Chapter Three: Duke Fervache's Family
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Having finalized their plan, Yohan and Francia left the hotel.
It was obvious from a glance that the dress Francia wore was an exceptionally high-quality piece. Perhaps that was why the hotel manager discreetly averted his gaze.
'He knows we've spent a night together that we shouldn't have.'
Francia exuded a noble elegance that instantly marked her as high-ranking aristocracy. In contrast, Yohan, despite his looks, wore attire of modest quality.
Even a passing dog would recognize the stark difference in their social status.
"You've arrived, Lady Francia."
As they stepped outside, three knights, who had been waiting for Francia, raised their heads in greeting.
At the forefront stood a middle-aged knight with a robust build and a face full of scars.
He subtly shifted his gaze to inspect Yohan's appearance, frowning deeply as he instantly grasped the events of the previous night.
However, since he was in Francia's presence, he quickly smoothed over his expression.
"The Duke is waiting for you."
"Alright. Let's return immediately."
"And the gentleman beside you is…?"
"Oh, this gentleman."
Francia smiled faintly and gestured toward Yohan.
"This is Yohan Harsen, the third son of Viscount Harsen. He is to be my husband. You all should greet him."
The moment the word husband left her lips, the middle-aged knight's face turned icy pale. He was so shocked that the blood drained from his face in an instant.
"Lady Francia, a husband? Without consulting the Duke…!"
"Enough. I don't want to hear about my father right now."
Francia quickly turned away and walked toward the carriage, accepting the knight's escort as she climbed in.
"I'll be hearing plenty of scolding from Father, so spare me your words, Eric."
"…Understood."
Despite her words, the middle-aged knight—Eric—continued to regard Yohan with a deeply disapproving expression.
Yohan met that gaze without any sign of concern, narrowing his eyes slightly.
'…I see.'
A knight entrusted with Francia's protection at Duke Fervache's estate could certainly afford to ignore someone like the third son of a viscount.
Considering the current circumstances, Eric probably had the Duke's backing. Even if he behaved rudely, it wouldn't lead to serious consequences.
"Please board the carriage."
The knight to Yohan's left gestured toward the carriage. Ignoring the cold stares, Yohan climbed in.
"We'll depart immediately."
"Alright."
As the wheels of the carriage began to roll, Francia smiled warmly.
"My father may seem cold on the outside, but he's a warmhearted person. If you calmly explain your plans to him, I'm sure he'll understand."
It was true that her father had a warm side—though he only ever showed it to his only daughter.
As for his cold side, it wasn't just cold. Heartless would better describe it. He was the very definition of a battlefield demon.
How would such a man react to a low-ranking noble who suddenly showed up after taking his daughter's first night and proposing marriage? It wouldn't be surprising if Yohan were executed on the spot.
'But I have my faith in something.'
If Yohan could prove himself worthy by showcasing his talent as a top-class magician capable of joining the imperial Bureau, even the Duke would have no choice but to reconsider.
And while Yohan's family lacked influence, it wasn't entirely without merit.
The weaker the Harsen family's standing, the more weight the Duke's authority would hold over them.
From the Duke's perspective as someone who cherished his daughter, sending her to the relatively harmless Harsen Viscounty would be far better than thrusting her into a politically fraught marriage alliance rife with schemes.
'I have enough cards to negotiate.'
Yohan smiled lightly and responded.
"You're right. The Duke is a man of deep compassion. I'm sure he'll listen to what we have to say."
"That's true, but… have I ever told you much about my father?"
Yohan shook his head.
"No, I haven't heard much about the Duke. But I assumed Francia could only have grown up so gracefully because of the love he's shown you."
At that, Francia covered her mouth with her hand and let out a shy laugh.
"Haha, you certainly have a way with words."
It seemed the compliment pleased her. Yohan gave a slight smile in return and turned to look out the window.
'Now, what magic do I currently have at my disposal?'
He could handle utility magic: spells for cleanliness or telekinesis to move objects with mana.
But that wasn't enough. He needed high-level, powerful elemental magic.
'I can only use the basics of elemental magic.'
The elemental magic he could cast was limited to firing small fireballs or creating bolts that could electrocute the target on contact.
While sufficient to claim the title of a mage, this wouldn't cut it for the Imperial Bureau, essentially the Empire's elite knight order.
As the Empire's specialized force, the Bureau far surpassed mercenary bands or adventurers' guilds in caliber.
'I'll need to learn as much advanced-level magic as possible before the entrance exam.'
His talent is exceptional. He could decipher runes on his own. With a bit more formal training, he could finally unleash the potential he'd been suppressing.
Yohan turned to Francia and asked,
"How long have you been studying magic?"
"Me? Hmm…"
Francia tapped her cheek with her index finger before replying.
"Since I was a little girl, just after I started walking. I was trained in mana affinity first. Once that improved, I began learning rune scripts formally. Magic came after that."
From building affinity to mastering various runes and finding compatible elements, it was a textbook approach.
"Why do you ask?"
"I think it's time I learn magic properly."
"Hmm? You haven't studied magic before…?"
When Francia asked cautiously, Yohan smiled lightly.
"I've only ever been self-taught, so I can only manage basic spells."
