“I won’t ask you to teach me magic.”

“Then?”

“Just keep me company while I’m here. When I talk to you, I at least feel like a person.”

Cordelia wasn’t saying this to elicit sympathy. She shrugged her shoulders and spoke casually.

It was the first time in this house that she had an equal conversation with someone.

Her mother-in-law treated her like a disgusting insect, and to her husband, Cordelia was just a boring, stiff woman.

Leonard suddenly cursed under his breath. Cordelia flinched at the sound.

He irritably ran his hand through the back of his hair and then wiggled his index finger.

“You, come here.”

“Why?”

“Give me your hand.”

It sounded no different from thugs demanding money. She blinked her large green eyes and carefully extended both hands.

Leonard lightly tapped Cordelia’s burned hand.

A bright light enveloped her hand. When the light disappeared, her reddened hand had returned to normal as if by magic.

“Oh? How strange. It doesn’t hurt at all now.”

“Now get out.”

“What about the meal… Alright. I’ll go. I’m going, so relax your eyes.”

Leonard furrowed his brow and glared at her. Cordelia had no choice but to stand up.

She grabbed the doorknob and looked back.

“Um…”

“I told you to go.”

“Thank you for healing my hand.”

She waved her now-healthy hand and left the room.

Leonard stared at the door Cordelia had left through for a long time, unable to look away.

“Is she stupid or just simple? Does she not know who hurt her hand?”

“You say that, knowing full well.”

A stranger’s sigh was heard in the empty room.

Leonard wasn’t surprised. Instead, he threw the water glass beside him to the floor.

Then something amazing happened.

The water droplets on the carpet squirmed and formed a small shape, soon revealing the face of a wrinkled old man.

“Have you done everything I ordered?”

“Yes, yes. As you commanded.”

“Hmph. You’ve gotten bolder now. Two days ago, you were clinging to my pant leg, crying and wailing.”

“It’s natural to become more tearful with age, Master.”

The old man spoke somewhat shamelessly. Leonard snorted.

“Report. Did you confirm the coffin?”

“Yes. Your body wasn’t found anywhere. Because of that, there’s still disagreement within the Atilei family. They can’t hold a funeral without a corpse, after all.”

“Of course. No one would believe I’m really dead.”

“But Lamue has completely turned to their side. Demireusel has been in frequent contact with Maximilian lately. It seems he’s testing the waters on both sides.”

“I’ll tear them to pieces. I never expected much from Lamue, but Demireusel, that bastard, turns his back on me so quickly?”

“Indeed.”

“These ungrateful worms. I’ll sweep them all away when I return.”

Leonard ground his teeth, engraving the names of the traitors one by one into his bones.

His eyes, burning with revenge, were filled with fierce anger.

“Still, Beluce and Gasil are adamantly refusing to acknowledge Maximilian as the head of the family.”

“Hmph. Of course, those guys even said they’d offer me their hearts.”

Though he spoke as if it were nothing, relief showed on Leonard’s face. Even for him, if all his subordinates had turned their backs, the situation would have been very difficult.

It left a bitter taste in his mouth, but it was rather fortunate. This opportunity would allow him to discern who truly supported him.

“Ahem. And there’s me too. Baron Langsha, the symbol of loyalty and unwavering integrity. I’m always prepared to give my life for you, Master.”

“Yes. Very reassuring.”

The Baron’s eyes shone brightly as he puffed out his chest. Leonard, on the other hand, was indifferent.

“When do you plan to inform Beluce and the others of your survival?”

“Not yet. Maximilian isn’t an easy opponent, so he’s surely placed surveillance on you and the others who were under me.”

“That’s right. There were quite a few rat-like spies hanging around.”

“So, refrain from coming here and focus on finding my body quickly. Since I was attacked by Maximilian in the Valley of Joy, the body must be somewhere around there.”

“We’ve already organized all available personnel into search parties to look for it.”

“You join them too.”

“Yes. I’ll depart for the Valley of Joy tonight.”

The key was who would find Leonard’s body first.

If his body fell into Maximilian’s hands, Leonard might never be able to return to it. The thought alone sent chills down his spine.

“Oh, what about the Abrams family?”

“It’s here. The state of that household is an utter mess.”

Despite his polite tone, his words were somewhat rough. Leonard’s lips twisted as he skimmed through the report prepared by the Baron.

“What a spectacle. If left alone, they’d ruin themselves, wouldn’t they?”

“Yes. Helena Abrams and her younger brother started embezzling funds as soon as the previous Count died. They even sold tax collection rights to merchants for bribes. Moreover, if you look at the next page…”

“What? This woman is even engaging in debauchery with servants behind closed doors?”

