Chapter 499: Helping Juniors 6

“So… all I’ve been doing until now was meaningless…?”

Her voice was quiet. Not broken, but close to it.

“I wouldn’t say that,” I replied, leaning back against the tree. “It’s just that… sometimes we forget the basics. Happens to everyone. We’re only human, after all.”

It was the fifth day of our training schedule.

Stacia had settled down near the large tree beside me, her posture slouched as if she had finally let go of everything she was holding in.

She looked tired—drained, even.

Her usual grace seemed loosened, her shoulders falling, her grip softening.

But despite the fatigue, her princess-like aura was still there.

Her beauty, the way she carried herself—it didn’t allow her to look dirty or haggard like the rest of us would after a tough fight.

We had just finished a short spar earlier.

Nothing serious—just a few exchanges—but that was all it took.

Stacia sat quietly, holding her sword in both hands like it was something unfamiliar.

Something foreign. I could tell the battle left her shaken—not because she lost, but because of what she felt during it.

Even with just a few strikes, she had seen it.

The gap.

The shift in technique.

The difference in swordsmanship that came from something as simple as raw, unassisted repetition.

No mana. No skills. No system boosts.

Just movement. Just the body learning on its own.

For someone like her, who had probably relied on the system and stats her whole life, it must’ve been jarring.

“Tell me, senior…” she asked, glancing over at me. “Have you been training like this the whole time?”

“No,” I said with a dry chuckle. “Only recently. If I knew training like this was possible before… I would’ve abused it since I was a kid.”

Honestly, if it wasn’t for Master Beon, I wouldn’t have even considered this kind of thing.

And.

The system made everything too easy for me as well.

You level up, you gain skills, and they’re just… there.

Tied to your soul. Plug and play.

But this?

This was different. Real.

Even now, I could feel it.

The way my body moved, the way my mind synced with the blade—I felt like I could pull off the Hidden Blade Technique even if all my senses were shut off.

It had become instinct.

Guess Master Beon didn’t become who he is for nothing.

“Now do you understand why I’ve been forcing you to do those annoying sword strikes over and over?”

“…Yeah. I get it now.”

“Good.” I saw a faint smile tug at the corner of her lips. “Tomorrow, we’ll go back to our usual schedule then. And don’t let the fact that you only realized something this basic get to you. It might be a little disappointing, sure—but your growth isn’t something that gets decided just by one small realization. We’re all built different. Some knights grow up with these fundamentals drilled into them since childhood, and yeah, maybe they gain that edge in raw technique. But it costs them something, too—most of them end up lacking in mana control, or never go far in developing magic. Their path narrows.”

She turned to me again, her gaze steady.

“I think for someone like you, finding this out now might actually be a blessing. Especially considering you’re aiming to become an Arcane Magic Knight and all… It suits your path better, discovering this after already having a foundation in both.”

“So it’s a good thing,” she said quietly, “that I hit the peak of one path before climbing another.”

I nodded slowly to myself, the weight of that truth settling in. Somehow, it didn’t feel like failure anymore.

Stacia stood up after that, dusting herself off. She gave a light chuckle, then used her sword like a cane to keep her balance—still refusing to use mana, even though our training had just ended.

She really was something else. Stubborn, yes, but there was a sort of quiet dignity in how she carried herself. Always trying to understand. Always pushing forward.

“Well then, take care of tomorrow as well, Senior,” she said, turning away.

I raised a hand and waved goodbye.

Her skirt fluttered slightly in the breeze as she walked, and in the distance, her ever-meticulous old butler appeared—like clockwork—ready to escort his lady back.

He gave me a respectful bow before guiding her along.

It had only been five days since I started spending time with Stacia.

We didn’t do much except train—repeat movements, talk for a bit, rest and then repeat.

But watching her now, standing tall despite exhaustion, walking without leaning on mana, facing herself and her weaknesses head-on…

I couldn’t help but feel a little proud.

…..

“My~ My~ I was wondering where the little rascal had gone off to,” a sing-song voice echoed faintly in the air.

“Seems like he’s been quite busy again with his usual antics~ And here I was, hoping my dear master would finally get a taste of that long-awaited romantic school life… Haah How disappointing. I was expecting at least a sprinkle of drama… something juicy…”

Floating a few hundred meters above the academy grounds, a puff of gray smoke twisted and shifted in midair before forming into the familiar shape of a disembodied cat head.

