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Chapter 14: The Next Generation of Nobles

Ryan glanced at the two gossiping maids and said, “Prepare the ingredients; I’ll cook lunch later.”

“All right~,” they replied.

When they heard Ryan would cook himself, the two of them ran excitedly to the kitchen.

And now the situation truly left Rowan alone with Ryan.

Rowan trembled.

If Ryan really was one of those legendary Knight Order members, she couldn’t help but be terrified!

Her father had said those Knight Order folk caught children every day to make soup and liked to gnaw on human bones…

Were it not for Ryan’s recent story casting doubt on that rumor’s credibility, Rowan would likely have already been planning an excuse to flee with Nanali.

“You seem frightened of me?”

Ryan asked in confusion, prompting Rowan to shake her head wildly like a rattle drum:

“No, no!”

…

Silence fell over the room again.

Seeing Ryan scrutinize her from head to toe, Rowan grew even more flustered.

What was he up to? Was he about to eat me?

Right, didn’t he just say he was going to cook lunch himself?

Was he planning to use me as an ingredient?!

Rowan trembled uncontrollably.

After a moment, Ryan spoke first: “While Milady was in class, I visited the Grand Library of Alcot.”

“Ah?”

Rowan looked puzzled; why was Ryan suddenly saying this?

“There I saw a child who looked quite a lot like you, named Amia; she had the same surname as you.”

Upon hearing this, Rowan’s heart leaped and she blurted out:

“Please don’t eat her; if you must eat someone, eat me!”

Ryan: “???”

Ryan had intended to talk about something else to lighten the mood, but hearing Rowan’s bizarre blurt sent his brain into overload.

Eat? Eat Amia? Did you think I was that kind of lolicon? If anyone was on the menu, it would be you!

Realizing her slip, Rowan hurried to cover her mouth.

After calming herself for a moment, Rowan lowered her hand, blushing as she said:

“Amia…Amia is my sister. She’s very intelligent, her magical talent is far greater than mine, and our father has always valued her.”

“She really is a very smart child.”

Thinking of Amia’s amber eyes, Ryan smiled and said, “Her eyes are beautiful.”

Although both Amia and Rowan had amber eyes, Ryan simply felt Amia’s were more beautiful.

Amia’s eyes were clear and inquisitive, but Rowan’s…Ryan always sensed a certain naiveté in their clarity.

How on earth did someone like her become a teacher at Alcot?

“Her eyes…every time she looked at me with them, I felt as if she saw straight through me.”

Rowan sighed and then said, “From what you’re saying, it seems you enjoyed talking with Amia?”

Ryan nodded. “That child may seem cold on the surface, but she’s actually very warm at heart.”

“Amia…warm at heart?”

Rowan blinked; the child who barely said a word to her at home was warm at heart?

“By the way, Mr. Ryan, being able to get Axi to relearn magic really is impressive.”

As they chatted, Rowan brought the topic back to Nanali:

“Axi loves magic, truly loves it; even when she had been deemed utterly talentless, she worked harder than anyone else. I imagine she must have been ecstatic when she started learning magic from you, right?”

At this, Rowan’s mood suddenly sank again. “Perhaps it was precisely because of that that the other students isolated Axi…”

Ryan: “…”

After a moment of silence, Ryan said, “All right, it’s time we discuss the main matter.”

Darly brought over two cups of red tea; Rowan hurried to take one and began blowing on it.

Hearing Ryan, Rowan froze for a moment. “Main matter? What are you referring to?”

At that, Ryan slowly closed his eyes and took a deep breath before asking:

“What are you here to do?”

“Me? Ah…”

Rowan realized and slapped her forehead. “Mr. Ryan, what is your current magic rank?”

“My rank?”

Ryan paused with his tea in hand; to be honest, he wasn’t really sure of his own magic rank.

But beating this foolish woman before him was certainly no problem.

“Why are you asking that?”

“Because if I want you to take a class on my behalf, I need this information to report to the Dean and await her approval.”

Rowan said seriously.

“Dean? Which Dean? The Dean of Alcot Academy? Duke Alcot?”

After all, the Dean of this academy was the Duke who had founded it.

“Yes.”

“Does something as trivial as this really need to be reported to the Duke?”

Ryan was genuinely puzzled.

“In Lord Alcot’s words, within Alcot Academy she is no longer a duke but merely a Dean, and any arrangement for other magic teachers to substitute must be reported to her.”

It was hard to tell, but despite being somewhat foolish, this magic teacher was quite stubborn when it came to her duties.

However, knowing that woman was in charge put Ryan at ease.

After sipping his tea, Ryan said calmly, “Just tell her the substitute is Ryan; that’s all you need.”

Rowan was instantly dumbfounded.

This Mr. Ryan, whose magic strength seemed unfathomable, turned out to be so high-ranking?

Yet you humbled yourself to serve as a retainer in this Count’s household? You could have any Count’s family serve you as a retainer!

Rowan momentarily couldn’t find the words to describe Ryan.

In any case, he was just a weird person, impossible to evaluate.

“Mr. Ryan, there’s one more thing: among those children, some are like Nanali…”

“That’s none of my concern.”

Ryan interrupted calmly: “As I said, I only teach them theory, tell them that being a magic teacher isn’t the only magical profession in the world, and clear my family’s Milady’s name. I won’t teach them magic channeling methods or adaptation practices; whether they have magical talent is not my concern.”

Ryan’s instant refusal weakened Rowan’s resolve, but she still wanted to secure a chance for those children:

“They…after all, they are the next generation of the Empire…”

“The next generation of the Empire? The next generation of Empire nobles! Would I teach them magic and let them use it to reinforce their status and oppress the lower classes?”

Ryan’s words silenced Rowan once more.

She, too, knew what the noble class in the Hedley Empire was like nowadays.

Even her own father…

“They’re still young; they can still be nurtured…”

“Do you think your influence matters more, or their parents’?”

Setting down his cup, Ryan looked at Rowan with a steady gaze:

“You are a teacher of Alcot, and I respect your desire to defy fate for those children you deem ‘untalented.’ You are a qualified teacher, but none of this concerns me.”

Rowan opened her mouth but said nothing.

“Of course, separating one matter from another, I still have to thank you for giving my Milady this chance to clear her name.”

Ryan smiled and said, “Milady is truly fortunate to have a teacher like you.”

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