“Doesn’t Professor Rupert look more handsome the more you see him?”

The female students, leaving the lecture hall after their art history class, began whispering as they watched Rupert depart.

“He might not be as perfect as the third prince or Adrian, but he has his own charm.”

Recently, the number of female students at the academy showing interest in Rupert had been noticeably increasing.

Though Rupert himself paid little attention to his appearance, there was no denying that he was objectively good-looking.

Unlike Edric, whose features were as chiseled as a marble statue, or Adrian, whose gentle demeanor softened his visage, Rupert’s expressionless face often gave him an aloof and cold impression. This used to deter many women from approaching him.

However, ever since the Somerset family had been elevated to the rank of marquess, Rupert’s popularity had soared.

Young, not just in age but in appearance, with a strong family backing, exceptional abilities, and a handsome face—these qualities combined made him irresistible to many.

Of course, in terms of sheer popularity, Edric and Adrian still reigned supreme.

Yet, while their high status made them seem unattainable, Rupert carried a different aura, as if he were just close enough to be within reach, further fueling his newfound appeal.

“Professor, here, take this for when you’re hungry.”

“Thank you. I’ll enjoy it.”

It had also become increasingly common for female students to boldly express their affection for Rupert.

Two individuals, however, were decidedly displeased with this growing trend.

“Miss Isabella, could you come forward and interpret this equation?”

“M-Me? Are you talking to me?”

“Is there another student named Isabella in this class?”

Isabella, who had been attending the Introduction to Magic Theory lecture, turned pale as she made her way toward the blackboard.

“What in the world is this?”

The equations covering the board were far beyond her comprehension.

She had been attending lectures diligently and believed she had some talent for magic. Yet, no matter how hard she tried to make sense of the formulas before her, they remained incomprehensible.

“This is a basic formula for calculating constants when stabilizing magical coordinates! Students must master this level of skill to use magical transformations effectively in practical scenarios!”

“…Yes.”

“Any student of the Imperial Academy’s Department of Magic should be able to solve this. Lately, I’ve noticed some people are neglecting their studies because they’re distracted by other matters!”

Pop!

Zinnia’s voice, already loud as she explained the formula to Isabella, grew sharper and more intense, eventually tinged with outright fury.

As her tirade reached its peak, Zinnia conjured a flame in her hand, her voice dropping to a low and menacing tone.

“As an associate professor at this academy, I simply cannot tolerate such behavior.”

“…Yes, ma’am!”

Isabella’s response shot out of her mouth before she could even think.

“Killing intent? Did I just feel killing intent…?”

Though she couldn’t explain it, Isabella was certain that if her answer had been even a second slower, something terrible might have happened. It was an almost prophetic sense of danger.

+++

 

“I liked him first! I recognized his charm from the beginning!”

Zinnia found it increasingly difficult to control her temper whenever she saw female students openly showing interest in Rupert these days.

What infuriated her the most was how these same students, who once looked down on him for being a young professor and acted condescendingly, were now shamelessly vying for his attention.

“Zinnia, make sure to bring up the topic of cards during your meal with Professor Rupert today…”

“Master! I told you, this is an important dinner!”

“Well… It’s just that no matter how much Rupert asks, I can’t simply give him an Ultimate Rare card…”

Yustaf stammered under Zinnia’s sharp tone.

“She used to be such a sweet child…”

The Zinnia who returned from her mission over the summer break was completely different from the one he remembered.

Her physical transformation was striking—gone was the girl with a youthful, uncertain demeanor, replaced by a confident, fully matured young woman.

In the past, she often seemed restless, as if she didn’t belong, consumed by anxiety and self-doubt. But now, she voiced her opinions with a newfound confidence that made her master proud, even if he sometimes missed the way she used to be.

“Today’s the first time I’ve arranged a one-on-one dinner with Professor Rupert, and you want me to ruin the atmosphere by talking about cards?!”

“Ruin the atmosphere?!”

Yustaf was deeply hurt by his pupil’s dismissal of his card-related struggles. She had no idea how many humiliations he had endured due to his lack of an Ultimate Rare card.

“You still don’t understand men.”

“What?”

Yustaf couldn’t comprehend why Zinnia, who was practically fidgeting with anticipation for her dinner with Rupert, was acting so unsure of herself.

“Unless Rupert is completely uninterested in women, there’s no way he wouldn’t be attracted to Zinnia.”

His assessment wasn’t biased because she was his apprentice. He had personally witnessed countless male students at the academy snapping their heads around like magnets whenever Zinnia walked by.

Her striking red hair, combined with her curvaceous figure, exuded a sensual allure that would catch the eye of any healthy young man. Yustaf knew this all too well.

“First of all, you need to change your outfit.”

