“What right do you have now!”

It was a repetition of the same story again. Siod sighed.

“I didn’t teach alchemy because I liked it either. But the child wants it. You said you wouldn’t teach magic in this life, but that doesn’t solve all the problems.”

“What do you know? What happened when that child learned alchemy? The result was always the same. No matter what I did, the result was always the same!”

The tragedy had repeated three times. If only I hadn’t taught anything, if William couldn’t even turn back time…

‘Then will that child just die?’

An uncontrollable fear began to eat away at Guinevere. Siod, unaware of her state, pressed on impatiently.

“Things are different now from back then. I’m here now, and you’ve changed too. Why are you only thinking negatively?”

With the power of anger, Guinevere barely regained herself.

“What do you know? In this life, William will become Duke Rodante and live peacefully and comfortably. Do you think I’d allow even one flaw for that child? Alchemy? People in the world call it black magic. Saying things like extracting the hearts of newborns to gather magical power and drinking their blood, I can’t let William hear all the curses I hear. Even giving only good things to the child isn’t enough…”

Siod said coldly.

“You should let the child live the life they want, at least in this lifetime.”

Guinevere hesitated. Siod wanted to take this chance to persuade her.

“Guinevere, have you ever asked William how they want to live? Do you know what that child’s dream is? William wants to help people with alchemy. They want to change people’s perception of alchemy themselves.”

Siod wouldn’t have known either if Larisa hadn’t shown him the contract she wrote with William. That’s why Siod wanted to become even closer with William. He just wanted to be close enough to share trivial stories and talk about the future.

But Guinevere was saying even that wasn’t allowed. Siod felt frustrated.

“I’m a dragon. I can assure you, if there’s a race in this world that hates alchemy the most, it would be dragons. Alchemy itself was created as a discipline to extract magical power from dragon corpses. I’m not particularly happy teaching such a thing either. It was also dragons who continuously stigmatized alchemy. Me teaching William alchemy and supporting that child’s dream is tantamount to directly challenging what dragons have done. But still!”

Siod took a deep breath and said.

“But if William wants it, I’ll teach them.”

At first, it was simply a means to get closer to William. But it was different after learning about that child’s dream. As expected of my son, my child should have this level of ambition. Rather than being proud that they alone wanted to overturn the history dragons had worked on for thousands of years.

Teaching alchemy was no longer just about wanting to get closer to William. Now it was also a resolution and determination that he was fully on Guinevere and William’s side. He wanted Guinevere to understand that too.

“Even if it means directly opposing Lord, I want to support William’s dream. Guinevere. This time, let’s let that child live as they want.”

While knowing nothing. Guinevere shouted as if having a fit.

“William has always lived as they wanted! No matter how much I tried to stop them, they kept doing that damn alchemy. You don’t know anything. How much that child doesn’t listen to me… You show up after 64 years and think you know anything about William!”

Siod shouted while dodging something flying towards him.

“That’s why I want to be a father now! 64 years is still a baby that hasn’t even hatched from its egg to me!”

“If it weren’t for the time regression, they’d already be over sixty, you bastard!”

Things kept flying. Siod dodged unconsciously once or twice, but belatedly realizing the garden was being devastated, he tried to disperse Guinevere’s magic. But the situation was already too late.

People had gathered because it wasn’t far from the ballroom. Noticing this, Siod hurriedly tried to calm Guinevere.

“Wait, wait a moment. Stop. People are coming.”

“Die!”

“I said stop!”

The barrier Siod had put up was simply to block sound, so there was nothing he could do about what could be seen. Among them, Siod spotted William and shouted, turning pale.

“It’s William!”

“What?”

Only then did Guinevere come to her senses and stop abruptly. As she turned her head towards where the gazes were gathering, William was standing in the middle of the crowd with a shocked expression.

“Mother?”

*

“I see… So the person you were dancing with earlier was my mother.”

The two sat before William like criminals. Well, to be precise, only Guinevere did.

“Then… what was that about a fiancée earlier?”

“That was just nonsense.”

Guinevere answered curtly. Siod sighed with his arms crossed. She was furious. It was because only she felt like a criminal, while Siod was acting as if he had done nothing wrong.

