Vol. 6 Ch. 16

“Then… can you walk me back?”

In just a few short years, Rosvisser had encountered countless suitors and heard a variety of creative pickup lines. She hadn’t responded seriously to any of them, not even once. Yet, when she heard this particular request, she found herself surprisingly patient.

After all, the young man in front of her, Leon, didn’t seem to realize he was even trying to make a move.

Under normal circumstances, who would respond to being rejected with: “Then you can walk me back”? Was he insane? Not exactly. At least Leon knew to stay quiet while Rosvisser was focused on her reading and even gave her space.

Rosvisser closed the book in her hands and stared at Leon expressionlessly.

Still, calling him entirely normal wouldn’t be accurate either—his peculiar way of replying to rejection left Rosvisser baffled.

Leon smiled, his expression as bright and carefree as ever, utterly harmless.

After a moment, Rosvisser finally spoke slowly:

“No.”

It was still a refusal.

Leon was indeed different from the other boring suitors she had encountered, but that alone wasn’t enough reason for her to agree to walk with him.

Under different circumstances, she might have considered it. But now—

Rosvisser glanced down at the books in her arms and sighed softly. Without another word to Leon, she turned and continued walking toward her dormitory.

Leon stayed where he was, watching her retreating figure.

Although he’d been rejected again by the youthful, aloof senior, this time Leon noticed something.

Just now, when Rosvisser rejected him, she had glanced down at the books in her arms before sighing.

After eight years of marriage, Leon was intimately familiar with Rosvisser’s little habits.

For instance, when she was deeply stressed, she would unconsciously repeat herself multiple times. And if she had decided to do something, she wouldn’t allow herself to relax until it was completed. Even if it was something she wanted to do, she’d wait until all her responsibilities were handled first.

Her rejection just now definitely had a reason. It wasn’t just about him—it was about the books in her arms. Whatever she was working on must have been frustrating her, leaving her in no mood to deal with him.

Realizing this, Leon quickly followed after her.

This time, he skipped any small talk and got straight to the point:

“If you need help with these assignments, I can assist you.”

Rosvisser didn’t stop walking, keeping her gaze ahead.

“Thanks, but I can handle it myself.”

“Of course, just like 300 years later, you’d never accept help until you’re at your wit’s end,” Leon said with a faint smile.

There it was—her stubborn pride, something Leon knew all too well. Her demeanor in moments of difficulty, her refusal to show weakness—it was endearingly predictable.

“Is it related to elemental magic?” Leon ignored her dismissal and continued probing.

Rosvisser glanced at him briefly and picked up her pace. Though she tried to put some distance between them, her words softened slightly.

“Yes, it is.”

“Fire magic?”

“Not entirely.”

“Water magic?”

“No.”

Rosvisser hesitated for a moment, pressing her lips together before stopping in her tracks. She turned slightly, looking at Leon, and said:

“It’s a summary and analysis of the five basic elemental magics.”

Leon also stopped, raising his eyebrows slightly. “All five basic magics? That’s a pretty challenging task, isn’t it?”

“I told you, it’s not an assignment—it’s my thesis,” Rosvisser replied. “I need to finish it by next Friday. As you said, it’s a difficult task, and I don’t have much time left. I’m planning to work through the night. Goodnight.”

Her softened tone was partly because she hoped the difficulty and urgency of the thesis would dissuade Leon from further pestering her. Deep down, however, Rosvisser also yearned for someone to help her out of this grueling ordeal. Unfortunately, St. Heath’s Academy didn’t seem to have anyone who could.

Not even the man in front of her—

“I noticed. The books you’re holding are all about lightning magic,” Leon said, one hand casually tucked in his pocket while the other pointed at the ancient texts in her arms.

“So, the part of your thesis on the five basic elemental systems that remains incomplete is about lightning magic, correct?”

Rosvisser blinked and let out a soft hum. “You’re rather observant.”

“Yes, it’s just the lightning magic section.”

Rosvisser said,

“But lightning magic is very rare. At St. Heath’s Academy, there are only one or two professors who can use lightning magic, and they’re both out on missions.”

“So I’ve been relying on ancient texts to compile and organize information about lightning magic. It’s far too slow this way, especially since I’m not familiar with it myself…”

As she spoke, Rosvisser pursed her lips and stopped herself. She suddenly realized she was saying too much to someone she’d only known for less than three hours.

She lowered her gaze, her tone carrying a clear sense of suppressed urgency and impatience.

“I can help you.”

Hearing this, Rosvisser froze for a moment. “W-what?”

Leon shrugged and repeated, “I said, I can help you.”

“You?”

Under the soft moonlight, Rosvisser examined the man in front of her.

Dark hair, dark eyes, sharp and handsome features—not like anyone else at the academy.

But also not someone who looked like he’d know lightning magic.

Most importantly—

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you at the academy. Are you in the same year as me?”

“Uh… I’m… I’m a year below you, senior,” Leon replied awkwardly.

Rosvisser raised her elegant eyebrow.

“Then how exactly do you plan to help me, junior?”

As soon as she finished speaking, blue lightning crackled to life in Leon’s hand, illuminating Rosvisser’s surprised and beautiful face.

“Lightning magic…”

“That’s right. And it’s innate lightning magic, not something I learned afterward,” Leon said, casually gripping the crackling energy in his palm while smiling at Rosvisser.

“What do you think, senior? Impressive, right?”

Senior and junior… not a bad dynamic, Leon thought to himself, mentally filing the idea away for later. Once this memory regression ends, I’ll have to try this scenario with my wife.

After Leon’s demonstration, Rosvisser nodded slightly, clearly impressed.

“Hm… Awakening such a rare elemental affinity and mastering it so well—yes, it’s very impressive.”

“So, how should I help you?”

Hearing this, Rosvisser gave Leon a curious look but didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she asked:

“Why are you helping me? I don’t even know you.”

If it had been someone else, Rosvisser wouldn’t have bothered asking. It was usually obvious—they were trying to use the opportunity to get close to her, hoping to develop some kind of relationship.

Rosvisser wasn’t fond of such approaches. It felt like a favor she couldn’t easily repay, which made her uncomfortable.

That’s why she didn’t immediately accept Leon’s offer.

His behavior, however, didn’t seem like that of a typical suitor, which made her think his reasoning might also be different.

Leon scratched his head. “Why am I helping you… well—”

Do I tell her that a hundred years from now we’ll be married, so helping her now doesn’t need a reason?

No, that would make me sound like an absolute lunatic.

Leon shook his head and said instead:

“There’s no specific reason. But I’m not going to work for free, either.”

Rosvisser nodded slightly. She understood the principle of reciprocity, and Leon’s straightforwardness didn’t bother her.

Compared to the roundabout tactics of other suitors, his directness was refreshing and made her feel at ease.

“So, what do you want?” Rosvisser asked.

“What do I want…”

Leon hadn’t planned this far. Would the current Rosvisser accept someone’s help for free? Probably not.

So, he made something up.

“Nothing much. But how about we have a meal together once your thesis is done?”

Rosvisser blinked. “Have a meal together?”

“Well… if you think having a meal together might cause unnecessary misunderstandings, we don’t have to.”

“That’s not it. I’m just surprised that helping me only costs a meal,” Rosvisser replied.

Leon nodded, his expression turning serious.

“If you think one meal isn’t enough to repay me, then we can—”

“We can what?”

“Have two meals.”

“…”

Rosvisser stared at him, utterly unable to predict what this lunatic would say next. What a nutcase!