-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: Anonymous Accusation
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The unexpected, unprecedented development caused a murmur among the crowd. Both the MC and the award presenter were flustered, standing stock-still.
However, Aracilla's forte was her steadfastness, no matter what others said. She spoke to the MC as if nothing was amiss.
“What are you waiting for? Bring the floral crown.”
“…Pardon? Oh, yes.”
While the MC, bewildered, went to fetch the floral crown, Aracilla smiled brightly and turned to Demian.
“What are you doing just standing there, Demian?”
“…”
“Come forward.”
Demian had given up on winning the Hunting Festival since the attack, but he certainly hadn't expected to become the Hunting Festival Queen. He let out a wry laugh.
Shouldn't it usually be the other way around?
He should have been the winner, and Aracilla the Hunting Festival Queen. But with things completely reversed, he felt not just bewildered, but dizzy.
‘I should tell her to choose a lady instead.’
However, the moment he faced his wife, who was wearing the golden laurel wreath and looking up at him, Demian couldn't bring himself to say it.
Although she had returned and tidied herself up, a small scratch remained on Aracilla's chin, and her eyes were slightly bloodshot.
It was the aftermath of the fight with the assassins.
Considering Aracilla had been dragged into such hardship because of him, he couldn't help but go along with what she wanted.
As Demian took a step forward, Frederick, who had been watching from the side, flinched.
He had already witnessed Aracilla, who had insisted on going alone, return with her husband.
But now, she was even offering the honor of Hunting Festival Queen. The situation was so vastly different from his expectations that he subtly bit his lip.
Meanwhile, Demian, standing face to face with Aracilla, let out a small sigh and asked.
“Do I really have to be the Hunting Festival Queen?”
“Yes, you're the winner's husband, aren't you?”
Demian, who had checked Aracilla's intentions just in case, only received a firm reply. He rubbed the bridge of his nose and said.
“There's no one in the world as eccentric as you, Madam.”
“So you're happy to be the Hunting Festival Queen, right?”
“…It would certainly be an honor no one else will ever experience in their lifetime.”
What wife would win the Hunting Festival like Aracilla and make her husband the Hunting Festival Queen?
Demian dared to be certain that Aracilla was the only woman who would do such a thing.
“I, I've brought the floral crown.”
Unlike the laurel wreath, the floral crown was placed by the winner herself, not the presenter.
Aracilla took the floral crown from the MC, who still looked uncertain if this was correct, and lightly gestured with her chin.
“Lean your head down a bit. I'll put it on you beautifully.”
“Do as you please.”
Demian, half-resigned, obediently bent slightly at the waist and lowered his head.
The unusual sight of a wife placing a floral crown on her husband caused a stir below the stage, but he paid no mind.
Yes, no matter what others said, wasn't it enough if the wife who saved his life was satisfied?
“It suits you well, Demian.”
Aracilla, who had gently placed the floral crown on his pristine silver hair, which seemed to melt moonlight, smiled widely. Indeed, the colorful flowers truly suited Demian.
The vibrant, colorful flowers highlighted his elegant yet delicate features.
“You're beautiful.”
“…Is that so.”
Demian, hearing a compliment about being ‘beautiful’ for the first time since he was a very young child, and that from his mother, let out a chuckle. It wasn't a bad feeling, surprisingly.
Suddenly, it occurred to him that while he was wearing the floral crown, it was Aracilla who seemed to have flowers floating around her.
Perhaps it was because her face, smiling purely without a speck of blemish, was as radiant as a spring landscape painted by an artist.
“Um, Duchess Vandermir. Would you like to say a few words about your victory?”
At the MC's cautious suggestion, Aracilla nodded and turned to face the crowd.
“I'm proud to have been able to make my husband the Hunting Festival Queen. I hope everyone else works harder next year.”
She spotted Nora glaring at her with wide eyes from below the stage, and as if to make a point, she linked her arm through Demian's.
Nora trembled, looking as if she might collapse from rage at any moment. The expressions of the Duke's Family on the opposite side were likewise grim and displeased.
Frederick, standing behind the couple, watched them with lowered, subdued eyes.
Amidst all this, only the Hugo Marquisate genuinely rejoiced in their victory.
“Wow, Sister, you're so cool! Our sister is the Hunting Festival winner! And Brother-in-law is the Hunting Festival Queen!”
Adrian cheered, throwing both arms up in the air. Although it wasn't what he had initially cheered for, the child was immensely satisfied that the two had become the winner and Hunting Festival Queen couple, no matter how it happened.
The Marchioness gently stroked her bouncing son's head.
“Yes, Adrian. You should follow your sister's example and win the Hunting Festival someday too.”
“Sir Vandermir wearing the floral crown and Ari wearing the laurel wreath suits them both well.”
“Of course! My daughter could wear autumn leaves and pull it off! And my son-in-law could wear flower petals and pull them off too!”
The Marquis smiled contentedly. He was as pleased with the results of this Hunting Festival as his son.
With some people dissatisfied, some satisfied, and others marveling at the novelty of the outcome, the Hunting Festival thus concluded.
