So there wasn’t a collar, but the wolf was still confirmed to be from Laval. I mean, I can’t think of any other place it could have come from. Like, say…I suppose it’s possible that some intelligent people exiled from Durkis—somebody like Will—might have set the whole thing up. They could have easily destroyed the iron collar with magic, and they hold a grudge against Durkis, too.
……But even if that were true, why would they send a wolf to the magic academy, of all places? I can’t think of a motive. It’s not like they went through all that trouble just to see what the magic academy was like. Was it to assess Durkis’s strengths? But the wolf just appeared near Liz… I look up at Gill with a start. His ash-gray eyes are shining as he murmurs softly.
“Their target was the saint—it was Liz Cather.”
“This is where the wolf appeared.”
Henri escorts us to the spot where the wolf showed up.
……There’s nothing noteworthy here.
“It might have left some traces behind.” Gill thoroughly eyes every inch of the area.
It is possible that somebody used a teleportation spell to summon the wolf onto campus. If it is somebody formerly from Durkis, they ought to be familiar with the magic academy.
“We should search the area, too,” I say.
Henri gives me an uncomfortable look. “Ali, I know nothing I say will change anything, but…don’t put yourself in danger.”
“But I’ve put myself in danger countless times already.”
“This time, another nation is involved. Let Duke handle this.”
“Not His Majesty, but His Highness instead? Henri…did Prince Duke say something to you?”
I peer searchingly into Henri’s eyes. A bit flustered by my question, he forces a smile onto his face.
“Did I do something wrong?”
……Why does he always show up with the most impeccable timing?
I slowly turn toward the person who spoke.
“You did absolutely nothing wrong, Your Highness.”
My smiling rejection makes Duke’s face cloud over a little. His clear blue eyes stare intently at me.
“The wolf incident piqued my interest…so I’ve come to investigate,” I reluctantly tell him, unable to withstand the weight of his silence any longer.
Duke immediately shoots an accusing glare at Henri. “I told you not to tell her about that.”
“Once Ali gets set on something, she won’t listen to reason. Don’t you know that?”
“But surely you told her it was dangerous?”
“I did. But if you want to complain, go to Eric,” Henri tells him with a sheepish grin. “I didn’t think she’d find out that way, either.”
So does this mean they both kept it a secret from me to keep me from getting caught up in danger? How cruel. I may not look it, but I’m actually a pretty great fighter. I might have lost my touch slightly since I’ve got only one eye, but if shit goes down, I can fight.
“Share everything you know with me,” I demand.
“……I can’t.”
“I can take it,” I assure Duke.
“What kind of man gives dangerous information to the woman he loves?”
The seriousness in Duke’s gaze nearly takes me out. Why do those eyes make me so weak?
I sigh quietly. I may be stubborn, but I’m no idiot. This must be why Henri said I should let Duke handle this.
“Fine, then let me ask just one question. Liz’s true identity—her sainthood—has that intel traveled outside this kingdom?”
Duke frowns deeply. “We don’t know that yet.”
“I see… Well, I’ll be on my way, then—”
“Alicia.”
Before I can turn and leave, Duke softly calls out to me. I ought to be used to hearing him say my name by now, but for some reason, my heart jumps a little.
Duke’s eyes are overflowing with tenderness as he looks at me. “Someday…I need you to tell me how you feel.”
“How I feel…?”
How do I feel…about what? I glance at Gill for help.
“Alicia, you have the intellect of an adult but the heart of a baby.”
“I’m begging you, too, Ali,” Henri chimes in, an awkward smirk on his face. “Please just tell Duke how you feel about him.”
“All you do is take, take, take, Alicia. You’ve never once told Duke how you feel…,” Gill says.
“He keeps throwing his heart at you when he doesn’t even know how you feel… Talk about cruel and unusual punishment.”
Urk…um, I kind of wish you two wouldn’t gang up on me like this. And Duke still isn’t saying anything. What in the world is on his mind?
“To toy with the heart of a popular, handsome, gifted prince, you really are a villainess—” Gill stops and slaps a hand to his mouth.
A smile spreads on my lips. “Why, yes, I am a wonderful villainess who toys with princes’ hearts.”
Gill looks at me uncomfortably. He’s made a horrible mistake.
I never dreamed the day would come when Gill called me a villainess… This is the best day of my life!
“Ali’s the only girl who smiles in response to someone calling her a villainess,” Henri murmurs to Gill, who nods firmly in reply.
As I stare at the still silent Duke, I make a secret vow to myself.
If I ever get confident in my feelings, then I’ll give Duke an answer befitting a villainess.
“Professor John said the Spot Sickness in Laval can’t be cured by magic.”
“Madi can cure it, right?”
“Guess so. But madi is so heavily prized that you can’t get it easily.”
“Why don’t they just make more madi with duplication magic?”
Yes! Exactly! If you duplicate the madi in stock, you can save more lives. Why didn’t I think of such a simple solution earlier? Spot Sickness is so rare in Durkis that you could basically say it doesn’t exist, but I really want to test that theory!
My heart quickly fills with curiosity.
“Perhaps I should visit Laval,” I say.
“What?!” Gill barks.
Uh-oh. I said that out loud, didn’t I?
But I really do think duplication magic could be quite useful. And since it is a level-82 spell, that means I can use it. The duplication spell is in the dark magic category… Setting aside the question of why that is, it is a useful spell. But more to the point, I really want to see what Laval is like with my own eye. Just like with Roana Village, there are many aspects that can only be understood if you see for yourself.
But travel overseas is highly restricted…and I don’t have the privilege. Which is a missed opportunity, really. If Laval is trying to kidnap Liz because they want her saintly powers, I would have gladly let them kidnap me instead… Besides, if Liz disappears from Durkis, I would lose my raison d’être. Every villainess needs her saint.
“Hey, Alicia, you aren’t by any chance fantasizing something weird again, are you?” Gill asks, staring dubiously at me.
If I tell him what I’m thinking, he’ll definitely be against it.
“Not really. Why?”
Something in Gill’s eyes tells me my facetious reply hasn’t exactly satisfied him. Looks like he doesn’t trust me… Well, Gill’s intuition is spot-on in this case.
With that, we make our way to the dining hall. There is already quite a crowd there. Why is every place on this campus so bustling? It’s like there’s never a day when something doesn’t happen.
“Wanna go in?” Gill asks.
“Let’s not,” I answer quickly.
I’d rather die than step into such a clamor. It is bound to get us caught up in some mess again. No sooner do we turn our backs to walk away than somebody cries out.
“Hey! Alicia Williams is here!”
……And you just ruined her stealthy retreat.
To recognize me at a glance—does this person have a crush on me?
“Think it’s another mess involving you, Alicia?” Gill asks with a little smirk.