"Excuse me."
"What... is an academy?"
Henie was momentarily stunned.
The person standing before her had exceptionally beautiful eyes, like two sparkling emeralds.
What a pity, though. Someone with such stunning eyes...
...was speaking in a halting and awkward manner.
And the question she asked was rather odd.
It gave off the impression of beauty without intelligence.
A trace of regret flickered in Henie's eyes. Fortunately, she was a helpful person and began to explain:
"An academy? It's basically a place for teaching and learning."
"This is a magic academy. If you have a talent for magic, you can apply for admission."
The person standing before her fell silent after hearing Henie's explanation.
Henie stood quietly, observing her:
"Are you from outside the city?"
"Or is this your first time in the capital?"
The hooded figure nodded blankly.
A flame of helpfulness ignited in Henie's heart.
Looking at the person who struggled even to speak, Henie couldn't help but ask kindly:
"Why did you come to the capital?"
"I want... to become stronger."
In her fragmented memories, ever since the Monster Rift had been shrouded in that deep darkness, the image of a crow had been etched into her mind.
It seemed to constantly remind her, flashing along with visions of a bustling city in her thoughts.
Thus, she followed those fragmented and faint memories to this place.
"I see, I understand now."
Henie nodded, displaying a look of realization.
"If you want to become a mage, I can give you a tour of the academy."
"By the way, what's your name?"
The mysterious figure slowly raised her head, her translucent green snake-like pupils gradually expanding. A hoarse voice emerged:
"I am..."
"Sapphirose."
...
Dragging her sore legs, Henie finally pushed open the grand doors of the Kravina estate.
Although Viktor had already prepared a house near the academy for her—so she wouldn't have to walk too far to work—Henie still preferred coming back here.
If asked why...
"Professor!"
Henie pushed open the study door, her cheerful voice ringing out.
She stepped through the doorway and saw Viktor sitting at his desk under the glow of a desk lamp.
The warm yellow light pierced through the darkness, illuminating the pages of the book he was reading.
Viktor slowly turned the pages of his book, the soft rustling of paper occasionally breaking the silence.
Whenever Henie entered the study and saw Viktor, he was almost always engrossed in a thick book.
This sight always filled Henie with a sense of admiration.
No wonder the professor had become a Tier 4 mage at such a young age.
Even after reaching Tier 4, he still read constantly.
The knowledge in his mind must have reached an astounding level.
Although she was surprised last time when she borrowed that obscene book from Professor Viktor, the more she thought about it, the more it made sense.
That novel was written in Elvish; perhaps Professor Viktor was reading it to learn the language.
This further demonstrated his wide-ranging curiosity and deep study of Elvish.
In any case, Henie had found plenty of reasons to justify it.
Seeing Henie return, Viktor closed his book and placed it steadily on the desk.
He turned off the desk lamp and snapped his fingers.
A white light, brighter than the lamp, lit up the dim study.
His gaze shifted calmly toward Henie.
"It seems you're in a good mood today."
"Is there something you need?"
"Well, not really..."
Hearing Viktor's question, Henie fidgeted a little before looking at him again.
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"It's so hot today, and I wanted to take a bath."
"So... Professor, can we... take one together?"
...
Bang!
The door slammed shut, and in the blink of an eye, Henie found herself standing outside.
As expected, she had been kicked out of the study.
Such a request was bold in itself; being rejected was no surprise.
But Henie didn't feel discouraged or give up.
Ever since she realized her race was that of a succubus, it had taken her several days to come to terms with it.
This was thanks to Leighton.
The little crocodile had counseled her, saying that demons were creatures driven by instinct. Deliberately following rules was less meaningful than following one's nature.
Thus, Henie had come to accept it.
Since her feelings were a natural instinct...
Why not embrace them?
Besides, she really liked Professor Viktor.
"......"
Unconsciously, Henie thought back to the last time.
It was also in Professor Viktor's study.
The professor had kissed her.
She leaned against the study door, touching her lips.
Soon, Henie shook off her thoughts, humming an offbeat tune as she left the hallway.
...
In the study, Viktor rubbed his forehead, his brows furrowed in frustration.
The crow perched nearby cackled mercilessly.
"Look at you, all flustered."
"If you ask me, you should just give in already."
Viktor straightened his posture and replied calmly.
"I've told you."
