Chapter 179 - The High Elf Professor Visits My Home

Chloe Evenhart:

We were at home, and tomorrow we would have to return to the academy. Yesterday's outing was a lot of fun; we got to visit some tourist spots around the city. There was even a tour showcasing the magical factories in operation, but unfortunately, we couldn't attend since it required prior booking, and the weekends were always packed.

While we were resting at home, I reflected on the conversation I had with my aunt about how to handle my feelings for Nate. I thought about inviting him to visit a shop with me, but before I could, it was already time to leave. Aunt Katie had been visibly worried when she noticed a strand of silver hair on his head.

Back in the comfort of our home, I spent some time talking with Kinue about the academy. Finally, we managed to regain the closeness we had before. For a long time, Kinue had remained distant, only communicating with us through letters, but now, the three of us were reunited once again.

My friend had always been very shy around strangers, but after living with us at the castle, she had learned to open up a bit more. Martha, inspired by the lunch we had at the restaurant, prepared a special pork dish for dinner, which even Cylla wanted to partake in. She didn’t need to eat much since stabilizing her condition, but I suspected she ate more for pleasure than necessity.

“How did this happen, Adrihna?” Aunt Katie paced nervously around the room, clearly worried.

We were all in the living room while Professor Adrihna examined Nathan's hair.

“It’s much worse... I never imagined it would turn out like this,” the professor said, running her fingers through his hair.

“The dye was supposed to solve the problem, but it seems it only made things worse. When I checked yesterday, it wasn’t this bad. Now there’s a large patch of silver strands, more than before,” Aunt Katie added.

Nathan remained silent, allowing the professor to conduct her examination. Adrihna was using her special eyes to assess his body, even touching the spot where his Mana Gem was located.

“Katherine, this is new to me, so my diagnosis isn't final,” the professor began.

Aunt Katie sighed and sat down, trying to calm herself.

“Were you able to figure out what’s happening?” she asked.

I watched the two of them, trying to better understand the seriousness of the situation. We knew it wasn’t time for Nathan to reveal his silver hair yet, but I didn’t fully grasp why. Aunt Katie had once explained to Kinue and me that there were prohibitions against relationships between nobles from different kingdoms, depending on their positions. However, one of their ancestors had broken that rule to run away with the person they loved.

I found the story a bit romantic…

I learned that Nathan was in a complicated situation because he belonged to two different political nobilities, and they were trying to announce this to the other kingdoms in a way that wouldn’t seem like a political move. Unlike Aunt Katie and Kinue, who had only inherited the abilities, he had inherited not only the skills but also the silver hair of the High Elves, which could reveal his identity before any diplomatic agreements were made.

“Why has Nate’s hair turned silver again so quickly?” Kinue asked, watching the professor adjust her monocle and place her hand on his abdomen.

Professor Adrihna could really stop touching him so much… She may be nearly 200 years old, but to us, she looks young, and on top of that, she’s very beautiful…

I chuckled internally, realizing I had just thought that.

“The hair of High Elves is silver due to the difference in our mana. Just as demi-humans have distinct animal traits, like ears and tails that reflect their species, common elves have pointed ears. But High Elves, besides having pointed ears, also have silver hair. This is part of the intrinsic biology of our race, and there’s no way to change that. I didn’t know the dye would lose its effect so quickly. No High Elf has ever dyed their hair before, so we had no knowledge this could happen,” the professor explained.

Professor Adrihna stood up, letting her usually tied-up hair fall loose. The long, silver-gray strands cascaded down, and they were so stunning that even I felt a tinge of envy. In that moment, my teacher truly looked radiant.

She’s really beautiful…

"The truth is, this isn’t hair," she said, catching everyone off guard.

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"What do you mean?" Nathan asked, confused.

Adrihna held a strand of her hair between her fingers.

"Look at how ‘perfect’ it is by human standards. It always looks flawless, even when ‘dirty.’ That’s because our hair is, in fact, mana channels."

The revelation intrigued us all.

"That’s never been mentioned in class..." I murmured, feeling even more curious.

The professor smiled, shaking her head slightly.

"It’s a little secret reserved for our species. We don’t talk about it with just anyone. What happens is that our hair is actually physical extensions of mana channels, which instead of flowing invisibly through the soul, have become physical in a part of us—our hair—becoming part of our bodies. That’s why it always looks beautiful. It reflects our spiritual connection to mana," she explained.

Nathan and I exchanged confused glances, trying to process this new information.

"We, High Elves, are known for our ‘mystical’ appearance. Remember, Nathan, when I told you that all of our race are mages? This is because of our deep relationship with mana. We live far longer than other races because this connection nourishes us in a unique way. Our hair is part of this bond, a physical manifestation of our spiritual nature. It’s said that originally, we were nature spirits who took on physical forms over time. But those are just legends about the origin of our species. Keep in mind, this is a closely guarded secret among High Elves. Guard this information well. I mentioned it only to explain why human logic can’t always apply to Nathan, as he inherited this ‘mystical’ side. This was one of the reasons the dye failed."

