It was a strange sight. A man in flamboyant clothing hurriedly stepped down from the halted carriage. Despite employing a coachman and servant, he didn’t rely on their assistance, as if grasping at an opportunity he couldn’t afford to let slip.

“Miss?”

The man carefully helped a girl out of the carriage. Her simple attire, devoid of any trace of wealth, clearly reflected her humble status—an exact contrast to the man.

“We’ve arrived.”

However, the man’s attitude towards the girl was nothing short of kind—no, it was beyond kind.

“Once again, thank you for your kindness,” she said.

“No, no. I just happened to be passing by this way. Is there anything else I can assist you with—?”

“You’ve already done enough.”

“Please, allow me—”

The man, eager to offer more help, hesitated, stealing glances at the girl. His confusion grew.

Why am I acting like this?

He wasn’t the type to show such kindness to children or those of lower status. If anything, as a merchant, he was more used to treating them harshly. But with this girl, it was different. There was something indescribable, something special about her. A kind of allure he couldn’t resist.

This wasn’t the kindness of an adult toward a child. It was the desperate struggle of someone craving her favor.

“May you have a pleasant day,” the girl said with a bright smile.

As the girl expressed her gratitude with a radiant smile, the man, filled with regret, could only leave. He longed to win her favor but feared, above all, the possibility of earning her displeasure.

Thus, after receiving extraordinary treatment from a merchant she had only just met, Pien arrived at her destination. She took a long look at the house in front of her.

“...Whew.”

She took a deep breath, followed by a brief vocal warm-up, and then pulled a small mirror from her coat to carefully check her appearance. The simple, clumsy manner she displayed seemed almost too naïve, as if this was not the same girl who had enchanted the merchant just moments before.

Knock, knock.

After finishing her preparations, Pien knocked on the door of the house.

“Oh, Pien.”

It wasn’t long before Rishir opened the door, greeting her with a welcoming smile.

Pien responded with a slight nod, her expression casual, yet the tension in the air betrayed her outward calm.

“What brings you here?”

“...What?”

Sure enough, her cool demeanor was immediately shattered by Rishir’s question. Pien shot him a sharp glare.

She had promised both Rishir and Pamon that she would no longer use the powers of the True Ancestor to harm innocent people.

Thus, she could no longer remain the lady of the Dintal family. In truth, she was effectively homeless.

And so, Pamon had requested the following from the two of them:

“You’re not going to pretend you don’t remember, are you? I’m sure you said it yourself—that you wanted me to accompany you on your journey.”

“Haa…”

“Haa!? What’s with that sigh!? How rude! Do you think I deserve to be treated like this?”

“No, it’s not that… I just needed to breathe. Are you sure about this? It’s not going to be an easy journey.”

“That’s for me to decide. And let me make this clear, I’m only accompanying you until I can establish a proper base for myself. Don’t get any strange ideas.”

“What strange ideas? You’re not going to go around messing with people’s minds again, right? Next time, it won’t just end with a slap on the wrist. Wait, did I even slap your wrist last time?”

“...”

Humans were simple creatures to Pien. They were like puppies, joyful when given attention and desperate to please when offered even the smallest hint of favor.

But Rishir was different. He didn’t respond like any other human.

Even now, look at him. He was given an opportunity, and yet his reaction was so dull, as if treating her like a child.

It was a humiliation Pien had never experienced since becoming such a special being.

Since her first meeting with Rishir, she had thought of little else.

‘I won’t forgive this... I’ll return this humiliation tenfold...’

She vowed to make this foolish man her slave, one way or another. Even without using the powers of the True Ancestor, Pien had many other ways to achieve her goal.

Pien was well aware of her own beauty, charm, and the fact that she was far from ordinary.

“Well then, care to guess what strange ideas I might be having?”

Pien’s demeanor shifted abruptly as she moved closer to Rishir.

She draped her delicate body around his, her gaze tilted upward as she looked at him from below. Her movements were meant to be alluring, designed to provoke a man’s desire.

Or so she thought.

After practicing in front of the mirror, Pien had convinced herself that this was a seductive move. But what Pien saw in the mirror and what Rishir saw were two very different things.

Her movements were clumsy, her gaze awkward. And rather than seductive, her flushed, embarrassed face made it unclear whether she was trying to seduce him or was herself embarrassed by the attempt.

Rishir, unsure of what to do, simply patted her head gently.

“Iiiiiiik—”

Her face turned even redder as she, once again, found herself being treated like a child.

“What are you doing?”

