Chapter 241: The Reckless Charge of Flamme
When Kurtz found Serie, she was standing on the highest terrace of the city lord's mansion, overlooking the city below.
"It's time to go." Kurtz walked to her side, standing shoulder to shoulder with her.
Serie didn't turn around, still gazing into the distance, her tone very flat. "Where is the destination?"
This was a very practical question.
The reason they were in this city was precisely because of the mess Flamme and Ayla had caused, and they had rushed over on short notice. It wasn't a pre-planned trip.
Now that the matter was resolved, although the Demon King's threat still hung over them like a dark cloud, she could only wait until Kurtz found a way to seal or resolve it completely.
Indeed, they had fallen into a temporary state of wandering without a clear goal.
It was precisely because of this that Serie had drunk alone out of boredom yesterday, which led to what happened afterward.
Kurtz seemed to have considered this question long ago, or rather, it was the result of his discussion with the elf girl.
He turned his head and looked at Serie's small face. "Let's go to El Country."
Serie's gaze shifted slightly, finally retracting from the distance, looking at him with a hint of inquiry.
Kurtz reminded her with a smile. "Did you forget? We agreed yesterday to establish a Mage Association that spans the entire continent. This is a good opportunity to complete the first step of the plan."
There were still quite a few human countries on the continent now.
El Country, in the center of the continent, was also the ideal country for humans, the origin country of current human civilization, and a veritable country of magic.
It was known for its reverence for magic, making it an ideal place to promote its standardization.
Furthermore, the most famous mage academy on the continent was there, making it much easier to establish a Mage Association on that foundation.
The Southern Unified Empire's requirements for magic were too strict; basically, only nobles were qualified to learn magic. Ordinary people had no chance to access magic, making it not a good place to establish a Mage Association.
As for the various countries in the west and east, there was even less to say; they were too chaotic, and their attitude toward magic was no better than that of the Southern Unified Empire.
In fact, the Southern Unified Empire had even extended its claws there, and if nothing unexpected happened, these countries would probably also submit to it.
Kurtz did not intend to interfere with this.
Helping El Country last time was already an exception. After all, it was a country founded by an old friend, and Kurtz could not tolerate it being annexed like that.
Moreover, humanity rightfully needed the existence of such an ideal country.
On the other side, upon hearing that it was about establishing a Mage Association, a glimmer of interest immediately flashed in Serie's eyes.
She had been quite interested in it last night, but unfortunately, the kiss that followed had left her flustered. Today, she had wanted to talk to Kurtz properly, but Flamme had intercepted him and taken him shopping.
Although she had successfully found him, due to Flamme's unusual emotional state, she couldn't continue the discussion. Now, hearing Kurtz bring it up proactively, Serie was naturally very interested.
"Good." She responded emphatically, clearly in strong agreement with the proposal. "The quality of mage talents there seems to be higher than elsewhere."
"After all, the most famous mage academy is there. Since that's the case," Kurtz suggested, his tone carrying a hint of teasing, "when we get there, why don't you take on a few more apprentices?"
Upon hearing this, Serie immediately frowned in distaste, rejecting it without hesitation. "My apprentices aren't just anyone who can become one; my requirements are very high."
She glanced at Kurtz, adding with a touch of pride, "Do you think everyone is like Flamme, barely passable?"
She said "barely passable," but Kurtz could tell that she actually highly approved of and was satisfied with Flamme as a disciple.
Otherwise, with her picky personality, she would never have taught her most skilled magic to the other party.
Kurtz just smiled without speaking, not exposing her thoughts.
He knew Serie's temperament well. She set a very high bar, but once someone could cross it, they would truly enter her sight, and then she would do her best to satisfy their thirst for knowledge about magic and make them a powerful mage.
A brief silence fell on the terrace.
Suddenly, Serie seemed to recall something, turning her gaze to Kurtz.
Her tone sounded like a casual question, but the slight furrow in her brow betrayed a hint of imperceptible concern. "What about Flamme? Is she... alright?"
Although her emotions were not delicate, and she couldn't understand the source of the other party's emotional outburst, she wasn't completely oblivious.
Earlier in the restaurant, Flamme's abnormal reaction and hasty departure, she had seen it all.
At the time, she had seemingly indifferently left everything for Kurtz to handle, but now, she couldn't help but feel a little concerned.
After all, in her intuition, Flamme's emotional loss of control was related to herself, and also to the man in front of her.
Moreover, Flamme was also one of only two disciples Serie currently acknowledged, and she was a human, she was rarely willing to invest energy in teaching and treating as a special case.
