The light inside the room flickered gently, casting wavering shadows across the walls of the barrack. For a long moment, neither Alicia nor Sebastian spoke.
"I agree with you, Miss Alicia…" Sebastian finally said with his unusually calm voice, "Even though love can grow slowly over time, being forced to marry someone you neither know nor love is something I cannot accept either."
He leaned back in his chair, folding his hands together over his round stomach.
"To bind two people only for the sake of inheritance…" he continued quietly, "It feels less like marriage and more like a transaction."
Alicia lowered her gaze and a faint sadness crossed her face. She agreed with him but her fate was already locked on.
"Even so…" she replied softly, "You know that inheriting a magical attribute is not something simple. The most reliable method is still through the bloodline. Either through love or through the children."
She paused, "As far as anyone knows, there has never been another effective method."
Sebastian nodded slowly, "That is true…"
"My family…" Alicia continued after a moment, "It has already fallen far from the glory it once held. My father believes that restoring the Gale attribute is the only way to rebuild our influence."
Her fingers tightened slightly on the edge of her sleeve, "That is why he chose this path."
She bowed her head a little toward Sebastian, "Please understand…"
For several moments after her words faded, the room fell into silence again.
Outside the window, the faint noises from the street drifted into the room. The distant rumble of carriage wheels rolled along the stone road and somewhere nearby, a merchant was loudly bargaining with a customer. The ordinary sounds of the city felt strangely distant compared to the heavy atmosphere inside the room.
Sebastian did not answer immediately. Instead, he studied Alicia carefully.
The noble girl sat upright in her chair yet there was a certain tension that was hidden beneath her composed posture. Her shoulders were straight but the fingers that were resting on her lap were slightly clenched.
He could tell she was not simply speaking as a noble daughter that was carrying out her duty. She was struggling over such decision.
There was a determination in her voice earlier but there was also a quiet resistance that she tried hard to hide.
After all, even if a noble marriage was common, it did not mean everyone could accept it without hesitation. Especially when the person involved had no choice in the matter.
Sebastian slowly released a breath.
For a brief moment, his eyes flickered with something thoughtful as if he was weighing the consequences of what he was about to say next. He watched her quietly, pondering what kind of impression she had over him.
In truth, Alicia appreciated him more than she expected. Unlike many nobles she had met, Sebastian had openly expressed his discomfort with the arranged marriage. A man who valued genuine affection so strongly was unlikely to be unfaithful.
At least, that was what she believed. And in her heart, she felt the same. Even among the nobles, many women secretly wished for the freedom to choose their own partners.
Alicia was no different.
Sometimes, she envied another noble house which was the Versance family.
Unlike the Xavierius family, the Versance possessed an unusually stable bloodline of ice magic. For generations, the ice attribute had appeared among their descendants with remarkable frequency.
Yet, the most unusual part was the manifested power pointed often in women than in men. Nearly ninety percent of the daughters that were born into the Versance family inherited the ice attribute.
Because of this overwhelming advantage, the women of the Versance household had gradually become the dominant figures of the family.
When a person possessed enough strength, even the traditions that had existed for centuries could be bent or broken.
If a man wished to marry a woman from the Versance family, he would be required to enter their household instead. It was not the other way around.
This rule had infuriated many noble families across the kingdom.
For generations, the society had followed the same rigid structure. The women were meant to marry into the man's house.
It had always been that way yet the Versance family refused to yield.
Of course, many nobles tried to force them to change. They argued that the tradition must be upheld but the Versance simply ignored them.
After all, their power spoke louder than the custom.
If no noble wished to marry their daughters under those conditions, the Versance family would simply look elsewhere.
The world was vast and there were always people that were willing to accept the power.
In the end, the other nobles had no choice but to swallow their frustration. And so, the strange tradition continued.
Thinking about this, Alicia felt a small stab of envy.
Every woman in the Versance family could decide her own fate. If they wished to remain unmarried for the rest of their lives, no one could force them otherwise.
