“The Chairman himself is attending the academic festival…?”

“Yes.”

Mondri looked at me with a face full of surprise.

“Hmm… There’s really no need for the Chairman to come personally…”

The academic festival was an annual event at Meikhael University where professors showcased their research achievements.

As Mondri said, there was no real reason for me to attend.

It was true that the festival had run smoothly without the Chairman in the past.

But I planned to make an appearance this time. If there were any useful magic formulas, I was ready to generously fund them.

“As you know, I prefer to see things with my own eyes. Especially when it comes to how my money is being spent. Isn’t that natural?”

“What do you mean by ‘money being spent’…?”

In response to Mondri’s question, I gave a straightforward answer.

“Mondri, inform the participating professors. Those who fail to meet expectations in this festival will be expelled from the university.”

“Huh? But if that happens—”

“As long as my university is the top educational institution in this country, the faculty must also be the best. I can’t let mediocre individuals teach students here. Moreover, if I attend the festival, I can see for myself who’s been wasting my money.”

As I spoke, it sounded like a villain’s monologue.

Whether it was due to my personality or something else, I could now speak like Tristan without hesitation.

I was starting to worry that I might actually develop a twisted personality like Tristan’s.

After a moment of thought, Mondri cautiously spoke up.

“That’s a fair point. But won’t there be backlash? The dismissed professors might revolt.”

“There are plenty of people who want to become professors at this university. Besides, do I look like someone who cares about that?”

“…Certainly not.”

Realizing he couldn’t stop me, Mondri let out a deep sigh.

The professors would naturally be scared of me, so their protests would all fall on Mondri, the Chancellor.

But since Mondri couldn’t do anything for them either, it was only natural that his expression darkened.

Moreover, considering age, Tristan was almost like a grandson to Mondri. It must be uncomfortable for him to be bossed around by someone so young.

Feeling a bit sorry, I spoke to Mondri.

“Mondri.”

“Yes?”

“Shouldn’t you, as the Chancellor, prepare something for the academic festival too?”

“Me? No… I haven’t stood on the podium in a while…”

“You were once a magician who challenged the Sage. You’re ahead of most magicians, aren’t you?”

At my words, Mondri looked at me with the most surprised expression I’d ever seen.

“Well… I never thought I’d hear such words from the Chairman. But that’s all in the past…”

He seemed to recall some bitter memories and opened the window.

A strange scent wafted in with the wind.

It smelled like flowers, but there was also something akin to incense.

The only similar scent I’d smelled here was…

“It smells like tea leaves.”

“Ah, it’s not tea leaves. It’s probably the scent of Hwahyangyeonhwa.”

“Hwahyangyeonhwa?”

“Huh? I don’t know if there’s a flower by that name… but the Hwahyangyeonhwa I mentioned is a flower that blooms during the festival.”

Ah.

Now that I think about it, there was such a setting. It was unrelated to the main story, so I forgot, but this university also had a festival.

The festival, held during the same period as the academic festival, was a grand event where shops from across the empire participated, offering plenty of sights and food.

If the academic festival was a feast of the latest magic formulas, the festival was a feast of the latest culture.

Mondri inhaled the scent carried by the wind and spoke.

“It’s a scent you can only smell during this festival period. Hwahyangyeonhwa blooms only during this time of the year, emitting its unique, nostalgic fragrance. And at night, it glows beautifully before withering. It’s truly a spectacle. It’s like the fleeting youth. Haha…”

Mondri gazed outside with a reminiscent expression.

I looked at him and muttered softly.

“A festival, huh…”

*

“Ugh… my body aches.”

“Master, are you okay?”

“Disciple… don’t even ask.”

Late at night, Myohail appeared before Wendy in a disheveled state.

“Ruri, that kid… she’s stronger than she looks…”

“R-Ruri?”

“Yes… Thankfully, Tom said the cat wasn’t laundry… otherwise, I would’ve been wrung dry. I never knew my body could twist like a towel…”

Myohail’s beard drooped after being tormented by Wendy’s younger sister, Ruri, all day.

“I-I’m sorry! I’ll scold her properly next time!”

“Haha… No, it’s fine. Ruri is really cute. She has such pure and kind eyes.”

Living with Wendy’s family in the villa, Myohail mostly took care of the youngest, Ruri.

Wendy was at school, and her parents were busy shuttling between the villa and the mansion.

Moreover, with her older brother Tom starting school nearby, Ruri naturally spent more time with Myohail.

“Ugh… I’m really sorry… Master, you’ve suffered so much…”

“No, I’m grateful she plays with this old man. Lately, I’ve been thinking, if I could transform into a tiger instead of a cat, I could carry Ruri on my back. That would be nice.”

