Chapter 276 - 275: Enchanting

Chapter 276: Chapter 275: Enchanting

Manlin shook off her wistful thoughts and glanced toward the door, an unconscious smile gracing her lips.

"Come in."

The wooden door opened.

When she saw Zelir appear before her in a brand-new Magic Robe, Manlin was slightly stunned.

"You bought a new Magic Robe..."

"Yes." Zelir nodded.

"It’s nice..."

Manlin walked over from the window. Her steps light, she circled Zelir twice, the smile in her eyes deepening.

"It suits you perfectly. You look quite handsome."

"Thank you for the compliment, Instructor Manlin..." Zelir said, a little embarrassed.

"So..."

Manlin gave a light smile. "What brings you to me? Surely you didn’t come all this way just for my compliments, did you?"

"It’s about this, Instructor Manlin."

Zelir’s expression turned serious.

He took a deep breath and bowed slightly to Instructor Manlin.

"Thank you for all the help you’ve given me behind the scenes. Really... I’m so grateful, Instructor Manlin."

Manlin froze for a moment, her gaze immediately falling to the Night Peace Magic Wand at Zelir’s waist.

Her expression turned to one of fond exasperation, as if to say, ’I don’t know what to do with you.’

"So, the owner told you everything."

"Yes... and please don’t blame her. I kept asking, so she finally told the truth."

Zelir had just come from the Magic Wand Shop, where he’d gotten the full story.

The whole tale about the Star Meteorite Wood wand not selling was just an excuse.

The only reason he was able to buy the Night Peace for One Hundred Gold Coins was because Instructor Manlin had spoken to the owner in advance.

Before, Zelir had always thought he was just lucky and had stumbled upon a huge bargain.

Knowing the full story, Zelir was deeply moved.

Ever since he first met Instructor Manlin, he had been the recipient of her kindness.

She had healed his injuries, taught him all sorts of theoretical knowledge, gifted him Magic Potions, and looked after him down to the smallest detail during Monster Hunting.

There was also her strong support during the Falling Leaves Town incident.

And now this.

For a Magic Wand with a total price of three hundred gold coins, Instructor Manlin had secretly fronted two hundred for him.

At the time, he had just barely saved up One Hundred Gold Coins.

If it weren’t for Instructor Manlin’s help, he would have had to choose a much lower quality Magic Wand.

His future adventures would have definitely been affected.

Counting it all up, Zelir felt he was drowning in a debt of gratitude he could never repay.

All of it—every single thing—went far beyond the duties of a normal instructor.

As his gaze fell on Manlin’s face again, Zelir no longer knew what to say.

"Instructor Manlin... I will definitely save up the money to pay you back. It’s too much; I can’t accept it with a clear conscience."

"Silly boy... why be so formal?"

Manlin gently pinched Zelir’s cheek, her tone a fond reprimand.

"Are you in such a hurry to settle the score and draw a line between us?"

"No... Instructor Manlin, that’s not what I mean." Zelir’s speech was muffled, his cheek still being pinched.

"Then listen to me... Don’t feel burdened by this, Zelir. I don’t need you to pay me back."

Manlin smiled slightly, her tone becoming even gentler.

"You are far more precious than two hundred gold coins."

"I..."

Zelir lowered his gaze.

A moment later, he looked up and met Manlin’s eyes.

"Instructor Manlin... why are you so good to me?"

This was a question she hadn’t seemed to expect.

The ever-poised and gentle Instructor Manlin, who always seemed to have everything under control, hesitated for a long moment before slowly answering.

"It’s just a senior looking out for a junior."

"Really... is it just a senior looking out for a junior?"

Zelir leaned forward slightly.

His eyes were fixed intently on Instructor Manlin’s face, as if trying to uncover the truth behind her words.

At some point, the hand Manlin had used to pinch his cheek had slid down, tracing the contour of his face.

Her fingertips gently brushed his cheek, the gesture turning into a fond caress.

She could feel Zelir’s warmth against her palm.

Manlin felt her fingertips burning.