"It's not the right time yet."
It wasn't Henie or their relationship that troubled him, but rather the fact that after kicking her out, he remembered he had something to discuss with her.
Her bold statement had completely thrown him off track.
That succubus... truly...
"Getting bolder by the day."
With his train of thought derailed, he no longer felt like reading.
Taking a deep breath, Viktor sat upright.
"Forget it. I should deal with another matter first."
Sitting in his chair, a deep black vortex began to swirl at his feet, gusts of wind erupting from within.
Vega perched on his shoulder.
His entire body fragmented into pieces, sinking into the vortex and gradually vanishing.
...
In a room with wooden floors covered by thick carpets, a massive leather chair sat prominently. The air was filled with the aroma of tea.
Unlike other maids, Vanilla, though dressed as a maid and often handling household chores, was not considered a servant in the Kravina estate. She was a retainer sent from the Kravina main family.
Rumor had it that the adorable catgirl wore a maid outfit solely because of Viktor Kravina's peculiar preferences.
Additionally, there were whispers that Viktor had a fondness for minors, a rumor that had practically spread throughout the capital.
These suspicions had almost solidified into truths.
The household staff all knew about it, but none dared to discuss it.
Thus, the rumors were tacitly accepted as fact.
Except for Vanilla herself, who was completely unaware.
She was currently seated in her room, holding a complex magical tome, earnestly studying and practicing her reading.
She bit her finger, furrowed her brow, and her tail unconsciously stood upright, swaying slightly.
Even her ears twitched rhythmically.
As a magic apprentice, there were many things she didn't understand.
And now, as she pored over the magical text, she had hit a wall.
It was just an ordinary "Magic Apprentice's Beginner Selection."
Could it be that beastfolk were inherently unsuited to becoming mages?
A sense of anxiety and doubt crept into Vanilla's heart.
As she concentrated on her studies, a deep black vortex suddenly appeared on the floor behind her.
A gust of wind blew toward the ceiling as Viktor emerged, standing behind her.
Startled by the presence, Vanilla quickly set down her book.
But when she turned and saw Viktor, her initial surprise turned to delight.
"Master!"
Viktor nodded lightly and responded:
"How's your studying coming along?"
"Um... there are some complex parts I still don't quite understand."
Viktor leaned down, moving closer to her. Vega's single eye also scanned the magical text.
It was an exceptionally simple foundational magic question.
The difficulty was akin to asking how much 10 times 8 equaled in basic arithmetic.
Glancing at the text and receiving the answer from Vega, Viktor explained calmly:
"Here, it's because of the connection between the runes."
"When two runes interact, they channel magic power through their linkage."
Vanilla lowered her head, listening intently to Viktor's explanation. She nodded in sudden realization.
Ah, so that's how it worked!
She finally understood!
Afterward, Viktor gently placed his hand on Vanilla's head.
As he touched her cat ears, a soft sensation spread through his fingers.
Vanilla froze for a moment but quickly relaxed, enjoying the caress.
She closed her eyes, purring contentedly.
While stroking her, Viktor noticed the level indicator above Vanilla's head.
Lv7.
Not bad.
At the start, she had only been Level 5.
Now, at this level, perhaps it was time to give it a try.
Viktor's voice sounded softly.
"In a moment, don't resist."
Vanilla looked confused, not yet realizing what was about to happen. She obediently nodded.
Suddenly, a black crow flew in front of her.
Its single eye glowed with a bright blue light.
The instant their eyes met, Vanilla felt a wave of intense dizziness. Her mind blanked, her eyes rolled back, and she collapsed unconscious.
With a flick of his hand, Viktor enveloped Vanilla in a white magical aura and placed her gently on the bed.
At this moment, Vega flapped its wings, perched beside Vanilla, and examined her body with a nod of approval.
"Even though she's a beastfolk and not yet an adult, her physical condition far surpasses that of ordinary humans."
Viktor used his finger to channel white magic into the air, summoning a magical artifact from his storage space.
[Eyeball of the Hidden Magic Corpse]
The eyeball, oozing greenish blood, floated midair, enveloped in a magical glow.
Then, Vega's voice rang out.
With immense pride and confidence, it raised its head as if to announce something monumental.
"Now, let me—Vega, the Great Doctor!"
"Commence this extraordinary surgery!"
"""