Vulgar Marriage - Chapter 20
Chapter 10.2
As Jeff and the other knights hesitated, Dominic let out a short, mocking laugh, as if to say, “See?”
“If any of you still have the guts for it, go ahead. Do what you want with her.”
Dominic said, releasing Livi’s chin and giving her a rough shove forward.
Suddenly freed from his grip, Livi lost her balance and stumbled forward.
Jeff caught her just as she was about to fall, and Dominic took a step back. He sheathed his sword and leaned against a tree, arms crossed.
“Go on, wife. Let’s hope you don’t mess this up.”
The sarcasm in his voice jolted Livi back to reality. Jeff was still fumbling in confusion, but she ignored him and stepped forward, leaving the knights behind.
‘There must be no mistakes.’
She stayed calm as she mixed the ingredients. Once finished, she carried the wooden bowl holding the completed mixture to the spot where she would draw the magic circle.
All eyes were on her. Livi licked her dry lips and rolled up her sleeves.
She started with the center. Placing her hand on the ground at the canyon’s entrance, she marked a small dot. She began drawing a series of concentric circles radiating from that point and carefully marked new center points between each circle.
Once she focused on her fingertips, the sensation of being watched faded away.
The circles needed to be drawn perfectly round, with the lines precise and consistent in thickness. Any margin for error in the magic circle had to be almost nonexistent.
As Livi meticulously drew the magic circle, she controlled the number of times she blinked and the rhythm of her breathing. She became completely absorbed in the process, her entire focus drawn to the intricate patterns materializing beneath her fingertips.
Somewhere along the way, she lost track of why she’d even started drawing. The shapes danced before her eyes, pulling her entirely into their flow.
“…ivi. Livadonia.”
Gradually, she became aware of a voice reaching her ears. Dominic was supporting her by the back of her neck, looking down at her with a skeptical expression.
“What’s this? I’ve never heard of a magic circle making a tactical mage pass out.”
Instead of responding, Livi looked down at herself. Her arms and legs were completely soaked in alp deer blood.
‘Again…’
This wasn’t the first time Livi had made a mess while drawing a magic circle. The tactical mage who trained her used to be furious whenever it happened.
“Lady Livadonia, are you in your right mind?” She could almost hear the crisp tapping of his baton on the desk.
The tactical mage would sigh heavily, warning her that she’d never reach mastery that way. But to this day, Livi didn’t fully understand what “mastery” meant.
“Are you finished?”
Dominic’s grip on her shoulder tightened, pulling her back to the present.
“…Yes.”
“Then stop wasting time and get on with it.”
Ignoring his impatient tone, Livi carefully placed the mana stones within the completed circle. As she set the last stone in place, the circle began to react.
Now, all that was left was to wait. Livi held her breath, watching the magic circle intently.
A faint glow, like fireflies in broad daylight, began to hover around the mana stones, intensifying. Slowly It pulsed once, illuminating their surroundings before flaring into a light so bright it nearly blinded everyone.
“The light…”
The knights murmured in astonishment. Even among those who had spent years on the battlefield, few had ever seen a magic circle drawn so precisely by a tactical mage.
Amid the murmurs, Livi kept her eyes open, squinting at the magic circle. All her calculations were precise. If she’d done it right, the magic circle would soon materialize, fully encasing the canyon.
“Ugh…”
A final flash of light burst from the magic circle, forcing Livi to shut her eyes. Slowly, the light began to fade, and the red afterimage on her eyelids began to blur.
With a pounding heart, Livi opened her eyes. This wasn’t only about the success of the magic circle. It would greatly influence how she’d be treated at the castle going forward.
Before her eyes, she saw transparent barriers rising along either side of the canyon. The barrier shimmered with iridescent light as sunlight struck, completely enclosing the canyon’s walls.
Livi released the breath she had been holding. It had worked.
But as she began to relax, a mocking laugh sounded from behind her.
“It certainly looks impressive.”
Dominic whispered, placing a hand on her shoulder.
“You’d better hope Hawthorne makes it out of there alive. If you’ve set some kind of trap, now would be the time to admit it. Otherwise, things could get far worse for you back at Celsion.”
“…There is no trap. Is mocking a person’s goodwill what you call chivalry?”
“Chivalry?”
Dominic raised a brow.
“You still expect that from me? I can’t tell if you’re naive or just plain stupid. Perhaps a naked patrol around Celsion would cure you of that innocence.”
“What?”
“Why, are you actually considering it?”
His vulgar words made her clench her teeth. Livi’s face flushed bright red, and she shoved him back with all her strength, but Dominic only pulled her closer. Her br**sts were crushed against his torso as he effortlessly lifted her off the ground.
Holding her tightly to prevent her from struggling, Dominic nodded toward the waiting knights. At his signal, Hawthorne stepped forward, his face still streaked with dried tears. As he mounted his horse, a faint tension settled over the group.