“You’re in a good mood, Ethelbert.”

After entrusting Charlotte to a maid, Ethelbert went to report to his brother, the emperor.

Percival sat back in his chair and welcomed Ethelbert with a wine glass in hand. Ethelbert also sat down, but declined the wine that was offered to him.

 “How was the ‘seal’?”

“There were no problems.”

“I see, as expected. What a shame, even though her aptitude for charm is very useful…” Percival sighed in disappointment.

The royal family of Lymore had a magician in their blood some generations ago. Perhaps as a result, several people were born with a certain amount of magical power, even if they had no magical background.

None were being raised as magicians, so Ethelbert didn’t feel that they were a particular threat. However, during his study abroad, he discovered that the second princess, Juliet, possessed a somewhat exceptional power.

Juliet’s magical power was below average for a magician, but her aptitude made her highly suited to charm. She was a rare case of a magician whose magic itself had a mild charm power. She couldn’t control or sense her own magic, so it simply dripped out.

Her magic slightly augmented affection directed towards her. Since it stemmed from the fundamental nature of magic rather than sorcery, it was hard for powerful magicians to penetrate. It also had no effect on those who didn’t have feelings for Juliet in the first place.

However, once their affection grew, they wouldn’t dislike her unless something major happened.

The more time she spent with someone, the stronger the influence she would have on the other person. All it would take was a small interest, and they’d gradually start to fawn over her.

Those who were affected would basically do anything for Juliet, hence charm was a rare and useful power. At the same time, it was also the reason why victims like Charlotte were created.

If Juliet had an aptitude for magic and mastered her charm, even a top magician like Ethelbert would have a hard time resisting. Fortunately, she had no talent for magic.

“Even if she did, the Second Princess has no perseverance whatsoever. Training is essential to master magic, and charm is especially difficult to use. She can’t put in the effort, so she wouldn’t be able to control it freely. For the same reason, the best way to deal with magical manipulation is to seal it, preventing further issues.”

“Yes. That’s what I was told.”

“It’s a power that allows one to manipulate people as they wish, so allowing those who can’t control it have it is dangerous. That’s why I sealed it away before returning home after completing my studies abroad. This time, while I was helping Charlotte, I also checked to see if there were any cracks in Juliet’s seal.”

“Then, what about Princess Charlotte?”

The reason Charlotte wasn’t affected by Juliet’s charm was because her magical power was greater than Juliet’s. It was an extraordinary amount—rare even for a magician.

“Her magic power is top class compared to those of the Magician’s Corps. It seems to have settled well with her body, but she doesn’t seem to have any magical aptitude.”

“I see. I’m glad.”

Percival already had children. However, Percival and his children were unlikely to surpass Ethelbert in terms of magical prowess. Of course, since the children were still young, they could always grow in the future. Ethelbert was simply a prodigy.

If Ethelbert married a talented magician, it could reignite the succession crisis in the magic-driven Ferelden Empire. The subjects would support one side and fight the other, regardless of the wishes of the people themselves.

Hence why it was convenient to have Charlotte, a non-magician, as the wife of the imperial brother. The probability of a magician being born to a non-magician was quite low.

“With practice, she should be able to use magic without any problems. There are many magical tools in the mansions of our kingdom, so that shouldn’t be an issue.”

“Does she have the talent for that?”

“Yes, in fact, she’s been unconsciously controlling her magic to relieve fatigue.”

“Unconsciously? That’s amazing.”

---

Read until the end and support American Faux on Patreon for only $2~

<Previous Chapter

Next Chapter>