"President Roswaal, are you preparing to go out?"
Subaru asked curiously as she looked at Roswaal, who had changed his attire. The Roswaal before her had removed his comical clown suit and replaced it with a well tailored formal outfit. The clothes perfectly outlined his tall figure, making him appear elegant and capable. Of course, it would be even better if he could remove that exaggerated clown makeup.
"Hey, Subaru, you are not allowed to call Roswaal-sama with such a strange title."
"It is alright, Ram." Roswaal waved his hand, a characteristic smile on his face. "Subaru told me it is a word from her hometown that means leader. I quite like this title."
Ram pouted, clearly unconvinced by the explanation, but she did not say anything more. She turned to Roswaal and asked respectfully.
"Roswaal-sama, when do you plan to return?"
"That is still uncertain." Roswaal gently cupped his chin, appearing to be in thought. "I have encountered some troublesome issues and may need to visit the Sanctuary, but it will not take too long."
After he finished speaking, he turned his gaze toward Carlisle and said, "Carlisle, I will leave the Mansion and Emilia-sama to you while I am away. Ram, Rem, while I am gone, you must obey the Perfect Knight-sama's commands."
"Yes, Roswaal-sama. I will not fail in my duty." Carlisle responded calmly. After several days of interaction, he had already become immune to Roswaal's teasing tone.
Rem and Ram responded simultaneously.
"Yes, everything will be according to Roswaal-sama's command."
Roswaal nodded in satisfaction, then turned and gently waved his hand. His body slowly floated upward. After reaching a certain height, his figure suddenly accelerated, soaring across the sky like a shooting star and disappearing into the distance in the blink of an eye.
"It is flying magic!" Subaru looked up with awe filling her eyes. She watched the direction Roswaal had disappeared in, her heart filled with longing. "This seems to be a Yin Attribute spell too. I wonder if I can learn it in the future…."
She thought silently, already imagining herself soaring freely through the sky. However, at that moment, Senior Ram's voice interrupted her thoughts.
"Subaru, stop daydreaming. It is time to prepare lunch."
Subaru snapped back to reality and stuck out her tongue.
"Got it, Ram.senpai"
"Carlisle, see you this afternoon."
The girl said playfully before walking toward the kitchen.
"Carlisle-sama, Rem will be busy now."
"Carlisle-sama, Ram will take her leave."
Rem and Ram bowed slightly to Carlisle before leaving.
Carlisle remained standing at the entrance of the Mansion, his gaze sweeping across the quiet surroundings. He sighed softly and slowly raised his head to look toward the sky.
For some reason, a strange uneasiness stirred within his heart today, weighing heavily on him.
"Is it because the Royal Selection is about to begin and I am too nervous?"
He tried to find a reasonable explanation for the ominous feeling, but the faint sense of worry refused to disappear.
"Perhaps… I am simply overthinking it."
---
Afternoon, in the courtyard.
Sunlight filtered through the treetops, scattering across the courtyard ground as the dappled light gently swayed with the breeze.
Carlisle stood in the center of the courtyard, while dozens of white orbs of light floated behind him. Each orb was formed from pure mana without any elemental attribute. Although they looked dazzling, they had no destructive power. Their only purpose was to help Subaru train her combat awareness.
"Alright, Subaru. Practice the technique I taught you to temporarily enhance your physical abilities with mana. Pay attention to dodging."
Subaru stood opposite Carlisle with her hands clenched into fists. She took a deep breath and assumed a slightly clumsy but spirited stance.
"Please continue to guide me, Teacher!"
After Carlisle taught Subaru two spells, he stopped introducing new magic and instead began teaching her a technique that used magical power to temporarily strengthen the body. This was not a Yang Attribute enhancement spell, so the upper limit of improvement was limited. Even so, when Subaru first succeeded in casting it, she could not help crying out in surprise because the strengthened physical ability was already comparable to that of a professional athlete.
Carlisle nodded slightly. With a gentle movement of his finger, the orbs of light behind him immediately shot toward Subaru like arrows released from a bow.
Subaru quickly mobilized the magic power within her body, guiding it through her limbs. She felt a warm strength surge from her chest before gradually spreading throughout her body. Her movements became lighter, and her reaction speed noticeably improved.
The first orb flew toward her.
Subaru quickly dodged, and the orb brushed past her shoulder, stirring a faint current of air. Before she could even sigh in relief, the second orb was already approaching from the side. Subaru pushed off with her feet and leaned backward as the orb barely missed her nose.
Her heart began to pound faster and her breathing grew heavier, but her eyes became even more focused.
The third orb attacked from behind. Subaru suddenly leaped forward and twisted her body in midair as the orb passed just behind her back. Although her movements were still somewhat clumsy, they had clearly improved compared to before.
However, there were simply too many orbs, and Subaru's stamina gradually began to run out. Her movements slowed slightly, and fine beads of sweat formed on her forehead.
The fourth orb flew from the side. Subaru barely managed to dodge it, but the fifth orb struck her shoulder directly. Although there was no pain, the impact still made her stagger and nearly lose her balance.
"Not enough. Keep going." Carlisle's voice rang out again, and the frequency of the attacks increased.
