CHAPTER 20: TUITION FEE

By the time we reached my place, the sky had turned indigo. The faint glow of mana lanterns flickered along the quiet street, painting the cobblestones in soft blue light.

Ariana followed silently behind me, her steps light and careful — until we stopped in front of a modest two-story wooden house.

She froze.

Her violet eyes widened slightly. "...T-This is... your home?"

"Yep," I said casually, pushing open the gate. "Welcome to my humble abode."

Her gaze darted from the wooden porch to the stone pathway, to the small garden with faintly glowing weeds. It wasn’t dirty — far from it — but compared to the opulent marble estates she must have grown up in... it probably felt like stepping into another world.

For me, it was peaceful. For her... it was probably shocking.

"T-Teacher..." she whispered, blinking slowly. "You really live here?"

"Yeah."

"I... I see..." she murmured, still processing. "I-I thought nobles lived in... bigger... houses."

I shrugged. "I used to."

"Let’s get inside." I opened the door inviting her in.

She hesitated before stepping inside. Her shoes clicked softly on the wooden floor as she looked around. The interior was clean and tidy — two rooms downstairs, simple furniture, a few glow-stones instead of chandeliers. It wasn’t luxurious, but it had warmth.

She glanced at me, hesitant. "D-Do you live here... alone?"

"Yup."

"...A-And you do everything yourself? Cooking, cleaning, laundry, dishes—?"

"All of it," I said simply.

Her eyes widened, her jaw almost dropping. "T-That’s... unheard of!"

I raised an eyebrow. "What, you think I’ve got elves living under the floorboards?"

"N-No, but—" she stammered, clearly struggling to understand. "H-How can a noble do... house chores?!"

I could almost hear her worldview cracking. For someone raised among servants and etiquette tutors, this must’ve sounded as outrageous as someone claiming dogs could fly.

In truth, though, it wasn’t a big deal. Back on Earth, I’d lived alone for years — cooking, cleaning, surviving on instant noodles and caffeine. Doing chores was practically my second nature.

Still, I couldn’t exactly tell her that, can I?

So, time for the Lucien special: believable half-truths with a dramatic twist.

I let my shoulders sag, my voice softening. "Well... what can I do? You already know my situation. Since my family cut off my financial support, I don’t have the luxury of hiring servants anymore."

I looked away with a perfectly crafted sad smile. "I’m... a bit tight on money these days."

Perfect delivery. Oscar-worthy.

Ariana’s expression melted immediately. Her eyes glistened with sympathy.

"Oh..." she murmured softly, reaching into her uniform pocket.

Then, before I could react, she pulled out a small pouch and pressed it into my hands.

"T-Teacher, please take this."

I blinked. "...What’s this?"

She clenched her hands nervously but spoke with surprising firmness. "P-Please don’t reject it. C-Consider this my tuition fee. If you refuse, I’ll... I’ll just go back right now!"

For a second, I was speechless. Not because of the offer — but because of her tone.

This was the first time I’d ever seen her look so resolute.

A faint blush colored her cheeks, but her eyes — usually timid and downcast — burned with sincerity.

I sighed deeply. "You’re not going to take no for an answer, are you?"

She shook her head, clutching her skirt tightly.

"Fine," I said, taking the pouch "reluctantly." "But just so you know, I’m only accepting this because I don’t want you crying later."

Her face softened into relief — and a faint, genuine smile bloomed on her lips.

Meanwhile, inside my head, a debate had already begun.

*****

On my left shoulder, a tiny chibi version of me appeared — wearing a red suit, horns, and a smug grin.

"Take the money," Devil-Lucien whispered, tail flicking. "You earned it. You’re the teacher now — payment is only fair."

On the right, another chibi-me floated down — glowing white wings, halo, and an annoyingly righteous face.

"Have you no shame?" Angel-Lucien scolded. "She’s a sweet, innocent girl. Taking money from her? That’s low even for you."

Devil-Me folded his arms. "Low? Please. It’s called tuition fees. We’re running a business here, not an orphanage."

Angel-Me crossed his arms too. "You’re exploiting her goodwill!"

"She offered! Besides," Devil-Me smirked, "we’re the villain, remember? Not some self-righteous hero who gives free life lessons."

Angel-Me faltered. "...Well... she is going to benefit."

"Exactly. You want to deny her personal growth and delicious food? Shame on you."

After a long moment of glaring at each other, Angel-Me sighed.

"Fine. But only if we teach her properly."

"Deal."

Poof. Both disappeared.

*****

Back in reality, I looked down at the pouch in my hand — surprisingly heavy. I decided to check it later.

Checking the amount now would be low even by my standards, so I pocketed it for later

I smiled faintly. "Alright then, Miss Solmere. Consider this the first official lesson."

She tilted her head. "L-Lesson?"

"Yeah." I opened the door, stepping aside for her to enter. "Lesson one — how to survive when you’ve been cut off from luxury."

Her eyes widened, then softened again. "Y-Yes, teacher."

I smiled to myself as she stepped into the modest house, curiosity flickering in her eyes as she took in every corner.

Maybe it wasn’t a mansion...

But somehow, with her here, the place didn’t feel so empty anymore.