The Grand Duke’s Fox Princess

Episode 100: A Strange Body (II)

*******

It was when Heinricion and Eristella were about to go out to do an additional investigation into Viscount Diaclen’s business.

The butler hurriedly brought a letter.

“Your Excellency. This letter arrived early this morning. It seems to be urgent.”

The sender was Leighton.

‘Open it right now.’

Eristella also urged Heinricion.

Upon checking the letter, they found that he was now coming to the Grand Duchy of Adelasia with his friend.

“Isn’t this the middle of the semester?”

Heinricion frowned and questioned.

“You’re right. There are about two months left until vacation.”

“Why did he contact me so suddenly? Did something happen?”

Leighton’s visits were always welcome.

But it seemed that this was no ordinary visit.

“First of all, prepare to greet Leighton. And find out what has happened from the Magic Academy.”

Heinricion instructed Rowen as he stood up. Then Eristella quickly climbed onto his shoulder.

*******

Leighton’s carriage arrived.

“This is my friend. He shares a room with me at the academy.”

Heinricion and Eristella went out to meet Leighton.

Leighton got out of the carriage, carrying his friend.

“Yes. Do come in.”

Immediately, they could understand why Leighton made this sudden visit despite it being in the middle of the academic semester.

Even at first glance, the condition of the child who was Leighton’s roommate was not good.

This must be why Leighton urgently came.

“It would be better to take him to a room and examine his condition.”

Heinricion made a swift judgment.

If it was a simple disease, they wouldn’t have bothered to come here.

While learning magic, various accidents could happen.

However, the faculty of the academy would be able to solve most of the problems.

Thus, for them to come here meant that they had tried everything they could, but to no avail.

*******

In the meantime, news arrived from the Magic Academy.

As expected, the professors tried their best to find the cause, but they couldn’t figure it out.

When Leighton offered to take him to his uncle, they thought that was the only option left.

The child’s condition was very bad, perhaps because he overexerted himself to get here from the academy.

He was already unconscious in the carriage, and had yet to wake up.

“How did this happen?”

“We don’t know either.”

Leighton shook his head in confusion.

“First, tell me about your friend’s symptoms in detail.”

Leighton explained the situation so far, his voice full of worries.

These were strange symptoms of unknown cause.

“Suddenly, he got sick and had a seizure. And actually…”

Leighton hesitated for a moment before speaking cautiously in a soft voice.

“There was a time when he went berserk, as if he had lost his temper.”

Although the faculty managed to stop him, he was no longer a state that could be dealt with inside the academy.

“Sometimes he would hurt himself without even remembering.”

Leighton’s voice trembled as he recalled the memories of that day.

“I don’t know why he is like this.”

“…….”

“Every time he returns to his senses, he is also very distressed. He is constantly afraid that things will suddenly go wrong.”

Leighton said that he was a friend who helped him a lot while he was first adjusting to the Magic Academy.

The two naturally became close friends, spending most of their time together.

It was hard for Leighton to handle seeing such a friend suffering from abnormal symptoms right in front of his eyes.

That’s why he rushed over.

Because Heinricion was the strongest and most reliable wizard he knew.

And the instant Leighton listed out all the symptoms.

Heinricion’s and Eristella’s eyes met.

The same words popped into their heads.

‘Symptoms of black magic conflict.’

Magic and black magic appeared to be similar, but they have opposite compatibility.

When black magic enters a body that’s unprepared, these symptoms would appear.

‘Cion. Examine Leighton too.’

Eristella ordered Heinricion with her eyes.

“Leighton. How about you? Are you all right?”

“Me? I’m fine.”

“I think it’s better if I check, just in case.”

Leighton might have started to have an anomaly as well, just that he hadn’t noticed it yet.

Heinricion checked Leighton’s magical state.

‘I knew it.’

Although very subtle, there were traces of a collision with black magic.

“What’s wrong? Do I have a problem too?”

Leighton asked cautiously upon noticing Heinricion’s serious expression.

“…No. It’s okay. Maybe it’s because you came in a hurry that your body is a little unwell. You better take some medicine.”

Heinricion said, trying hard to maintain a composed face.

Fortunately, Leighton’s condition was not dire.

‘The problem is his friend.’

Heinricion cleared his throat and asked, in a calm voice so that Leighton would not be anxious.

“Leighton. Tell me more about your friend.”

He needed to know how the child came into contact with black magic.

“Everything before it became like this. Even minor changes.”

Noticing that there was something else wrong with his friend’s illness, Leighton nodded.

“Okay.”

*******

After midnight.

Heinricion and Eristella were once again reviewing the information they had heard from Leighton and the data about the child they had requested from the Magic Academy.

Among them, the part with special details about the child stood out.

— High innate magical power. Naturally sensitive to magic. Since young, he has received intensive magical power control training —

Among the wizards, it was not rare for one or two of them to have a unique constitution.

Those tend to be very sensitive to magic. And in those cases, if they didn’t learn how to use magic well, they would get seriously ill.

Hence, the academy prioritized teaching their students how to properly use magical powers.

Additionally… According to what they had heard from Leighton, his roommate had a hobby of collecting trendy things.

Of course, he also had the items sold by Viscount Diaclen.

“What if a child who is sensitive to magical power is unconsciously exposed to black magic?”

“The rejection reaction will come faster than others.”

Other people might not respond to it.

As for Leighton’s roommate, who had a sensitive constitution, he was more than likely to have an abnormal and severe reaction.

“Let’s go see the child. I will have to take a closer look.”

Eristella went first.

Now that she was in her original form, she was able to easily examine the child’s condition.

“How?”

When it came to black magic, Eristella knew much more than Heinricion.

“I’m sure. It’s a rejection of against black magic.”

“Is there a way to heal him?”

“Normally I can fix this, but now…”

Eristella’s face darkened. Never had she once said she couldn’t do anything about magic.

She had always been confident.

Her head fell. Due to her current condition, it was difficult for her to fix it on her own.

She wasn’t sure of the means yet and there was no evidence, but this made it clear.

—Dark magic existed in the goods distributed by Viscount Diaclen.

It had to be stopped. Unconditionally.

“We couldn’t find it.”

It was clear that Viscount Diaclen’s black magical power was more than Eristella had thought.

It wouldn’t be easy.

No, in fact, it would be very difficult and tricky.

“It’s difficult to fix that child immediately.”

Eristella had casted neutralization magic, but…

“It won’t work very well. At best, it keeps things from getting worse.”

It was different from the usual black magic poisoning phenomenon. So she wasn’t sure if it would work.

Unfortunately, she had no choice but to hope that the child’s condition would not get worse until a cure was found.

“To heal this child, we need to figure out exactly what the object is.”

To do so, she had to face Viscount Diaclen head-on.

‘What is his real identity?’

Eristella’s face contorted as she recalled Viscount Diaclen.

What’s his true identity, to have magical powers that could fool even her?

For the first time in her life, Eristella felt vague fear.

‘I’m afraid something will happen, and that I won’t be able to protect everyone.’

At that moment, Heinricion patted Eristella’s shoulder. She had been trembling without her realization.

*******

But of all things, Viscount Diaclen’s business was prospering day by day.

Still, there was no accurate evidence, so Eristella and Heinricion had no choice but to watch it.

In addition, a banquet for a business presentation was coming soon.

“Is there an invitation from the Viscount Diaclen?”

“There is, but aren’t you planning to be absent?”

“No. I will attend.”

Heinricion said so with a firm face, as if he was determined. 

Even if there was nothing, he had to step out.

Only then could they find a way to heal the child and save the people who were in danger without even knowing they were.

It had to be.