“Huh? My dear student, did you drink some kind of elixir?”

My master suddenly grabbed my wrist, her rare expression of confusion clear on her face.

“Elixir? Not that I recall. Is something wrong?”

“Well, it seems that the mana within you has grown tremendously!”

“Could it be thanks to your teachings, Master? If I had to choose between an elixir and your lessons, I would pick your lessons without a moment's hesitation.”

“Duran~ what did you say about my lessons again? You heard him, right? Heard it, heard it~?”

“He’s the type who would applaud you just for seeing your face. Still, if Lishir’s magic power has suddenly increased, I suppose your lessons might be having an effect.”

“Really~?”

Despite looking pleased, my master still seemed skeptical.

“This kind of growth can't simply be explained by my lessons, though.”

“Could you perhaps explain it to someone like me in simpler terms, Master?”

“Let’s put it this way—let’s say the growth in your mana from today’s lesson would normally be around a value of 1.”

“Did I grow by 5?”

“No, more like... 50.”

“...Magic seems too easy. It’s almost disappointing.”

I stared blankly into the horizon, feeling hollow. Perhaps this is how the great sages who realized the truth of the world must have felt. The world suddenly seemed so trivial.

“Look at you, my dear student, acting all high and mighty~ But you’ve earned it this time, haven’t you~?”

“Either the student is arrogant or the master is indulgent, but one of you needs to stop, or you’ll ruin everything.”

“The thing is, the change that’s happened to you, Lishir, isn’t something that can be achieved through normal magical training, even considering your natural talent.”

“...But I really don’t recall anything unusual—oh, wait, could it be that using my inherent aura on Fien affected me somehow?”

“I doubt it. If that were the case, you should have experienced changes when you sent that Gogos creature back to the ground, don’t you think? My dear student?”

“Yes, Master.”

“When today’s lesson is over, would you mind telling me everything that has happened?”

As I explained, my master kept smiling, her gaze often shifting to Fien.

“So, she tried to use her charm on my dear student?”

“...”

“And she even tried to steal my student’s lips~?”

“Eek!”

“Well, isn’t that alright? You two are betrothed, after all.”

“Betrothed, yes, but not married yet~? Besides, this engagement wasn’t even made with pure intentions~? And from the looks of it, the marriage might not even happen in the end~?”

“Strange. She wasn’t this clingy or swamp-like before.”

“Please don’t misunderstand my wish as your teacher—I just hope my student won’t be limited by something as narrow as being a son-in-law.”

My master thought for a while, then shook her head.

“Hm~ I still don’t know. If I could find out why, it would help fix that chronic issue that’s been troubling you.”

Chronic issue? That phrase reminded me of my master’s evaluation of my magical potential during the past few lessons.

—My dear student, how much better it would’ve been if you had started learning magic earlier. Even if you had focused on swordsmanship, it would have been something. It’s Vendel’s neglect that feels so unfortunate.

Magical talent is usually divided into two aspects:

Mana capacity, which is how much energy one can hold, and mana sensitivity, the ability to control it.

According to my master, my mana sensitivity is extraordinary, clearly beyond average. But when it comes to mana capacity, I’m stuck in the realm of mediocrity—

And my master placed the blame entirely on Vendel.

Mana capacity is influenced heavily by training over time. Due to Vendel’s neglect, my capacity was completely left undeveloped.

Mana is like muscle—no matter how much natural talent you have, it needs to be trained, invested in, and managed consistently.

If one wishes to excel in either magic or swordsmanship, it’s crucial to start building the foundation no later than age 10.

For nobles, they often start even earlier—taking potions and having consistent exposure to mana from the time they are babies.

—In essence, Lishir, you’ve lost almost your entire life’s worth of potential. You’re a noble, after all.

—Duran~ don’t be so harsh~ My dear student, are you alright? Remember, I’m always here for you!

—Out of curiosity, Master, at what age did you start learning magic?

—Hmm~ I don’t quite remember.

—So young that you don’t even recall? Plus, you were learning under a master and had access to all sorts of potions from the forest, right?

—At this point, nothing surprises me anymore. The world is made for those who have wealth and power. If I were surprised, it would mean I hadn’t fully accepted reality yet.

—Oh dear~ My student is becoming like one of those secluded mages who live on nothing but booze and cigarettes.

—Pain is great for poetic inspiration. I like it. Maybe we should leave him alone to stew in it.

By my master’s calculations, I had lost at least 8 years of magical development, and at worst, 18 years.

To catch up with others, I’d have to work myself to the bone, and even then, there was no guarantee of success.

Mana is like muscle. It can only grow so much through a single session of training.

No matter how hard I pushed myself, I couldn’t make up for the lost time.

