I Bought the Villains With Money - Chapter 83

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 83.
While Diana and Cassion battled the bitter cold in Wind Valley, Gardian was strolling through a pleasant corridor of the Royal Palace.
Not that he was genuinely taking a walk—he was hiding from a visitor who had come looking for him from the Mage Tower.
For some time now, the Tower had been pestering him to return, insisting it was urgent.
Apparently some grave problem had arisen inside, but he couldn’t fathom why they expected him to involve himself in Tower affairs so desperately.
In any case, Gardian had taken to slipping away under the guise of a leisurely stroll.
How much better it would be if Karman called for him now, or if he were teaching a lesson with Cassion.
The father and son had a habit of never seeking him out when he actually needed distraction.
‘In that regard, they’re remarkably alike.’
It was precisely as these idle thoughts crossed his mind.
An escort knight came clattering into view, armor rattling as he stumbled along in haste. Ordinarily Gardian would have let him pass, but he needed something to do.
Gardian Warped directly into the knight’s path.
“Aaaaagh!”
The escort knight let out a strangled cry and skidded to a halt.
“G-g-g-Gardian the Mage!”
The escort knight recognized him at once.
There was only one person who walked the Royal Palace in a fluttering white mage’s robe, so recognition came easily even without knowing his face.
Moreover, this escort knight was one whom Gardian himself had personally selected for Cassion.
“What’s the matter, then?”
He’d hoped for something to occupy himself with, though not anything serious. But this looked serious, didn’t it?
“S-s-so that is, that was—we’ve lost track of Prince Cassion and Princess Diana.”
The escort knight dropped to one knee.
“Lost them? Where?”
The escort knight began to pour out his explanation.
Today, Cassion and Diana had an assignment that required them to leave the Royal Palace.
He and his detail had departed on schedule to escort them, only to find the carriage already gone.
He had returned to Professor Umbreller to verify the location, and gone there, but Cassion and Diana were nowhere to be found.
The more he heard, the worse Gardian’s premonition became.
“I sh-should inform Prince Karman at—”
“I’ll go.”
The escort knight’s face brightened. How reassuring it must be to have an Eighth Circle mage stepping in.
“Is there anything we can—”
“Not necessary.”
Gardian immediately murmured a magical incantation. A thin strand of light shot forth from his body.
If Cassion were still within the Capital, he would respond to Gardian’s Mana Light Strand. After all, Gardian had placed his own mana into the boy’s body.
If they had left the Capital…
“Good. Things could get complicated, but fortunately—I have a response.”
“Sir?”
Gardian gave the escort knight’s shoulder a light tap and vanished in an instant.
***
Karman looked down at Diana, whose lips had turned blue.
“What on earth happened?”
Karman’s voice was low and tightly controlled as he asked.
“Prince Cassion and Princess Diana were found collapsed near Wind Valley.”
Kalm answered.
“Why would the two of them go to Wind Valley? And without a single escort at that?”
Karman’s voice tightened with anger. He could not bring himself to believe that Cassion and Diana had nearly frozen to death in Wind Valley.
“It was an assignment from Professor Umbreller, Your Highness.”
“That mad professor!”
A curse escaped Karman’s lips despite himself. He resented the man who had recommended Umbreller—himself.
“Had it not been for Gardian discovering Cassion, the outcome would have been…”
Karman pressed his forehead and drew a heavy breath. Kalm bowed his head.
Karman forced down his anger and examined Diana once more as she slept.
“There is something odd about this, however.”
Just then, Kalm, who had quietly drawn near, spoke.
“What is it? No—we’ll discuss the details outside.”
Any more and he would surely lose his temper.
If his anger flared any further here, he would shout aloud.
That would wake Diana, who had finally fallen into an uneasy sleep. Wishing to prevent that, Karman stepped toward the door.
As they emerged into the corridor, the Royal Physician bowed deeply.
“Watch over her through the night.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Karman entrusted Diana to the Royal Physician and crossed the corridor.
Each time he passed, the escort knights straightened their chests with renewed formality, striking the floor with their spears.
It was the signal that the king was passing.
Karman quickened his pace.
Only when he reached a corridor empty of guards did he order Kal to finish the account he’d been giving.
“Professor Umbreller came to me directly, saying that you and Princess Diana were taking far too long.”
“I’m aware. You reported it already.”
“Yes, sire. But the location you were told he and the princess would be at turned out to be entirely different.”
Karman stopped dead in his tracks.
“Make it brief.”
“Someone appears to have switched the Assignment Envelope. We also detected irregularities in the escort knights’ departure time—they were given incorrect instructions.”
Karman’s lips pressed shut. Kal wondered what thoughts were crossing the king’s mind.
“Mind your words.”
Karman had issued a Gag Order to Cassion.
A king could not act on suspicion alone. He needed solid evidence.
“Go to Cassion. You said he was at Commander Gardian’s quarters?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Karman hastened his steps.
‘He had better be all right.’
Karman recalled the moment Gardian had brought the two children back, limp and exhausted.
Both were pale, but Cassion’s condition had looked particularly dire. He was like a piece of ice.
When Karman expressed his concern, Gardian had entrusted Diana to him. He took Cassion himself, insisting he would handle the treatment.
Knowing that Magical Treatment was far more effective than ordinary medicine, Karman had accepted Gardian’s proposal.
