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TN: Hello everyone, Lioness here. If you are enjoying this series, make sure to give it a review on Novel Updates. Thank you everyone ~
“Surely, Young Master, you didn’t mean to deceive us?”
“Laila.” Ardion lifted his gaze calmly.
I waited for him to speak, holding my breath.
“I didn’t mean to deceive you. It’s just…” Ardion faltered, biting his lip.
As I continued to watch him, his face flushed a deep red. “Young Master, why have you—”
“I’m sorry, Laila,” Ardion said without looking at me. He stared down at the floor, his shoulders slumped. The fact that he had deceived me left me unsettled.
But I sensed he must have had his reasons, so I held my tongue. Ardion had endured more than I could imagine, and perhaps he had no choice but to act that way to survive.
Just as I hadn’t told him everything, it was understandable that he hadn’t shared everything with me.
“Let’s go, Young Master.”
Ardion looked up. He blinked at me, his eyes wide with a mix of urgency and regret. “Laila, I’m truly sorry. The truth is, I—”
“It’s alright, Young Master. Don’t be concerned about it. If you can fully conceal your mana, it’s beneficial for me as well.”
“Are you sure it’s alright?”
“I’m sure. I’ve been stressed about it anyway.” I forced a wry smile. I had gone through countless books to learn how to conceal his hellish mana. There were times I had almost been caught sneaking into the library alone. Luckily, Derol had helped me avoid detection.
While speaking, I tried to ignore my trembling hands. Lately, my hands had been shaking far too often.
“By the way, are your hands alright?” Ardion scrutinized my hands closely. I quickly replied.
“They’re fine,” I answered lightly.
But Ardion’s gaze remained fixed on my hands, now even more intense. “My hands have done that occasionally.”
I raised my hands, pretending it was nothing, but he was unconvinced.
“It looks worse than before.”
I was taken aback by his sharp observation. It never occurred to me that he had been observing my hands. “It’s not like this all the time. It just happens now and then.”
Despite my reassurance, Ardion’s expression remained tense. He said with concern, “But if it’s severe, shouldn’t you see a doctor? If it persists, you could develop other health issues.”
“It’s fine, Young Master. I know my body better than anyone.”
Ardion looked at me for a moment, then lowered his gaze. He didn’t say anything else. I hesitated briefly before offering him a polite nod and returning to my room.
Late at night, I heard rustling noises but kept my eyes shut. Derol sometimes made such noises when he was prowling around late at night.
The chirping of sparrows broke the silence of the morning. I reluctantly got out of bed and reached for the nightstand, where I felt something new.
When I opened my eyes, I saw a bowl filled with almonds and a small note.
[Laila, I heard eating nuts like almonds can help with trembling hands. I hope you get better soon.]
Although the note wasn’t signed, I knew it was from Ardion just by the handwriting. A warm feeling surged within me, making my eyes well up.
How did he get almonds...?
I ate a few almonds, savoring the nutty crunch. I quickly got up and knocked on Ardion’s door.
“Come in.”
“Young Master, thank you for the almonds. They seem to be helping with the trembling in my hands.” I smiled broadly and raised my hands.
Ardion looked at me for a moment and then said, “If you need more, just let me know. I’ll get them for you anytime.”
While speaking, he examined me, the tips of his ears slightly flushed.
I replied with a smile, “What you’ve given me is more than enough! I’m sure it’ll last me for years.”
Seeing my exaggerated praise, he gave a smile, a pure one at that. It was the first time I had seen him smile so sincerely, which brightened my mood immensely.
From today on, I slept more comfortably. I made sure to eat the almonds Ardion gave me, and I was genuinely happy he had learned to conceal his mana effectively.
Yet, strangely, a nagging feeling lingered in the back of my mind. It felt as though there was something I was forgetting.
❋ ❋ ❋
Months passed, and Ardion studied with even greater diligence. He pored over various books, often without needing my guidance. I continued to visit the library with him, fetching books as needed. Honestly, there wasn’t much for me to teach him anymore.
However, since he occasionally asked me questions about mana, I found myself sitting with him from time to time.
I studied Ardion closely. Lately, he seemed to have grown noticeably, likely due to eating well. As I realized how well I raised him, a sense of pride dawned on me, and I felt warm.
“Laila.”
