Chapter 259
Chapter 259: Forever Yours
"Heni!"
The moment she laid eyes on Heni, Erika felt a sudden surge of delight.
Ever since the last Academy holiday, she had not seen Viktor's little Teaching Assistant even once.
She had heard that Heni was now an Associate Professor, and the news had made her happy for quite a long time.
But she was equally surprised.
Because Heni had leaped straight from Teaching Assistant to Associate Professor, skipping the Lecturer rank entirely.
Her knowledge was certainly sufficient—but did she have the corresponding strength?
Erika was somewhat worried.
Then she watched as Heni fixed her gaze on the contents of the Spellbook before her and raised a hand.
The breath of Magic Power rose slowly in her palm.
"This is a very simple spell."
"Just like this."
Several curved streams of energy burst from Heni's hand, circling through the air a few times before gradually converging.
At last, they formed a ring of shifting colors—bent and spinning—that kept turning without pause in the air.
The dim room lit up beneath the glow of the ring, the dazzling light so bright that Erika could barely keep her eyes open.
【2nd-Tier Magic: Triple Arc Bend】
Erika stared at the magic arc that had appeared in Heni's hand, completely dumbfounded.
Th-this—this wasn't right, was it?
She had spent a long time studying this spell without grasping its principles, yet Heni had taken 2 glances at it and released it just like that?
Could it be... she had already mastered it long ago?
At that moment, Heni pinched her fingers together, and the arc in the air shattered into 3-colored starlight.
The light drifted down softly and scattered across the floor, then gradually faded away.
"Just as I said a moment ago—you only need to understand the principle behind it."
"In truth, this was the first time I've ever used this spell."
"Do you want to try?"
Erika blinked blankly.
From Heni's words, she couldn't help but feel the gulf that existed between people.
Even so, she followed Heni's guidance and tentatively raised her hand.
A Formation was gradually traced into shape, carrying a concentrated breath of Magic Power.
Before long, a bent ring of shifting colors likewise began spinning through the air.
She had done it!
Erika stood frozen on the spot, at a loss for what to say.
She was thoroughly convinced.
Heni's knowledge had won her over completely.
It was not that Heni's reservoir of knowledge was deeper than the older Mages.
It was because Heni had her own unique perspective on Magic.
Through her teaching, Magic became far easier to understand in plain terms.
Erika had to admit—Heni was going to become a truly excellent Lecturer.
But as an Associate Professor...
Wait a moment.
The Spellbook before her recorded 2nd-Tier Magic.
Yet Heni had actually released it?
Erika turned back with a face full of bewilderment, looking at Heni:
"Heni, you..."
Heni met her gaze with a gentle smile and gave a small nod:
"As you can see."
A 2nd-Tier Mage.
The Academy holiday had lasted only 2 months.
In 2 months, Heni had gone from an ordinary person to a 2nd-Tier Mage.
What on earth had she gone through?
Erika couldn't begin to understand.
She had thought her own rate of improvement was already remarkable.
But looking at it this way—in truth, Heni was the truly extraordinary one?
Erika came back to her senses, thinking back to how Heni had taken a single glance and grasped a spell's underlying principle.
It seemed like the reality and what she had imagined might actually be one and the same.
Blank, stunned, puzzled...
All sorts of emotions tangled together, crashing toward Erika like a wave.
When Erika finally pulled herself free from the swirl of feelings, she realized something.
Wait—why had Heni come to her home in the first place, and ended up in her bedroom of all places?
If Heni was here, then didn't that mean...
The Professor was here too!?
A rush of delight and astonishment swept through her. She had just started to rise from her seat, intending to head downstairs for a look.
And then Heni placed a hand on her shoulder and shook her head at her.
"The Professor is discussing something very important. Wait a little longer."
Erika listened to Heni's gentle persuasion and sat back down.
She stared at Heni blankly.
Somehow she felt... Heni now seemed so different from before.
Not long ago, Heni had still seemed like a tiny Teaching Assistant who knew nothing beyond her studies.
The first time she had substituted for Professor Viktor's class, she had even appeared terribly nervous.
She had even... needed Erika's help.
And yet now... it was as though everything had changed entirely.
She was like a mature older sister—composed and poised in her words and manner.
And that warmth of hers, so naturally inviting, made people want to lean on her without even realizing it.
"Heni..."
"Mm, what is it?"
Heni blinked her amber-yellow eyes and looked at Erika attentively.
Erika came back to herself and quickly waved a hand.
"Ah, nothing, nothing."
"I just remembered—there are a few things I haven't quite figured out. Would you mind if I asked you about them?"
Heni simply laughed easily and said:
"Of course."
Erika turned and flipped open a Spellbook. Heni stood behind her, reading through the questions on the page attentively.
"This is an uncommon Compound Magic. You'll need to combine 2 elements and their Runes..."
The words that followed, Erika somehow couldn't hear anymore.
She was stealing glances at Heni's profile from the corner of her eye.
A strange sense of daze washed over her.
She was no longer the timid girl she had once been. The change was so great that Erika almost didn't recognize her.
In just 2 short months...
When would she herself become as dependable as Heni?
Erika didn't know.
She gradually drifted back to focus and quietly listened to this unusual Supplementary Lesson from Heni.
Time always passed quickly when one was studying.
Even Erika herself didn't know how much time had gone by before, at last, a light knock sounded at the door.
A Maidservant stood outside and spoke to the 2 of them:
"Miss Heni, Count Viktor is looking for you."
"The Count says it's time to head home."
