Aino occasionally glanced at the top of Parker’s head, finding it quite an eyesore.

In truth, Parker's features weren’t bad, and he was considered tall among humans. However, a lack of physical activity left him with some belly and facial fat, and his hair would turn oily if left unwashed for even a day, which drastically dropped his appeal.

"Lady Aino, I apologize if I’m making you uncomfortable, but this is just how my body is. I can’t go to a water source to wash every day…."

"Uh, maybe if you could teach me some magic, I’d be able to avoid this situation, right? Haha..."

Now that Parker was somewhat familiar with the two of them, he realized that this peculiar creature, at least outwardly, was relatively easy to get along with. Aino’s clear distaste for his hair was a sore spot he was all too aware of.

She seemed approachable, so perhaps…

Parker cautiously voiced his request, carefully observing Aino’s expression. If he saw any signs of offense, he’d quickly retract his words. After all, magic was a closely guarded secret, and most magic users preferred to keep its practice exclusive.

The fewer people who knew magic, the more valuable they were, and the fewer rivals they had.

Hearing this, Aino looked at Parker with mild interest.

"But learning magic depends on whether you have talent. If you’re naturally insensitive to magic, even if I wanted to teach you, it wouldn’t work."

Aino walked up and patted Parker’s shoulder, motioning for him to sit down beside her.

"However, even without talent, you can still learn the basics."

Hearing that Aino was really willing to teach him, Parker’s heart raced with excitement—this could be a life-changing opportunity. If he could learn even a bit of magic, or if he actually had talent, becoming a strong magic user would be like a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly.

If he had magical talent and could use magic, would he have ended up the way he did? Everyone has dreams of becoming an adventurer, achieving something great. But life’s countless setbacks grind down the dreams of ordinary people.

In human society, the path to power had long been monopolized by nobles. Martial arts, magic, mana—ordinary people had no access to these. If they wanted to learn, they had to risk their lives.

Once Parker was ready, Aino stood in front of him to test his magical sensitivity.

The result showed that Parker had a rather ordinary level of magical sensitivity, just average for a human. Testing someone’s magical aptitude involved gauging their sensitivity to magic; the higher the sensitivity, the easier it was to understand and use magic.

However, many factors determined a magic user’s capabilities, including mana reserves, casting speed, and the more unpredictable battle instinct. Sensitivity merely showed one’s natural ability to perceive mana.

Aino explained all this to Parker.

"Lady Aino, I still wish to learn magic. I hope you’ll teach someone as ordinary and untalented as me. I’m willing to pledge my absolute loyalty to you!"

Parker didn’t hesitate. Even after hearing the results, he showed no disappointment; he was still eager to learn.

In truth, Aino had always been quite enthusiastic about teaching. Instructing others felt like helping them, but it wasn’t charity or condescending—it was sharing her knowledge as a strong individual with someone determined to be strong. This not only gave Aino joy from helping others but also a sense of accomplishment.

She remembered how, in certain games she’d once excelled at, whenever players referred to her as an “expert” and sought her advice, Aino would type out long responses, enthusiastically sharing her insights and techniques, often overwhelming the other person with her lengthy replies.

"Teach you magic, huh…" Aino rubbed her chin thoughtfully, gazing at Parker’s earnest expression.

This situation reminded her of past experiences.

Back then, she would share all her skills with others, but after receiving her advice, they often lost interest.

She’d be so swept up in the joy of being asked that she’d type out paragraphs and paragraphs, only for the other person to reply with a simple "oh" or "uh-huh." It was an awkward and annoying memory she couldn’t forget.

And now, this was far more significant than some game.

"Very well, become my disciple."

Pacing in front of Parker with a sly smile, she locked eyes with him and said seriously,

"You must respect me and follow my instructions. I’m willing to teach you now, but if, in the future, I feel you’re unworthy, I’ll stop."

Parker immediately knelt on one knee and solemnly vowed,

"If Teacher wants me to be a good person, I’ll be a good person. If Teacher wants me to be a bad person, I’ll be a bad person.

For the past decade, I’ve been a bad person countless times, and occasionally a good person, but everything I did was just to survive, to live a little better. I never lived for myself.

If Teacher can give me power, if you give me the chance to be myself, I’ll treat your words as my only command."

And just like that, it was decided.

Teaching someone as blank as Parker would first require imparting a lot of foundational knowledge, then guiding him to sense mana. The two conversed seriously, while Alea watched silently from the side.

Alea reflected on her own introduction to magic—what had her first experience been like?

Following a forbidden ritual she’d stumbled upon, she sacrificed her family’s bodies after they were killed, gaining a trace of mana.

With that as her foundation, she survived and grew in the forest. In her quest for strength, she’d killed adventurers, some who’d made the mistake of attacking her first, and others who hadn’t even realized they’d fallen prey to her ambush.

Her journey had been one of growth without a teacher, without guidance or friendship; she had become a vengeful spirit by sacrificing herself.

“If only I’d had a teacher back then…” Alea muttered, running her fingers through her hair, her emotions complex.

Her life had been so dark. Now, with her magical pathways destroyed, she had no chance to train again. From now on, she would have to live as an ordinary person.

Watching Aino and Parker’s harmonious scene, Alea felt a pang of jealousy and dissatisfaction.

“No, what am I thinking? Just because I’m a failure now, does that mean I want Parker to fail at learning magic too?”

Scolding herself, Alea slumped against a tree, pulling her knees to her chest.

She didn’t know about Parker’s past petty crimes; she only saw a scruffy young man who seemed like another oppressed commoner. And in these past two days, Parker’s smooth-talking and enthusiasm had warmed Alea, who lacked experience dealing with people.

Alea was genuinely lost, unsure of what her future held. Now, with no magic, she felt like a waste. Meanwhile, Aino was powerful, and Parker was stepping eagerly onto the path of magic. Only she seemed destined for uselessness.

For one fleeting moment after meeting the strange creature that was Aino, Alea had felt as though she’d been given a second chance. The life once filled with hatred seemed to reclaim a semblance of its original self.

But now, it seemed that second chance was an illusion. Her life had already ended long ago—she was merely a walking corpse.