Several days later, Vel trudged back to the lodging from his class, his uniform sticking uncomfortably to his back. While their chaos element research continued to stagnate, Lyvenna had compensated by drilling them relentlessly in combat fundamentals.
Two hours of physical conditioning under the afternoon sun had left him drenched. The harsh sunlight beat down mercilessly. Sweat trickled down his temples, and he wiped it away with his sleeve.
"This heat is unbearable," he muttered to himself, longing for the cool shade of his quarters.
He briefly considered using ice magic to cool himself down, but mana fatigue would hardly be an improvement over heat exhaustion. Not to mention the temperature shock from sudden cooling—catching a cold was the last thing he needed.
As he approached the lodging, thoughts of a refreshing bath filled his mind. Hileya would probably have prepared one for him already, anticipating his return. The thought of her efficiency brought a small smile to his face, which quickly turned to excitement as an idea sparked.
"A cold smoothie would be perfect right now," he said, recalling a comfort from his old life as Giri. Frozen fruit blended with ice had been his go-to refreshment during coding marathons in summer.
Vel quickened his pace. With magic, it would be simple enough. Of course he couldn't "Conjure Smoothie" out of thin air, but a little freezing here and crushing there would do the job.
Instead of heading to his quarters as usual, Vel made a detour, walking directly to the servant kitchen at the back of the lodging.
The stone walls of the lower level provided blessed relief from the heat, though warmth from the kitchen grew stronger as Vel approached. Among the expected sounds of busy staff preparing evening meals, Hileya's voice caught his attention.
"—certainly, sir," she was saying, her tone carrying a formality he rarely heard when she spoke to him.
"Then we're agreed," replied a male voice Vel didn't recognize.
Vel slowed his pace, not wanting to interrupt what sounded like a private conversation. He paused just beside the doorway, out of sight.
"Of course," Hileya responded.
"Indeed. Your position here provides unique advantages."
There was a brief silence, followed by the rustle of paper.
"I should return to my duties," Hileya said. "Someone might need me."
"Until next time, then."
Vel quickly stepped back and pretended to be walking toward the kitchen as a slender man in modest traveling clothes emerged. The stranger nodded politely before continuing down the hallway, his footsteps fading at an even pace.
Taking a breath, Vel entered the kitchen with what he hoped was a casual demeanor. Hileya stood near the center table, carefully folding a piece of parchment. Her eyes widened slightly when she spotted him.
"Young Master! The kitchens are an unusual place to find you," Surprise colored her voice as she hastily tucked the paper into her apron pocket.
"Sorry if I interrupted," Vel said. "I didn't mean to intrude on your conversation."
Hileya maintained her polite expression, though her hand smoothed her apron unnecessarily.
"Nothing important, Young Master. Just routine messages from Elnor that Lady Halen requested." "Monthly reports and such."
"Were you looking for something, Master Vel?" Hileya asked, already moving toward the pantry. "I was about to bring up fresh towels for your bath."
"That's considerate of you," Vel remarked, stepping further into the kitchen. The aroma of fresh herbs and butter mixed with fruit baskets made his stomach growl. "Actually, I came with an unusual request. I was wondering if you could help me gather some ingredients."
The kitchen was larger than he thought, with copper pots hanging from ceiling hooks and various ingredients organized on wooden shelves. A few other servants worked at the far end, paying them little attention.
"Of course, Young Master," Hileya responded eagerly, her shoulders relaxing slightly as the conversation shifted away from her mysterious visitor. "What did you have in mind?"
Vel leaned against the counter, excitement replacing his earlier fatigue.
"I used to enjoy this frozen treat back home," he said with growing enthusiasm. "It's simple, really. We blend fruits with milk and honey, then freeze the mixture until it's thick but still soft enough to eat."
Hileya tilted her head, curiosity brightening her eyes. "How fascinating!" Hileya's genuine enthusiasm made Vel smile. "What fruits would you like, Master Vel?"
Soon they had gathered berries, milk, and honey. Vel mixed the ingredients in a wooden bowl.
"Now for the magic—literally," Vel said with a grin.
He placed his palm against the bottom and concentrated, channeling a gentle stream of ice magic. As Hileya stirred, the mixture gradually transformed into a creamy, semi-frozen dessert.
When they tasted their creation, Hileya's eyes widened with delight. "This is wonderful!" Her shoulders finally lost their rigid posture.
Vel watched Hileya savor another spoonful, her genuine enjoyment stirring a thought in him.
"You know, I think one day you could make this on your own," he said.