—But, but, but. Don’t be too disheartened. My dear student, your innate magic ability is as great as your sensitivity to mana. At this rate, you might reach the third level in just two years!

The first level is the beginner’s stage.

The second level is the apprentice stage.

The third level is when someone starts being recognized as a competent mage.

Most nobles strive to reach the third level before coming of age.

Some even reach the fourth level before their coming-of-age ceremony, and in those cases, banners are hung in their family homes to celebrate.

Both the eldest and youngest in our family had already reached this level.

As for the bastard son? He was still at the first level, of course.

Rather than being disappointed by this fact, I chose to find comfort in it.

I was 18 years behind, but in just two years, I’d be on the same starting line as everyone else.

“Master, you said I made 50 times the usual progress. Does that mean I shortened the time needed to reach the third level by 50 days?”

“Well~ it’s not quite that simple, but no need to be too strict about good news. I’m not Duran, after all.”

“I’m just a book.”

I’d gained 50 days. Thinking about it that way, I became intrigued by the change that had occurred within me.

Not that it would help much to worry about something even my master couldn’t explain.

All I could do was hope that such fortune would strike again.

“Now then.”

*Clap.*

Master clapped her hands, changing the mood.

“I’ll just be a moment.”

She approached Fien, who had fallen earlier, and began checking her over. After a quick inspection, she nodded.

“As I thought. Her power has weakened significantly, but it hasn’t disappeared completely.”

“Oh. Should I use my inherent aura again, then? This time, I’ll make sure to erase that True Ancestor power for good.”

“L-Lishir...! Why are you doing this to me?!”

“Fien, remember this: a man with a wounded heart can become a beast. You never know what he might do. Be careful not to toy with men’s affections from now on. Consider it a lesson from your dear older brother.”

“But you weren’t even affected by my power!!!”

“Which makes it all the more heartbreaking. If I had been under your spell and unaware of everything, it would’ve been easier to bear. For a moment, I thought of you as the little sister I never had.”

“Ugh... Little sister!? How much of a child do you think I am!? This insult... I can’t take it anymore. How dare you! I’m such a special being! I’m so beautiful...!”

As Fien glared at me, her pale face blushed as pink as a peach, and she averted her eyes.

“Why are you getting embarrassed when you’re the one who said it?”

“It’s your fault!!! It was my first time... acting like that... And you keep treating me like a child... teasing me... making me look ridiculous...”

Fien sniffled, her eyes cautiously lifting to meet mine.

“Lishir, do you really think so...? That without my powers, I’m nothing...?”

Damn it. She really is a True Ancestor. This mental manipulation is too strong.

Seeing her act like a helpless little bird, teary-eyed, made me feel like the bad guy.

Overcome with magical guilt, I walked over to Fien, who was still sitting on the ground, and offered her my hand.

“...”

Fien pouted and sniffled, but she accepted my hand and let me help her up.

I pulled out the handkerchief I always kept on hand and dusted off her dress. Then, I flipped it over and wiped the tears from her eyes.

She pursed her lips and looked up at me with those wide, innocent eyes. From this angle, she really

 did look like a cute kid.

I couldn’t help but smile like a proud father.

“...”

Suddenly, Fien turned away from my gaze.

“Fien?”

When I called her name again—

What in the world? She closed her eyes and puckered her lips.

What is she doing now?

Ignoring her, I brought the handkerchief back to her face.

“Here. Blow.”

“...Huh? Blow?”

“Blow!!! You know, a proper young lady should keep herself clean. So blow your nose. Come on.”

“You’ve got to be kidding!!! I am not doing that! Have you lost your mind?! What do you think I am?!”

Fien, now enraged, stepped back from me, trembling.

“You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?! I can tell! You’re embarrassed and that’s why you’re treating me like a child...! Ugh! Men and their ridiculous pride!”

She tried to mock me, but with her shaky voice and tearful expression, she only looked more adorable.

And this girl claims to be older than me?

...Fine. Be older then.

At that moment, my master tapped me on the shoulder.

“My dear student? That girl may act like this, but she’s actually quite sweet, so don’t be too harsh on her, alright?”

“Huh? The girl who was playing with people’s minds?”

“From what I can gather, she’s relatively gentle. Even when she drinks blood, she doesn’t harm her victims, and when she uses her mental powers, she allows them to retain some of their free will.”

“True Ancestors usually regard anyone other than their kind as livestock or prey. Considering that, this girl is definitely an exception.”

She’s that reasonable?

Fien squirmed under my gaze, clearly unsure of how to react.

“C-could you please stop looking at me like I’m some virtuous child? I just... I just didn’t see the need to go that far with my thralls, that’s all!”

“In other words, you showed restraint in using your power?”

“I’m not some vulgar creature that can’t control itself.”

She said it with a tone of pride.

