Chapter 21
Chapter 21
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: Discipline
-----------------------------------------------------------------
◆
The term "Possessor's Privilege" was still a love-hate phrase for Carlyle.
It was indispensable as the most powerful tool he could wield in this harsh world, yet it often put him in incredibly awkward situations.
The window floating before his eyes right now was proof of that.
[ Specialty Info ]
◆ Archmage's First Love
You are the one who paved the way for the great mage 'Vespa Luciana.'
You plan to forge a new future for someone who would otherwise be doomed to misfortune.
Gift the archmage a new ending!
▶ 'Nurturing List' provided.
▶ Rewards granted as listed items develop!
[ Confidence 0% ]
[ Self-Esteem 0% ]
[ Honesty 0% ]
[ Magic Proficiency 5% ]
.
.
.
“⋯⋯.”
What the hell is this.
It felt like he'd become a therapist.
‘This is basically taming, isn't it?’
The skill name sounded so shady, but what it demanded was utterly wholesome.
Wasn't it just about helping people resolve the issues they faced?
‘⋯⋯Well, I don't mind that.’
Helping was helping. No problem there.
Carlyle wanted the people he'd met before his regression to find happiness.
That said, that's exactly what made it problematic.
“⋯⋯.”
Carlyle stared blankly at the system window.
The words in the trait window gnawed at him relentlessly.
Archmage's First Love.
First love, huh.
As if helping her like this would inevitably make her fall for him.
[What's the issue? Wouldn't it be good if someone else took a liking to you?]
“I don't want to toy with someone's feelings.”
How to put it.
The option of not helping Vespa didn't exist for him anyway.
Whether for practical or emotional reasons, he had no desire to take any other path.
But was it right to accept this as the price?
She had her own feelings too.
But no sooner had he thought that than the holy sword snorted derisively.
[Nonsense.]
“Yes?”
[Are you approaching Vespa just to use her? Do you have ulterior motives in courting her?]
“⋯⋯No?”
[Exactly. You're helping her out of genuine goodwill, aren't you? She senses that and develops feelings for you—that's all.]
“⋯⋯.”
Carlyle blinked vacantly.
[Don't feel guilty. What's wrong with liking someone who treats you well? If you didn't want that, you shouldn't have been nice from the start.]
“That⋯⋯makes sense.”
[Anyway, don't dodge the point. Just sort out your thoughts properly.]
“Yes?”
[Vespa taking a liking to you isn't something you need to take responsibility for. Just decide how you'll handle it in the end.]
“⋯⋯Uh.”
[Do whatever feels right. Reject if you want to reject, accept if you want to accept.]
Uh.
Huh.
[You're a good person, Carlyle Bellfast. What's so strange about a good person earning affection?]
“⋯⋯.”
[Don't agonize over things that aren't your responsibility. It's frustrating.]
“⋯⋯.”
[⋯⋯Why'd you go quiet all of a sudden.]
“⋯⋯.”
[⋯⋯.]
An awkward silence passed between them.
“⋯⋯Hero.”
[Yes.]
“Did you just compliment me?”
Was it a compliment? It came with reassurance and advice too.
Even Carlyle felt a bit flustered. He never expected to hear something like this from this person of all people.
[I only said it because you were being so dense.]
At the gruff reply, Carlyle smiled faintly.
“Thank you.”
[⋯⋯No big deal.]
“Yeah, you're right—it's really no big deal. Love advice from you, of all people.”
[Drop dead. Make it as painful as possible.]
“No, no, it's still precious praise from the Hero. I'll cherish it in my heart.”
[⋯⋯.]
“Wow, Hero, you've really grown. Calling me a good person and all. Even comforting me with words you don't mean. Your social skills have improved a ton.”
As he teased with a sly grin, the sound of teeth grinding echoed from within the holy sword.
[⋯⋯Idiot, moron, clueless trash bastard⋯⋯]
“⋯⋯.”
He had no idea why the torrent of curses was pouring out.
Anyway.
“She seems to be growing smoothly.”
Thanks to that massive blunder, Vespa had been granted special permission to attend classes despite not being a student—an extraordinary exception among exceptions.
The magic department was always starved for students due to the entry barriers. Now that they'd discovered talent like hers, professors and doctors would be swarming to kidnap and nurture her.
The professor assigned to her was probably squealing with joy while teaching.
‘Let's see⋯⋯’
Carlyle scanned the papers on his desk.
It was a report Elena had passed on to him.
It detailed Vespa's progress in magic classes, evaluated directly by her professor.
‘⋯⋯How'd she even get this?’
Wasn't this something only professors could access?
What was she, really? A jack-of-all-trades?
He should give her some kind of reward next time they met.
It was packed with academic jargon Carlyle couldn't comprehend, but the message was clear.
“They say there's nothing left to teach her?”
[⋯⋯In just a few days?]
“In just a few days.”