How wonderful that must be.
However, the Xavierius family did not possess such strength. It was not yet their time to break free like the wind.
Before they could stand proudly again, they first needed to recover their lost attribute. And for that, someone had to sacrifice something.
Sebastian cleared his throat suddenly, "Actually… there may be another way for you to inherit the Gale attribute."
Alicia froze and her head lifted instantly, "What?"
"You do not necessarily need a marriage…" Sebastian's gaze was unusually serious, "However, this method would depend entirely on your talent and effort."
For several seconds, Alicia simply stared at him, "Sir Sebastian… Are you certain?"
Her voice carried disbelief, "As far as the history records, there is no such method. If it existed, the nobles would have discovered it long ago."
"That is true…" Sebastian nodded, "But what I know must remain a secret. I hope you can take care of it."
His eyes narrowed slightly, "If I tell you, your family must promise never to spread this information."
Alicia hesitated and the suspicion slowly crept into her mind. The longer she remained silent, the more uncomfortable the air inside the room became.
Sebastian could sense it clearly.
The distance between them was not large yet the invisible wall of suspicion had already formed. He did not blame her. If the roles were reversed, he might react the same way.
A secret method that was capable of restoring a lost magical attribute was not something that could be spoken of lightly. Even powerful noble families guarded their knowledge like priceless treasures.
For a mere merchant to suddenly claim that he possessed such knowledge, anyone would doubt it.
Sebastian rubbed his chin slowly. For a brief moment, he almost laughed at the absurdity of the situation.
If Baston were here in person, the fat boy would probably handle this conversation far more smoothly. Unfortunately, the responsibility had fallen onto this identity instead.
After all, being knowledgeable too much would pull him into the center of attention.
Sebastian cleared his throat quietly.
If he did not correct Alicia's misunderstanding soon, the entire conversation might collapse before the truth could even be revealed. Such thing would ruin everything that he had prepared.
Meanwhile, Alicia's mind kept growing further from the estimation. The more she thought about it, the stranger the situation became.
If such a method truly existed, it would be priceless. Something that could change the balance of power among many noble houses.
Why would a merchant like Sebastian know about it?
And more importantly, why would he casually tell her?
A faint chill ran down her spine since she began thinking far ahead than needed.
What if he expected something in return?
Her imagination began to wander in uncomfortable directions. She unconsciously shifted her chair slightly farther away and Sebastian noticed the movement.
*****
Inside the inn far away from the barrack, Baston frowned, "What is happening…?"
Through the puppet he controlled, he had intended to guide the conversation naturally yet Alicia's reaction was clearly not what he expected.
Instead of curiosity, she looked more cautious and suspicious. She was even afraid toward Sebastian.
After pondering for more time, he quickly understood the problem. Of course, she would doubt him.
Was there really a secret method that was capable of restoring a rare magical attribute?
No noble family would ever reveal such knowledge easily. If Sebastian claimed to know it, there were only two possible explanations.
Either he was lying or he had some ulterior motive. Neither possibility was comforting. The control went back from Baston into Sebastian in the distance.
"Ahem…" Sebastian coughed awkwardly, "Please don't misunderstand me, Miss Alicia."
He raised his hands slightly, "The reason I know about this method is because someone told me."
Alicia's eyes narrowed, "Someone?"
"Yes… It was a boy…" Sebastian scratched his cheek, "He was rather fat like me."
For a moment, Alicia blinked in confusion. She had a difficulty of guessing the identity of the holder.
"His name should be Baston…"
"What?!" Alicia's reaction was immediate, "You mean Baston from Prius Academy?"
Sebastian nodded, "He approached me this morning and he told me about this method."
"What exactly did he say?"
Sebastian leaned forward slightly, "He said that you do not need to marry anyone in order to obtain the Gale attribute."
"You only need to work hard," Sebastian continued, "And in time, you will be able to use Gale magic since this attribute is already inside of Xaverius family."
