With Siod’s heart as collateral, Guinevere felt surprisingly at peace. With just the dragon’s heart, using magical rubbings to turn back time was no problem at all.

Her obsession with researching time reversal magic all this time was to make William’s incomprehensibly difficult combination of alchemy and magic her own.

The current rubbing only functions using William’s heart as a sacrifice. But if it could be replaced with Siod’s heart, there would be no need to research how to use the magic with just her magical power.

She felt sorry for Siod, but a deep sense of relief washed over her. In 50 years, no, she wondered if she had ever felt this peaceful in her entire life.

“Why are you here too, Mother?”

“Just curious to see what you’re learning.”

Today was Sunday, Larisa’s lesson day. Larisa felt immense pressure, having never imagined Guinevere would be watching.

“Aren’t you busy?”

“Nope.”

William closed his mouth. Guinevere saying she wasn’t busy was like the sun rising in the west.

“Well then, what shall we start with today?”

“Please watch me practice piano!”

“Alright.”

Larisa finished playing perfectly with her small hands. Her eyes still sought praise, but this time Siod clapped without hesitation.

“We agreed on one song a month, so you’ll learn the next one later?”

“Yes. I’ll study something else instead!”

“Larisa, do you enjoy studying that much?”

“Yes!”

Though still suspicious that Larisa might be pushing herself too hard, Siod decided to trust William, seeing him leave her be without much worry.

“I want to be a pianist, and a translator, and do business, and become a painter too.”

“You have so many things you want to do?”

“Yes. I’ll learn it all and do it all.”

Guinevere, who had been listening quietly, spoke up.

“Tell me if you need more teachers. Or if you doubt their qualifications.”

“I’ve done it all, you know?”

Larisa looked at Siod with pure, sparkling eyes and asked.

“You’ve done it all? Really?”

“Yes. After rolling around the human world for a millennium, there’s little I haven’t done.”

“A millennium?”

Ah. The three people, except Larisa, exchanged glances simultaneously.

“You didn’t tell Larisa…?”

“Huh? Tell me what?”

“Well…”

Guinevere’s eyes wavered. William quietly shook his head. Siod gulped.

“Is it only a secret from me?”

However, the three couldn’t help but crumble at Larisa’s tearful voice.

“I see. I’m not supposed to know…”

Guinevere was the first to fall to the dejected voice. Larisa had the right to know about her future spouse’s bloodline anyway. Having quickly rationalized it, she ordered Siod.

“Just tell her.”

“Well. The truth is, I’m a dragon…”

“What?”

“You know, like in fairy tales?”

“The evil dragon that kidnaps princesses?”

“Yeah, that!”

Larisa’s face turned pale.

“Ah, but I’ve never kidnapped a princess. I don’t do that sort of thing.”

“Then, William too…”

William quietly closed the book he had been reading.

“Lala, dragons are actually gentle creatures.”

“Huh?”

“Humans are more ferocious. Dragons are… well, like fairies.”

“…Huh?”

“Fairies that help humans in trouble. Actually, dragons really like humans.”

William desperately explained. He didn’t know why he was making excuses for dragons, but seeing Larisa’s frightened face at this moment made him feel he had to.

“Look, who’s more ferocious between your mother and me?”

“…”

“William. Do you want to die?”

Guinevere glared at her son incredulously.

‘He really used that…’

Siod admired his son’s courage, and Larisa was convinced by Guinevere’s formidable aura.

Anyway, inspired by William’s idea, Siod began to argue that the kind fairies helping humans in storybooks were actually dragons in disguise.

“Look, Larisa. There are no such things as fairies in this world. Only dragons and spirits. But spirits can’t reveal themselves without a contractor, so all the fairies in fairy tales must have been contracted with someone.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Watch.”

Siod thought he might as well summon a spirit to show her.

As he called for Sylph in dragon language, a gust of wind whirled through the closed reception room, and a small, sparkling girl appeared.

“This is Sylph, the wind spirit.”

“Wow…!”

Larisa marveled at the doll-like tiny fairy sitting on Siod’s palm. It was literally like a fairy that had jumped out of a storybook.

“It’s like a real fairy.”

Sylph sat with her legs crossed like a prim little girl and tucked her hair behind her ear. Larisa’s eyes sparkled.

And at the same time, Guinevere’s eyes flashed.

“So they really exist. Sylph, the wind spirit…!”

Startled by Guinevere’s devouring gaze, Sylph jumped up. Then she flew away with a whoosh and hid behind William’s shoulder.

“Why, why me?”

“William, stay still.”

