"That day, Levi saved me."

There was a glint of gratitude in Irene's words. She had given up. The moment her dorm had burnt, her hope also had burned to ashes, but Levi's persistence and bravery saved her.

Irina and Tyson gulped as they looked at each other. Levi never talked to them about this, nor about anything that involved his life.

Now, they wanted to hug him and thank him a thousand times at least.

And even that wouldn't be enough. However, one thing didn't sit right with Tyson.

He had also heard of this incident, but the things he heard were quite different from what Irene was saying.

"Didn't the headmaster deal with the leader? And more importantly, how did Levi win against an A-rank?"

Irina also thought about it. Levi was his student, not the most talented kid, but his quick decisiveness and adaptive personality are what made him special.

But even she doubted that was enough to beat the A-rank or was he hiding something from her?

The couple waited for the answer, but Irene kept cutting the potatoes, without saying and recognizing their question.

"Irene?"

Irina called her to get her out of the stance.

Irene jolted and put her knife on the cutting board.

"Oh… I'm sorry, I did hear you but-"

"It's fine if you don't want to talk about it. It must be difficult for you to talk about after going through such a situation."

Irina walked towards her and patted Irene's head. Like a cat, Irene leaned in for more.

"It's not difficult for me to talk. , even after witnessing, what Levi did, till this day, I cannot believe how he pulled it off. Irina, Levi didn't win against that villain, he lost, quite miserably."

"He had cuts all over his body, second-degree burns covered his entire body, his wrists had been twisted, and I remember seeing his shoulder pop out from the socket."

Irina and Tyson felt a shiver run down their spine. Those weren't minor injuries that could be walked off. In fact, they wondered how Levi wasn't still at the hospital.

As Irene recalled that day, the miracle, she felt more in awe of the chains of miracles that had occurred.

"But he never gave up. He kept standing, carrying me, running, and fighting. He was so stubborn in saving me that even the intruder laid an offer. To leave me to die, and Levi would leave."

"What did he say then?" a

sked Tyson, like a curious child hearing the tale of a hero.

"I just want to protect her. Stop yapping and attack," Irene said exactly what Levi uttered that day.

Irene then explained more, about the fight, the tension, her emotions, and about the boy who kept guarding her, keeping her at the back.

"When the building collapsed, he tucked me under his body and hit the ground first, and that is when he lost consciousness. The headmaster came at the right time … and saved both of us."

Tyson and Irina took in a deep breath, soaking in the information. They were glad, relieved, and somewhat proud of Levi, though Irina felt a bit irritated.

"Levi did all of that, and the credit went to everyone except him. Did they not want a child to steal the spotlight?"

"No,"

Irene shook her head as she started frying those potatoes.

"The headmaster and Ms Fiona wanted to give every credit to Levi, but he refused for who knows why. He only took the reward the academy gave him."

Irina and Tyson nodded in unison because that was what Levi would do.

"Did your family not provide him with anything?"

Irina had lost the right to call it "our" family anymore and such a difference in words hurt Irene.

"They still haven't mainly because they cannot decide what to give him, after all, he won't accept anything grand."

At first, the head of Toxotai wanted to give Levi land and even knighted him under the family, but Levi never responded to his letter.

It really was a miracle from a fairytale and made Tyson wonder what happened between these after that.

"Wow, that is a story in itself, and didn't you guys become friends after that?"

Irene looked down and just smiled a sad one. Tyson immediately regretted asking that. Irina felt her discomfort, but that didn't mean she wasn't curious.

But it would be best for her to not know and let those two sort things out.

Irene also was curious about many things but right now, one thing spiked her curiosity,

"So, how do you guys know Levi ?"

The couple looked at each other before answering and Irene noticed their hesitation.

"Is it something secret that I shouldn't know about?"

Irina shook her head,

"No, it's just that we both don't know where to start. Just like your story, our also feels like a fairytale."

The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

They could digest the things that Levi had done for them, without asking for anything in need.

"It's a long story."

"Don't worry, I am not letting go of you this time," Irene said as she held Irina's hand.

"How should I start?" Irina said as she scratched her head.

"Levi, he is our benefactor," Irina said with the brightest of smiles.

"It was two months ago, that Levi came to the shop. Our house didn't look like this at all. The sign outside had almost fallen off, the thatched roof was barely holding on, and we could barely afford food for ourselves."

Irene's heart dropped when she heard that and she could imagine why that happened. People kicked out Irina and Tyson from society since that day and doing business or getting a job was impossible.

"And what did Levi do?"

Irene asked as he passed the chopped onions to Tyson.

Tyson vividly remembered that day, the day life got better,

"He wanted to start a business with me. He would bring the material, I would make the clothes, and he would sell it."

Irene looked at the neatly folded clothes near the sewing machine. She had seen them in the market but never would have guessed that it was her in-laws and Levi's doing.

He took out a slab of juicy steak from a small fridge next to the stove and started heating it,

"It all seemed too suspicious because he had no reason to come to me. Now, I know that he is a good person. Accepting an offer from a stranger was ridiculous, but I was too desperate."

Irene didn't know what his sister and brother-in-law had to go through but that was enough for her; she didn't want to hear more. Her heart wouldn't be able to handle it.

Irina remembered their first encounter. It wasn't a joyful one.

"I found the deal ridiculous and even threatened to kill him if he didn't leave, and that stubborn bastard didn't leave until Tyson agreed with it."

"We got some good money out of it and decided to use it to repair the house but-"

Irina couldn't say further. Thinking about it shook her.

"Luna's sickness started to get worse."

Tyson took over, and Irene could for the first time see her sister so vulnerable.

