Unforeseen Interruptions and Lingering Touches

“Theo…”

Sian called his name blankly.

He was just staring at the approaching fair face.

It was like the lips that were opening like blooming petals were holding sweet honey.

Gulp, Sian swallowed dryly without realizing it and reached out his hand towards Theodore’s face right in front of him.

“Teacher!”

“……!”

“Ugh…!”

Sian, startled by the loud voice, pushed Theodore’s face away with his hand.

Theodore stumbled and stepped back, holding his cheek from the unexpected rough touch.

“T-Theo. Are you okay?”

“You’re too much, Master…”

“I-I’m, hmm, I’m sorry.”

Sian continued to apologize to Theodore in a flustered manner.

Theodore, who was on the verge of tears, looked at Sian with resentful eyes.

In the meantime, Leon, who had strode up to Sian, looked at Sian with a bright face and asked.

“Teacher, what were you doing?”

“Leon.”

Sian turned to look at Leon with a troubled face.

Leon, a beastman, was the same age as Theodore, but he was taller and much bigger.

Leon, who had fully grown, was said to be over 190 cm tall, so he was clearly still growing.

Even so, it was difficult for him to adjust to Leon, whose height had become similar to his own, who was tall.

Both Theodore and Leon had suffered severe growing pains recently.

In addition, Leon was more fussy than Theodore, so he often whined to Sian that he was in pain.

It was then that he suddenly grew taller and became similar in height to Sian.

Still, his round and kind eyes were the same as when he was young, so Sian was barely able to adjust to Leon, who had grown so much.

“Ahem, it’s nothing.”

“But you two were just standing very close…”

“Haha, it seems our little one has seen something wrong.”

“I’m not little anymore…”

Ryuisa, who was next to him, gave an awkward laugh and covered Leon’s mouth.

Leon tried to protest and raised his voice, but even that was blocked by Ryuisa’s large palm.

It was when Leon, who had his eyes wide open, was about to resist and put strength into his body.

“……!”

Leon, who had looked somewhere, suddenly stopped moving.

Then, he quietly turned his head and became quiet.

Leon, who was now used to being human, didn’t have ears and a tail, but if he had ears and a tail, they would have been drooping down.

“……?”

Sian was curious about the reason because Leon sometimes acted like this, but even if he asked, Leon would keep his mouth shut and wouldn’t tell him.

So Sian felt puzzled but didn’t talk to Leon anymore.

Besides, it was a very difficult situation just now.

To be captivated by the appearance of the male lead.

Sian secretly stroked his chest.

He still couldn’t forget the shock he had received because of Theodore’s beautiful face.

Can the male lead use charm magic without learning it separately?

No, even if he could use it, does it activate automatically without him intending it?

And is that strong magic that can even charm a dragon?

Whether it was because of the protagonist buff or because it was innate, Sian was often embarrassed at times like this.

He wondered how Drake in the original story had been able to abuse such a child.

“Leon, is the training over?”

“Yes! I’m hungry, Teacher.”

“Okay, then let’s go eat.”

“Yes!”

Leon shouted loudly, as if he had forgotten what had happened earlier.

As Leon and Ryuisa left for the dining hall first, Sian and Theodore were left alone again.

Sian turned to Theodore with an awkward face.

“I’m sorry. Did it hurt a lot?”

“…….”

“Theo?”

Sian carefully approached Theodore, who wasn’t answering.

Theodore still had one hand on his cheek.

Did it hurt that much?

Looking back, he thought he had given too much strength because he was so flustered.

Sian reflected on himself and reached out to Theodore.

“Show it to Master.”

“Eup…”

“……!”

Sian was surprised to remove Theodore’s hand.

It was because his fair cheek was swollen and red.

Sian was embarrassed because he didn’t know it would be this bad.

“Healing magic… ah…”

In his confusion, he had forgotten that his healing magic didn’t work on Theodore.

As Sian stammered, Theodore said, as if whining.

“It really hurts, Master.”

“Y-yes…”

“So blow on it.”

“What……?”

Sian was embarrassed again at Theodore’s request.

When he was young, Theodore would often fall while running.

He had also been injured when he was learning swordsmanship training too enthusiastically.

If it wasn’t a serious injury, it would heal on its own with Theodore’s own healing power, so Sian would simply blow on the injured area to soothe him.

