Volume 2 Chapter 15 Stone Diviner Apprentice, Beware of Evil Beasts
The marriage age for noble daughters is very young.
It's because they must engage in political marriages to connect families.
They have to bear children early to ensure an heir.
Well, these two reasons are generally what people mention.
It seems that children of the royal family, Duke family, or Marquis family often have betrothed partners set from birth.
Because of this, it's quite normal for most young ladies to marry in their teens, and many are married by their mid-twenties.
Teens to mid-twenties is still a time when they want to play and fall in love.
And they are often quite naive.
They can also be innocent and gullible.
Evil beasts exist in this world, targeting such delicate maidens....
It was my teacher who told me about those beasts.
It was a tale of a lady I had previously read the fortune for.
The lady, trapped in a typical loveless political marriage, was bored and restless when the evil beast approached her.
The beast sweet-talked her, continuously flirting.
Even though she was a lady, she had just turned 20 and was ripe for romance.
Meanwhile, the evil beast was a man seasoned in the art of seduction, in his mid-thirties.
It wouldn't have taken long for her to fall for him.
Though he intended it as just a fling, she gradually fell deeply for him.
That's when she troubled over it and sought advice from teacher.
The teacher's answer was to stay away from that man.
While the teacher's divinations are usually very accurate, they always say that not all results are guaranteed.
Yet, that teacher ordered her to definitely stay away from that man.
Because it would lead to something irreversible, they said.
But she couldn't leave him.
She wasn't able to part from him.
In the end, it truly resulted in something irreversible.
On her way back from a secret meeting with him, she met with an accident.
Apparently, she was caught up in an overturned cart.
Though she didn't die from the accident, she suffered a large scar on her stunningly beautiful face.
A scar so significant that even Healing Magic cannot erase it.
And it was because of that accident that the affair with the man was exposed, leading to a divorce.
Fearing scandal, she was also cast out by her family and lost her place.
However, she thought she had him; it seemed so, but he had vanished like smoke before she even realized it.
Because for him, it was just a game.
After telling me that story, the teacher smiled and said, "Ellie, you should be careful too."
Because a wicked beast will suddenly pounce if you let your guard down.
I responded with a wry smile, "I'm okay," and Rolus, who was next to me, said, "I'm here, so it's fine."
But, you know.
"...Noble is scary."
I stumbled over my words, but finally managed to let it out when I was alone with Rolus.
Wow, that was terrifying.
It was scarier than reading a horror novel.
"I'm here for you, Elena."
"Yeah. Well, it's not like we're in a political marriage or anything."
"Right."
"I've never found it boring being with Rolus, so I'm fine."
"Me too."
"Really?"
"Every day is so much fun watching Elena."
"Ehehe."
A few days after our silly chat, something happened.
I had been told by the teacher to take a break since my magical powers weren't feeling great, so I was honestly just zoning out.
"It seems a regular customer has brought a gift for the teacher, and you're asked to come pick it up. What will you do, Elena?"
"I'll go too!"
Even though my magical powers weren't great, I wasn't feeling ill, so I was just bored, nano-dearu.
So, Rolus and I headed to the teacher's mansion together.
When we arrived at the mansion's entrance, a man called out to me.
"Could it be that you are Miss Camelia's disciple?"
"Yes, that's me."
As I answered, he moved.
In a single step, he closed the distance between us.
And with a fluid motion, he took my hand.
He was a very tall man, with a rather handsome face, in his mid-thirties.
"I've been wanting to meet you."
At almost the same moment I was told that, I recalled the story about the wicked beast that the teacher had mentioned.
Rolus probably remembered it too, as he smoothly slid between the man and me.
"What is it about my wife?"
No, that's a surprise attack.
That surprise attack of "my wife" is bad for the heart, Mr. Rolus.
"Ah, I'm sorry, um, I have a little consultation."
He stammered somewhat as he replied to Rolus.
He had released my hand.
"If it's a consultation, please make a reservation in the proper way."
Rolus said in his business mode.
"No, it's not that I want a divination, it's just a simple consultation."
"Either way, it's not possible today, so please leave."
I can't shake the feeling that Rolus is not in business mode but rage mode.
When I peeked at the man over Rolus's shoulder, he was desperately trying to speak to me.
"Um, what do you think about older men?"
I think it's a bad idea.
"You don't need to answer, Elena."
Rolus had fully entered silent rage mode.
"Ah, then, just tell me one thing. You are a friend of Lady Percella, right?"
"Ms. Percella?"
"Lady Percella mentioned someone named Lady Elena, which is you, right?"
...I wonder if he's an acquaintance of Ms. Percella?
Just as I tried to let my guard down, it happened.
"Um, what does Lady Percella think about older men...?"
Definitely a bad idea.
"Rolus, take him out."
"Yes."
"Wait a minute, that's!"
If he intends to lay a hand on me, even the ironclad Rolus is there, and I can use magic to scare off any beasts, so it's no big deal, but if it's about laying a hand on Ms. Percella, that's definitely a problem.
It's completely a problem.
"How can I listen to a story about the wicked beast that is trying to take away my precious Ms. Percella?"
"Take, wicked, huh?"
Well, well, a pretty face turned into one that looked blank like a haniwa statue.
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