"Ugh! Ow, it hurts!"
A piercing pain surged through Seria's left shoulder.
Reflexively, her eyes widened in shock.
"Th-Theo?"
She looked at Theo, who was gripping her left shoulder.
His eyes were blazing with an intensity she had never seen before.
Those crimson eyes, burning with pure fury, reminded her of raging flames.
Swallowed by fear, Seria felt paralyzed.
It was terrifying.
She couldn't scream.
Reacting audibly in front of someone with such a look in their eyes would be too risky.
Especially when there was no one else around at this hour.
She had no idea what Theo might do to her next.
Her heart raced.
"I... I was just playing a prank... Aaah!"
"To you, this is a prank?"
Theo's grip on Seria's shoulder tightened even more.
'He's really mad!'
Fear shook Seria's core.
She was merely happy to see him and had thought to play a little trick.
With a desperate tone, Seria said,
"I'm sorry! I won't do it again! I apologize... Aaah!"
"It's too late. You've thoroughly soured my mood."
Cutting her off, Theo applied even more pressure to her shoulder.
It felt as if he was trying to crush her bones.
'Is he trying to make me bleed?'
The pain was so intense that Seria bit her lip hard.
That's when she felt the mana supply from the mana stone in her possession end.
'A 6th-circle level spell... was negated?'
But that wasn't important at the moment.
Tears welled in Seria's eyes as she pleaded,
"I'm... I'm so sorry! I won't ever do it again! Please, let go... Ah! Ahhhh..."
Thud.
Theo finally released his grip on her shoulder.
Seria collapsed onto the ground.
She didn't dare touch her likely bruised shoulder, and looked up at Theo, her eyes filled with terror.
"I... I'm truly sorry, Theo. I was just so happy to see you and thought I'd play a little joke..."
"I don't take this as a mere joke. Never do it again."
Theo's expression was now cold and distant, the fiery rage that was there moments ago now gone.
'He's truly insane.'
This only intensified Seria's fear.
She had never encountered someone like Theo before.
Being of noble lineage, countless individuals had fawned over her, always aiming to impress.
Thanks to this, she encountered a variety of characters.
'I thought he might have a wild side, but this...'
To Seria, Theo was an enigma, unlike anyone she had ever met.
Ever since discovering the true identity of the seemingly quiet Theo Lyn Waldeurk during yesterday's tournament, Seria had thoroughly investigated him.
His background was full of surprises.
Not only was he a direct descendant of the renowned Waldeurk family known across the continent, but he also wasn’t particularly well-regarded by anyone.
On the surface, he seemed like the very embodiment of a trashy noble.
However...
—Everyone at the academy knows about his disgraceful retreat during the first-semester combat evaluation, right? An utter embarrassment for the prestigious Waldeurk family, a complete zero in mana.
—Well, things seem to have changed lately. He ranked first in the recent practical evaluations, and... he’s been getting quite famous. He’s been seen with the Elf Princess of the Great Forest and the academy idol Aisha, after all.
—Oh, and everyone knows he's friends with the orcs, right? As soon as a lecture ends, he always heads straight to the training grounds.
—After winning yesterday's tournament, he skipped the interview and left immediately. Reporters and officials from various guilds and nations even booked lodgings nearby, hoping to snag a word with him.
—Even Taylor, the Branch Chief of [The Hilté], is said to have taken an interest in him. I'm jealous... I've always wanted to have a chat with him.
A deeper investigation revealed a myriad of different evaluations.
The drastic change in assessments was so extreme, it was as if he’d switched souls overnight.
'...This man is no ordinary, worthless noble.'
The Theo that Seria just encountered felt like a battle-hardened tiger.
His nature from their earlier days together wasn’t a fa?ade; it was his genuine self.
She was, in truth, relieved.
Relieved that her image of him hadn't shattered.
"...W-what brings you here, Theo?"
A flustered Seria, rising from her seat, managed to stammer out the question.
"I need a mana recharge."
"And... what if I refuse?"
She asked, glancing at Theo.
It wasn't that she intended to decline, but she was curious about how he'd react.
"Then, I'll have no choice but to find someone else."
But Theo's demeanor remained unchanged.
No hint of emotion, just unwavering calm.
"...Please, come in."
With that, Seria opened the door to her research room.
Raei Translations
I entered the underground lab room with Seria.
Seria's legs were still trembling.
Proof that she had been scared.
'I feel a bit sorry for her.'
But I have no regrets.
Seria is the top student of the Magic Department and the daughter of the Black Tower Master.
She's the object of admiration for countless hero department students.
Among them, I was the only one who could catch her attention.
I had to make her my aide.
First impressions are crucial.
Even more so in this case.
When we first met, Seria tried to unmask me with debuff magic.
I was fortunate to have [Magic Nullification]; otherwise, I would've been helpless.
'Seria...'
There are things she should and shouldn't do.
She's the type who needs clear boundaries.
I need to continue playing the mysterious stranger I pretended to be when I approached her in the past while hiding my true identity.
Even after she knows who I am, behaving like the kind of man she's attracted to is beneficial for me.
Being enigmatic, intriguing, resolute, and most importantly, not letting her control me.
'The moment I'm at a disadvantage, she would take control.'
I learned just how exhausting unwanted stalking can be, thanks to Siena.
I wasn't prepared for Siena before, but with Seria, I'm fully prepared and even approached her on my own initiative.
'I won't let it happen a second time.'
Seria becomes obsessively attached to things she likes.
How much trouble did Neike face because of Seria in the original game?
But I'm different.
I can't be swayed by her, especially since I'll be interacting with her until we graduate from the academy.
Had she resisted earlier, like trying to use more magic, I would've immediately slapped her.
Once someone learns fear, they rarely repeat the same mistake.
Of course, my heart sank a bit when she resisted earlier.
'I can handle this.'
Furthermore, she's a mage.
No matter how powerful she becomes, as long as she relies on magic, she can't defeat me.
I need to establish dominance from the get-go.
I can't buy her heart with money.
I have to steal it.
While I was pondering all this—
"Then please show me the [Magic Cartridge]..."
Seria murmured, avoiding my gaze.
She seemed like a hurt kitten, but she still gets the job done.
'Got her right where I want. Perfect.'
No need for pleasantries.
In the end, she was complying very well with my request.
"Understood."
I placed my robe on the table and lifted my shirt.
"...It really is you."
"What are you talking about?"
"At the tournament... I was 99% sure it was you, Theo. But not 100%. However, seeing it directly now... It's 100%."
Seria pointed at the mark on my left side, confirming my identity.
"Let's start the charging process then."
"Alright."
Three minutes later.
Normally, the mana charge would be done by now.
However, I was still looking down at Seria, who had her hand pressed to my left side.
"Did you recently upgrade your mana engraving? It seems your mana storage has increased?"
Feeling my gaze, Seria spoke without taking her eyes off my body.
'Ah, so that's why it stung a bit.'
I responded calmly,
"Yes, I’ve enhanced it quite a bit."
"It seems more than just 'quite a bit'. Looks like it has doubled... Whew, I'm a bit exhausted. Can we take a short break?"
"Sure, take your time."
Seria finally took her hand off my side.
She appeared tired as she took a sip of a mana potion that was on the desk.
"It’s about 80% charged now. Just give me a moment, and I'll start recharging again."
"Alright."
Without bothering to straighten my shirt, I leaned against the desk.
Seria looked at me thoughtfully.
"By the way, Theo, can I ask you something?"
"What is it?"
She hesitated for a moment before speaking,
"What... what do you think of me?"
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