“Yes, Young Master?” I responded brightly. Ardion slowly raised his head. I waited for him to speak, but he simply stared at me. I prompted him again. “What’s the matter?”
Ardion hesitated, as if he were about to ask something he wasn’t sure he should. I looked at him curiously.
He furrowed his brow before finally speaking. “Are you married?”
The sudden question made me chuckle. Derol, who had been napping in my pocket, shot up with a start and looked at me, puzzled.
Ardion’s face turned red, a habit that never disappeared from him. He had always blushed easily. It seemed to be a part of him.
I shrugged lightly. “No, I’m not married.”
“Do you think you will?”
“I’m not sure if I ever will.”
I hadn’t thought about marriage since coming here. Managing my own life was already not an easy feat, so how could I worry about marriage?
I shook my head.
Ardion looked at me with surprise. “Laila, I believe you will find someone.”
“Me?”
“Yes.”
“Well, I don’t have much to offer, so I don’t think I’d be a great catch,” I joked with a smile.
Ardion murmured under his breath, “Someone might wish for exactly that.”
“Really? But it doesn’t seem that way now.” I smiled.
Ardion sighed and looked at his arm.
“Is there something troubling you, Young Master?”
“What?”
“You seem to be sighing quite a bit.”
“No, it’s nothing.”
With that, he focused on the book again. His green eyes darted rapidly across the pages as I pondered over what he just said.
Someone might wish for what I have? To be honest, the only people I was close to in this mansion were Benji and Derol. It seemed unlikely that anyone else would desire to marry me.
I looked at Ardion with a mix of curiosity and amusement. Could it be that he wants to marry me?
The thought made me smile.
“Young Master, about what you said earlier…”
Ardion looked up at me, his eyes shining with curiosity.
“Are you saying you want to marry me?”
“W-what?” Ardion’s face turned bright red, looking visibly flustered.
Maybe I’ve been too nice to him.
Then again, Ardion hadn’t received much kindness before, and he was still quite young…
I suppressed a laugh and said carefully, “Young Master, marriage shall not be part of our relationship.”
“Why not?”
Unlike before, Ardion’s response was more forceful.
I answered calmly, “Marriage is something that should be shared with someone you love, not just because someone who has shown you kindness.”
“…”
“More than that, you’re still young.”
Ardion turned his gaze away without answering, and a shadow of deep melancholy seemed to shroud his face.
Wanting to comfort him, I quickly added, “And I’m sure you’ll find someone you love someday.”
Ardion’s expression grew even more troubled. He clenched the book tightly and let out a heavy sigh.
The atmosphere felt unusually heavy. To lighten things up, I decided to shift the topic. “Young Master.”
“What?”
“Would you like to learn swordsmanship?”
In the original story, Ardion was quite skilled in swordsmanship.
With all the time he spent reading, he might lose that skill. In the original story, he had sought out a mentor secretly around this age to train.
But now, Ardion spent all his time in his room, buried in books.
“No, I don’t like fighting.”
“No, Young Master. If you only focus on books, you might become physically weak, and you might not grow tall.”
“Do you prefer tall people?”
His question seemed to have an underlying motive, but I smiled and answered, “Yes.”
I wanted Ardion to learn swordsmanship, so I answered positively.
“Then I’ll learn swordsmanship.”
To my surprise, Ardion agreed easily, giving me a sense of relief.
“Alright. I’ll speak to the duke about it.”
“Do you think the duke will listen?” Ardion asked with a hint of skepticism.
“Since the duke is obsessed with your mana, if I tell him that swordsmanship is necessary for eliminating it, he’ll definitely listen.”
At that moment, the door burst open. I was startled and turned to see Jonok standing there. Sometimes, people would barge in like that without warning, and it was never a pleasant experience.
Jonok took a look at the books on the table and laughed dismissively. “I was wondering where those books had gone, and here they are.”
Before I could speak, Jonok strode in confidently and picked up one of the books. “The Management of Mana?”
He snickered and tossed the book onto the floor. As I glared at him, he approached. “Laila, has my father’s praise made you so bold?”
“…”
“So, you bring those kinds of books to teach this kid?” Jonok’s gaze was as sharp as a knife, but I remained unfazed. His threats didn’t scare me much.
I picked up the fallen book and placed it back on the table. “These books are for draining Ardion’s mana.”