Thump, thump, thump!
As Arcne's heart began to race, Jaekiel immediately closed his eyes and focused. He had to assist her to prevent her magic from going out of control.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Luckily, the water spirit, Kanghwal-su, played its role exceptionally well. It was said to have the power to forcibly revive even the demonic races that had nearly become corpses, and it was true.
Eventually, Arcne's upper body quickly healed.
Phew.
After the entire process was complete, Jaekiel finally let out a sigh of relief. He had been worried about so much in his mind.
What if Kanghwal-su's effect diminished? What if there were side effects…? He was glad everything went well.
'From now on, I need to take good care of her beforehand.'
He vowed firmly in his heart.
As his achievements kept rising, he decided to protect those precious to him directly. No matter if the opponent was a Demon Lord or an Emperor, he was resolved not to let them take anything away from him.
With Arcne's upper body fully healed, Jaekiel felt a strange fascination as he rubbed her abdomen.
"Seems like her magic has gotten stronger."
Could it be that Kanghwal-su wasn't just for recovery, but also had elixir effects? It felt like her magic had deepened compared to before.
Especially around her lower abdomen.
"…No way."
Brushing it off as mere frivolous thoughts, he quickly erased it. What could be more important than the fact that Arcne had recovered?
Then it happened.
Ugh… Mmm…
Arcne's eyelids trembled, and she began to make sounds. Soon after, her eyes opened.
The sunset-colored irises regained their light, swaying around before locking onto Jaekiel.
Arcne murmured in a weak voice.
"S-Seobang-nim?"
Jaekiel nodded.
The next day, Jaekiel's office.
After Arcne had recovered, matters regarding the Purple Magic Tower were sorted out rapidly.
The mastermind behind the decay of the Purple Magic Tower, Elder Gendiz, seemed to have been thinking of some cowardly trick to win even in a death match.
A document plotting the plans was discovered. If Herta's lightning hadn't intervened, he would have caused trouble again.
Fortunately, Gendiz and all the mages of the Magic Tower met a cruel end.
"Trashy bastards."
Even now, only such words came to mind.
To corrupt an entire Magic Tower out of greed and harm innocent people… Even black mages weren't this vile.
Though starting over again at the Magic Tower must feel daunting… Anne and Seina were reassuring.
─I'm currently reviewing the secrets of the Purple Magic Tower. I plan to select materials that the young ones can learn step by step from the Academy.
─I think I might support those with good performances. Just like Herta's lightning, I want children who pursue true lightning to shine in the future.
Jaekiel quietly nodded.
'I think this is enough.'
Does it matter if it takes a bit longer? The important thing is for the Purple Magic Tower to establish itself as a proper Magic Tower. Now that they avoided destruction, they must've escaped the worst.
It was only natural that Jaekiel's reputation was rising due to this incident. According to Seina, stories about Jaekiel were overflowing from all directions.
It was expected that the responses from the city Clatie were positive, and with the evil mages gone, it was something the magic academia welcomed.
But still.
The one treating Jaekiel the best was…
"Ahem~"
With light footsteps, a figure entered Jaekiel's office; it was Goddess Arcne.
Jaekiel immediately furrowed his brow.
"Arcne, I told you to rest for at least a week. Don't overdo it and end up in trouble again."
"I'm fine! I did come close to death, but now I feel full of energy!"
"Even so…"
"Seobang-nim, really, I'm totally okay."
Arcne flashed a bright smile, as if truly fine.
But Jaekiel remained suspicious. After all, wasn't it just yesterday that Arcne had been lying in a critical condition?
"More than that, Seobang-nim."
Arcne casually perched one side of her rear on the desk and gazed at Jaekiel.
"Kanghwal-su… did you bring it?"
"That's right."
"It must not have been easy to get. It's classified as a very excellent elixir in the Demon Realm."
"Fortunately, we had some stored at the Magic Tower."
Jaekiel calmly continued.