Subaru gasped for breath as she tried to regulate her breathing and focus her mind again. She understood that this was both Carlisle's test for her and an opportunity for her to grow stronger.
Her gaze became even more determined, and the magic power within her surged once again.
For the next period of time, Subaru's figure constantly flashed across the courtyard as she rolled, jumped, and dodged in every direction. Although she was still struck several times, her evasive movements gradually became smoother.
Her face was covered in sweat, yet a confident smile appeared on her lips.
Finally, Carlisle raised his hand. The orbs stopped attacking and slowly dissipated into the air.
Subaru remained where she stood with her hands resting on her knees, breathing heavily as sweat dripped down her cheeks and onto the grass below. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, but her eyes sparkled with excitement and satisfaction.
"That is enough. You did very well. Take a rest." Carlisle walked to Subaru's side and gently patted her shoulder, signaling for her to relax.
"Okay, thank you for your hard work!"
Subaru looked up at him with a bright smile. Her voice was slightly breathless, but still full of energy. She straightened her body and followed Carlisle to a long bench nearby. The two of them sat down side by side.
Subaru's small face was flushed from the exercise like a ripe apple. She gently fanned herself with her hand, trying to cool the warmth on her cheeks.
Carlisle turned his head and looked at Subaru's tired yet excited expression. His feelings were complicated. After remaining silent for a moment, he spoke quietly.
"…I am sorry, Subaru."
Subaru was stunned for a moment before turning to look at him, confused about why he suddenly apologized.
After a brief pause, he slowly continued.
"I once said that I would protect you. Yet now I am putting you through combat training. It makes me feel that this is somewhat unfair to you."
Subaru looked at Carlisle, a person who constantly carried responsibility on his own shoulders and even felt guilty for her growth.
It made her heart ache.
Her fingertips gently grasped the hem of her skirt. After a moment of silence, she spoke.
"Teacher… you really are an idiot."
"Yes, I am very irresponsible, am I not?"
"That is not what I meant!" Subaru quickly shook her head, a trace of urgency in her voice. Her gaze met Carlisle's as she leaned slightly forward and looked directly into his eyes.
"Even though I really want to rely on you… teaching me magic and training me is also a way of protecting me. And I also want to become stronger myself. I am really happy that Carlisle-sensei is willing to guide me."
Her voice was clear and firm.
As Carlisle listened to her words, the heaviness in his heart gradually began to fade.
Subaru's face turned slightly red.
"I really want to repay Carlisle kindness. Can you give me that chance?"
"Kindness?" Carlisle raised his eyebrow slightly as he watched Subaru stand up from the bench.
"Yes. I want to thank you in my own way." Subaru smiled mischievously. She turned and walked toward the lawn, her steps light and energetic. After a few steps, she stopped and waved toward Carlisle.
"Come over here."
Carlisle looked at her back before standing up and following her.
The two of them arrived at the center of the lawn, stopping beneath the largest tree. The tree canopy spread out like a giant umbrella, its dense leaves casting a cool shadow over the grass.
Subaru stood beneath the shade, looked upward, and took a deep breath while enjoying the gentle breeze brushing against her cheeks.
"Hmm, this is really nice. A perfect place for a nap."
Then she turned toward Carlisle with a sly smile.
She slowly sat down with her legs together and gently patted her thighs, forming the posture of a lap pillow.
"Alright. Please lie down here."
Her eyes sparkled with anticipation.
Carlisle was briefly stunned before asking with a wry smile, "What exactly are you doing?"
"Of course I am repaying your kindness." Subaru blinked. "Teacher is always working so hard. You need to relax sometimes. Come on, do not be shy."
Carlisle tried to refuse at first, but when he saw her expectant expression, he sighed softly. He walked over and slowly lay down, resting his head on her lap.
"How is it? Comfortable, right?" Subaru looked down at him with a proud smile.
"Mmm…" Carlisle closed his eyes, his voice carrying a rare hint of relaxation. The cool shade of the tree felt pleasant, and the gentle breeze brought a sense of peace.
Subaru's fingertips unconsciously began playing with Carlisle's hair, her movements gentle and natural.
"You should give yourself more time to relax in the future. Always taking every responsibility on your shoulders will eventually exhaust you."
Carlisle did not respond.
Beneath the shade of the tree, their figures appeared peaceful and quiet, accompanied only by sunlight and the rustling breeze.
Subaru softly hummed a lullaby, a song her mother used to sing to her when she was young. The melody was gentle and soothing, like the evening wind gliding across a calm lake.
Her voice was soft, as though she feared disturbing the peaceful moment. Her fingertips continued to play with Carlisle's hair, occasionally brushing against his forehead with a cool and gentle touch.
Carlisle kept his eyes closed as he felt the softness beneath his head, listened to the girl's quiet singing, and smelled the faint scent of grass and sunlight in the air.
His body gradually relaxed as the tension in his nerves slowly faded away.
Subaru's singing grew quieter, as if she were afraid of waking him yet unwilling to stop. Her fingers gently combed through his hair as her gaze rested on his face, her eyes filled with tenderness and concern.
Carlisle's breathing gradually became steady. His eyelids trembled slightly before finally closing completely.
"It is the first time I have seen him asleep. He looks like a child… so cute."
"Please rest well. After all… I plan to stay by your side."
...
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