The next morning.
After a simple breakfast, Lucillea headed to the third floor of the west annex for her magic lesson.
The third floor housed training facilities for supernatural abilities such as aura and magic.
Despite the sign outside reading "Training Hall," the interior looked more like a classroom suited for theoretical study.
However—
“Foot.”
Tap!
Cookie placed her left foot neatly onto Noah’s open palm.
“Wing.”
Flap!
This time, she spread one of her sleek, feather-covered wings onto his hand.
Noah gasped in amazement.
“Wow! Incredible! A parrot that understands human language!”
“Chirp—!”
At the enthusiastic praise, Cookie puffed herself up proudly and began swaying her body like she was dancing, showing off her adorable charms.
Ahh! My heart!
Noah reacted dramatically, happily indulging her every move.
Watching the scene, the corners of Lucillea’s lips unconsciously curled upward.
Then she realized she was smiling and hurriedly flattened her expression.
No. I can’t let myself be fooled by that harmless-looking exterior.
She recalled the conversation she'd had with May the previous night.
“Noah Radevian is playful and sometimes acts like a fool, but I think that's his way of being considerate. He lowers people’s guard and makes it easier for them to approach him. But don't worry. His skills are anything but foolish.”
May had also said that if Noah were truly an idiot, the Grand Duke would never have kept him by his side.
Still, it's surprising. I never expected May and him to be friends.
May had known Noah since childhood, and by pure coincidence they had reunited as “coworkers” at the Grand Duke’s estate.
As Lucillea reflected on their conversation, her gaze drifted to the clock on the wall.
More than thirty minutes had already passed since they entered the training hall.
But... how long is he planning to keep doing this?
Unable to hold back any longer, Lucillea grabbed the edge of Noah’s robe and tugged it repeatedly.
“Professor.”
Without even looking at her, Noah replied while staring lovingly at Cookie.
“Call me Master.”
Lucillea pouted and muttered under her breath.
“Same thing.”
“It’s completely different. The feeling is totally different.”
What’s with that stiff ‘Professor’?
Reluctantly, Lucillea tried again.
“...M-Master.”
“Yes, child. What is it?”
Noah still didn’t look at her. He was too busy playing with the crest-like feathers on Cookie’s head.
Lucillea glared at the bird, who looked completely intoxicated by Noah’s affection.
“When does class start?”
“First day? What class?”
“...Then what?”
“On the first day, you’re supposed to introduce yourselves and get familiar with each other.”
“......”
Wow.
This old man is really trying to get away with doing nothing.
Lucillea clicked her tongue inwardly.
At that moment, Noah turned his half-lidded eyes toward her.
“You just thought I was slacking off, didn’t you?”
“...Pardon?”
Lucillea flinched.
What is this? Do mages know mind-reading too?
Despite her panic, she answered with a perfectly innocent face.
“No? Absolutely not.”
“A strong denial is just a strong affirmation.”
“......”
Hmph.
Noah returned his attention to Cookie and smiled as if he were melting.
“By the way, if she’s a parrot, can she talk too? Or has nobody trained her yet?”
“I’m not sure.”
Lucillea honestly didn’t know.
She had always communicated with Cookie through their mental connection, so she’d never bothered teaching her to speak aloud.
“Well, no problem. We can start training her now.”
Right, Cookie?
Noah gently stroked the bird’s walnut-sized head.
Then suddenly—
Cookie puffed up proudly and opened her beak.
“Idiot!”
“...Huh?”
What?!
Lucillea immediately called out mentally.
Cookie! Stop!
But whether Cookie couldn’t hear her or simply wanted everyone to know she could speak human language—
She kept going.
“Idiot! Chirp chirp! Idiot! Noah, idiot!”
“......”
“Idiot! Idiot! Idiot!”
Cookie enthusiastically repeated the word May had taught her yesterday, experimenting with all sorts of intonations.
And while doing so—
She pointed directly at Noah with the tip of her wing.
A vein twitched beneath Noah’s eye.
Slowly, he stood up.
Then turned around.
“Class... begins now...”
The lesson started with an enthusiasm level barely detectable to the naked eye.
Meanwhile, May had rushed in, grabbed Cookie, and dragged her out of the training hall.
“IDIOT!”
Cookie’s voice continued echoing through the corridor until the doors finally shut.
Perhaps because he'd just been insulted by a parrot, Noah looked visibly dejected.
He stretched his arms overhead and yawned dramatically.
Lucillea glanced around the room.
“Are there no other students?”
There were plenty of desks prepared. She had assumed several children attended the class.
Noah answered lazily.
“You're the only one taking beginner magic lessons. Children born with magical power are rare to begin with. The few we had moved up to intermediate classes last month.”
“Oh...”
He responded absentmindedly while walking toward a table beneath a large sunlit window.
The way he sat looked vaguely delinquent-like, but with golden sunlight pouring over his handsome features, it somehow resembled a painting.
For a moment, Noah simply basked in the sunlight like a plant performing photosynthesis.
Then he picked up one of the books stacked on the table.
After flipping through several pages, he immediately lost interest and tossed it aside.
“As for theory, just go to the library and look it up yourself later.”
“...Excuse me?”
What kind of teaching method is that?!
It felt like a schoolteacher saying, "Learn your lessons at a cram school."
