The nobleman sneered.

“They sell lilies because she’s not seen in social circles while recuperating, and when flowers wilt quickly, they sell lily accessories. Everyone’s eyes are red with greed, slapping Peirlily’s name on everything, aren’t they?”

“Well, that’s because Peirlily is so pretty and eye-catching…”

“It’s laughable that all this fuss is over just looks. After all, she’s just a young woman. No matter how pretty a woman is, there’s only one use for her, isn’t there?”

The nobleman raised his voice while tapping the lily pinned to his chest.

“At this rate, it won’t be long before women on the streets start pinning lilies to their chests. Haha, just watch. Peirlily will soon become a name used by wh*res…!”

The chattering nobleman’s jaw twisted.

Bang!

His head spun like a top as his body flew.

“Puhuk!”

The nobleman, suddenly slammed against the wall, exhaled the air trapped in his lungs.

Even in the confusion of his ringing head and aching body, he could tell his attacker was approaching.

“Ugh!”

The nobleman instinctively pressed his back against the wall and crawled backward.

Ruyan picked up the lily that had fallen from him.

“What did you say about Peirlily?”

His voice was ominous.

Not just the struck nobleman, but everyone in the tavern swallowed hard.

“A wh*re’s name? Ha, this bastard must be crazy…”

Ruyan’s half-crazed eyes looked down at the nobleman.

From his comments about women’s uses and wh*re’s names, his true nature was obvious. He was just trying to degrade Leah because he desired her but couldn’t have her.

“You’ve got eyes but no conscience, you bastard… Is it a crime that my sister is pretty? Huh?”

Thwack!

Ruyan kicked the fallen nobleman’s thigh.

“Kuk!”

“Not going to answer?”

“I, I was wrong!”

“Ah, so you do know.”

Ruyan nodded and kicked the nobleman’s other thigh.

“Euk!”

As the kicks got closer to that area, the nobleman’s face turned pale with pain and fear. Ruyan glared at him intently while shaking his foot as if dusting it off.

“Watch where you’re looking.”

Before I gouge them out.

The nobleman swallowed hard, understanding the unspoken threat.

Ruyan pinned the lily the man had dropped to his chest and turned his gaze to the others.

“If any of you have complaints, you’d better watch your eyes. If you so much as look at my sister one more time…”

Ruyan’s scanning gaze stopped on those wearing lilies. He glared at them, appearing to be memorizing their faces.

“…”

Those who quickly unpinned their lilies couldn’t even throw them away immediately, awkwardly holding them while avoiding his gaze.

Two thoughts filled Ruyan’s mind.

‘How dare these bastards.’

He clenched his fist.

‘I should go check on Leah.’

***

Unaware of what her doting second brother was up to, Leah was busy with her own matters in the villa’s private reception room.

Crackle, crackle.

The fireplace full of burning logs warmed the room’s air. The table was set with a teapot of warm tea and sweet treats like cookies and dacquoise.

“Phew. Finally done.”

Leah said solemnly with a caramel in her mouth.

“Okay, everything’s ready.”

“…Do we need all this prepared for lessons?”

“Yes. Cold hands get stiff, and low blood sugar makes it hard to concentrate.”

Helix looked down intently at Leah, who spoke like a grandmother despite her fresh nineteen-year-old face.

He felt a mix of emotions – it was funny and cute, but also made him feel sorry for her.

“…Once you’re healthy, we can start lessons right away.”

“I’m looking forward to that. I’m actually quite impatient by nature.”

“I could tell that from when I first saw you in the dragon’s lair.”

“No way, how?”

“…”

Helix shook his head and began the lesson.

“First, we need to start with sensing mana.”

Helix explained.

Magic is the skill of moving mana according to one’s will, so one must be able to sense mana to perform magic.

“You’re lucky, Leah. To excel as a mage, you need to have well-established mana pathways in your body, and that’s already done.”

Leah was puzzled.

“I do?”

“Remember when you collapsed after consuming dragon’s mana and met me?”

Dragon’s mana was so powerful that when it entered a human body, the human would die from mana overflow.

Just like how even the best medicine becomes lethal poison when concentrated a million times.

Only those with dragon blood or genius-level mana sensitivity were exceptions, he said.

“But Leah, your qi was so weak and your meridians so thin… the dragon’s mana couldn’t spread immediately when it entered.”

“…”

So she survived because she was weak?

“So the dragon’s mana spread slowly and formed mana pathways?”

“You think it would be that easy? While we bought time as it struggled to spread, I broke down that mana into smaller pieces and dispersed it throughout your meridians.”

Leah was surprised.

To perform such sophisticated work for free, and this was even before they had made their contract.

“So you’re the one who established my mana pathways?”

“Something like that.”

