The Youngest Son of the Northern Grand Duke Decided to Divorce

36

“The Frost Witch?”

“Hmm… The Frost Witch…”

“It’s not impossible, but…”

The presidents didn’t oppose the hypothesis, yet they couldn’t shake off their doubts.

Indeed, there were rumors of the Frost Witch being sighted in the northern territories.

Moreover, there was a wizard who had directly battled the Frost Witch, lending some credibility to the theory.

However, without established data, they couldn’t completely trust it.

“This matter should be answered by the Archmage himself… What do you think?”

“Hmm… If it’s the realm of the Frost Witch, she could cast such a curse. However, it would be difficult to activate the curse without being close to the target.”

Allaune seemed to ponder for a moment before presenting an objective opinion.

Before receiving the title of Archmage, he had briefly encountered the Frost Witch.

It was merely by chance, but it ended up being a verification of each other’s levels.

“Now, I will ask Lord Alter. Could the Frost Witch pass through both the outer and inner fortresses of the Goranmoche Castle?”

“… It would likely be impossible. If she were an enemy, the battle would commence before she even approached.”

“Couldn’t she disguise herself to pass through?”

“Even so, could she enter the inner fortress? The Northern Duke wouldn’t entrust Lord Alter to just anyone.”

“The Frost Witch… In terms of ice attributes, she is indeed a master. Though she takes a human form, she is a magical beast, hence not treated as a wizard.”

“Are these words born from experience?”

“Indeed. I have matched magic with the Frost Witch, so I can roughly guess. The Frost Witch is truly a dangerous magical beast.”

“…?”

Alter received unexpected information from Allaune.

That the Archmage had battled the Frost Witch.

This was content not described in the original work, and it had to be considered a rare situation.

“The Frost Witch’s body is partly composed of ice. Yet, she moves freely despite this. She is likened to a master of ice attributes, but in reality, she has materialized magic related to snow.”

“By snow, do you mean she can control the weather?”

“She causes anomalies with snow. She can orchestrate heavy snowfall or use snow to construct specific forms.”

“You fought against such a monster and came out unscathed.”

“Isn’t it that I’m at a disadvantage in terms of compatibility? Moreover, the Frost Witch seemed to have no intention of contending with me. Thus, it ended with a momentary commotion.”

Allaune recounted the incident without a single lie.

There was no need to boast about being superior to the Frost Witch or to belittle her as being less formidable than expected.

It was merely about deducing new outcomes based solely on clear facts.

“If we go by the Archmage’s words, doesn’t it increase the likelihood that the Frost Witch has cursed the young duke?”

“It does increase. The Frost Witch resides in the northern territories. Her magical prowess is not to be underestimated, so all conditions seem to match. However, it’s too early to jump to conclusions, perhaps more contemplation is in order?”

“Hmm…”

“The Archmage’s words may be correct. There’s still room for consideration.”

“Such a complex curse. Shouldn’t we be looking for a way to lift it now?”

The council members resumed their discussion, each harboring their own views.

Alter, unable to adapt to the atmosphere, merely swallowed his silence.

In contrast, Allaune was deeply engrossed in thought, captivated by the solemn mood.

‘… For what reason did the Frost Witch cast a curse on the youngest son of the grand duke’s family?’

Allaune speculated on the reasons that necessitated the Frost Witch’s intervention.

The Frost Witch was undoubtedly a monster, and to humans, an enemy.

But if she had targeted someone specifically with a curse, there had to be a fitting reason.

‘If it’s confined to the grand duke’s family, targeting the northern grand duke would be effective. So why cast a curse on the youngest son?’

Allaune eliminated the irrelevant factors while repeating her deductions.

There must be a reason why the Frost Witch was compelled to specifically curse the grand duke’s youngest son.

It was not related to the lineage of the grand duke’s family, yet it was inevitably tied to the youngest son.

To derive the fundamental reason, one must explore the conditions given to Alter Radiant.

‘… Alter Radiant’s mother. Uriel Astille. Is there a special relationship between her and the Frost Witch?’

Eventually, Allaune had no choice but to focus on the northern grand duke’s legitimate wife.

She was a close entity to the grand duke’s family, yet also one of the few outsiders.

Perhaps the Frost Witch was involved in the cause of the legitimate wife’s death.

‘I remember clearly. Uriel Astille was a smart junior.’

Allaune had been on equal footing with the northern grand duke’s legitimate wife in her youth.

Having faced each other as disciples of the previous Archmage, they were essentially alumni.

Had she not left for the northern territories during their teachings, she would have become quite a formidable rival.

“…So it was. The Northern Duke had lured Uriel Astille?”

Alarune finally grasped the nature of their relationship.

Uriel Astille had forsaken the title of Archmage to follow the Northern Duke.

It must have led to contact with the Frost Witch, and even the youngest son became entangled.

“The situation has escalated beyond what I anticipated. It’s not something that can be resolved by mere healing.”

Alarune, recalling the battle with the Frost Witch, was seized by a faint zeal.

At that time, no victor emerged, and now, it was impossible to predict how much stronger she had become.

