The Youngest Son of the Northern Grand Duke Decided to Divorce - Chapter 53



53

Alaraune continued to advance, relying on the markers and guides.

Occasionally, snow would fall, but it was not enough to block the path ahead.

Rather, the excessive tranquility only deepened the suspicion.

“…It seems there really is a Frost Witch.”

“The Frost Witch must have been watching over us for a long time.”

Alaraune looked around, standing in the middle of the snowy field.

The mountains were shrouded in a hazy fog, and animals like rabbits and foxes appeared only to vanish again.

Rather, not having encountered a single beast or monster, one could only be certain that the Frost Witch had intervened.

“It’s about time to use a trick.”

“What kind of trick are you talking about?”

“For instance… this climate might be trying to deceive us. Wouldn’t the Frost Witch want to turn it into bad weather?”

“It would seem better to send out monsters instead.”

“That’s one method. A strong monster could rule over the weaker ones…”

Alaraune, while considering all possibilities, did not harbor any particular fear.

The climate and monsters of the northern region were not enough to overcome her.

Rather, if the Frost Witch did not step forward, she would continue to be driven away.

“Wouldn’t we be at a disadvantage if we drag out the time?”

“On the contrary. We would be at an advantage. We can return to the castle and then come back out again. But the Frost Witch has nothing else she can do but hide.”

“Aren’t you considering the time and distance it takes to go back and forth to the castle?”

“If I were to give up after one try, why would I have come here? I won’t return to the capital until I get the answer I want.”

“…You’re incredibly persistent, unbecoming of a Grand Sorcerer.”

Erze checked the direction of the marker without any complaint.

Although unsure of exactly what Alaraune was thinking, her determination to lift the curse was firm.

Perhaps having taken Uriel’s child as her disciple, she intended to bear that responsibility.

“If I weren’t persistent, I wouldn’t have earned the title of Grand Sorcerer.”

“A Grand Sorcerer should be able to finish it in one go.”

“A Grand Sorcerer can’t be perfect every time. It’s because we are imperfect that we strive, and as time passes, we get closer to perfection.”

“If you say that to others, they’ll understand perfectly. They’ll think it’s all nonsense, won’t they?”

“If one has life, one cannot be perfect. Life itself is so finite, how can one yearn for infinite desires?”

“You didn’t learn magic, but where did you pick up such bizarre ideas?”

“Truth, as they call it, is naturally bizarre. It’s revered because it’s unattainable. Even if one claims to have grasped the truth, they might not have actually achieved it.”

“…I shouldn’t have spoken to you.”

Erze closed her mouth reluctantly, as if annoyed.

She wasn’t necessarily malicious, but she often went on with explanations that bordered on nagging.

Even so, it was hard to argue against her because she detailed her logic so meticulously.

“Hmm… It’s finally starting to move.”

Allaune moved swiftly and unexpectedly, bypassing the guide and passing by.

Then she drew forth flames and quickly formed them into an arrow, shooting it off.

“Kyeeek…”

“Cough…”

Something pale was struck by the flame arrow and collapsed.

Allaune glanced around briefly before starting to be on guard.

“What’s come?”

“A werewolf. It must have been trying to ambush us.”

“Seems like the northern region produces white ones.”

“It’s weaker than my standards. It must have been starving for a long time, or fleeing from a predator.”

“Are you saying the Frost Witch is the predator?”

“We should judge the Frost Witch separately.”

“If you put it that way, it’s hard to understand…”

“Woooah!”

A scream erupted from beyond the hill.

The guide had already recognized its identity, and Erze couldn’t help but be quite startled.

Unlike her, Allaune remained calm, simply waiting for the enemy to appear.

“Yes… It’s a Yeti! The Yeti is coming this way!”

“A Yeti… That dangerous monster?”

“That’s right. It seems to have spotted us and is heading this way!”

“What are you going to do? It’s said to be incredibly dangerous… Ah!”

“Graaah!”

From the thick fog, something large began to take shape.

His entire body was covered in white fur, and his arms and legs were unusually thick.

He was practically a giant monster, a being that dominated the northern territories.

“That creature’s hide is so tough that not even a spear or sword can pierce it. You need magic to kill it!”

“Will you do something? Are we just going to stand here?”

“Ugh… Ughaaah!”

The yeti spotted three humans and immediately began to charge.

With each step, wide footprints were stamped onto the snowfield.

At the same time, the ground twisted as if an earthquake was being unleashed.

“…How noisy.”

Allaune muttered a word and lightly spread her magic.

Then, as if the ice quivered, mounds of earth began to rise.

The mounds quickly entwined around the yeti’s ankles, completely binding them.

“Grrr!”

The yeti, caught by its left ankle, fell flat on its face.

Simultaneously, its ankle bone shattered, and its face smashed into the ground.

Allaune, knowing full well the frost witch’s trickery, remained calmly responsive.

“Grr… Grraaah!”

