Precise Positioning

“How do you feel?”

“I feel…”

Ewan awoke from his stupor. After a brief period of adjusting to the blinding light, he stirred at Mera’s urging.

“My body feels incredibly light, as if I’ve been reborn, and…”

Ewan stared at his arm, a look of surprise on his face. “Why do I feel like my skin has become much fairer?”

“It’s not ‘as if’—it *is* a rebirth.”

Meradomir explained, “Between the mercury’s erosion and the crimson flames’ restoration, nearly every cell in your body has been replaced. It’s only natural that your skin, having freshly grown, would be fair.”

“However, I feel like being a ‘pretty boy’ doesn’t quite suit my temperament.”

Ewan stroked his chin thoughtfully. “I think I’m more suited to the bronzed complexion of a rugged, masculine man.”

“Oh, please.”

Meradomir rolled her eyes. “A pampered duke’s son like you shouldn’t be talking like that. Come on, stand up and give a few hops.”

Ewan obediently stood up, then dutifully bounced a few times.

However, in the midst of his hops, he nearly lost his balance and stumbled, having failed to control his strength.

“This is…”

Feeling an unprecedented surge of power within him, Ewan’s eyes gleamed with excitement.

“My cultivation seems to have improved.”

His martial realm, which had seen little progress since he became immersed in his studies at the academy, seemed to have undergone another explosive growth. He now possessed the strength of a late-stage Tier 2 cultivator.

“It’s normal to see such an improvement after being tempered by the Well of Mercury for so long. After all, your physique was once as weak as a chicken’s, so it’s easy to make significant gains.”

Meradomir continued to scribble notes, recording various observations. “However, you won’t see this effect later on. The Well of Mercury’s tempering is primarily for enhancing your body’s resilience and resistance, not its raw strength. Becoming stronger still requires you to progress step by step on your own.”

“Is that so…”

Ewan gazed at his hands, unable to resist clenching his fists again.

Though he didn’t fully grasp the exact utility of resilience and resistance, he could undeniably feel a genuine improvement. For Ewan, this was certainly a cause for joy.

“Wait, hold on, you just said… ‘later on’?” Ewan suddenly registered her words, his eyes widening in alarm. “You mean I have to go through this more than once?”

“Once? How could that be? Are you awake, little one? Do you really think your physique, after a single dip in the Well of Mercury, could bear the Eternal Bell?”

Meradomir continued her calculations, then stated, “Given your physique, you’ll likely need about a hundred more immersions to meet the minimum standard.”

“A hundred times?”

Ewan’s face instantly paled. Just one session had nearly claimed his life; a hundred more would surely make even the strongest man’s legs turn to jelly.

“Now, now, calm down. All things are difficult at the start. Since you’ve survived the first one, the subsequent sessions won’t be as exaggerated as you imagine.”

Meradomir offered a comforting smile. “How does that saying go? You must learn to find joy in suffering. Perhaps, as you search, you’ll genuinely find this suffering quite enjoyable?”

“I’m not a masochist!”

Ewan roared, instantly feeling his recently brightened life plunge back into darkness. The thought of enduring such dangerous and painful ordeals at least a hundred more times in the future made him consider writing his will now.

‘Hmm, one for my parents, one for Anna, one for Celicia, and one for my senior. As for this hateful, old-yet-pretending-to-be-young teacher, I’ll just give her an empty candy wrapper and let her cry while licking it!’

‘Oh, wait.’

Speaking of his senior…

Ewan snapped out of his daze, turning to Meradomir. “What time is it now?”

“Around nine o’clock.”

“What’s the date today?”

“The date? Do you think I keep track of that?”

Meradomir spread her hands, indicating her ignorance. Having lived for so long, she had long since become insensitive to the passage of time. She didn’t even know what year it was, let alone the specific date, and had no inclination to find out.

“Then how long was I in the Well of Mercury?”

“Well…”

A phantom clock appeared before Meradomir. She casually flicked its hands and said, “About thirty hours, I’d say.”

“Thirty hours?”

That meant…

It was already nine o’clock on the morning of the Open Day’s second day! And his appointment with his senior was at ten o’clock!

Only one hour remained!

“I’m doomed! I’m going to be late!”

Being late for their first outing would surely earn him endless teasing from his senior!

Ewan hastily rose, grabbing Meradomir’s shoulders and shaking her vigorously. “You can torment me as many times as you like in the future, Meradomir, but please, let me out first!”

“Oh? Are you going out?”

“Yes, I need to leave the academy. It’s extremely important.”

“Perfect. Prepare the materials for your second stage, then.”

“Materials for the second stage? What materials?”

“Ancient Dragon’s Heart Blood.”

Meradomir explained, “The academy’s stock is depleted, so you’ll need to collect it yourself. Only with that can I proceed to the next step. Otherwise, you’ll have to stay in the Well of Mercury indefinitely.”

“Alright, alright, I understand! Ancient Dragon’s Heart Blood, right? I’ll definitely get it!” Ewan was incredibly impatient.

“Good. Go on, then.”

Meradomir suddenly waved her hand. Accompanied by a violent wave of dizziness, Ewan felt the scenery before him instantly transform.

The sun shone brightly, the lingering moisture from last night still in the air. Everything in the world seemed to have been freshly washed, glistening under the sunlight.