Aunt Katie placed both hands on her face.

"There’s also something peculiar that might have worsened the situation," Professor Adrihna added.

"What could have worsened it?" Nathan asked, while Aunt Katie also looked at the professor, anxious for answers.

The professor approached, pointing to Nathan’s eyes. "That little thing on your face," she said, indicating Nathan’s special eyes.

Adrihna adjusted her monocle and placed her hand on Nathan’s stomach, moving it upward toward his head.

"Because of these special eyes, there’s a mana channel directly connecting the gem to your brain. As I mentioned before, the hair of High Elves is silver due to our exclusive mana. This gives us our unique elements and distinct appearance."

"What does that mean?" Aunt Katie asked.

"He’s a hybrid between our races and possesses the mana of a High Elf," Adrihna explained. "When he awakened his magic, and mana began circulating through his body, the process of absorbing mana through the body and hair started. It’s causing physical changes, making his skin lighter than that of humans. However, the pathway formed by the gem to Nathan’s special eyes is accelerating how his black hair absorbs his elven mana."

Adrihna sat down in an armchair, lighting a pipe with a small flick of magic.

"And now?" Nathan asked, trying to grasp the implications.

"The solution is to increase the frequency of the dye application, as your mother suggested," the professor replied. "The magical dye lost its effect because your hair is being influenced by the mana of our species. It may seem dire, but this is only temporary until your situation is resolved."

Aunt Katie looked at his hair, her face serious. "I hope this matter gets resolved soon."

"We have a small problem..." Nathan said hesitantly.

"What problem?" Aunt Katie asked.

Professor Adrihna stood up, seeming to already know the answer. "I imagine it’s about your military task," she said, adjusting her monocle.

"I had forgotten about that," Aunt Katie murmured.

"Why did the headmistress assign us to that?" Nathan asked. "From what I understand, I’ll have to spend part of my free time at the academy interacting with people we’re trying to avoid."

Adrihna let out a soft laugh. "I’m against it too, but it’s mandatory for nobles in your position. The headmistress couldn’t just ignore it because of one student. Changing an academy tradition or pulling you out without raising suspicion would be impossible. The best way was to act as if everything is normal, so when your existence is revealed, it appears neutral and impartial."

Aunt Katie fixed her gaze on Nathan. "Don’t draw attention, Nate."

She’s really telling him that? I bet he’ll get involved in some kind of trouble, hehe.

She turned to the professor. "What exactly will they be doing?"

"The selected nobles will serve as part of Princess Elara’s small special troop. It’s also a leadership training exercise for the princess. In the future, she’s expected to become a General," Adrihna explained.

"A General?" Nathan repeated, surprised, before sitting down to process the information.

"They plan to give her a higher position in the army as she gains experience and achieves some notable accomplishments," Adrihna concluded.

"Meow," Cylla appeared and jumped into Nathan’s lap.

"So it’s true!" Professor Adrihna exclaimed, approaching with curiosity. "You really have a little panther."

As Adrihna got closer, Cylla started complaining, making the professor laugh.

"The headmistress told me, and I had to pretend to be surprised. Is she the cub of that panther you have?" Adrihna asked, exchanging glances with everyone.

Right, the professor doesn’t know that the kitten is actually Cylla.

"Raising a cub like that requires a lot of responsibility, and I’ve heard they eat a lot of meat," Adrihna commented.

Nathan looked at the little cat in his lap and petted her. "This one eats way too much meat..."

We explained to the professor that the supposed Moon Panther cub was actually the mischievous bird she often saw flying through the hallways and occasionally stealing our food.

As the conversation continued, Aunt Katie started to relax. When the professor finished examining Nathan’s hair, my aunt began preparing the dye. She asked if Adrihna wanted to help, but the High Elf visibly tensed and said that doing so would be some sort of cultural crime. She even considered leaving to avoid witnessing the scene.

I glanced at Nate, who was being dragged off to soak his hair in cold water, and couldn’t hold back a laugh.

"Auntie! You forgot I can generate water and make it really cold with ice?" I suggested with a mischievous smile.

"Don’t give her any ideas, Chloe!" Nate protested.

Ah, time for a little payback... for being so dense with me.

"Great idea, Chloe! With your help, this will go much faster. Nathan, take off your shirt so it doesn’t get stained," Aunt Katie said.

"He’s taking off his shirt!?" Kinue asked, clearly flustered.

I started feeling embarrassed too.

"Meow," Cylla hid her face in her paws, as if she didn’t want to watch.

I looked at the cat and whispered, "I saw you peeking..." Cylla jumped nervously, giving herself away.