A sharp voice interrupted them. Roera pulled Rishir away, separating the two.

“Why are you here? He’s no longer part of Vendell.”

Pien’s demeanor immediately shifted from that of a fragile girl to a powerful young woman, her presence filled with magic.

“That’s correct. He’s no longer part of Vendell, so he’s no longer your brother, and you have no right to interfere.”

“And, he’s no longer your fiancé, so you have even less of a reason to interfere.”

“Oh, didn’t you hear? Rishir invited me to join him on this journey.”

“Rishir invited you?”

“Rishir invited you?”

Roera’s gaze turned to Rishir, demanding an explanation. Rishir, in turn, passed the weight of her gaze onto Pien.

“Didn’t you say that yourself? Wasn’t all of this technically your idea?”

In a way, it was true. Asking her not to use her powers against innocent people could be considered a request from Rishir.

Though it was more like a reluctant acceptance after being pressured by Pamon, the terrifying dark elf.

Still, Rishir wasn’t going to point that out.

“...”

Whether Pien was aware of her own bluff or not, her shifty eyes gave away her hesitation, making her seem pitiful.

“Well, it’s not entirely wrong,” Rishir muttered.

“See?!”

Her entire demeanor changed, as if Rishir had given her a coin of praise, lighting up her entire face.

Roera watched the exchange between the two with a skeptical look.

“What’s with this vague response? What about the Dintal family? Did they agree? I doubt it.”

How could they refuse? The True Ancestor had commanded it in their master’s name.

The Dintal family had eagerly permitted Pien to leave, and soon enough, they would completely forget about her.

“Of course, they agreed. They know how special my relationship with Rishir is.”

“But he doesn’t seem to think it’s that special, judging by his reaction.”

“Oh, he’s just shy. He’s such a shy man, so he acts distant on purpose.”

“And what do you know about him? Haven’t you spent less than two weeks with him?”

“What do you know about him? I heard the Vendell family treated their bastard children as if they didn’t exist.”

“...”

“...”

The air around them tensed as their gazes locked.

“Oh, Pien’s here? Roera, let me introduce her to you. This is Pien. Actually, she’s a True Ancestor! Isn’t that amazing? I’ve never met one before either. Dangerous? Of course, she’s dangerous! She tried using her mind control on Rishir just like she did with the Dintal family, but Rishir’s special power nullified it—so now, she’s basically Rishir’s servant!”

Before the tension could escalate, Pamon appeared with her plant zombie, carrying travel supplies. She rattled off her explanation before continuing on her way.

“A True Ancestor...?”

“A servant...?”

“Nullified...”

Managing to confuse all three people at once wasn’t easy, but the dark elf had done just that.

Despite Rishir’s concerns, Roera accepted Pien’s presence without much difficulty.

“Oh, so she’s a True Ancestor? And she controlled the Dintal family with her power? Impressive. Just as impressive as these two, the master and apprentice.”

Among the recent encounters Roera had experienced, a True Ancestor was actually one of the more reasonable beings she’d come across. Still, Roera found Pien rather distasteful.

“You’re taking along a girl who tried to turn you into a puppet?”

“Don’t worry. Even though she’s a True Ancestor, she’s less harmful than a mosquito.”

“Mosquito...?”

Pien muttered under her breath, her eyes darkening.

“Besides, she promised she wouldn’t use that power to harm anyone again. Master’s magic made sure of it, so I think it’ll work.”

“Well, if she’s done something about it...”

Reluctantly, Ro

era dropped her guard. Rishir smirked as he looked at her.

“Were you that worried about me?”

Roera’s face scrunched up in annoyance.

“Shut up.”

Sitting beside Rishir on the sofa, Roera shifted slightly. It seemed like she was about to get up, but instead, she took off her shoes and swung her legs onto Rishir’s lap.

“Roera? I’m starting to worry. Do you always display such improper manners in front of others?”

“Of course not. Only in front of you.”

“Did you know? Surprisingly, there’s someone else here besides just us.”

“I don’t care. My legs are tired, so I’m staying like this.”

Her voice carried a hint of a whining tone, and Rishir, unable to resist, let her stay.

“I-I’m not some servant!”

Pien, sitting across from them, suddenly stood up and raised her voice.

“Then what are you?”

“I’m—you know! I’m Rishir’s fiancée!”

“Oh, really?”

“We’ve already kissed, so we’re closer than you think!”

“Oh, reall—what?”

Roera’s head snapped toward Rishir, her gaze drilling into him.

“What is she talking about?”

