Chapter 20
“What are you looking at? Get lost!”
Snapping at the people around him, Michael swiftly slipped his arm under Jaina’s thigh and lifted her up.
Jaina widened her round eyes in shock at the sudden embrace.
The distance between them shrank, his golden hair gleaming more vividly than ever. Even under the now-dim, darkened sky, Michael shone dazzlingly, like sunlight.
“Sir Michael?”
“Turns out tracking magic doesn’t work on dragonkin. Thanks to that, I had to predict the flow of wind mana and follow the disturbance…”
So, tracking magic doesn’t work on dragonkin.
Jaina blankly listened as Michael rattled off his magical knowledge. Since he didn’t seem to be saying it for her to understand, he glanced at her, then sighed deeply.
“Never mind. You’re safe, that’s all that matters… I was worried since it rained, but you even bought yourself a cloak and used it properly. Not bad.”
“I didn’t buy it.”
“What?”
Jaina rubbed the cloak with her hand. Its soft texture clung pleasantly to her fingers.
“Some older brother gave it to me.”
“What? What older brother?”
Michael latched onto her words, his tone somewhere between mockery and anger—it was hard to tell.
“What kind of older brotherrrr?”
“Did I say something wrong, Sir Michael?”
He seemed upset, but Jaina couldn’t figure out why. Her clueless answer only made Michael even more annoyed.
“You stupid dragon, do you know what people asked me while I was searching for you?”
His flushed face scrunched up.
“They asked me if I was looking for my daughter!”
“Pffft.”
“Did you just laugh? You laughed, didn’t you?!”
Michael angrily raised a hand and squeezed Jaina’s cheek without mercy.
“Uuurghhh!”
Michael was eighteen this year, exactly eight years older than Jaina.
But with his tall height and broad shoulders, he could easily be mistaken for a young man. His sharp, striking features made it even more understandable—even if there was still a boyish air about him.
“You insolent brat. Repaying kindness with spite?”
“I’m sorryyy.”
In Michael’s other hand was the teddy bear Jaina had received as a prize.
‘Knowing his personality, he must’ve been embarrassed carrying it… but he kept it with him anyway.’
But with only one hand holding her, his balance wavered, and on top of that, he was roughhousing her.
To avoid falling, Jaina instinctively threw her arms around his shoulders.
“…Huh?”
Michael froze at the sudden touch.
Jaina, who had squeezed her eyes shut, opened them slightly. Michael’s face was closer than ever, and oddly changed.
He stared fixedly at her. He’d never been silent this long before, so Jaina could only blink back at him.
“Looking at you like this…”
His long lashes lowered, his eyes curving softly. Jaina’s reflection glimmered in the clear blue of his irises.
“Your stupid face is actually clear to see. Hmph, not bad.”
Michael chuckled, then tightened his hold on her, pressing her cheek into his chest.
“….”
“Being a kid, you’re really warm.”
He adjusted her in his arms with surprising care, his actions gentle despite his gruff tone.
“You—you called that bastard Moben ‘older brother,’ didn’t you?”
“Huh?”
“Well, I mean, if you call me that too, other guys might think twice before messing with you. Not that you have to or anything…”
What was he even saying? Jaina stared, and uncharacteristically, Michael stammered.
“I-I just mean, I can’t accept being called ‘uncle’ with this face. So… to avoid misunderstandings, well, it can’t be helped…”
That day, Michael never once let Jaina down from his arms. Even though he clearly looked exhausted after using so much magic.
It was strange, Jaina thought.
“Anyway, if you call me ‘Sir Michael’ again, you’re dead. Got it?”
He said that right before she fell asleep in his arms.
Jaina realized her suspicion was correct when she saw the eighth mage today avoid her gaze.
‘Just as I thought.’
Her instincts had always been sharp—in her past life, and even sharper since being born a dragon.
That’s why, after the Moben incident, she quickly sensed the subtle change in the Mage Tower’s atmosphere.
The mages who had once looked at her with curiosity now showed a mixture of fear and unease in their eyes.
‘I didn’t even do anything… what happened?’