Snap!
With a snap of his fingers, Yohan created a small snowflake in midair.
"At the moment, I can only manifest mana on this level. That's why I intend to study properly this time, to stand by your side."
Francia offered an awkward smile.
"Th-there's no need to push yourself. I'll speak to my father for you."
Her voice was filled with concern.
Francia likely said this because she knew that learning magic becomes more difficult with age.
"It's fine. What you're worried about won't happen, Francia. I'll make sure you have nothing to worry about—just wait, and I'll show you myself."
Yohan smiled lightly before turning his gaze back to the window.
The estate of the Duke of Fervache in the imperial capital was drawing near.
***
The Fervache estate in the imperial capital.
The frigid killing intent in the air was palpable, causing visible clouds of breath even indoors.
Though winter had long since passed, the estate's staff were trembling.
"Where is Francia now?"
The source of the oppressive chill was none other than Frost Fervache, the Duke of Fervache, who was unleashing the full extent of his frost-element mana.
"…She is currently en route to the estate and should arrive in about ten minutes."
Enrique, the Duke's aide, swallowed hard as he struggled to remain composed under the Duke's intimidating aura.
"Yes, of course, she's on her way."
Sitting at his desk with his fingers interlocked, exuding a foreboding air, the Duke asked with a grim expression,
"Have you finished investigating the man who was with Francia?"
"Yes."
Enrique unfurled a set of documents and began relaying information about the man Francia was seeing.
"Yohan Harsen. The third son of the Harsen Viscounty. Although he did not enter university, he graduated as the top student in the Academy's social studies program."
With a rustle of paper, Enrique flipped to the next page and continued.
"He demonstrated exceptional talent in both swordsmanship and magic during special classes but didn't pursue any specific field of study. Nor did he apply for the Imperial Bureau."
Frost Fervache frowned.
"A flawless record. How utterly irritating."
Though Yohan's credentials were impeccable, the Duke wasn't inclined to approve.
Even if the Lenokhonen—the Fervache family's rival house—had proposed such a match, he wouldn't have agreed.
"Top of his class in social studies… Clearly capable. I'd have gladly welcomed him as an aide, but as a son-in-law? Absolutely not."
Frost cast a sharp gaze at a portrait of Yohan.
It had been stolen from the Academy archives by the Fervache family's shadows (spies).
"Now that I see it, his appearance is quite remarkable. He must have captivated our Francia with that face. That damn fox-like bastard…!"
Otherwise, there was no way his wise daughter would have spent the night with a stranger.
"Damn it. I should have refused her request to attend that party yesterday."
The Duke's expression grew darker.
While visiting the central city on business, he had brought Francia along for some quality time together. However, it so happened that a grand party was being held at the Marquess' estate during their stay.
Naturally, Francia had been eager to attend. Faced with her heartfelt plea, the Duke couldn't bring himself to deny her.
The condition he set was simple: return before nightfall.
But Francia hadn't returned.
He had assigned knights to guard her, so he hadn't thought to place shadows (spies) on her as well…
"Those fools can't even do their jobs properly…!"
What on earth had they been doing instead of protecting Francia? If something had happened between her and that man…
"It seems he is also well-versed in etiquette, knowledge, and various skills."
"Etiquette? Skills? There are plenty of people in our family who excel at those things!"
Bang! Frost slammed his hand down on the desk. Everything his hand touched froze solid, and white frost spread across the surface.
"I cannot acknowledge this man. If what I'm imagining has truly happened, he will not leave here unscathed."
The atmosphere in the study grew heavy with icy tension, and his cold gaze burned with an eerie intensity.
"Even so, wouldn't it be better to hear the young lady's opinion—"
"Francia isn't old enough to make such decisions."
Watching Frost grin with a sharp edge, Enrique thought to himself,
'At twenty, she's more than old enough to marry…'
Women typically married between the ages of seventeen and twenty-three. For high-ranking nobility, it wasn't unusual for matches to be arranged in childhood.
But what about Francia Fervache? She was at the perfect age for marriage at twenty, yet the subject hadn't even been brought up.
This was entirely due to the Duke of Fervache's overprotectiveness.
Naturally, other noble families kept their distance, knowing full well that crossing Frost Fervache could leave them in ruins.
'…There's no helping it. I'll just have to mediate as best as I can.'
Enrique sighed quietly and shook his head.
***
As Yohan and Francia continued their conversation, they eventually arrived at the Fervache estate in the imperial capital.
Yohan, familiar with the custom, stepped out of the carriage first and offered his hand to Francia.
"Oh my, thank you,"
Francia said with a bright smile, accepting Yohan's escort as she stepped down.
Clank!
The gates of the estate opened, and the staff, along with an unfamiliar man, greeted them with deep bows.
"Welcome back, Lady Francia. And Sir Yohan Harsen."
Yohan flinched. Had they already completed an investigation on him? It was clear that Frost Fervache had gone to great lengths to prepare for this encounter.
"The Duke wishes to see you immediately,"
The unfamiliar man in front of them got straight to the point.
Yohan swallowed hard, as the lump in his throat felt heavy.
'Here we go.'
This was the first hurdle in his journey to build a life with Francia.