“Professor?”

“…”

Siod remained silent. This time, William sighed.

“So why did you fight?”

Guinevere glared at the unresponsive Siod and reluctantly answered.

“It’s nothing. Just a difference of opinion.”

“You fought using magic over nothing?”

“…”

“Try to make an excuse at least. So I have something to tell the headmaster.”

The academy headmaster had turned pale and given William his office to try to stop Guinevere.

“Tell him I’ll compensate for everything.”

“That’s a given.”

William said with furrowed brows.

“Mother, I want to have a quiet school life. Why do you keep interfering?”

“What? I…”

As Guinevere was at a loss for words, Siod snickered.

“See? You’re the one who doesn’t know anything.”

Guinevere said, grinding her teeth.

“Do you want to die?”

“Why don’t you ask him while you’re at it? William, do you want to become Duke Rodante?”

“What?”

William blinked at the unfamiliar words he was hearing for the first time. Then Siod said triumphantly.

“See? He has no thoughts about it. William just wants to open a small alchemy shop in a quiet place and live happily with Larisa!”

“What?”

William was shocked. His future plans, which he had never told anyone, were revealed in more detail than he expected. Then Guinevere glared and pressed.

“What are you talking about? Are you trying to run away again?”

“No, that’s not it.”

“William, listen carefully. When you become an adult, I’m going to pass the duke title to you and spend the rest of my life in the magic tower.”

“What??”

It was too sudden.

“No, why?”

“Why?”

Guinevere kept thinking. If William had been a duke in his past life, if Larisa had been a duchess, they wouldn’t have been attacked so easily.

It all happened because Guinevere sat alone in a high place and didn’t look under the lamp. Now Guinevere will put William and Larisa in high positions and treat them preciously. So that others can never treat them carelessly again.

However, since she couldn’t tell all that story, Guinevere just said shamelessly.

“Because that’s what I want to do.”

William sighed again.

“Mother, I’m not interested in the duke position. While you’re still alive, there’s no need for me to…”

“See! I’m right. William isn’t interested in power. Don’t try to decide the child’s future without even asking.”

“Eek!”

William was dumbfounded. He looked once at Guinevere, who was fuming with anger, and then at Siod, who was full of confidence as if he had won something.

And quietly asked.

“But Professor, why do you keep butting in?”

Siod’s face contorted.

“Pft”

This time, Guinevere sneered with a serves-you-right expression. Siod’s mouth gaped open and closed.

“Wow, I really. Can I tell him?”

“No.”

“Why should I listen to you?”

“Just try saying it! I’ll never speak to you again!”

“Ugh, ah, argh!”

Siod hit the sofa armrest in frustration. William sighed, unable to understand why the two were acting like this.

Anyway, he needed to end the situation, so William said quietly.

“I’ll just tell the headmaster that you two fought for personal reasons. I hope this never happens again. It would be better if you didn’t come to school at all.”

“Wait, why? I can apologize to the headmaster myself.”

“Mother, I just want to live quietly, please.”

“William.”

Guinevere grabbed William’s hand as he stood up. When did he grow this much, his knuckles had become quite thick. Guinevere had no time to be lost in emotions as the hand slipped away, and she jumped up in panic.

“Wait, don’t go. I’m not finished talking.”

“What is it?”

“…I know it’s sudden and you’re confused. But you need to become Duke Rodante.”

William remained silent. Realizing this was at least an attitude of listening, Guinevere hurriedly added.

“It’s because of Larisa, Larisa.”

She thought it would work this time too, as William was always weak to stories about Larisa.

“Larisa likes money and food, doesn’t she? Larisa will be happier becoming a duchess.”

Then William sighed and

“Mother, just because you sponsor Larisa doesn’t mean you can decide her life. Larisa has the right to live the life she wants.”

He said exactly the same thing as his father.

“You’re not seriously saying you brought her here to marry me, are you? No, whether you’re serious or not, I’m going to take it as a joke. I respect Larisa and want her to be happy with whoever she wants. So please don’t do anything.”

Such a bad kid, through and through.