---

“…How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine.”

The one who responded to Blanshe’s greeting was a man.

A notorious pig count in the empire, with arrogant eyes and a despicable personality.

Tristan Ruelberta.

However, the nickname “Pig Count” had become a bit ambiguous now.

Tristan’s complexion was pale, and his cheeks were gaunt.

As if he had come back from the dead, he had noticeably lost weight.

Blanshe, who had caused this, felt extremely uncomfortable in this situation.

If it weren’t for Bella’s orders, she wouldn’t have wanted to come to this man.

She hesitated before speaking.

“You seem… to have lost some weight.”

“Seems so.”

Tristan answered without making eye contact.

Sitting at his desk in the office, he was reviewing documents, occasionally frowning and writing something down.

“Our lady asked me to convey her gratitude and regards for the recent incident.”

“Alright. Tell the princess not to worry.”

“Yes. Then I’ll take my leave—”

“Blanshe.”

Blanshe, who was about to leave quickly after finishing her business, stopped in her tracks.

“…What is it?”

“Why are you in such a hurry to leave?”

Tristan had already taken his eyes off the documents and was looking at her.

His eyes showed no emotion.

So it was hard to tell what this man was thinking.

Blanshe, afraid her true feelings might show, avoided eye contact and answered.

“Yes. I need to return to the duke’s residence to resume my duty of guarding the lady.”

“I see. How much do you get paid for that?”

“…Excuse me?”

Blanshe was taken aback by the sudden question.

“I’m asking about your salary. How much does the Izakhel family pay you? Surely you’re not working for free.”

It was a rude question.

But Blanshe answered without changing her expression.

“…I’m sorry, but I can’t disclose that. However, I can say that the duke’s family is very generous to me.”

“Must be a pittance.”

“…What did you just say?”

“Judging by how you’re dodging the question, it must be a ridiculously low amount.”

Tristan’s eyes narrowed.

That condescending look was unbearably unpleasant.

She could tolerate it up to that point.

But the man wasn’t mocking her—he was mocking the Izakhel Duke Family.

The family she served.

The thought of her family being insulted made Blanshe flare up.

“It’s not a small amount.”

“If you work, you should be paid accordingly. From what I can see, Izakhel can’t afford to pay you enough.”

“Don’t speak so carelessly! I am paid sufficiently!”

“Really?”

“Yes!”

“Then you should be able to pay off 800 million Kael in no time.”

“…?!”

“Ah, right. I’ll deduct 50,000 Kael from that. Consider it payment for helping me last time.”

Blanshe froze on the spot.

800 million Kael.

An amount she could never repay with her salary from the duke’s family weighed heavily on her.

Blanshe gritted her teeth and answered.

“…Didn’t I say I would repay that with my body?”

“To repay 800 million with that body, you’ll have to work hard.”

Blanshe’s shoulders twitched.

Tristan approached her.

“Quite a body you have.”

“?!”

Blanshe felt a chill run down her spine.

Tristan was scanning her body.

His eyes were appraising every part of her as if she were a fine product.

“Tch…”

But she couldn’t refuse his gaze.

After all, it was she who had offered to repay him with her body.

Humiliated, Blanshe had no choice but to close her eyes tightly.

“You’ve been working out hard.”

“…Yes. I also train the knights at the duke’s residence.”

“Perfect. Then follow me.”

Tristan headed for the door.

Blanshe, with a solemn expression, asked as she followed his back.

“Where are we going…?”

“You’ll find out when we get there.”

Tristan draped a black coat over himself.

“From now on, I’ll squeeze every last bit of debt out of your body.”

Imagining the humiliation and disgrace that awaited her, Blanshe followed him like livestock to the slaughterhouse.

*

“Little lady, that’s not how you do it.”

“Huh?”

In a small clearing within the Ruelberta Mansion grounds.

Myohail, a cat standing on two legs, fiddled with his whiskers as he spoke.

“You need to channel your magic power steadily. Only then…”

Myohail dipped his hand into a water bucket and pulled it out after three seconds.

“See? If you channel your magic power just enough to coat your skin, you won’t get wet even if you dip your hand in water.”

