HTNSA 34

Chapter 34

‘An aura of blue light.’

Coincidentally, it was the exact same color as his aura.

So it was you.

Duke Agenta realized it immediately.

The student the headmaster had mentioned—the one who defeated a high-ranking magical beast alone—was none other than Felix.

At the same time, he was once again struck by how talented the boy before him truly was.

‘He doesn’t even realize he’s manifesting aura.’

It was a common mistake made by knights who had just reached the level of a Sword Expert.

Due to their lack of control, they often failed to hide their aura, unintentionally revealing it when emotionally stirred.

At this rate, his sword wouldn’t last much longer.

Duke Agenta summoned his own aura, as if to protect his blade.

His aura quickly enveloped Felix’s, subduing it effortlessly.

Only then did Felix seem to come to his senses, his eyes widening.

“Ah…”

Flustered, he stepped back and lowered his sword.

The Duke quietly sheathed his training sword and slowly walked toward Felix.

“Have you recently slain a high-ranking magical beast?”

At the Duke’s sudden question, Felix slowly nodded.

“You do understand that it’s wrong for a lower-year student to go monster hunting without permission, don’t you?”

“…Yes, I did know.”

“Then why did you do it?”

“There was something I needed to find.”

“And what was so important that you had to do that?”

“I can’t tell you that.”

Duke Agenta let out a short sigh and approached him even closer.

Narrowing his eyes slightly, he studied Felix intently.

There was an odd pressure in that gaze, and Felix instinctively shut his eyes tightly.

He braced himself, expecting a scolding.

But instead, what reached his ears was a hearty laugh.

“Haha, you’re an interesting one.”

Along with that gentle voice, Felix felt a hand suddenly rest on his head, leaving him bewildered.

He cautiously opened his eyes to see the Duke kindly ruffling his hair.

Felix looked up at him in confusion.

“…”

At that moment, the Duke’s throat tightened slightly.

For some reason, those pale green eyes staring up at him reminded him of a woman who no longer existed in this world.

‘There’s just something about this boy that draws my eyes.’

Suppressing those unfamiliar feelings, Duke Agenta met Felix’s gaze directly and asked,

“How about it? Will you become my disciple?”

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After days of contemplation, Peony finally decided to accept Eila’s proposal.

Her curiosity about the possibility Eila offered had eventually outweighed her caution.

However, sneaking out to the meeting spot without alerting Rona, who always served at her side, was no easy task.

With no other choice, Peony decided to feign illness.

Pressing her hand to her forehead and taking a slow breath, she spoke weakly.

“My headache’s gotten worse. I’d like to rest alone today. Could you step out for a while?”

With her pale complexion and feeble voice, Rona hesitated for a moment, then eventually nodded and left the room.

Once the door closed and silence settled around her, Peony carefully moved toward the terrace.

Parting the thick curtains slightly, she could see the academy’s garden at a glance—

—more specifically, the path leading to the place Eila had designated.

Peony cautiously stepped over the railing and landed lightly on the ground.

It was only possible because her room was on the first floor of the dormitory building.

As she crossed the garden and headed to the annex, Peony clenched her fists tightly.

Just in case, she had brought a magical self-defense item hidden in her robes.

‘I can’t believe a princess like me is sneaking around like this…’

If it turned out that Eila was just mocking her, she wasn’t going to let it slide.

‘If she dared exploit a royal’s weakness, she’ll pay for it.’

She swore to use all the power of her position to make Eila suffer the consequences.

Finally reaching the western annex, Peony took a moment to catch her breath.

Then, she slowly pushed open the door.

In the dim room, two familiar silhouettes emerged.

One was Eila, draped in her cloak. The other was a well-built, silver-haired boy.

It didn’t take long for Peony to realize that the boy on the right was the commoner Felix that Rona had mentioned.

With cold eyes, Peony stared at Eila and issued a warning.

“I came alone, just like you asked. So, tell me—how do I cure my illness? If you tricked me, I won’t forgive you.”

Instead of answering, Eila silently extended a bottle toward her.

“What’s this?”

“A cure for your illness. More precisely, an antidote.”

Peony narrowed her eyes with suspicion.

“An antidote? What’s that supposed to mean?”

Her gaze sharpened even further.

“Don’t tell me… you’re trying to poison me and call it a cure?”

Eila smiled, as if expecting the suspicion.

“Of course not. Besides, I can prove it’s safe—right in front of you.”

Without waiting for Peony’s response, she opened the bottle.

The clear liquid shimmered with a beautiful blue glow as it swirled inside.

Eila tilted the bottle and drank it without hesitation.

“See? It’s completely safe. Though I understand, given your status, you’re still wary.”

She gestured toward Felix, who stood beside her.

“And as for him—Felix is proof. He overcame his mana insensitivity using a potion I gave him.”

Peony’s gaze naturally shifted to Felix.

He nodded, affirming Eila’s words.

“It may be hard to believe, but it’s true. I cured my mana insensitivity recently thanks to the medicine Eila gave me.”

Peony narrowed her eyes and studied the energy flowing from Felix’s body.

After a moment, she begrudgingly accepted it.

As a member of the royal family, she had a heightened sensitivity to mana, and could clearly see the pure mana circulating within him.

‘And just a few days ago, Duke Agenta came to see him.’

The Duke wasn’t someone easily fooled.

If he’d acknowledged Felix’s recovery, then the boy must be telling the truth.

Peony quickly understood why Eila had brought Felix along.

‘She wanted to back up her claims with proof.’

If that was the intention, then it had worked to a certain extent.

All the surrounding circumstances were reinforcing Eila’s credibility.

Eila looked Peony straight in the eye and said,

“You’re free to drink the antidote or not. But there’s one thing I must ask of you.”

“And what’s that?”

“After taking this antidote, don’t ever drink the medicine your maid gives you again.”

“What? Why?”

“Because that medicine contains the poison that’s been making you ill.”

At those words, Peony could barely maintain her composure.

The very medicine she had been taking was laced with poison?

Though she tried to appear calm, her heart was pounding wildly.

The one who had assigned Rona as her maid was none other than her father.

He could be harsh and manipulative at times, but she had always forgiven him, trying to understand his intentions.

But now, to learn that someone she had trusted so deeply had been slowly taking her life without her knowing…

‘No… No. There’s no way Rona would do that.’

Her body trembled from the shock, but she bit her lip hard and stood her ground.

Peony refuted Eila’s claim, her voice laced with disbelief.

“Rona’s been with me since childhood. She’d never do something like that.”

Eila simply shrugged.

“Well, I don’t know the details of your personal affairs. But it’s still a fact that you shouldn’t drink the medicine she gives you.”

“You…”

 

“If you still can’t believe me, then take the antidote and decide for yourself afterward.”