Emerald green eyes sparkled with amusement as they gazed down at the scene unfolding below—specifically, at one Riley.

Cheshire, the ever-whimsical, ever-irritating magical familiar, let out a low hum as he swirled lazily through the air, tail flicking behind his now half-visible form.

He had just returned from one of his daily obligations—matters related to the recently merged

White and Red Realm.

Or as it was now officially known…

[The Rice Realm]

It had been his idea, of course.

A ridiculous name combining Riley and Alice, and somehow, the innocent girl had accepted it without question.

Said it sounded cute. Said it fit. Cheshire almost choked from how easy that was.

Not that he minded—he loved when things fell perfectly into place like that.

Even when they were dumb.

He did a slow, lazy somersault in the air, his smile growing sharper.

“Still,” he mused aloud, voice drifting like a whispering wind, “I wonder if I should stir the pot just a tiny bit. A sprinkle of chaos here and there never hurt anyone~”

His eyes narrowed mischievously, reflecting Riley’s figure once more.

“Does Alice know her beloved is having a bit of quiet time with a certain princess? Hmm? I wonder if her little co-wives know either…”

He let out a low, purring chuckle.

It had been dull lately.

Too much peace.

Too much order.

And when things got too quiet, Cheshire always found it a bit… uncomfortable.

“Ah well~ What’s life without a little entertainment, hm?” he whispered to no one, tail flicking again as the smoke around him thickened.

“Don’t you dare, you dumb cat…!”

A sharp voice rang out right next to him, loud and sudden enough to make Cheshire shudder mid-air.

His smoke flared in surprise, his entire floating form jerking back a little.

“Hmm? Who—? Wait, you seem familiar…” Cheshire squinted at the tiny figure floating beside him, head tilting with curiosity.

With her tiny fairy-like body and wings gently fluttering, Lavine had her arms crossed over her chest. Her expression was all irritation, her eyebrows twitching as she glared up at him.

“Hoh? So you already forgot what I looked like? I might look a bit different now, but it is I, Lavine Chronos.” She jabbed a thumb at her chest. “And if you so much as try to ruin Master’s peaceful days, I’ll make sure you regret it, stupid cat.”

“Lavine~?” Cheshire blinked, then grinned wide, ears perking. “My, wow~ You finally decided to crawl out of your realm, huh? And when you say ‘Master’… do you mean my co-master, Riley, over there?”

He turned his head slightly, eyes twinkling as he looked down at the academy grounds again.

“Well, isn’t this a fun surprise? I did hear Riley got a new familiar from one of the big ones, but I didn’t expect it to be you of all beings. He really scored a rare catch, didn’t he? As expected of Riley, I suppose~”

Lavine huffed, her wings fluttering a bit faster as she pointed a tiny glowing finger right at him.

“Don’t flatter yourself. Now go away and be a good kitty. My master’s busy preparing for something important, and I really don’t have the time to clean up after whatever dumb mess you decide to cause.”

Cheshire placed a paw dramatically on his floating cheek, pretending to be wounded.

“My~ My~ How meticulously kind of you. Let me guess, slave contract? You seem awfully attached to him for someone of your… stature.”

Lavine’s eye twitched. “I’m just being a responsible familiar. Unlike a certain smoke-ball of trouble I’m looking at.”

“Kukuku~ You don’t have to keep insulting me, you know.”

“But it’s true.”

The cat’s grin returned as he spun once in the air, amused. “Touché.”

Cheshire sighed internally as he floated beside Lavine, his grin still plastered on, but his mood clearly subdued.

Despite her small size, Lavine wasn’t someone he could casually mess with—not even in jest.

Even while holding herself back, her presence carried weight.

A being tied to time itself, after all, wasn’t something to toy with.

And more importantly, she was someone Riley cared about.

He wasn’t interested in stepping on that landmine.

So, for now… chaos would have to wait.

“Alright~ I’ll put aside all my brilliant, chaotic plans,” he said, his tail flicking lazily behind him. “In exchange… how about we trade a little information instead? A simple exchange between fellow familiars.”

Lavine gave him a flat stare. “Do you really think you have the right to negotiate?”

