Chapter 13: Two Days Later

Elin’s condition improved significantly.

It was a natural outcome—after all, her mana heart had merely overheated, causing a fever.

“Congratulations, Lady Elin.”

Confetti exploded around her. Elin tilted her head quizzically as she observed the colorful display.

“…For what?”

“You survived, didn’t you?”

“This wouldn’t kill me.”

“You never know.”

Elin frowned slightly but ignored it, focusing instead on her meal preparations.

Recently, the chef’s cooking skills had improved greatly, much to her satisfaction.

Still, it always took Elin, with her tiny bites, a long time to finish her meals.

Wiping a bit of sauce from the corner of her mouth with a napkin, Luke broke the news.

“We’re going somewhere today.”

“…Again?”

“Last time was a sightseeing trip, remember? This time, it’s a health check-up… or something like that.”

Elin’s eyebrows furrowed sharply. This was the first time Luke’s voice lacked its usual confidence.

“At least we’re not meeting anyone suspicious, so don’t worry.”

Did he not realize that such reassurances only made things more suspicious?

Elin finished her meal, convinced otherwise.

“I’ll open the portal now. Hold my hand tightly. If you let go, you might get lost in another dimension.”

“…Okay.”

Elin clasped Luke’s hand tightly—so tightly, in fact, that Luke wondered if she was scared.

A brief hum accompanied the shift in their surroundings.

They arrived in a dark alley, completely deserted.

Walking out a bit further, they found themselves in a bustling square filled with people.

“There are so many people.”

Elin instinctively pressed herself closer to Luke.

“We’ll arrive shortly. Please bear with it a little longer.”

“…Who’s asking?”

“Ah, I forgot to mention—”

Before Luke could explain, a loud voice called out.

“LUUUUUKE!!”

A fiery-haired figure came sprinting toward them.

“Could you make a quieter entrance, please?”

“Is that how you greet an old friend?”

“We met less than a week ago.”

The woman was Rannian, a vibrant mage who had come to help uncover the truth behind Elin’s curse.

“I didn’t expect to see you again so soon.”

“Neither did I, honestly. I thought it would be years.”

Rannian blinked.

Luke blinked.

“Wait, what?”

Both realized their assumptions had been entirely different.

Watching this exchange, Elin spoke up.

“Academy acquaintance?”

“How did you know?”

Luke was genuinely surprised.

“Your dark circles are worse than the teacher’s,” Elin replied matter-of-factly.

“Hah! This little one is the youngest lady of the house?”

Gone was the boisterous mage. Rannian crouched down, voice hushed.

“So tiny…”

Her eyes sparkled despite the heavy shadows under them.

“Hello, Lady Elin. My name is Rannian Rochefort, your tutor’s senior.”

“Senior…?”

Elin looked on in awe.

Luke had been impressive, but his senior must be even more so.

“How could she be so tiny and adorable? Is she really 12?”

“Yes, she is,” Luke confirmed.

Rannian frowned dramatically.

“And what kind of tutor lets her stay this small? Feed her better!”

“I’m trying my best.”

Luke nodded curtly as Rannian scolded him in vain.

“…Teacher.”

Suddenly, Elin ducked behind Luke, clutching his coat.

It wasn’t Rannian who scared her—it was the crowd’s attention.

Rannian’s high energy had drawn many eyes their way.

“Let’s move. The lady doesn’t handle crowds well.”

“Why didn’t you say so earlier?! Let’s go.”

Rannian led them to a quiet café.

“See? Nice atmosphere, right?”

The café was indeed serene, with few patrons and a cozy ambiance.

Rannian returned with drinks: a warm latte for herself, sweet hot chocolate for Elin, and an iced Americano for Luke.

“Why do you drink iced coffee even in winter? Weird taste.”

“Once you try it, you’ll understand,” Luke replied coolly.

Rannian, however, couldn’t stay quiet for long.

“Seriously, she’s adorable. I can see why you ditched everything else to become her tutor.”

“I haven’t abandoned anything. Don’t twist my words.”

Rannian smirked.

“Maybe I should quit my grad studies and become a tutor too.”

“Her tutor is me.”

Luke’s voice was firm, but Elin flinched, interpreting it differently.

The light-hearted conversation took a sharp turn when Luke revealed Elin’s condition.

“A mana-draining curse?” Rannian repeated grimly.

Her playful demeanor vanished, replaced by a seriousness that even Elin noticed.

Rannian examined Elin, her expression darkening.

“This is worse than I thought,” she muttered.

“What’s wrong?” Luke pressed.

After a pause, Rannian explained.

“The curse eats mana before it can become magic.

Either a rogue black mage created it, or it’s the work of demons or an ancient being.”

Neither option was good news.

Luke sighed. “Can we solve it?”

“Not right now. I’d need time—months, maybe years—and resources I don’t have.”

The room grew somber, but Luke thanked her for diagnosing the curse.

As they prepared to leave, Elin’s small hand tugged at Luke’s sleeve.

“…You’re not leaving, right?”

Luke knelt down, his voice gentle.

“I’m not going anywhere. I’ll always be your tutor.”

Satisfied, Elin smiled faintly, though a shadow of doubt lingered in her eyes.

As they stepped out of the café, Luke resolved to protect her, no matter what lay ahead.