Grisha, who had been staring at Hail for a moment, slowly nodded and answered.

“You must be an Aura Sword user. Circuit analysis is not something that can be done just by looking at each other’s faces. Changes in location are necessary, not just in the laboratory but also in training grounds. We don’t usually attempt it casually because if you accidentally touch the magic circuit, it can even endanger your life.”

“I see…”

Hail’s shoulders slumped again at the immediate difficulty.

Listening to their conversation, I remembered that I had promised to introduce Grisha to Jack recently.

“Come to think of it, there’s someone I’d like you to take a look at. It’s Sir Jack from the Azure Dragon Knights, an elf.”

As expected, Grisha, being a magician, showed immediate curiosity at the mention of an elf.

“An elf? You mean a different race elf?”

“Yes.”

“Why is an elf living among humans?”

“I think he’s under a curse. I couldn’t see anything other than his magic being tangled. That’s why I need your help to examine the flow of magic more closely than I can.”

“Hmm.”

A curse that would force a rare different race like an elf to live with humans must be unusually difficult to break.

I felt sorry for suddenly pushing such a big task onto Grisha.

‘But Jack said he would give me a clue to solve my magic depletion problem if we solve his curse.’

From my perspective, even if it’s difficult, I hope Grisha can cure Jack if possible.

That way, I can get a hint too.

Unable to say such detailed facts in this place where Hail was also listening, I just sighed and asked this way.

“Will it be difficult after all?”

Grisha’s eyes curved gently, and then his large hand messed up my hair completely.

“If it’s your request, I’d be glad to take a look, Nelly.”

Because patting the head was always something I did in our relationship, I was surprised and froze.

Having finished talking with me, Grisha answered Hail in a gentle tone.

“You said you’re Sir Hail from the Azure Dragon Knights, right? I’ll contact you separately.”

“Th-Thank you! Thank you so much!”

In Hail’s bow and greeting, I could deeply sense the frustration of being stagnant in his own realm for a long time.

As I was rubbing my forehead where Grisha’s hand had touched with my palm, Grisha pulled me.

“Then shall we really sit down and talk about recent happenings now? I have a lot I want to hear.”

The hand pulling me had grown so much that it was clearly longer than mine by one more knuckle.

‘You’ve really become an adult, Grisha.’

I looked at Grisha’s hand holding me with eyes mixed with half wonder and half pride, then smiled brightly.

“Thank you, Grisha.”

“It’s nothing. For you, I could grant even greater favors.”

“What if I end up asking you to pluck a star from the sky?”

“Then I guess I’ll have to study space-time magic. Fortunately, I have a good teacher right here.”

“Haha.”

If Grisha were the student, teaching would really be fun.

I hadn’t thought about it before, but that future didn’t seem bad.

‘After all, this mansion is a place I’ll have to leave someday.’

Even though it was the place where I was staying, Grisha sat on the reception room sofa as if he were the owner of the house.

Sitting awkwardly on the plush velvet sofa, I cleared my throat and spoke first.

“You must have had a hard time with the magician evaluation, right? Wasn’t it difficult? Did the professor give you a hard time?”

“He asked me to stay and brew more Jerusalem artichoke tea.”

Grisha answered in a gentle tone, but I couldn’t smile back. What nonsense about Jerusalem artichoke tea!

“No! These people know how to appreciate beauty! How dare they try to exploit our Grisha’s labor!”

Keeping magicians tied to the academy for research purposes was just a way of saying they wanted to make them do the professors’ chores for a long time.

‘I can’t let our Grisha walk such a rough path!’

Magicians who have been at the academy for so long that they don’t know about the outside world and aren’t confident in earning money outside are better off researching at the academy with proper salaries. But Grisha isn’t that kind of person, is he?

‘He must be in high demand for scouting everywhere. He seems like he could run a magic shop well on his own.’

As I looked at Grisha with a fond smile, he blinked and asked back.

“Do I still look pretty to you?”

“Of course! No matter how old you get, you’ll always be the prettiest person to me.”

I said loudly with the heart of a parent bragging about their child, but as soon as I said it, I realized that Grisha was no longer the young boy from before.

I cautiously looked at Grisha’s expression and asked.

“…Is it a bit strange to call a grown man pretty?”

“No. I’m happy.”

Grisha smiled brightly, so I could also smile with relief.

