“Innate Demonic Spirit Physique?”
Leya asked, a little confused.
“Ah… this is a long story, little Leya. Do you know why I agreed to take you on as my student?”
‘Didn’t you volunteer yourself first? Tsk…’
Considering this, Leya immediately teased, her voice laced with displeasure. “Your student is as beautiful as a celestial fairy, captivating fish and geese, eclipsing the moon and shaming flowers. Surely, Master, you must have been captivated by your student’s beauty.”
As she spoke, her face didn’t flush, her heart didn’t pound, and her breath remained steady. She perfectly embodied the archetype of a truly shameless individual.
“Uh… well, this, that…”
Leya: “…………”
‘WOC!’
‘Alright, I’m starting to panic!’
‘Master, why are you blushing? Don’t make such a lecherous expression! I was only joking; don’t expose your bizarre ‘Turtle Hermit’ tendencies!’
“Cough, cough… What are you saying, little Leya? Am I really that kind of person!?”
“Mm-hmm!”
Leya nodded vigorously.
“Uh… alright, let’s not dwell on that. Back to the main point! Why are you standing so far away from me, little Leya?”
“It’s alright, Master. I’ve suffered from farsightedness since childhood, so I can’t see things clearly up close. This distance is perfect!”
“But standing by the door seems a bit…”
“Master, what exactly is a Demonic Spirit Physique?!”
“Uh…”
Edwin conceded defeat. He shook his head with a wry smile, muttering, “Oh dear, oh dear, this misunderstanding has grown quite large…”
“Little Leya, do you know? You greatly resemble my wife when she was young. She was a beautiful, dignified, and incredibly powerful woman, so…”
“Mm-hmm, Master, you don’t need to explain further. Since you’re comparing your student to your wife… your student understands completely. However, please forgive me, but I truly cannot agree!”
“…………”
‘So, what exactly do you understand? Everything I said was truly, truly the truth!’
Moreover, beyond that reason, Edwin had been captivated the moment he first saw Leya. He was drawn by the faint, ethereal red magical aura swirling around her.
It was a known fact that ordinary mages couldn’t have magic circulating around their bodies. This was especially true for someone who hadn’t even begun to study magic!
Furthermore, red magic—even a Level 2 mage couldn’t manipulate magic to the extent of freely changing its properties or color! Therefore, Edwin was utterly startled by Leya, and combined with her appearance, that’s why he took her as a student, alright?!
So, at this moment, Edwin was practically going mad with frustration, wasn’t he? They had been getting along so well just moments ago, like old friends. How had things devolved to this point in the blink of an eye? Alas…
“A Demonic Spirit Physique, you see, means possessing magical talent far beyond ordinary people from birth. Specifically, it manifests as excellent affinity for all magic attributes, and the magical meridians can withstand more than ten times the magical capacity of a normal human. Do you understand what this means?”
Since explaining things only seemed to make them more convoluted, Edwin decided to simply throw caution to the wind. After all, time would prove everything, he mused.
Having grasped this realization, he immediately began to explain the Demonic Spirit Physique to Leya.
“Mm, so that means I’m really amazing, right, Master?”
“Uh… well, indeed, it’s not entirely impossible, perhaps. However, while Demonic Spirit Physiques are rare, they aren’t completely unheard of. There are many talented individuals across this world, little Leya.”
“You must never become arrogant or complacent, as that path will surely lead to your downfall. Remember, the strongest fortresses often begin to crumble from within.”
“Oh…”
“Still, while a Demonic Spirit Physique is excellent, it also requires diligent practice day and night to fully unleash its power. Therefore, little Leya, you absolutely cannot be lazy from now on. Magic isn’t something that can be mastered in a single day; it demands persistent effort!”
****
After spending the entire morning at the Magic Association, and finally agreeing with Edwin to officially begin her magic studies tomorrow morning, Leya decided to return to the tavern. She intended to use her free time at home to continue researching the basic wind magic textbook from yesterday.
However, standing before the tavern’s entrance, Leya spotted a rather unexpected person.
“Dean?”
“Miss, you’ve finally returned!”
“Uh… please drop the ‘Miss’ part. And, is something the matter?”
At the very least, Leya had a very good impression of Dean. He was a shy, kind, and principled individual.
When they first met, his poverty had likely made him timid and insecure. Yet, seeing him now so radiant and full of energy, Leya, though unaware of what had transpired, was genuinely delighted by the young man’s transformation.
As the saying goes, poverty doesn’t necessarily break one’s spirit. Leya herself had once been an orphan, solitary and without aid, so she naturally understood the hardships and suffering involved.
“It’s like this, Miss. About… yesterday’s money…”
“Yesterday’s money?”
Leya asked, somewhat bewildered.
“It’s about that gold coin you gave me yesterday, that…”
“Hmm, what about it? If I’m not mistaken, one gold coin should be equal to a hundred copper coins, right?”
“No, it’s not about that, it’s just, well, that…”
Leya: “…………”
‘He can’t even speak clearly; it’s unbearable. The gazes from around us are gathering, too. Tsk, tsk, why does this make it look like I’m bullying him?’
“If there’s nothing else, I’ll be going now.”
With that, Leya turned to walk into the tavern.
“That… Miss!—I hope!—I hope to invite you to my home!—To properly thank you!—”
Almost every word was shouted, Roy roaring loudly, his face flushed crimson. It was as if he were trying to give himself courage, and indeed, it seemed to grant him just enough.
A: “Hey, hey, hey, what’s going on over there? What’s that guy yelling about…?”
B: “Exactly, look at his clothes. Is he a beggar? Hahaha—”
C: “Wow! Speaking of which, the girl in front of him is really pretty!”
D: “Holy crap! Don’t tell me that beggar is yelling at the girl!?”
Crowd: “WOC! A mere beggar is one thing, but to be so shameless and clingy after being rejected? Tsk, brothers, let’s go, throw him out!”