“How do you feel?”

“How I feel...”

Muen stirred from unconsciousness. After adjusting to the blinding light, he moved his body in response to Professor Meladomir’s urging.

“My body feels light. Like I’ve been reborn. And...”

Muen stared at his arm, stunned.

“Why do I look so much paler?”

“It’s not like rebirth. It is rebirth,” Meladomir said.

“Your entire body’s flesh and blood have basically been replaced by now—corroded by quicksilver and regenerated by crimson flame. Of course your skin is newly grown. Pale is normal.”

“But... being this pale doesn’t really suit my vibe.”

Muen rubbed his chin and said earnestly,

“I’m more of a rugged, bronze-skinned, macho kind of guy.”

“Oh, give me a break.”

Meladomir rolled her eyes. “A pampered duke’s son saying that? Come on. Get up. Bounce around a bit.”

Muen obediently stood and gave a few hops.

But midway through his jump, he misjudged his own strength and nearly lost his balance.

“What the...”

Feeling the explosive power surging inside him, Muen’s eyes lit up in excitement.

“I think my cultivation level just went up.”

Ever since enrolling at the Academy, his warrior progression had stagnated due to being hopelessly absorbed in study. But now, it had suddenly leapt forward.

He was already nearing the late Second Rank.

“After soaking in the Silver Well for so long, this kind of boost is to be expected. Your body was so frail before, it only took a bit of pressure to push it upward,” Meladomir said while jotting down notes.

“But that effect won’t last. The Well’s main purpose is to improve your body’s resilience and resistance, not brute strength. Getting stronger still depends on your own hard work.”

“I see...”

Muen looked at his hands and couldn’t resist clenching his fists again.

He didn’t fully understand what ‘resilience’ and ‘resistance’ were supposed to do, but he could clearly feel the improvement.

And to Muen, that was reason enough to be happy.

“Wait, hold on—did you just say... ‘later’?” Muen suddenly realized, his voice rising in panic.

“Don’t tell me this kind of thing isn’t a one-time deal?!”

“Once? Are you still half-asleep?” Meladomir clicked her tongue.

“You think someone with your constitution can become the vessel of the Eternal Clock after one soak in the Silver Well?”

She continued scribbling, calculating something on the page, then said,

“With your current physique... maybe a hundred more soaks would meet the minimum standard.”

“A hundred?!”

Muen’s face drained of color.

Just one soak nearly killed him. A hundred more?

Even the toughest guy would fold.

“Relax, relax. The first time’s the hardest. Now that you’ve made it through, the rest won’t be that bad.”

Meladomir offered some comfort:

“There’s a saying, you know? Learn to find joy in pain. Maybe after a while, you’ll come to enjoy it.”

“I’m not a damn masochist!!”

Muen howled.

And just like that, the beautiful optimism of his day crumbled into darkness again.

The thought of going through that kind of pain and danger at least a hundred more times made him feel like he might as well go ahead and start writing his will.

Right. One copy for his parents. One for Anne. One for Celicia. One for Anna. And as for this infuriating old loli of a teacher—he’d just give her a candy wrapper and let her cry into it while licking it clean.

Wait. Speaking of Anna...

Muen suddenly jerked upright and turned to Meladomir.

“What time is it now?”

“Around nine,” she said.

“What day?”

“Day?” Meladomir tilted her head and spread her hands. “You think I keep track of that?”

She’d lived far too long to care about dates. She didn’t even know what year it was anymore, nor did she bother to learn.

“Then how long was I in the Silver Well?”

“Hmm...”

A translucent clock materialized in front of her. She casually turned the hands, then said:

“About thirty hours, give or take.”

“Thirty hours?!”

Which meant—

It was now nine in the morning on the second day of Open House!

And the time he’d agreed to meet Anna?

Ten o’clock!

He only had one hour left!

“Crap—I’m gonna be late!”

First date, and already late? Anna would tease him to death!

Muen scrambled to his feet and grabbed Meladomir by the shoulders, shaking her frantically.

“Torture me as much as you want later, just please send me out now, Professor Meladomir!”

“Oh? Going out?”

“Yes! I’ve got to leave campus. It’s important!”

“Perfect. While you’re out, gather the materials for Phase Two.”

“Phase Two? What materials?!”

“Ancient Dragon Heartblood,” she said calmly.

“The Academy’s out of stock. You’ll have to collect it yourself. With that, I can begin the next step. Without it, you’ll be soaking in the Silver Well indefinitely.”

“Okay, okay, I get it! Ancient Dragon Heartblood, got it! I’ll get it, I swear!”

Muen practically jumped with urgency.

“Good. Off you go.”

Meladomir gave a lazy wave of her hand.

A violent wave of vertigo hit him, and the scene around him shifted in an instant.

Sunlight streamed down. The air was still damp from last night’s rain. The whole world sparkled like it had been freshly washed.