The silence filled the room and Alicia's thoughts spun rapidly. Baston had helped her secretly once again.
According to Sebastian's story, the boy had come early in the morning and explained the existence of a hidden method.
However, he only revealed half of the details. The rest would depend on Alicia's decision. Her gratitude slowly filled her heart yet she could not completely suppress a small trace of confusion.
She had known Baston for some time already.
The boy was clever and sometimes surprisingly mature for his age but he had never shown any particular interest in the affairs of the noble families.
At least, not openly.
In the end, why would he suddenly involve himself in such a delicate matter?
Helping her meant indirectly interfering with the internal plans of the Xavierius family. If something went wrong, the consequences could be troublesome even for someone that was connected to Prius Academy.
And yet, he had still chosen to act and she could not see the full picture.
Perhaps, he simply disliked the idea of forcing someone into the marriage or perhaps, there was another reason hidden behind his actions.
For a brief moment, she considered asking Sebastian more questions about their meeting earlier that morning but judging by the merchant's uncertain expression, it seemed he did not know Baston very well either.
Whatever the truth was, Alicia felt certain about one thing. The boy had helped her at the most critical moment.
At first, she had believed her future was already decided and the marriage was inevitable yet somehow, Baston had quietly opened another path. And through this arrangement, everyone would benefit.
Sebastian would receive the resources from the Xavierius family. Her family would regain the Gale attribute and she, she would gain the freedom.
It was such a perfect solution.
She smiled faintly. Baston had asked for nothing in return. There was no need for money, land, titles, and influence yet he still chose to help her.
Why he was so kind?
Perhaps, it was because of the cult.
She believed her existence held the importance in the hidden conflict against them. If strengthening her meant strengthening the fight against the cult, he would naturally help.
At least, that was the conclusion she reached.
What she did not realize was that Baston had carefully arranged every step of this conversation, even with Sebastian's ignorance.
To everyone else, the merchant appeared like a simple middleman. In truth, he was nothing more than a puppet.
Once Alicia confirmed her interest, the next steps proceeded quickly. She left the room and immediately informed her father and uncle.
Harry and Angus were stunned by the revelation.
Was there really a method to inherit the Gale attribute without the marriage?
At first, they found it impossible to believe but she insisted the information was trustworthy. Within few minutes, they began drafting a magic contract.
The terms were very strict.
If Alicia failed to learn Gale magic within a specified time, Sebastian would pay with his life. It was a very terrifying clause yet Sebastian accepted it without hesitation.
When the contract was finally signed, both sides felt a strange mixture of relief and disbelief.
What Alicia did not reveal was about Baston's involvement. In the story she told her family, Sebastian was the one who possessed the secret method.
*****
Far away, Baston smiled faintly since the pieces had fallen perfectly into place.
Neither the Xavierius family nor Alicia realized they were both following a path that he had prepared long ago.
Later that day, as Harry and Angus returned to the inn, they encountered him who was strolling through the street.
From a distance, he looked completely relaxed.
The fat boy strolled along the street with an easy pace, occasionally glancing toward the surrounding shops as if he was deciding where to eat next. Nothing about his behavior appeared unusual.
To Harry and Angus, he was simply a student from Prius Academy who happened to cross their path. However, Alicia's eyes lingered on him for a moment longer.
Something about the timing felt too coincidental.
They had only just finished discussing the contract with Sebastian, and yet, he appeared outside the place almost immediately afterward.
Was it really just a chance or had he been waiting nearby the entire time?
The thought crossed her mind briefly before she dismissed it. After all, there was no reason for him to monitor their conversation.
And even if he wished to know the outcome, there was no way he could possibly hear what had happened inside the room.
Still, as Baston turned slightly and waved at them with a cheerful smile, Alicia felt a strange feeling that she could not quite explain.
Harry and Angus barely paid attention.
Their minds were still filled with excitement but Alicia noticed something else.
It was something subtle and almost as if he had been waiting for them to come back.