“My, why not~?” he chimed playfully. “It doesn’t hurt to hear me out, does it? I promise it won’t cost you anything—just a little bit of your time. You see… the only reason I’m even thinking of stirring trouble is because I’m bored out of my mind. My master thrives off a bit of drama. It helps her grow. Especially in love. Poor girl’s a little too soft in that department when she’s clearly the favorite.”

He spun lazily in the air, then leaned closer with a flick of smoke curling from his form.

“And I’ve been gone this whole past week handling my duties, so… naturally, I’m curious. I wouldn’t mind paying for a little update about what I missed while I was away.”

Lavine clicked her tongue and looked away, still visibly annoyed.

Entertaining Cheshire never led to anything good, and she knew it.

But even through all his grinning and dramatic flair, she could tell—he was serious.

This wasn’t just idle curiosity.

With a sigh, she crossed her arms. “Fine. What do you want to know?”

Cheshire’s eyes gleamed. “Did anything… unusual happen while I was gone?”

“Unusual?” she repeated, raising an eyebrow.

“Fufu~ Come now. As Riley’s familiar, I’m sure you know what I’m talking about.” His voice dipped, just slightly. “His fiancée. The one back in his hometown. Did she make a move?”

Lavine’s expression shifted at that. Her playful irritation melted into something sharper—more serious.

“…So you noticed.” Her tone lowered. “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. You, of all creatures, would know something was off. You didn’t come back just to check in, did you?”

Cheshire’s smile softened just a little—not as smug, not as playful. Almost… genuine.

“I might enjoy a little chaos now and then,” he said, tone quieter, “but protecting the people I care about will always come first. And Riley…”

His emerald eyes reflected Riley’s distant silhouette below.

“He holds a very special place in my heart. Second only to my master.”

“Special place, hmm…” Lavine tapped a finger against her arm, still floating in place. “For some reason, I actually believe you.”

Her voice was quiet, like she didn’t want to admit it, but it carried a weight of honesty behind it.

“But if you’re asking about her—Liyana—then don’t worry too much. That dragon hasn’t done anything. Or… probably nothing worth panicking over, at least not yet.”

Cheshire’s floating form tilted slightly, his eyes narrowing with interest.

“Hmm~ that’s strange. For someone who marked Riley’s soul, I would’ve expected her to snap by now. You know how dragons get. Once they consider someone theirs, they get… possessive. Obsessive even.”

He twirled in the air, a puff of smoke following his spin.

“Is it because she’s tied to chaos? Wait… don’t tell me. She’s that chaos dragon of legend, is she?”

Lavine stared at him blankly. “Yes she is….”

Cheshire let out a playful chuckle. “Haha, right—there’s no way— Wait what?”

“She is that.”

There was a long pause.

“…For real?” Cheshire’s voice dropped to a whisper, like the absurdity of it was still hitting him.

“Yes, for real,” Lavine said flatly. “Even I didn’t believe it when Master told me. But I’ve seen her with my own eyes. Felt that presence. There’s no mistaking it. She is the devourer.”

Cheshire floated silently for a moment, ears twitching, pupils slightly narrowed. “…How the hell did the Grand Duke even manage that? Did he just—what—fuck a dragon or something?”

Lavine shrugged. “Maybe. But from what I gathered… it’s more likely she’s an incarnate. Born of one. Or as one, Draconic souls are more complicated than you think, they’re a natural part of nature and the universe after all”

Cheshire puffed out a heavy cloud of smoke, muttering to himself as he paced in midair. “Haaah… I knew the situation back then was complicated, but this… this is practically a myth in motion. That explains the weird shadows in Riley’s emotional aura. The last time I saw him with her; it’s like staring into a pit of the abyss with no bottom…so he was always aware huh…”

Lavine nodded quietly. “He already knows. He always did.”

“But still…” Cheshire glanced at her. “She hasn’t made any moves? Not even subtle ones? No sudden visits, no mysterious letters drenched in dragon pheromones? Nothing strange at all?”

Lavine tilted her head, thoughtful. “Nothing too strange. No appearances. No direct interference. She’s kept her distance.”

Cheshire let out a breath. “Huh. That’s… oddly responsible for someone carrying the blood of a chaos dragon.”

“…Though,” Lavine added, “she did leave behind a little present.”

Cheshire froze. “A present?”

“More like… lasting mental damage.”

His pupils shrank slightly. “Mental damage?”

Lavine nodded slowly, expression completely deadpan.

“It seems… Master got her pregnant.”

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