Hileya looked up, a mixture of hope and uncertainty in her expression. "You really think so? After what we discussed before about my... potential?"
Vel's expression shifted, guilt crossing his features. "About that... I'm sorry, Hileya. I promised I'd ask Instructor Lyvenna about ways to help you, but with everything at the Academy, I completely forgot to follow up."
"Master Vel, please don't apologize," Hileya said gently, her voice understanding. "I know my position here. You have much more important matters to attend to."
Vel watched Hileya arrange the ingredients with careful movements, her words echoing in his mind. Something he couldn't quite name finally demanded attention. All the promises he'd made. Hileya's magical training, finding Clara, dealing with Lysithea's harassment of Celia.
So many confident assurances. But what had he actually accomplished beyond the talking?
His expression grew distant, lost in the uncomfortable realization.
Hileya tilted her head, curiosity replacing her earlier understanding. "Master Vel?"
Vel blinked, snapping back to the present. "Sorry, I... let's make more of this for Celia," he said, reaching for additional ingredients. "She'll appreciate something cool after training."
Hileya immediately brightened, purpose replacing uncertainty. "Of course, Master Vel. Let's surprise her."
---
A small, delighted sound escaped Celia's lips as the frozen spoonful touched them—the kind of reaction that reminded Vel of a child discovering sweets for the first time.
"This is amazing!" she exclaimed, digging her spoon back into the bowl for another bite. "Makes you forget the heat with every bite. How did you make this?"
Vel leaned back on the stone bench, enjoying the shade of the trees that sheltered them from the afternoon sun. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves overhead, providing perfect relief from the day's heat.
"Hileya and I experimented in the kitchen," he replied, watching Celia's enjoyment with satisfaction. "It's just fruits, milk, honey, and a bit of ice magic."
"Really?" Celia said around the spoon still in her mouth. "I would have thought this existed already somewhere."
"Probably not common because ice mages rarely walk into kitchens. They have more important work to do," Vel replied.
Hileya sat nearby, her posture more relaxed than usual as she enjoyed her own portion.
"You're back later than usual," Vel observed, noting the shadows had grown longer than when Celia typically returned from class.
Celia nodded, swallowing another spoonful before answering. "Training has been increased. Instructor Caldwen is pushing us harder, especially after the Ternion Tournament announcement."
"Is that why you looked so exhausted?" Vel asked.
"Four hours of continuous drills today," she confirmed, rolling her shoulder. "My arms feel like lead."
"How's the situation with Fairwind—"
Celia turned to Hileya, cutting him off. "Speaking of training, how are your dagger lessons coming along?"
Hileya's lips curved into a small smile. Without warning, her hand moved in a blur. She reached beneath her skirt, drew the concealed dagger from her thigh strap, and with a fluid motion, sent it flying toward a nearby tree. The blade sank firmly into the bark with a solid thunk.
Vel's spoon froze halfway to his mouth. Celia's jaw dropped open.
"When did you—how did you learn to do that?" Vel stammered.
Hileya's cheeks flushed slightly at their reaction. "It happened by accident, actually. I was cooking three days ago when a spider dropped from the ceiling. It startled me so badly that I flung the knife I was holding." She shrugged. "I missed the spider, but it gave me an idea. I've been practicing throwing in my free time."
Vel could totally imagine the scene: Hileya startled by a spider, knife flying from her hand. But something about this revelation sent a small shiver down his spine—not from the cold of his frozen treat, but from the thought of what it meant. Hileya, the quiet, obedient servant, could now throw a dagger with surprising accuracy. It was a bit unsettling if he really thought about it.
Hileya rose gracefully from her seat and walked toward the tree. She wrapped her fingers around the hilt and pulled the blade free with a single smooth motion.
"Though I must admit this puts me at a disadvantage—losing the weapon," she said, examining the blade. "Perhaps I should prepare several daggers?"
Vel considered her question seriously. "That's a good point. Carrying too many would be uncomfortable for you."
Hileya nodded thoughtfully, then slid the blade back into its hidden sheath and returned to her seat.
His mind began working through the problem systematically. If only she could make the dagger return to her with magic. Hileya's water affinity wouldn't help, but her entropy affinity might. A memory from his past life surfaced—sitting bleary-eyed at his desk, taking a break from coding to watch some video for his magic system. The scientist—Neil something—had explained with animated gestures that entropy wasn't just chaos, but the universe's tendency toward equilibrium. Things wanting to return to their original state.
