066 An Unexpected Partnership

Lambert waved goodbye to a rosy-cheeked girl who lingered with reluctance. Wearing his habitual smile, he glanced up at the towering four-story building. Its purely feminine architectural style seemed overly delicate and ornate to his masculine eyes. With just a single look, Lambert could already spot seven or eight points where he could break in directly—his thoughts had barely shifted to this before he shook his head, amused at his own professional habits.

He paid no mind to the girls nearby, whose gazes, both overt and covert, sized him up. Striding into the building, Lambert, though entering for the first time, moved without hesitation thanks to years of training and instinct. Corridor, stairs, corridor, more stairs... He ascended until the third floor, where he finally stopped and made his way briskly to his destination—

As soon as he entered the room, Lambert opened his arms wide and embraced a beautiful young matron warmly, laughing as he said, “Aunt Felina, it’s been so long! You’re as radiant as ever.”

Felina laughed, giving him a gentle pat and pinching his cheek. “I heard someone was looking for me recently, and I wondered which handsome young man it might be. So it’s you—let me guess… Is it about the Icefield?”

“Exactly,” Lambert replied, settling comfortably into the most inviting spot in the office. “I happened to be wandering the Empire, and as soon as news reached the clan, my father sent me over—since I’m closest, after all. But by the time I arrived, everything was nearly dealt with. Quite the letdown.”

Felina wasn’t so easily charmed by his playful demeanor. She tapped his forehead with her finger, smiling, “Little trickster. With your knack for getting the best deal, you wouldn’t come unless there’s something in it for you. Judging by the look on your face, you must have already enjoyed some reward, haven’t you?”

“Brilliant as always, Aunt,” Lambert grinned lazily, showing no embarrassment at being exposed. “I heard you once obtained a ‘Chapter of Anti-Magic’. Knowing your generosity, I thought you might lend it to your nephew for a look?”

Felina shot him a half-amused, half-mocking glance. “You drive quite the bargain, don’t you? All your schemes end up on my doorstep. But you’re too late—the ‘Chapter of Anti-Magic’ has already been borrowed by the military. They’ll return it once they’ve figured out how to reconstruct it.”

“Oh, that’s unfortunate,” Lambert said regretfully, though his lazy smile betrayed no hint of genuine disappointment.

Felina laughed, “Unfortunate, is it? You could try asking the researchers for a loan… Or—”

The second option hovered on Felina’s lips, circling twice before settling into a sly smile, with not a hint revealed.

Lambert saw her scheming and knew he had no choice but to acquiesce—after all, he’d already accepted her “reward” in advance, so he owed her a favor.

Besides, the item he wanted happened to be borrowed, and Felina’s chilling smile left him little room for resistance. Ultimately, Lambert chose to yield, maintaining his playful demeanor, though a faint wariness flickered in his golden eyes.

“If you need something done, Aunt, just say the word,” Lambert replied with a relaxed smile. “But I’ve already accepted another task, so as long as yours doesn’t interfere, I’d be happy to help.”

“Smooth-talker,” Felina teased, her smile both fond and mischievous. “This is nothing but beneficial for you—the academy has just retired several senior teachers, and before new ones take over, you’ll temporarily teach Continental History and Aesthetics.”

St. Alberta may have been a women’s academy, but its restriction applied only to students, not staff. Even so, male faculty were rare. Seeing Felina’s satisfied grin, Lambert knew there was no way he could refuse—she had clearly planned this all along.

Thus, St. Alberta gained a rare addition: a young, handsome, sunny male teacher.

☆☆☆

Elvish, born from ancient totemic civilization, has evolved over millennia yet retains an old, natural essence. It’s considered the language closest to the essence of magic, and is a required subject for senior alchemists and magicians—not only because it makes inscribing magical arrays swift and stable, but also because many ancient texts can be deciphered with its help. Document interpretation is an essential skill for any accomplished alchemist or mage.

