<Chapter 8>

“Actually…”

Yurenia took a quiet breath. Then, she revealed a secret she had never told anyone since graduating from the Academy.

“I don’t have any mana. So, I can’t use magic at all.”

“Really?”

Kailas stared at her in shock.

“Not even a little?”

“Nope.”

The boy’s eyes widened to the size of apricot pits.

It made sense that he’d be surprised.

In this world, everyone could use magic, at least to some extent.

Not the kind of magic that splits the earth or brings down storms.

Those kinds of powerful spells, which required enormous mana, were reserved for high-ranking nobles or the mages of the Tower.

The everyday magic people used was much simpler.

Spells that kept dust off clothes in the wardrobe. Spells that made pens write on their own. Spells that tied your hair up with a flick of a ribbon.

Just like how people in her previous life all had some small talent or trick up their sleeve…

Here, everyone could manage at least one kind of casual, daily-use spell.

Using mana was considered a basic life skill in this world.

Yurenia had discovered the truth only after entering the Academy that she possessed no mana.

Until then, she’d simply assumed she wasn’t talented.

But that wasn’t it.

Yurenia didn’t just lack mana.

To be precise, her body contained negative mana.

When someone cast a spell near her, her body would react in reverse to the intended effect, twisting the magic entirely.

She had been so shocked when she first learned the truth about her condition.

‘It’s all thanks to Lord Lex.’

Smiling faintly, Yurenia gently touched the chain of the necklace around her neck. At a glance, it looked like a simple amethyst pendant.

But in truth, it was a gift imbued with Lex’s divine blessing.

“Always keep it on you.”

Lex was the Archmage of the Empire’s Mage Tower and the Head of the Academy’s Department of Magic. He had discovered Yurenia’s condition and exempted her from the department’s coursework.

Thanks to the official letter he wrote, Yurenia had been allowed to skip all her magic classes.

If not for him, she would have been forced to attend them and failed every single one. She would have lost her scholarship too.

“No need to thank me. Forcing magic on a student who can’t use mana wouldn’t be fun for anyone.”

Lex had said that with a wry smile as he handed her the necklace, an item that protected her from mana draining her life force.

“Magic should be used to save people. Just remember that.”

Even if she couldn’t use magic… she could still become someone like Lex. A great teacher who helped others find the right path in life.

That was Yurenia’s dream.

Sometimes, in this world where magic was so embedded in daily life, it was frustrating to be the only one who couldn’t use it.

But more than anything, she was grateful.

Grateful that she could live without being consumed by mana.

Mana, really, it wasn’t such a big deal.

If this was the price of reincarnation, so be it.

You could dust the wardrobe by hand, write by holding a pen, and tie your hair up with one firm twist. Easy.

So, it was fine.

It wasn’t like the world was at war or duels were common.

She could live just fine.

Most of the time.

It only became a little troublesome when someone tried to use magic on her, like today.

“Young master, earlier, what you did… you were trying to shut the door, right? To keep Marlenda from coming in.”

“……Yeah.”

“And you were trying to spill the milk on Marlenda too, weren’t you?”

“…Uh-huh.”

When she brought up the earlier commotion, Kailas’s voice dropped to a mumble.

“I… I wasn’t trying to do that to you, teacher. I’m sorry.”

“I know.”

Yurenia smiled, acting like it was nothing.

“That happened because of my mana. Everything you tried to do got reversed. You didn’t do anything wrong, so you don’t have to apologize to me. Well… Marlenda might see it differently.”

“Heheh.”

The boy giggled, shoulders shaking at her playful comment.

It was the first time she’d seen Kailas smile.

“I’ll keep what you did today a secret, so you have to keep my secret too, okay?”

“Okay!”

“And from now on, just call me Yurenia. Or teacher, if you prefer.”

“Okay, teacher! I’m Kail.”

“Nice to meet you, Young Master Kail.”

