Kevla was still explaining.

"Once you marry Viktor, you'll be part of the Kravina family."

"That way, even if Father wants to call you back, you'll have every reason to refuse."

Gwen: "..."

Under Gwen's bewildered gaze, Kevla continued pacing back and forth, muttering to herself.

"It's perfect timing with my return. We can set the date, and I can be your witness at the wedding..."

"Hmm, considering your age, you should have been married by now. It's not right to have delayed it for so long."

Gwen finally couldn't hold back anymore and shouted:

"Sister! I'm not planning to get married yet!"

Hearing Gwen's words, Kevla turned her head, feigning confusion.

"What? Doesn't Viktor like you?"

"No... that's... probably not it..."

Gwen recalled her conversation with Viktor earlier that day. She had intended to firmly say she didn't like him, but somehow found herself changing her words.

She lowered her head, her voice getting softer and softer.

"Well, there you have it!"

Kevla laughed heartily, patting Gwen's shoulder, and said with a smile:

"Little Gwen, you don't want to go back home either, right?"

"..."

Gwen felt that Kevla's words were not well-intentioned.

But she indeed didn't want to go back.

Thinking of her strict father and her disliked second brother...

In this family, only her mother and sister mattered to her; she had no other attachments.

Seeing Gwen gradually fall silent, Kevla took a few steps back and said with a light laugh:

"Alright, alright, I was just teasing you."

"I won't let you go back."

Gwen looked up, eyeing Kevla curiously.

Kevla stood there, pondering something:

"Hmm... but if you don't go back, we need to find a reason."

"Viktor is not bad, right? I saw you coming back in his carriage together."

"I'll send a message home, saying you're in the midst of a passionate romance with Viktor. That should do it, right?"

Hearing her sister's frivolous suggestion, Gwen's face turned red. She wanted to argue, but knowing Kevla was trying to help her, and unable to think of a better reason, she could only close her mouth in a huff.

Her sister didn't know anything.

Her relationship with Viktor was far from good.

"Oh! Right!"

Kevla moved closer to Gwen again, saying with a grin:

"Actually, there's another matter I need to resolve during this visit to the capital. I wasn't planning to tell you."

"But since you seem to be on good terms with Viktor, I thought I'd ask you to seek his help."

"Help?"

Gwen was taken aback. What kind of help would Viktor require?

"Yes, after all, he's a mage, and from what you've said, he's a super-powerful one at that."

"So, I'd like you to pass on a message for me."

Suddenly, Kevla turned serious. Her previous playful demeanor vanished completely, as if she had become a different person, reminiscent of a quiet violet.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Deep and mysterious.

"Be aware of the 'filth' that has infiltrated the capital."

Gwen was startled by her sister's reaction. But as soon as Kevla finished speaking, she reverted to her previous playful self, smilingly putting an arm around Gwen's shoulders.

"Anyway, just remind him. If he can find that thing, it would be a great help!"

Gwen wanted to know what exactly this 'filth' was that her sister mentioned, something significant enough to warrant seeking help from a mage like Viktor.

But before she could ask more, a hand had already mischievously found its way to the gap in her armor at her waist.

Gwen felt a warmth at her waist, her face immediately flushing red. Kevla's voice was already in her ear.

"You've sweated a lot, haven't you, little Gwen?"

"How about taking a nice warm bath with your sister? I can check if you're developing normally while we're at it~"

Gwen, red-faced, firmly refused.

"Sister! I'm well past the age of development!"

"Come on! Let me take a look!"

.......

'Do you want power?'

The black, twisted letters reappeared on the book, as tempting as a demon.

But Henie was merely troubled.

This was already the fourth time today.

Since morning, these strange black words had been mysteriously surrounding her.

On her desk, on the walls, even in the flower beds she passed while walking through the campus garden.

She didn't know who was behind this prank.

Yes, she had been treating this as a prank all along.

After all, who would take such an ominous, cliché thing seriously?

Henie had endured it the first few times, thinking the prankster would eventually get bored.

But she hadn't expected them to be so persistent.

This time, she finally couldn't take it anymore.

She was sitting at a desk in the library, preparing for today's lessons.