The weight of Roera’s legs increased on his lap.

“Rishir! You enjoyed it too, didn’t you? You’re not going to deny it now, are you?!”

Pien clung to his arm, her attempts at seduction once again resembling the desperate whining of a child.

“You’re... heavy...”

Rishir found himself slowly crushed under the weight of both women.

 

The preparations to leave were complete. At least, it seemed like Pamon had everything sorted.

The plant zombie that had been bustling around the house earlier had disappeared, and it wasn’t long after that Pamon called Rishir to meet her.

"My apprentice? How are the preparations going?"

She greeted him with her usual lively smile and started talking about the plans for the future.

"As much as I'd love to travel with you, Rishir, and teach you many things along the way, as I’ve mentioned before, I still have a lot of work to finish."

"Besides, the journey ahead is going to be tough, and I don’t think I can take you along for it."

Rishir wasn’t surprised. This had been clear from the beginning, and he listened to his master with composure.

"In my heart, I’d love to pass on my secret magic to you, but—"

"That magic comes with many limitations and sacrifices."

"Moreover, it’s regarded as the cursed magic of the dark elves, so it would push you even further from a normal life."

"You’re a good apprentice, so you might say you’re okay with that, but I don’t want that for you."

"There’s no rush. Experience more of the world first. After that, you can decide."

"So, my apprentice? This is where my short teaching comes to an end."

Pamon punctuated her words with her usual cheerful smile, marking the end of their time together. Though her farewell seemed somewhat detached, it felt fitting, something that suited her character. Rishir found himself smiling, feeling more at ease.

"As short as a masterpiece," Rishir quipped, teasing her.

"The shortest of all masterpieces, indeed," Pamon agreed playfully.

"And truly as pitiful as art," Duran, the talking book, added, poking fun at Pamon.

Rishir smiled at the familiar banter, realizing it would be the last time he’d hear them together for a while.

"But surely, we’ll meet again one day, right?" Rishir asked, hopeful.

"Of course. Who knows, next time we meet, you might be the one teaching me! At the rate you’re growing, it’s entirely possible."

"Now that, Master, is the most inspiring thing you’ve ever said to me."

"Oh, is that so?"

"I’ll make sure to grow strong enough to fill you with despair when that day comes."

"My, my, listen to him, Duran~! Is my apprentice angry?"

"You created this monster, Pamon. Accept your fate."

For a brief moment, Rishir was reminded of the day he first met Pamon—and Duran, though technically a book. Pamon had always said how unique it was that Rishir treated a dark elf like her so ordinarily.

The feeling was mutual. Pamon was the first person to treat Rishir, a bastard child, as if he were just another human being, and for that, she was truly special to him.

Had he not met her, how different would his life have been?

Would he have found this path of magic?

Would he have broken free from the Vendell family?

Would he have reconciled with Roera?

"Master."

"Yes, my apprentice?"

"Though it was brief, it has changed my life. Thank you."

"..."

For the first time, Rishir saw Pamon’s lively smile fade. The dark elf, with her silver eyes, looked at him quietly, but only for a moment.

"Waahh~ my apprentice~"

In a flash, she reverted to her usual self, hugging Rishir tightly.

"I promised myself I wouldn’t cry in front of you, but here I am!"

Pamon stayed clinging to Rishir for a while, though only sobbing, not actually shedding tears.

---

"One last thing, my apprentice. Will you accept this?"

Pamon placed a small glass vial on the table.

"What is it?"

"While you were asleep yesterday, I raided the Vendell vault and took what I could find. This is one of the more useful things."

"Duran~ raided? What do you think my apprentice will think of me?"

"He’ll think you’re the strongest, kindest, most beautiful, and most irresponsible master ever."

"Oh, my apprentice~ Even at the very end, you flatter me!"

"The last part was the most important, though."

Pamon handed the vial directly to Rishir. The glass bottle was plain, and the liquid inside was transparent, lacking any notable characteristics.

"It’s an elixir."

"...!"

At the mention of the word "elixir," Rishir’s heart raced.

Elixirs were legendary, created with rare ingredients and the hands of a master. They were the ultimate treasures in this world, beyond value.

In this world of fantasy, power meant everything, and people were willing to sacrifice their lives in pursuit of it.

Elixirs allowed one to bypass that grueling process, shorten it, or even transcend it entirely.

A single drop could save years of effort, possibly even a lifetime of struggle.

Everyone with any wealth or power wanted to taste an elixir. But not everyone could.

Even a noble family like the Vendell hadn’t consumed theirs, keeping it locked away in their vault.

