The Northern Grand Duke’s Crazy Son-in-Law



1. Pillar West

‘I can do this. I graduated near the top of my class at the Academy, and I’ve got plenty of backing. I can do this.’

James muttered quietly to himself as he looked down the gloomy gray hallway.

The tightness of his buttoned-up shirt was starting to bother him, but James couldn’t bring himself to care.

Today was the day of his long-awaited interview with the Intelligence Agency.

What was the Intelligence Agency? It was a place that gathered only the most brilliant minds on the continent. It moved the empire from the shadows, and only a select few even knew of its existence.

One could not simply enter the Intelligence Agency. Only those who graduated near the top of their class from the prestigious Academy or had achieved great feats that were known throughout the continent were eligible to apply.

But that wasn’t all. One also had to pass a rigorous background check and a practical exam that closely resembled actual field work. Just making it to the interview stage was a miracle in itself. And James was determined to seize this miracle.

“Damn it, for real.”

At that moment, a gruff curse rang out. He looked up and saw a man with dark hair sitting across from him.

His uniform was unbuttoned and disheveled, his posture was sloppy, and his face was full of annoyance. He was clearly a picture of discontent.

But all James could see was the man’s uniform.

‘……An Intelligence Agency operative!!’

It was his first time seeing an Intelligence Agency operative.

The Intelligence Agency was a secretive organization. In fact, up until this point in the application process, he had never even encountered a single one of its members.

He seemed to be around the same age as James, yet he was already an Intelligence Agency operative. James’ eyes sparkled with excitement.

“Is there something you need?”

The man asked in an irritated voice.

“N-no! I was just admiring how cool you look!”

James hastily snapped to attention and replied. This man could potentially become his superior if he passed.

“Taking your frustrations out on a fledgling… How pathetic.”

The man grimaced and pulled out a cigarette, placing it between his lips.

“Care for one? They’re the good stuff.”

“No! I’m fine!”

The man didn’t offer again. A crimson flame flared to life at the tip of his finger.

“…A mage!”

James’ eyes widened. A mage and an Intelligence Agency operative!

“Is this your first time seeing a mage?”

Instead of answering, James flicked his finger. Tiny sparks danced around his fingertips.

“A junior, I see.”

“I’ll be in your care! Senior!”

The man clicked his tongue softly. A thin stream of gray smoke wafted from his lips. His expression as he looked at James was inscrutable.

“Why did you choose the Intelligence Agency over an easier path?”

The man’s question was a fair one.

Originally, it was most common to enter a Magic Tower after graduating as a magician. If not that, then enter under a noble.

The reason for this was because magicians were an occupation group optimized for research and development rather than combat. In fact, the amount of money and honor that could be earned from that side was overwhelmingly greater.

James also received many invitations from Magic Towers. The reason he rejected them and applied to the Information Agency was-.

“I want to devote this one body to the glorious empire!”

Since it was in the expected interview questions, James answered without hesitation. The man frowned. Is this not it?

“······Your mana seems to be leaking a little. The compression process is a little weak.”

“Compression?”

“Like this.”

The man flicked his finger again. A spark flew from the man’s finger. At first glance, it was the same as James, but James could see the sophistication.

“You can get the same efficiency with less mana!”

“Yes, they don’t teach you that at the academy. Those who only look at books think that mana efficiency is not necessary. However, efficiency is more important in actual combat. How long does it take to fill your mana once?”

“It takes about three days.”

“It takes too long?”

“······Yes?”

James’ eyes widened. It was fast compared to the motive.

“Don’t fill your mana without thinking, and calculate the concentration from the moment you store it. You’re just storing it mindlessly like breathing, so it takes three days.”

‘Calculate the concentration while storing mana?’

Just calculating the formula when using magic seemed to break my head, but calculate the mana concentration-. Does that make sense? James nodded for the time being.

“If you calculate the mana concentration in advance and memorize it, you can use only the mana you need. Then even this is possible.”

The man flicked his fingers in succession. Sparks occurred in succession. What was originally one burst instantly and became a small flower shape.

