I Planned a Su*cide Mission and Got Kicked Out of the Party

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Jeongjae’s journey was quite pleasant. The magic of Jenis, observed through scouting magic, guaranteed not only safety but also comfort, and provided meals befitting the continent’s highest noble clan.

Jenis boasted about her mastery of practical and household magic, as if she were promoting herself as an excellent lord’s aide, declaring herself a wizard always prepared, but Jeongjae thought that there were plenty of advantages to Jenis without her needing to brag like that.

After spending a night at the Harker family’s villa, Jeongjae was able to reach the border of Harker Count Territory the next day quickly.

“Arthur Harker, I presume. Is proof required?”

The Count said to the border guard while lifting the blue cloth that covered the carriage. The border guard approached the carriage with a steady grip on his spear.

“If it’s not too much trouble, may I see your insignia?”

Upon the guard’s request, the Count pulled out a necklace with a white cross from his sleeve and handed it to him. After inspecting the necklace, the guard returned it to the Count with a precise salute.

“My apologies, Count! Congratulations on your return to the territory!”

“Thank you. Please let us pass.”

The moment the Count finished speaking, the blue cloth automatically covered the carriage window again. Of course, thanks to Jenis’s magic, the guard maintained his steady stance inside the carriage.

“The security is tight. Verifying the identity of a lord from the territory can’t be a simple task.”

Jeongjae, who knew how a sentry would react upon encountering a high-ranking official in a regular army, expressed sincere admiration. The Count shrugged his shoulders.

“I dismissed two guards who tried to let me pass without properly verifying my identity last time and sent them to prison. These days, such measures are not to be taken lightly.”

“That’s… a tragedy of the times.”

Though he understood why the Count took such measures, Jeongjae could not hide his sympathy for the two guards imprisoned. Noticing Jeongjae’s expression, the Count chuckled and patted his shoulder.

“Don’t worry too much. They were only in for three months. That’s enough to discipline the guards. If anyone makes the same mistake again, then I’ll just warn them that their necks are on the line.”

“Even if disguised intruders are a concern, it’s scarier that you’re coming, Count, so they’ll make sure to check thoroughly.”

“That’s the kind of attitude I want.”

The opponent is the Demon King’s Army. It’s all too easy for them to engage in backdoor dealings or infiltrate spies. Naturally, thorough, thorough, and even more thorough inspections are necessary.

Though even such thoroughness may not guarantee complete safety for the territory, it’s still better than doing nothing.

The carriage rolled down the main road within the territory towards the large castle visible far away.

Since they arrived before dinner time as planned, there were quite a few people wandering along the streets. Jeongjae had a feeling that, like in other territories, the people here would bow to the Count, but while some glanced at the carriage, no one lowered their heads or offered their respects.

“The atmosphere is quite free.”

Jeongjae remarked positively. Upon seeing Jeongjae’s gaze towards the window, the Count seemed to understand what he meant.

“It would be a problem if merely seeing someone pass by became a habit of bowing. If formalities increase, unnecessary actions accumulate, don’t you think?”

“Did you lock up anyone for bowing towards the carriage?”

At Jeongjae’s joke, the Count burst into hearty laughter.

“No, I just said it was fine if they didn’t. While penalties are necessary for enforcing actions, there’s no need for punishment when we say we don’t have to do something tedious!”

While they were chatting away, the carriage reached the moat in front of the castle gate. When the coachman stopped the horses, Jenis snapped her fingers, simultaneously lifting the cloth covering the carriage and flinging open the door.

Jeongjae slowly stepped out of the carriage. Jenis descended from the opposite door, and after the Count disembarked last, the coachman bowed to the Count before driving off somewhere.

“What a wonderful moat. It doesn’t seem too deep. What kind of mechanisms does it have?”

Jeongjae asked the Count, admiring the defensive moat that appeared to be about 20 meters wide. He anticipated something like sharpened stakes jutting out from the bottom of the moat, but the Count tilted his head and turned to Jenis.

“Don’t you know, Jenis?”

“Yes! This is my own creation! If I cast a spell, the water in the moat instantly turns to hydrochloric acid and dissolves anything that comes in! It’s perfect to use when enemies are halfway across!”

Jenis explained with an innocent face, despite her scary description.

Understanding that this was an incredibly sophisticated spell, Jeongjae lifted both hands to activate his scouting magic circle and observed the water in the moat beyond the magic circle.

Confirming that Jenis’s words were true, Jeongjae gasped in awe.

“The magic tower is probably regretting that you, the noble scion of a noble house, aren’t a member of it, Jenis.”

“Did you see? But I even set up anti-scouting magic there…”

Jenis pouted slightly, her expression falling. Jeongjae blinked in surprise and examined his scouting magic circle. Unbeknownst to him, the act of activating the magic circle had broken through the anti-scouting magic, leaving traces of it like smoke at the edge of the circle.

“This is it.”

