swallowed hard and continued questioning Fren.
“Could they have intended to draw?”
“...Pardon? What do you mean by... Ah, this is the North. You know nothing about magic.”
Adrianna nodded without protest. She knew nothing about magic.
“A draw happens perhaps once in a thousand duels. You can think of it as something that almost never happens.”
Fren’s certainty left Adrianna feeling strange.
“Then, assuming someone wanted to force a draw?”
“To make it a draw, you would need to know your opponent’s mana exactly, right? You would also need to know how much mana each spell uses, and possess exceptional Mana Sensitivity to cast magic according to those calculations.”
Fren let out a low groan. Adrianna waited without pressing.
“Of course, it might be possible if the opponent were an extremely low-level mage, but Lord Bunch is an upper-ranking mage of the White Magic Tower.”
“Is that impressive?”
“What?! Are you serious? The White Magic Tower is one of the four great Magic Towers!”
At Fren’s question, Adrianna realized just how ignorant she was about magic.
“It’s absolutely impossible.”
Fren spoke firmly.
“If someone did manage to force a draw like that, it would be a complete defeat. Though that would never happen.”
A complete defeat...
Adrianna murmured the words quietly.
“Even if it were possible, what madman would willingly suffer mana exhaustion? There isn’t a mage alive who doesn’t know its reputation. It hurts worse than dying.”
Fren went on at length about how terrible mana exhaustion was.
‘Certainly...’
It had been revealed that Galahad had bet quite a lot of money on his own victory. Even Gilbert, his trusted subordinate, had bet his entire fortune.
And there was a mage’s testimony as well...
After thinking for a moment, Adrianna wrote “No Grounds for Suspicion” on the document.
“Still, it’s fortunate that it was a draw.”
Fren said it with a loud exhale.
“Fortunate?”
“Yes. It saved both the Grand Duke’s honor and the Princess’s honor. Isn’t this the best possible result for a friendly exchange?”
‘The best...’
Adrianna repeated the unpleasant phrase to herself.
As though someone had intended it, the result was the best possible one.
Then Fren was taken away for further questioning.
Gilbert, standing nearby, swallowed hard. Something Fren had said continued to bother him.
[What madman would willingly suffer mana exhaustion...]
‘Madman.’ Was there a word that suited Galahad better?
Gilbert tapped his empty pocket.
All he had left was a single sword.
Still, that was fine.
The Special Operations Unit paid well. He only had to earn it back.
“Where is Commander Galahad?”
Adrianna’s question pulled Gilbert from his thoughts.
“The Princess took him away.”
“I see.”
A question suddenly came to mind.
Galahad had been part of the wager for this duel.
If the Princess won, she would take Galahad with her. If she lost, she would pay the price and withdraw.
But if it had ended in a draw...
“What will happen to our commander?”
Silence fell at Gilbert’s question.
“That depends on Commander Galahad.”
Adrianna’s answer made Gilbert strangely uneasy.
Galahad was an unreadable man. It felt possible that he might suddenly follow the Princess and disappear.
“...If Commander Galahad goes with her, what happens to the Special Operations Unit?”
“It will disappear. He created the unit.”
“Ah... No.”
Gilbert muttered under his breath.
“Shouldn’t you go after him quickly?”
“Where?”
“Your fiancé is with another woman... No, with the Princess. Shouldn’t you go?”
“Hmm.”
“If he goes with her, it will be a loss to the North’s military strength.”
“A loss to our military strength... You have a point.”
Adrianna was remarkably stubborn. Gilbert tilted his head when she gave in more easily than expected.
Still, this was not the time for that.
“Let’s go to the commander. Three times... No, let’s just go.”
* * *
[Ke... Kyaaaak!]
The boy blankly watched the servant cough up blood and die.
The bowl that fell from the servant’s hand as they coughed up blood had contained the boy’s breakfast.
That meant the poison had been meant for him.
No wonder the servant had struggled so hard not to eat it...
Wiping blood from his face, the boy went over how things had gone wrong.
It seemed that being caught reading a book had provoked their wariness.
After all, the awl that pierced the pocket was bound to be hammered down.
To them, the boy was a damned rival, a beggar coveting the bowl.
Still, he could not leave the house.
He was only five years old.
To have to worry about poison in his food at five...
What a harsh world.
The boy wiped the blood from his cheek again and called for a new servant.
There were many servants.
Just as there were many of the boy’s siblings.
Then the door opened, and a small child entered.
She was a black-haired girl younger than the boy, with a face that promised she would grow into quite the beauty.
Yet that face looked oddly familiar.
Her name was...
The girl rushed toward him. As the distance vanished in an instant, the boy took a defensive stance. It was a habit he had developed to survive.
