“…Lady, Lady Lila?”

“Ah.”

Lila blinked as the voice calling her name brought her out of her reverie. When her vision cleared, she saw Huon sitting across from her with a stern expression.

“You can’t seem to focus.”

“Sorry.”

“…Let’s call it a day.”

Huon sighed lightly at Lila’s straightforward apology. Placing the book on the desk, she scrutinized her face with concern. Today, her complexion was noticeably pale.

“Is it because of what happened yesterday?”

At Huon’s question, Lila nodded. She hadn’t slept a wink all night. Every time she closed her eyes, the image of the knight charging at Grand Duke Eustace haunted her.

“Don’t worry too much. It will all be fine.”

Huon spoke with confidence. Knowing the Grand Duke’s capabilities, she remained unshaken.

“Even if the emperor tries to use this incident against him, His Grace the Grand Duke is not someone who would yield easily.”

“Elvin said it was a grave offense for the Grand Duke to attack a royal…”

“If that’s the case, isn’t the Grand Duke also royalty? Besides, it was the crown prince who made the first mistake. His Grace’s actions were clearly self-defense.”

Huon explained calmly, seeing Lila still troubled. Against any other noble, it might be different, but this was Grand Duke Eustace. Even the imperial family would find it burdensome to confront him directly.

“The justification is on our side. His Grace has overcome far greater crises than this. They won’t dare harm him over something like this.”

“Even so…”

Lila’s voice grew softer and softer. She knew Grand Duke Eustace was strong, but since yesterday, an inexplicable unease had taken root in her heart. She couldn’t find the words to describe this anxiety.

“What’s troubling you so much?”

“Huh?”

“If something’s on your mind, please tell me. I may not be the best at giving advice, but I can help you think it through. After all, I am your tutor.”

Huon spoke in a gentle tone.

“I….”

Lila, her face shadowed, fidgeted with her fingers and hesitated before speaking.

“I’m scared the Grand Duke might get hurt.”

“…What?”

‘What did I just hear?’ Huon let out an unintentionally dumbfounded sound. She couldn’t believe what Lila had just said. But Lila, unaware or indifferent to Huon’s reaction, looked at her with an expression more serious than ever.

“I want to find a way to help the Grand Duke.”

Lila confided the thoughts that had kept her awake all night. Officially or not, she was Grand Duke Eustace’s special guard. Yet, she had been of no help to him. Yesterday, she hadn’t protected him; instead, she had been the one protected.

“I want to help, but he keeps saying he’s fine, and it frustrates me.”

If not for Lou informing her, she might have remained unaware of what had happened yesterday. Lila hated that.

“What do you think, teacher? Do you think I can protect the Grand Duke?”

“…Ha.”

Huon couldn’t help but let out something close to a sigh. If anyone other than Lila had asked such a question, Huon would have scolded them for saying something so absurd. But she couldn’t do that. This was the person who held the Grand Duke’s interest.

“Well, uh….”

To be afraid that the Grand Duke might get hurt—what a pointless worry. In Huon’s mind, it was like a puppy worrying about a lion. Confronted with such a monumental dilemma, Huon hesitated, rolling her eyes as she searched for an answer.

“I know the Grand Duke is strong, but there’s always the chance something might happen.”

Unaware of Huon’s thoughts, Lila remained earnest. She was genuinely worried about Grand Duke Eustace.

It made sense, given her history. For a long time, Lila had been a witness to the emperor’s cruelty, closer than anyone else. Not by choice, but as his sword, she had taken countless lives. Perhaps that was why she wasn’t afraid of the crown prince, but the emperor terrified her.

“If the emperor….”

“Lady Lila.”

Huon interrupted her. She dropped her usual smile and met Lila’s gaze.

“I understand what you’re worried about, but it will be fine. The emperor cannot harm even a hair on the Grand Duke’s head.”

Huon’s voice was sharp and decisive. But Lila still couldn’t shake her unease. To her, the emperor was as cunning as a fox and as sinister as a snake. Unlike the crown prince, he was different.

He was a predator, skilled in weaving schemes and waiting patiently to strike. What worried her most was….

“Even if he uses dark magic?”

“What?”

Huon’s eyes widened at the unexpected question. Lila spoke again, her face tense.

