Chapter 72

“He’s my son, too!”

 

Enria shot back immediately at Caldeon’s words.

 

He, however, didn’t yield even an inch as he replied with a firm expression.

 

“Yes, he is our son. Which is why you should leave this matter to me.”

 

“You heard him yourself just now! If I don’t go to the Tower, Hayden will—!”

 

“Stop spouting nonsense. Absolutely not.”

 

“Caldeon!”

 

Even at Enria’s furious cry, Caldeon didn’t so much as blink. He took the communication orb from his inner pocket.

 

[Yes, Your Grace.]

 

“Return to the Grand Duke’s castle. Now.”

 

[What? Now…?]

 

It hadn’t been long since he had ordered Fyoren to find Groen after offering his blood, and inform him that Pahomel was the black sorcerer, so Fyoren seemed bewildered by Caldeon’s sudden command to return to the Grand Duke’s Castle.

 

Being suddenly told to come back to the castle left Fyoren confused.

 

Caldeon then told him about the black mage kidnapping Hayden and about Groen appearing as an illusion, demanding that Enria come to the Tower herself if she wanted the child returned — utter nonsense.

 

“So get here and guard my woman. Make sure she doesn’t do something stupid like going to the Tower alone.”

 

Caldeon ended the call and turned toward Windel and Graum.

 

“You two—don’t let Enria take a single step out of the castle.”

 

“Caldeon!”

 

Enria called out again as if to protest being all but imprisoned.

 

But Caldeon ignored her and strode out the door.

 

“This is unbelievable!”

 

Unable to save her own child by her own will, Enria shouted toward the door he disappeared through.

 

Graum looked at her, deep in thought, while Windel hung his head.

 

“You heard everything, Windel, Graum. If I don’t go, Hayden is in danger.”

 

[If a human goes, the human is the one in danger.]

 

“Hayden won’t be in too much trouble.”

 

Enria had hoped that the spirits who had protected Hayden would understand her desperation, but realizing both were taking Caldeon’s side left her instantly disheartened.

 

“A black mage can’t easily harm someone who holds black mana.”

 

[Right. A human born with black mana is protected by it until they learn to control it.]

 

“…Black mana protects Hayden?”

 

Enria’s eyes widened slightly. Graum folded his arms and explained.

 

“Black mana defends its owner on its own. That monster attack the other day? That wasn’t Hayden’s will — the black mana acted itself to protect him.”

 

“…!”

 

[And since black mana nullifies black magic, no matter how much a black mage tries, harming him won’t be easy.]

 

The two spirits reassured her that Hayden wouldn’t die or be gravely injured by a black mage.

 

Enria, listening quietly, felt a small wave of relief — but her expression gradually hardened.

 

“Then… what about other mages’ magic?”

 

 

***

 

 

Black mana was believed to be the greatest gift granted to humans by the gods.

 

A perfect power — which was why only one wielder appeared in a generation.

 

But even such perfection had weaknesses.

 

Its flaws: losing control if too much mana was used, and vulnerability to light-attribute magic.

 

Light mages were extremely rare — as rare as illusionists.

 

The problem was that Groen’s lover happened to be one of those rare light mages.

 

Bound by black shadows, Pahomel had no choice but to send a magical signal to Belona, Groen’s lover, so she would come to his hiding place.

 

Belona arrived, and upon seeing Pahomel bound, immediately erased the shadows with her light.

 

Pahomel fell to the ground. Belona ran to him, but he shouted:

 

“Restrain the child!”

 

Belona’s gaze snapped toward Hayden — a two-year-old child sitting on the desk, looking at a large book.

 

The sight was unexpectedly absurd.

 

“He holds black mana! Seal his magic — put him in a light prison!”

 

Belona reflexively summoned her light attribute and cast a glowing net around Hayden.

 

Hayden looked at the shimmering light with fascination.

 

Only after the prison held him did Pahomel finally relax and sink to the floor.

 

“Tower Master!”

 

Belona helped him up.

 

“Where is Groen?”

 

“He’s rearranging the Tower’s spaces with the mages to trap the saintess.”

 

“Do you have your sword?”

 

“My sword…? Yes, I do, but—”

 

“Stab the child.”

 

Belona’s eyes widened.

 

Stabbing a toddler — she wondered if she had heard correctly.

 

Neither Pahomel nor Groen were the sort to kill a child who couldn’t even walk properly.

 

Even those who despised black mana didn’t go as far as murdering a baby.

 

“You must not let him live! Take out your sword!”

 

His furious order made her flinch.

 

She looked again at Hayden, happily imprisoned inside the glowing net, then slowly drew her light-attribute sword.

 

It was the one blade capable of cutting black mana.

 

If she thrust it with full light power, the boy would certainly be wounded — or dead.

 

Her grip tightened as she approached him.

 

Hayden’s black eyes met hers. Her heart began pounding.

 

“What are you doing?! Stab him!”

 

Startled by Pahomel’s shout, Belona thrust her sword — but with all the light stripped from it.

 

Black mana blocked the blade.

 

“Tch. Even light won’t work?”

 

Pahomel, unaware she removed the light on purpose, concluded that even light magic couldn’t pierce black mana.

 

In truth, light could not cut black mana — only suppress it temporarily.

 

“Watch him. At least the light prison works. Don’t let him take a single step.”

 

Pahomel limped out.

 

Left alone with Hayden, Belona found the child watching her.

 

‘Did I ruin something important…? If he truly must die, then next time I’ll just use light properly.’

 

Hayden pushed a tiny hand through the light net and babbled.

 

It was impossibly cute — sweet enough to soften her face.

 

And then, clearly:

 

“O-pen.”

 

Open it.

 

Hayden was asking her to let him out.

 

 

***

 

 

“This can’t be happening! This is outrageous!”

 

Locked in her own bedroom, Enria shouted at Fyoren.

 

He had orders to keep her inside. He couldn’t defy them.

 

“It is His Grace’s command. I can only obey.”

 

“My son was kidnapped! Would you really do nothing if it were you?!”

 

“…My apologies.”

 

“This is insane!”

 

She kicked the door hard, spun around, stormed to the window, and collapsed onto the sofa with her face in her hands.

 

She never imagined Caldeon would imprison her.

 

— Then what about other mages?

 

— Ordinary magic can’t overcome black mana. But light mages… they can pierce it.

 

The slight relief she felt earlier vanished.

 

A light mage could kill Hayden.

 

Even if Caldeon said he would save him, she couldn’t trust he’d find Hayden quickly.

 

Groen had said the Tower’s shifting spaces would take days to navigate — days Hayden might not survive.

 

‘What do I do…’

 

Her fingers clenched tightly.

 

As she desperately searched for a way to escape, a certain face flashed in her mind.

 

Enria’s eyes sharpened.