It was quite a change from her earlier demeanor, and seeing the contrast made me smile.

“True. You’re different.”

“What are you saying now...?”

Though Fien seemed wary and reluctant, she couldn’t hide the small smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

“Lady Fien?”

Suddenly, she flinched when my master addressed her.

“Would you mind making a promise? Promise not to misuse your power from now on.”

“...Why should I make such a promise?”

“Because this sister, Parmon, is scarier than she looks. If you say no, I’ll have the perfect excuse to take you away and use you for all sorts of experiments.”

“I-I’ll make the promise...!”

Though Fien had been gaining momentum, she quickly backed down at Duran’s grim words. For some reason, she seemed to fear my master far more than me, even though I was the one who nullified her powers.

“Oh my~ What a good girl~”

Smiling, my master took Fien’s hand and gently ran her finger across Fien’s palm.

Fien winced slightly, and I saw a thin red line appear across her pale hand.

“My dear student?”

Master pressed Fien’s wounded palm against mine.

“...”

She whispered something softly, and I felt a strange energy wrap around our hands.

“Lady Fien. You’ve made a promise, haven’t you?”

“Yes, yes...”

The moment Fien answered, a wave of energy shot up from our joined hands, crashing into our chests.

“Ah!”

“Oh.”

We both recoiled slightly, making noises of surprise, while my master looked on with satisfaction, nodding.

---

[Beneficial Effect Detected]  
[The Mage’s Covenant is now bound to you]  
[Target: True Ancestor Fien]

---

After that, Fien and I parted ways with my master and returned to the Vendel estate.

According to my master’s words, Fien’s power had weakened and her control over her thralls had become unstable, but it would only be temporary. After all, her dominion over them hadn’t been that strong to begin with.

—Fien, could you perhaps assist my student by releasing him from the engagement? That way, the family will naturally lose interest in him, and he’ll be able to leave Vendel unnoticed.

—Why don’t you cause some chaos by losing control over your thralls, then use the confusion to help him escape?

—Duran, that’s too extreme. We don’t want them to be hunted by both the church and the royal family, do we~?

—Honestly, I’ve had enough. Please, no more crazy ideas.

I kept my master’s advice in mind.

---

"Lady Fien!!!"

Just as my master had predicted, when Fien and I returned to the estate, chaos had already broken out.

Galant only remembered that Fien and I had left together.

As a result, I had become the careless bastard son who had dragged a sickly lady outside.

“Lord Lishir, could you please explain what happened?”

The steward of the Vendel family confronted me, while the head of the Dintal family and their retainers watched from behind.

This was all a show of face on Vendel’s part, for Dintal’s sake.

“You bastard—”

At that moment, a man with long, flowing hair grabbed my collar.

“How could you drag a sick girl around like that?!”

“Kallan, please!!!”

Fien’s brother—or rather, the eldest son of the Dintal family.

“Everyone, please stop this...!”

Fien suddenly shouted.

*Cough!*  
*Cough!*

She followed up with a few coughs.

The commotion immediately died down as everyone turned their attention to her.

“Lord Lishir tried to stop me. I was the one being stubborn. So please, don’t blame him.”

The tearful, demanding girl from earlier had completely vanished.

With her delicate yet alluring presence, Fien’s plea brought the entire room to silence.

“...Lord Lishir, the family head has summoned you.”

The steward from the Vendel family dispersed the crowd.

“Come along, Fien.”

Kallan glared at me as he tried to take his sister away.

“...”

But Fien held onto my hand and wouldn’t let go.

“Fien?”

“Brother, may I spend a little more time with Lord Lishir?”

“But your condition—”

Fien raised both hands with a bright, cheerful smile.

“Maybe it’s because I spent time with Lishir, but I’m feeling much better today.”

“...”

Kallan scowled at me, clicked his tongue in frustration, and walked away, leaving behind a grumbling comment.

“I don’t understand what she sees in that bastard.”

And just like that, we were left alone once more.

“...”

I stared at Fien, bewildered.

“Alright, what nonsense are you going to spout this time?”

Fien, having returned to her earlier bird-like self, shyly avoided my gaze.

---

The family head had summoned me.

After spending a little time with Fien, I headed straight for his office.

“We’re discussing your engagement with Lady Fien.”

That was the first thing I heard as soon as I stepped into the office.

The family head didn’t even look up from the papers on his desk as he immediately jumped into the matter at hand.

“Conduct yourself properly and be prepared.”

That was all he had to say to me.

Throughout the conversation, his eyes never left the documents in front of him.

“I have something to tell you.”

I decided now was the perfect moment.

“I’m leaving the family.”

“...”

Now he was looking at me.

The family head stared at me, his expression one of disbelief, as if he hadn’t heard me correctly.