As a result, her reply came out weak, her voice laced with a vulnerability she never usually showed.

"It... it is, I suppose..."

The room fell suddenly silent. The sound of their slightly ragged breathing was clear, and even the light seemed to soften.

The line between them felt as if it could shatter at any moment.

As fragile as a flower in a porcelain vase, ready to break at a touch.

’Advance... or retreat?’

Just as Manlin’s fingertips touched the corner of Zelir’s mouth, the cool touch jolted her back to her senses.

!!

She snatched her hand back as if she’d been shocked, her tone flustered.

"Anyway... it’s just an instructor caring for her student! Don’t think too much about it!"

"Oh..."

Zelir took the cue to break free from the overly ambiguous atmosphere.

He rubbed his face and bowed to Instructor Manlin again.

"I understand, Instructor Manlin."

"Go on, go on."

Manlin waved her hand lightly. "Now that you’ve bought a new Magic Robe, go work hard on your quests."

Not until the door was gently closed and the sound of footsteps faded down the corridor...

...did Manlin finally let her dignified facade drop.

"Phew... phew..."

She leaned her back against the desk, her long, shapely legs feeling a little weak.

Her chest heaved, as if she had just gone through some high-intensity exercise.

For the first time in her life, Manlin experienced the feeling of a panicked, fluttering heart.

She raised a hand to cover her cheeks.

’So hot.’

Even without a mirror, she knew her face must be completely red.

’Heavens... what was I even doing just now? Zelir... he probably didn’t notice, right?’

As she came to her senses, Manlin berated herself furiously, a wave of shame washing over her.

’What on earth was I thinking!’

Manlin was mortified.

She sank back into her chair, exhausted, and picked up her flower tea.

She took a large gulp, ignoring that the tea hadn’t fully cooled, and only then did she manage to suppress the turmoil in her heart.

’Yes, it was true she wanted to support her junior.’

’But from the moment she first saw Zelir, she had unconsciously placed him in a special category.’

’His handsome face, his vibrant energy, and his spirited sense of adventure.’

’All of these qualities had deeply attracted her.’

It was something Manlin herself only came to realize gradually over time.

’Looking back, my life up to this point seems so pale.’

’In my drive to get ahead, I’ve always been completely immersed in the world of Magic.’

’Even after achieving success, that habit remained, and there was almost nothing else in my life.’

’Forget about cultivating hobbies; I only have a handful of relationships with my peers.’

’Only in my rare free time would I guide the young Mages in the guild, but I never invested too much of myself.’

’But for some reason, I just want Zelir to become more outstanding, more excellent.’

’I want to give for him, to see him become better.’

Her thoughts were a tangled skein, becoming more knotted the more she tried to unravel them.

Her gaze went to the window, and through the gaps in the Silver Blaze Tree Cluster, she saw Zelir’s departing figure.

"Sigh..."

After a long while, a soft sigh filled with a mix of frustration and sweetness echoed in the room.

’That was a close call... I almost made a fool of myself...’

...

「On the outskirts of Black Stone Town.」

「By the riverbank.」

Though it hadn’t yet frozen over, the river carried a bone-chilling cold, whipped by the harsh winds of the Frost Moon.

A few withered yellow leaves floated on the surface, swirling with the current as they drifted downstream.

SPLASH—

Zelir squatted by the pebble-strewn riverbank and scooped up a handful of water, splashing it on his face.

The icy water shocked his skin and jolted his nerves as droplets trickled down his sharp jawline.

After a session of Shallow Meditation, Zelir opened his eyes, his gaze now sharp and clear.

He was now in peak condition.

’Perfect.’

’Now, let’s see how much the Magic Robe’s enchantment reduces my Casting consumption.’

Zelir didn’t use a Level Four Arcane Magic skill like Aurora Energy Beam or Fractal Fire.

He decided to experiment with the Empowerment Magic that consumed the most Magic Power.

Zelir remembered that after he had returned from Monster Hunting, his Spirit Attribute was 119.

At that time, casting three Gain-type spells consumed about half of his Magic Power.