A flower made of lightning-. James was purely impressed by its sophistication.

“This is popular with women. You should try it too. You’ll die.”

“······Oh, is that so.”

“Do you have a girlfriend?”

“I broke up.”

“Because of the Information Agency?”

“Yes.”

“You idiot.”

“Yes?”

The man exhaled smoke for a long time. A fresh lemon scent wafted through the air.

“You can’t date once you enter.”

“It’s okay! I plan on marrying the empire!”

“Have you heard the empire’s opinion?”

“······Yes?”

The man laughed as if he was coughing.

“Anyway, remember one thing when you enter the Information Agency.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Close your eyes, shut your mouth. Just do what you’re told. Then you’ll go up.”

The man frowned. At first glance, he seemed to be smiling, but the corners of his mouth were not raised.

At that moment, the door next to it opened and a woman came out. James straightened his posture without realizing it at the beautiful woman with a cold impression.

“Galahad, I’ve told you countless times that smoking is prohibited indoors.”

“But this is mana incense.”

“And what of it?”

“It’s fragrant.”

The woman chuckled and nodded toward the inner room. The man who had sneered got up from his seat. James looked up at the man blankly.

“May you persevere and avoid divorce.”

“······Huh? Yes, sir!”

The man patted James on the shoulder and went into the room.

James muttered the name “Galahad.” He had heard it somewhere before…

‘···The academy’s youngest graduate!’

James’s mouth fell open as he belatedly recalled the name.

Galahad was a figure recorded in the academy’s history.

Usually, when graduating from the academy, most mages were of the second rank, and at most, the third rank. However, Galahad, in addition to being the youngest graduate, was of the fourth rank upon graduation.

He had suddenly disappeared after graduating.

‘So he joined the Intelligence Agency.’

It all made sense now. To think he had met such a legendary figure. James let out a small “Yahoo!”

As expected, it was the Intelligence Agency. The Intelligence Agency, where only the most brilliant geniuses on the continent gathered to lead the empire.

Just then, a rough voice came from the inner room.

“Damn it, are you telling me to stand guard right now?”

James’s eyes widened at Galahad’s voice.

James hurriedly looked above the door. It was boldly labeled “Deputy Director’s Office.”

To think someone would curse so crudely in the Deputy Director’s Office.

‘How cool.’

James’s eyes sparkled.

‘I have to stick to him!’

James clenched his fists and psyched himself up.

He wanted to work under that amazing Galahad.

***

“Galahad, how is marrying the Grand Duke’s eldest daughter considered standing guard?”

The Deputy Director squinted his plump eyes. Galahad took a deep breath and calmed himself.

“Well, isn’t it? Don’t you know what kind of person the Grand Duke’s eldest daughter is?”

“Of course I do. Isn’t she the youngest Sword Master? She’ll succeed to the position of Grand Duke of the North in the future. So what’s the problem with becoming the husband of the Grand Duke of the North?”

The Deputy Director chuckled. Galahad’s anger flared at his brazen attitude.

When the empire was first founded, the Grand Dukes were truly Grand Dukes. The only dukes in the empire and the most powerful figures after the emperor.

However, the location of the North was the problem. The North bordered the territory of the demons. The Grand Duke had to fend off the demons’ attacks, and as a result, his power had been waning day by day .

Furthermore, the ignorant Northerners hated mages, considering them a byproduct of the demons. The Grand Duke’s territory was the only place without a single magic tower.

Sending Galahad, a mage and an Intelligence Agency agent, to such a place was tantamount to sending him to his death.

However, Galahad was the Deputy Director’s most prized card. There was no way he could discard him with his own hands.

“Where did that order come from?”

The Deputy Director’s face turned complicated, and he pointed a finger upward. The Deputy Director did not recognize the Intelligence Agency Director, saying that he was a pawn placed there from above. For such a Deputy Director to point upward meant that the order had indeed come from the very top.

“Your father initiated this.”

