The Youngest Son of the Northern Grand Duke Wants to Break Off the Engagement

Chapter 35

"The Frost Witch?"

"Hmmm... the Frost Witch, huh..."

"It's not impossible, but..."

The heads of the societies did not oppose the hypothesis, but they could not erase their doubts.

In fact, there had been rumors that the Frost Witch had been sighted in the northern regions.

Moreover, since there were mages who had directly battled the Frost Witch, the theory had a certain degree of plausibility.

However, because there were no established records or data, they could not fully accept it without skepticism.

"This is something the great mage should answer personally... what do you think?"

"Hmm... If it's the Frost Witch, she could perform such a curse. However, I'd say it would be difficult to cast the curse unless she was close to the target."

Alraune appeared to deliberate briefly, then soon offered his objective opinion.

Before he had been bestowed the title of great mage, he had briefly encountered the Frost Witch.

Of course, it was only by chance, but in the end, it had ended with them gauging each other's abilities.

"This time, I would like to ask Young master Alter. Could the Frost Witch pass through both the outer and inner walls of Goranmoche Castle?"

"... That would probably be impossible. If she were an enemy, a battle would break out even before she got close."

"Mightn't she be able to infiltrate by disguise?"

"Even so, could she get into the inner keep? The Northern Grand Duke would not entrust Young master Alter to just anyone."

"The Frost Witch... when it comes to the element of ice, she is a truly overwhelming talent. Although she has the appearance of a human, she is a monster and is therefore not regarded as a mage."

"Are you speaking from personal experience?"

"Indeed. I've measured my magic against the Frost Witch, so I have a pretty good idea. The Frost Witch is truly a dangerous monster."

"...?"

Alter received information from Alraune that he hadn't expected at all.

The fact that the great mage had fought the Frost Witch.

This was something not mentioned even in the original work, and it had to be considered a rare situation.

"The Frost Witch's body is partially composed of ice. Yet, she can move her body freely. I may have likened her to an ice attribute expert, but in reality, I judged it to be magic related to snow."

"If you say snow, do you mean she can control the weather?"

"She causes anomalies with snow. Things like controlling snowstorms or using snow to create specific forms."

"To have fought such a monster and come out unscathed, you're quite fortunate."

"When it comes to elemental compatibility, I don't think I was at a disadvantage. Also, the Frost Witch didn't seem intent on competing against me. That's why it ended as a brief commotion."

Alraune described the incident he had experienced at that time with complete honesty.

There was no need for him to claim he was superior to the Frost Witch, or that the Frost Witch had been weaker than expected.

He simply deduced new conclusions from the clear facts.

"If what the great mage says is true, doesn't it become more likely that the Frost Witch was the one who cursed Young master Alter?"

"It is likely. The Frost Witch is active in the northern regions. Her level of magic cannot be underestimated, so all conditions fit. However, it's too soon to jump to conclusions—it would be best to consider it further."

"Hmmm..."

"The great mage is right. We should reconsider."

"It is a difficult curse. Shouldn't we first be looking for a method of dispelling it for now?"

The heads of the societies resumed their discussion, each holding their own opinions.

Alter, on the other hand, could not adjust to the atmosphere and simply remained silent.

Alraune, in contrast, seemed deeply absorbed and weighed down by the solemn mood.

'... For what reason would the Frost Witch cast a curse specifically on the youngest son of the Grand Duke's family?'

Alraune was attempting to deduce the reason for the Frost Witch's intervention.

The Frost Witch was indisputably a monster and regarded as an enemy by humans.

If the curse had been cast on a specific target, then there must be a fitting reason for it.

'If it was limited to the grand ducal family, it would be more effective to target the Northern Grand Duke. So why was the curse cast on the youngest son instead?'

Alraune repeatedly refined his deductions, discarding worthless factors.

There must be a reason that the Frost Witch had to cast a curse specifically on the youngest son of the grand ducal family.

It was not related to the bloodline of the grand ducal family, but it had to be connected to the youngest son.
To arrive at a fundamental rationale, she would have to examine the circumstances given to Alter Radiant.

'... Alter Radiant's mother. Uriel Astille. Is there some special relationship between her and the Frost Witch?'

Alraune ultimately could not help but focus his attention on the Northern Grand Duke's legal wife.

She was both a close member of the grand ducal family and, at the same time, one of the few outsiders.

Perhaps the Frost Witch was also connected to the cause of the legal wife's death.

'I remember clearly. Uriel Astille was a clever junior of mine.'

In his youth, Alraune had stood on equal footing with the Northern Grand Duke's legal wife.

Since they had both apprenticed under the previous great mage, they could essentially be considered fellow disciples.

If Uriel had not left for the north while they were both being taught, she would have become a rather formidable rival.

'... I see. Was it the Northern Grand Duke who lured Uriel Astille away?'

Only then did Alraune grasp their relationship.

Uriel Astille had given up the title of great mage and followed the Northern Grand Duke.

Because of it, she must have come into contact with the Frost Witch, which in turn would have involved even his youngest son.

'The situation has grown bigger than I expected. Removing the curse will not be the end of it.'

Alraune recalled his fight with the Frost Witch, his heart kindled with faint passion.

At that time, they had not decided a victor, and now there was no way to predict how much stronger she had become.

It seemed inevitable that they would clash again.

