Chapter 202

What did you do after finishing your chat with Danyerin under the moonlight?

I did nothing. I returned to Grace’s side and quietly closed my eyes.

Not exactly sleeping, more like being half-awake. Similar to how a dog keeps watch over its owner.

If someone approaches or any strange energy is sensed, I can react immediately.

You might wonder if that’s really necessary, but it’s not something I can control. It’s just automatic.

Let alone, I also have to keep an eye on Danyerin in the next room. I never knew when Yeohye might threaten her.

I only knew they would attempt an assassination at dawn, but the exact time was hard to determine.

“Wow… did Sivar cook all of this?”

“Yep.”

“No need to prepare breakfast too…”

As time flowed and morning dawned, I made breakfast before Grace woke up.

It wasn’t a hearty breakfast fitting the Western-style diet but a light one.

Sausages and bread. Fried eggs alongside a salad. Everything I prepared myself.

“Grace.”

“Yes.”

“Are you going to eat breakfast?”

“I’m too lazy to make it myself, so I’ll just have some bread…”

Figured as much. Being a duke’s daughter, she probably finds it burdensome to do it herself.

But it’s best to eat breakfast regularly. Naturally, it’s for her health.

Having a consistent lifestyle is a good thing, not a bad one. It’ll help with her growth too.

“I’ll take care of it from now on. Just eat.”

“Um, no need for that…”

“Just eat.”

“…. Okay.”

With my not-so-subtle insistence, Grace was able to fill her belly.

No need to worry about calories either. Using magic power will naturally burn it off.

In this era where machine civilization isn’t advanced, surprisingly, there aren’t many people who are overweight.

Even in science-laden Santiago, it’s no different. Only recently did obesity become a social issue on Earth.

“Actually, the problem is there’s not enough food.”

In that sense, Grace was indulging a bit. She wouldn’t know it herself.

In the forest, living solely on self-sufficiency, I understood the importance of meals better than anyone.

That’s why it was rare to see someone skip breakfast. Some people are toiling just to survive while others skip breakfast.

“Tasty?”

“Yes. Oddly delicious. Why does it taste good?”

That’s because I added herbs. Herbs are essential instead of spices.

Having a simple yet filling breakfast, I finished preparing to head to the classroom.

“Alright. Now please brush my hair.”

“Brush it?”

“Yes. Though it’s your first time, a guard has to do this kind of thing.”

I doubted that. Even if I’m a fool, a guard shouldn’t have to do stuff like this.

But asking would probably elicit a weird answer, so I complied and started brushing her hair.

Brushing someone’s hair is also a sign of trust, so it wasn’t bad for me.

“Your hair is really nice.”

It was the kind of hair that could be in a commercial, shiny and sleek. As a noble lady, she must have been well taken care of.

Every time I brushed Grace’s hair, she let out a pleasant hum, looking at her reflection, even showing a subtle smile.

She looked completely relaxed as if all her fatigue had vanished after just one night of sleep. I tilted my head, wondering if it was really that easy, but since Grace seemed happy, I let it slide.

“Then let’s start another good day.”

“Yes.”

After finishing all preparations, we walked side by side to the classroom.

Even on the way, Grace chatted cheerfully like a lark. She seemed to be in a really good mood.

I wanted to chime in, but my language skills were still lacking. Still, I tried my best to show interest.

“When will this guy’s speech improve?”

My faith was over 300, but my language skills remained the same. Was there something I didn’t know?

Or maybe it’s just a habit. It was a bit annoying, and I was always the listener.

Grace seemed satisfied just with that, her typically sharp expression completely softened.

“Is it really that great?”

Everyone knew she had a romantic interest in me.

They say people become fools when they fall in love, and Grace fit that description perfectly. I felt that disparity in an instant.

Still, it’s much better than being stressed out. I could gladly be a healing agent. I absolutely didn’t mind; in fact, I preferred it.

“Good morning, everyone! It’s a beautiful morning!”

“….”

But it felt a bit too bright. Watching Grace greet everyone energetically, I felt a bit bewildered.

Isn’t it too different from yesterday?

“Why do you seem so happy? Did you sleep well?”

Kara gave a little laugh at the sight of the vivacious Grace. It seemed she knew something.

Grace then sat in her usual spot and replied in her signature confident voice.

“Of course. I had a proper sleep for the first time in ages. I didn’t realize how nice the morning sunshine could be until now.”

“Good. That’s how it should be.”

Surprisingly, Kara let it go just like that. Seeing her smile, it was clear she knew something.

It was more like tolerance than jealousy. It felt like she’d let it slide this time.

“As long as your back doesn’t hurt. If it does, I might just intervene. Got it?”

“….”

Under Kara’s threatening remark, Grace had a hard time responding. She rolled her eyes and tried to evade answering.

Noticing this, Kara seemed to find it odd, wearing a peculiar expression before pressing her for a response.

“Answer.”

“…. Tch.”

“Tch? Tch?! Are you really a noble? Are all Matra nobles like this?”

“Well, I wonder?”

Hmm. A fierce game of wits seemed to have started already. I, stuck in the middle, was in a tough spot.

I tried my best to act like I didn’t know anything, but the atmosphere was too tense for me to do anything other than stare at the desk.

“By the way, Kara and Grace seem to be fighting more often lately.”

It felt like Grace was actually making advances. Kara must have sensed a bit of danger too.

