Chapter 12: The Olive Branch from the Lady

The banquet concluded amidst a peculiar ambiance of ambiguity. Felix remained heads-down, quietly indulging in cake, while Catherine observed him with gleaming eyes, akin to someone who's found an intriguing toy. As for Lady Elizabeth, she maintained a captivating smile, engaging Felix in conversations about popular poetic collections amongst the nobility and amusing anecdotes from the countryside.

Felix was a man of clear distinctions between gratitude and grudges. Whatever the reasons, Lady Elizabeth genuinely celebrated the first birthday of his life. He was appreciative and set aside any animosity that may have sprouted from pride.

These two beautiful women, at the very least, instilled warmth in the depths of his heart, a stark contrast to the coldness and hatred that emanated from Fairmuth Manor.

"Alright. Our little Felix should head to bed now," voiced Lady Elizabeth. Her captivating face showcased an uncommon, tender affection. For the first time, she didn't refer to Felix as 'little kitty' and gently ruffled his hair, smoothing out his slightly messy, lovely brown locks.

Under Felix's astonished gaze, Lady Elizabeth made an astonishing decision: "Tomorrow, I'll arrange for a wise magic teacher for you."

Felix intently regarded the seductive woman before him. He couldn't fathom her whimsical thoughts, but undeniably, he felt grateful for Lady Elizabeth's decision.

He yearned for power. One couldn't merely grope around in the realm of magic and hope to progress; he lacked spells of mid to high-level magic and had no knowledge of advanced meditation techniques.

The knowledge in the magic books was limited. Many profound theories seemed incomprehensible to him, who had shaky basics. Even if he possessed groundbreaking magical theories, without integrating them into the current magical system, they wouldn't transform into power.

He needed a high-level magic mentor to guide him, to open the gates to the "Silver Domain" for him.

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"Lady, do you genuinely plan to nurture him?" Catherine looked perplexedly at a contemplative Lady Elizabeth. The 'Blood Rose's decisions were always unexpected. She couldn't grasp why Elizabeth would spend a considerable amount to hire a magic teacher for a gift from Fairmuth. Wizards were prideful; employing them wasn't just about dispensing Caesar gold coins.

"Isn't he a clever little kitty?" Lady Elizabeth elegantly lifted her enamel crystal cup. The deep-red wine made her rose-petal lips even more luscious.

Fluttering her beautiful eyelashes suggestively, she said, "Our lovely little kitty evidently hasn't had a pleasant time with the Fairmuth family. Tonight's dinner unexpectedly unlocked his heart. He doesn't belong to Fairmuth. Why can't I have him bow under my skirts?"

"A kitten raised by its master will never betray. Although I have some support from the military, the power truly belonging to me remains scarce," Lady Elizabeth mused in the dim candlelight. A noble smile graced her radiant face as she drew circles on the polished table with her dainty finger. Her ocean-blue eyes, sparkling like gemstones, watched the pondering Catherine.

"But... Lady, he's merely a child. He isn't of any significance to our plans," the beautiful knight raised her elegant eyebrows, still puzzled. "Apart from his good looks, there's nothing worth pursuing."

"That's enough," Lady Elizabeth remarked, her enchanting face seemingly radiant. She gently parted her alluring lips to finish the fine wine from the crystal goblet, then remarked with a hint of indifference, "My friendship with Queen Angelina has plateaued. I need a key to get closer to her."

A becoming blush crept onto Lady Elizabeth's beautiful face. Rising with the grace of a noble queen, she gently tilted the chin of the beautiful knight, her glossy lips softly uttering, "I'm not in the market for another husband, but keeping a lovely kitten seems like a delightful idea, doesn't it? Right, my beautiful canary?"

The beautiful knight's exquisite face flushed uncontrollably. Her eyes, bright as rubies, darted around, avoiding Lady Elizabeth's teasing gaze. At this moment, the usually cool and aloof knight resembled a bashful young bride.

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The night sky was adorned with a bright moon and shimmering stars.

Felix sat pensively in the center of the flower garden, staring at the galaxy above. Deciphering the thoughts of a woman, he mused, was probably the most challenging task in the world. Even gods would likely find it headache-inducing. This explained Felix's current throbbing temples.

Lady Elizabeth was like a capricious fairy—sometimes enticing, sometimes playful, then soothing, then flirtatious, always making sure you were on edge.

Felix always saw things in black and white, friends and foes, good and bad. At first, he considered this woman, who seemingly regarded him as a mere toy, an enemy. No matter how beautiful she was, to Felix, an enemy was an enemy.

However, just when he planned some minor retaliation, the cunning fairy pacified him, even moving him slightly. And before this fleeting sentiment faded, the alluring woman offered an olive branch, thoroughly disarming the emotionally-confused Felix.

Felix felt like a kitten being played with by its owner. Every time he wanted to scratch her ample bosom in annoyance, the cunning mistress would timely produce a tantalizing goldfish.

Exhaling deeply, Felix finally abandoned such futile thoughts. After all, he was just a fourteen-year-old boy, a tender youth without power, money, or status. He could only console himself thinking, "I have nothing but my life. There's no point in minding wins or losses. At worst, I can't lose much more."

What genuinely excited him was that tomorrow, Lady Elizabeth would hire a personal magic tutor for him. After struggling on his own for three years, he finally had the chance to receive formal magic education. For him, lacking in intermediate and advanced spell knowledge, this was an opportunity to seize more control over his destiny.

Blowing out the ornate silver candlestick, Felix tucked himself under the soft down quilt and slowly drifted off to sleep. That night, against all odds, he slept soundly.