CHAPTER 30………………………………………….
Chester placed a hand on his hip and said,
“We should make an inquiry to the temple.”
“That would be best. I’ve given all the medical insight I can,” the physician replied.
“You’ve done well. You may go.”
At Chester’s permission, the physician stood and bowed. Before leaving, he offered a final piece of advice to those in the room.
“The patient has just regained consciousness, so please let her rest.”
At his words, the people filling Urenia’s room began to leave one by one.
The first to stand was Maeve Dalton Valerio. She told Urenia to get plenty of rest, then led Chester out.
From what Urenia could catch, they seemed to be discussing the “resonance” between her and Lilian.
Even as he listened seriously to Maeve, Chester kept glancing back at Urenia, lingering near the door.
“What are you doing, Chet? Let’s go,” Maeve urged.
“I’m going. Get some rest, Teacher. If you’re uncomfortable, call for someone anytime.”
Reluctantly, Chester left, gesturing toward the bell rope.
Next, Kiernan and Enzo gathered up Kylus.
“Come on, let’s go too. She needs rest.”
“Mm…”
Kylus followed them, but suddenly stopped and ran back.
He threw himself into Urenia’s arms and hugged her tightly.
“Teacher… don’t get sick…”
“I won’t. I promise.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
Only after asking several times did Kylus finally step back.
Kiernan and Enzo, each holding one of the child’s hands, gave Urenia a small nod as they left.
Once the door closed, silence filled the room.
Now finally able to think, Urenia sat up and leaned against the headboard, resting her chin on her knees.
‘I really slept for three days?’
No matter how she thought about it, she couldn’t believe it.
It felt like she had been bewitched.
She remembered the light when she touched Lilian—but three days passing after that?
‘What was that, really?’
She wiggled her fingers, lost in thought.
Just then—
“Meooow.”
A long cat’s cry echoed from somewhere.
Urenia looked around, trying to find the source. The door was closed—where was it coming from?
Tap. Tap-tap.
Something tapped against the window.
She pulled back the curtain—and there was a cat, pressing pink paw pads against the glass.
‘It’s that cat from before?’
The same white cat that had led her to Lilian’s room.
“How did it even get to the second floor…?”
“Meow.”
The cat cried again, as if urging her to open the window.
“Wait a second.”
Urenia quickly opened it. Even before it was fully open, the cat slipped gracefully through the gap.
It landed on her lap and yawned widely.
Just like before, it carried itself with remarkable confidence.
“I should’ve asked the marchioness if she keeps a cat…”
—Why would you ask the Marchioness that?
A voice suddenly echoed in Urenia’s mind.
Startled, she looked around. The cat flicked its tail against the bedsheet.
—Over here.
Her gaze dropped.
The cat was staring straight at her.
When she focused, it spoke again.
—Yes, here. Me.
“…Th-the cat just… spoke?”
—Urenia, how many years has it been since you graduated, and you still can’t recognize your own teacher? This is why raising disciples is pointless.
“…Teacher?”
Her eyes widened in shock.
Only then did she realize whose voice it was.
It sounded familiar—
It was Rex, the very person she had been searching for.
Urenia stared at the cat, stunned.
“Rex… is that you?”
—Yes.
“My goodness, why are you—”
Why… how did you become a cat?
She couldn’t even finish the sentence.
Her eyelids fluttered rapidly as she stared at her transformed teacher.
“Since when? How did you become a cat? Why didn’t you talk to me sooner—”
—One question at a time. You’re exhausting.
Rex neatly folded his front paws and lifted his chin with feline arrogance.
—I’ve been talking to you from the start. It’s just your ridiculous constitution—my magic couldn’t get through.
“Ah…”
That made sense.
“Then how can I hear you now?”
—You made contact with the Valerio girl. That’s why.
“So I really resonated with her?”
—It’s a bit complicated.
Rex flopped down comfortably and began explaining.
—Simply put: the Valerio girl has too much mana, and you have so little that yours is in the negative. When you absorbed her excess mana, both your problems were resolved.
It was astonishing.
By that logic, the more she came into contact with Lilian, the more their mana would balance out.
Urenia would no longer suffer from negative mana, and Lilian would be able to stabilize hers.
In other words—
Lilian could live.
Her heart pounded at the unexpected hope.
“Then! If I keep making contact with her, can she recover?”
—You’re more concerned about that than your own mana returning to normal? You’re really something.
“I mean, it’s good for both of us!”
—True. Though if anything, she needs it more than you. Still, don’t overdo it. Slowly, little by little. Otherwise, you’ll collapse again.
“I’ll be careful.”
—Sure you will.
The cat twitched its nose and approached her.
—And don’t reveal your condition unless necessary. You’ll have to tell this family, but don’t go broadcasting it everywhere. Rare constitutions attract trouble.
“Is mine really that rare?”
—Would I have given you that necklace otherwise?
The cat tapped the pendant around her neck. The purple mana stone shimmered faintly.
—I set it to detect your mana. If it glows, that means you’ve reached your limit. Don’t push past it.
“I understand. Thank you!”
Urenia smiled brightly, touching the glowing pendant.
Then she carefully asked,
“But really… why are you a cat? Someone I know turns into a hamster when he gets flustered. Are you like that too?”
The Valerio family’s butler, Branson, turned into a hamster when startled.
At that, the cat’s eyes narrowed sharply in irritation.
—Don’t compare me to some fool who can’t control his emotions. I am the great archmage of the empire—the master of the Magic Tower!
The white cat—looking like a fluffy cushion—raised its tail stiffly in indignation.
