Looking at her, I sighed helplessly. I wanted to refuse. All I truly wanted was to focus on training, to bury myself in it and ignore everything else. But then I remembered—how she stayed by my side, how she comforted me during my recovery. She deserved more than silence.
"How long was I even out?" I asked curiously.
She didn't hesitate. "About four days," she replied. But before I could react, she followed up quickly, her voice firm and authoritative. "Now, tell me—what have you been doing while I was unconscious?"
Though i will reveal most of it i won't reveal what happened on the dream it was to personal i don't want to give her a burden
That I'm supposed to carry
I nodded, resigned. There was no point in hiding it. I began explaining everything that had happened. The breakthroughs, the training, the unexpected events. It took more than an hour just to touch on the major points. But before I could even finish, she interrupted again.
"Tell me, what did the woman who was teaching you look like?" she asked, her voice suddenly sharp—demanding an immediate answer.
Lucy already knew that her eldest sister resided in another kingdom. So the moment I described the woman—golden hair and piercing gray eyes—her expression darkened.
Her face twitched slightly. "Tell me... did you reveal your talent?" she asked. She already knew that her mother, the Queen, was aware of my unusual Talent. The real question was: had I shown the full extent?
I hesitated before nodding lightly. "Kind of. She saw me break through to the Peak Layer in one night. But I didn't let her see that I could already cast a high-level spell."
Lucy sighed, her frustration evident, but I caught a glimmer of relief in her eyes. "Good. If she'd seen your full capabilities, she would've forced you to train under her immediately. You have no idea how intense she can be."
She suddenly chuckled a bit amuse "didn't you know thats the Queen you had been training with?"
My face froze and i was speechless i couldn't utter a word
For a moment, silence settled between us. Then her voice dropped, low and dangerous.
"You tried to reach 2-Star, didn't you?"
I opened my mouth to deny it. I wanted to. But the truth was obvious—I had. My plan was just to push my limits, to see how far I could go. But things had escalated. Not only had I reached 2-Star, I'd unlocked a new spell. And despite it all, I still felt painfully naive. The world was in danger, and I was still too weak.
I focused back on her and simply nodded.
She let out another sigh. "Since you're so intent on causing trouble for yourself," she said, her tone stern once more, "you're coming with me to the banquet tomorrow."
"What? Why?"
"And," she continued without missing a beat, "you'll be wearing a maid outfit."
My eyes widened in disbelief. "Wait, what?!"
She smirked, clearly enjoying my reaction. "No arguments. That's final."
Resigned to my fate, I nodded helplessly. "Fine… Can you at least give me more spells?"
She sighed again, this time with more irritation. "You're addicted to training," she muttered. Still, she reached into her spatial ring and pulled out a book. I opened it to find three low-tier spells and two mid-tier spells. My eyes lit up.
Grinning, I leaned in and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek—barely reaching it.
Before she could react, I vanished.
Behind me, Lucy's face flushed deep red. Her aura flared chaotically, and items around the room tumbled to the ground. She clenched her fists, muttering to herself.
"That… little?. Does he think he can do whatever he wants just because I treat him specially?"
She shook her head furiously, trying to dispel the heat in her cheeks. Taking a deep breath, she headed toward the bath, needing to calm down.
With time left to train, I made my way to the garden. The air was fresh, the grass soft beneath my feet. I wasn't going to waste any opportunity. If I kept hesitating, the kingdom's fate would be sealed—and I'd be powerless to stop it.
As I arrived, I saw a familiar figure. The Queen. I immediately bowed.
Evelyn smiled, clearly satisfied. "So, Lucy must've already told you," she said, a melodic chuckle escaping her lips. Her voice was deep and alluring, but carried a softness, like birdsong in the wind.
Scratching the back of my head, I coughed awkwardly. "Don't worry. I won't ask why you hid your identity."
She stepped forward and gently patted my head. "Hmm… I heard the news. You're quite reckless, aren't you?" She smiled again, though there was a sharpness in her gaze.
"You reached 2-Star just like that?" Her voice grew serious, authoritative—uncannily similar to Lucy's.
I shook my head slightly, a wry smile forming. "Things happened. It's a long story."
Hearing that, Evelyn's eyes sparkled with curiosity. A talent like mine—rare and unstable—tempted her greatly. She had spent years searching for a student who met her exacting standards: prodigious talent, a kind heart, and an appealing presence.
She stepped closer, suddenly reaching out and pinching my cheek. "Hmm…" she murmured. "Not exactly handsome, but not rough either. Soft features. Cute, in a strange way."
I tried to pull away, but it was like she was using her power to hold me still. She smiled, clearly entertained. Realizing she'd been charmed, she cleared her throat and let me go, quickly changing the subject.
"Well, would you like to be my student?" she asked. "I planned to train you for just three days, but seeing your talent… I'd be willing to take you on permanently."
Just as I was about to respond, the air shifted. A strong, floral perfume filled the air, overpowering Evelyn's own scent. Footsteps echoed behind us.
Lucy.
Evelyn turned and smiled. "Perfect timing, my dear daughter."
Lucy sighed as she approached. She had always admired her mother—respected and loved her deeply. But the duties of the throne kept Evelyn distant, rarely able to spend much time with her.
"Mom," Lucy began, her voice calm but firm, "I know you want to take her as your student. But I'm sorry—she's mine."
Without another word, she grabbed my sleeve and dragged me away like a misbehaving pet.
Evelyn sighed with a small smile. "My dear daughter… how about one million gold coins? Can I have her then?"
Lucy paused, glancing over her shoulder. "Mom. He's not for sale," she said flatly.
There was a moment of hesitation before Lucy relented slightly. "Fine. I'll let you train her… three times a week. Is that fair?"
Evelyn chuckled, reaching out to pat her daughter's head. "Deal."
With that, the Queen turned and walked away, her presence still lingering in the air like fading perfume.
Lucy looked at me, her expression unreadable. Then she smirked.
"Before you can train again," she said, "we'll begin your punishment tomorrow.
i gulped