The servant, sensing the situation, quickly realized that ‘Maximilian’ was the man who had just been begging for a chance and his life in front of him with his cloak pulled over, and hurried away.

Just before burying the coffin, Anton gestured to the priest who was about to recite a prayer. The priest bowed his head and approached him.

“What is it, sir?”

“The burial will be postponed, so you may leave for today.”

“Pardon?”

“Master.”

The butler’s expression, who was listening to the conversation right beside them, contorted. Anton firmly repeated once more.

“Withdraw. I will call for you again when the time comes.”

“Master, you must let the young lady go. Please let her rest in peace.”

“She is my daughter! I brought her into this world, so it is my will when to send her off!”

Anton shouted at the butler, glaring with bloodshot eyes. The priest hurriedly retreated, fearing that anger might be directed at him as well.

‘It seems the rumors were true that the master of Embly went mad after his daughter’s death.’

No matter how well a body is preserved by magic, it is bound to emit a foul odor. The corpse should have been buried long ago. The priest clicked his tongue as he gathered his scripture and left Embly Castle.

In the end, the funeral was left unfinished. The coffin containing Rosalyn was not placed in the ground but taken back into the castle. Many servants whispered among themselves upon seeing this, but no one dared to tell Anton that his actions were wrong.

“M-Master…”

Maximilian, swaying like a paper doll, was dragged before Anton by the knights.

Anton lifted his scabbard and struck Maximilian’s head with it. He repeated this several times. Eventually, he appeared almost numb, as if simply carrying out a task that needed to be done.

When the scabbard became soaked with blood, Anton tossed it aside.

“Urgh!”

“Speak. What was it you said earlier?”

“…There is an ancient magic that has been passed down for generations within the Atilei family.”

Maximilian gasped for breath for a while before finally gathering himself and beginning to speak. Blood was streaming down from his forehead and head, but no one seemed to pay any attention to it.

Anton gestured with his chin as if telling him to continue.

“As you know, reviving the dead is taboo among magicians, but taboos are meant to be broken, aren’t they? The Atilei family has been revived using that magic.”

“According to him, he used soul transfer magic.”

“That’s all lies.”

Maximilian spoke with fierce determination.

“Soul transfer magic is, as the name suggests, a legendary magic that no one has ever succeeded in performing. The Atilei family made up such claims to hide the forbidden magic they actually realized.”

Maximilian pleaded, his tongue flicking like a snake. Although Anton was clearly half out of his mind, he still maintained enough sanity not to readily believe his words.

“Is there any proof that this magic actually exists?”

“Of course.”

As if he had been waiting for this, Maximilian pulled out a piece of paper from his breast and handed it to Anton. It looked so old that it seemed it would crumble at the slightest touch.

Anton received it and examined its contents, but there was little he could understand.

“Unfortunately, the forbidden magic book I obtained from within the Atilei family is only the first page. If you doubt its contents, you can summon your magicians to verify it. They will surely recognize that forbidden magic is written on it when they see it.”

“Fine, let’s say that’s true. But Rosalyn has been dead for a month now. Is it still possible for her to come back to life?”

“Atilei came back to life after three months had passed. It’s originally a magic that takes a long time, so it’s possible as long as the body is well preserved.”

Maximilian answered smoothly without hesitation. Anton continued the conversation with Maximilian, grasping at straws.

“Where is Rosalyn’s soul that it can be brought back even after death?”

“I’m not sure about that either. But what’s certain is that Atilei knows the method, and even succeeded in it.”

Reason argued that Maximilian’s words were lies, but to Anton, he seemed like someone who had appeared prepared for him. He was like a ray of light shining into a deep, dark abyss.

He wanted to cling to even the slightest possibility. So he immediately summoned Embly’s magicians and handed them the paper Maximilian had shown him.

Their eyes widened considerably as they looked at the paper.

“What is written on that paper?”

“It’s about… forbidden magic.”

“What kind of forbidden magic?”

“Magic that can bring the dead back to life. But Master, you know, don’t you? This magic doesn’t exist in reality. It’s nothing more than a legend that has been passed down since ancient times.”

“Then what is written on that paper?”

Anton’s voice rose. How could something so clearly describing a method to revive the dead not exist in reality? He glared intensely at the magicians.

