"Are you truly unwilling to stay?" the little girl asked me, her persistent curiosity never wavering as she begged me to teach her magic. I was baffled that she wished to learn from a necromancer!

"Indeed! Once my injury heals, I shall depart!" I replied while examining the wound on my right hand. This injury is one of my most severe—an entire muscle has detached! Despite daily healing spells, recovery has been minimal; it seems this wound will take time to mend. Yet, this injury is not the most vexing aspect. Due to the limitations of defensive magic, it cannot completely negate high-level offensive spells. The true extent of the damage will unfold gradually over the coming months, and I likely won't regain my strength during this period.

"Why not stay? Is it so unpleasant here? Even though you're a necromancer, still..." she whispered conspiratorially.

"Are you threatening me?" I lifted my gaze to meet her eyes, only to realize my sensitivity had led me astray. Her eyes were innocent and clear, and she had merely spoken without thought—after all, she was just a little girl—a rather well-developed one, at that.

She stared at me, puzzled, unaware that she had said something amiss! Strangely, as I looked at her face, I was reminded of that moment I awoke in the cave. My face flushed, and I turned away. "Stop pestering me! I've already said I won't teach you magic... Moreover, I'm not a suitable teacher!"

"But you accepted my tuition..." Her tone shifted suddenly to one of excitement, as if she had just had a revelation. "Tuition?"

"Yes! You see, when I pulled you from the snow, I checked your pockets... not the one on your clothing, but the one close to your skin... your clothes were torn, and things fell out..."

"Ah..." In that instant, I realized what she had seen—the sapphire! I turned again, catching her mischievous smile, which clearly conveyed that she knew I had deceived her.

I looked at her face, her grin growing wider... I suddenly wished to find a hole to hide in! To deceive a little girl! A mage deceiving a child... Just the thought of walking down the street and hearing someone point at me, saying, "Look, there's the infamous trickster mage, who even preyed on a ten-year-old!"

Her laughter pushed me back, but as I leaned away, her face seemed to close the distance. I weakly tried to push her aside, but to no avail. I had once thought the sapphire lost in battle on the snow-capped mountain, but now I understood its fate!

"As long as you teach me magic, I won’t say a word... truly, not a word..."

"Alright... alright... but I can only teach you the basics... consider me your magical mentor..." I finally relented, not wanting to face the world with my head hung low! I regretted my earlier decisions deeply.

"Wonderful!" she exclaimed, jumping up with joy. "This is for real, no take-backs!"

"No take-backs..."

Footsteps approached; someone was heading to my room!

"Daddy!" Along with her voice, I saw the king enter, flanked by several attendants.

"What are you doing here, constantly disturbing Mr. Ryder’s rest? Come here; I need to speak with you!"

"Daddy! He has agreed to teach me magic! It's true!"

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"Teach you magic?" I noticed the king's brow furrow momentarily before relaxing again. "How can you make such an impudent request? Mr. Ryder is still recovering; do not pester him! Come here!"

After the little girl reluctantly moved to his side, the king turned to me, saying, "Mr. Ryder, there’s a royal ball tonight, and I hope you can attend. I have some important matters to announce!"

Important matters? Did he fear I would retract my promise and wish to declare it before an audience? I nodded, and the king led the little girl out.

The troublesome girl had finally left, and I could now examine my wounds in peace. My condition seemed stable; I could ascertain that, barring any vigorous activity or high-level spells, my injuries should heal in three to four months. However, during this time, even if I wished to wield advanced magic, my body would not be able to bear it—yet, it seemed unlikely I would have opportunities for such battles!

I rewrapped the more serious wounds with bandages and sat down. A sudden emptiness welled up within me, inexplicably... it was strange; while the little girl was here, I found her bothersome, but in her absence, I felt an odd void. I gazed around in a daze, pondering.

Time flew swiftly, and night soon descended; the ball commenced! This event was primarily to celebrate the demise of the necromancer who threatened the kingdom, with nearly all the nobles in attendance. Additionally, there was a contingent of reinforcements from other nations, summoned by the king... around forty mages in total! They arrived just in time to participate in the festivities.

Although I was the supposed guest of honor, most were aware that I was still injured, so I refrained from dancing—much to my relief, for my injuries and my utter lack of dancing skill rendered me a wallflower! I stood in a corner beside the dance floor, nursing a drink while observing the swirling crowd. In the distance, a few mages were whispering and gesturing towards me, but I paid them no mind.

"Is this what a ball is like?" Truth be told, it was my first experience of such opulence; previously, I had only encountered rural dances, which were entirely different from this courtly affair. Yet, I found those simpler celebrations to be far more enchanting... This place did not feel right for me...

In the dance hall, couples swirled gracefully to the music, each exuding elegance and grandeur, yet I found them lacking in allure! Many noblewomen cast meaningful glances my way, but I felt no interest whatsoever.

This was not my place! Here, I felt like an outsider!

"Ah, there you are! Teacher!" A bright voice rang out beside me, and I turned to see the little girl standing behind me! No, not a little girl; in that moment, I realized that title was ill-fitting... very ill-fitting indeed!

She wore a dress with minimal embellishments, yet the exquisite fabric and tailored design allowed her to radiate a noble elegance, showcasing the vibrancy and charm of her youth. Her hair was artfully parted, softening the youthful contours of her face. Before me stood a young woman, a beautiful maiden—not a girl! It was hard to believe that the girl who often pestered me could look so enchanting with a bit of effort (the one responsible for her transformation was truly skilled).

Strangely, she must be around fourteen or fifteen, technically not a child at all; why had I always perceived her as such? Reflecting back, perhaps my first impression had been too profound—when she had insisted on learning magic from a complete stranger, I had found her naivety shockingly excessive... almost childlike!

"Teacher? When did I become your teacher?" I finally processed her words; she had just referred to me as "teacher..."

"You promised to teach me magic! So, naturally, I must call you teacher... isn't that right?"

Teacher? The title felt so peculiar; even Brian had never called me that; he always referred to me as Mr. Ryder... Just thinking of that boy brought a wave of sadness, but Raith was gone, and he should be at peace...

"Do not call me teacher! Just call me Ryder..." I muttered under my breath, "Teacher! I do not deserve that title!"

"You don’t like being called teacher? Very well... Ryder... sir, why aren't you dancing? Everyone is!"

"I cannot dance!" I replied absently, but inwardly I kept repeating the word "teacher," the image of a certain face lingering in my mind...

"I’ll teach you!" She seized my hand, pulling me from my daze back into reality. "Follow me!"

"Your Highness!" A voice called out beside us, and Ethan in light military attire appeared.

"What is it?" the little girl asked, turning to face him.

"May I have the honor of dancing with you?" he inquired, casting me a significant glance.

"I'm sorry, but Mr. Ryder has already invited me!" With that, she ignored him, dragging me onto the dance floor!