When Kurtz heard her ask about Flamme, he turned to look at her with an expression of intense complexity.
That look contained a hint of helplessness and distress, as well as a sense of looking at an accomplice of some culprit.
Serie felt uncomfortable under Kurtz's strange gaze, as if she had done something unknowingly, and couldn't help but ask directly. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
Kurtz's gaze made her feel inexplicably uneasy.
Kurtz sighed, his tone filled with a deep sense of powerlessness. "Nothing. I just feel that child Flamme is sometimes too stubborn. I can't think of any good way to persuade her."
"Persuade?" Serie was even more puzzled, her eyes full of confusion. "What does she need persuading about? And even you can't do it?"
In her eyes, Kurtz and Flamme had an extremely close relationship, even better than her own relationship with Flamme.
The child's trust and closeness to Kurtz were almost palpable.
If even Kurtz couldn't guide her, how serious must the problem be?
Kurtz looked at her completely out-of-the-loop expression, and the sense of helplessness in his heart grew heavier.
He shook his head, his tone meaningful. "It's precisely because we are too close that there are some things I am even more powerless to do."
He ultimately chose not to reveal Flamme's feelings at this moment.
On one hand, he hadn't yet figured out how to deal with it; on the other hand, he could almost foresee that once revealed, with Serie's strong attitude, the scene would instantly escalate into an unmanageable conflict.
For now, it was better to maintain this fragile calm.
Serie was completely confused, unable to understand Kurtz's vague words.
'Close yet powerless? What kind of logic was that?'
"Incomprehensible. What exactly are you hiding?"
"Nothing. You just need to know that my persuasion was not only useless but even counterproductive."
Serie's frown deepened. She hated it when this man played riddles with her. Just as she was about to press further, she was interrupted by approaching footsteps.
Both turned to look at the same time, only to see Flamme, Ayla, and Frieren walking toward them from the other end of the terrace.
Flamme had clearly tidied herself up, changing into a beautiful white mage robe. There was no trace of her previous crying on her face; instead, she radiated an unusual glow.
Her eyes were strikingly bright, carrying a certain unstoppable momentum.
Ayla followed behind her, a hint of confusion on her face, seemingly not yet fully understanding the situation.
And Frieren, who followed behind the two, was also somewhat confused, though this confusion stemmed more from Flamme.
She didn't quite understand how Flamme, who had only stepped out during dinner, had changed so much.
Even Serie's attention was immediately drawn. She looked at Flamme's state, which was completely different from when she had hastily left earlier, and a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes.
However, the scene that followed completely exceeded her comprehension.
Flamme walked directly in front of Kurtz, looked up, and in her red eyes burned an undisguised, fervent emotion.
Without any warning or hesitation, in Kurtz's stunned gaze, she opened her arms and hugged him tightly!
Serie: "!!!"
She could tell this embrace was definitely not the intimate one between teacher and student, but one with a deeper meaning.
Flamme's cheek was even intimately pressed against Kurtz's chest, uninhibitedly expressing her love.
"Teacher Kurtz!" Flamme's voice was clear and loud. "I like you!!!"
In an instant, the air on the terrace seemed to freeze completely.
Ayla's eyes widened, almost unable to believe what she was seeing.
And Serie's expression completely froze.
She looked at Flamme, who was tightly hugging Kurtz, and at Kurtz's reaction, who didn't hug back but also didn't immediately push her away. First, a look of extreme confusion flashed in her eyes, as if she couldn't process this incomprehensible situation.
Then that confusion receded like a tide, and an unfamiliar emotion appeared instantly.
It was as if something important had been taken away.
'No! That's not right! It's not "as if"! It is!'
'Her Kurtz was taken away by her apprentice, Flamme!'
On her always calm face, clear expressions of disbelief and shock appeared, followed by a sudden, sharp aura.
Flamme naturally felt the cold gaze coming from Serie's direction, but instead of letting go, she hugged him even tighter, even turning her head slightly to meet Serie's gaze. Her eyes were full of an unyielding challenge.
Initially, she had planned to take things slowly, but since her teacher had already noticed her feelings and his attitude was so ambiguous, she decided not to hide anymore!
She was going to play her hand openly!
She was going to challenge her other beloved teacher openly!
Kurtz felt the girl's slightly trembling yet unusually firm body in his arms, and Serie's suddenly cold gaze across from him. He could only let out a long, helpless sigh in his heart.
What was bound to come had finally arrived.
And in such a direct and dramatic way.
[End of Chapter]
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