“Amazing...”

Dazed for a second, Muen realized he’d been teleported directly to the base of his dormitory.

“Damn it—no time to admire anything!”

Gritting his teeth, he bolted for his room to get ready.

...

Shower.

Change of clothes.

Fix hair.

Even sprayed himself a couple times with that outrageously expensive cologne.

He checked himself in the full-length mirror. Once satisfied that not a single flaw remained, Muen took off at a jog for the front gates of the Academy—the designated meeting spot.

It was Open House. Ninety percent of students were off campus, so the place felt unusually empty. He didn’t pass anyone on the way, so he spotted her immediately—waiting beside the giant stone engraved with the words Saint Maria Academy.

“Anna.”

Anna wore a flowing pale-yellow dress paired with white leather boots. A simple woven bag hung from her elbow. Though the material looked humble, it stood out in a striking way.

Her long hair was tied neatly and fell over her shoulder. Light makeup graced her charming face, and when she smiled upon seeing Muen, the beauty mark near her eye gave off an extra, dangerously captivating allure.

“Muen-kun, you’re late.”

“Huh, am I?”

Panic crept into Muen’s heart as he hurriedly pulled out his gold-plated pocket watch to check.

The slender minute hand still had a few ticks before reaching the top.

“Wait—I’m not late!”

“Really?”

Anna cupped her cheek and feigned seriousness.

“But isn’t it standard for boys to show up at least thirty minutes early when asking a girl out? I even arrived early just so you wouldn’t have to wait.”

She sighed dramatically.

“There I was, a helpless girl standing alone in the cold for half an hour, wondering what if I caught a cold, or got hit on, or kidnapped by a thug, or—heaven forbid—got stood up...”

“Stop, stop! Anna, please stop!”

Muen panicked.

If she kept going, he’d be branded a ten-out-of-ten scumbag before the date even began.

He took it all back. Even if he wasn’t late, he was getting teased.

“I was wrong, Anna. I was so wrong.”

Muen pleaded.

“Have mercy on me, please.”

“Well, I suppose—since you’re being so sincere—I’ll forgive you,” Anna chuckled.

“After all, you are my adorable junior.”

The charm in her eyes made Muen freeze for a moment.

“But from here on out, you better make me enjoy myself, okay?”

“Of course. I promise this date—er, this repayment outing—will be one hundred percent perfect.”

Muen puffed out his chest like he’d made a solemn oath.

...

In the carriage, while Anna leaned on her hand, gazing out the window at the scenery, Muen sneakily pulled out his meticulously prepared Bellrand Date Guide.

Only now did his internal panic truly spill over like a tipped glass of water.

Originally, he’d planned to spend all of yesterday going over the guide, planning out every stop, even scouting them in person.

But thanks to Professor Meladomir’s sudden summons—and the thirty-hour soak in the Silver Well—he hadn’t just missed the planning phase... he didn’t even know where they were headed next. When he got into the carriage, he hadn’t even given the driver a destination—he just said, “Head into the city, I’ll tell you when to stop.”

“Ah... It’s changed so much,” Anna murmured in mild surprise.

“It’s only been two years.”

Muen followed her gaze to see a street outside—a clean, brightly renovated avenue, bustling and stylish, completely at odds with the rest of the Lower District.

“What’s that...”

It looked familiar. He frantically flipped through his guide.

“That’s the newly renovated shopping street in the Lower District,” he read aloud.

“Supposedly part of an economic revitalization project. Lots of new vendors, fun shops, decent crowd...”

“There’s even a special event going on. Recommendation level... four stars. Pretty solid.”

“And most importantly—Anna seems to like it!”

Muen’s eyes lit up.

Decision made. This was the place!

...

...

“Ahh, Head Maid, I’m exhausted...”

The petite maid, Noelle, staggered under a mountain of groceries as she made her way through the bustling street.

“Why did we have to come all the way across town to shop?”

Completely drained, she looked ahead at the woman in a black-and-white maid outfit walking gracefully in front of her—drawing the attention of every passerby but remaining poised and elegant.

Their estate was in the western outskirts of the city. But today, the Head Maid had insisted on dragging her all the way to the eastern part—without even bringing a single guard. The Lower District was chaotic; what if something bad happened?

“It’s good to learn about the products from other areas now and then,” Anne ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) said as she browsed fruit at a nearby stall—though clearly, her focus was elsewhere.

Suddenly, she lifted her head and looked in a particular direction.

Her nose twitched.

As if trying to confirm something.

And then... her lips slowly curved upward into a smile so eerie, Noelle couldn’t help but shiver.

“W-what is it? What’s going on, Head Maid?”

“Master.”

“Eh?”

“I can sense him.”

A terrifying gleam flashed in Anne’s eyes.

“The Young Master is within a ten-mile radius.”