“You said it yourself. Dark magic can drain another’s mana and is dangerous in many ways.”

Oh no. Huon sighed inwardly. She realized her careless words had likely planted this anxiety in Lila.

“If the emperor used dark magic to steal my mana, then couldn’t he take the Grand Duke’s too…?”

“No. That’s impossible. The Grand Duke is far too powerful for that.”

“Huh?”

“To steal someone’s mana using dark magic, the caster must be equal to or stronger than the target.”

Huon explained firmly, her voice leaving no room for doubt.

“Unless the emperor is also a 6th-circle dark mage or a swordmaster like the Grand Duke, there’s no chance. And at 4th circle? Not a chance.”

“Really?”

“Yes. People unfamiliar with magic often think the difference between the 5th and 6th circles is small, but it’s not. The gap is enormous, and the 4th circle doesn’t even compare.”

“Oh.”

“I can say this with certainty: there is no mage alive right now who can defeat the Grand Duke.”

Even after Huon’s reassurance, Lila’s expression didn’t brighten.

“Lady Lila.”

Huon cautiously reached out and clasped Lila’s hand. Only then did Lila realize she had been trembling slightly.

“Among mages, there’s a saying that one must be chosen by the gods to reach the 6th circle. That’s how difficult it is to become a 6th-circle mage. Natural talent and endless effort alone aren’t enough.”

Huon spoke gently, soothing Lila, who was visibly anxious. As Lila listened to her words, she felt the warmth of Huon’s hand through their touch, and the trembling that had gripped her gradually subsided.

“His Grace is someone who shattered all the common notions of magic passed down for centuries. Before he even turned twenty, he reached heights that take others decades to achieve. He is a genius among geniuses.”

Grand Duke Eustace was revered among mages. As a mage herself, Huon both respected and feared him. She imagined the emperor must feel the same way, given that he, too, was a mage.

“Why do you think the emperor has only targeted the people around His Grace so far? It’s because he knows he can never defeat him head-on.”

Huon withdrew her hand from Lila’s and, with a bitter expression, gently touched her prosthetic arm.

“Unable to touch the Grand Duke himself, the emperor has instead attacked members of the Eustace family. While cases like mine, where someone is severely injured, are rare, there have been plenty of smaller incidents over the years.”

The prosthetic arm, crafted with meticulous care by a master artisan, felt like an extension of her body. Yet, no matter how natural it felt, it couldn’t erase the painful memories. Huon still hadn’t escaped the anguish of losing her left arm.

“Does it still hurt?”

Lila asked, her expression filled with sorrow as she glanced at Huon’s prosthetic. Then, she lowered her gaze. Ever since learning that the emperor was responsible for Huon’s injuries, Lila couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt whenever she saw the eyepatch covering Huon’s left eye or the lifeless prosthetic arm.

“No, it doesn’t hurt anymore.”

Huon shook her head lightly and forced a smile, trying to lift the somber mood.

“In any case, you don’t need to worry so much. His Grace is more than capable of protecting himself. Honestly, the emperor should be more concerned about his own safety.”

Huon joked playfully, shrugging her shoulders. Then, she turned serious again and looked at Lila.

“I understand the fear of seeing someone dear to you get hurt, but too much worry can be harmful. It can lead to a sickness of the heart. So, please…”

“Someone dear?”

“Yes. You care about His Grace, so you’re worried the emperor might harm him, right?”

“Care about him?”

Wait, was that not it? Huon hesitated, taken aback by Lila’s puzzled expression. Could it be… unrequited love? With a slightly uncertain look, Huon spoke again.

“When we’re indifferent to someone, we don’t care if they’re hurt or in pain. The fact that you’re this worried means you hold His Grace very dear to you…

“…I suppose so.”

‘Because I care, I worry. Because I care, I fear.’ Lila muttered to herself, a small realization dawning on her after Huon’s words.

“I understand now.”

Lila looked at Huon with a noticeably lighter expression.

“You’re telling me not to crumble under fear, right?”

“Exactly.”

Huon nodded in satisfaction.

“Fear is a disease that eats away at the heart. Worrying about things that haven’t even happened yet is one of the most foolish things a person can do.”

“Got it.”