“Yes. But not just her, other vassals are also indulging in corruption. Honestly, it’s surprising the family is functioning at all.”

There were dozens of pages of reports stained with numerous instances of corruption. Leonard read through them in one go and then shrugged his shoulders.

“This might work out well. Maximilian would never imagine I’m alive like this, so I should pretend to be the Count and use this family.”

“That seems like a good idea.”

The Baron cautiously gauged his master’s mood before speaking.

“So, Master. About the Countess who just left.”

“Who? Oh, Cordelia Vasquez?”

“Yes.”

“What about her?”

“How about bringing her to our side? She seems quite intelligent.”

“What? Are you crazy?”

“I can’t always be by your side, Master. I’m worried something might happen when I’m not around, especially with your body in this condition…”

Before the old subordinate could finish expressing his concern, Leonard drew the line.

“Nonsense. Even if I’ve lost my power, I can at least take care of myself. And how can we trust a woman whose identity we’re not even sure of?”

“No matter how I look at it, she doesn’t seem to be on their side. Even when I investigated her past, there’s no connection to Maximilian at all.”

“You might just have not found it yet.”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

The Baron reluctantly agreed. Sometimes Leonard’s paranoia was excessive, but he was right on occasion.

Leonard stared intently at the door she had left through and said,

“She said she could see magic power.”

“What? Who?”

“That woman. Cordelia Vasquez.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the Baron’s eyes widened to the point of almost popping out. He raised his voice in excitement.

“Is that true? Even the great magician Rahel could only sense magic power, not see it. My goodness, if it’s true, the Ropel Magicians’ Association, no, the entire Willess Islands where the Magic Association is located, will be turned upside down.”

“Yes. That’s right. That’s the magnitude of this. But is all of this really a coincidence? Just as I woke up in Craig Abrams’ body, there happens to be a woman with such amazing talent as his wife, and she even wants to become my disciple.”

Only then could the Baron understand Leonard’s deep suspicion. It would be enough to doubt the truth even if he had just met Cordelia on the street, let alone in this situation.

But the Baron’s thoughts were different.

“Do you think someone intentionally created this situation?”

“Well…”

“Forgive my impertinence, but how? Is it even possible to prepare a woman with the talent to see magic power through marriage a year ago, knowing that you would wake up in this body?”

“…”

Rarely, Leonard couldn’t find words to respond to the Baron’s question. He couldn’t refute his words.

“For a magician, there are no coincidences. Just…”

“Just inescapable fate.”

Leonard naturally completed his sentence. It was an old adage passed down among magicians.

“Even if all this is fate, I can’t take on a woman I don’t trust as a disciple.”

The Baron wanted to add something to Leonard’s firm resolve but decided against it. His master waved his hand as if annoyed.

“Stop talking nonsense and bring me some food. The food in this castle is so rancid I can’t even bring it to my lips.”

“Oh my. You haven’t eaten a single meal? You could just hold your nose and eat. I must have raised our master too preciously. Aren’t you being too picky?”

“Who raised whom? Stop nagging and prepare the meal.”

“Oh dear. My bones ache from serving meals to the master in my old age. They ache.”

The water column in the shape of the Baron gradually became opaque and then completely transformed into human form.

He cleared the tray Cordelia had left and neatly arranged the food he had brought.

Usually, Leonard would complain that the soup was cold or too salty, but he must have been hungry as he focused on eating without a word.

The Baron looked at Leonard with a complex gaze, finding the sight both amusing and pitiful.

“Master.”

“What?”

When he first heard the news of his death, it was cliché, but he felt as if the sky was falling.

The pain of having a dagger stabbed and twisted in his heart made it impossible to breathe.

The only reason he didn’t immediately follow his master was that they hadn’t found his body yet. He intended to die in front of him after sending off his master’s final moments with his own hands.

But one day, like a miracle, a letter bearing the Atilei family crest sent by Leonard arrived.

He doesn’t know how much he wept while clutching that letter.

“Why is this old man ruining my appetite by whining while I’m eating?”

“I-I’m so glad, so glad you’re alive. Really…”

Unable to contain his emotions, the Baron prostrated himself before him and shed tears.

Leonard put down his utensils and stood before the old man crying like a child.

“Baron. Remember this.”

“Yes.”

“You will be right beside me when I reclaim my position. Until then, keep a low profile. That day will come soon.”

“…Yes, Master. I’ll wait and believe.”

The Baron wiped away his tears and smiled, his wrinkled eyes curving fully.