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A few days later.

The Archmage Fransia, a royal office public affairs officer, arrived at the knight’s order.

Princess Ferbache, possessing looks that made her the envy of all—no, the best in the Empire—was more than enough to capture everyone’s attention.

“It’s Princess Ferbache.”

“You look beautiful today as well.”

As she dispersed the scent of flowers, the men were left enchanted. Even the women shone with admiration under her spell.

How could anyone resist her? Her hair flowed like smooth obsidian, and her ruby-like eyes sparkled.

Gazing into those eyes felt like being drawn in, naturally making one yearn for her.

And her skills were undeniable. She joined the public affairs office as an elite Archmage at the very beginning of her potential.

Fransia Ferbache.

She was the most beautiful among the imperial public affairs officers and an object of envy.

However, despite everyone being favorable toward her, one could not afford to let their guard down.

As the most prestigious knight order in the Empire, the royal office of public affairs was a place where elites from noble families gathered.

It was rife with dirty schemes and petty politics.

A place where one must always be alert and suspicious—an unspoken battleground for nobles.

If one didn’t remain vigilant, they would be taken down.

“Princess Ferbache.”

As Fransia approached her assigned seat, a nearby man turned and called her name.

“…Captain.”

He was Fedelian Rojino, the one and only Crown Prince of the Rojino Empire.

With a good-natured smile, he tilted his head slightly.

“You look exceptionally beautiful today. Did you get a lover during your vacation? I heard you attended a party.”

“No, there’s nothing like that. I have no interest in exchanging jokes with you, Captain.”

Fransia narrowed her eyes and glared at Fedelian.

“And I am not Princess Ferbache here; I am a newly appointed elite archmage. Please refrain from addressing me as such.”

Fedelian raised an eyebrow at her prickly attitude and grinned.

“You’re feisty. Well, that’s part of your charm.”

Every time they met, the Crown Prince tossed around silly flattery. Fransia frowned, knowing all too well his ugly side.

‘I miss Johan.’

Compared to that bastard, that garbage of a man, Johan seemed like a saint.

And it was intentional on her part. No, honestly, it felt like she had been forced into it.

“By the way, are you prepared? Only a month is left.”

Fedelian asked.

“Are you talking about the usual public affairs officer’s dungeon reconnaissance?”

“Indeed. This is the second time, isn’t it?”

She was a newly appointed elite archmage, having joined not long ago, making this her second dungeon reconnaissance mission.

“…That’s my responsibility to prepare. It’s not something for the captain to concern himself with.”

“How could a captain not care for an elite archmage under his command?”

As he said this, Fedelian continued to smile broadly.

“I think it’s only natural for a second public affairs officer to worry about their subordinates.”

“…”

This man doesn’t take a hint. He is annoyingly persistent. Though frustration welled up inside, she couldn’t show it since he was the Crown Prince.

“I’ll handle it myself.”

“You always give the same answer.”

Fedelian shrugged and continued.

“You say ‘I’ll take care of it,’ ‘It’s not your concern,’ ‘It’s fine.’ Always rejecting me like that will only lead to isolation.”

Fransia’s red eyes chilled as she looked at him. She felt like she might vomit, yet he was the Crown Prince. She had to be cautious.

“It’s something I’ll handle myself.”

“Hmmm.”

One eyebrow of Fedelian twitched.

“Well, I suppose it can’t be helped. Understanding the comrades of a second public affairs officer is also part of a captain’s duties. Do well in your preparations.”

As he said so, he ruffled Fransia’s hair and went outside the building.

“…”

Her face contorted like that of a demon. It was unpleasant. Dirty. She wanted nothing more than to cut off the hair the Crown Prince had just touched.

“Phew.”

But if she cut her hair, the compliments Johan had given her that night would vanish.

Fransia took a deep breath and swallowed her burning rage.

‘I hope Johan comes back soon.’

Days passed, always longing to see him, but today, she yearned for him more than ever.

*

A month can be both short and long, but for Johan, who was deep into studying magic, it was not a long time.

Having passed both the basic and advanced magic tests, he had to get down to the serious study of Archmage-level magic, making time tight.

However.

“…Done.”

Just under four weeks later, Johan reached the Archmage level. He learned the magic inscribed in the Book of Calamities.

Though he had memorized and mastered only a few spells, he was now at a level where he could sufficiently perform well as a public affairs officer.

The ranks of public affairs officials are divided as follows.

1st class, 2nd class, 3rd class.

And elite.

Up to 2nd class, they are classified as regular wizards, starting from 1st class, they are classified as archmages.

In truth, archmages have grand names, but they don’t possess overwhelming power.

They are simply called archmages because they remember many spells.

Still, that is no small feat.

And the most crucial, an elite who could annihilate a large city alone.

Upon transcending the archmage level and entering the higher ranks, one is classified as an elite archmage, allowing them to summon a squad.

Johan had surpassed the 1st class archmage level and learned high-level magic.

And all of this in a period of just under a month.

His overwhelming magical talent would leave even a legendary celestial mage astonished.

‘In reality, I’ve only learned a few high-level spells.’

Johan opened his palm and drew out his magical power. Sky-blue frost crystals blossomed.

The color of one’s trained magical power denotes the user’s nature, and if it’s sky-blue…

‘Upright, huh?’

Johan chuckled. He had never thought of himself as upright, yet his magic seemed to suggest otherwise.

‘Activating high-level magic should be no problem. But the Book of Calamities… I have no place to test it yet.’

Since it’s a magic with rare information, using it would not cause any trouble, but at this point, he could not because he could not ascertain its power.