“Damn it! Really? That damn…”

Galahad couldn’t hold back and cursed. He immediately realized how the situation had unfolded.

Galahad was the third son of the Count.

Here, the nobles inherited everything to the eldest son to prevent the weakening of their power. Some even killed all the children except the eldest son.

Galahad, who was reincarnated as the son of a noble, realized his situation at a young age. So Galahad desperately studied magic.

It wasn’t difficult since he had studied a lot in his previous life.

Galahad was someone who had entered a prestigious university in Korea. Compared to the tedious preparation for the college entrance exam and university studies, magic had visual effects every time he studied it. It was incomparably fun.

Moreover, the basic magic formulas were at the level of advanced mathematics that he had learned in his previous life.

Thanks to this, he graduated from the academy at the youngest age and also entered the intelligence agency. He thought he would be able to live comfortably now, but-.

‘Not only do they not take care of me, but they’re selling me? What the hell.’

It was a very political marriage. Galahad’s clever mind quickly concluded that there was no way to avoid it. It was a dead end.

‘This really sucks.’

After finishing his calculations, Galahad sat across from the deputy director and took out a cigarette and put it in his mouth. The deputy director’s eyebrows went up, but he was no longer a senior.

“Galahad-.”

“What is it?”

“Give me one too.”

Galahad frowned and glared at the deputy director. Yes, what was wrong with the deputy director? He took out a cigarette from his pocket and handed it to the deputy director.

“Fire.”

“What era are we in? Can’t you even use simple magic?”

“You’ll get old too. You don’t know how hard it is to learn new things. Fire!”

Galahad clicked his tongue and lit the deputy director’s cigarette.

“You’re a man, but why do you smoke lemon-flavored cigarettes? Lemon-flavored.”

“You complain a lot even though you’re getting it for free.”

The two of them smoked their cigarettes in silence.

The deputy director’s face wasn’t so good either. Galahad was the card that the deputy director had been pushing the most, so the deputy director was as good as ruined.

“By the way, why didn’t you get married? You must be old enough.”

“I married the Empire.”

“It’s famous even to the point that I know that you hate the Empire.”

“Don’t you hate your wife too, Deputy Director?”

“That makes sense.”

The two of them laughed softly.

“It won’t be long.”

The deputy director said in a tired voice. The deputy director was in a situation where it was like all his limbs had been cut off. There was no way the deputy director could regain his power.

“Okay. I’ll come back on my own.”

Galahad nodded and rubbed the cigarette to put it out.

“Well, you’re popular with women. In fact, Jamit likes you too.”

The deputy director pointed to Jamit next to him and smiled wickedly. Then Jamit grimaced.

“I actually knew. Sorry, Jamit, I’m not really into men.”

“······Can you give me one too?”

Jamit, Gallad, and Yuli sat side by side, grumbling for a long time. The conversation was quiet without a word, but each of their heads was spinning noisily.

“How about buying some candy or chocolates? Women like those. I don’t think you’ll find them in the north.”

Jamit said, making a donut shape with smoke.

“Candy. I remember. Oh, the guy outside will do fine.”

“The guy outside?”

“The carrot-looking kid.”

“Carrot?”

“I think that’s what the interviewer said.”

“Oh, I see. But Jamit, why are you speaking informally… It’s fine. How long have we worked together? Hehe. So, does he seem okay?”

“Yes, he said that he’d marry the Empire.”

“That’s what you said during the interview.”

Gallard laughed out loud.

Did I say that? I think I did. Doesn’t everyone say that during an interview? I really like this company-, I’d stake my life on it-. It was something like that.

“Is there anything else you’re curious about?”

The vice-captain asked, leaning back. When he first met Gallad, his eyes, which sparkled with justice and ambition, were now filled with decrepitude and fatigue.

Gallad looked at him for a moment and opened his mouth.

“So, is that woman pretty?”

This time, the vice-captain laughed out loud. The vice-captain, who had been laughing breathlessly, nodded, wiping away the tears from the corners of his eyes.

“They say she’s the greatest beauty on the continent.”