The yeti’s body shook for a moment, and then sharp spikes burst forth.

It was earth-attribute magic, and dozens of spikes relentlessly pierced the yeti’s flesh.

The yeti vomited out pain and soon collapsed limply.

The massive beast no longer moved and was already hardening into a cold corpse.

“Huff… Huff…”

“Wow, damn… If you’re going to do it, do it quickly!”

The guide and Erze gasped in shock.

But Allaune, with a solemn gaze, only looked in the direction from which the yeti had charged.

“How long will you hide? Frost witch.”

“…Hehe, you knew?”

A mocking voice sounded as a whirlwind swept in.

The whirlwind swirled nearby and then formed a figure.

Allaune, while rapidly gathering her magic, did not launch the first attack.

“Do you remember me?”

“I do. After all, you’re one of the few humans who survived meeting me.”

The Frost Witch watched Allawna closely as she slowly stepped forward.

Her form was human-like, yet her arms and legs emitted a translucent glow.

Parts of her body were made of ice, yet they moved with fluid grace.

Her face and strands of her hair seemed frozen, which strangely didn’t feel out of place.

“Did you curse Uriel Astille?”

“I did. Had he stayed put, he wouldn’t have died.”

“…I see. I had my suspicions. It was a curse that caused a stillbirth, wasn’t it?”

Allawna had already roughly figured out the truth behind the curse.

Considering Erze’s opinion and her experience as an Archmage, the curse must have been cast for Alter Radiant.

Meaning, while Uriel was the target, the repercussions of the curse affected Alter Radiant.

“He sacrificed his life for the sake of one child. All he had to do was stay put.”

“…”

“Ah…”

Erze instinctively sensed a surge in magical power and glanced sideways cautiously.

Allawna showed no reaction, but her magic was tumultuously stirring.

It seemed likely that Uriel’s death was causing Allawna’s true nature to surface.

“It was mine, yet I gave it freedom. I’m content if it’s happy without me. But it must not lose its original form. It must stay as it is.”

“Did you curse her just because she was with child?”

“Her belly swelled with the child, didn’t it? It was an unsightly sight.”

“Hoo…”

Allawna barely contained her rising fury as she glared at the Frost Witch.

Since receiving the title of Archmage, she had never once unleashed her anger.

But perhaps this time, she needed to let her emotions run wild.

“So, you tried to erase just the child, but look what happened… She chose to die in its place. How foolish can one be?”

“Erze. What happened?”

“If we kill that madwoman, we can undo it.”

“I thought as much.”

With a cold response, Allawna spread her arms wide.

Just moments ago, I deciphered the Frost Witch’s magic and grasped the intimacy of the curse.

Erze had come to the same conclusion, so all that was left was to finish the process for the dispelling.

“I’ll reserve the dispelling for a later purpose. Erze, take the guide and stay behind me!”

Allaune began to emanate magic, starting to alter the surrounding currents.

Erze hastily retreated, taking the guide with her.

It had been decades since Allaune’s anger was last witnessed.

Back then, not even Uriel could dissuade her, who could possibly stand against the Archmage?

“I will definitely! I will strike you down!”

***

Alter felt a subtle change beginning from his left chest.

From noble mtl dot come

It was where his heart was located, and it wasn’t that the beating had changed.

It was just an indescribable sensation that made it seem strangely eerie.

‘Is she fighting the Frost Witch? If so, is the curse reacting…’

Alter, puzzled yet reluctantly convinced, accepted it.

The curse engraved on his heart was intricately entwined with the Frost Witch.

Perhaps it was indirectly affected by the state of the Frost Witch.

‘So killing the Frost Witch is the way to dispel it.’

Alter tentatively concluded and tried to ignore the sensation.

Allaune had once said that the dispelling could possibly derive from the demise of the Frost Witch.

Perhaps Allaune was now confident enough to engage in combat with the Frost Witch.

‘It would have been better to bring the Sword Saint or the Holy Knight.’

Alter expressed his concern but did not underestimate the title of Archmage.

Even the previous Archmage had fought against dragons and is now celebrated in history for his achievements.

Allaune, inheriting such honor, would not be easily defeated.

‘Now is the time to learn magic while preparing for marriage…’

Alter looked out the window and spotted a carriage approaching the mansion.

It was a carriage decorated quite lavishly, one he had seen several times going back and forth between the royal palace and social gatherings.

Most likely, the Crown Prince was inside.

‘If the Crown Prince has come this far, he must be here to meet Duke Ilenath. If there’s a matter to discuss at this point…’

Alter speculated on the purpose of the Crown Prince’s visit and soon arrived at a fundamental conclusion.

On the founding day, Brillié attended the palace banquet and there, she annihilated a dark sorcerer.

Perhaps the Crown Prince harbored a faint affection after witnessing that.

‘Is the talk of breaking off the engagement surfacing again? If Duke Ilenath is persuaded, Brillié will have no choice.’