After Grisha finished talking about his recent happenings, it was his turn to ask about me in detail.

“Are you feeling alright? No discomfort anywhere?”

“I’m very good. My overall physical strength has definitely decreased from just lying down, but considering how long I was bedridden, it’s good.”

“I’m glad.”

The smile faded from Grisha’s lips.

Grisha hesitated a bit, chewing on his lips, then slowly opened his mouth.

“But I was really surprised when I visited the Periway baronial house.”

With that one sentence, I realized who had sent Grisha here.

“Ah, right! I was wondering how you found this place. You met Diana?”

“She was a very unpleasant person, just as I heard.”

“But she’s pretty, right?”

I wasn’t particularly trying to defend Diana.

It’s just that being pretty was the only thing I knew about Diana.

Grisha’s brow furrowed at my irrelevant retort.

“Surely you don’t mean the same thing when you call me pretty as you do her?”

“What are you saying! You and Diana are completely different. And what good is outer beauty? Diana is greedy.”

“That’s a relief. I thought you might have gone soft.”

Grisha breathed a sigh of relief at my answer. Then he smiled and added.

“And you’re much more beautiful to me than her.”

“Becoming a magician has improved your eloquence, huh?”

Me, beautiful?

It was an embarrassing compliment I never expected to hear. I waved my hand and laughed.

The smile slowly faded from Grisha’s face as we looked at each other smiling.

Grisha, who had been hesitating for a moment, opened his mouth in a voice incomparably heavier than when he had talked about Diana.

“…Marriage to Cedar Granite, how did this happen?”

Somehow it sounded chilling. I shook reflexively and tilted my head. There’s no reason for Grisha to use such a scary voice? Is it my imagination?

If it were someone else, I would have had to make up a story, but Grisha was the only person in this world with whom I had no secrets.

I honestly told him everything that had happened to me.

“When it seemed like I wouldn’t be able to inherit the estate because I had fallen into a vegetative state, Diana came up with a scheme. If they arranged a marriage, the husband would get joint ownership of the inheritance, right? It seems she asked Cedar to receive the inheritance on her behalf.”

I don’t need to explain the reason why Cedar needed a wife, right?

She may be my sister, but she really comes up with bad schemes. Inheriting through a contract marriage.

Even hearing it, Grisha still asked in a very tense tone, as if he couldn’t quite understand.

“So you’re saying Diana, that woman, orchestrated this marriage?”

“Of course it wasn’t my will. I was in a vegetative state. Diana probably doesn’t even know I’ve woken up, right?”

“That’s right. But…”

Suddenly, Grisha’s body swayed as we were talking. Startled, I rose from my seat.

“Grisha!”

“Just a moment. The tension is releasing.”

I couldn’t see Grisha’s expression as he covered his face with both hands.

But Grisha’s ears sticking out were as red as rabbit eyes.

‘Is he embarrassed?’

Not understanding, I tilted my head.

After burying his face in his palms and taking deep breaths for a long time, Grisha barely managed to calm his emotions and let out a long sigh.

“Still, I was worried. What if it was a marriage you wanted?”

What if it was a marriage I wanted?

‘Anyway, he was surprised that I got married?’

If it were someone else, I might not understand, but I think I can understand Grisha’s feelings. Just as I consider Grisha as real family, Grisha probably considers me the same way.

‘He must have been shocked to think that I, whom he considers like an elder sister, got married without telling him. If so, I understand.’

Well, even if Grisha had gotten married without my knowledge…

No, I think I could sincerely congratulate him even if I was a bit surprised.

Isn’t wanting to monopolize family a sign of being a child?

Thinking that way, I felt that Grisha had only grown bigger than me physically, but was no different from the Grisha I used to take care of at the academy.

I smiled and pinched Grisha’s cheek.

“Really? Your body has grown, but you’re still like a child.”

“Nelly.”

Grisha’s slightly reddened face was pretty. His wavering deep blue eyes were like a deep sea.

For the first time, I felt the reality of facing him alive again.

“I’m glad to see you again, Grisha.”

“Me too.”

Grisha firmly grasped my hand as it naturally brushed his cheek.

Then he kissed the back of my hand with a smack and whispered.

“You have no idea how long I’ve waited for this moment.”

It was when I opened my eyes wide in surprise.

“I thought I told you to hide behind the curtain when any guest comes?”

Cedar’s voice somehow sounded mischievous.