"She hadn't been the strongest child since birth, and also of our condition. Her condition worsened about a month ago. Taking her to the hospital was out of the question, and nobody was foolish and kind enough to help us."

Helping Irina and Tyson was equal to committing a murder. The nobles wouldn't let them live. Taking their jobs away, the vendors would refuse to sell them anything; that is why they had to use disguises to go out and buy anything.

"The rainstorm that day made it even worse, as we couldn't even bring anyone out in this place."

Tyson pointed at the door.

"But Levi came. We didn't hear him knock, so he broke the door, and came in, wet, shivering, and pale from the cold. After that, he worked his magic. That moment, he was the sun we needed on that rainy day."

"After the treatment, Luna's condition started getting better. She was healthier. Her appetite was better, she started gaining some muscles, and stopped having a fever every day or so. It was like a gift from God."

What Levi did still brought warmth to the couple's hearts, and now Irene as well.

Irina and Tyson both knew that talking about Noel wasn't an option and should be kept a secret, even if Irene was their family.

Irina started plating out the food on the new round table that they had just bought.

"Even after doing all this for us, he didn't ask anything in return."

Irene could see Levi doing so.

"Did he say why he helped you guys?"

But she still was curious why he was doing this. First, he helped her, then refused to explain and then he helped her sister.

'Is he doing this for me? Does he perhaps like me or something?'

Irene's own thoughts brought a blush to her cheeks. Though her guess was far off.

Irina thought about whether she should tell her or not because Levi was the guy to never opened up. She wanted to respect his secrets; that's the least she could do for him.

"Sorry, Irene, I cannot tell you, but he asked me to be his teacher and I accepted it."

"Teach him, what do you teach him?"

Irene asked curiously.

"That is also something I can't say."

Irina hadn't told anyone about the mirror magic. She didn't want to reveal it any time soon either.

Irene sulked, but she didn't question any further.

The three of them finished plating the food and placed it on the table. Now they had to wait, but an hour had already passed.

Tyson was a bit worried, "Should I go out and check-" Before he could finish, there was a knock on the door, and Tyson responded immediately.

"Papa," Luna said as she passed a lollipop to her father. She ran towards Irene and Irina and gave them the same red mixed with white lollipop.

Levi also walked in with two bags full of candies.

"Oh my god. Did you buy the whole shop?"

Tyson could see more than a hundred packets of candies in each one of the plastic bags.

"Pretty much."

Levi closed the door behind them as he put the bag of candies on the sofa. As he sat down, he could feel the three staring at him.

It was clear they shared something that Levi wouldn't have wanted. Keeping it a secret forever was inevitable, but it came faster than he would have wanted.

"Wow. Are we having a feast? Did something good happen?"

Luna's eyes sparkled when she saw the large table filled with food; she only saw restaurants from the outside.

"Yes, and from now on only good things will happen,"

Irene assured her and patted her back. She was determined to make things work for the better and change things.

Irina picked up Luna and kept her in a chair, right in between her and Tyson. The other two chairs were placed opposite to them, on their chairs and looked at Levi on the sofa.

Irina gestured at the chair and raised her eyebrow.

'I want to sleep.'

Levi sighed and sat on his chair. Tyson started serving the food, and everyone started enjoying the dinner, not everybody.

"Yumm. This is so good."

Luna kept stuffing her mouth using two forks at the same time.

"Manners."

Irina tried slowing her down while Tyson and Irene just laughed.

Levi had been eating his dinner alone for two months. He did enjoy the silence,

'But, this doesn't feel bad either.'

As they were eating, Levi reached out his hand to grab some salad as he reached out for the spoon on the green salad bowl. His hand touched the spoon, and a second, soft slim hand grabbed onto his.

He looked to his left, and Irene pulled her hand away. It was a cliche moment, that happened in every romance novel.

Levi took a spoon of salad and placed it above Irene's plate. She looked at him and nodded as he served three spoonfuls of salads to Irene and then to him.

Irina and Tyson didn't notice it, but Luna did. And like the child she was, she couldn't help but be curious and asked,

"Are big brother and aunt dating?"

*Cough* *Cough*

Tyson started choking on bread, and Irina passed him a glass of water.

Irene smiled and looked at Luna,

"No, we aren't."

Luna looked at Levi for confirmation, and he just nodded. Disappointed, Luna got back to eating.

Irina thought she should scold Luna. She looked at the two, and both hadn't reacted in any way, except she could see Irene's ear getting a bit red.

'Good job, my daughter.'

The rest of the dinner went without anyone talking and choking.

"Don't—I will do it."

Tyson took the plate away from Levi's hand as he was about to wash it on the sink.

"And you guys probably need to go."

He pointed at the clock, and it was already 7.15 pm. All students today had to come to their respective dorms before 8.

"Do you have to leave?" Luna said in a sad voice. She was having fun playing with her aunt.

Irene patted her head,

"I will come back again, okay."

"Promise.?"

"I promise." She kissed her niece's cheek and stood up.

Irina smiled knowing she would be seeing her sister again, but feared something happening to her if anyone found out.

Irene grabbed her hands tightly and assured her,

"Nobody will find out, and even if it happens, I won't stay still like I did back then."

The sisters hugged each other. Tyson looked at Levi with puppy eyes,

"Don't even think about it."

Levi said as he walked to the door.

Irina opened the door for them as Luna waved goodbye to both.

Irina grabbed Levi's shoulder and pulled him closer,

"Don't think of skipping."

"I won't."

Levi freed himself from the grip and walked out, and Irene followed him. They both looked at each other and started walking.

"Come back soon, okay," Luna shouted at them, and only Irene turned and smiled at her.

Tyson also came to the door and watched the two together, matching their rhythm.

"It reminds me of us back then."

"Yeah, but a lot more awkward than we were."