I didn’t know how it would turn out, but for now, Grace held the upper hand. Physical distance often leads to emotional distance.

Conversely, when bodies get closer, hearts do too. Especially when a man and a woman are in the same room, anything could happen.

“I really must endure just one semester. Why did I even agree? So what did you do yesterday?”

“I didn’t do much yesterday because I was moving my things. Today I’ll focus on studying.”

“Eh?”

I had never heard about studying. My eyes widened as I looked at Grace.

Kara seemed to notice my reaction and asked with a hint of curiosity.

“She looks like she’s never heard that before. Why the sudden interest in studying?”

“Even if Sivar is smart, if he hasn’t learned anything, it’s useless. Even if it’s just basic common sense, one must at least learn math.”

“Didn’t you study math when you were with the chancellor?”

“…. Yes.”

At that time, I was too busy learning basic common sense and reading. I didn’t have room to study math.

Kara also seemed surprised, expressing her disbelief.

“Really? Well, there were other urgent matters back then, so it makes sense to learn now.”

“Don’t you think so, Kara? Especially math leans more toward reason than sensation, so it would greatly benefit Sivar.”

“I don’t like it.”

Of all things, I hate math. On Earth, math was a subject I not only disliked but also absolutely loathed.

I’m not a complete failure at it, though. In fact, my grades were quite decent.

That’s exactly why I despised it. The more I dived into it, the more frustrating it became.

Plus, unless you’re aiming to become a professor, basic arithmetic is enough. I hold that belief.

“It’s not just basic arithmetic; math is also fundamental for logic. There’s a reason they talk about mathematical thinking!”

“True. It would be a waste to only use that brilliant brain for head-butting. It wouldn’t hurt to learn it once.”

“….”

With Kara siding against me, I could no longer rebel. Instead, I redirected my target elsewhere.

That elsewhere was none other than Grace. If she’s going to teach me math, then she should have to give something in return.

And the only thing I could teach her was one thing.

“Then Grace too.”

“What? Why me?”

“Let’s exercise. I’ll teach you.”

“E-exercise?”

Improving the weak stamina of a wizard— that was what I was offering to teach.

Grace showed a startled reaction when I suggested exercising. This was clearly unexpected for her.

She then regained her composure, cleared her throat, and began to backtrack.

“Uh, it’s fine. I’m a magician, right? If I’m going to build stamina, I should focus on magic…”

“Stamina is power. It’s the same for wizards.”

“Well, that’s true but…”

“Your magic will increase too. Magic power is important for a wizard.”

“Wow, well said.”

Kara was amazed by my logical reasoning. Indeed, stamina and magic were interconnected.

Even if you have plenty of magic, lacking stamina is quite common. It’s more about endurance, to be accurate.

Both must be balanced well to maximize effectiveness. Especially since Grace has particularly weak stamina.

“Sivar is right. Grace, your stamina is really low.”

Luna, who had been quiet until now, chimed in, staring intently at Grace as if she had glimpsed her stats.

I wanted to ask for more detailed stats, but I held back. I’ll need to ask about that later.

Grace must have been aware of her own weaknesses. She spoke in a flustered voice in response to Luna.

“How do you know that, Luna?”

“You seemed to struggle quite a bit when climbing to the altar. Eli climbed up quite confidently, though.”

“Well, that…”

“Just don’t go over 40… or rather, only go under Eli, okay?”

Wow. Does she not even have 40 stamina? How weak is she?

Grace seemed ready to protest but, after seeing our faces, let out a deep sigh.

Kara and I were beasts, and Luna was tough enough to exert more power than her stamina suggests.

“….Fine. I’ll have to balance studying and exercising.”

“Sounds good. But be careful. Sivar doesn’t hold back at all. I nearly thought I would die in the beginning.”

“….”

It seemed Luna was revving up her engine. I kept a close eye on her.

Kara also glanced at Luna as if she sensed something. Yet Luna herself seemed completely oblivious.

“W-was it really that painful?”

“Yeah. But once you get used to it, it’s fine. Just a bit mischievous, though.”

“W-what kind of exercise did you do?”

Luna’s answer was quite absurd.

“Back exercises?”

“….”

“….”

What’s terrifying is that she wasn’t lying.

Just when a chilly and heavy silence fell, I suddenly felt a gaze and looked ahead.

Danyerin was looking at me with a peculiar expression, having entered my line of sight.

After locking eyes for a while, Danyerin stood up and walked toward me.

“My dear.”

“Huh?”

“Princess?”

Danyerin’s soft voice shattered the tense atmosphere. All eyes turned to her.

She surveyed the faces around me, then an enigmatic smile emerged on her lips. A rather enchanting smile.

“Don’t forget our appointment tonight. I have prepared good wine.”

“….”

“I’ll be waiting.”

With nothing more to say, Danyerin left. I stared at her retreating figure, lost in thought.

If she had spoken openly, it would have caused quite a stir. But no worries.

“What did she just say? I couldn’t understand a thing; it was in the Language of the Eastern Empire.”

“Me neither. Sivar must have understood it.”

“What did she say?”

Danyerin spoke in the Eastern Empire’s language. The only person who understands it here is me.

In fact, saying “I understand it” is closer to the truth than saying “I know it.” I calmly responded to their questions.

“She said the restaurant was good yesterday.”

“Restaurant?”

“Yeah. I recommended it yesterday.”

I felt an inexplicable sense of guilt building up toward Grace.

[Your Faith has increased!]