That was it. A spell that could mark the dagger's "home state" as being with Hileya. Once thrown, the weapon would become "homesick," yearning to return. An entropy spell wouldn't need brute force—just a gentle reminder to the universe about where things belonged.
Vel mentally drafted the spell module: invoke(dark) + bind(weapon, wielder) + entropy_pull()
"There he goes again," Celia's voice broke through his thoughts. She was looking at him with a mixture of amusement and fondness.
"Don't worry, he'll come back to us soon," she said to Hileya with a mock-serious tone. "He does this sometimes—just drifts off into his own little world."
Vel blinked, realizing he'd been staring at nothing for who knows how long.
"Sorry," he said, feeling heat rise to his cheeks. "I was thinking about a solution for your dagger problem."
"I'll let you know when I've put more thought into it," Vel said to Hileya, tucking the spell concept away for later. He had too many priorities competing for his attention right now.
The problem wasn't just creating a returning dagger spell. Hileya remained unattuned, which meant she couldn't cast anything he designed. And with the Ternion Tournament looming, Vel wasn't sure he'd have time for everything.
"You know, it would be great if we knew who we're up against," Vel said suddenly, the thought striking him like lightning. "Tournament matchups would give us a crucial advantage in preparation."
Celia nodded, scraping the last bit of frozen treat from her bowl. "That would be advantageous. But usually by the time you know, it's already too late."
"Young master, regarding that matter, would you like my help?" Hileya's soft voice broke the momentary silence.
Vel and Celia turned to look at her, surprised for the second time that day. Hileya sat with perfect posture, her hands folded neatly in her lap, but there was a glint in her eyes that Vel hadn't noticed before.
"What do you mean?" Vel asked.
Hileya's lips curved into a small, knowing smile. "As servants, we don't usually gossip about our masters. But when nobles and instructors talk with servants present, they don't usually see us." She smoothed her apron. "I could actively gather information from other servants while disguising it as casual conversation."
Vel stared at her, seeing Hileya in an entirely new light. The quiet, obedient maid was revealing layers he hadn't anticipated.
"You mean... spy for us?" Celia asked, leaning forward with interest.
"I prefer to think of it as utilizing available resources," Hileya replied with a hint of mischief. "Servants know which students are training hardest, which instructors favor which students, and sometimes even which tactics are being practiced."
Vel considered the ethical implications. Was this espionage? It felt uncomfortably close to it. But then again, the Academy's system already favored nobles with connections and resources. If gathering publicly available information through servant networks leveled the playing field slightly, was that really cheating? The tournament would test their abilities, not their intelligence networks.
"That would be incredibly helpful, Hileya."
Two emotions struck him as he watched her sitting there with that knowing smile. Pride at seeing her grow more capable, but alongside it, a twinge of melancholy—he would miss the innocent maid who had first entered his service.
Hileya caught his gaze and tilted her head slightly. "Is something wrong, young master?"
Vel shook his head. "Nothing's wrong. I was just thinking that you've changed quite a bit since we first met."
"Is that... disappointing?" A hint of worry crossed her features.
"Not at all," Vel assured her. "It's just that people grow. In this world, with its dangers, this kind of development might be exactly what you need."
He watched her shoulders relax at his words. The world he had created as Giri was beautiful but undeniably dangerous. The roaming monsters, some now voidtainted, political machinations, and constant threats meant that innocence was often a luxury few could afford. Hileya needed these skills to survive—perhaps even more than most, given her half-elven heritage and the prejudice that came with it.
"Alright," Vel said decisively. "You have my permission to gather information about the tournament. Just be careful not to put yourself at risk."
Hileya's eyes brightened with purpose. "I will be discreet, young master."
"And Hileya?" Vel added. "When we're alone with Celia, you don't need to call me 'young master' all the time."
She nodded, a small but genuine smile forming on her lips. "As you wish... Master Vel."
Vel shook his head with a small smile at Hileya's subtle resistance. He suspected she did this deliberately—maintaining just enough formality to satisfy propriety while acknowledging their growing familiarity. At this point, he saw no purpose in reminding her again.
The afternoon sun filtered through the leaves above them, casting scattered sun spots on the ground. The three of them sat in comfortable silence for a moment, enjoying the last spoonfuls of their frozen treats.
Vel's mind drifted to everything ahead. Tournament preparation, chaos element research, Hileya's training, helping Celia with political backstabbing, not to mention finding Clara. Each matter pushed his true purpose further away. If only there was a way to address everything at the same time—multithreading like an almighty god instead of being stuck with human limitations. Time kept shrinking while distractions multiplied.