Hearing Kefra's words, Gwen's gaze dimmed.
Since childhood, Gwen had regulated her own behavior according to the rules of the Knight of Justice, her heart facing justice, and she continuously learned the skills of a knight to strengthen herself.
But her father was different.
Angus Delin.
He was an absolute utilitarian who regarded his own children as tools for gaining benefits for himself.
Because young Gwen, due to being too upright, couldn't bring him any benefits, Angus Delin sent Gwen off early to the knight order to study combat skills, and from then on never asked about her again.
This caused Gwen to have almost no childhood, emerging from endless training and fighting since she was small.
As for Gwen and Viktor's marriage contract?
After Viktor's father died, the engagement seemed to become a joke.
The Clavenna family acted as if they had completely forgotten this matter. After all, the one who made the decision was Viktor.
As the family head, if Viktor didn't want to fulfill this marriage contract, he could naturally choose to ignore it.
And what was even more ridiculous.
Because Viktor became the head of the Clavenna family, and because of Viktor's nearly nine years of neglectful behavior, Gwen's father believed Viktor couldn't bring benefits to the Delin family.
So this marriage contract hung on Gwen like a transparent existence.
Only a portion of people within the noble circle knew she and Viktor still had a marriage contract between them.
Until now.
In a daze, Gwen saw Kefra stretch out a hand and wave it in front of her.
"Gwen? Gwen?"
Gwen's eyes gradually refocused. Looking at Kefra's fingers, she lowered her head.
"Sorry, I zoned out."
Kefra pressed her hand to her forehead and sighed. She knew how much her younger sister hated those people at home.
But this matter, even as the eldest sister, she couldn't decide for her.
"So, are you going back?"
Gwen lowered her head, her fists tightly clenched, giving no answer.
———
"The North?"
Viktor sat at his desk, one leg crossed over the other, leaning against the leather seat back, fiddling with some novelty in his hand.
They were two metal plaques. Liya watched Viktor engraving strange yet intricate runes onto them with focus, and she frowned.
When she looked again, the patterns on the plaques had disappeared.
So many years had passed, Liya had long stopped being interested in things like magic.
So she didn't say anything more. She only shrugged, and patted the envelope on Viktor's desk.
"Uncle Angus said this. Whether you go or not is up to you. If you don't want to go, I'll help you refuse."
Early this morning, the Viktor estate received this letter sent from the main Delin family in the northern border of the Empire.
The contents of the envelope were very clear and simple, intending to invite Viktor to the Delin family for a visit.
His "Uncle Angus" had some things he wanted to say to him.
Viktor set down the metal plaques, resting his elbow on the chair's armrest, cupping his head as he began to think.
Did he have time now?
He had plenty.
After the lecture, the academy was on break, giving him a long vacation.
But very few people outside the capital should know of his professor identity.
Until yesterday's lecture was a great success, and his title as professor spread along with it.
But that was only one night.
"Looks like this uncle cares a lot about me."
Thinking more carefully, it wasn't strange, after all, he became a professor partly because of Gwen's help.
Perhaps the other party had enlisted the influence of the main family.
But the fact that the man caught the timing of his vacation to invite him made it hard not to feel premeditated.
Therefore, Viktor's answer was…
"Go. Why not?"
He slowly opened his eyes and answered blandly.
Liya was very surprised. She didn't expect Viktor would agree to this kind of troublesome invitation.
She had thought she was only delivering the message symbolically.
"Gwen will go back too."
"Oh? You even know that?"
Liya raised her eyebrow. Indeed, that uncle had already notified Gwen.
She was probably preparing to return home now.
"Inform her. I'll go back together with her."
"What?"
Liya could hardly believe Viktor's request.
What happened to her brother recently? Did he… finally figure things out?
Although confused, she still turned and left, obediently going to carry it out.
After Liya left, Vega opened its hazy single eye.
"So? We're going out for some fun?"
This crow seemed to treat this whole thing like a vacation.
Although for Viktor, this indeed counted as a trip without much risk.
"Angus Delin wants to invite me to the northern border, and also wants to call Gwen back in advance."
"Obviously, he likely wants to do something regarding the marriage contract between Gwen and me."
Vega looked at Viktor with some surprise.
"How are you so sure?"
Viktor pointed at its head, giving a faint laugh.
"If you're not using your brain, you can donate it to someone who needs it."
Vega felt very angry, because it clearly heard the insult.
"Why should I think? I'm just a crow."
"No problem. I respect that."
Viktor picked up the two plaques again, imbueding magic as he lightly explained, "In everyone's eyes, my relationship with Gwen has always been 'engaged.'"
"That alone is enough to serve as this uncle's motive."
He had called Gwen back ahead of time, perhaps to tell her something.
So going together with her would be best, soldiers block soldiers, water blocks water.
Viktor enjoyed doing things this way.
Finally, something seemed to be finished on the plaques.
Two forces of origin appeared to be infused into the cards, the two colors representing the powers of 'fire' and 'wood.'
On the back of each plaque, he had also engraved a portrait of a 'clown.'
At the side, another line of words was engraved.
"joker"
Vega widened its eyes curiously, tilting its head at the two cards.
"You're serious?"
"You really made two Jokers? But what's with this picture, you drew two clowns?"
