“Is that why my false identity’s origin was set as Muwon?”

“That’s part of it, but… the main reason is the emperor.”

“The emperor?”

Why is the emperor involved in this? Lila blinked in confusion.

“Muwon is the easternmost country on the Eastern Continent.”

“So?”

“If you were to appear in the world as Baroness Lila Knox, the emperor would undoubtedly investigate you. He would send secret agents to Muwon to inquire about whether a person named Lila Knox truly exists and what activities she might have undertaken in the empire. But Muwon is a very distant country.”

Eustace grinned mischievously, his lips curling upward. Communication stones were ineffective over such great distances. Even using letters or relying on informants spread across regions, the distance between Esteban Empire and Muwon would make smooth communication unlikely.

“It would take at least half a year for the emperor’s investigators to gather any useful information from there. Perhaps even longer.”

The Grand Duke muttered as if merely thinking about it delighted him. Watching his enthusiasm over inconveniencing the emperor, Lila couldn’t help but be impressed.

She had assumed the Eastern origin for her identity had been chosen simply because of her appearance, but it wasn’t. Eustace had considered various factors, meticulously planning ahead, all for her sake.

“Hm? You look impressed.”

Eustace smiled warmly, her golden eyes shimmering as he watched her.

“Your lighter eye color makes your expressions easier to read. I rather like that.”

A cool hand approached, gently pressing and massaging the delicate area near her eyes.

“I was just thinking you’re remarkable.”

For some reason, Lila felt the spot where his fingers brushed grow hot and lowered her gaze.

“Did you enjoy the garden?”

As they chatted, they had unknowingly circled the garden. Emma, who had been waiting outside, approached with her usual kind smile.

“I’ll take my leave now.”

“Are you not coming along?”

“I’d love to escort you, but if I did, Elvin looks ready to strike at any moment.”

Grand Duke Eustace spoke with a face full of regret. Although Johan had returned, Eustace’s upcoming resumption of duties next week had piled up preparations, leaving Elvin still buried under a mountain of work.

“If it’s work, it can’t be helped. Do your best.”

Recalling Elvin, who had looked like a wilting plant, Lila spoke with a resigned tone.

“With your encouragement, I’ll endure.”

“When you’re done, I’ll tell you, ‘Good job, well done.’”

“…I’ll wrap up as quickly as I can.”

Momentarily pausing at her words, Eustace broke into a radiant smile, his expression brimming with anticipation.

“I’ll see you at dinner, then.”

“Alright.”

“Take care.”

“Safe travels.”

Lila waved him off, watching as the Grand Duke headed to his office with a newfound sense of purpose. Though it seemed unnecessary to bid farewell when they were in the same residence, she decided to cheer him on since he was off to work. Emma, observing the two, couldn’t hide her delight.

“You two look wonderful together.”

“What do you mean?”

“Nothing at all. It just feels like spring will come early this year.”

“Isn’t it spring already?”

Puzzled by Emma’s cryptic comment, Lila tilted her head.

“Hehe, I’m talking about a different kind of spring.”

Emma chuckled softly, finding Lila’s innocence endearing.

“What kind of spring?”

“You’ll find out later.”

“When’s later?”

“Well… Now, let’s hurry. Your tutor must be waiting impatiently.”

Leaving a meaningful remark, Emma gently guided Lila inside. Unable to resolve her curiosity, Lila obediently followed.

***

“Greetings. My name is Huon Lee. Please feel free to call me Huon.”

Lila blinked as she took in Huon’s stoic expression. She was said to be from the East, and it was clear—her black hair, as dark as hers, was something she’d only ever seen before in the Empress.

“I must look unsightly; my wounds haven’t fully healed yet…”

Misinterpreting Lila’s gaze, Huon awkwardly covered her face with her hand. Her injuries from the incident at Eustace’s estate hadn’t yet healed.

“It’s fine. You don’t look unsightly.”

Lila said calmly, watching Huon press her eyepatch repeatedly.

“Not unsightly?”

Huon chuckled bitterly. While she didn’t regret the choices that saved everyone, she still struggled to fully accept her changed body. Though she’d entrusted dwarves to craft a prosthetic arm and an artificial eye, they were only illusions of normalcy. Her lost eye and arm would never return.

“I’ve seen people with far worse scars than yours. But not once have I ever thought of them as unsightly.”

Lila spoke matter-of-factly. Her words were true. During her shadow training, she had endured countless injuries and came close to being permanently maimed several times.

And not just her. In the training camp, people died frequently—trainees who couldn’t endure the brutal regimen, or convicts dragged in as live opponents, left as corpses or mutilated shells.

To survive there, Lila had to harm others. At times, she had to take lives herself. The camp was a bloody battlefield where flesh and bone clashed daily.

Her desperate struggle for survival left her body marked with innumerable scars. Yet, Lila never felt ashamed of them. They were proof of her survival in hell.

“They’re badges of survival. Beautiful ones.”

At her words, Huon’s lone violet eye wavered faintly. Her tone was devoid of pity, concern, or any sentimentality. It was so dispassionate that her sincerity came through all the more clearly.

