The Arranged Suitor Was the Kidnapper

It had already been ten days since the visit to the Library of Grand Duchy Krassium.

Laria hadn’t stepped out of the house since then.

‘It must have looked suspicious?’

The moment she entered the study, her condition had deteriorated.

However, Zenox didn’t ask anything.

When Laria had calmed down, he gave her a warm cup of tea and escorted her home.

As Laria tried to remember, her eyes blurred.

She recalled the low voice comforting her, holding her in his arms as she was troubled by fragments of her past, whispering it’s okay.

Despite disliking anything hot, Laria found Zenox’s body warmth pleasantly warm. Her cheeks turned red at the thought of his touch.

‘I’m not a kid…’

It was embarrassing to have shown such a state in front of Zenox.

She had confidently promised to remove the curse on the mansion, but then left.

Until her memory faded to a certain extent, she didn’t have the confidence to see Zenox’s face.

That’s why she had been ignoring all the contact attempts for the past few days.

Tap tap, Laria turned her head at the sound coming from right next to her.

A single crow was tapping on the window.

Seeing its golden eyes, Laria opened the window right away.

The crow that trotted in greeted with one wing spread out, then folded it back.

This clever crow was a communication bird raised by Solike, the informant.

Unfolding the note tied to its leg, a poorly written sentence appeared.

[There is a request. Please visit right now for information.]

Usually, requests come with a few days’ time, but this seemed rather urgent.

Thinking that there was no particular work, and it might be good to go out for a change of mood, she agreed to the request.

Laria drew a circle on the note indicating acceptance and tied it back to the bird’s leg.

After feeding the crow a snack, it cawed satisfactorily, then disappeared.

“I’ll take a nap, wake me up for dinner.”

After informing her employee, Laria created a clone and laid it on the bed.

Lately, as she didn’t go outside, the family’s surveillance had slackened, so leaving for a few hours should be fine.

After taking a voice-altering potion, she used spatial movement magic.

Solike, who was inside, discovered Laria first and pretended to recognize her.

As Laria walked towards him, she hesitated.

A woman was standing in front of Solike. Although a wide-brimmed hat obscured half of her face, her fiery red hair was fully exposed.

‘It’s Sienna Hashir, isn’t it?’

The client being Sienna was a huge coincidence.

With arms folded, Sienna scrutinized Laria up and down.

“Remove the hood and show your face.”

“I’m sorry, but it’s a condition not to reveal your identity when accepting requests.”

At Solike’s words, Sienna looked at Laria discontentedly.

Somehow, she felt like a commodity on display.

“He said you’re a sorcerer. You don’t look very skilled at a glance, isn’t there anyone else?”

“They are the most skilled individual in our informant network.”

“How am I to trust someone who won’t reveal their identity?”

Sienna haughtily lifted her chin.

“Then prove it. Show me that I can trust and entrust you.”

Laria, who was quietly blinking, finally blurted out what she was thinking.

“I decline.”

“…What?”

Sienna inquired after a beat.

Unable to say that it would be annoying to get involved, she added a plausible excuse.

“I don’t think I have enough skill to satisfy you.”

“Ha.”

Sienna snorted.

“That’s for me to judge, your opinion is not needed.”

She seemed hurt by the rejection.

While pondering on how to get Sienna to cancel the request on her own, Sienna cast a spell.

Laria’s eyes widened at the familiar spell formula.

‘Is it spatial movement magic?’

Although lacking in one or two places, it was almost similar to what Laria used.

While she was momentarily lost in analyzing the spell, the space changed. The dim interior with a fireplace disappeared, and an empty space appeared. Like a vacant lot, a wide open space, with barriers layered all around.

‘Is it a defensive barrier?’

While Laria was curiously looking around, Sienna chuckled.

“Is this your first time seeing a sorcery training ground?”

This place was the Sorcery Office.

Even after manifesting as a sorcerer, Laria hadn’t joined the Sorcery Office. It felt awkward to belong somewhere, and the parents were uneasy whenever the topic of the Sorcery Office came up.

“Why did you bring me here?”

“To test your skills.”

Sienna, responding as if it was obvious, took off her hat, no longer hiding her identity.

Her red hair flowed down like a waterfall.

‘What kind of request is she going to make, going to this extent?’

Bringing Laria all the way to the Sorcery Office to prove her skills.

Sienna, who brushed her hair once, lifted her chin.

“What is the spell you are most confident in?”

Laria, who had been silent all along, opened her mouth.

“Nothing in particular.”

Sienna’s eyebrows raised slightly.

It seemed unbelievable.

But really, Laria couldn’t find any special spell she was skilled in. She did them all moderately, so she couldn’t judge which spell was easy or hard.

If there was someone to evaluate her, it might be different, but her father, the only sorcerer around, had been living as a businessman long before Laria was born.

“Then try using an offensive spell.”

“It’s going to be difficult here.”

“Why?”

“Because it might damage the building.”

Even though the space was wide, it would be troublesome if an offensive spell caused damage to the building.

She didn’t have the ability to compensate for the damage.

At Laria’s answer, Sienna burst into laughter.

“A triple-layered protective barrier.”

Sienna, who looked around once, spoke confidently.

“No matter what you do, it won’t break, so feel at ease.”

At that remark, Laria was tempted.

Honestly, there had been almost no occasion to use an offensive spell.

She might not know if there was a quarrel, but since leaving the Krassium mansion, Laria’s life had been smooth.

And practicing at home wasn’t easy given the nature of the place.

‘If it’s a barrier that absolutely won’t break, maybe it’s okay…?’

Her heart raced on the stage Sienna had set.

Like a curious fox clan, she wanted to use an offensive spell immediately, her fingers itching. But she thought of refusing Sienna’s request.

‘Then I just have to act like I have no skills.’

Show her a pathetic offensive spell.

Then Sienna would be disappointed and maybe cancel the request.

Thinking up to there, Laria’s face brightened.

A freshwater pearl she had in her pocket caught on her fingertip.

She was going to use an offensive spell written in a beginner’s spell book, so this should be enough.

“Now… shall I do it?”

“Do it.”

“Really doing it?”

“Do it quickly. Don’t waste time.”

Sienna, who stepped back, crossed her arms.

She seemed annoyed by Laria’s hesitation.

Having received the affirmation, Laria cast a spell towards the wall across.

Bang!!!

An enormous explosive sound shook the surroundings.

The multi-layered protective barrier disappeared in an instant like bursting bubbles.

Laria was startled, opening her mouth wide.

‘She said it wouldn’t break…?’

She had only trusted the barrier, who knew it would be weaker than glass!

Did it perhaps cause a scratch on the building?

She should have gotten a pledge not to ask for compensation in advance…

Thinking maybe Sienna had trapped her, Laria turned her head and looked at Sienna.

“How could…?”

But Sienna looked even more shocked than Laria.

Her wide eyes and open mouth proved how shocked she was.

If it was acting, Sienna would have been an unparalleled actress.

‘It seems I have a talent in offensive spells.’

She never thought she’d discover it this way.

Sienna, who came to her senses belatedly, opened her mouth with a stern face.

“What exactly are you…?”