Jared Murphy was in a dim room where the sun did not shine. Without the lamp lights, all vision would be covered in darkness.
It's chilly in the room even though it's getting hot during the day.
"How are you feeling, Jared Murphy?
"That sucks. How dare you show your face before me... I'll kill you for sure"
"You can say anything. Because you're a prisoner now."
I distorted my face abominably to the voice of a middle-aged man, wrapped around a robe the sorcerer preferred to wear.
The man is right, Jared is a prisoner.
It also means because my fiancé Olivier Alway is being held hostage, but he's literally being held captive by chains.
No matter how much force you put into it, the chain that connects the ceiling to the arm doesn't freak you out. I can stand hard, but I didn't know how long it would last in a body that was hurt beforehand not to resist.
"I didn't think there was a safe house for traitors on the private property of the former king."
"I'm the caretaker of the land. Neither the royal palace nor the sorcerer's association will ever realize that."
The man with his chest up as if to brag, if Jared remembers correctly - is the Ewing Marquis. My son is an executive of the Royal Sorcery Division and should have been close to the Count Gallagher family by now.
Wearing glasses on his nervous skinny face, he remembers he is not a magician unlike his son.
"Soon it will be obvious. This country and the Sorcerer's Guild will be looking for you."
"Maybe. But when that happens, you can fight. The Royal Sorcery Division is no more an enemy than the Knights. The only concern, the court magicians, must also be used to protect the royal family and the Duke's house because they are not all there. Then I can recommend this one to the advantage."
"What are you doing this for... until you turn against the country, what do you want?
If you can't resist, I wanted to elicit information by having a little more conversation.
"The king is a good king, but he has little understanding of magicians"
"Is that all this is about?
"That's all? If you're a mage too, no, a mage like you should be more appreciated, you should want more status. Don't you think so?
"Don't think about it. We magicians are not special. He's no different than the others, he's just a human being."
"Too bad, Jared Murphy. You've apparently been brainwashed by non-magicians."
The light shines in the darkness of the room when my heartfelt poor eyes are pointed at me.
The door opened and three men came in.
One is a middle-aged man who weaves the same robe as the Marquis of Ewing. The other two were young men in the team uniform of the Royal Sorcery Division.
"Marquis Ewing, I think it's time. I don't mind having a conversation with my future brother-in-law, but I can't just treat you special."
"I'm sorry about this. I didn't think so."
"I don't mind. Now, you, start."
"Ha."
When the man in the robe squeaks his jaw, he stands in front of Jared, one of the members.
He touches Jared's body and chain so he can be sure of something.
"Supposedly it's up and running without a problem"
"Fine, then. Now, Lord Jared Murphy, you are currently in a state where sorcery is unusable even if you want to. Let me therefore advise you with kindness. You should follow us without wasting any resistance"
The man is right, Jared can't use magic. On the contrary, I can't feel any magic. Probably sealed by this room or the chains that connect me, but I didn't know there was such technology.
"I've been having a conversation with the Marquis Ewing, so why don't you give me a reply?
Jared waved his legs floating as he put his strength into an arm tied to a chain stretching from the ceiling.
A kick that makes it look like a whip smashes the cheekbones of a Royal Sorcery Division member who was nearby. clash against the narrow room wall as it were, without looking at the man who stopped moving.
"This is the reply"
I told the man off pale.
"Ki, you!
Another member, who had refrained, shook his fist up sharply at Jared.
They can't even defend you, but they still beat you up, but they ignore angry members and others and keep looking at the man.
"Stop. ugly."
Unlike the blue-faced Marquis Ewing, when a man whose name is unknown speaks a short but clear voice to the members, the pittance stops moving.
"But..."
I'm not convinced. I'm afraid to argue.
"I won't tell you twice. It is bad that he, whom Lord Leonard called his greatest enemy, was easily caught off guard because magic was unavailable. We don't need such fools."
"... sorry"
The crew slowly moves away from Jared, albeit flatly.
Spitting the blood accumulated in his mouth, the man approached Jared one step closer.
"You kicked him down. He was a user there among the Royal Sorcery Division, but no, it's brilliant. But you better never resist again. I'm gonna miss this one, but the next time I do something crazy, I'm not gonna guarantee Olivier Alway's safety."
"You know what that means?
"What do you mean?
"Olivier, if there's anything you need, there's no reason for me to put up with it."
"I guess. That's why I'll promise you she'll treat you politely. Promise me you won't do anything stupid anymore."
"If you keep your promises, I'll follow you now."
"Fine, then. The safety of Olivier Alway is promised by this I, Clarence Langridge, Duke of Langridge."
I was unintentionally stunned.
I never dreamed that the man in front of me was a Duke's family person.
The Duke of Langridge is a clan that has nothing more remarkable than other Duke houses. However, since magicians are rarely produced in the Duke's house, blood relatives also belong to the Sorcerer's Association, including the Royal Sorcery Division.
"I see your people are all over the place, so the information was lost."
"Let's just say that non-clan humans also have collaborators. Everyone is a comrade worried about the plight of magicians today. I want you to be a comrade, too."
"I'm sorry."
It was also convincing to learn that it was the power of the Duke of Langridge family that the information had passed to the army of orthodox magicians everywhere, including the events in the Duke of Lüdiger's territory.
If the Dukes, second only to the royal family, are part of the rebels, it will be easy to gather allies.
Until now, I thought the leader was Leonard Gallagher, but being captured allowed me to find a person with more standing than him.
But now I regret I can't do anything.
"I thought you would say that. What, we have time. They'll all change their minds. But there are things to do before that. That's the face I've been waiting for."
"Face to face," he said?
"I wonder if you know. Several houses, including my clan and the Ewing Marquis, wanted to have a daughter in your side room. But unfortunately, it was all rejected by the Duke of Alway's little girl. That clan really wants to monopolize you."
I know Olivier and the Duke of Alway are not thinking about their monopoly. Needless to say, it's a casual speculation.
At the same time, I knew that the Duke of Langridge would not be convinced if I told him about it.
"There is no disturber here right now. In full, I want you to meet my daughters. I'll have your children in the future, my wives."
"No way, you... to me"
"Preferably a kid with a good guess. Yes, let me ask you to marry an excellent wife to keep that blood muscle first. Pleasure, everyone."
Jared dyed his face pale when he understood what was going to happen to the Duke of Langridge.