“Wow… That’s amazing…”

Wendy had accepted becoming Myohail’s apprentice.

The trigger was when she passed his test.

Wendy had realized for the first time that she had power.

She wanted to fully make that power her own, the power that had summoned that massive golem.

And someday, she wanted to use that power to protect him.

“Now you try.”

“Okay!”

Wendy concentrated her magic power in her hand.

Then her hand began to glow faintly.

“Good. Very good. Now, just reduce the output a little. The key is to spread the magic power as widely as possible. Think of it like spreading sweet cream all over a parfait with your palm.”

“I… I don’t really get that analogy…”

“Hmm… Maybe it’s a bit too advanced for a little lady. It’s an adult analogy.”

“An… adult analogy…?”

Wendy tilted her head, looking even more confused.

Myohail jumped onto her shoulder.

“Little lady, what do you think magic power is when you use it?”

“Magic power?”

“Yes. To rephrase the question, do you think of magic power as something like water in front of you?”

“Uh… Maybe… Don’t people often say magic power flows?”

“Mmm. That’s right. Since it flows through our bodies, we can say magic power flows.”

Myohail licked his paw as he spoke.

“But little lady, magic power doesn’t always flow.”

“Huh?”

“Magic power can be like water, but sometimes it’s like fire, sometimes like wind. And other times, it’s like solid rock.”

“That’s… too hard…”

“It’s not hard. The point is to recognize that magic power can take many forms.”

“Forms of magic power…?”

“Exactly.”

Myohail yawned.

He draped himself over Wendy’s shoulder as he spoke.

“Using magic is about becoming shameless. Magic power isn’t abstract. It’s not just flowing—it can burn or flutter in the wind. Magic only works miracles for those who think that way.”

Myohail continued.

“Yes. Magic is a miracle. Magic power is a kind of prayer. If a magician earnestly wishes for it, magic will surely manifest. In whatever form.”

“Magic is a miracle… and magic power is a prayer…”

Wendy muttered a few times before nodding.

“I think… I understand a little…”

“That’s enough for now. By the way, little lady, you’re quite lucky.”

“Huh?”

“Where else would you get a one-on-one magic lesson from a sage? Hahaha.”

Myohail laughed heartily.

“Even if you told people around you, they wouldn’t believe it. Well, they probably wouldn’t believe I’m still alive in the first place. Haha.”

“That’s true…”

Even Wendy, who knew little about the history of magic and magicians, knew how great a sage was.

They were all figures who had left their mark on magical history, with legendary tales about them.

At that moment, Myohail’s whiskers twitched like a compass needle.

“Hmm. Seems like we have guests.”

“Huh?”

Wendy looked around, and sure enough, two people were walking towards them.

One was Count Tristan, whom she served, and beside him was a tall woman who looked familiar.

When they got closer, Wendy recognized the woman.

“Oh…? Uh, Blan…”

“Blanshe. Wendy, it’s been a few days.”

“Ah, ah! Yes! Hello…”

Wendy bowed her head.

Then she suddenly remembered Myohail.

He had somehow ended up rubbing against Blanshe’s leg.

“Meow~.”

“What a cute cat. Do you keep it at the mansion?”

“Huh? Well, I guess you could say that…?”

“Good… You’re so kind.”

Blanshe carefully picked up Myohail.

In her arms, Myohail acted coy.

“Meow~.”

Seeing this, Tristan frowned as if he had seen magical waste.

“It’s just a stray cat. Don’t touch it; it might carry germs.”

“Germs? That’s going too far. The cat would be sad to hear that, Count.”

“Meow!”

“…I warned you.”

Blanshe’s face softened slightly as she held Myohail.

She was beautiful even with a cold expression, but when she smiled, her beauty was explosive.

Wendy somehow felt her own existence shrinking.

“Wendy.”

“Yes, yes?!”

“Pay attention and listen carefully.”

“Sorry…”

Wendy straightened her back and prepared to listen intently.

Tristan continued.

“As you already know, let me introduce her again. This is Blanshe. A bodyguard knight of the Izakhel family and…”

Wendy swallowed hard for some reason.

“From now on, she will be your martial arts instructor.”

 

---