Lilia’s daily life had long been packed tightly with Magic tomes.
Those once-obscure foundational Spells and Elemental Theory were now crystal clear in her mind, integrated so thoroughly that she could nearly recite them without thinking.
But every time she wanted to ask her father to teach her how to use Magic without a Magic Tool—even the simplest kind—he would never agree, always making excuses about being busy, or simply not being at home at all.
Lilia was starting to dislike her father more and more, always controlling her like this.
“Sigh…”
A long sigh spilled from the young girl’s lips as she pushed the thick Magic Book to the corner of the desk.
Her fingertips traced the densely packed annotations on the page, and she felt her eyes ache terribly.
Staring at these words crammed together like a swarm of ants day after day—even someone as enamored with Magic as she was—she couldn’t help but feel weary.
She wanted to use Magic herself, just once, to cast a dazzling Spell.
She got up, rubbing her throbbing temples. The hem of her dress swept across the carpet as she walked silently toward the courtyard.
Rather than stare blankly at her books any longer, why not try to stir the Magic within her—no matter how slim the chance of success.
But just as she stepped out of the corridor, the ornate iron gate to the courtyard creaked open with a “screech.”
The moment she saw who it was, the gloom in Lilia’s eyes instantly dispersed, and her lips lifted uncontrollably into a smile. Her clear voice carried an irrepressible joy: “Charlotte!”
Charlotte’s expression was the same as ever—blank and unreadable, his eyes betraying no emotion. But Lilia was already used to this “expressionless” look of his.
After spending so much time together, she knew better than anyone that beneath this cold exterior was a heart not as indifferent as it seemed.
“Good morning, Lilia.” His voice was calm, like the surface of a windless lake in autumn.
Lilia lifted her elaborate skirt and hurried over to him, her Elf ears swaying slightly as curiosity shone in her eyes. “Are you here to check on my studies, Charlotte?”
“I certainly intended to.” Charlotte nodded slightly. The finely tailored noble attire made him look even more graceful and refined; his every gesture was full of gentlemanly elegance.
Only, between his brows, he seemed even colder than the last time they’d met. “Did you finish all the Exam Papers I assigned you, Lilia?”
A trace of inexplicable annoyance flickered in Lilia’s heart. They’d been through so much together—from initial strangers to close companions—yet now he had returned to this distant demeanor, as if their previous closeness had been nothing but an illusion.
Especially the last time in the dress shop, when she had eagerly moved closer and he subconsciously stepped half a pace back—that tiny gesture, like a needle, was still lodged in her heart.
“Aren’t you in a bad mood today?” Lilia tilted her head, her clear gaze fixed on him, trying to find any clue in that expressionless face.
Charlotte looked a little innocent. “Not at all. After spending so much time with me, Lilia, you should know my temperament. Even if I’m in a bad mood, I wouldn’t show it in front of others.”
Lilia pouted and muttered to herself: Of course, with that deadpan face of yours, even if you wanted to show it, no one would notice. This man really made her both happy and frustrated, but somehow, she just couldn’t bring herself to truly dislike him.
“So today… you didn’t come specifically to see me?”
She tested him with the question, her Elf ears twitching, fingers hidden under her skirt quietly clenching, her heart full of anticipation for his denial.
“Hmm…” Charlotte paused, a trace of hesitation passing between his brows.
Even he, who was not the most sensitive, could sense Lilia’s downcast mood at that moment. He carefully pondered his words, wanting to say it as gently as possible.
“Why are you hesitating? Just say it like it is!” Lilia pursed her lips, her clear blue eyes tinged with a trace of resentment as she stared straight at him.
Her displeasure surged up all at once—was Charlotte just like those nobles chasing after power and status, coming to talk business with her father?
Was that confession at the Banquet just drunken nonsense? Was even his offer to become her Family Tutor merely a ploy to curry favor with her father?
Lilia’s affection for Charlotte took a sudden dip.
She was already preparing to lash out with a few harsh words, wanting to vent her grievances, but before she could say a word, Charlotte’s next sentence stopped her cold.
“I didn’t come especially to see you today, Lady Lilia.” Charlotte’s voice remained steady, but there was an unmistakable seriousness in it.
“I want to discuss something with Duke Ryan. However, this matter does indeed concern Lady Lilia very closely.”
“Eh?!”
Lilia’s eyes widened in surprise. The little tantrum she’d been building up vanished in an instant, replaced by nothing but curiosity and doubt. “Talk to my father… about what?”
Charlotte nodded slightly, paused for a moment, and then said slowly, “It concerns Lady Lilia’s most important life matter, and it’s extremely important.”
“Life matter…”
These four words were like a stone thrown into a calm lake, instantly stirring up a thousand waves in Lilia’s heart.
Her cheeks flushed bright red, the color spreading from her ears down her neck—even her nimble Elf ears turned a soft pink.
Life matter… Could it be… Charlotte was really here to propose to her father?!
He was going to ignore his already-betrothed fiancée and insist on being with her?!
Should she agree?!
No, no, if she agreed so easily, she’d be much too unreserved! Lilia Karen was the Daughter of Duke Ryan—how could she be so casual? She absolutely had to think it through, pretend to hesitate, and only then nod!
That’s right, Lilia Karen was not a frivolous woman.
Lilia Karen, you must keep your mouth steady! That’s an order! How can you be so unreserved!
“Ahem, ahem… Charlotte, if that’s the case, then go talk to my father first. But don’t you dare give him a nice face—he’s annoyed me lately!”
She suppressed her excitement as best she could and tried to keep a straight face, but the upward curve of her lips still betrayed her real feelings.
Charlotte felt rather helpless—family conflicts shouldn’t use the Family Tutor as a weapon! He was innocent here…
“What did he do to make you so angry?” Charlotte asked, a little tentatively.
“He’s been avoiding me lately… not willing to teach me Magic.”
“I can understand that. As a Duke, he must be tied up with affairs of state every day. As for teaching you Magic, isn’t that my job? So don’t be upset over this, Lilia. From now on, I’ll devote myself wholeheartedly to teaching you Magic.”
Charlotte said respectfully. After all, he was just a lowly Marquis—his rank was high, but the Duke had his own fiefdom, and before him, Charlotte really wasn’t worth much.
Even if he could best a Duke in combat, what about the army behind him?
“What if I’m a bit slow to learn?”
“Lilia, you don’t need to belittle yourself. Didn’t we test your Magic aptitude before? You have remarkable talent.”
His frank praise made Lilia’s heart skip a beat. She quickly averted her gaze, pretending to be casual as she added, “But what if there’s a type of Magic I just can’t seem to learn, no matter how hard I try?”
“Is there a particular Magic you want to learn, Lilia?”
“I mean, just in theory! Just in theory.”
“Then I’ll keep teaching you until you master it—as long as you still want to learn.”
“That’s wonderful! I’m really lucky to have you as my Family Tutor, Charlotte.” Lilia was always easy to cheer up, and Charlotte found this quite refreshing—a far cry from someone as troublesome as Floleen.
“Well then, my dear Lilia, could you take me to see your father?”
“Of course! But after you finish talking with him, you have to come back to me right away. I can’t wait to show you my progress!”
“Yes, I promise you.”