Reforming the Villain Family - Chapter 68

The teleport wasn’t far from the mansion, so we were able to arrive in less than an hour.

After getting off the carriage, I had to tilt my head back.

‘Wow, it’s huge……’

The floor was a massive circle with columns erected at regular intervals around the edges, each column embedded with what appeared to be magic stones.

The columns with magic stones were all pointing towards the center of the teleport.

Judging by the carriages gathering in the very center, it seemed that’s where the teleport gate would open.

Firmly strapping on the bag containing the silver snake in front, I circled around one of the columns.

“The columns are so tall too……”

[How provincial.]

The silver snake inside the bag commented dryly.

Regardless of the silver snake’s remark, my eyes were sparkling, and Clemens kindly explained beside me.

“Child, you’ve never ridden a teleport before, have you?”

“Yeah, what does it feel like? How is it?”

“Well, it’s different for everyone. Some people are fine, some get motion sickness. Father and I hardly get sick, but Michael and Daiban get a little motion sickness.”

“Oh, really?”

I thought the twins would be fine on the teleport since they had more magic power, but it seemed to have no relation to magic.

“Yes, but motion sickness isn’t so bad. If you’re not careful, your arms and legs can get separated, or your body might arrive but your mind goes somewhere else.”

I closed my mouth at the unexpected gruesome words. Can such accidents really happen on the teleport?

“Pfft.”

Just then, Clemens bowed his head. I could see his shoulders shaking slightly. I narrowed my eyes and looked at him.

“Ah, Diane, your thoughts are all visible on your face.”

“……”

Clemens could hardly contain his laughter.

‘Clemens is all good, except when he teases with a completely straight face.’

Especially recently, he seemed to have taken particular pleasure in teasing me.

“It’s not a lie. Theoretically, there are such side effects. Though that kind of accident has never actually happened before.”

So those were all theoretical side effects. Then was the accident the inspection team supposedly experienced tomorrow of that kind?

“I heard there are also accidents where teleport magic abnormally amplifies explosively, is that a teleport side effect too?”

“Magic amplifies?”

Clemens spoke as if he had no idea.

“There’s never been such an accident. There’s no record of such a side effect in the research either.”

Clemens patted my head and said kindly.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be beside you when you ride the teleport. If you’re really scared, you can hold my hand tightly-”

“But you said you’re busy, brother.”

“Hm? No, I spoke to Father again. I thought about it and it seems I won’t be busy, so I think I can go.”

“But Father said. Brother has a lot of work in the territory this time so you won’t be able to come to the Founding Festival. So this time it’s just me and Father going.”

“……”

Clemens pressed his lips tightly. He seemed to be thinking hard about something.

‘I guess Clemens wants to go to the festival and have fun too.’

But in times like this, it was better to cut off any expectations from the beginning.

Just then, the Duke called for Clemens. As I followed Clemens to the Duke, I kept wondering.

About the magic amplification accident the inspection team experienced in the original story.

‘So is that side effect discovered for the first time tomorrow?’

[This is the timeline separator]

“I heard you’ll be attending the Founding Festival this time too. I hope your journey will be comfortable, given the long distance.”

Count Vasco especially emphasized the words “given the long distance”.

It seemed he wanted to emphasize that the Duke was a noble subject who had been driven out of the capital and was living in the remote Hessera region.

‘If Daiban were here, he might have gotten angry again.’

However, despite the meaning behind his words, Count Vasco wore a grinning expression. Getting angry first at someone who was smiling would only worsen the situation.

“Thank you for your concern. You should hurry inside too. It’ll be a tough journey if you have to stop by the Imperial Palace before returning to the outskirts of the capital.”

Hearing those words, it seemed Count Vasco’s mansion wasn’t exactly in the capital either.

So what the Duke was saying was, don’t you have to go to the Imperial Palace and then back to your home in the outskirts of the capital?

Viscount Roteil, who was beside the Count, asked with a puzzled face.

“The outskirts? Why do you have to go back to the outskirts, Count?”

‘Ah, he was even keeping it a secret from those around him?’

At Viscount Roteil’s tactless question, Count Vasco’s face turned red and blue.

“I-I’ll see you then!”

Count Vasco immediately got into his carriage. Viscount Roteil bowed deeply to the Duke and then followed into the carriage.

‘See, why do something that won’t even pay off?’

I grinned at the Duke who had lightly dispatched the annoying Count. The Duke chuckled and patted my head.

‘How could such a cool person be called a stray dog?’

I wanted to tattle to Father right away, but these were just words from insignificant cowards behind his back.

I didn’t want to pick up their trash-like words and deliver them to Father.

‘Maybe that’s why Daiban didn’t say anything either.’

They said after the carriages use the teleport first, then the knights would use it to move.