As Lucillea blinked in disbelief, Noah rose from his seat.
“Anyway, today I’ll teach you about mana manipulation.”
He raised a single finger.
“Watch carefully. Every person’s mana has its own unique color and flow.”
Fwoosh!
A small blue flame appeared at the tip of his finger.
“First, draw it outside your body.”
The flame began spinning.
Then gradually condensed into a sphere.
Compared to the flickering flame, it now looked solid—like a shimmering blue crystal bead.
“Then gather it like this.”
Shhhh—
The concentrated mana suddenly scattered into countless particles and vanished into the air.
“And finally release it.”
Noah smiled.
“That’s the foundation of magic manipulation. Simple, right?”
“......”
And now you'll say, ‘See? Easy!’
The lesson reminded her suspiciously of a painting program from her previous life.
Noah held up three fingers.
“Remember only three things.”
Awareness. Concentration. Acceptance.
“Become aware of the mana inside your body. Concentrate to control it. Then understand and accept the nature of your mana.”
Lucillea nodded quietly.
Awareness. Concentration. Acceptance.
Awareness. Concentration. Acceptance.
Though she had initially been uninterested, she gradually found herself listening intently.
Noah studied her for a moment.
“Looks like you’ve already passed the awareness stage and entered concentration.”
“The concentration stage?”
“Yeah. You can manifest mana, can’t you?”
Manifest mana?
Oh! That thing!
The memory of showing her mana before the Grand Duke surfaced immediately.
Lucillea nodded.
“But I’ve only succeeded twice. No matter how hard I try, it won’t come out consistently.”
“That’s because you skipped through the awareness stage too quickly.”
“Then what should I do?”
“Well...”
At that moment, Noah’s expression changed completely.
The lazy, indifferent look vanished.
In its place appeared the focused gaze of a true teacher.
He answered every question sincerely.
Not only that—it felt as though he was trying his utmost to pass on every bit of knowledge he possessed.
His speech became faster.
His gestures more animated.
His passion intensified.
And Lucillea matched it with complete concentration, unwilling to waste even a blink.
Awareness. Concentration. Acceptance.
Like a spell, she repeated the words in her mind.
Before she realized it—
Hours had passed.
“Well then, kid. That’s enough for today.”
Noah dusted off his hands and walked toward the window.
“Huh?”
Already?
Lucillea looked at the clock in surprise.
It was lunchtime.
“I have homework for you.”
Noah summoned the blue flame onto his fingertip once more.
“Practice until you can maintain this for ten minutes.”
“Ten minutes?!”
I can barely summon it at all!
Lucillea stared at him in disbelief.
Noah grinned.
“You attended my class. Failing to do even that would be unacceptable. Not merely incompetence—an outright sin. Now that you understand, off you go.”
“......”
If things worked just because someone explained them once, everyone would be a mage!
Grumbling inwardly, Lucillea left the training hall.
Then—
“Lady Lucillea!”
“Lucy!”
May and Cookie came running from the far end of the corridor.
“You worked hard! Was the lesson difficult?”
“Lucy! Can we play now? Let’s go to the garden! The garden!”
The two spoke at the same time, creating immediate chaos.
The garden can wait.
Lucillea placed Cookie on her shoulder and answered May.
“It wasn’t difficult. He actually taught properly, surprisingly.”
“He would. Out of twenty-four hours in a day, he spends twenty acting ridiculous. But during the four hours he teaches, he’s completely serious.”
“...Twenty hours?”
“Yes!”
May answered brightly.
What kind of person is he, exactly...?
As Lucillea questioned Noah’s entire existence, May pulled something wrapped in pink paper from her arms.
“Hm?”
“It’s a gift to celebrate your successful first lesson.”
With practiced movements, May unwrapped it.
Lucillea’s eyes widened.
It was a lollipop.
A gigantic one.
Only a slight exaggeration would be needed to say it was nearly the size of her face.
White, sky-blue, and pink swirls spiraled together in beautiful patterns.
Tiny sugar crystals sparkled like stars scattered across the night sky.
Just looking at it was enough to imagine an overwhelming sweetness.
“W-Wow! This is for me?!”
“Of course.”
“I’ve never received a candy like this before!”
Carefully, Lucillea accepted it with both hands.
It was surprisingly heavy.
Honestly, she could probably use it as a weapon if necessary.
Though she had no intention of doing so.
She stared at the sparkling lollipop in pure admiration before carefully wrapping it back up.
“You’re not eating it now?”
“No. We’re having lunch soon.”
And besides...
It’s way too pretty to eat immediately.
I want to admire it first.
Hehe.
Holding the giant lollipop tightly, Lucillea gave it a small wave through the air.
Wow!
Wow!
It looks just like a magic wand from the movies and anime I used to watch!
For a moment, she felt like a real mage already.
“Thank you so much, May...! This is the happiest day of my life!”
“...It was nothing.”
Smiling softly at her reaction, May leaned closer.
“Well then, what are your plans after lunch? Would you like to take a walk in the garden?”
Still clutching the lollipop, Lucillea shook her head.
“No. More importantly... May.”
“Yes?”
“Can I use the Grand Duke’s library?”
May raised an eyebrow.
“The library?”
“Yeah.”
Lucillea’s eyes gleamed.
“There’s something I want to look into.”