/
While scanning through the documents, Lexion suddenly remembered Elena’s face.
They spent time together yesterday; but now, he missed her already.
‘I wonder what Elena’s been doing?’
Part of him wanted to cross over the portal and head to the lab.
But he has too much work to do.
Lexion carefully erased Elena from his thoughts and checked the documents again.
Tock! Tock!
It was then that he heard a knock at the window.
As he turned his gaze, he saw a small bird with a gleaming golden color.
He had never seen a bird like that.
For a moment, he felt it was strange.
Lexion took his eyes off the bird and scanned the documents again.
But the bird knocked on the window again.
Tock! Tock! Tock!
Lexion’s forehead narrowed.
Perplexed, he looked at the bird.
It was then that a golden aura wrapped around the bird caught his gaze.
‘Is that magic?’
It was like a messenger sent by magic.
Realizing this, he had an ominous feeling.
Lexion got up from his seat and headed straight for the window.
As soon as he opened the window, the bird came in.
The little bird whirled around Lexion and headed towards the office door.
‘Do you want me to leave with you?’
Lexion was worried.
Should he follow this messenger when he didn’t even know who sent it?
However, with how persisting the uneasiness was, he followed the bird.
As he opened the office door, the bird quickly flew across the hallway.
Lexion walked as fast as he could to keep up with the bird.
The servants he often encountered greeted him, but Lexion only gave them a rough reply and kept following the bird.
The servants looked strangely at Lexion chasing a glimmering bird in broad daylight, but they didn’t pay much attention to it as he had a relationship with a wizard.
Meanwhile, Lexion followed the bird and left the estate.
As he chased after the bird, he passed the garden in an instant.
And when he got closer to the front gate.
The bird disappeared.
‘… What?’
Lexion stared at the open air where the bird was flying just now and then turned his gaze away.
At that moment, he saw a person lying outside the front gate.
Lexion promptly moved to his feet.
The main gate of Halos was guarded by soldiers in turn.
However, since there was a limited number of available men, there were times when the front gate was empty for a few minutes during shifts.
It seemed that now was just that time.
Although an unconscious person was lying outside the front gate, no report was turned in to him right away.
But why was the figure of that fallen person so familiar?
Lexion’s heartbeat quickened with anxiety.
And when he finally reached the front gate.
“Du-Duke!”
Approaching soldiers that were now to stand guard saw him.
But Lexion didn’t even look at them.
His gaze was directed only to the unconscious, robe-clad individual.
“Open it.”
At Lexion’s words, the soldiers immediately opened the front gate.
Lexion rushed forward.
And he lowered the hood of the motionless person.
Vivid flaming red hair caught his gaze.
“E-Elena…?”
Lexion carefully held her in his arms.
Elena remained passed out and didn’t even react.
Lexion’s face contorted in anguish.
“Why are you…”
He observed Elena’s condition as calmly as possible.
She wasn’t awake; but fortunately, she was still breathing.
Then, he also checked the identities of those fallen people who were beside her.
It was the men whom he ordered to follow Killian.
‘Impossible….’
Lexion licked his lips.
Then, something caught his attention.
A trickle of black blood sprouted from the bottom of Elena’s neck.
‘This…?’
He didn’t know what it was, but he could tell that it was harming Elena’s body.
“Move them inside now!”
Lexion ordered the surrounding guards while he cautiously carried Elena in his arms.
Seeing that not only Elena, but his people also fell, it must have something to do with Killian.
Lexion headed straight to the mansion.
The guards followed behind him.
“Bring the doctor.”
Lexion instructed once he entered the house.
He then immediately moved Elena to her room.
*****
At Lexion’s command, the doctor rushed to the scene.
First, he gave first aid to Lexion’s people who were poisoned and seriously ill.
Thankfully, they were able to overcome the ordeal.
After that, the doctor headed to Elena’s room.
He greeted Lexion and immediately checked Elena’s condition.
“How is it? Do you think she’s been poisoned?”
At Lexion’s question, the doctor shook his head.
“No. She was not poisoned.”