'If the Frost Witch is indeed the caster... then shouldn't I step in personally?'

Even if the curse carved into Alter was cleanly removed, the Frost Witch would not simply stand by.

Of course, it was unlikely she'd break into the Imperial capital so recklessly, but there could be no slackening of vigilance.

She was a monster vicious enough to covertly approach a pregnant woman and cast a curse on her.

'Even if the heads of the societies cannot dispel it, there remains another method.'

Alraune could contact an authority on the study of curses.

Though this mage was without an elemental affinity, they had reached a considerable level when it came to curses.

They had long shown a deep interest in all kinds of curses, and had become almost obsessive about dispelling them.

It was only because curses themselves were taboo that their presence was not welcomed in academia.

'If it is a curse cast by the Frost Witch, she will certainly be interested. I should summon them at an appropriate time.'

* * *

Alter finished the examinations and returned to the duke's residence.

Brillie could not accompany him because she had to go to work, but the ducal knights were always by his side.

They had even assigned a butler and a maid to attend to him, so under these circumstances, it was hard to feel inconvenienced.

'Hmm... the great mage came to the same conclusion as I did.'

Alter had found himself largely agreeing with Alraune's opinion.

The possibility that his mother had been targeted by the Frost Witch, the possibility that the curse was an act of vengeance not directed at the Grand Duke's family as a whole, and the connection between the curse and these events.

Nothing was confirmed yet, but there seemed to be a high probability in several respects.

'There are a lot of suspicious parts, though.'

Of course, even Alter could not dig deeper than this.

Alter Radiant's death had originally occurred early, and the story's perspective had centered on Brillie.

Therefore, there were no details about Alter Radiant, nor any mention of the grand ducal family or the Frost Witch.

'Is it possible to have so many secrets?'

For the first time, Alter began to have doubts about his own existence.

In the original work, he was no more than a briefly-mentioned supporting character, yet in reality, he was caught up in a complex and tangled situation.

All he had tried to do was recover his body and survive somehow, but who could have predicted it would unfold like this.

'I can't solve this alone. I'll have to get some help.'

By now, his father was likely tearing through the castle, searching for the caster of the curse.

The great mage would continue discussions with the heads of the societies, and the third holy apostle had said he would help with treatment.

Since experts from each field were working for his sake, eventually some result would likely be achieved.

'In that case, I should focus on what I need to do.'

Though Alter's original goal was to extend his lifespan, that could not be accomplished immediately.

From now on, he needed to take a pragmatic approach and seek advantages in various directions.

He was particularly thinking about preparing for his future after the broken engagement.

'As long as I have enough money, I should be able to try anything.'

The funds he could receive from the grand ducal family were limited.

And since he could not inherit the title, the inheritance allotted to him would be small.

Therefore, he had to do whatever he could to increase the money he currently held.

'I don't think what I have now will be enough...'

He knew the location of a gold vein hidden in a mine.

However, the funds required to purchase the mine were vastly insufficient, and he could not borrow that amount from anyone.

Under these circumstances, perhaps he should provide the information about the mine to someone else and at least secure a rare reward for it.

'Someone who could buy a mine would be...'

Alter didn't even hesitate.

Someone he was acquainted with, a noble with immense wealth, the head of the duke's family who acted according to his interests.

Depending on how he framed his pitch, it probably wouldn't be hard to convince him to buy the mine.

'Duke Illenat is a man of honor. If someone does something for him, he'll surely try to repay it.'

Duke Illenat viewed him as a means for a political marriage and as a prerequisite for gaining benefits.

He never showed personal feelings about any matter, instead only weighing gains and losses and responding accordingly.

In other words, as long as the condition was met, he could accept Alter's proposal as much as he wished.

'He's probably looking for a gold mine because they're short on gold...'

* * *

Cadeon was exploiting every connection and resource at his disposal to gather information on gold veins.

With the eastern gold mine depleted, acquiring gold bars had become a major issue.

Market prices had skyrocketed, and the demand for gold had not decreased at all.

If he could discover a new gold mine at this point, it would bring in enormous profits.

'There hasn't been any news at all. Has the east completely run dry?'

Having mined gold in the east and southeast for years, he was investigating surrounding areas.

But no substantial reports had come in, and the east remained mired in stagnation.

Perhaps the eastern mines had lost even their future the moment the veins ran out.

'But looking elsewhere...'

The sound of knocking came from the hallway, and the office door opened.
Alter, guided by the head butler, entered the office.

Cadeon, surprised by the unscheduled visit, nevertheless greeted him calmly.

"Welcome. What brings you here today?"

"I dropped by because I have a personal suggestion I'd like to make."

"... A suggestion? Please, have a seat."

Cadeon immediately headed to the table and took the head seat.

If it was a suggestion, not a request, it meant he was seeking a deal.

But what could a grand ducal scion offer to the head of a powerful house?

"Are you looking for a gold mine, by any chance?"

"I am... but how did you know?"

"You bought my gold bar, and gold isn't coming in as well as before. If you manage a merchant company, you'd naturally want to seek a profit, wouldn't you?"

"I see. Does your suggestion have something to do with a gold mine?"

"Yes, it does. Why not trust me and purchase a mine in the western region?"

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
Alter wants to break off the engagement but continously does things to make the father and daughter happy...
【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】