“My outfit?”

“That robe you always wear—that’s why Rupert hasn’t fallen for you yet.”

“But this robe is a gift from you, Master…”

The robe, which Zinnia wore every day, was the first gift Yustaf had given her after accepting her as his disciple. She treasured it as much as Rupert’s books.

“I appreciate that you value my gift, but isn’t this the time to focus on winning?”

Having heard about Zinnia’s competition—members of the royal family and the powerful Bluewell duchy—Yustaf felt an uncharacteristic fire of determination ignite within him.

“The royal family and the Bluewell duchy, huh? I’ll have to pull out all the stops for my pupil.”

Though he lacked the authority of the imperial or ducal families, Yustaf possessed resources they did not. As the continent’s greatest mage, one word from him could rally every mage, including the Tower Master, to lend their support.

“Cancel all of this afternoon’s lectures!”

“What? But isn’t that a bit sudden…”

“Consider it a gift for the students! A surprise break now and then is good for them!”

Yustaf resolved to take Zinnia to the capital’s finest clothing store.

“I will ensure that you emerge victorious, my dear apprentice.”

Of course, 99% of his motivation came from his affection for his student. But there was a tiny, almost imperceptible part of him that thought, “If Zinnia and Rupert end up together, he might give me a few cards…”

+++

 

“Oh… Welcome, Miss Zinnia.”

“Am I too late?”

“No, I just arrived myself.”

At an exclusive fine-dining establishment where reservations were out of reach for most nobles, Rupert, who had arrived early, stammered slightly upon seeing Zinnia arrive a little later.

“Ah, is my dress… too flashy?”

“No, it suits you very well.”

The reason for Rupert’s flustered reaction was the striking red dress Zinnia was wearing.

With its deep neckline and exposed shoulders, the dress highlighted her figure in an undeniably captivating way.

“This is the knockout move,” she thought.

Though Zinnia felt embarrassed wearing such a revealing outfit for the first time, she had been practically forced into it by her master, Yustaf, who had strongly recommended it.

Her nerves were on edge, so much so that her face stiffened as she noticed people—from restaurant staff to passersby—staring at her with wide-eyed admiration.

“Does Rupert like it?”

Pushing past her embarrassment, Zinnia subtly glanced up at Rupert.

Seeing him staring at her, seemingly spellbound, gave her a newfound confidence.

Up until that moment, she hadn’t fully trusted Yustaf’s bold assurances. But now, observing Rupert’s reaction, she started to wonder if her master’s advice had actually been spot-on.

However—

“Wow! This is exactly the Flame Witch look!”

While Zinnia’s recent growth had aligned her outward appearance with the infamous Flame Witch from the original story, something had always felt lacking.

“Her outfit didn’t match!”

The typical mage’s robe she usually wore failed to capture the full essence of the terrifying, iconic villainess.

As one of the most memorable antagonists from the original story, Rupert had always wanted to see her portrayed accurately at least once.

And now, seeing Zinnia in an outfit reminiscent of the original Flame Witch, Rupert found himself unable to look away.

“It’s been so hot lately, hasn’t it?”

Zinnia, believing Rupert’s reaction stemmed from her and Yustaf’s strategy, deployed her second move.

“Use your best assets to your advantage!”

Though she felt mortified even thinking about it, she adjusted her posture to accentuate her figure, fanning herself lightly with her hand in a move her master had assured her was a surefire way to seal the deal.

“Though the nights have gotten cooler recently, it’s still warm during the day, don’t you think?”

“Pardon?”

“My little sister has been obsessed with Elsa again lately, so I made her some toys for playing Frozen Kingdom…”

Rupert did react to her, but not in the way Zinnia had expected.

“You really should listen to Yustaf’s advice more often, Miss Zinnia! You wouldn’t believe how much trouble I’ve been having because my sister never listens these days.”

“…Yes…”

Rupert proceeded to launch into a lengthy tale about his sister Ada’s recent antics and wrapped it up with a lecture about the importance of following her master’s guidance.

“What is this?! Why is he treating me like a child?!”

Zinnia and Yustaf’s plan hadn’t been poorly conceived.

If Zinnia had been meeting a man for the first time, her allure would likely have been irresistible.

However—

“Yustaf should really train his apprentice to stop pretending to be a grown-up when she’s still so young.”

What Rupert failed to account for was that he had known Zinnia long enough to have an unshakable image of her as the timid, delicate girl who once hid behind her master.

To Rupert, Zinnia was no different from a slightly older Sena.

What Rupert didn’t know, however, was the truth behind Zinnia’s appearance.

Due to her unique Dragonoid heritage, her physical growth had been stunted for years.

In reality, Zinnia was not only older than she looked but also older than Rupert himself.