Caius's large hand came to rest atop Belle's head. The petite girl hunched her shoulders slightly but made no move to evade his touch.

  "Let's go find Instructor Holan. I need her seal on my external dispatch recommendation letter," Caius announced.

  "Mm," Belle nodded softly, falling into step behind him.

  Caius's strides were long; Belle's were short. Yet he deliberately slowed his pace, allowing her to maintain an effortless position at his side.

  Soon they arrived at the library, where Holan was already immersed in a book—apparently free of lectures today. Noticing their approach, she rose with a welcoming smile, only to deliver a light reprimanding slap to Caius's arm the moment she reached him.

  "What was that for?" Caius blinked in confusion.

  "This is all your fault," Holan chided, her brow furrowing. "This little one was up before dawn, waiting at the academy gates just for you. No matter how much I urged her to wait inside the library, she insisted on standing there until you finally showed up! Had you skipped today, she'd likely have remained rooted there till nightfall."

  Chastened, Caius rubbed his neck with an apologetic grin. "My bad. I was planning to treat you all to a feast tonight to make up for it."

  "That's more like it," Holan's expression softened, satisfied.

  After Caius handed over the recommendation letter bearing his name, Holan stamped it with brisk efficiency.

  "From today onward, you're officially an external dispatch agent!" she declared cheerfully.

  "Don't forget Kiki—her slot's coming through soon too," Caius reminded.

  "Yes, Meow!" Kiki nodded eagerly, her tail curling around from behind Caius to playfully tickle his palm.

  Feigning nonchalance as he stroked the fluffy tip of her tail, Caius quipped, "Now for the interview, Instructor Holan: How does it feel to have acquired a dedicated mercenary all to yourself?"

  "Hmm..." Holan pretended to deliberate before teasing, "Rather underwhelming, honestly~"

  Caius's eyes widened in mock outrage. Turning to Belle, he stage-whispered, "See? Don't ever pick up her bad habits. She's the queen of mixed signals—head over heels for me yet spouting nonsense like this..."

  Belle: "..."

  A flush crept up Holan's cheeks. "Who's head over heels for you, you narcissistic oaf?!" she retorted, swatting at him half-heartedly.

  Caius dodged with a roguish chuckle, effortlessly evading her attempts. Holan gritted her teeth in frustration—how could someone so bulky move so nimbly?

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  With a flick of her wrist, tendrils of cold seeped from her deep blue tresses. A cerulean flash later, Caius found himself encased in a massive ice block, only his head left exposed.

  "Heh~" Holan crossed her arms triumphantly.

  Caius glanced at his frozen confines and sighed. "Wow, bullying the magicless guy now?"

  "And if I am?" Holan taunted, sashaying forward to boop his nose. "Try dodging this."

  The next instant, Caius grinned wolfishly.

  His arms flexed—the thick ice shattered explosively.

  Please. That tipsy "Little Swan" had needed over a dozen platinum-tier binding spells to pin him down last time. A single platinum-level freeze stood no chance against his raw strength.

  The sudden fragmentation startled Holan into stumbling backward, only for her heel to catch on a slick shard. With a yelp, she teetered toward the floor—magic scholars weren't exactly famed for their agility, and Holan was a researcher, not a combat mage.

  A brawny arm intercepted her waist, gently redirecting her momentum forward instead. Holan's breath hitched as she found herself pressed against Caius's sculpted torso.

  Dazed, she looked up to find him brushing an ice crystal from her hair, his voice warm. "Careful there, Instructor. I'd hate to see you hurt."

  Scarlet-faced, Holan couldn't meet his gaze, her pulse hammering audibly. Caius released her without further teasing—with Belle present, the proper instructor would never allow anything more. A fleeting flirtation sufficed.

  As she stepped back, Holan pressed a hand to her chest, bewildered by her racing heartbeat. Never before had she been held so close by a man. The unfamiliar warmth spreading through her body was... unsettling. As an ice mage, she acutely sensed her rising temperature from accelerated bloodflow.

  "Anyway, I've got business at the student council," Caius announced, ever the escape artist after stirring trouble.

  "What for?" Holan asked, regaining composure.

  "Delivering Hilda's sword."

  "It's finished?" Her curiosity piqued.

  "Mhm."

  "May I see?"

  "Absolutely—not," he drawled.

  "Why?" Holan frowned, expecting immediate consent given their closeness. It was just a glance.

  "Custom weapons deserve reverence. The first eyes upon it should belong to its wielder," Caius explained. "A master smith's principle." He softened the refusal with an offer: "But I'll craft you a personalized blade instead."

  "Truly?" Holan's disappointment vanished. "You make staves?"

  "Naturally—no," he deadpanned.

  Holan: "..."

  "However," he continued, "a finely wrought dagger would suit a mage perfectly for close-quarters emergencies. Far handier than a staff. Thoughts?"

  "I... lack the funds," she admitted.

  "Gold isn't required. If the blade fits you, consider it my tribute to beauty—already paid in full by your loveliness."

  Recognizing his signature charm, Holan laughed, her crescent eyes sparkling. "Very well. I await your creation."

  "Then I'm off. Take care of our silly mushroom here—she likely skipped breakfast." Caius gestured to Belle.

  "Understood."

  As he turned to leave, Kiki scampering alongside, Caius couldn't resist ruffling Belle's hair once more. Something about that mushroom-cut hairstyle was irresistibly tactile.

  "Eat properly, got it?"

  "Mm."

  "Words, please."

  "Understood."

  "Good girl." With a final wave, he departed.

  "Farewell," Belle murmured.

  "Later."

  En route to the student council building, Caius nearly collided with Fenton—again. Did this kid ever attend class, or just loitered campus like some delinquent?

  But instead of the usual provocation, Fenton merely scowled and veered away.

  Odd. Did he finally learn his lesson?

  Shrugging, Caius proceeded to the president's office. Upon knocking, Hilda's voice called, "Enter."

  He stepped inside—only to find not just Hilda, but Britney and a matronly woman with an air of authority.

  Blinking, Caius addressed Hilda: "Your... elder sister?"

  Hilda stiffened in shock, while the woman chuckled warmly.

  "Greetings, Mr. Caius. I am Melinda, Vice President of Hydis Magic Academy."