It seemed inevitable to confront the Frost Witch once more.

“If the Frost Witch is the caster… then I must take action myself.”

Even if the curse etched upon Alter were smoothly erased, the Frost Witch would not remain idle.

Of course, she wouldn’t dare enter the capital of the Empire rashly, but one must not let their guard down.

She was a vile creature, capable of secretly approaching a pregnant woman to unleash a curse.

“If the scholars cannot heal it, there are still ways.”

Alarune could contact an authority on curse studies.

Though she was a mage without an attribute, she had reached a considerable level in curse work.

She had always been interested in numerous curses and was obsessed with the act of healing.

Her existence was unwelcome in academia only because curses themselves were taboo.

“If it’s a curse cast by the Frost Witch, she will surely be intrigued. I must summon her at the right time.”

***

Alter completed the verification and returned to the Duke’s mansion.

Brillie couldn’t move with him due to work, but the Duke’s knights were always by his side.

Moreover, with a butler and maidservants provided to assist him, there was hardly any inconvenience.

“Hmm… The Archmage thought the same as I did.”

Alter agreed quite a bit with Alarune’s opinion.

The possibility that his mother was a target of the Frost Witch, unavenged retaliation against the Duke’s family, the connection with the curse.

Nothing was certain yet, but the likelihood seemed high.

“There are many suspicious aspects, indeed.”

Even Alter could not delve any further.

The death of Alter Radiant had been swiftly concluded, and the story was aligned with Brillie’s perspective.

Thus, there was no mention of Alter Radiant, nor could the Duke’s family and the Frost Witch be referenced.

“Could there really be so many secrets?”

For the first time, Alter began to doubt his own existence.

In the original work, he was merely a supporting character mentioned in passing, but in reality, he was entangled in a complex web.

He had only intended to heal his body and somehow survive, but who could have foreseen such an outcome?

“I can’t solve this alone. I’ll need some help.”

By now, his father must be turning the castle inside out, searching for the caster of the curse.

The archmage would be discussing continuously with the council of scholars, and the third sanctifier had promised to cooperate with the treatment.

With the masters of various fields stepping forward on his behalf, he hoped for a successful outcome eventually.

“Then I must do what I can on my own.”

Alter had initially aimed to extend his lifespan, but that was not something he could achieve immediately.

From now on, he would have to approach from a realistic perspective and seek benefits in various ways.

From noble mtl dot come

Especially considering the future after his broken engagement, he thought it wise to prepare to some extent.

“After all, if I have enough money, I can try anything.”

The funds available from the ducal family were limited.

Moreover, as he could not inherit the title, the share of the inheritance he would receive was bound to be less.

Therefore, he had to maximize the money he currently possessed.

“It doesn’t seem like what I have now will be enough…”

Alter knew the location of a mine where gold ore was deposited.

However, the funds to purchase the mine were woefully insufficient, and he couldn’t borrow the amount needed separately.

In such a situation, he wondered if he should provide information about the mine to others and receive a rare reward in return.

“If there’s someone who can buy the mine…”

Alter didn’t hesitate for a moment.

A person familiar with him, a noble with vast funds, the head of a ducal family who moved according to interests.

With the right persuasion, purchasing the mine wouldn’t be difficult.

“Duke Elenath is a man of honor. If he owes something, he’ll surely repay it.”

Duke Elenath regarded him as a tool for strategic marriage and a prerequisite for gaining benefits.

He never showed personal emotions in any matter, only distinguishing profit and loss and responding appropriately.

In other words, as long as the conditions were met, he would certainly accept his proposal.

“He must be looking for a mine due to a shortage of gold…”

***

Cadeon had mobilized all his connections and funds to gather information about the vein.

With the depletion of the eastern gold mines, there had been disruptions in the acquisition of gold bars.

The market price had skyrocketed, and the number of those seeking gold had not decreased at all.

If a new gold mine were to be discovered at this point, it would yield a tremendous profit.

‘No news is coming in. Is the east completely finished?’

He had been mining gold continuously from the east and southeast, so he was exploring the nearby regions.

However, no significant reports had come in, and the east could not escape its slump.

Perhaps the eastern mines had lost their future from the moment the vein was exhausted.

‘To look elsewhere…’

The sound of knocking came from the corridor, and the door to the office opened.

Alter was being led by the butler into the office.

Cadeon, surprised by the unexpected visit, calmly welcomed him.

“Come in. What brings you here?”

“I have a personal proposal I’d like to offer, so I stopped by.”

“A proposal? Take a seat first.”

Cadeon immediately headed to the table and sat in the seat of honor.

A proposal, not a request, meant he intended to make a deal.

But what could the scion of a ducal family offer to the master of a powerful household?

“Are you by chance looking for a gold mine?”

“I am, but… how did you know?”

“You’ve purchased my gold bars, and since gold is scarce, you must be looking to profit if you run a trading company, right?”

“I see. Is your proposal related to a gold mine?”

“Yes, it is. How about trusting me and purchasing a mine in the western region?”