"What... what do you think of me?"
Seria, with sparkling eyes, gazed up at Theo after posing the question.
"What do I think of you?"
Theo paused momentarily, contemplating a fitting response.
Under her shimmering gaze, Seria's lips were tightly pressed together, hinting at her nervousness.
"Hmm."
Theo felt a chill.
Given her serious expression, she wasn’t just looking for a light-hearted jest or a casual comment.
What answer was she hoping for?
"I think we can be of help to each other."
Theo finally replied, confident in his answer.
It was hard to understand exactly what emotions Seria was currently feeling.
Continuing with a strong façade could potentially stress her out.
In any long-term relationship, mutual benefit is key.
"So... you think we can be of help to each other?"
Seria mulled over Theo's words, her face flushing slightly.
A hint of a smile quivered at the corners of her lips, showing some satisfaction.
"Yes."
Theo affirmed.
"In that case..."
Seria took a step closer to Theo.
One more step would bring them close enough to touch.
She hesitated, then asked.
"Can I be your Aide?"
A soft smile appeared on Seria's face as she looked up at him, but it wasn't one of pure joy.
It seemed more like a mask to hide her nervousness.
'What if Theo... rejects my offer?'
Though she thought he would accept, Theo was unpredictable.
He was an enigma, a person unlike any she had ever encountered before.
'I want to know him better. I want to know why he hid behind those nasty rumors about himself.'
Seria realized her overwhelming emotion was curiosity.
It was an exhilarating feeling she hadn't felt in a long time.
However, Theo just looked down at her without any reaction, leaving her in suspense.
Anxious, Seria urged,
"Please, Theo, answer me."
"There's a condition, Seria."
"What is it?"
She eagerly wanted to hear his response.
"Do not create discord among the aides."
"What does that mean?"
"You should know very well."
Theo replied with a hint of a smirk.
The curve of his lips seemed to say,
'You, of all people, should understand.'
'What did he mean by that?'
Although various questions popped into Seria's mind, she nodded for the time being.
Getting his confirmation was the priority.
The recruitment period for Aides is coming up soon.
Given the impression Theo left yesterday, the competition would definitely be fierce.
'At least three women currently show interest in Theo... His fiancée Irene, the academy's idol Aisha, and Siena, the elf princess of the Great Forest. However, students from the Hero Department can't become Aides to fellow students from the same department. So in the end...'
Her only rival would be Irene.
She needed to secure the position of Aide quickly, preventing other women from getting too close.
Having calculated this quickly, Seria responded.
"...Understood."
"And, don’t share any secrets about me with anyone else. If you promise that, I’ll accept you as my Aide."
With that, Theo pointed to a spot on his left side.
He was cautioning her against mentioning his magic engraving to anyone.
'That's easy enough.'
Removing one's upper clothing was necessary for mana charging.
Seria didn't want anyone else to see Theo undressed.
'Irene, his fiancée, probably doesn't even know about it.'
Seria nodded with satisfaction.
"Understood, Theo. Anything else you'd like?"
"Lastly, I'd prefer if only the two of us knew about our relationship."
Theo looked intently at Seria, extending his hand.
"Of course."
And with a sincere smile, Seria extended her hand to grip Theo's.
Afterward, Seria finished charging [Magic Cartridge] with mana.
"Phew... the mana storage has certainly increased by about twice. At this rate, it's equivalent to the mana capacity of an average first-year Magic Department student, right?"
A weary Seria said, taking a deep breath.
"You've done well."
I calmly adjusted my clothes.
'Hmm, it's regrettable that I can only use up to 3rd Circle magic.'
Of course, if I continue using the [Magic Cartridge], the mana storage will steadily increase, and eventually, I'll be able to use magic beyond the 4th Circle.
However, I'm not sure when that will be.
Neike, that guy has such monstrous talent that all words fall short of describing it.
He can master 3rd Circle magic in just a few days, regardless of the route he takes.
Even in his current spear-user route, if he wanted to, he'd learn it in no time.
The difference in our fundamental abilities is like comparing the ground to the sky.
'Well, the increased mana storage alone is a big relief.'
Until now, my mana depleted rapidly even if I used a little magic, but now it should be much better.
I looked at Seria and spoke,
"Then, I should get going. Thank you, Seria. Have a pleasant night."
As I turned to leave—
"Ah, Theo! I have new spells to input for you."
Seria grabbed my sleeve.
New spells?
I'm always open to that.
"Are these newly mastered spells?"
"I had learned them earlier, but they were incomplete, so I didn't input them. I've recently refined them so they're quite useful now."
"I see."
"Yes!"
Seria looked up at me with sparkling eyes.
'...What's she planning?'
I've always been skeptical of random acts of kindness.
But if Seria tries anything strange, I can immediately dispel it with [Magic Nullification], so it doesn't really matter.
"Alright, proceed with the input then."
"Okay, please remove your top for a moment."
"Understood."
I lifted my shirt again.
Carefully, Seria placed her hand on my left side and began the magic input process.
For some reason, Seria couldn't help but chuckle throughout.
After parting ways with Seria, I immediately headed back to my room.
It was already past 11 pm.
Tomorrow, I have to depart early for the Association with Mari.
I need to be at the Hero Department's station by 10 am, so I should at least get up by 8 am to do my morning exercise.
'Hmm, I wonder if Amy's busy.'
Amy, who's usually around, wasn't in sight.
I wondered what she and Little Fist were up to, making it so quiet.
As I silently approached Amy's room,
─ Kiiing, kiiing!
The door suddenly opened, and Little Fist sprang out.
'What's this little guy up to?'
I patted Little Fist with joy.
"Oh, have you returned, young master?"
Amy emerged from the room.
However, my enhanced [Observer's Eye] didn't miss the sight through the slightly opened door.
Various books and newspapers were scattered on Amy's bed.
[Be a renowned secretary just by knowing this!]
[There are no bad dogs in the world - Does your puppy like strangers more?!]
[When your pet feels a bit too human]
"...,"
You must be having a hard time too, Amy.
Pretending I didn't see, I said to her,
"Yes, I'm back."
Saying so, I picked up Little Fist.
I wasn't entirely in great shape, and I had done some training, so I needed the recuperative effects.
And it's been a while since Little Fist approached me first; I should cherish the moment.
"Now rest. I want to review the seminar documents tomorrow."
"······Yes, I've already prepared them. I'll bring them to you tomorrow morning."
I left a visibly anxious Amy behind, went to my room, and began to prepare for a shower.
"Hmm?"
But there was something different about Little Fist.
His fur seemed shinier, and his eyes appeared sharper.
"Hey, buddy."
I chuckled and patted Little Fist.
However, he remained still.
"That's odd."
This little guy isn't rejecting my touch.
Did he finally understand my feelings?
"Hehe, you finally get me, huh? Come here."
Before I even finished speaking, Little Fist lunged at me.
Then, he sniffed at me intently.
'What's going on?'
Why is he sniffing me?
As I pondered, a status window appeared before me.
[The divine beast 'Little Fist' has grown. Additional effects are unlocked.]
[Once a day, the divine beast can express its intention in human language.]
[Tip: The more happiness the divine beast feels, the faster it grows.]
