ARML 26

Chapter 26 

I bit my lip, recalling the original story.

[Yuliana quietly stared at Minister Edgar Crow.]

Ever since she joined the Black Spoon Division, something about him had always seemed off.

“Minister, you’re not actually interested in helping those who suffer from black magic, are you?”

“Oh? Why would you say that, Miss Crosswell?”

“Because you don’t take any preventative measures… Even though you could.”

“……”

“It feels like… you’re just waiting for people to go on a rampage from black magic.”

She looked at the man nervously.

“Because that’s when the core shows up.”

That’s when she started to understand.

That man who always smiled so sweetly—when he really smiled for the first time—

“You’re very interesting, Miss Crosswell.”

He looked like someone who had completely fallen into madness.

Haah… that infamous “You’re interesting” moment.

Anyway, I was supposed to ask the male lead something before leaving the interrogation room.

I should’ve asked if he knew why the villain was trying to collect black magic cores.

‘But I totally forgot… because the male lead grabbed me from behind.’

Before that, I’d been too busy focusing on the chaos caused by the kidnappers.

But then…

I unconsciously shivered.

‘Wow, he had such a nice body.’

The chest I felt against my back—it was solid and firm, even through his shirt.

His hands were large and strong. He even smelled amazing, like musk.

‘So typical of a romance fantasy male lead.’

Of course, he also had the terrifying flaw of being an “overworked office worker,” which kind of canceled out all the good stuff.

As I kept thinking about the male lead’s body, I glanced over at Seamus.

He’d gotten hurt during the incident too.

There were two band-aids on his face, and his forearm was wrapped in a bandage.

‘He got injured while saving Henry, too.’

Because it was a wound from black magic, it would take longer to heal.

“Seamus.”

“…What.”

“I just wanted to say it again—thank you, seriously.”

“…Huh?”

“For saving my family. I’m really sorry you got hurt doing it.”

I wasn’t the type to just say thank you and not mean it.

‘When I get paid, I’ll treat you to a proper meal.’

But before I could say that—

“Is family really that important?”

“I mean, I’ll treat you to din—what?”

Seamus looked straight at me.

It was the most serious look I’d ever seen on him, and also… something else?

‘Wait, is he angry at me?’

Why though? Is he upset that he was the only one who risked his life?

But Seamus suddenly dropped a shocking bomb.

“I don’t get it. They’re just people who’ll end up holding you back.”

…Excuse me, why is this sub-male-lead being so annoying to me?

Ever since they were both assigned to the Black Spoon Division, Seamus had been quietly watching Layla Lowell.

‘Not like I didn’t get her permission.’

From the moment she arrived at work, through her morning tasks, lunch break, afternoon, and even as she left.

The more he observed her, the more anxious he became.

[“Seamus, I’m going for a one-shot two-kill strategy now.”]

Even when she was Arthur Featherston, she surprised him.

He didn’t expect her to deal with an annoying neighboring team by making a deal with the magic ingredients lab director.

But that wasn’t the only time.

[“Why are you investigating stuff during lunch?”]

[“You go eat, Seamus.”]

[“Why are you organizing the security data from the Knight Division?”]

If Layla hadn’t done all that research…

If she hadn’t requested extra personnel for District 20…

Then who knows what could’ve happened?

He had to admit it now.

Layla Lowell could see far ahead.

‘I have no idea how far ahead she’s planning.’

Even when things exploded in District 20—

[“Aim for the center of its forehead! Just touch it!”]

Until she said that, Seamus had actually been struggling.

‘If I’d tried to stop it with my own power, the kid would’ve died.’

In the end, he realized: without Layla Lowell, he was useless in the field.

‘I can’t even breathe properly.’

And yet, the woman who made him feel this way… was thanking him for saving “some family.”

[“If it’s not perfect, it’s worthless.”]

What she believed in was the complete opposite of everything he had been taught.

He felt furious and overwhelmed.

“You might get held back because of that kid. How can you be happy?”

“…Wait, what?”

“That kid from the orphanage—he got cursed with black magic. Even if you’re not blood-related, people will still see it as a flaw.”

And he wasn’t wrong.

Even if someone is declared innocent, like Yuliana Crosswell, society still whispers:

“Maybe they got cursed because they were inherently evil?”

Layla Lowell would be treated the same way.

“Cutting ties with the kid would be the smart thing. Why don’t you get that?”

“You…”

“You’re just a fool who takes the loss, Layla Lowell.”

Then Layla’s eyes darkened dangerously.

‘Is she going to hit him?’

But instead of lashing out, she let out a deep sigh.

“Seamus, people have different values because they’ve experienced different things.”

“…So?”

“So even if I end up held back, I’d still rather save the family that would hold me back.”

“But what if Henry’s real family shows up and he forgets you? Would it still be meaningful?”

Layla looked at him for a moment… then smiled.

But it looked kind of sad.

“But Seamus, I remember. I remember the people I’ve met.”

“…”

Then she turned around and muttered softly,

“Even if no one remembers me… That’s just how companies work.”

He didn’t ask what she meant by that.

‘I really don’t understand Layla Lowell.’

Sometimes she seemed so amazing, and other times like a total idiot. Even when he asked rude things, she didn’t get angry.

‘I want to know what she meant at the end.’

But when she looked so sad saying it… he couldn’t bring himself to ask.

That’s why, when Layla turned back toward him, he was secretly relieved.

“Oh, right! I wanted to ask you something.”

“…What.”

“If someone collected a lot of black magic cores, what do you think they’re trying to do?”

“…Cores?”

Such a weird question.

But for some reason, he felt like he had to answer.

“Hmm… I don’t know how many you mean exactly, but black magic has stronger waves than normal magic.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“If someone collected more than a thousand of them… they could probably build power that breaks the laws of nature.”

“What?”

“Like making impossible things possible—even if normal magic can’t do it.”

“Seriously?”

Layla’s dull magenta eyes suddenly lit up.

Seamus covered his face with a file and muttered,

“But that’s just theoretical. It’d probably fail.”

“Why is it just theoretical? No one in the Magic Tower ever tried it?”

“Because the price would be way too high.”

“What kind of price?”

“It’d take away what’s most important to the caster.”

Seamus touched his skull-shaped bracelet and said quietly,

“If the price is their magical power… then there’s no point in living anymore.”

“Hmmm. I see… Thanks.”

Layla nodded, and Seamus sneaked a glance at her.

‘Is she not sad anymore?’

For some reason, he regretted asking all those things earlier.

Maybe it would’ve been easier if she just got mad.

But now, why did he care so much about Layla’s expression?

‘It’s because… I need to know her weakness.’

That way, he could bring Layla Lowell down.

‘That’s all it is.’

Training a new junior colleague should come with overtime pay.

‘No, I got information—so I’ll call it even.’

That was the future Magic Tower Head explaining things. So it had to be reliable.

Both the main villain and the Ceres Cult were trying to gather black magic cores.

‘What are they trying to do? World domination?’

What exactly are they hoping to accomplish?