* * *
It had been 30 years since a Mage won the Hunting Festival.
Aracilla went to work at the Magic Tower, proudly wearing the golden laurel wreath. Her already strikingly beautiful appearance, adorned with the golden leaf crown, shimmered brilliantly.
Thanks to this, there wasn't a soul in the Magic Tower who didn't know she was this year's Hunting Festival winner.
After lunch, as Aracilla was heading upstairs, called by Philip, she coincidentally ran into Travis in the hallway again.
Last time, Travis had reluctantly approached and even greeted her, but today he tried to pass by as if he hadn't seen her.
“Travis, did you see yesterday's newspaper?”
So Aracilla personally blocked his path and spoke to him.
“…No, I didn't.”
“Really? Then can you see what's on my head?”
Yesterday's newspaper prominently featured the news of Aracilla's Hunting Festival victory. It was a shame he hadn't seen it, but it didn't matter, as the proof of her victory was currently resting on her head.
“…So what? What do you want to tell me?”
Travis retorted rebelliously. Aracilla smiled brightly.
“If you want to keep spouting nonsense about married female Mages in front of me, then you should bring a comparable achievement yourself.”
“…”
“Those accomplished single male Mages couldn't even win the Hunting Festival, could they?”
Travis's face turned red. No matter how much he was provoked, the reality was that he couldn't surpass Aracilla in offensive magic.
Aracilla waited long enough for him to retort this time, but Travis huffed and puffed and left, ending the conversation.
Hmm, too bad. If he had retorted, I was planning to give it back to him twofold.
Aracilla, with a refreshed expression, knocked on the Magic Tower Master's office door and entered. Philip, seeing his disciple's expression was different from last time, chuckled heartily.
“Ho ho, Aracilla. You always act in ways no one expects.”
“That's a compliment, isn't it, Master?”
“Of course. You've splendidly proven your worth this time too.”
She could have simply proceeded with new research or taken on and completed a mission.
Philip was proud of his disciple's unconventional move, winning the Hunting Festival outright and returning, making headlines across the entire empire.
He patted Aracilla's shoulder with his wrinkled hand.
“Someday, a day will come when you won't have to prove yourself like this. Your efforts will surely be rewarded.”
“I think so too. When I become the Magic Tower Master, I'm going to gather all the people who ignored and tormented me and throw a grand party. So they can die of envy.”
“Ho ho ho, sometimes such feelings can be the driving force for progress.”
After this day, anyone who tried to pick a fight with her about her vacation completely disappeared.
Peaceful daily life returned, but Aracilla's worries were endless.
“Kids, how should we apply the results of the Floating Stone research?”
Though she didn't show it, Aracilla was greatly motivated by Travis's magic tool invention.
He developed a temperature-regulating magic tool based on his research findings on how long ice magic and fire magic could be sustained.
If so, Aracilla also needed to produce similar results with her Floating Stone research.
While leaving research results as mere papers was valuable enough, it was true that applying them to real life or utilizing them in magic tool invention was more highly regarded.
“I hear Travis used his temperature-regulating magic tool to create a food storage box. We can't lose to him.”
At their respected senior's words, the juniors also grew serious. The three put their heads together and began to ponder.
“Hmm. Boats float on water, and there's no real concept of floating on land…”
“Should we create something that floats in the sky?”
The Floating Stone they researched was an improved magic stone that could float in mid-air without magic.
Furthermore, the magic stone could be used for up to a year without infusing it with magical power, and once its usefulness was exhausted, it could be recycled.
What could they possibly create with this that would amaze people and utterly shock those who were trying to keep Aracilla's lab in check?
Brilliant ideas don't always come on demand, so it was a struggle when, like now, nothing suitable came to mind.
It was hard to just rack their brains aimlessly, so Aracilla, Sally, and Rudy took a short walk around the park near the Magic Tower.
They returned, each neatly holding a cotton candy, when Sally spotted something by the lab door and let out a surprised ‘Oh?’
“There's a letter, Senior.”
“Oh? From whom?”
“It's for you, Senior. The sender isn't written.”
“Let me see.”
Aracilla handed the cotton candy she was holding to Rudy and took the letter.
On the outside of the envelope, written in a handwriting that looked like a right-handed person had written with their left, it said ‘To Lady Aracilla.’
Just in case, Aracilla opened the letter while surrounded by a protective spell. Someone might have sent a bomb disguised as a letter, after all.
Fortunately, nothing exploded when she opened the envelope, but Aracilla's expression grew subtly stranger as she read the letter.
“Senior, what's wrong?”
“It's not a curse letter, is it?”
“…No, it's not.”
Aracilla replied a beat late, her eyes still glued to the letter. Her strange reaction left Sally and Rudy even more bewildered.
“Then what kind of letter is it?”
“It's not a letter.”
“Huh? Then what is it?”
“It's an accusation.”
Aracilla neatly folded the letter and put it back in the envelope. Then she spoke to her juniors, who were demanding a more detailed explanation.
“An anonymous accusation has come in, claiming that a Knight from the Red Hawk Knights used Black Magic. Prepare to report it to the higher-ups immediately.”