“How incredible…”

In a daze, Ewan found himself directly transported by Meradomir to the ground floor of his dormitory.

“Damn it, no time for marveling!”

Ewan gritted his teeth. Seizing the last sliver of time, he rushed back to his dorm.

****

He showered, changed, and styled his hair. He even ostentatiously sprayed a few spritzes of expensive men’s cologne.

After checking his reflection in the full-length mirror and ensuring he was utterly flawless, Ewan jogged all the way to their agreed meeting point: the academy’s main gate.

On Open Day, ninety percent of the students were out enjoying themselves, leaving the academy noticeably emptier. Ewan didn’t encounter anyone else on his way, so he immediately spotted his senior waiting by the colossal stone inscribed with the words “Saint Maria Academy.”

“Senior.”

Anna wore a long, goose-yellow dress and white leather boots. A simple woven cloth bag hung from her arm; though not made of expensive material, it was remarkably eye-catching.

Her long hair was tied simply at the ends with a hair tie and habitually draped over her chest. Her pretty face was adorned with elegant, light makeup. Upon seeing Ewan, her eyes curved into a smile, highlighting the captivating beauty mark near her eye.

“Ewan, you’re late.”

“Huh, am I?”

Ewan’s heart skipped a beat. He quickly pulled out his gilded pocket watch and glanced at it.

The slender hand still had a few small segments to traverse before reaching the topmost position.

“Huh? I’m not late, though.”

“Really?”

Anna touched her cheek, feigning seriousness. “But isn’t it standard for a boy to arrive half an hour early when asking a girl out? I even arrived half an hour early myself, so you wouldn’t have to wait for nothing.

Oh, dear. As a girl, I stood alone in the cold wind for half an hour, worrying about catching a cold, or being accosted by strangers, or perhaps being snatched away by a passing ruffian. And what if someone stood me up…”

“Stop, stop, stop! Please, senior, stop!”

Ewan quickly cut Anna off. If she continued, he’d be branded as an unforgivable scoundrel before their outing even began. He retracted his earlier thought; even if he wasn’t late, she would still tease him.

“I’m sorry, senior, I was wrong.”

Ewan pleaded, “Please forgive me.”

“Alright then, seeing how sincere you are, I’ll forgive you. After all, you’re my adorable junior.”

Anna giggled, her eyes revealing a charm that made Ewan momentarily dazed.

“However, from now on, you must make me happy, junior.”

“Of course! I’ll make this date… this act of gratitude, one hundred percent satisfactory for you, senior.”

Ewan puffed out his chest and held his head high, as if making a solemn vow.

****

Inside the carriage, while his senior gazed out at the passing scenery, Ewan stealthily opened his long-prepared *Guide to Dating in Belland*.

It was then that the panic in his heart, like an overturned cup, spilled forth. Originally, he had planned to spend the entire previous day poring over the guide, formulating a plan, and even scouting locations in person.

However, because Meradomir had suddenly summoned him and kept him soaking in the Well of Mercury for thirty hours, he not only lacked a plan, but he wasn’t even sure of their next destination. When they boarded the carriage, he hadn’t even given the coachman a specific address, merely telling him to drive into the city and stop when told.

“Ah, has this place really changed so much? It’s only been two years,” Anna senior suddenly exclaimed softly.

Ewan followed her gaze out the window. A street, seemingly renovated and rebuilt, bright, clean, and quite bustling, caught his eye. Its vibrant atmosphere stood in stark contrast to the rest of the Lower District.

“This is…”

Ewan found it somewhat familiar and quickly flipped through his guide.

“Yes, this is the new commercial street in the Lower District.”

“It was apparently built to revitalize the Lower District’s economy, or something. Many businesses and interesting shops have moved in, and the foot traffic is quite good.”

“There’s also a special event happening recently. Recommendation rating… four stars, which is quite good.”

‘Most importantly, Senior seems to really like it here!’

Ewan’s eyes lit up. He made a decisive choice: this was the place!

****

“Ah, Head Maid, I’m so tired.”

Noel, the young maid, staggered along the bustling street, laden with a large pile of groceries.

“By the way, why did we have to cross half the city to come to a place like this to buy things?”

Exhausted, Noel looked at the elegant figure ahead of her, dressed in a black and white maid uniform, drawing constant glances from passersby, yet maintaining her dignified composure. Her eyes were filled with confusion.

The Duke’s mansion was in the western suburbs of the city, but the Head Maid, for some unknown whim, insisted on dragging her to the eastern part of the city to purchase supplies today, and without even a single guard. The Lower District was a mixed bag; what if they encountered trouble?

“It’s good to occasionally understand the local produce of other areas, isn’t it?”

Ann was picking out fruits at a stall, though she seemed somewhat distracted. Suddenly, she lifted her head, looking in a particular direction. Her nose twitched, as if discerning something.

A few breaths later, a slow smile curved her lips, a peculiar grin that made Noel shiver involuntarily.

“Wh-what? Did something happen, Head Maid?”

“Young Master.”

“Eh?”

“I sense it. The Young Master’s aura.”

Ann’s eyes gleamed with an unnerving intensity. “The Young Master is within a ten-mile radius!”