But after Theodore was able to use healing magic himself, he tried not to do it as much as possible.

He was also somewhat burdened by Theodore, who had grown up so much.

But this time, it was clearly his fault, so it was difficult to refuse.

And seeing Theodore whining like when he was young, he was reminded of the old days.

Sian chuckled and opened his mouth.

“Okay, Master will blow on it so it doesn’t hurt.”

“Yes.”

Theodore obediently closed his eyes and held out his cheek to Sian.

Sian was briefly speechless at the sight of him acting as if he had been waiting for it, even though he had been crying in pain until just now.

Well, he said he would do it, so he couldn’t help it.

Sian shook his head and lowered himself slightly.

Then, he blew on Theodore’s swollen cheek.

“Is it okay now?”

“Yes, it’s all better.”

“Goodness…”

Theodore’s cheek had definitely subsided in the meantime.

But it wasn’t really because Sian blew on it that it got better, but because Theodore’s healing power was that strong.

Both of them knew that fact, but they smiled and pretended not to know.

“Teacher, come quickly!”

“Okay.”

Sian nodded at Leon’s loud voice that echoed through the hallway and moved his feet.

Theodore, whose face was brighter than before, quietly followed him.

***

The mountain in spring was greener than before.

Those who had whispered that it was a mountain of death would now be speechless, saying that the rumors were different.

Sian was staring down from the cliff.

The mountain, where only poisonous plants grew due to demonic energy, began to bloom with wildflowers when Theodore lived there, and now even ordinary trees and plants were growing.

In addition, small animals, not magical beasts, were living there, turning it into a landscape that was no different from other mountains.

All of these changes were due to Theodore.

A little more time and the flowering trees that Carli had been hoping for would bloom as well.

But the time Theodore could stay here was running out.

Perhaps when he leaves, the mountain will return to its former state.

Sian smiled bitterly as he looked down at the lush mountain.

“Master!”

“……Theo.”

At that moment, Theodore, who had suddenly emerged from below the cliff, was riding on the back of Endairon, the intermediate water spirit.

Sian had suggested an outdoor class today because the weather was nice.

But that reason was just an excuse, and the real reason was because there was nothing more to teach Theodore.

[Kuuu…….]

Endairon, the intermediate water spirit who was carrying Theodore on his back, had the form of a giant stingray.

He slowly lowered his triangular face as if he was greeting Sian.

Unlike Undine, who was always joking around as if she didn’t care that Sian was a dragon, Endairon was quite calm.

Still, the especially transparent part of his stomach, which occasionally revealed the cute face of a person, was sometimes funny.

Sian, remembering that sight, suppressed a laugh and nodded slightly towards Endairon before asking.

“Are you done?”

“Yes, I blocked the waterway leading to the village with Endairon.”

“Okay, good job.”

There was something else to do today besides training.

It was because the residents of Ador Village, who lived below the mountain, had made a request.

After the flood last summer, the waterway had changed slightly, and unfortunately, the waterway had been diverted towards Ador Village.

If this continued, there was concern that heavy rain in the summer would cause great damage, so they asked Sian for help.

At first, Sian was going to completely block the waterway, but Theodore, who heard the story, said that he would try to solve it with spirits.

Theodore had already contracted with the high-level water spirit and could easily change the small waterway in the valley flowing through the mountain.

Sian was amazed at the changed scenery that he could see with his own eyes.

“You did a really good job. The residents will be relieved now.”

“Did I really do well?”

“Yes.”

“Then praise me more.”

“……?”

How was he supposed to praise him more here?

Sian was puzzled, but he could understand Theodore’s actions when he suddenly stuck out his head like yesterday.

Sian suppressed his laughter again at the sight of him sticking out his head like a puppy.

Then, he made an effort to put on an indifferent expression and reached out his hand.

“You’re whining like a child again.”

“But I’m still a child.”

“Is there a child this big?”

“Here I am.”

“…….”

Sian’s lips loosened at Theodore’s stubborn words.

He put his hand into the soft brown hair that he had dyed yesterday.

Then, his hair softly wrapped around Sian’s hand.

It’s definitely hair with magic.

Once you touch Theodore’s hair, it’s hard to let go.

It was when Sian was admiring his disciple’s soft hair again today and was staring blankly.

“Kyaaak!”

“……!”

Sian turned his head in surprise at the unknown scream.