Chapter 21: Lively

When the doubt slipped out of her mouth, Evelyn didn’t even realize she was gripping the edge of her skirt.

In a daze, she felt as if she had been transported back to that day.

She had been kneeling in the mud, her body covered in filth. A woman stood before her, wearing a misplaced, gentle smile.

It was raining heavily, but not a single drop touched either of them.

A Wind Magic Barrier.

Though she had only recently been born into the world, her innate fairy talents allowed her to quickly understand her surroundings.

‘The human before me… dangerous.’

In her juvenile stage, she could never resist this strange human. Just moments ago, this human had appeared and destroyed the fairy that had birthed her.

That definitely wasn’t a power a human should possess.

The woman seemed interested in her and pinched her chin. “What an unexpected surprise, to capture a juvenile fairy. Heh, how lucky.”

That laughter was grating.

Even the young Evelyn couldn’t help but frown slightly. ‘Was that gentle aura from before just a human disguise?’

“Evelyn,” the human said with a smile. “That will be your name from now on.”

The young fairy watched her coldly. Her deep purple eyes were devoid of any emotion. It was no wonder scholars believed this race lacked emotional physiological processes entirely. Faced with such a dangerous situation, she showed no sign of fear or dread.

“Why me?” she coldly questioned the human female.

The Duke looked at her and answered with a smile. “Well, I don’t really know either, Evie~”

“But…”

— “But it might just be our destiny,” Lavia said with a faint smile, though a hint of dissatisfaction lingered in the depths of her eyes.

She actually didn’t want things to turn out this way. This situation felt awkward no matter how she looked at it.

She had originally intended to take Harvey away alone, but now it had turned into bringing both of them. She would have classes during the day, and if something happened between those two on campus, she might not be able to handle it in time.

But just as she could order Harvey and Evie, the Head of House could also order her.

Everyone must accept their own destiny.

The young maid said nothing more. She simply stood up respectfully and bowed to the Eldest Miss she had served for many years.

“I understand.”

After that day, she never asked a similar question again.

***

The carriage suddenly jolted.

Evelyn’s vision refocused. That distant memory was like a mark washed away by rain, quickly losing its trace.

The Duke’s Mansion had prepared two carriages for the departure; one would remain at the Academy. Considering the reality of the situation and the internal traditions of the Academy, noble children were not permitted to bring too many servants.

Lavia’s carriage was in the lead, while Evelyn and Harvey sat in the one behind with their luggage. Two people traveling together — these were the rules.

She looked up slightly and saw the boy across from her staring at the small window in the carriage door. He was clutching that plain backpack, lacking any of the elegance a servant of the Duke’s Mansion should possess.

Harvey seemed very interested in the Royal Capital outside. Every now and then, he would look up, trying to peer through the gaps in the curtains. That cautious posture made Evelyn’s brow furrow.

“There are only two of us in the carriage. If you want to pull the curtains back, why don’t you just suggest it to me?”

Harvey looked at her in surprise. “Hm?”

“I just…”

Before he could finish his explanation, Evelyn interrupted him impatiently. “Is this your first time leaving the Duke’s Mansion?”

“Yes.”

Harvey seemed excited to actually be outside the Duke’s Mansion. He even forgot that their current relationship wasn’t exactly harmonious. “I’ve seen others leave before, but I never had a reason to go out, nor the opportunity…” he said with a faint smile.

That expression actually bore a slight resemblance to Lavia.

Evelyn fell silent. Seeing that she wasn’t speaking, Harvey didn’t open his mouth either and returned his gaze to the window.

A short while later.

“Can I pull back the curtains?” he couldn’t help but ask in a low voice. He was truly curious about what the street scenery outside looked like.

Evelyn turned her face toward the other side of the carriage, her tone remaining calm. “As you wish.”

She paused, then added another line. “But don’t stick your head out. You must always remember your status.”

the excitement on Harvey’s face froze instantly, as if someone had suddenly splashed him with cold water. His hand had already reached out, but he pulled it back.

The carriage became quiet once more.

After a long time without hearing any movement, Evelyn looked over in confusion. Harvey was still sitting there, motionless. The curtains remained closed.

“What is it?” she asked. “Why aren’t you opening them?”

“Ah…” Harvey seemed to snap out of his daze. He scratched his head and forced a small smile. “It’s fine.”

Evelyn watched him. She could clearly see the bitterness in his heart, but she didn’t understand what he was sad about. Ultimately, it had nothing to do with her.

Evelyn frowned and dismissed her own thought of opening the curtains.

As it neared noon, the streets became increasingly lively. The cries of vendors, the chatter of crowds, and the sound of hooves and wheels grinding against the cobblestones intertwined, making the entire street feel somewhat noisy.