Hearing that, Erika gave a small start.
But Heni had already straightened up, saying to Erika:
"Whatever questions you still have—ask them once the new term begins."
With that, Heni gave her a small wave and turned to walk out the door.
The Maidservant led Heni away from the doorway, leaving Erika alone to blink after them.
"Hm? Ah?"
What had the Maidservant just said?
Heni—it's time to head home?
Whose home?
Then it dawned on her, and she seemed to learn something that struck her as utterly astonishing.
Heni and Professor Viktor... lived together!?
She hurried to the window and stuck her head out toward the ground floor below.
A moment later, a figure emerged from the entrance.
It was her father, Livi.
And the man walking behind him, clad in a black Coat—that was Viktor.
Then, behind Professor Viktor, there was a person in a conspicuously mismatched set of wide, oversized robes.
It was obviously Heni.
Livi escorted Viktor and Heni to the Carriage waiting at the entrance.
Erika watched as the 2 of them boarded that horseless Carriage together.
Her mind went completely blank.
She had no desire left to study—it was as though she desperately needed to find out something of the utmost importance.
She shoved the door open and ran downstairs.
***
On the Carriage, Viktor looked through the window at Livi, who now stood at the entrance.
"In that case, please keep a close watch on those Devotees, Duke Livi."
Livi gave a nod, his tone relaxed:
"Of course. That they have appeared within the Empire—that is my failure to uphold my duty."
"It's getting late. I won't see you off too far."
Viktor gave a nod.
As though something had come to mind, Viktor asked:
"By the way, I don't believe I spotted a Steward in your household?"
Duke Livi blinked, looking somewhat puzzled, and replied:
"As you can see—we have never had a Steward in our household."
Viktor was silent for a moment, then gave a small nod.
"Understood."
"Please go inside and rest, Duke Livi."
As though pointing at something in particular, his gaze passed over Livi and landed on the person behind him.
"Don't let your daughter worry too much."
Livi startled and turned around.
At the Manor entrance, Erika was standing there.
Her expression was flustered, her breath slightly ragged—as though she had just come running out.
Behind her, several Maidservants were rushing to catch up with her.
"Young Mistress, it's cold at night—at least put on a coat!"
Viktor caught sight of Erika and gave her a faint smile.
Then the curtain drew itself shut.
The wheels turned, rolling over the cobblestone road with a steady clatter and creak.
And just like that, Erika stood there in a daze, watching the Carriage slowly disappear into the distance.
Livi walked over and draped his coat over Erika's shoulders.
Erika raised her head, her gaze turning to her father.
Her expression carried a trace of confusion, a trace of helplessness.
Livi looked at his daughter, a flicker of heartache in his eyes.
"That's why I told you from the very beginning, Erika."
"Don't get too close to Viktor."
The girls by Viktor's side were simply too many, too numerous.
Even the Princess was among them.
His Majesty had always tacitly permitted Viktor's interactions with her.
Even knowing full well that Viktor already had a Fiancée.
Measured against all of that, Erika didn't have a single advantage.
Livi let out a quiet sigh.
Equally so—Viktor was absolutely not the sort who would toy carelessly with the feelings of others.
Coming to the Manor this time, Viktor had not come solely for the Calamity's sake.
His Fiancée, Gwen Delin, had been in a coma for 2 days.
And the cause—was precisely those so-called Devotees.
These people had long since become old acquaintances of Livi's.
Thinking on it, Livi narrowed his eyes, a spark of anger rising within him.
Heretical cult followers.
How many more of your kind must I kill before you understand.
The Empire—will never be a place that filth like you can step foot in.
***
On the Carriage, Viktor and Heni sat facing each other.
Heni kept her head lowered, not daring to meet Viktor's eyes.
No matter how much she had grown, whenever she found herself alone with Professor Viktor, she fell into helpless disarray.
Simply catching the Professor's scent made her body grow faintly warm.
She wanted so much... to hold the Professor close.
To become one with the Professor...
At that moment, the Crow flapped its wings—flutter, flutter—and the sound pulled Heni's thoughts back.
She lifted her head, and caught Viktor's gaze resting directly on her.
Heni's face flushed with embarrassment at once.
Thinking of the image that had just formed in her mind, she became even less able to look the Professor in the eye.
But then, Viktor's voice sounded.
"Take a few days off and come with me somewhere."
Heni gave a small start, barely having processed the words, when she heard Viktor continue.
"I thought it over—I really have been neglecting you a little lately."
Hearing Viktor say that, Heni's cheeks turned several shades redder in an instant and she immediately spoke up.
"N-no, no, no, no—I would never think that, Professor!"
"I know you're very busy, so I would never say anything... ah, no, that's not right either, I don't dare say anything... no, that's not right either..."
She was becoming a little incoherent, desperately trying to express what she meant but unable to get herself composed no matter how hard she tried.
Just as she grew so flustered she was on the verge of tears—
A hand came to rest atop Heni's hair and gave it a gentle stroke.
"Don't be in a rush. I've said it before—I will keep making use of you."
"Until you're completely worn out."
Heni gave a small start, the corners of her eyes slightly damp.
Viktor's soft voice sounded beside her ear:
"So—do it for my sake."
"Professor..."
Heni raised her head, her gaze carrying a trace of dazed, intoxicated wonder.
She reached out both hands and grasped the palm Viktor had rested on her head.
And pressed it, gently, against her cheek.
Like autumn ripples stirred by a passing breeze, lifting waves that went by the name of tenderness.
I am forever yours.
Forever—yours.
"Mm!"