She'd started in the basics class, but curricula were usually planned in semester-long units regardless.
This meant she'd soloed in days what took others months.
Word was she'd already mastered basic spells.
[Vespa seems to be in good spirits too. She looked genuinely interested in magic itself.]
“Yeah, well.”
People get hooked when they excel at something.
Her personality meant she wasn't into competition, but Carlyle's advice—“Get good at magic, and ladies will notice you”—had her diving in earnestly.
⋯⋯All other methods she'd thought of had failed anyway, so she was giving Carlyle's suggestion a shot.
[By the way, aren't you attending classes?]
“⋯⋯Yeah?”
The odd part was this.
Amid fussing over Vespa and Gray nonstop, Carlyle hadn't joined a single class, yet no one stopped him.
He had run into Siona, who was a professor, recently and gotten an earful.
-Oh, student Carlyle doesn't need to attend for a while.
-⋯⋯Pardon? Why?
-The dean will explain soon. He wants to assign you something only you can do.
-⋯⋯.
⋯⋯Honestly, it gave him nothing but bad vibes.
What could the dean he'd never met be plotting for him? No guesses.
“⋯⋯Hmm-”
Carlyle scratched his chin.
Whatever. Good was good.
No point dwelling on unknowns—better to appreciate the current peace.
“I hope things stay this peaceful.”
◆
A few days later.
Carlyle recalled an old ancestor’s saying.
‘Every word spoken plants a seed, huh?’
This incident proved it, happening so soon after.
He smiled awkwardly as he looked around.
There stood Vespa, frozen stiff, and Gray, visibly furious from head to toe.
The trigger was minor.
Carlyle had come to check if Vespa was comfortable in her magic classes, and Gray—who happened to have something for him—had sought him out directly.
Two problems.
‘How dare’ she make him come in person for something she wanted done.
And.
[System Message]
▶ Hero's 'Possessiveness' amplifies.
▶ Target's mood sours!
His time, which should be entirely devoted to her, was being shared with someone else.
‘⋯⋯Am I not allowed to be with other people?’
[She's throwing a tantrum.]
‘Tantrum?’
[She always needs to be the most important to you, but you've been neglecting her lately with Vespa.]
‘I’ve been working hard?’
[Doesn't matter. She just doesn't like it. You being with someone else at all.]
‘⋯⋯.’
[I told you. It's a tantrum. Don't look for rational reasons.]
No, Hero.
Did you have a knack for unstable, obsessive tendencies too?
That was a new discovery.
“-What the hell are you doing?”
But such peaceful thoughts were shattered—Gray looked extremely displeased right now.
“Because of you, I had to waste my own time tracking you down. Are you messing with me?”
She hadn't snapped at him lately when looking at him, but her tone now rivaled their first meeting in ferocity.
Carlyle glanced at Vespa.
She fidgeted restlessly.
She wasn't stupid. She knew Gray was harsher than usual because of her.
⋯⋯Mixed emotions must be swirling.
A lifetime serving only the lady, now watching her clearly value someone ‘more precious’ than herself—furious at the potential loss.
“Um, L-Lady, Mr. Carlyle’s been with me because I—”
Even now, she tried to speak up to shield him.
“Do you think it makes sense that you wasted time on trash like that and couldn’t tend to me?”
Her words cut off mid-sentence like frostbite.
Vespa’s mouth clamped shut. Moisture gathered at her eyes.
An expression straining not to reveal the wound in her heart.
Prioritizing Gray, setting aside her own stance.
The lady must have her reasons for saying that—she’d think.
A face he’d seen countless times before regression.
He knew exactly what lay at the end of that expression too.
“⋯⋯.”
Seeing it, Carlyle sighed inwardly.
He quickly tallied in his mind. Whether the ‘plan’ he’d thought of could work.
‘It’ll be fine, right?’
[It will.]
Then, no reason to hold back.
“First off.”
It was a bit earlier than planned, but he couldn’t just watch.
Fix what needed fixing.
“This is Vespa Luciana, Lady. Not ‘that thing’ or ‘this.’”
Gray’s eyes widened.
She’d probably expected an apology from Carlyle, as usual.
“You need to remember her name. She’s served you so long. You can’t refer to people like that.”
Gray’s expression grew icier.
“⋯⋯You’re supposed to be on my side.”
Then take my side.
Obey whatever I say.
Not side with the one trying to steal ‘my possession,’ but take my side.
That’s what she seemed about to say.
“Yes. I’m on your side, Lady.”
“Then—”
“That’s why I’ll stop you when you do something wrong.”
Gray’s brows twisted.
“⋯⋯What?”
Her voice held bafflement before anger.
No one had ever spoken to her—or the Hero—like this, so boldly.
But.
Wrong was wrong.
“Apologize to Vespa, Lady.”
“⋯⋯.”
Vespa’s mouth fell open.
◆