There was only one possible answer.
Jaina lowered her gaze.
The words Michael and Hilbenzia had spoken when she awoke still rang clearly in her head:
– Don’t worry. You’ll never have to see Moben again.
Perhaps Michael and Hilbenzia had taken care of it, somewhere beyond her knowledge.
As long as she was cautious of Tower Master Diamid, she likely had nothing more to fear within the Mage Tower.
Through the large window, she saw dust drifting lazily in the sunlight. It was a peaceful afternoon at the tower as Jaina quietly walked the corridor.
“You’re here?”
In the dining hall, Michael was already seated, waiting for her as if it were the most natural thing.
Seeing him made a strange tickling sensation stir inside her.
It was the same scene as always, but Jaina hesitated. She remembered what Michael had said last time.
“Hello.”
Usually, she said, “Hello, Sir Michael,” but because of his odd suggestion about calling him “older brother,” she wasn’t sure how to address him.
So she left off the title.
“….”
Resting his chin on his hand, Michael gazed at her lazily.
‘Is he displeased with the lack of title? But I’ve never called anyone “older brother” before…’
In this world, only blood relatives were called “older brother.” And in her past life, being an only child, she’d never used it either. The word simply didn’t fit on her tongue.
But she couldn’t exactly call him “Hey, you,” like she would a cousin, either…
Jaina’s eyes darted around. Unlike her usual calm demeanor, she felt a little flustered.
“You took ‘call me comfortably’ as an excuse to drop the title altogether?”
Michael muttered in passing.
‘So he does mind.’
While she was wondering how to respond, Michael continued.
“Hey, I didn’t get to say this yesterday since you fell asleep on me…”
‘What now…?’
The topic had shifted from titles to last night, but it was just as awkward.
‘Falling asleep just because he carried me—like I’m a baby…’
Hoping her cheeks wouldn’t flush, Jaina nodded.
“Yesterday’s mess was because you couldn’t control the wind properly, wasn’t it?”
Michael crossed his arms.
“You should take this chance to study wind magic.”
Jaina didn’t even know the basics of magic. While her high mana affinity had let her manage so far, advanced magic wouldn’t work on luck alone.
“There’s a training ground next to the garden.”
Michael brought her to the practice yard.
“Alright, draw up your mana like you did yesterday.”
Jaina followed instructions, but Michael’s rebuke came at once.
“Again!”
“Again!”
She shot him a look that said I did exactly what you told me, but Michael only grunted.
Then he grimaced, looking oddly sheepish.
“Ah… you don’t even know how much mana to draw, do you? It’s such a basic thing, I forgot I had to explain it. When dealing with idiots, you need to match their level.”
Then why not explain it from the start? Jaina pouted, her mood souring.
‘Can Michael really teach me properly?’
From then on, everything he said sounded incomprehensible. He clearly had magical talent, but none for teaching.
“Mana control is everything. I mean, if you draw out a lot, the wind will blow harder, right?”
“Yes, but how do I control the amount…?”
“Just well!”
“Pardon?”
“Well—precisely, with focus…”
“….”
Jaina decided to figure out the control part on her own. She tried another question.
“When using magic, how much mana is efficient? Like, using wind to lift objects—the mana needed is different depending on whether the object is light or heavy, right?”
Michael thought for a moment, then said:
“Just… enough. Suitably…”
“….”
“Don’t you just get a feel for it when you see the object?”
Jaina stayed quiet for a while, then asked:
“How did you first learn mana control, Sir Michael?”
“I just did it… Can’t you?”
At that moment, she understood—he wasn’t picking a fight. He was genuinely curious.
‘They say geniuses make poor teachers. What was I expecting from him?’
Her face went blank.
Noticing belatedly that her expression had darkened, Michael flushed red and retorted.
“You’re the idiot here, not me the bad teacher!”
“Forgive me. I’m just a stupid fool who can’t keep up with the great Sir Michael’s lessons.”
“You’re mocking me, aren’t you?”
And just then—
Beep!
Michael flinched at the incoming communication spell, cutting off whatever he was about to say.
