The moment his voice rang out—"Why not? Of course I can take care of her"—I felt my breath falter. My lips parted, my eyes widened. He had said it so casually, but the weight of it struck me harder than any insult ever could.

And then came the words that cut even deeper. "But she doesn't need anyone to take care of her. She doesn't need to rely on anyone—unlike a certain certified slut."

My heart jolted. Heat rose in my chest, not from embarrassment, but from something far more dangerous. For once, someone had spoken for me—not to belittle, not to shame, not to control—but to shield. Luca's voice, sharp as a blade, became my shield.

But that shield terrified me. Didn't he understand? These people weren't worth it. Their venom wasn't worth his fury. If he stayed in this fight, if he let it consume him, I feared where it would lead.

I tugged at his shirt, my voice low, urging, "Let it go."

Yet he didn't. His rage only grew, boiling until it erupted in a roar that silenced the hall. And when Gerald dared to threaten me, I saw crimson steel flash before my eyes. Luca's saber pressed against the pig's throat, his eyes burning with a merciless light that even I had never seen before.

For the first time in years, I—the woman who prided herself on composure—felt my own hands tremble. I grabbed his wrist, desperate to ground him. "Don't. Don't dirty yourself on filth like him. If I wanted, I could have ended this easily."

But still he didn't move. His fury was cold, absolute, as if the entire hall had vanished and only Gerald's trembling body remained before him.

I couldn't let him fall further. My nails dug into his skin, my voice softened, pleading now. "Let's go, Luca. Please."

Finally, the saber lowered. Relief washed over me so suddenly I almost staggered. Without thinking, I slipped my hand into his, tugging him away from the whispers, the fear, the suffocating silence.

He didn't resist.

And as we walked away together, hand in hand, I realized something dangerous had taken root in me. His words, his fury, his unshakable defense of me… they had touched me in a place I had long kept locked away.

It terrified me—yet I couldn't let go of his hand.

I thought it would end there.

I handed him over to my superior, ready to slip away, bury myself back in my work, and leave this mess behind. He called out to me again, but I didn't look back. I couldn't. If I stopped… if I so much as wavered, I knew I would drag him into the filth of these politics. And Luca—he didn't belong there.

So I forced myself to keep walking, spine straight, expression calm, even though my chest tightened in ways I despised. I told myself relief was the right reaction when I left him behind. I wouldn't have to face him again so soon. Perhaps he would even forget. That would be for the best.

By the time I submitted my research and claimed the credits, it was already deep into the night. I should have felt exhausted, but the silence of the mage quarters only left me restless. That was when the message arrived: escort Luca back to the academy.

A sigh escaped me before I could stop it. Of course. Fate had no intention of letting this go so easily. He would ask—knowing him, he wouldn't let it go easily.

And he did.

"Professor… about your family?"

The question hit me like a jolt. My shoulders stiffened before I could mask it, and though I forced my face into stillness, I knew my reaction had already betrayed me. My answer left my lips too quickly, too sharp, like a blade drawn in reflex.

"Don't worry about it. Focus on your studies. It doesn't concern you."

I wanted the words to end it. To close the subject, to build a wall so high he'd turn away. But he didn't.

Luca bit his lip, hesitation flickering across his face, but his eyes… his eyes didn't let me run. His voice carried more weight than I had expected.

"It does concern me, Professor. Even if you want to admit it or not… I'm already involved in this."

For a moment, I couldn't breathe. That boy—he looked at me as though the burden I carried was something he could reach for, as if he could shoulder it without understanding the weight. My gaze shifted to him at last, cool and firm, though I knew my composure was thinner than glass.

"Nothing will happen to you," I said, my tone steady but softening in places I didn't mean it to. "You are the Tower Master's disciple. Does anybody dare to harm you? Even if you don't realize it, there will always be forces that will stop anyone from touching you illegally."

The truth. A reassurance, yes, but also a shield. A reminder that he had protection—protection that I envied, perhaps.

But when I looked at him again, I realized he didn't hear it that way. My words had become a wall, and he saw it for what it was.

His hand tightened on his thigh before relaxing, as if he were fighting himself. Then he lifted his head again, stubbornness gleaming in his eyes.

"Then… just share it with me as if sharing it with… a friend. If anything, it will only help you unburden yourself."

Friend.

My lips parted, but the words failed me. I wanted to tell him no. I wanted to remind him of the distance between us, of the line he should not cross. But for once, the steel in my voice abandoned me. Nothing came.

So the silence stretched, filled only by the night wind rushing past us, tugging at my robes and hair. He waited, and I stood there—guarded, conflicted, unable to give him what he asked.

But I still opened my mouth…

***

[Back to Present]

Luca listened in silence as Seraphina let out a soft, weary sigh, the kind that carried a weight she was trying hard not to show.

"You know the problem I had with Janice because of the quota of Beastridge Mountain," she began, her voice calm but edged with bitterness.

He nodded slightly, his eyes steady on her, encouraging her to continue.

"Well," she went on, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear as if to mask her unease, "we already had some problems with each other. Both our families are viscounts, and the competition between us has been going on for a long time."

Luca tilted his head thoughtfully. "But if it's been going on that long, then your family should be used to it. Unless…" his gaze sharpened, "…something big happened recently?"

Her lips curved into a humorless smile as she nodded. "That slut—" she stopped and exhaled, correcting herself, "forgive my words. Janice… she hooked up with Gerald. His family's a bit stronger than ours as a viscount house. Now that those two families have joined hands, the pressure on our territory has doubled."

Her hands clenched tightly in her lap before she whispered, "And that fat bastard has had his eyes on me for some time. He's using this situation to force my family."

Luca's jaw tightened. His fists curled so hard his knuckles whitened. "That bastard…" he muttered, anger flickering in his eyes.

He turned to her. "Then what does your family say?"

Her shoulders stiffened, but her voice carried pride. "They're against it, of course. My father would do anything before sacrificing his daughter." Her eyes flickered with a sharp resolve as she added, "Even if it costs me my life—"

"Don't." Luca's voice cut through firmly, his eyes locking with hers. "Don't speak nonsense, Professor."

Seraphina froze, lips parting slightly. For a moment, she seemed startled—then she let out a faint, almost fragile laugh, as if trying to brush away the heaviness. Still, her gaze drifted downward.

"But…" she murmured, her tone heavier, "with the people of the territory depending on us, and now with the Devil Cultists stirring… I have to do something for them. Even if it means…" Her words trailed off, dissolving into another sigh, her shoulders sagging under the invisible burden.

Luca's eyes softened, but there was steel in his voice. "Don't worry, Professor. We will definitely find a way."

She shook her head gently, forcing composure back onto her face. "Don't worry about it. I'll find a way myself."

The conversation ended there as the Hydro Serpent descended toward the academy grounds. Its scales shimmered faintly in the sunlight as it landed gracefully. Seraphina dismounted first, her robes flowing behind her. With a single wave of her hand, the massive serpent dissolved into a cascade of water, vanishing back into her mana.

She turned to him briefly, her tone brisk and professional again, as if the conversation had never happened. "See you in class tomorrow."

Without waiting for his reply, she walked away, her figure retreating with a grace that seemed unshaken—yet Luca could see the faint stiffness in her shoulders, the quiet weight she still carried.

He stood there, watching her back disappear among the academy's towers. His hand unconsciously clenched again.

Can I… do something for her?

His eyes widened slightly, the thought burning stronger in his chest. That should work right?