"What should I teach him tomorrow?"
Faruzan smiled to herself as she thought about the next day's lesson. It was a new and wonderful feeling to have a student who truly understood her.
Her first student was… so smart, so handsome. Remembering the class, she gave her flushed cheeks a gentle tap.
Being watched by such a charming and curious young man, with those attentive eyes, made her heart race—even though she had never cared much about men before.
"But he's learning way too fast…"
She paused, thoughtful, her eyes falling on the blackboard still covered with notes.
His name was Leon. And what he had absorbed in a single day was nothing short of impressive. Faruzan possessed a vast knowledge accumulated over decades, yet Leon seemed to grasp it as if reading a picture book meant for children.
If Faruzan were a compendium of wisdom, he had already read a tenth of it.
"At this rate, he'll know everything I have to teach in less than ten lessons."
She frowned, displeased by the thought.
Faruzan—or rather, Professor Faruzan, as she now preferred to be called—didn't want this journey to end so soon. He was her first student, and she hadn't yet had her fill of the joy of teaching. There was still so much to share, to discuss, to explore…
"Darn, darn, darn!"
She whispered, pounding the desk softly with clenched fists. That's when the bell rang, pulling her from her daydream.
She looked up, confused, and only then realized: the day was already over. The sun was dipping below the horizon, painting the hallways in golden hues.
"Oh no! I completely forgot about the research on that ancient artifact!"
Her eyes widened in alarm.
"Sherry Barnett is still waiting for me!?"
She had been so caught up in class—and in Leon—that she had completely lost track of time. She hastily gathered her books, messily rolled up some scrolls, and ran out of the room.
Meanwhile...
"Your Highness… did you understand anything Professor Faruzan taught today?"
Euphilia looked at Leon, concerned.
Noelle, beside her, was rubbing her temples, visibly dizzy.
"To be honest, I understood every word… I just didn't understand them when they were put together," Noelle muttered, exhausted.
Both had tried their best to follow the lesson, but it was like trying to decipher an alien language. Euphilia, always a model student, felt utterly defeated—almost stupid. The formulas, symbols, and theories seemed more confusing than forbidden magic.
"Well…" Leon said, smiling. "It's normal not to get it the first time. But I must admit—Faruzan is incredible. I'm seriously thinking about hiring her to serve our kingdom. What do you think? How should we persuade her?"
Noelle glanced at Euphilia, who responded with a tired sigh:
"With her talent… she'll probably offer herself in a few days."
"What?! Euphie, are you kidding me?"
"Please, try to be a little more self-aware…"
The silver-haired girl sighed deeply.
Even though she didn't understand the material on the board, she had noticed something else—something that didn't need decoding: the way Faruzan looked at Leon. It was… far too intense.
"I don't think we need to persuade her at all. At this rate, she'll give herself to him willingly in just a few days."
"Anyway, let's head home. Oh, now that I think about it… I was planning to investigate the infiltrators in the academic department and find that ancient artifact. I completely forgot."
Leon scratched his head, frustrated with himself.
That's when, suddenly, a pink-haired girl appeared at the top of the staircase, descending lightly. She carried a massive book and a peculiar silver jewel in her hands.
Reading while walking down stairs is never a good idea.
"Eeeeeeeeeeeek!"
As expected, she tripped.
Her foot missed a step, her body lurched forward, and a sharp scream echoed through the corridor.
Almost instinctively, Leon reached out his arms.
His position was so perfect he barely had to move. He simply raised his hands… and the girl fell straight into his embrace.
It was as if fate had aligned everything perfectly.
He caught her effortlessly, looking down at the embarrassed face of the girl.
"It's very dangerous to read while walking down stairs. Are you okay?"
Leon asked gently, his voice full of concern as he looked at the dazed pink-haired girl.
"Eh? Ah? I… thank you! Thank you so much!"