Gardian had warned him not to seek him out before he called, taking Cassion away with him.
Yet Karman could not remain idle. He needed to see with his own eyes that Cassion was well.
“Please do not enter, Your Majesty!”
But unfortunately, Karman was turned away at the door.
A Lock Spell had been placed on Gardian’s chamber—one that no human strength could possibly break.
When Kal knocked and announced Karman’s arrival, Gardian refused outright.
“At least tell me Prince Cassion’s condition!”
“Tell him he’s dying!”
At Gardian’s answer from within, Kal’s face grew troubled.
Karman let out a heavy sigh.
Mages were a peculiar breed.
“Commander Gardian. I am Karman. Cassion is my son. If, as you say, his life hangs in the balance, should I not see him?”
He spoke gently, for mages were sensitive folk, and because Karman was now the one who needed to ask a favor.
“I will inform you once he regains consciousness. Ugh.”
Gardian, who had been answering so dutifully, suddenly let out an unexpected groan.
Karman and Kal exchanged glances.
Something serious was happening in there!
Kal seized the door handle and shook it. Karman called out to Gardian again and again.
“Commander Gardian? Gardian? Commander Gardian?”
“Heavens! Ugh—I’m dying treating His Highness, so please, I beg you, just go back!”
Gardian’s voice came out as a desperate shout.
“Should we not help with the treatment?”
At those words from within, Kal released the door handle. Karman also stepped back from the door.
Karman felt utterly helpless.
It was a sensation he’d grown all too familiar with of late.
***
“Miss!”
This was a familiar scene.
It seemed like this had happened not long ago.
I pulled the blankets toward me and opened my eyes.
Three pairs of eyes were looking down at me.
“Um, well, to make my excuses first—this time I really didn’t mean to go out.”
My voice came out hoarse and cracked.
Jennis quickly held out a water glass. Rumdracks helped me to my feet. Lebert pressed something into my hand.
“It’s medicine to restore warmth to a frostbitten body. It contains the Aephliy component you were looking for, miss.”
“Oh.”
Of course. Lebert.
I swallowed about three pills at once and lay back down.
“Where am I?”
As I asked, Jennis pressed her palm to my forehead, taking my temperature, and answered.
“You’re in the Royal Palace. His Majesty’s own residence. He ordered you to remain here until you’ve recovered fully. Gardian was the one who found both of you. And you woke from sleep in just a day. As for Prince Cassion, I’m told he’s receiving treatment in Gardian’s quarters, but he hasn’t regained consciousness yet.”
Jennis answered all the questions I was bound to have.
“Well, I think you’ve heard everything you were curious about. Now it’s our turn to have our questions answered.”
Rumdracks dragged a chair near the bed and sat. He folded his arms across his chest, preparing for an interrogation.
“But Rumdracks.”
It felt strange to say this in such circumstances, but seeing Rumdracks in the Royal Palace, I couldn’t help but mention it.
“What?”
Rumdracks answered curtly. He had a tendency to express concern as irritation.
“You actually came to the Royal Palace.”
“So what?”
“I kept my promise, didn’t I? I said I’d get you inside the Royal Palace.”
“Hey! You think I wanted to get into the palace just because I heard you’d collapsed?”
Rumdracks shot to his feet. The chair scraped loudly and nearly toppled before Lebert caught it.
“Heh, well, you got into the palace fair and square anyway. That counts, right? But Lebert, what did you put in that medicine? I’m getting drowsy.”
The drowsiness was partly an excuse — I wanted to escape Rumdracks’s nagging.
“Miss, cold-treatment medicine contains ingredients that induce sleep. If you’re feeling drowsy, it means the medicine is working well. If sleep comes, then rest deeply.”
It seemed the sleep-inducing component was genuinely in there. Lebert explained it in his measured tone, and it sounded like a lullaby.
“I should check on Prince Cassion’s condition…”
“Prince Cassion isn’t the problem right now. You nearly died yourself. Last time it was a bomb, this time frostbite. What will it be next time — something to give us all a fright?”
Rumdracks’s worry poured out. I let his words wash over me without taking them in and closed my eyes.
“Don’t fall asleep! You need to tell us what happened. The people who did this to you — Chorni’s gone into full mobilization to track them down.”
“It was my aunt’s doing. I was just completing an assignment.”
Though the assignment location had left me deeply uneasy.
“King Karman’s people have been investigating Professor Umbreller’s side of things. Something’s there — otherwise they wouldn’t be making such moves.”
At Rumdracks’s words, sleep vanished in an instant.
I Bought the Villains with Money (serialized)
Author | Yi In-hye
Publisher | Kim Ju-hyung
Published by | JPlusmedia Co., Ltd. — Tiramisu
Marketing | Han Jae-hyuk
Address | 1101, 11 Digital-ro 33-gil, Guro-gu, Seoul (Guro-dong, Ace Techno Tower 8th, 11th Floor)
Email | [email protected]
Website | http://blog.naver.com/jayplemedia1
ⓒ Yi In-hye 2021
※This work is published by JPlusmedia Co., Ltd. pursuant to a contract with the copyright holder,
and the content may not be used in any form or by any means without the express permission of the company and author.
Violation of this restriction may result in criminal and civil legal liability.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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