The Master of Language - T.M.L Chapter 33 (Part 2):

If I were not a mage, I probably would have reacted the same way the Count did. I wouldn’t have noticed that it was just an illusion.

That’s when I felt a powerful magical presence on one side. And from there, a strong psychic force was rapidly approaching.

The psychic force was precisely targeting the horses that the Count and I were riding.

I tightly gripped my staff and quickly infused my own psychic force, faster than the incoming one.

Infusing psychic power into living beings is a study I have practiced extensively.

“You two shall know no fear.”

The moment the words left my mouth, the eyes of the two horses took on the serene composure of a centenarian.

Moments later, the distant psychic force seeped into the horses. Their eyes briefly widened greatly. The incoming psychic force brought them unbearable terror.

But the horses were already immune to the sense of fear, thanks to my psychic force. They did not know what the fear was, and their eyes soon returned to normal.

Count Furst seemed to sense that something was amiss and called out to me.

“Ran?”

I looked back at the Count.

“Don’t worry. I will ensure you never have to dismount.”

Once again, another psychic force approached, more powerful and carrying a deeper terror than before.

It hit the horses like a storm.

But the horses’ eyes were only blinking dully.

Since they knew no fear, what did it matter how great the amount was?

“How, how is this possible?”

I looked down at the bewildered Hansis and said,

“Aren’t you going to lead the way?”

Hansis hardened his expression, then began to lead us towards the source of the powerful magical presence.

After walking a bit, we glimpsed a group of about ten people. They were nobles of various attires, and I even recognized some from the New Continental Company building.

Only two of them were on horseback.

One was an elderly noble in a red suit riding a glossy black horse.

The other nobles were all looking at us, but he alone was gazing straight ahead, as if our arrival didn’t matter to him at all.

The other rider was on a pure white stallion. I could instantly tell that the source of the intense magical power was him.

He had waist-length white hair and a white beard reaching down to his navel, wearing a thick gray robe. In his right hand, he held a staff taller than himself, made of Paulownia wood.

Even a child could tell at a glance that he was a mage, trying so hard to advertise his status.

As we approached them, the noble in the red suit turned to look at us.

His eyes were a deep violet, like a void swallowing everything.

I’m certain the blood-red suit was chosen to match those peculiar eye colors.

At that moment, a look of displeasure crossed his wrinkled face.

“So Count Furst managed to ride all the way here.”

He mentioned Count Furst, but his gaze was fixed on me. However, the person he addressed was his mage.

The gray-robed mage also carefully scrutinized me as he spoke.

“The count’s mage possesses quite decent magical power.”

“More than you?”

The gray-robed mage did not respond.

Whether he couldn’t answer or didn’t deem it worth answering.

I’d like to confirm which one it is.

That’s when I felt Count Furst’s gaze.

He was speaking to me through his eyes, telling me to calm down.

Apparently, my expression and aura were easily read by everyone, just like with Hansis earlier.

As self-confidence grows, emotions seem to naturally emerge on my face.

An unexpected side effect, it seems.

Count Furst met the eyes of Duke Balkan, then quickly turned his gaze to a middle-aged nobleman behind them.

“I had no idea such a fantastical place existed within your territory, Count Stocke.”

Count Stocke did not respond, glancing nervously at Duke Balkan.

Duke Balkan raised his drooping eyelids, and the violet eyes within moved slyly to look at Count Furst.

“Strictly speaking, this is not part of House Stocke territory, Count Furst.”

“Then where are we?”

“According to my dear mage, Merlin, this is an ‘Astral’ created by a great mage.”

“Astral?”

Merlin, the Duke Balkan’s mage, moved his horse slightly forward and continued.

“Astral refers to a separate space that exists within the world – described as the ‘other side’, ‘the shadow’, ‘the beyond’, and so on, Count Furst. The official name is the Dragon Ranch, but everything here, including the dragons, is an illusion. It has been a secret place passed down through the Stocke family for generations, which the Duke has now revealed to you.”

At those words, a strange darkness passed over Count Stocke’s expression. It seems he was compelled to do so.

Count Furst deliberately met his eyes and said,

“What an honor to have such a fantastical place within your territory, Count Stocke. Is it alright for others to know of this family secret?”

All the nobles’ gazes turned to Count Furst. He had asked the uncomfortable question so bluntly, yet maintained a composed expression.

Count Stocke reluctantly spoke.

“It’s fine. Once you leave this place, you will lose your memories of it.”

“Lose my memories of it?”

“Yes, that is the nature of this space.”

At that moment, Duke Balkan suddenly interjected.

“But what joy could be greater than this? I feel like I’m seeing this wondrous sight for the first time every time I come here. I often make excuses about fox hunting to visit annually. I’ve experienced most of the world’s pleasures, so there’s little that’s new for me anymore.”

Count Furst turned to look at him.

“Is that why you took in the five native children from the New Continent? For a new stimulus?”

The atmosphere froze instantly at the sudden remark.

Oh, that was rather reckless.

Count Furst spoke coldly.

“I heard you gave them as a gift to your daughter to celebrate her coming of age. How is she doing?”

Duke Balkan immediately retorted.

“Why? Is it hard to get through the night after losing your wife for over three years?”

Count Furst responded politely.

“It’s said there are many beauties to the west of Baritone. Sangria is undoubtedly the best among them. I have many at my estate, so you don’t need to worry about my bed.”

Duke Balkan let out a small laugh.

“Haha, playing with lowborn women is fun for a day or two. But eventually, you start longing for the touch of a noblewoman’s skin, don’t you? It’s fun to alternate between the two. Isn’t that right, Count Stocke?”

Count Stocke mumbled in response.

“Y-yes, that’s right.”

Whereupon, the expression of his wife beside him hardened considerably.

Duke Balkan turned to Count Furst and said,

“Since you seem so interested in my daughter, if you don’t mind, why don’t you arrange a marriage? I’d have no reason to refuse having a man of your integrity as my son-in-law. As for the dowry… Hmm. Let me see. Ah, yes! I’ll send you those five native children. How does that sound?”

I almost let out a hollow laugh inwardly.

So this was Duke Balkan’s intention all along.

It wasn’t just about asserting his position.

He wants him to come under him.

As a son-in-law.

As family.

I looked at Count Furst.

What answer would he give?

Eventually, his lips parted.

Dangun

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