Vivian's Sudden Growth and a Shy Ramen Invite
"What the hell was that..."
I muttered to myself as I stepped out of the police station.
I'd been racking my brain over what to do since Latynia had suddenly passed out, when a bunch of people burst in and dragged me away.
By the time I came to, I was staring at cold iron bars...
Latynia woke up not long after and got released, but it was an experience I never wanted to repeat.
I glared at the culprit.
"I-I'm s-sorry..."
"Why are you apologizing, Latynia-nim? Anyone hearing that would think you did something wrong."
"Ah... uh... hng..."
Latynia deflated.
It felt so different from when she was teaching me magic.
As I savored the sight, I spotted Ruphus sprinting toward us from afar.
"Huff... huff... huff..."
Ruphus, who'd come running at full speed for whatever urgent reason, was gasping for breath.
"What's the big emergency?"
"You—you bastard!"
Ruphus grabbed me by the collar.
This guy really got emotional whenever anyone he knew was involved.
As soon as Ruphus grabbed my collar, Latynia started fidgeting anxiously.
"What? Why?"
"What did you do to Latynia-nim?!"
"Nothing. Let go."
I smacked his hand away.
Infusing just a bit of will into the strike made his grip loosen without any real effort.
Ruphus flexed his hand, looking baffled.
"You did nothing..?"
"Yeah. Ask Latynia-nim yourself."
"Did anything really happen?"
"..."
Latynia twisted her body, her face flushing red.
You have to answer!
Misinterpreting that, Ruphus lunged at me again.
I calmed him down while turning to Latynia.
"Come on, if you're not gonna answer, how's this supposed to work?!"
"It's just... hehe..."
Latynia drifted off into her own little world.
I wished she'd show that magic-teacher side of hers more often.
Because of that, it took forever to clear up Ruphus's misunderstanding—I had to tussle with him the whole time.
"So, you were learning magic, Latynia-nim overused her mana and staggered, you caught her, and she passed out?"
"Yeah. With a little 'Eek!'."
"You don't have to mention that part..."
Once calmed, Ruphus confirmed the full story.
He looked embarrassed too.
"Why didn't you just say so sooner?"
"I said from the start that nothing happened."
"Now that you mention it, yeah, kinda..."
"It's not 'kinda'—it is!"
"Um... shouldn't we get going? People are staring..."
Glancing around at her words, I saw onlookers watching us like it was some juicy morning soap opera.
All Ruphus's fault.
I masked my embarrassment, schooled my expression, and strode ahead.
"Latynia-nim, you're a princess of a nation. You should consider your status a bit more."
"I have no intention of returning to Rasertia Kingdom. Or keeping the princess title. And don't call me Latynia-nim."
"I can't do that."
Once we'd put some distance, I synced up with the group again and watched Ruphus and Latynia chat from the side.
More precisely, I observed Latynia's eyes.
There was definitely something there...
I didn't know what, but it felt off—nothing good.
I'd considered asking Ruphus subtly, but after his reaction earlier, that seemed pointless.
I stared intently at her eyes for a while until she turned, sensing my gaze. Our eyes met.
"..."
Latynia blushed silently and looked away.
Seeing her awkwardness, Ruphus turned to me.
"What'd you just do?"
"Do? I was just standing here quiet."
"Hmph... suspicious..."
Suspicious is your princess.
I wished they'd stop picking fights with me.
Coming home after an exhausting day to family welcoming you—what a heartwarming scene.
My heart was a mess after my first-ever trip to the police station.
I needed some healing.
Clutching my aching heart, I returned to the dorm. Vivian's usual chair was empty.
Where'd she go? Then I saw her curled up on my bed, hugging Thousand Changes, fast asleep.
...Healing.
Today's painful memories melted away.
Before approaching Vivian, I purged the lingering mana from my body.
Using Blockade while learning magic kept buildup minimal, but traces remained, and she hated it.
I sat by her head and practiced channeling magic through Thousand Changes as a medium.
Getting the hang of it now.
Focus will like imagining... form a sphere.