Magicians started standing next to each column one by one.

Clemens explained beside me that when they infuse magic into the columns, the magic moves through the magic stones and appears in one place, activating the teleport.

‘So those people were all magicians.’

I wondered why they were wearing their hoods so low when it wasn’t even that cold. It seems they were all dressed in the same outfit.

That’s when it happened. One of the magicians going to their position collapsed, clutching their head.

“Just a moment! We’ll pause briefly!”

There was a brief commotion among the magicians as they checked on the fallen magician’s condition. Fortunately, the collapsed magician soon got up.

It seemed they were trying to assure everyone they were fine, but those around them judged it would be better to check their condition before operating the teleport.

“Tsk.”

The Duke clicked his tongue briefly beside me.

It seemed he was frustrated by the delay when he wanted to return to the mansion quickly.

“It looks like this will take longer than expected. Diane, if you’re bored, you can go back with Clemens.”

“No, I like being with Father!”

“Alright. Let’s stay together, my daughter.”

The response came slowly. Glancing at his expression, he seemed very moved by my words.

I turned my gaze back to the front.

‘That person’s head……’

Actually, what I just said wasn’t entirely sincere.

Of course I liked being with Father, but my immediate decision to stay wasn’t just because of him.

‘That energy.’

Faint magic was flickering around the fallen magician’s head. That energy was flowing from one particular spot like a stream of water.

“Father, I’m going to wait in the carriage!”

“Hm? But you just said you liked being with Father……”

“Later!”

I hurriedly got up. As soon as I climbed into the carriage, I carefully opened the window.

[I’m coming too!]

I was going to leave the bag behind of course, but the silver snake who sensed my intentions grabbed onto me.

‘I can’t risk getting caught if I bring it……’

There wasn’t much time. After a very brief deliberation, I immediately moved.

[This is the timeline separator]

“Ahem-”

It was not far from the teleport.

Daiban, leaning against a tree, was slowly releasing magic under his hand.

Mind control magic was strictly prohibited unless for research purposes.

The use of forbidden magic had been managed by the Magic Tower. Since each magic had its own flow of magic power, the Magic Tower could immediately detect if an unauthorized magic flow was used.

Moreover, since each person’s magic had its unique energy, it was easy to know who was using it.

Of course, that was assuming it was detected.

‘If the flow changes very subtly, it’s undetectable.’

There was a reason why the movement of magic was called a flow. All magic in nature moved like a flow.

The cycle of that flow was not constant, changing subtly, and sometimes the flow changed irregularly.

The Magic Tower could only confirm the use of magic when that flow was disrupted.

In other words, if one operated magic according to the natural flow of magic, the Magic Tower had no way of knowing, not just forbidden magic but even the use of general magic.

‘Well, I might spare the others.’

As he was casually thinking while operating magic, the sound of hurried footsteps came from beside him.

Daiban left the hand performing mind control magic as it was and extended his other hand.

Whoever it was, if they unfortunately discovered him, he would immediately-

“Found you!”

It was a young, familiar voice. Daiban was truly surprised. He froze stiffly with his hand still extended.

“……Squirt?”

“Yes, it’s me!”

Having come in a hurry, Diane was bent over, breathing heavily.

Daiban looked at the suddenly appeared Diane with a sour expression.

“What? How did you know to come here?”

“I wanted to see Daiban!”

Daiban slightly furrowed his brow. That child hadn’t broken through the concealment barrier surrounding him.

The concealment barrier was perfectly intact. That meant there was only one possibility.

While concealment did hide the caster’s appearance, it didn’t turn them perfectly invisible.

The principle of concealment was to divert the attention of those approaching the barrier or confuse their minds so they couldn’t discover what was there.

It meant that if someone was desperately searching for the caster or was bound to them by a strong bond, the concealment barrier wouldn’t work.

‘Well…… to that extent for me.’

Daiban forcibly suppressed the corners of his mouth that were twitching. Then he belatedly realized that magic was still on his hand.

‘I’ll send the squirt back safely and do it again.’

Since he had undone the magic, the magician who was under mind control would have fainted again by now.

‘It’ll take time for them to wake up again anyway.’

“How did you find me so well? How did you know I was here?”

“W-well…… I was able to find you because I came while thinking I really, really wanted to see Daiban!”

“Ahem, well. Is that so?”

I guess she missed me quite a bit. Well, I haven’t seen the squirt at all today since I came here in the morning to set things up. Daiban cleared his throat several times unnecessarily before continuing.

“Let’s go for now. I’ll take you to Father. You came here following Father, right? I’ll just take you back and then go straight to the mansion-”

“Before that, I have something to tell Daiban.”

“Something to tell me?”

“Don’t kill those people.”

His steps froze at the unexpected words.