Sherry blinked several times, her expression adorably flustered. She was charming, with a unique grace, but more like a clumsy animal than an imposing beauty. Compared to Faruzan, Sherry had a more vulnerable aura—yet equally captivating.
Next to them, Euphilia watched the scene with a distant, almost numb look. The silver-haired girl thought: Is Leon the cause of all this? Wherever he goes, the opposite sex always seems drawn to him. She sighed quietly, realizing Leon's natural charm might be beyond her understanding.
"Oh! The ancient artifact! Where did it fall? Be careful not to break it!"
Sherry looked around nervously, almost panicked.
"Huh? You're talking about an ancient artifact…?"
Leon frowned in surprise. His eyes landed on the silver jewel he had just picked up—the same one Sherry was now desperately searching for.
So this was the artifact the girls didn't retrieve?
He paused, his thoughts spinning. How ironic could fate be? He had forgotten to investigate the ancient artifact that day—but now, the artifact had found him, along with a confused and unexpectedly cute girl.
As his thoughts wandered, he chuckled, trying to dismiss the idea that this was anything more than a coincidence.
Forget it, don't be superstitious. No way something this convenient just happens.
That's when a familiar voice broke through his thoughts:
"Sherry, are you alright? What happened?"
An elderly man with long white hair rushed toward them. Upon seeing the scene—Sherry in Leon's arms—he froze, eyes wide with surprise.
"Um… Sherry, since when do you have a boyfriend…"
"No, no, Dad! It's not like that!"
Sherry quickly turned to correct him, flustered.
"I just caught her when she fell down the stairs," Leon explained calmly, giving the man a relaxed smile. "Please don't misunderstand. It's not what it looks like."
He then gently set Sherry down, but before she could steady herself, her body wobbled, and she leaned forward again, bracing against his arms.
"I've never seen such a… forceful hug," Leon thought, unsure whether to laugh or worry.
"I'm so sorry!"
Sherry quickly apologized, clearly embarrassed.
"Hey, it's alright. Are you okay?"
Leon asked, his expression calm and reassuring.
"I'm fine… it's just… I spent so much time studying this ancient artifact, I forgot to eat and sleep. I guess it made me a little dizzy. Haha, sorry…"
She shook her head timidly, ashamed of the situation. The lack of food, combined with physical and mental fatigue, had dulled her senses.
Then, a stomach growl broke the silence.
"Wah!"
Sherry instantly blushed down to her ears, wishing she could disappear into the floor.
Next to her, Leon couldn't help but chuckle. Smiling, he pulled some chocolates from his pocket and offered them to her.
"Here. It won't fill your stomach, but it might help a bit. Sugar's good for the brain."
"Thank you, thank you! Oh, please forgive me!"
Sherry took the treat, still flustered but very grateful.
"By the way, my name is Sherry Barnett."
"Leon."
He replied with a friendly smile, although he still felt a bit curious about this girl—who seemed completely unaware of his true identity. But her father… he looked much more surprised.
"Leon? Could you be the prince everyone's been talking about? This is… quite disrespectful. I… I apologize for my daughter."
The man corrected himself, looking at Leon with some regret.
"I'm Lutheran Barnett, vice-director of Midgar Academy. I truly thank you for your help."
Leon smiled back casually. "Don't worry. It was just a small favor. But more importantly—I heard something interesting. This ancient artifact that's being studied…"
He looked back at the silver jewel in his hands.
He no longer believed it was just a coincidence. As an expert in magical artifacts, he recognized immediately: the jewel was no ordinary trinket. It was undeniably an ancient artifact of the Cult of Diablos.
But something about the whole situation felt wrong.
It can't be a coincidence… maybe it wasn't Gamma's mistake that stopped them from retrieving the relic—but a deliberate move by the cult. Maybe… it's tied to their upcoming plans.
Now that he thought about it, everything was lining up with eerie precision.
(End of Chapter)
"Hmph. If you really want to be useful, then entertain me, try to throw those pathetic power stones at me. Let's see if even your insolence can amuse a king."