The girl pressed repeatedly against the boy’s chest.
As if telling him to wake up...
‘You...’
Only then did Galahad realize who the girl was.
It was that cheap egg.
Why did it look like Adrianna...? And why was its hair black...?
Then he felt someone’s touch.
When he opened his eyes, he saw the Princess.
She was so close that her hot breath tickled his skin.
“You’re damp. Go cry somewhere else.”
“You’re awake. Thank goodness.”
“What a fucking mess.”
Galahad muttered quietly and checked his body first.
He felt a stinging pain, as though needles had been driven into his veins. The emptiness he felt inside was also difficult to describe.
‘It’s been a while since I suffered mana exhaustion.’
He had suffered mana exhaustion quite often while learning magic through trial and error.
The pain felt new every time. It was almost as bad as holding Adrianna’s hand.
Still, he was in better shape than expected.
Normally, mana exhaustion meant he could not use mana for a week. Its reputation was not exaggerated.
Yet the pain was less severe than before, and he could faintly sense mana.
Press. Press. The Egg of Pain eagerly made its presence known. It seemed the Egg of Pain had done something.
‘There was something unpleasant...’
Frowning, Galahad pushed the Princess’s face away with one hand. She did not budge.
Only when he scowled did the Princess pull back slightly.
“You didn’t need to go that far.”
“This was the best option, because someone caused trouble.”
Galahad frowned at his loosened clothes and rose from the bed.
“Sleep here before you go. It’s soft.”
“No, thank you.”
“I won’t touch you.”
“That’s very reassuring.”
Galahad pointed at his half-unbuttoned shirt.
“I only opened it to use a potion.”
At the word “potion,” Galahad frowned.
Potions were extremely expensive medicine made by the Church. They were effective enough to leave no scars when poured over a wound, but they cost a fortune.
“Potions don’t work on mana exhaustion.”
“I know.”
“Then why did you use one?”
“It’s good for the skin.”
Galahad frowned at the Princess’s confident answer.
Potions cost more than jewels. Using such a potion because it was good for the skin was exactly what one would expect from royalty.
Pressing a hand to his temple, Galahad organized the situation.
The Princess had lost her match against Adrianna.
Still, her opponent had been Adrianna, the youngest Sword Master, and it had been a disqualification loss because the Princess had used aura. There would surely be room for leniency.
Even knights deeply familiar with duels sometimes made the mistake of using aura. In the capital, a loss caused by aura could even lead to a rematch. It was a flaw that could be smoothed over.
The overall contest had ended in a draw as well, so it could be seen as some sort of success.
“You handled things fairly cleanly, so you should be safe when you return.”
After reviewing the situation, Galahad looked at the Princess.
Her eyes curved into a pleasing crescent.
“Do you not intend to come with me?”
“I have work to do in the North.”
“Is it because of that girl?”
“She is not ‘that girl.’ Her name is Adrianna.”
The Princess chuckled softly.
Galahad stared at her in silence. She licked her red lips.
“Hmm, should I marry the Grand Duke? It looks like he does not have a wife. Wouldn’t that be nice? Interest in the North is growing, after all.”
At the Princess’s amused question, Galahad calculated again.
Marriage to the Grand Duke would certainly not be bad. No, it would be beneficial.
Galahad would be able to move much more freely as well...
But there was a problem.
“The Grand Duke will refuse.”
There had only been one woman in the Grand Duke’s life.
Even if the North had lost its former glory, the Grand Duke was still the Grand Duke. Countless people had tried to form ties with him.
The Intelligence Bureau had been among them.
Unfortunately, the Grand Duke had never once been swayed.
“That is unfortunate.”
“The prince of the Barten Kingdom is the best choice.”
“Yes, but I have a condition.”
“I refuse.”
“You haven’t even heard it.”
“Isn’t it about becoming your paramour again?”
The Princess shook her head. Galahad frowned and put a cigarette in his mouth.
The scent of lemon spread deeply. The Princess frowned.
After a moment, she spoke with uncharacteristic caution.
“Once a month, no... Even once every season, come to the capital and let me see your face. I really feel suffocated.”
Her voice trembled faintly.
It was a sincere confession from a woman who had always been bold.
To anyone else, it might have sounded like a desperate request, but...
Galahad’s face twisted.
He had tried to endure it somehow, but he had reached his limit.
“Give it a rest with your bullshit.”
The Princess’s eyes drooped at the harsh curse.
“You cast me aside to save yourself, and now you’re acting like you’re devoted to me?”
“I never threw you away. I only tried to save you.”
Galahad frowned at her answer.
“You handed me over to the Imperial Guard on a charge of treason to save me?”