“Then why isn’t she waking up? Could it be because of that strange thing on her neck?”
“I don’t know what it is either, but I suspect it’s some kind of magic. I think it would be best if you went to a wizard.”
“… I understand.”
After the doctor said goodbye, he left the room.
Lexion took Elena into his arms.
If she was injured by magic, the quickest way would be to go to the Magic Tower.
So he went straight to his office.
And immediately crossed the portal.
“Duke Halos?”
Immediately, a familiar voice was heard.
It was Jeremy who was visiting Elena’s lab; an opportune time indeed.
Seeing him, Lexion hurriedly approached him.
“Elena is hurt.”
“Huh? What do you mean…”
Jeremy asked, surprised by what he heard.
Lexion immediately showed him the area on Elena’s neck.
Something like black veins were twitching as if they have a life of their own.
Witnessing this, Jeremy’s complexion turned sickly white.
“Th-this is…!”
“Do you know what kind of magic it is?”
Lexion questioned him with a look of astonishment.
Jeremy nodded.
“Then do you know how to break it?”
“No. This is archaic magic… But the Archmage might know. Let’s go together.”
Jeremy hurried out of Elena’s lab.
Lexion also followed him, carrying her in his arms.
The two immediately entered the Central Tower of the Magic Tower.
The Central Tower, as always, was brimming with wizards.
With the unexpected presence of Lexion – a human – entering such space, the gazes of those wizards were focused on him.
Even if he was the Duke of Halos, it was impossible not to have a group of wizards who found him detestable.
Hence, they considered him being there rude.
But soon after, they discovered Elena in his arms, and everyone shut their mouths.
Despite the attention of the wizards on him, Lexion was busy following Jeremy, not paying attention to anything else.
After a while, the three arrived in front of the Archmage’s office.
As soon as they reached it, the door opened as if it was expecting them.
“What is it that brought Duke Halos here?”
As the two entered the office, the voice of the Archmage was heard.
She didn’t take her eyes off of her paperwork.
Lexion hastily brought Elena to the Archmage.
“Archmage. I’m here because Elena is in danger.”
“… What?”
At his words, Karen put the papers down.
There was no blood on Elena’s face.
And through the robes, she saw something that shouldn’t be there.
Karen leaped out of her seat and walked over to Elena.
Simultaneously, she quickly released her power toward Elena.
When her body started to flow up, Lexion let go of her.
As Karen poured magic into the air, a chaise lounge chair appeared.
Elena’s body was then placed on the soft chair.
Karen went straight to Elena and removed her robe, exposing Elena’s neck.
“Why is this….”
The Archmage noticed the dark energy squirming through her veins.
Karen immediately lowered Elena’s clothes.
There was a black seed sprouting near Elena’s collarbone.
The vile aura around her neck was also emanating from that seed.
After checking the seed, Karen’s eyes fluttered a bit more than usual.
Lexion was experiencing dread at the Archmage’s expression.
He clenched his trembling hands and asked Karen.
“What is her situation? Is it serious?”
Karen’s gaze turned to Lexion.
Then she nodded, a wretched look on her face.
“Yes. This… It is a marking of a curse.”
*****
The Black Tower of the Black Continent.
A black portal opened on the top floor.
“Ugh–!”
The one who appeared beyond the portal was none other than Killian.
He rolled on the floor, crying out in pain.
Elena’s ice remained in the space where his left arm had disappeared. It stopped the bleeding, but the pain was still there.
While Killian was rolling around and struggling in pain.
“Oh, dear. What is this?”
A cold voice was heard.
Killian groaned and shook his head.
In his room, the master of the Black Tower had come to visit.
The wizard, dressed in a black robe, sneered at Killian, clicking his tongue.
“I told you to bring Elena Respell, but you only returned writhing in pain.”
“Ugh. Oh, no need to worry.”
“What do you mean? Your left arm is gone.”
Killian chewed his lip at the blatant sarcasm.
In between his agony, he forced the words out.
“Elena, she’ll come to the Black Tower on her own feet.”