"No."
Viktor tapped the table with his finger, and the two cards stood upright.
The front sides of the cards seemed to flicker with faint flowing light, and faintly, it looked as if two clowns had been given life, staring at the outside world.
A slight energy radiated outward, but even so, one could still feel it was a formidable presence.
Viktor's gaze carried amusement as he looked at his two masterpieces with satisfaction.
"They're trump cards."
The cards instantly returned to Viktor's waist, and that energy dissipated into the air, leaving no trace.
Viktor stood up, patted Vega, and said lightly, "Let's go, I'm going to see Henny."
"I have something to ask her."
Vega flapped its wings and steadily perched on Viktor's shoulder, quietly leaving the study with him.
Around this time, Henny liked staying in the garden.
After confirming with the servants, Viktor headed for the garden.
And as soon as he entered, he saw a scene, Cocotte and Henny were nestled together among the flowerbeds, with Cocotte lying atop a cloud.
Cocotte slowly constructed a formation in the air, drawing while explaining to Henny beside her, "Here, you can insert a Rune symbol. That will cause the wood-element magic to tremble, making it more flexible."
"What about here?"
Henny pointed at a blank spot in the aerial formation.
"If we connect the Rune symbol here, wouldn't constructing a new pattern between it and the Kaya symbol be better?"
"No no, that won't work. That would make the magical vibration irregular. If it's too flexible, it becomes unstable. Guess what happens then?"
"Explosion."
"Right."
As a second-tier mage, Henny was now able to study and use deeper, more complex magic.
The two of them were discussing magic with great enthusiasm.
After all, Cocotte was an old mage whose age no one knew anymore. As a former councilor, her knowledge could certainly be called "vast."
Cocotte, eyes shut while teaching, suddenly felt the sunlight before her dim.
Sensing danger, she snapped her eyes open.
Viktor's face was right in front of her.
She instantly became extremely alert, and the cloud under her quickly drifted back a bit.
"Vi… Viktor, what are you doing here?"
"I'll tell you first, now that I'm on vacation, don't even think about making me work!"
Not giving Viktor a chance to say anything, Cocotte quickly kicked the cloud beneath her. The cloud turned into a crying face and frantically carried her away.
Seeing Viktor appear, Henny was immediately overjoyed. Not caring that Cocotte hadn't gone far yet, she rushed toward Viktor.
"Professor!"
Viktor casually rubbed Henny's head.
A warm current rose in Henny's heart, and she felt completely content.
Although she had already become a second-tier mage and the daily head-pat experience points weren't much anymore, Viktor would still do it if she liked it.
After finishing the pat, Viktor said calmly, "These days, I'll be away for a while."
"During that time, I need you to pay more attention to matters at home."
He definitely couldn't count on that useless shut-in elf, tying a dog to the house would probably guard it better than Cocotte.
So he had to rely on Henny.
Henny froze. She wanted to say that Miss Liya was around, but once the words reached her tongue, they became, "Where are you going?"
"The Empire's northern border." Viktor answered calmly.
"Liya has business to handle in her own territory; she can't stay in the capital to manage things all the time."
"If you encounter something difficult, go to that elf. When it comes to major matters, she won't be lazy."
Henny didn't know what to say. She felt a bit disappointed, but still nodded.
"Oh."
Would it be a long time before she saw the professor again?
"Right. Give me Leighton."
Henny nodded. She never questioned any of the professor's requests.
A mass of red slowly condensed from Henny's body, forming a small crocodile that lay upon her shoulder.
It lazily yawned.
"What are we eating today?"
No sooner had it asked that than it saw Viktor's cold face.
It shivered violently.
"B-big bro!"
"Relax, Leighton."
Viktor glanced at it, extended his hand, and picked Leighton up.
The tiny crocodile couldn't move in his palm; it only heard one sentence.
"I'll take you to eat something better."
After that, Leighton's consciousness sank back into darkness, once again imprisoned.
After doing all this, Viktor turned to leave, but saw Henny in front of him looking somewhat fidgety.
"What's wrong, Henny?"
Since something was off with his subordinate, he naturally had to show concern.
Henny only sneaked a glance at him, seeming a little timid, and spoke softly.
"Can you… come a little closer?"
Viktor didn't understand, but still tried to fulfill her request.
"Like this?"
He was now almost right in front of her, close enough that if he reached out, he could hold her.
Viktor perhaps knew what Henny wanted.
Maybe a hug, since she liked those.
But Henny didn't do that. Instead, she gathered a little courage, looked up at Viktor, and continued, "Could you… lower your head a little?"
"I want to tell you something."
It must be something she was too shy to say.
Viktor complied, bending down as much as he could.
Even so, Henny still had to tiptoe to bring her mouth close to Viktor's ear.
And she really did so.
She stood on tiptoe, trying to whisper something to Viktor.
Before Viktor could react, like a delicate bird lightly pecking a tree, when he regained awareness, a moist warmth lingered on his cheek.
He froze slightly and looked ahead.
Among the green leaves, the shy young girl stood upright, her face entirely flushed, wearing a faint, soft smile.
"Professor."
"I like you."
The wind brushed past his ear. The girl fled in panic.
Only the softness that had touched his cheek remained.
Cleaner than the wind itself.
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