Jeongjae pulled out the wisps of smoke and displayed them in front of Jenis. Jenis opened her mouth wide in shock and nodded fervently.

“Did you break it on purpose?”

“If I had known this was in place, I would have stopped midway. Sorry, I’ll fix it.”

The Count, who was listening to their conversation, nodded with a satisfied expression.

“To think my daughter’s magic, even without conscious thought, was disrupted; no matter how skilled you are, you still can’t compare to a baron’s craftsmanship.”

“No contest. Honestly, I was shocked.”

Having neatly restored the anti-scouting magic on the moat, Jeongjae gazed at Jenis with an apologetic look. His words were sincere. Jenis was truly a magical genius without rival among her peers.

However, it was simply that Jeongjae’s abilities, having gained exceptional talents upon crossing into this world, were far too overpowering. The most formidable defensive magic set by the Demon King’s Army was shattered by his scouting magic alone, so it wasn’t surprising that he could break through the magic of a social newcomer still in her early twenties.

“Oh, please don’t worry about it, Professor! I already knew I couldn’t hold a candle to you! Rather, I’m happy to realize I have so much to learn living alongside the Baron!”

Though “living alongside” wasn’t entirely inaccurate, Jeongjae felt a slight burden from the delicate wording, yet he nodded in agreement, satisfied that Jenis had found motivation.

While they discussed the magic on the moat, the Count held up his family insignia necklace high to the guard on the other side of the moat to receive permission to pass.

The guard lowered the drawbridge, opening the castle gate. The Count was the first to step onto the bridge, followed by Jenis and Jeongjae. The guards saluted again as the group entered the castle.

The Count lightly acknowledged their salute before fully stepping into the castle.

The gate closed behind them. Now, they were all inside Harker Clan’s castle.

The place where they had entered was the main hall of this castle. Just by looking, one could clearly tell that the Count was not a person who enjoyed extravagance.

The interior of Harker Castle, which exuded an atmosphere devoid of proper decoration, made the grand hall of Caprice Castle, which felt somewhat cold for being a royal palace, look like an amusement park.

The only decoration on one wall was a display of the heads of various monster races, including orcs and werewolves, which only served to amplify the grimness rather than alleviate the bleakness.

While it didn’t give the impression of being abandoned, it had an atmosphere that made one feel like demons might reside there. While ordinary folks would find it wearying, Jeongjae thought this atmosphere wasn’t too bad at all.

The magic tower was modern or perhaps even contemporary in its atmosphere, but it made Jeongjae’s heart uneasy at all times.

However, the interior of the castle evoked a gothic sensation, giving Jeongjae the impression that he could spend quiet, solitary moments whenever he wished.

And now as dinner time approached, he thought that if sunlight poured in through the windows up above, the atmosphere might be much improved.

Perhaps Count Harker was considered to have a distinguished spirit different from other nobles because he lived in such a cold castle; such thoughts crossed his mind.

Since it was his first visit to someone else’s house, it was customary to give compliments. Unable to say something like, “It looks gloomy, but I like it,” Jeongjae carefully chose his words.

“It seems like a perfect place to focus on reading.”

Despite selecting carefully, a rather foolish comment slipped out. The Count chuckled in a pleasant mood and patted Jeongjae on the shoulder.

“If there’s nothing to praise, feel free not to! I myself am considering moving because I’m tired of the atmosphere here. Either way, this place brings back bad memories.”

“You were raised in such a place, Father?”

“You don’t dislike the castle, do you?”

“Of course not. It allows me to concentrate on reading. How else would I do well in my studies?”

Jenis sent Jeongjae a look as if to say, “I had the same thought,” and winked at him. Jeongjae seriously pondered whether to return the wink but simply nodded in reply, thinking it might look awkward.

“Well then, we’d better unpack first. Since you knew I’d return around this time, dinner should be prepared to some extent.”

The Count stated. Jenis enthusiastically nodded.

“It’s been a long time since we had a meal at home. What’s for dinner tonight?”

“Dried mountain goat meat.”

“Huh? On a day like today? Isn’t that a bit much?”

“Just kidding. As you said, since we have a precious guest today, we must prepare a proper feast.”

What was most terrifying about the Count’s joke was his daughter’s attitude towards receiving it. As if she usually ate dried mountain goat meat.

Is this the diet of the continent’s highest nobility? I’ve heard that while fresh steak is rare even for nobility, they roast spiced meat, but never had I heard of them eating dried meat for dinner.

At this point, one might think that Harker’s household has a culture that goes beyond frugality. Though they are better than nobles who waste collected taxes, it raises the question of whether a person of extraordinary influence in the Empire needs some kind of quirk.

“Then Jenis, show the Baron to his room. It should be ready on the second floor. Do you know where it is?”

“Yes, Father! Leave it to me!”

While Jeongjae was lost in various pointless thoughts, Jenis grabbed his sleeve and pointed toward the stairs.

“Welcome, Professor. I’ll show you to your room for tonight!”