"Of course, if we didn't have Kanghwal-su at the Magic Tower, I'd have found another way to get it. I had no choice, right? You were sick and lying down, I'd have done anything."
The man had casually expressed his sincerity, yet the sunset-colored irises looking at him subtly quivered.
Jaekiel quietly observed Arcne's appearance.
'Still, she seems genuinely okay. That's a relief.'
It had only been a day, yet Arcne was maintaining her plump appearance. It was as if nothing had happened.
…No.
'But indeed, she seems to have gotten even stronger already?'
Yesterday, he had felt unsure, but today he could definitely tell. Her skin and hair glimmered even more than before.
As if she had bathed in elixirs.
"Seobang-nim, I'm sorry for the late thank you."
Arcne suddenly prostrated on the floor.
Jaekiel was taken aback. He immediately tried to lift her, but she had a very serious expression, so he hesitated.
Arcne slowly raised her head.
With her sunset-colored eyes glowing, she looked up at Jaekiel and parted her lips.
"Thanks to you, Seobang-nim, I get to live. I don't know how to repay this kindness."
"There's no need to repay anything, it's just great that you're alive."
Although just Arcne being alive was a huge relief, Jaekiel felt he had barely passed one mountain among many.
This was because he now intended to have Arcne stay with the Imperial Family…. A matter of persuading the other princesses.
But was there an issue with Jaekiel's words just now?
"Seobang-nim, no."
Arcne vehemently contested with a serious expression.
"Even beasts of the continent or monsters of the Demon Realm know to repay their debts; it's unacceptable for me not to repay."
"Hmm…"
"Whatever I do, I won't be able to repay the kindness you've shown me, but I intend to do my utmost. Is there anything you want, please let me know."
"What do I want…"
He pondered briefly but ultimately only thought of one thing.
"Just stay healthy from now on. Don't cause trouble."
A simple yet profound wish. This was the end.
Jaekiel shrugged his shoulders.
"I mean, expecting anything in return for saving someone precious, that logic doesn't add up. Don't think too hard about it."
"Seobang-nim…"
Arcne gazed at the man sitting opposite her with eyes filled with emotion.
He asked for nothing material. He acted sincerely to save Arcne's life. How could she not be touched?
"Ah, for this lowly woman to receive such…"
"Lowly woman? Watch your expressions."
Jaekiel already wore an expression of discomfort, while Arcne had a look of resolution on her face.
'Let's not ask for anything.'
Jaekiel thought to himself.
The moment he asked her for even something small, it was clear she would proceed in a very excessive manner. That would turn the entire Imperial Family upside down.
"For the time being, don't do anything and just focus on recovery."
"I can't just do nothing! I've been asking desperately until now, haven't I? I want to repay my kindness."
Each time the term 'kindness' came up, Arcne's expression turned serious.
Jaekiel reluctantly nodded.
"Fine, fine. But please, avoid doing anything…"
"You've just made a promise, right?"
Tap.
Arcne interrupted Jaekiel.
Jaekiel tilted his head slightly.
"What do you mean?"
"I can indeed carry out actions that repay your kindness. It's just as you said."
"Well, I guess that's true…"
Swish—!
Before Jaekiel could even finish his sentence, a spider silk unfurled from Arcne's fingertips, wrapping around his entire body.
Jaekiel looked puzzled.
"What are you doing?"
"Right now, I'm planning to repay you. Even when I was at death's door, I was conscious the whole time."
The woman smirked at the same time.
"I could feel you watching over me all night, worrying about me… I was aware of everything. So even in pain, I pondered."
"…What about?"
"A way to repay your kindness."
"So, what exactly?"
"In order to give you pure joy, I've studied all sorts of positions. None were left out."
Hmm.
So…
Could it be…?
Arcne licked her lower lip and chuckled. Excitement overflowed from her sunset-colored eyes.
"Now then, shall we begin?"
….
The distance between them grew closer.
Jaekiel found himself in a truly awkward position.