Yurenia beamed at the boy as he introduced himself with shy sincerity.

His little fingers, clutching her sleeve, had turned a soft, peachy pink.

* * *

Knock knock.

Someone knocked politely at the study door and slowly turned the handle. It was Enzo, summoned by the head of the house. He bowed low as he stepped inside.

“You called for me, Your Grace.”

“Did you escort the tutor properly?”

Chester looked up from the papers he’d been reading. Under the Duke’s sharp gaze, Enzo cleared his throat.

“I met the nanny in the hallway and passed her along.”

“I see.”

Chester gave a distracted response as he signed the document. A faint smile played at his lips as he scribbled his name.

It was because he recalled the look on Yurenia’s face when she saw the signature on the contract and realized the true identity of “Cute Chet” was Chester Valerio.

Her soft, sheep-like expression had gone bright red, as if it might burst.

It was nothing special, really. And yet, the tutor kept crossing his mind.

‘She was certainly expressive.’

As a smirk curved the Duke’s lips, Enzo frowned, rubbing his eyes in disbelief, as if wondering if he’d imagined the sight.

“Nothing unusual happened?”

“Eh? Oh, right! Yes, nothing out of the ordinary.”

Enzo straightened his posture quickly at Chester’s question.

“She did ask a few questions about the young master, but they were within a reasonable scope. Seemed like she just wanted to plan her lessons.”

“What did you tell her?”

“Before I could answer, the nanny arrived. By now, she’s likely with the young master.”

“Alright.”

Chester mulled over the response, rubbing his temple.

“Never mind that. Did we secure the Vellamo?”

He pushed thoughts of the tutor from his mind.

“Both fresh and dried. All of it.”

The atmosphere in the study grew heavier with the change in topic. Enzo’s expression grew somber as he replied in a low voice.

“As you ordered, one kilogram each, total of two. I’ll send them to Lady Mave, I mean to Marquess Dalton, with your permission.”

“Send them immediately. And if there are other herbs said to help purify mana, send those too.”

“Understood.”

“…Let’s hope it works.”

Chester muttered to himself, his blue eyes darkening as he looked out toward the garden.

“How much longer can Lillian endure in that tiny body?”

“Lady Lillian will recover. She will.”

“…I hope so.”

Chester’s bitter smile didn’t fade, despite Enzo’s hopeful words.

Just last week, Mave had reported that Lillian coughed up blood again.

The youngest of the family had been bedridden since birth, born with the same illness that had taken her father’s life.

Since the day she was born, a shadow of death had loomed over their house.

Will she make it through today?

What about tomorrow?

Mave was slowly losing her grip under the weight of her daughter’s frailty. Eventually, she could no longer care for Kailas and had asked Chester to take over.

A woman who cherished her children more than anything… had chosen to let one go.

How much agony must she have endured before making that decision?

How much pain?

It was already overwhelming to raise two children alone without a husband.

Chester could imagine it clearly. Mave’s pain, her heartbreak, her exhaustion.

That was why he found it so difficult to face Kailas.

Every time he saw that boy, he thought of Lillian and Mave.

He couldn’t bring himself to smile at the child. Couldn’t say kind words. Couldn’t even reach out a hand.

Spending happy moments with the boy felt like betraying his sister-in-law and niece.

Like turning his back on their suffering.

‘Let’s hope this tutor holds out.’

Chester tore his gaze away from the bright, verdant garden.

Once the right tutor was in place, he wouldn’t have to worry about Kailas anymore.

With the nanny and the tutor taking care of him, the household could focus entirely on Lillian’s recovery.

‘She seemed tenacious enough. Should be fine.’

And then—

Bang bang!

Just as Chester began to feel a hint of optimism—

Bang!

“Your Grace! Your Grace!”

Kailas’s nanny, Marlenda, pounded furiously on the study door. Both Chester and Enzo turned toward it.

The heavy office door shook from the force of her frantic knocking.
 

<To be continued>

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