Looking at Helix, who spoke briefly without trying to take credit, she was internally impressed.

‘How can someone be this nice?’

He saved her life, and even created talent where there was none.

Yet Helix maintained a plain attitude, not seeking credit or compensation. Though he looked like an ice-cold, noble elven king on the outside, his heart seemed as soft as a saint’s.

‘Is he secretly soft-hearted? But that doesn’t seem right?’

One thing was certain though.

‘I need to hold onto him tight!’

Leah smiled with both sincerity and self-interest.

“Thank you for everything.”

“…I only did what needed to be done.”

Helix changed the subject.

“Let’s start the lesson. Take a comfortable position, breathe, and try to sense the mana.”

“Like this?”

Leah remembered yoga from her previous life and sat cross-legged, focusing on her dantian and heart.

“To know the best position without being taught… you have talent.”

“R-really?”

Though feeling a bit guilty, she nodded.

“Should I focus more on my heart or dantian?”

“As you practice, you’ll discover where your mana core forms. The location varies by individual.”

Leah concentrated on sensing mana as instructed. When she closed her eyes, Helix spoke.

“Take deep breaths and observe. How does it feel?”

“Huuu…”

Leah breathed as directed.

“Can you feel the flowing energy?”

“It feels… kind of hot.”

“Then imagine fire and try to detect where the heat rises in your body.”

That low voice speaking so gently.

When her eyes were open, his face was too powerful to notice, but with eyes closed, his voice was incredibly pleasant too.

Honestly, if someone has a good face and body, shouldn’t their voice at least be mediocre?

“Stop getting distracted and focus.”

“…Yes sir.”

Leah quickly responded and concentrated on her breathing.

Helix quietly watched her.

‘She follows instructions well.’

Among the mages he had taught, many were nobles.

They would all boast about who they were, demanding mana as if it was owed to them and barely paying attention to lessons. Because of this, Helix had some prejudice against nobles.

Compared to them, Leah was a very diligent student. As he watched her fondly, she pursed her lips. The way she unconsciously stuck out her lips and mumbled while concentrating was purely girlish.

“…”

For some reason, he felt an urge to press those lips and cheeks, so Helix quietly turned away.

‘I shouldn’t disturb her.’

He slowly poured tea. The citrus scent that suited Leah began to fill the room.

Is this a dream?

Helix looked at the blue sky outside the window and thought.

Until just a few days ago, he had been trapped in a timeless seal, only dwelling on painful old memories.

Now he was in a warm room, teaching lessons to his contractor and student while drinking fragrant tea.

‘…Come to think of it, she mentioned low blood sugar, but I’ve eaten most of the desserts.’

Helix realized.

The tea and desserts – Leah had prepared them thoughtfully for him.

‘Would one packet of cookies be enough for that small frame?’

Remembering Leah’s face as she smiled and told him to eat it all, he let out a small laugh. Being considerate while pretending not to be seemed to be her nature.

Slurp.

The tea he held in his mouth warmed his chest as it went down his throat. Early autumn sunlight streamed through the large window, sparkling on the tea in the cup.

Such a peaceful and tranquil afternoon felt foreign, as if it wasn’t his to have.

But because the teacup was warm and the tea fragrant. Because the lingering sweetness in his mouth was pleasant. Above all, because he liked the sight of the girl sitting focused in front of the fireplace.

Helix somehow cherished this moment.

***

Meanwhile, in the capital of Peiren.

The tavern where Ruyan had caused a scene was in a gloomy mood.

“Huuuu.”

Someone sighed and muttered.

“Ruyan Piert, he hasn’t lost his old edge.”

“That’s right. We thought his crazy temper had died down after that incident.”

“A broken genius is still a genius, isn’t he? In the old days, that punch would have meant instant death, not just unconsciousness.”

Shudder.

Baron Durford’s face turned pale as he listened.

‘Ruyan Piert… he definitely glared at me!’

The distance between the nobleman speaking in front of him and Ruyan sitting on the sofa had been considerable.

Yet Baron Durford couldn’t even see Ruyan approaching, let alone read his movement trajectory.

By the time he realized something was happening, the nobleman was already spinning like a top from Ruyan’s punch.

‘He glared at me. He definitely glared at me.’

There was too much to feel guilty about.

Paying for information about Leah’s favorite desserts.

Buying the chestnut cream meringue cookies from the bakery that always sold out as soon as it opened, and coating them with stolen love potion.

Having the maid he’d bribed in the Piert household place those cookies in Leah’s room.

If caught, they would all result in a beating.

‘If I get caught and beaten, I’ll die!’

Baron Durford was terrified.

“I, I have a meeting at the royal palace, so I must go!”

Baron Durford fled quickly.

‘I have to do something!’