He couldn’t afford to break the training grounds used by the knights of his family.

‘Anyway.’

This could lead to meeting Fransia again.

Though that would also mean having to deal with annoying characters like Fedelian and Kasys and Rudella.

‘Time to head out. As a public affairs officer.’

Johan stood up from the training ground of his family. Just then, a waiting servant approached and handed him a towel.

“Thank you for your hard work, young master!”

“Ah—thanks.”

Her name was Irene, the daughter of the housekeeper serving the Harsen family.

Johan was aware that Irene had feelings for him, so he made sure not to give her much attention.

“Um, young master.”

“Yes?”

“May I ask why you are learning magic all of a sudden?”

Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Johan gazed into the air and spoke.

“I need to prepare for marriage soon.”

“…Wh-what?!”

Irene blinked in surprise.

“Marriage?!”

And her eyes widened in disbelief.

“Yeah, I’m not marrying yet, but I have to get ready for it.”

Johan said, handing the towel he had wiped the sweat with to Irene.

“Thanks for the towel. You’ve worked hard, so I’ll head in for today.”

“Yes, yes…”

Irene watched Johan leave, her mind still spinning.

The young master, who was like a blessing to their family, was leaving the household—she couldn’t believe it.

Surely, if she told other servants, there would be despair among the women.

But this matter and that matter were separate. Irene, as if accustomed to it, took a sniff of the towel with Johan’s sweat.

‘Even the smell of Johan’s sweat is nice.’

She was lost in the heavenly vision, completely captivated by the towel.

*

At a point not long before the dungeon reconnaissance, the royal public affairs officials were bustling.

Knights and wizards were shuffling around in the office.

Amidst all of this, a gossip began to spread.

“Did you hear? An elite archmage is coming again soon.”

“What? Another elite archmage is coming?”

A man frowned. Was elite archmage a common name? Just recently, Princess Ferbache had joined as an elite archmage, and now another is coming?

“Just rumors, I suppose?”

“The captain said it.”

“Ah.”

If it was said by the Crown Prince who was the captain of the second public affairs officer, it must be true.

“It must be some special day. Right before the dungeon reconnaissance, an elite archmage is coming. Is the heavens really helping us since this one is particularly dangerous?”

Feeling an ominous sense, the man frowned and shook his head.

“Yeah. After this reconnaissance, I was planning to propose to my girlfriend.”

“You still haven’t proposed? If you keep hesitating, some other guy will snatch her away.”

“Don’t even talk about it. We don’t have a safe job, so it’s not easy to bring it up.”

The man chuckled as he looked at the colleague still yet to propose.

“Anyway, is there any more info on that elite archmage?”

“I heard he’s a lower noble. But I haven’t heard anything about their skills. If they’re not mentioned, they might be just ordinary.”

“Then he might fail this field test.”

“Well, we’ll see.”

To enter the royal public affairs office, three tests must be passed.

First, a written exam. It’s just called a written exam, but it’s not that difficult.

The second is a practical exam. It’s a test to prove one’s skill.

For knights, it’s up to the level of Mana Blade, and for wizards, it’s based on the grades of spells they can use.

Up to this point, it’s not hard. Anyone known as an elite should pass this easily.

But the third gate is different.

You must participate in the dungeon reconnaissance.

It’s a place where one could lose their life, so for those going for the first time, it’s not an easy place.

“I hope a capable elite archmage comes.”

“It’ll increase our safety at the front lines.”

Listening to the knights chatting around, Fransia, who was preparing for the reconnaissance mission, eavesdropped.

‘Johan!’

If an elite archmage is entering at this time, it must be him.

‘Finally, I’ll get to see Johan.’

Fransia blushed at the thought of meeting Johan and smiled shyly.

The excitement of finally being able to see him made her face flush.

Perhaps it’s because it had been almost a month! She wanted to meet Johan immediately.

“Looks like you can make that kind of expression too.”

At that moment, Fedelian tilted his head.

“Were you thinking of me?”

“…”

“Once again, you’re ignoring me lightly.”

“…”

Fedelian smiled as he watched her disregard his words lightly.

The pricklier she was, the more he wanted her.

“I wish you’d show that expression more often.”

“Nothing doing.”

“Come on.”

At the moment when Fedelian reached out to touch her hair, Fransia slapped his hand away.

“We aren’t that close.”

“Hmmm.”

As she shot him a disdainful look, Fedelian shrugged.

“If you’re this cold, it hurts my feelings.”

“Can’t you just not talk to me?”

“I can’t do that. You’re our elite archmage.”

“Ugh.”

Fransia let out a sigh. Fedelian’s eyebrow twitched.

‘The resistance is stronger than I thought. I expected at least a little bit of goodwill.’

So far, women would fall for him just by looking at his face.

Even if there was a wall blocking men, a little conversation would quickly break that barrier.

But Fransia Ferbache was different.

Was she perhaps as difficult as she was beautiful? Though he felt somewhat challenged in winning her favor, he did not worry.

‘When the reconnaissance comes, she’ll inevitably come to me.’

The plan was perfect. He had gathered magic practitioners, and the scenario was all set.

Once it unfolded, Fransia would be his.

Fedelian was confident of that.

“I should leave you to your preparations, then.”

“Please hurry.”

“Haha, how hurtful.”

He flashed a good-natured smile and walked past Fransia.

Immediately, Fedelian’s expression hardened.

‘That just makes me want her even more.’

How thrilling it would be if such a woman were to fall for him?

Recalling that thought, Fedelian smirked.

…And the next day.

The elite archmage who came to take the entrance exams for the royal office of public affairs made his appearance.

His name was Johan Harsen.