That part worked fine.
But using it the same way to draw in mana as a medium? It scattered instead of blending.
Even without Blockade, it repelled mana unchanged.
Some hidden aspect of my powers at work... but I had no clue what.
I was about to give up when I noticed Vivian awake, sitting up and watching me.
"Sleep well?"
"Yeah."
She seemed in good spirits today.
Good omen?
Focusing, I saw mana still constricting her whole body.
Just my imagination, then.
Gazing at her sadly, a sudden idea flashed.
Hm. Worth a shot.
"Vivian."
"Yeah?"
"Wanna try something? Okay if it's me?"
"Dojun's fine."
She leaned into me.
I scooped her up and gently laid her on the bed.
Her slender frame was fully visible.
I infused my right hand with will to block mana.
If I'm right, this'll keep mana from invading.
Concentrating, I lightly gripped her arm.
So fragile it might snap with slight pressure, faint pulse making my hand go slack instinctively.
Too frail, too pitiful for a living being.
Steeling myself, I massaged her body.
Mana unwound from my touch.
"Ah..."
Her expression eased.
After kneading everywhere but her heart, the mana was gone except around it.
Finished, my head spun from the focus.
I held Vivian, her face much improved, and drifted off.
Next morning, something felt off in my arms.
Looking down: a woman who looked like 10-year-old Vivian all grown up.
Shocked, I shoved her away. She woke.
"Dojun...?"
"Vivian?"
"Yeah."
"You..."
Not a stranger—Vivian.
Overnight growth? Hard to adjust.
From Blockade?
I focused, observing her.
Mana creeping from her heart.
Not complete. The heart, as expected...
Then agony hit my head. Blackout.
Coming to, something soft enveloped me.
I nuzzled instinctively.
"Nng... tickles..."
Something pressed my head firmly.
Happy... No—
I unwrapped the arms around my head and sat up.
"Vivian? That's you, right?"
"Yeah. What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
Back to her real age?
Sudden growth felt awkward.
I'd thought of her as just a kid...
Staring dazedly at grown Vivian, my smartwatch buzzed wildly.
Dozens of missed calls and messages.
Shit.
I bolted out.
Afternoon lecture: late, but beat Olivia instructor.
Good instructor match.
A strict one would've made my awkward entrance worse.
"Dojun? You're super late today. Skipped morning too."
"Stuff happened."
"I see... Well, you're Dojun, so something came up."
Grateful she believed me, but it was getting burdensome.
What made her trust me so much?
I wasn't that special.
"Oh right, here. Found it on the way."
"What's this?"
"Good stuff. Good stuff."
I handed Ji-ah the brooch from Han Myeong-sin yesterday.
Realizing late, she took it, clutching it in both hands, deeply moved.
"Thank you, Dojun... Such a pretty gift..."
"I said I found it. No need to get all emotional."
"A gift from you? How could I not? Thank you so much."
Ji-ah beamed.
She liked it more than I thought.
Too much—hard to admit it was from Han Myeong-sin due to magic residue.
"Um..."
As Ji-ah started again, Olivia entered.
Couldn't hear her out. Back to my seat, Latynia stared blankly.
"What?"
"I like gifts too."
"Really? Me too. What a coincidence."
Unsatisfied, her face puffed in a pout, fingers fidgeting.
I knew what she wanted.
But Ruphus's words nagged: not serious, would pass in years.
Definitely some issue.
Checking her eyes again—something there? She turned away as our gazes met.
-Bang!
"Lecture's canceled today."
Olivia, who'd arrived late, rummaged her materials, then left them and walked out.
Thought she was stepping up lately. People don't change easy—even witches.
I ignored Latynia trying to talk and went to Ji-ah.
She seemed about to say something.
Ji-ah fondled the brooch happily.
"Ji-ah?"
"Ah! Y-yes..?"
"You were gonna say something, right?"
"Oh... that..."
Ji-ah looked resolved.
After hesitating, she spoke in a trembling voice.
"Um... wanna come over to my place... for ramen tonight..?"