Though Theresa had studied ancient Elvish, she found that when she began systematically learning modern Elvish, her prior research actually hindered her progress! The situation left her quite troubled—

“Stop, Tess, you’ve misread this. The word here should be ‘exquisite,’ not ‘dangerous’,” Carol interrupted Theresa’s recitation yet again—his fifth correction in ten minutes, once every two minutes on average. For the usually outstanding Theresa, this was a first.

She bowed her head, resigned, and beside the error wrote an ancient Elvish character nearly identical to the one she’d misread, marking it for emphasis. Looking up, there were already a dozen such marks in her short translation, indicating at least as many mistakes. The high error rate left even Theresa speechless.

Despite her discouragement, Theresa earnestly sought Carol’s guidance, her persistence earning his admiration, so he spared no effort in teaching her how to distinguish ancient from modern Elvish script.

After a day of dizzying study, Theresa left with a weary expression. Archer, seeing her, disapproved, “Tess, don’t wear yourself out. Father and Mother have already sent people to inquire. I’m sure you can go to the Natural Kingdom without the exchange program. Don’t let yourself get sick before you even succeed.”

Theresa smiled and shook her head, “It’s fine, just busy lately. I’ll relax tomorrow.”

Archer nodded, satisfied, and the two rode toward the Aubryon estate. It was midsummer; though late, the sky was not yet dark. In the Empire’s northwest, Sevantis enjoyed the cool winds of the Icefield, making summer pleasant. Riding in such weather was a joy. They trotted along and soon saw the lights of Maple Garden.

“Huh? Strange—is someone visiting today?” Archer slowed his horse, surprised.

“Yes, Aunt and Uncle didn’t mention any guests. Could it be an unexpected visit?” Theresa slowed, too. The two speculated as they circled the lake and reached the main building.

The butler greeted them, smiling, “Miss, your uncle, Sir Brento, is visiting.”

“What? Uncle Jeff is here?” Theresa was astonished. “Why didn’t he let us know? Just showed up out of the blue?”

By custom, unless the relationship was extremely close, visiting without notice was quite rude.

“Sir Brento arrived with Mr. Barman,” the butler added, dropping another surprise. “They decided to visit together at Mr. Barman’s suggestion.”

Given Barman’s ties with Amos, such a sudden visit made sense—both were military men, unconcerned with etiquette, and their bond was forged in battle.

But the fact that Jeff Brento was involved with Barman was a shock to the two youngsters. Unable to get further answers from the smiling butler, they hurried to the drawing room.

After half a year apart, Jeff Brento had grown lean, but more vigorous, exuding the sharpness of a true mid-rank Grade 4 swordsman. Seeing Theresa, Jeff excused himself to the Aubryon couple and Barman, and took her aside for a private reunion.

Though often henpecked, Jeff’s care for Theresa was genuine. He asked about her life and studies, and after a heartfelt moment, said, “I’ve arranged for someone to go out to sea with the ship. In two months, we should get their first report. I’ve told them to send any news immediately. As for the exchange program, I’ve looked into it—it’s too demanding, so don’t push yourself. Health matters most. If it doesn’t work here, we’ll find another way.”

Theresa nodded, smiling, promising to be obedient. Seeing Jeff satisfied, she curiously asked, “Uncle, how did you end up traveling with Uncle Barman? I thought the Brento family had little connection with the military.”

“It’s just coincidence,” Jeff explained simply, not intending to elaborate. “The northwest front needs a shipment of aged grain, and our family has enough in the local warehouse. This time, Mr. Barman and I are escorting it to the front.”

The northwest front needed grain, and Barman—renowned for his fighting prowess—was escorting it? What was the reason?

Theresa was full of questions, but before she could speak, Jeff suddenly remembered something, his face stern as he scolded, “I heard you went to the Icefield a few months ago? Joined an excavation team? That was reckless! The opportunity may have been rare, but how could you ignore safety? Betty and Amos, too—how could they let you do something so dangerous? If you’d been injured or worse, how could we face your mother…”

Jeff’s admonishments went on and on, while Theresa drifted into a daze…

(To be continued)