Translator: Cinder Translations
...
The knights parted to make way for a green-haired lady.
"Whoa! A beauty."
Nathan whistled, a smile returning to his face.
But the next moment, his smile froze.
In the green-haired lady's hand, a flame suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
As a skilled fire mage, Nathan could tell this wasn't some trick.
Edward gasped. "A mage!"
Ladia Setia spoke sternly, "I hope you won't resist, or it will be dangerous."
"Tsk, tsk, tsk! Beautiful lady, let me clarify."
Nathan recovered from his surprise.
"Perhaps you don't know, but we are the same as you..."
"Same as a mage, right?" Ladia retorted.
"Exactly, which is why we're arresting you!"
Nathan sneered. "What if I refuse?"
"Hey, hey, you two, no need to start a quarrel."
Edward said in a conciliatory tone.
"So, does that mean?" he lowered his voice to Ladia, "Has Earl Grayman become your servant?"
Though he whispered, many could still hear, and the guards' faces showed anger.
Edward said this because of the old mage tradition—tempting a lord from a remote place and making him submit to the power of magic to become a servant. This was also one of the reasons mages had such a bad reputation.
"You've got it wrong," Ladia denied. "In fact, I'm Earl Grayman's servant."
"How disgraceful!" Nathan and Edward both grew angry.
"To think a mage would stoop to a mere mortal!"
The atmosphere immediately grew tense, with muskets raised and aimed at them.
"Alright, calm down!"
A stern female voice sounded.
The carriage door opened, and red-haired Marianna stepped down.
Ladia's pupils widened. "Teacher?"
Teacher?
Paul, Nathan, Edward, and all the guards were stunned.
"What a strange fate,"
Marianna smiled at her former student. "Ladia, who would have thought we'd meet here in the Northwest Bay."
"Is she the genius student you always talk about?"
Nathan suddenly recalled, realizing she was the "other people's child" his mother often spoke of.
TLN: Other people's child as in how parents compare their children to other people's children. As an Asian, this seems universal...
"Uh... uh..."
Ladia didn't know what to say.
It was the first time Paul saw her so flustered.
He cleared his throat, drawing Marianna's attention.
"Beautiful lady, I can find a place for you to catch up. On behalf of Ladia, I promise to ensure your safety. Please come with us. Of course, I'll have to search you for any suspicious items."
"Alright!" Without caring about Nathan and Edward's puzzled expressions, Marianna agreed.
"Now that we know your identity, and you've taken a mage as your subordinate, I don't think Earl Grayman is the kind of person who holds stereotypical views about us."
"And I'm sure your guards are trustworthy and can keep secrets."
With her agreement, Paul ordered a search, with Ladia in charge of her teacher.
But then something unexpected happened.
Nathan reluctantly complied, but the guards hurt him slightly.
He immediately erupted in anger, flames bursting from his hand.
Clatter, dozens of muskets aimed at him.
Marianna quickly shouted, "You can't hurt him!"
Paul coldly said, "I don't think he has the awareness of a prisoner."
He had never liked this arrogant brat.
Paul drew his sidearm, intending to intimidate him.
Nathan sneered, his battle spirit igniting instantly.
"No, you can't. Paul, I beg you!"
Marianna was in a hurry now, her earlier calm demeanor completely gone.
Fear and worry overtook her face.
"He's your brother!"
The words hit like a thunderclap.
"What did you say?" Paul took a long time to react.
"Lady, I understand your desire to protect him, but to make up such an absurd lie is too much."
He chuckled.
"I do have a brother, but tragically, he passed away when he was very young. Just based on what you said, I can send both of you to prison without needing any further reason."
Ladia was shocked. She couldn't believe her teacher would fabricate such an outrageous excuse.
"No," Marianna calmed down, but said sadly, "Your brother didn't pass away. He's standing right in front of you."
Nathan couldn't help but shout, "Mom!"
It was so embarrassing, but to think a group of mere mortals would try to get away with such lies.
The key question was... who would believe this lie?
Marianna ignored Nathan and stared at Paul, their eyes locked.
"And I am your mother."
The witch's lips didn't move, but Paul clearly heard the words.
It felt like a bolt from the blue.
"Ha... ha..."
Paul started laughing, pointing at Marianna.
"Did you hear the joke she just told?"
"They can't hear it," a voice echoed in his head.
Paul furiously swung his whip, "This is the biggest joke ever! Crazy woman, get them all shackled!"
The guards moved in with shackles.
"On the inner thigh, you have a diamond-shaped birthmark. You should know about it, right?"
The voice of the red-haired witch again, but...
"Wait!" Paul shouted.
The guards immediately stopped.
Paul looked at the red-haired witch, his expression strange.
A long silence followed.
Everyone could tell the Earl's expression was off.
Could what the witch said be true?
He glanced at Grayman, then at the previously arrogant, now bewildered young mage, and his features seemed to resemble him more and more.
Could the old Earl have had a child outside?
The guards who were about to apply the shackles hesitated and slowly backed away.
Paul furrowed his brow, visibly annoyed, and asked Marianna, "What's going on here?"
Marianna smiled, though it was a bit forced.
"It's complicated. It's not something that can be explained in a few words."
"Hmph!" Paul pointed at the carriage, "Get in, we're going back together."
"As you command, young Grayman!"
The witch responded playfully, curtsying and walking toward the carriage.
Although she didn't know what fate awaited her, the burden that had weighed on her heart for years finally lifted.
A certain suppressed nature was set free, and it felt as though time had turned back a decade or more. She had once lived on this land.
Nathan tugged at his mother's sleeve, "So... was that true?"
"Shut up, you brat!" Marianna shot him a glare. "What was all that nonsense you were doing?"
"Yes, yes, it must be a lie my mother made up to get us out of trouble," Nathan thought in panic, unable to accept it.
Marianna climbed into the carriage, where two others, the unconscious Odanel and his caretaker Deson, still lay.
"You seem calm!" Marianna frowned.
"Oh, can it get any worse? Lady Scarlet Flame."
The carriage headed toward Alden Town, escorted by a group of guards.
"Ladia."
Paul, riding his horse, softly called his mysterious advisor.
"Paul, my mind is a mess!"
Ladia answered, somewhat dazed.
Meeting her long-lost teacher had been shocking enough.
But then the Earl met his brother.
If it was true, it would confirm what the teacher had said.
"What a strange fate."
TLN: Alright, WTF was all that?
(End of the Chapter)
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