William reflexively tilted his head back as Guinevere approached. Sylph, clinging to William’s shoulder, began to tremble.

“Stop it, you’re scaring her.”

William cupped the Sylph clinging to his shoulder with one hand. Thanks to this, Guinevere, unable to see Sylph, snorted.

“I just want to take a look.”

“She’s an intelligent spirit, not some exhibit.”

“Right. Intelligence…! Tell me, Siod. How smart is she? Human level?”

“…Well, that one is smart at a human level.”

“I see. Then can she understand our language?”

“She understands everything. I’ve taught her Arendia language as a basic.”

“You can teach them language? I see. How do you contract with a spirit?”

Long ago, there were spirit masters who contracted with spirits. But in this era, spirits were forgotten beings. Guinevere couldn’t hide her excitement.

“First, you need to become friends with the spirit…”

“Become friends? Alright. Start by telling me what spirits like.”

Siod made a troubled face.

“What they like most is magic close to nature. For example, dragon magic.”

Guinevere’s face distorted nicely.

“What about my magic?”

“Your magic is… unique.”

Just in case, Guinevere asked again with lingering hope.

“Would spirits like it?”

“…They seem a bit afraid of it.”

Guinevere’s face fell. As she plopped down on the sofa, Sylph peeked her head out over William’s hand. Larisa said with a bright smile.

“Sylph seems to like William.”

“Yeah. I guess she’s grown fond of him from being around often.”

Siod answered with a laugh. William felt suspicious at the strange nuance.

“She’s around often?”

“Ah, with me. Since she’s often with me, she probably feels familiar with you too since your magic is similar to mine.”

Sharp kid. Siod broke out in a cold sweat. He almost revealed that he had assigned Sylph as William’s secret guard.

It wouldn’t be good in many ways if a teenage boy found out he was under his father’s surveillance.

“Wow, William, you’re lucky.”

Larisa drew closer. Her small hand carefully reached toward Sylph. Unlike with Guinevere, Sylph didn’t avoid Larisa’s touch, though she kept a prim expression.

Larisa hesitated just in front of Sylph’s nose and asked carefully.

“Can I touch you?”

Sylph just turned her head with a huff. Watching this, Siod said with a smile.

Since he spoke in dragon language, Guinevere and Larisa couldn’t hear anything. Only William intuitively sensed that Siod had said something to Sylph.

After being scolded by Siod, Sylph reluctantly held out her hand. Larisa’s finger touched Sylph’s hand.

“Wow…!”

Larisa’s round eyes grew even wider. Sylph made a mischievous expression and blew a puff of wind at Larisa’s awestruck face.

“Eep!”

It was just a gentle breeze, but Larisa was startled by the sudden wind and squeezed her eyes shut. However, contrary to the adults’ worry, she soon burst into laughter.

“Do it again!”

Sylph came down to William’s hand and started playing with Larisa. For Siod, it was surprising to see Sylph get along so well with Larisa, who had only a mouse-sized amount of magic barely enough to sustain life.

“Siod, what’s going on? Sylph doesn’t seem to dislike Larisa.”

“Yeah, I wonder.”

“Why is she afraid of me but gets along well with Larisa?”

“Larisa seems to have high nature affinity, even though she has no magic…”

“Nature affinity?”

“She still won’t be able to contract because she has no magic. But if she had magic, we might have seen a human spirit master after a long time…”

Guinevere recalled Larisa playing with the waves and understood. Larisa was a child who loved nature. It was a pity that such a child couldn’t become a spirit master due to lack of magic.

“Isn’t there a way for people without magic to use magic?”

As Guinevere muttered, William answered casually.

“Alchemy?”

“Ah, right. That’s what alchemy was.”

While Guinevere pondered whether there was a way to combine alchemy and spirit magic, Larisa asked Siod with a bright smile.

“Teacher, can I give Sylph a name?”

“Ah, Larisa. You can’t do that.”

“Huh? Why not?”

“You’re not a contractor, so even if you give her a name, she won’t acknowledge it. And if you name a spirit, they can’t return to the spirit realm.”

“What?”

Larisa asked with wide eyes.

“They’ll try not to leave the side of the master who named them. Spirits who can’t return to the spirit realm will eventually use up all their power and naturally disappear in this world.”

“You mean they die?”

“Yes.”

Larisa apologized with a disappointed expression.

“I’m sorry, Sylph. That was dangerous.”

Sylph flew up and landed on Larisa’s shoulder. Larisa, who had been marveling at how she couldn’t feel any weight, was startled by Sylph’s sudden pat on her cheek.

“You’re saying it’s okay?”

Sylph nodded vigorously.