* * *
Meanwhile, Felix hovered anxiously like a large dog, as though afraid Lowell might slip on ice at any moment.
Even just walking to the carriage felt like a task.
As Felix approached, the two servants exchanged uneasy looks, their expressions saying, “Even so, this is a bit much…”
“Take your time getting in, Lowell.”
Felix’s gruff voice carried a subtle warmth. Lowell, slightly awkward but not displeased, took Felix’s hand and climbed into the carriage.
As it rolled away slowly, the remaining servants heaved sighs.
“What kind of spell did he cast on His Grace?”
“It’s His Grace who knows magic, isn’t it?”
“Well, that’s true.”
Even as they watched the departing carriage, the two couldn’t believe Felix’s transformation.
“Or maybe, as the rumors say, His Grace hypnotized the young master with magic to bring him here…”
“If you dare utter such blasphemy again, you’ll be out of a job.”
The head butler Hamilton’s sharp rebuke fell over their heads, prompting them to lower their heads in apology and return to the castle.
Hamilton, watching the carriage fade into the distance, turned around.
“Magic, my foot. They just seem to genuinely like each other.”
Realizing he had spoken aloud, Hamilton glanced around in surprise.
Confirming no one was nearby, he entered the castle as well.
Lowell was bundled up like a snowman, thanks to Felix’s concern, which had him layering on extra clothes.
Though it made moving a bit uncomfortable, there was little chance of falling with Felix constantly hovering and attending to him.
“We’ll leave the carriage parked near those bushes. We’ll take our time exploring the village.”
“Yes.”
Felix had dyed his hair yellow using magical dye.
Though it required daily application, it was the simplest way to alter his appearance.
Transformation magic was too draining, so when venturing outside the castle, Felix often used the dye, leveraging his reputation for “darkness” to its advantage.
Recalling how he had once asked, “Do you make it yourself?” only for Felix to reply, “Of course I buy it,” with an incredulous look, Lowell chuckled to himself.
“What’s so funny?” Felix asked after watching Lowell’s smile and pondering for a moment.
“Did I laugh?” Lowell asked back, oblivious.
“Yes.”
Lowell touched his face, his lips still curled slightly.
Anyone could see he was recalling something pleasant, though he didn’t know why he found it so amusing.
“I just thought the blonde suits you better than I expected.”
It wasn’t a lie, so Lowell said it honestly.
Felix abruptly turned his head, his ears flushing red.
“It’s my first time with blonde hair,” Felix murmured after a long pause.
For a moment, Lowell was unsure how to respond.
“Usually, it’s red or brown.”
Most northerners had red or brown hair.
Felix had chosen blonde for one reason only—Lowell.
“Maybe he thought standing out too much would be a problem if I were the only blonde. But with both of us as blondes, it’s twice as noticeable. Maybe I should’ve gone with red instead.”
Lowell pulled his hood down further.
“We’ve arrived.”
In the middle of the bustling village, the two halted their carriage and began their exploration of the estate in earnest.
Felix had expected the chilly region to be somber and lifeless, but the reality was far from it.
Children gathered in small groups, wandering about, and adults moved busily, tending to their tasks.
“An estate that suffered from constant wars just a few years ago, brimming with such vibrance—it’s not an easy feat.”
It was all thanks to Felix, the war hero.
While the capital spread rumors branding him a cursed man, the people of his estate believed in their safety as long as he was there.
After all, he had secured their lands through countless victories.
“We’ll start over there,” Felix gestured toward a tavern in the village center.
“Oh, looks like we’ve got outsiders visiting today,” the innkeeper greeted them warmly.
Despite it still being midday, the largest tavern in the village, often frequented by commoners, was already bustling with patrons.
The innkeeper seemed to have guessed they were outsiders based on Lowell and Felix’s slightly out-of-place hair.
“Yes,” Felix replied curtly.
Though they were there to gather information, Felix lacked the conversational finesse to engage easily.
Normally, other knights would step in for such tasks, but today, there was no one to fill that role.
“Yes, it’s my first time in such a cold region,” Lowell said, smiling politely.
“Haha, that explains why you’re bundled up so tightly. From a distance, I almost mistook you for a snowman!”
Lowell flushed slightly at the innkeeper’s comment, realizing his heavily layered clothing, a result of Felix’s overprotectiveness, must have stood out.
Still, he quickly composed himself and continued the conversation.
“Well, they kept warning me about the cold, so I dressed accordingly. But I must say, I’m surprised by how lively Nix is—it’s so different from the rumors. Has anything special happened recently?”
“Ah, people still think Nix is a dreary place? That hasn’t been true for a while. The magic education programs have really taken off, and we’ve had more visitors coming from outside.”
Felix’s efforts to establish magic academies seemed to be bearing fruit.
“He really is remarkable,” Lowell thought, relieved that Felix was at least respected within his domain.
However, the innkeeper’s next words snapped him out of his thoughts.
“Ah, there is one recent event worth mentioning.”
Felix leaned forward slightly, and Lowell, worried it might be something threatening the estate, focused intently on the innkeeper.
“They say the Grand Duke brought home someone who’s to be his spouse! A person as beautiful as a fairy, so they say.”
Lowell felt his energy drain at those words.
“But rumors are spreading that this person didn’t come willingly.”
The next part was shocking enough to make Lowell sit up straight again.
“At first, everyone thought the omega followed him for wealth. I did too! But soon after, many workers at the castle were dismissed. That seemed odd to me.”
The innkeeper’s voice dropped to a whisper.
“And then the whispers started making sense—people are saying the Grand Duke used dark magic to bring them here! Those dismissed workers figured it out, and that’s why they were fired.”
The large-scale dismissal from the castle had apparently fueled these rumors.
“Couldn’t it be that the workers were fired for legitimate reasons? Is there any actual proof that the Grand Duke used dark magic?” Lowell stood abruptly, his tone indignant.
Unlike Felix, who was indifferent to idle gossip, Lowell was visibly upset, treating the matter as if it were personal.
The innkeeper, taken aback by his reaction, leaned back slightly before whispering again.
“They say the Grand Duke, known for his calm and rational demeanor, was unusually furious. That’s what struck everyone as strange. And, well, they claim forbidden dark magic makes people more volatile. Some think the Grand Duke fell in love at first sight and used the magic to bring the omega here to bear his child.”
Lowell was exasperated by the absurdity of the rumor.
He understood people’s love for sensational gossip, especially when it involved the elite.
But this?
“This is too much. Are they really spreading such lies out of spite?” Lowell fumed inwardly, while Felix, seemingly unfazed, focused on Lowell’s scent, leaning in closer for comfort.
“Rick, you’re a mage. You’d know—can dark magic really control someone’s will?”
Felix flinched slightly at the newly coined nickname but answered seriously.
“People often confuse dark magic with black magic. They share a similar root in essence, but they’re not the same. Dark magic can’t manipulate someone’s mind, but black magic can.”
Though his explanation was earnest, it wasn’t the answer Lowell had hoped for.
“Couldn’t you have just said no? Now you’ve added fuel to the fire!”
Lowell groaned inwardly. His frustration mounted as he realized Felix’s straightforwardness could lead to more rumors.
* * *
