Chapter 10

# 10

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These were things Nabiya had never been taught.

And as if reading her thoughts, he recited the content of the next lesson.

Nabiya, who had been watching Edward's expression, sneered quietly.

'Interesting.'

She thought it was amazing how the gaze that had always looked at her with such disdain could change so much.

Seeing her smile, Edward's expression twisted even more clearly. Then he composed himself.

He was a man with an extraordinary ability to control himself.

Edward asked mockingly,

"So what do you want to say? Do you want to be tested on what you've studied so hard?"

It was a ridiculous thing to get worked up over a child. He had no intention of playing along with this prank.

But Nabiya felt the same way.

"I want to tell you that there's nothing left for me to learn from you."

At these words, Edward's expression turned cold and rigid with fear.

"What did you just say?"

Instead of answering, Nabiya picked up a pen with a sharp, blade-like nib.

When writing with this pen, if too much force was applied, the paper would easily tear.

But if the force was too weak, the writing would look poor.

Naturally, at this moment, Nabiya could not use this pen at all.

Swoosh!

Nabiya drew a line down the center of the paper without hesitation.

Edward frowned.

The paper was bound to tear into pieces.

"……!"

But contrary to his expectations, the paper did not tear. A straight and clear line appeared.

Nabiya wrote down the words with an elegant and fluid motion.

Edward could hardly believe what he was seeing.

Nabiya was writing the key points of the Edan Empire's timeline succinctly!

This was something that could not be done without a considerable level of understanding.

Moreover, her handwriting was excellent and fast, like that of a master.

'To break the spirit of an opponent who underestimates me, I must neutralize my weakness.'

When neutralizing, be overwhelming!

Thud.

Nabiya put down the pen.

"Doesn't it seem like a waste of time for both of us?"

Edward, shocked, scanned the timeline.

'Flawless!'

He was a very strict professor in an academy of elites. For him, saying "not bad" was the highest praise.

And yet, Edward had already felt 'perfect' twice from Nabiya.

"Is there another teacher?"

"There can't be."

She had heard history lessons to the point of nausea. When it came to writing, she had written enough to fill a small library.

This was just a trivial trick to her.

"Even if it might reveal my background, there can't be any other teachers, right?"

"……What do you mean by that?"

"You already guessed that I'm a commoner, didn't you?"

Edward's frown deepened as Nabiya uttered the forbidden word.

In just one year, Edward had thoroughly brainwashed Nabiya.

'There's no way the brainwashing could have been broken.'

Edward began to channel his magic to cast a suggestion.

"I didn't hear that. The lady must not speak such words again…"

Nabiya smirked.

"I have a way to cure your magic reflux disease."

Thud!

Edward involuntarily pushed himself up from his seat, his gaze on Nabiya filled with desperation.

"Is that true?"

Nabiya nodded, and he rubbed his face in disbelief.

Thank you, God, thank you.

The heartfelt prayer was repeated several times.

Nabiya watched him with a dry expression.

Nabiya had always thought Edward was a very cold person.

She was shocked when she learned that he was a good older brother to his sister.

'Why were you so harsh to me, teacher?'

If you could be such a good person, why did you push me away and send me to my doom after spending so much time facing me?

One corner of Nabiya's mouth twisted.

'It was the sixth time.'

When she was sold to the barbarian king, Edward had said:

"Teacher, please persuade my father. They want a living sacrifice, not a queen!"

"That is your purpose."

"……What?"

"Even if they are barbarians, they are still a king. It's better than being obsessed with the position of a lady."

It was then that Nabiya realized Edward had recommended her as the sacrifice to the barbarians.

"I don't desire a high position; I just want a family…"

"Hah, even if it's the result of brainwashing, it's really tiring."

Nabiya had revered him as a teacher. She believed that a little bit of the master-disciple bond still existed.

But it was a delusion.

Edward had no guilt in making her a loyal slave to Agnes.

She had hoped that if she did her best and was sincere, she could gain a little of his favor.

I wanted a family, teacher.

Edward declared coldly.

"Accept it. They will become your family."

At that moment, Edward suddenly felt something was off.

'I haven't heard that Vivian's illness has been cured.'

"What is the cure? How do you know about it?"

Nabiya smiled.

"The cure for magic reflux disease is known only to me."

Edward was speechless.

He soon felt a surge of anger, thinking he had been played by a child's trick.

How dare you toy with my desperation?

'That's why the nobles!'

He hesitated.

'Nobles…? Did I just call this child a noble?'

Moreover, how did she know that he was searching for a cure for magic reflux disease? Nikan couldn't have told her! The realization sent a sharp chill through his body.

In contrast, Nabiya was overly calm.

He couldn't even guess what she was thinking.

Her red eyes were devoid of emotion, like a deep, dark abyss.

Edward gradually became anxious and restless.

'Is the brainwashing weakening?'

If so, he could just cast the mental control magic again.

Then everything would return to normal.

Edward suppressed his anxiety and channeled his magic.

He waited for the information from Nabiya's mind to be sent through the magic.

The moment he felt the clear desires and deficiencies from the deeper psyche, he planned to enhance them.

But the surroundings were too quiet, as if he hadn't used magic at all.

Edward's eyes twitched.

'What? What's wrong?'

At that moment, Nabiya's clear voice pierced the air.

"It seems something isn't going as planned, Mr. Spencer."

Edward's face hardened.

Surely, I can't be 'read' by this child?

'Was the brainwashing exposed? But that's impossible!'

He couldn't hold back and growled threateningly.

"What do you want?"

"That's not it, teacher."

Nabiya shook her head and continued with an indescribable air of authority.

"You need to tell me what you can do for me."

Edward shut his mouth.

Nabiya's way of putting the opponent on the defensive was so refined that it was like dealing with a seasoned negotiator, leaving no room for error.

Her aura pressed down on Edward's shoulders like the paws of a predator.

"……"

Edward fully realized he had started a game he was losing.

He had been drawn into her trap.

His eyes flashed with a fierce resistance but gradually lost their intensity.

It was time to admit defeat.

Edward knelt on one knee, lowering his gaze below Nabiya, who had seated herself.

"If the cure is real, I will stake my life on it."

Nabiya looked down at him with a satisfied expression.

Receiving that gaze, Edward was enveloped in an inexplicable shiver.

"Since you are a mage, you can perform a 'Mage's Contract,' can't you?"

All mages could create an absolute contract using magic.

Edward's eyes widened.

"How did you know I'm a mage…!"

"Since the brainwashing is broken, it's natural that I know you are a mental control mage, isn't it?"

Edward sighed softly.

'What is this child's true identity?'

To break a magical suggestion, one needed a level of mental strength beyond human.

'And the moment the suggestion is broken, the human body cannot withstand the shock and will surely die.'

So it was impossible.

Nabiya extended three fingers and stated the terms of the contract.

"In exchange for me telling you the cure, you must promise three things."

She folded one finger.

"One, for the next five days, you must not cure anyone's illness except your younger brother or reveal the cure."

'So you know my brother has magic reflux disease.'

He listened intently, his face tense.

"Two, on the fifth day from today, go to Duke Agnes and reveal that you can cure magic reflux disease. You must keep it a secret that I told you."

"You mean I must keep it a secret that the lady discovered the cure?"

"Yes. Forever."

Edward looked at Nabiya with a strange expression.

Nabiya folded her last finger.

"Three, persuade the duke to send me as the heir to the Esselred family."