But these words appeared on the page, covering the content she had just written.

She was angry but could only fume silently.

As an ordinary magic apprentice, she had a wealth of theoretical knowledge but couldn't cast a single spell.

Without talent, she was destined to helplessly watch this annoying prank cling to her.

So, she wrote a few words on that page.

'Sorry, I refuse.'

After doing this, she tore out the page that was already filled with content, threw it in a nearby trash can, gathered her books, and left the library.

Although she could remember this content in her head,

Her cautious nature made her feel far less secure than writing it on paper.

Henie planned to return to the Mage Tower—to Viktor's office, to rewrite in peace.

Before leaving, Viktor had given her access to his office.

So Henie could freely enter and exit the Mage Tower.

On the way to the Mage Tower, those black letters rose again from the stone pavement.

'Do you want power?'

"Sorry, I don't want it! Stop bothering me!"

Henie shouted her refusal, hugging her books and running away without looking back.

Soon, she arrived at the Mage Tower, out of breath.

Having never engaged in intense exercise, even this short run left her feeling oxygen-deprived.

After catching her breath for a while, she reached out to touch the Mage Tower.

[Identity Verification Successful—Teaching Assistant Henie, Welcome back to the Mage Tower.]

With a voice prompt, the teleportation array quickly descended.

The next second, she appeared in Viktor's office.

The room was fresh and clean, with a small vase of bright flowers on the windowsill—a gift she had given to Professor Viktor.

Professor Viktor had a bit of a cleanliness obsession; he liked a clean and tidy environment.

Henie always kept this in mind, so she cleaned the office for Viktor every day.

She didn't sit in Viktor's chair, but instead brought another chair to the desk before sitting down.

After putting down her books, she began writing furiously.

Henie knew her talent was poor, so she constantly strived to improve her knowledge.

An hour later, the book was filled with content—all of today's lessons.

Those words hadn't appeared again.

"It really was just a prank."

Henie felt proud of her cleverness. No one without authorization could enter the Mage Tower, let alone Viktor's office.

The fact that the words hadn't reappeared confirmed Henie's thoughts.

"This kind of prank wouldn't fool even a ten-year-old child."

Henie calculated the time; it was almost time for class.

She picked up the book full of content, and before leaving, glanced at Viktor's chair.

"......"

Henie put down her book and carefully walked to the chair, then—

She reached out and hugged it.

As if imagining something in her mind, her face flushed slightly, yet she greedily inhaled the faint scent left on the chair.

After a short while, she let go of the chair, adjusted her clothes, and looked determined.

"Professor! I won't let you down!"

With that, she picked up her book again and ran out, teleporting away from the Mage Tower.

Walking along the path, Henie's mood had improved.

No matter how bad she felt, returning to the Mage Tower always cheered her up.

She hugged her book, happily walking down the corridor.

However, at a corner of the academy, her eyes caught sight of a coat tail.

Henie wanted to step back immediately, but it was too late.

With a 'bang', she collided with the person.

She fell to the ground in pain but never let go of her textbook.

In front of her was a fat man with a small mustache, looking down at her with a gloomy expression.

Henie quickly stood up, not bothering to dust herself off, and hurriedly bowed to apologize.

"I'm... I'm sorry, Professor Devin, I wasn't watching where I was going..."

"Of course you weren't watching where you were going. If you had seen me, would you have bumped into me?"

The man referred to as Professor Devin seemed to be in a very bad mood. He stroked his small mustache with his pinky finger extended and berated Henie:

"You cheap, dirty thing from head to toe, I really don't know why you're still allowed in this academy."

Henie kept her head down without a word. In fact, she had seen him.

At the corner, she had intended to step back a few paces to let him pass first.

But his waist was so large that she didn't have time to retreat before he bumped into her.

It was clearly his fault, so why did she have to apologize...

Henie endured the insults without arguing back.

Such things happened often in the past; she just needed to endure it...

She couldn't cause trouble for Professor Viktor.

Suddenly, Devin noticed the textbook in Henie's hands and sneered coldly.

"Hmph? What's this?"

"You, a mere teaching assistant, are going to teach the first-year class again?"