Its value was beyond imagination.

Had it been the old Rishir, he would never have obtained something like this, and even if he had, he would have sold it to live a comfortable life rather than dare to drink it.

"It seems too plain for an elixir..."

"That’s how you know it’s a good one."

"Uh... does it?"

"From creation to long-term preservation, maintaining an elixir’s value requires extreme precision in refinement and storage. The simpler it looks, the more perfected it is. This bottle contains more magical knowledge and skill than I can even fathom."

"Is it really okay for you to give me something like this?"

Rishir’s voice trembled. Even for someone as powerful as Pamon, an elixir was not an easy thing to come by.

"Of course. That’s why I want to give it to my apprentice."

"...Master!!!"

"My apprentice~"

"Please, stop with the theatrics and get on with it," Duran interrupted.

Rishir carefully examined the elixir in his hands.

"So... should I drink it now?"

Pamon shook her head.

"No. This isn’t the right place to consume an elixir."

"There’s a place for that? What’s the criteria?"

"An elixir alters your body, and that change makes you highly sensitive to your surroundings. Haieorn isn’t a bad place, but it’s not ideal. The elixir should be consumed under the best possible conditions."

Pamon’s eyes gleamed as she explained.

"To put it in terms a novice like you might understand, imagine it’s like the value of a house in a major city."

"A house... in a major city?"

"So, if you consume it incorrectly, it’s like losing a house in the middle of New York?"

"Yes. If you lose just 10% of the elixir's effectiveness, it’s like losing an entire house in a major city."

"Ten percent...?!"

"Aaaaargh!!!"

"My apprentice~ Are you that excited?"

"Looks more like the pressure got to him and his mana’s rebelling," Duran commented.

Rishir finally calmed down and continued the conversation.

"Then, where should I take this elixir? The capital?"

"The capital would be good, but it’s too far. That’s why I suggest our next destination be Bondales."

Bondales. A city not too far from Haieorn, just a couple of towns away.

The key attractions? The Karrog Tower, several adventurer guilds, and trade associations.

"It’s not as grand as the major magic cities, but it’s a good place to expand your magical knowledge."

"So, should I drink the elixir when we get there?"

"Not immediately. There are a few suitable locations. Take this paper and show it when you get there. It’ll guide you to the right place."

Pamon handed Rishir a slip of paper and smiled.

"Alright then."

Clapping her hands together, Pamon signaled the end of their conversation.

"My apprentice~?"

She then stood up and opened her arms. Rishir approached her, and they embraced.

"Take care of yourself, Master."

"Of course~"

"At least until I can come find you and succeed you as master..."

"That wasn’t a joke~"

"Rishir, it better not be a joke. My life’s purpose is now to see this fool get surpassed by her own apprentice. I’m a book, but still."

"And you too, Duran. Stay safe."

After their farewells, Pamon and Duran left Haieorn immediately, and Rishir set off to find transportation to Bondales.

 

---

**[Stop]**  
**[Please, stop!!!]**  
**[The man screamed.]**  

But they didn’t care.

**["Eron... Eron...!!!"]**

**[She was his companion.]**  
**[She had once willingly offered her back to him in life-and-death situations.]**  
**[She was his lover.]**  
**[Holding her hand, feeling the softness of her skin as they looked up at the night sky, there was nothing more he could have wished for in those moments.]**  
**[But now—]**  
**[She was moaning, calling out another man's name.]**  
**[While wrapped in another’s embrace.]**

---

**Eron**  
- Level: 19  
- Species: Demon [Succubus]  
- Class: Mage [Mind Magic / Dark Magic]  

- Skill: Mark of the Succubus [Mind Interference (Low)]

---

"Well then, let’s depart."

The coachman said as he took his seat and grabbed the reins. The carriage started moving—

"Now then, everyone. Since we’ll be traveling together for a while, why don’t we take this chance to introduce ourselves?"

The man with neatly styled blond hair that shimmered like ripe wheat smiled habitually, his white teeth gleaming against his slightly tanned skin. His thick eyelashes, unusually long for a man, framed his clear sky-blue eyes, making them strikingly captivating.

He had an appearance that could draw admiration from both men and women alike. His smile was warm as he looked at the others seated across from him.

"My name is Eron," he introduced himself warmly.

The man sitting across from him responded politely.

"My name is Rishir."

 

 

______________________
 

TL NOTE: Please don't skimp on the stars and likes of the translation - it inspires me and gives me the strength to write more. Thank you~!

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