Galahad undid the shirt he had been buttoning. Dense, raised scars were clearly visible beneath it.
A third of them bore the Imperial Guard’s signature.
“Didn’t you survive because of it?”
Galahad laughed quietly at the Princess’s answer.
“I was the only one who survived.”
“Yes, you survived. That is what matters.”
Galahad frowned at the shameless words. He almost snapped his fingers.
Intelligence Bureau agents usually operated in pairs.
Their numbers changed based on the importance of the mission and the agents’ temperaments, but an imperial mission was a top-ranking assignment.
Six people had moved together.
It was the first team Galahad had formed.
And the last.
“I did it for you, sir.”
“I told you I’d rip your mouth open if you used polite speech one more time.”
“Ah.”
The Princess opened her mouth wide. Only then did Galahad barely regain his composure.
She was a madwoman. There was nothing to gain from arguing with her.
Then the Princess, her face blank again, added,
“The Demon King does not exist. Everyone says so, so stop being stubborn and...”
Galahad could not hold back and snapped his fingers.
A sharp Ice Spike pointed at the Princess’s throat.
A drop of blood ran down her slender white neck.
The Princess sighed softly.
The corner of Galahad’s mouth twisted.
“The Demon King exists. You idiots just don’t know it.”
Suppressing his anger, Galahad twisted his finger.
The Ice Spike carved a long line across the wall. Thick fabric was cut apart and fluttered down.
“You are unbelievably stubborn.”
The Princess touched her neck.
Red blood bloomed like a flower on her fingers.
Galahad inhaled deeply from his cigarette.
The fresh lemon scent kept his mind under control.
If he twisted that neck, the Imperial Guard would come for him.
The Imperial Guard was still an opponent he could not face.
The Princess was also a useful card.
When he weighed the gains and losses, keeping her alive was clearly more beneficial.
‘I need to stay calm...’
He could not ruin things with emotion.
Galahad flicked ash from his cigarette and stepped back.
“Next time, I will come to the capital. To show you my face, as you wanted.”
The Princess nodded with a regretful expression.
He could not even begin to grasp how broken she was.
“Yes, that will do.”
Then someone knocked on the door.
Knock, knock.
“This is Adrianna. I came to check on Commander Galahad.”
Clicking his tongue, Galahad swept back his messy bangs.
After straightening his clothes and opening the door, he found Adrianna in full armor.
Her eyes widened.
“Are you all right?”
“As you can see. I am perfectly fine.”
“Ah...”
Adrianna’s eyes shook slightly. The Galahad reflected in them looked a little tired.
“Perfectly fine? Do you know how much care you needed?”
A sweet voice came from behind him.
The Princess was reclining on the bed.
‘What bad taste.’
Her intentions were obvious.
But the other person was Adrianna.
“Certainly... I heard mana exhaustion is dangerous. I will support you.”
“I do not need that much support.”
“It is fine. I will support you.”
With a serious expression, Adrianna strode toward him. Wearing gauntlets, she carefully supported Galahad.
The distance between them suddenly closed. The cool touch of her armor tickled him.
Adrianna intended only to support him, but their difference in height made it look as if he were held in her arms.
The Princess’s eyes curved into a pleasing crescent.
Looking at the Princess, Adrianna...
“Thank you for taking care of our Commander Galahad.”
She bowed deeply.
“...Our?”
The Princess let out a quiet laugh.
Adrianna supported Galahad as they left the room.
As the door closed, sharp laughter came from inside.
“You seem to be in a good mood.”
At Adrianna’s murmur, Galahad clicked his tongue softly.
“You feed her quite well.”
“...Pardon? Feed her what?”
Galahad shook his head.
“Never mind. Stop touching me so much. At this rate, I’ll wear down.”
“Pardon? I’m supporting you.”
“Oh, I have already worn down a little.”
“Worn down? What does that...”
Flustered, Adrianna let go of him.
Galahad chuckled and straightened his clothes.
“Ah, His Grace the Grand Duke asked me to bring Commander Galahad to him. He will probably ask about the match...”
“I feel dizzy. It must be a side effect of mana exhaustion.”
“Pardon? You just said you were perfectly fine...”
“Oh, I am about to lose consciousness and collapse. I need support.”
Galahad edged closer.
He had said he was fine just moments ago...
He truly was an impossible man to understand.
And besides...
“...Isn’t this arm-in-arm rather than support?”
“It depends on how you look at it. Support and linking arms are both about sharing weight. I find this more comfortable.”
It was somehow plausible, and he said it with complete confidence.
“Do you dislike it?”
At the calm question, Adrianna shook her head.
“No. It is fine.”
“Then that settles it.”
For the first time, Adrianna paid attention to how she walked.
For some reason, her steps felt strange.
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