“A t-tiger?! That would make my parents faint!”

“Just kidding. Ruri has been really interested in animals lately. I bought her a few picture books, and she seems to want to see a tiger. Haha.”

“But you can’t really show her one…”

Recalling Ruri’s cute antics, Myohail chuckled.

But it was short-lived.

“Tsk. I usually sleep with Ruri, but today she insisted on sleeping with her mother. This old man feels left out… So, can I sleep here just for tonight?”

“Of course! Master.”

“Good…”

Yawning loudly, Myohail hopped onto the bed and settled in.

Wendy, in her pajamas, turned off the light and lay down beside him.

In the darkness, Myohail spoke.

“By the way, how’s school life?”

“…!”

For a moment, Wendy thought of Luna but quickly pushed the thought away.

“Ah, well… It’s really fun lately. Last time, I went to the amusement park with my friends…”

“Oh? The amusement park? That must’ve been fun. Enjoy it while you can. School life passes by in the blink of an eye. Researching magic formulas and studying are important, but—”

“Um… Master.”

“Hmm? What is it?”

“Is there a magic to become an adult…?”

After hearing about the ball at school, Wendy had been fixated on one thought.

She wanted to dance with Tristan at the ball, not as a servant but as a partner.

Of course, Wendy knew.

It was nearly impossible.

Something so forbidden that it couldn’t even happen in a dream.

Wendy had many mountains to climb.

Status, position… countless walls stood in her way.

Among them, age was an insurmountable wall, no matter what she did.

Perhaps the Sage, Myohail, might know something.

With a desperate hope, Wendy asked.

If it was impossible, she at least wanted to hear it from him.

Then she could let go of any lingering regrets.

“A magic to become an adult?”

“Yes…”

“Hmm… That’s a magic that manipulates time. Naturally, it’s a forbidden realm… no, it’s more like the realm of miracles.”

“Miracles…?”

“Yes. It’s not magic but a miracle. Only gods can do such things.”

Myohail firmly stated that it was a miracle, not magic.

Effectively, it was impossible.

“But why are you asking this suddenly?”

“Well…”

“Is it because of the Count?”

“…Yes.”

There was no hiding it from Myohail.

In the darkness, Wendy nodded.

Myohail sighed.

“Disciple, you’re only 12. You have a long life ahead. You’ll meet countless people. Some will be bad, some will be good. And among them, there will be your destined partner.”

Myohail continued calmly.

“Perhaps you think the Count is that destined partner, but in my eyes, he’s not. He’s just one of the many people who will pass through your life… The feelings you have now are incomplete. They’re fleeting emotions that came too early for someone as young as you.”

“But my heart…!”

“No. That heart is false. The Count is not your destined partner.”

“…!”

Wendy flinched at the firm tone.

In the darkness, Myohail’s eyes were cold.

As if telling her the harsh reality.

“You’re holding onto a feeling destined to fail. I wish… you could avoid the pain of heartbreak. So, erase that magic from your mind. Even if I knew a magic to become an adult, I wouldn’t tell you. The price for such transcendent magic would be too severe…”

“…”

“It’s all for your sake… child.”

Myohail spoke bitterly.

Wendy couldn’t say anything.

His words were not wrong, and above all, they were spoken out of concern for her.

Wendy pulled the blanket over her head and curled up.

And she quietly cried.

Watching her, Myohail spoke in a pitying voice.

“…Let’s sleep for now.”

“…Sniff.”

A quiet silence followed.

Wendy thought under the blanket.

She thought she could let go if Myohail said it was impossible…

But her heart ached.

Her feelings were something no magic could fulfill. She had heard it was impossible without a miracle.

Perhaps, as Myohail said, these feelings were false.

Just like Luna, who was once a friend, people’s feelings could change in an instant.

But even so…

‘If these feelings are false… why does it hurt so much…? Master?’

Wendy trembled under the blanket.

The more she thought about Myohail’s words, the heavier her heart felt.

There was no magic to become an adult.

It was a transcendent realm only gods could reach.

In other words, not magic but a miracle…

‘A miracle…?’

Suddenly, something crossed Wendy’s mind.

Listening carefully, she could hear Myohail’s steady breathing, indicating he was asleep.

‘Then maybe…’

Wendy reached under her pillow.

Her fingers touched something flat and hard.

‘It’s here…’

What she pulled out was a faintly glowing lemon-colored coin.

None other than the divine sponsorship.

“God…”

It was the Miracle Coin.