The magic cards I made are absolutely flawless!

Zestellila must never find out that she is Dekan!

Otherwise, she'll keep bothering us in this small town forever!

"You should focus on learning how to control magic first. Once you've mastered it, we'll take you on a little tour of the Kingdom of Norton, okay?"

Cornelia understood Dekan's thoughts, gently patted Zestellila's head, and said.

"I want to go to the capital! Is that alright?"

Zestellila's eyes seemed to be shining.

"There's nothing fun in the capital. Almost all of Pain Pope's companions are no longer there."

Dekan responded casually on the surface.

Going to the capital city where old acquaintances gather is no different from revealing one's identity.

He wouldn't let Zestel pull him over!

"Then, Tristan City?"

Zestellila asked again.

She had heard that it was a magnificent magical city with various festivals and events throughout the year.

There's also a chance to meet the legendary heavenly-voiced songstress!

"This city is actually just average. The Beautiful Mind team visited it very few times back then."

Upon hearing this, Dekan suddenly realized something.

Aside from my first trip to Tristine.

Every time he went there afterward, he was left with an extremely deep impression.

Upon reflection, the person who left him with the most beautiful memories in this magical city was still Evans.

"So, besides Kuran Territory, where else can we go for fun?"

Zestellila's eyes were filled with confusion and disappointment.

Dekan thought for a moment, then said:

"Hanover, perhaps? That 'shady merchant' from the legend you heard might be hiding there."

I also wanted to go to Morion's place.

I heard that when Talomatti traveled to the northern countries, he passed through the territory of Hanover.

Morion, as lord, and Alina, as countess, naturally received Talomatti.

Talomatti doesn't have many friends he's willing to open up to, but Alina is one of them.

She was an old friend of the Nightmare Bishop's previous incarnation, Atalia, the Great Demon Nightmare.

Of course, Dekan strongly suspected that Talomatti had intentionally or unintentionally passed through Hanover because he was tempted by Alina's cooking skills.

Talomatti often kept in touch with Alina, sharing with her many culinary experiences from her travels.

This is supposedly a discussion between gourmets and chefs.

Dekan's reason for wanting to go to Hanover was not special; he simply wanted to inquire about Talomatti's current situation.

However, inside the carriage...

Zestellila became incredibly excited when she heard Dekan speak in such a mythical tone.

"Really?!"

She grabbed Dekan's clothes and shook them incessantly, even jumping up and down excitedly.

Could we actually meet the characters from the story?

That cunning businessman who colluded with the Painful Pope.

Perhaps it is hiding in that city, teasing its enemies with an ever-changing face!

Just thinking about going on an adventure made Zestellila's heart pound.

So Dekan and Cornelia then took turns changing the subject.

This finally brought Zestellila, who had been incredibly excited after opening up, to a halt.

……

Under the night sky, the station shines like a bright pearl, reflected in the twilight of the border city.

The towering clock tower appears exceptionally solemn, and the majestic architectural complex exudes an aura of history.

The exquisite carvings on the archway adorn the entrance to the train station, giving it an elegant and dignified appearance.

The rhythmic chimes echoed in the night sky on the gentle breeze, shrouding the main city of Kuran Territory in a veil of mystery.

Even at night, the square in front of the station is bustling with pedestrians, who move between the station and its surroundings, saying goodbye or reuniting with family and friends.

The moonlight at night spills onto the train tracks, giving these steel worlds a mysterious charm.

In the distance, a magical train slowly pulled into the station, its roaring whistle breaking the silence of the night.

The lights inside the carriage shone through the windows onto the moonlit platform, guiding the passengers waiting to board.

The train conductor blew his whistle, and passengers boarded the train one after another, beginning or ending their journey in the night.

The three people from the Kingdom of Vihart traveled by magic-powered rail train through the capital of Norton, and then took a newly constructed route built in the last two years that led directly to the territory of Kuran.

Now, not only the northern kingdoms, but also the Saron Empire, will gradually have easier transportation.

The magic-powered railcar arrived at the station in Kuran Lord City as scheduled.

soon.

As soon as Dekan and Cornelia, who was holding Zestellella's hand, stepped out of the station.

He then saw several well-dressed servants standing in an inconspicuous spot by the roadside, and their gazes turned to him one after another.

It was as if they were waiting for him.

"Sir, the lord invites you to be his guest."

The elderly man dressed as the head butler stepped forward, bowed to Dekan, and then spoke.

"..."

Dekan paused for a moment, then nodded.

Given Chloeux's level of intelligence control over the Kingdom of Norton, he would have known that Chloeux was coming even without prior notice.

Several servants then hurried over to greet Dekan and his companions.

Zestellila looked up at the adults, a puzzled expression on her face.

Although she could not understand the language of the central kingdom.

But she could tell that the servants who were showing them goodwill were of high status.

“The current lord of this territory is quite familiar with my wife and me, so when they heard that we had come, they naturally gave us a warm welcome.”

Dekan looked down at Zestellila beside him and explained.

Even the stories Zestellila, the country girl, heard were only hearsay from wandering minstrels.

The story's completeness and authenticity can only be described as 30% true and 70% false.

In the story, the names of most of the Pain Pope's companions have been replaced by their professions.

Zestellila, who had never studied geography or history, naturally did not know that the count of this unfamiliar country was the "inquisitor" who colluded with the "Painful Pope" of his early years.

"By the way, is Chloeux very busy?"

Dekan asked the old steward.

Logically speaking, if Chloex had known in advance that Dekan and Cornelia were coming, he would have come to pick them up in person.

"The Earl may be in some trouble."

The old butler coughed twice and said with some helplessness.

Dekan: "What's wrong?"

The old butler: "...You should know Lord Chloe's childhood sweetheart, Miss Claire, the second daughter of the Marquis of Prin, right?"

"……certainly."

Dekan's expression immediately turned serious as he nodded.

He sensed something was amiss.

Even Cornelia noticed the problem.

Extra Chapter 14: Since Dekan is already here

Outside the station, the streetlights adorned the night like strings of pearls.

The fountain in the center of the square shone brightly, its crystal-clear water droplets sparkling in the moonlight.

People sat on the benches around them, waiting for their relatives and friends. Some were deep in thought, some were chatting and laughing, and some were gazing at the passersby in the distance, hoping for the moment of reunion.

Amidst the comings and goings of people, the Dekan family, who had just arrived in the Lord City of Kuran, were talking with the steward of the Lord's manor.

"Then you should know that Miss Claire was once very harsh on Lord Chloeux,"

The old butler also noticed the change in Dekan's expression.

Sure enough, even the legendary Mr. Dekan knew just how terrifying the storm surrounding Count Chloeux was.

"The cause was an accident that happened to Lord Chloex and Miss Claire's sister when they were challenging the Shadow World."

The old butler continued.

Dekan was taken aback by what he heard.

"right……"

he murmured.

When Dekan first met Chloeux, the first thing he wondered was why this third-year student was living in the first-year dormitory of the Mage Academy.