“Thank you.”

Huon steadied her voice, trying not to falter. Just yesterday, she had agonized over the Grand Duke’s proposal. After lengthy deliberation, she had accepted, swearing to keep her secrets. Even so, doubt lingered.

But at this moment, her hesitation vanished. Huon found herself liking this fledgling raven princess spreading her wings to the world.

“From now on, I will teach you etiquette, history, and the arts with utmost dedication. I look forward to working with you.”

“Likewise.”

Lila, responding to Huon’s greeting, nodded slightly before hesitating for a moment and then spoke.

“Teacher?”

“Yes?”

“Should I call you Teacher? Or Master? People usually address their instructors that way.”

“Please address me in whatever way feels most comfortable for you, Lady Lila.”

“Then I’ll call you Teacher.”

Without much deliberation, Lila chose “Teacher.” She thought it sounded better than “Master.”

“I’ve never had a teacher before.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah, I’ve been experiencing a lot of firsts lately.”

In an uncharacteristically awkward tone, Lila murmured. Ever since deciding to stay by Grand Duke Eustace’s side, her days had been filled with new and delightful experiences.

“Then it seems I have the honor of being your first teacher, Lady Lila,” Huon remarked with a pleased expression.

“That’s right.”

Teacher Huon. Lila nodded to herself, silently trying out the name. If she had to name someone as her teacher, it would probably be her instructor, Woden. He had taught her many things, no doubt.

But Lila had never thought of Woden as a teacher or mentor. To her, the instructor had been a ruthless trainer.

Lila found herself thinking about her former instructor for the first time in a while. He had been a loyal dog of the emperor. If Lila now stood on Grand Duke Eustace’s side and opposed the emperor, there was a high chance that she and her former trainer would meet not as pupil and mentor but as enemies, with swords drawn against each other.

“Lady Lila?”

“Ah.”

Huon’s call pulled Lila out of her thoughts. She was looking at her with concern.

“Are you alright?”

“What do you mean?”

“Your mood just now….”

“It’s nothing. I was just lost in thought for a moment. Sorry about that.”

Had she unknowingly exuded hostility? Lila scrunched her nose in thought. Fortunately, Huon didn’t press further. Instead, she shifted the conversation to the upcoming lessons, trying to lighten the atmosphere.

“The lessons will start tomorrow, with two sessions in the morning and afternoon. Unless there are interruptions, we’ll have about three or four sessions a week. Do you have any questions?”

“No.”

Lila shook her head in response to Huon’s question. Then, as if a thought had just occurred to her, she lifted her head.

“Teacher, you were a sorcerer, right?”

“Yes? Oh, that’s correct. In the East, we call mages ‘sorcerer.’ Unlike the Empire, where magic is divided into circles, those who reach exceptional levels, like His Grace the Grand Duke, are called ‘sorcerers.’”

“Sorce…rer?”

Lila clumsily repeated the word after Huon.

“Sorcerer. Speaking of which, I’ll also need to teach you the language of the East. Books on it aren’t easy to find in the Empire, so I’ll likely have to prepare the materials myself.”

Correcting her pronunciation, Huon seemed to remember something she had forgotten. Deciding she needed to finalize a more detailed plan with Grand Duke Eustace, she began to wrap up the conversation.

“Do you have any other questions?”

“Is sorcery the same as magic?”

“Sorcery and magic? Hmm, while there are differences in detail, the overarching principles are similar.”

“I heard that people in the East have dark hair and dark eyes like me, and that they tend to be warriors because of it.”

“That’s true. Most Easterners have hair and eyes in darker shades like black, brown, violet, or navy. Perhaps because of this, as you mentioned, there are more warriors than sorcerers.”

“Hmm.”

Lila listened to Huon’s words thoughtfully. She glanced at her dark hair as if she were about to say something, hesitating before asking in a quieter voice than before.

“…If their hair and eyes are dark, how can Easterners sense and use mana?”

“Excuse me?”

Caught off guard by the question, Huon faltered. Remembering Lila’s circumstances, which she hadn’t disclosed to many, she let out a small sigh.

“That’s a tough question. We don’t fully understand it yet. Just because someone has light-colored hair doesn’t mean they’ll become a mage, and having dark-colored hair doesn’t mean they can’t.”

“That’s true. But it’s not like there’s no connection at all, right?”

“There’s some correlation, yes… If it’s alright with you, may I examine your body a little?”

“Go ahead.”

At Lila’s permission, Huon cautiously approached her. With her hand in her, she focused, channeling her mana into her.

“Do you feel anything right now?”

“No.”

Lila shook her head in response to Huon’s question. Taken aback, she frowned slightly and closed her eyes, softly chanting an incantation. A violet light emerged from her fingertips, snaking up Lila’s arm like a serpent before enveloping her body.

Lila watched in wonder as her black hair turned a shimmering violet under Huon’s magic, paying little attention to the power constricting her body.

“This is… rather strange.”

“What is?”

Huon murmured in confusion, her face showing clear unease.

“I don’t even know how to put it into words. It’s one thing not to sense magic, but Lady Lila, you have no magic at all.”