A Blend of Romance and Fantasy Chapter 10

Chapter 10

“Couldn’t you just use a cleansing spell?”

“I hate light-attribute magic.”

Magic had different attributes, and cleansing magic belonged to the light attribute—the exact opposite of Sarah’s dark.

Most people used it anyway because it was convenient, but Sarah was stubborn about things like that.

“You’re really sensitive.”

She was always late anyway, so I let it slide and pointed to the paper on the table.

“Sarah, can you take a look at this?”

The moment she saw it, her expression twisted, and she instinctively stepped back.

“Princess, this is a high-level defensive spell. And it feels… unpleasant. Who cast this?”

“Unpleasant?”

“It’s layered—dark, wind… and fire is the strongest. I hate mixed attributes like this.”

Whether she liked it or not wasn’t the point—but I was a kind employer.

I stepped closer, grabbed her hand, and smiled sweetly.

“Sarah, you still owe me quite a lot of money, don’t you? Should we visit Galatia Bank and review your balance together?”

“…One day, I’m going to blow up that bank.”

“Oh dear. Galatia Bank operates across the entire continent. You’d have to destroy the magic tower in the Kingdom of Servi first—they’re the ones protecting it.”

Sarah frowned deeply, pulled her hand away, and summoned her staff from midair.

Then she strode toward the table.

“There’s also a tracking spell on this. Whoever touched it has already been recorded.”

She paused, glancing at me.

“You know that, right?”

“I do.”

“It could be dangerous. Are you sure you’re fine?”

“There’s a barrier over the entire princess’s palace. And I have plenty of defensive items you made. Or… you could stay nearby for a few months?”

“I don’t like bright places. I prefer dark, damp environments for research.”

What a heartless mage.

But I already knew that.

“You’re so cold.”

“Isn’t that your fault?”

We bickered lightly as we both stared at the scroll.

Sarah’s staff—thin as a chopstick, plain and unadorned—looked as unimpressive as ever. Apparently it was made from wood saturated with dark magic.

Very fitting.

She tapped the string binding the scroll with the tip of her staff.

And then—

A vortex erupted.

Small, but violently powerful.

Our hair whipped upward as the air twisted.

Bookshelves rattled. Curtains snapped. Ink bottles and pens scattered across the floor.

From outside, the guards shouted in alarm.

“It’s fine! Don’t come in!”

I called out firmly, then looked back at Sarah.

Sweat was running down her face.

This… is serious.

I’d never seen her struggle like this before.

She was forcibly breaking a defensive spell with raw power—and the backlash was forming the vortex.

Minutes passed.

Then—

Crash!

Glass shattered—windows, frames, everything.

The chandelier above us trembled dangerously.

Sarah grabbed me and dragged me against the wall.

“S-Sarah… thank you…”

“What’s happening!?”

The guards burst in, weapons drawn.

Seeing Sarah holding me, they immediately pointed their blades.

“Release the princess!”

“Stop! She’s done nothing wrong!”

At my command, they hesitated—then lowered their weapons.

Sarah let go of me, and I stepped forward.

“Thank you, Sarah.”

“…Yeah.”

I turned toward the scroll.

This level of magic…

It had to be important.

My curiosity had already taken over.

Slowly, I opened it.

And the moment I read it—

I froze.

“Princess? What’s wrong?”

“….”

“Princess.”

Sarah called me several times, but I couldn’t respond.

It wasn’t just the content.

It was the language.

[On the final day of the birthday banquet, kidnap Saintess Aurora and teleport her to a cave in the Resher Desert.]

Korean.

Still in shock, I sat down, staring at the paper.

Is there… someone else here who knows Korean?

My thoughts spiraled.

Or is this just a rare language I don’t remember from the novel?

But based on everything I knew—

Protagonists usually understand all languages automatically.

Which means something like Korean shouldn’t even exist here.

And ever since I transmigrated, I’d been speaking the local language—not Korean.

Which meant—

This was something else.

And the content itself—

was a problem.

Since Eric dropped it, this must be his orders.

Kidnap Aurora?

Rage flared.

“How dare they target the Saintess… This must be Leonard’s doing.”

That handsome face—

and he tricked me?

Though… I did fall for it, at least a little.

Just then—

A faint sound came from the window.

“Aaron?”

I turned, expecting my shadow knight—

And froze.

It wasn’t him.

Sitting on the windowsill—

was Leonard.

Before I could scream, he moved.

Faster than anyone I had ever seen.

His hand covered my mouth.

The princess’s palace was protected by layered barriers—only those I permitted could use magic inside.

Breaking in meant overwhelming force.

This prince—

what is he?

My thoughts blurred.

A bitter taste spread across my tongue.

My vision darkened.

“Princess… you’ll have to come with me for a moment.”

Drip.

“Ah—cold!”

A drop of water hit my forehead.

My eyes snapped open.

This place—

was unfamiliar.

No windows. Moss-covered stone walls.

And in the distance—

iron bars.

A prison.

“You’re awake.”

Startled, I turned.

The man who had kidnapped me stood there.

His face hidden in shadow—

like a reaper.

“W-where… am I…?”