“Nothing can be proven with just this single page. Just because someone wrote about a horse with horns doesn’t mean such a horse exists in reality, does it?”

An elderly magician calmly retorted to Anton’s words. However, these rational words no longer reached Anton’s ears.

“Then how do you explain Atilei coming back to life from death?”

“That’s…”

“Archduke Atilei returned to his original body through soul transfer magic. Since he didn’t die, it’s difficult to say he came back to life.”

A fierce battle of spear and shield continued afterward. The magicians earnestly explained about the forbidden magic, but the more they did so, the more Anton’s heart was drawn to the single page Maximilian had handed him.

“Useless fools! Even if it’s an extremely slim chance, if such a method exists, you should have rushed to tell me first!”

“…We apologize, Master.”

In the end, all they could say was predetermined. Anton sent the magicians out of the room and paced by the window.

The roses had already withered, leaving only yellowed petals. Suddenly, a surge of resentment welled up as he looked at them.

It felt so unfair and infuriating that only Leonard Atilei had come back to life using that method.

Why should only he live when my daughter died just the same?

“Bring Maximilian back.”

The servant bowed deeply and left the room, returning with Maximilian. A faint smile hung on Maximilian’s lips.

“Master, I never speak falsehoods.”

“Is Atilei the only one who knows how to perform this magic?”

“That’s correct. As it’s passed down only to the head of the family, I don’t know all the details.”

“Then for Atilei to use magic to revive my daughter…”

“We need his disciple.”

“As a means of threat?”

Anton groaned softly and rubbed his chin. It was a method he had tried to protect Daniel, but he still didn’t like it. It carried a high risk as it was impossible to predict how Atilei would react.

“That’s right. Although it failed because of Evrad’s treasure, it’s the only way to control Atilei.”

“Evrad’s treasure?”

At Anton’s question, Maximilian briefly explained about the bracelet Cordelia possessed.

Anton’s mouth opened slightly in surprise. It was astonishing even to him, who was unfamiliar with magic.

“Such a thing exists?”

“Yes. It’s extremely rare and difficult to obtain, yet he gave it to his disciple. It’s proof that Atilei deeply cares for his disciple.”

Maximilian took a breath and then spoke in a low voice.

“That’s why we must capture Vasquez and make her consume Tarsia.”

“But if she has that precious item, how can we kidnap her and make her drink the poison? It won’t be easy to bribe those around her either.”

“We just need to lure Vasquez out alone.”

“And then?”

“We can set up a barrier that temporarily nullifies magic. Although it can’t be maintained for long, it should buy enough time to subdue her and make her drink the poison.”

Anton listened intently to Maximilian’s words. He spoke without hesitation, as if he had thought through all of this beforehand, and as a result, the plan to kidnap Cordelia and make her drink the poison became increasingly sophisticated.

By the time they finished talking, the sun had already set and the moon was rising.

Anton sent Maximilian away and entered Rosalyn’s room where she lay peacefully. Thanks to daily cleansing and the constant application of magic, Rosalyn looked as if she had fallen into a deep sleep.

“Wait just a little longer, Rosy. We’ll meet again soon.”

* * *

Several days had passed since Cordelia was kidnapped and escaped using Evrad’s treasure.

Many things had happened during that time.

Almost all the Seirius were frantically busy trying to clean up Wilas, which had been devastated by the demon summoning. Leonard was no exception, making it very difficult for Cordelia to see his face.

For her safety, Cordelia returned to the Magic Association. Baron, of course, couldn’t enter the Magic Association, and all the Seirius she knew, including her master, were busy, so Cordelia was cooped up in the laboratory with Kandias almost every day.

Going to the common dining hall twice a day for meals was practically her only opportunity to meet people from outside.

“What is love?”

“Oh, have you finally become interested in this area too?”

Ilias grinned mischievously and lightly kicked Cordelia under the table. Cordelia pushed aside her finished meal and said,

“Don’t even start with that weird ‘good relationship’ talk.”

“What do you mean weird? Everyone… Okay, okay, don’t go.”

Ilias hurriedly tried to stop Cordelia as she immediately stood up to leave.

“But why suddenly ask about love? Did you find a man you like?”

“It’s not like that…”

Cordelia mumbled, swallowing her words. Leonard’s eyes, brimming with emotion, were etched in a corner of her heart, unforgettable.