Harvey suddenly called out to her. “Head Maid.”

“Yes?”

“Do you know where the Magic Association is?”

His tone was clearly a bit nervous, which stood in stark contrast to his expression, which made it seem like a casual question.

Evelyn didn’t speak; she just looked at him directly. Her gaze made Harvey instinctively tighten his grip.

After a moment, she said calmly, “The Magic Association is in the North District of the Royal Capital.”

Harvey blinked, slightly stunned. He had thought she wasn’t going to answer him. “Is it far from the Academy?”

“Not far,” Evelyn’s tone remained cold. “The Academy is also in the North District, just not on the same street.”

Harvey let out an “oh” and regained his spirits. He asked again, “Then… if you go from the Academy, how long does it take?”

Evelyn’s brow furrowed. She understood the implication of this question. “If you walk, it takes about thirty minutes,” she answered calmly. “A carriage would be faster.”

Harvey nodded. He certainly didn’t have the money for a carriage, but luckily, walking wasn’t too far. No matter what, he had to go to the Magic Association and try. Perhaps there had been something wrong with the Magic Array he made back then? He hadn’t gone through a formal Mana Sensing process yet. As long as he could sense it… he still had a chance.

Thinking of this, Harvey couldn’t help but glance at the Head Maid sitting across from him. His other ‘chance’ was currently sitting there quietly, a simple suitcase beside her.

The dark dress she was wearing today was very beautiful. He was used to seeing her dignified appearance in a maid’s uniform, but seeing her in a long dress now, that cold and elegant beauty felt even stronger. Her hands were placed quietly on her knees, maintaining a perfectly upright posture even inside the carriage.

The hem of the skirt only reached her shins. As the carriage swayed, the hem moved with it, revealing legs wrapped in black stockings. Her shapely calves were almost excessively straight.

Harvey’s gaze lingered there for an instant before quickly moving away. ‘Is the Head Maid some kind of noble lady as well?’ She still wore black gloves, paired with those exquisite leather boots. ‘Wait, no, isn’t she a fairy?’

For some reason, Harvey stole another glance. Compared to her cold and beautiful face, he found that the Head Maid’s legs easily drew his attention. Especially those black stockings, which made her legs look…

Evelyn suddenly pulled her legs back, and her skirt fell naturally, covering her a bit more.

Harvey felt as if he had just woken up and hurriedly averted his eyes.

Evelyn had certainly felt his gaze, but she didn’t say anything. Ever since that previous incident, she didn’t care if Harvey held any particular emotions toward her. After all, those were caused by her. Rather than scolding him, she felt a responsibility to guide him and help him understand what he was doing.

‘Could I act as Harvey’s educator?’

Evelyn’s eyes brightened slightly, as if she had figured something out.

Harvey couldn’t stand the long silence and was wondering if he should find another topic. Since the Head Maid had taken the initiative earlier, even though he still felt a bit awkward, he didn’t want to keep acting standoffish. He didn’t expect to become friends with her, but he wanted to at least be able to communicate normally.

Harvey scratched his head, trying hard to find a suitable topic. Unexpectedly—

“Since this is your first time out, what are your thoughts?”

Evelyn spoke before him. Was she… showing concern? Was she actually caring about how he felt?

Harvey was caught off guard and couldn’t find the words for a moment. After calming down to think, he said, “I just… I feel like the Duke’s Mansion suddenly became very far away.” He smiled to himself after saying it. “Even though we only just left.”

And this had always been what he looked forward to, yet when it actually happened, Harvey felt like he didn’t have many profound insights. He just said whatever came to mind without much order.

Evelyn listened quietly, nodding occasionally. That was indeed a subtle feeling, and she had experienced something similar. When a person truly leaves a place, the distance often feels vast in a single instant — as if it has already turned into a different life.

But not everyone is prepared for that.

Evelyn suddenly reached out and pulled back the curtain. Intense sunlight immediately flooded into the dark carriage, making Harvey instinctively squint. But he adapted quickly and craned his neck to look out the window.

“Is it always this lively?”

Evelyn watched the street scenery just like him, a trace of surprise flashing through her eyes. In the past, whenever she went out, it was for work; she had never carefully observed this human city.

On both sides of the street were tall stone buildings. Wide arched doorways stood in rows, and shop signs hung from iron chains in front of the doors, swaying gently in the wind. The walls were all decorated with exquisite carvings. Pots of flowers sat on balconies, their green vines trailing down the stone walls, adding a touch of life to the gray-white surfaces.

Some people even leaned out of second floor windows, greeting acquaintances on the street. The street itself was filled with people coming and going, everyone appearing enthusiastic and full of energy.

This was the human world; this was their life.

Evelyn watched in silence for a while.

“Yes,” she said softly. “It is very lively.”