Magris stood at the edge of the stone circle, watching Daisy—the newly initiated druid apprentice—finally complete her inheritance ritual.
He watched as she excitedly began experimenting with her newfound powers, mischievously causing a patch of grass beneath Bane's hooves to grow wildly, tangling around his legs.
Then she burst into laughter.
Magris turned to observe the other centaurs.
The rejection from ten minutes ago had completely vanished.
Now, their gazes toward Daisy were filled with envy, awe, and even reverence.
He couldn't help but sigh.
"…What a troublesome choice."
Out of all possible candidates—why Daisy?
She was the most rebellious one in the tribe.
Refused to do the work expected of female centaurs.
Insisted on joining hunts.
Dyed her mane in ridiculous rainbow colors.
She had always been difficult to manage.
And now—
she had become a druid apprentice.
Magris knew exactly what that meant.
Daisy was no longer just a rebellious youth.
She was now a core figure of the tribe—
and effectively Lewis's disciple.
With those two identities combined…
Magris had lost authority over her.
If she had been obedient, that would be one thing.
But she wasn't.
And that meant trouble.
Was Lewis's choice intentional—
or accidental?
If Lewis had heard that question,
he would have answered proudly:
"I was intentionally accidental."
Yes—
he had chosen Daisy on purpose.
Among the centaurs, individuals with strong natural affinity and perception were not rare.
Daisy's stats—exceptionally high—were impressive, but not unique.
What set her apart was her personality.
Bold.
Rebellious.
Confident.
Optimistic.
Passionate.
And most importantly—
unbound by tradition.
That was exactly why Lewis chose her.
Only someone who didn't care about rules
would dare stand against the tribe's authority.
And Daisy had already done it.
She had fought against the entire tribe—and paid the price.
Because "fighting the world" might sound heroic—
but in reality, it was lonely.
Painfully lonely.
No one to share joy.
No one to comfort sorrow.
Everything carried alone.
Even the strongest personality would eventually break.
Unless—
someone appeared.
Someone who believed in her.
Saved her.
In that moment—
that person would become her entire world.
And Daisy's core trait?
Loyalty.
So who would she be loyal to?
The answer was obvious.
And now—
as a druid apprentice, she had risen to the top tier of the tribe.
Everything that once made her an outcast
had been reinterpreted as individuality.
Rejection turned into admiration.
Isolation turned into acceptance.
Her confidence and warmth would now draw others in.
And when that happened—
Lewis's plan would begin to take root.
Because this wasn't just about Daisy.
Lewis had already decided—
if he encountered other tribes or intelligent magical beings,
he would cultivate druids among them as well.
But he wasn't being kind out of pure goodwill.
He had a system.
He would not pass on the full inheritance at once.
Instead, he would teach step by step.
On the surface, it was about mental readiness.
In reality—
it was control.
Because the complete druid system existed only in him.
Any apprentice who wished to grow stronger
would have to rely on him.
Over time,
guidance would become dependency.
Dependency would become loyalty.
And loyalty—
would become influence.
Through these apprentices,
Lewis could indirectly control entire tribes.
A peaceful strategy—
but an undeniable one.
And did he feel guilty?
Not at all.
Because he was giving them something priceless.
A druid.
That alone could transform a tribe's future.
Wasn't that worth everything?
As Daisy demonstrated her abilities, the entire tribe erupted into celebration.
The feast began.
A great bonfire was lit—
by Daisy herself, drawing cheers.
Lewis was seated at the place of honor, on a soft hide.
Magris sat beside him.
On his other side—
Lurue and Daisy.
The rest of the centaurs gathered around.
Most were male.
Only a few females attended.
"I've never sat here before!" Daisy said excitedly.
Soon, food was brought in.
Roasted venison.
Fruit and herb salads.
Flatbread with cheese and spices.
Even Lurue received her own portion of berries and fresh grass.
Lewis tasted the dishes.
Compared to Hogwarts cuisine, it was rougher—
but flavorful.
Simple.
He enjoyed it.
Though one question lingered—
where did they get the milk for the cheese?
Just as he was finishing, a waterskin flew toward him.
He caught it.
Daisy grinned.
"A toast, Teacher! Thank you for changing my fate!"
He sniffed it—
fermented fruit and honey.
Alcohol.
"It's mild," she assured him.
Lewis took a long drink.
The surrounding centaurs cheered.
Soon, the feast turned lively.
Couples danced around the fire.
Young centaurs laughed and played.
Even with four legs,
their dancing was graceful.
Then Daisy stepped forward.
She bowed—
awkwardly, but sincerely.
"May I have this dance, Teacher?"
Lewis smiled.
"It would be my honor."
They danced together.
Despite their height difference,
he managed with surprising ease.
When it ended, Daisy was flushed, glowing—
and before he could react—
she kissed him.
Later, as the feast ended,
Lewis prepared to leave.
Escorted by Firenze, Ronan—
and Daisy.
"I'm starting to regret taking you as a student," Lewis muttered, wiping his cheek.
Daisy laughed.
"Sorry, Teacher—but your face is just too cute!"
"…Don't call me cute."
Lurue snorted and kicked lightly at Daisy.
"Hey!"
Lewis sighed.
Was that jealousy?
Daisy grinned.
"Don't worry, I'll learn animal speech soon and get along with her."
"Please do."
At the forest's edge, Lewis dismounted.
"This is far enough."
They said their goodbyes.
Then Daisy rushed forward—
kissed him again—
and hugged him tightly.
"Come back and check on me!"
"I will."
Finally—
Lurue stepped forward.
After Lewis hugged her,
she gently bit his cheek, leaving a mark.
"…What is wrong with all of you?"
Shaking his head,
Lewis turned—
and ran toward the castle in the rising dawn.
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