"How do you feel?"

"I feel..."

Moen woke from unconsciousness. After briefly adjusting to the blinding light, he moved his body at the urging of Teacher Mela.

"My body feels light, like I've been reborn. And..."

Moen looked at his arms in astonishment and said,

"Why do I feel like I've gotten a lot whiter?"

"It's not 'like'; it is rebirth," Mela explained.

"Through the corrosion of the mercury and the recovery of the crimson flames, almost every part of your flesh has been replaced. Naturally, your skin has regenerated anew. Being white is normal."

"But... I feel like this pale complexion doesn't match my vibe as much," Moen said, stroking his chin thoughtfully.

"I think I'd be more suited to a rugged, bronzed, manly look."

"Yeah, right," Mela rolled her eyes.

"A pampered duke's son talking about ruggedness? Come on, get up and hop around."

Obediently, Moen stood up and hopped a few times. However, as he leaped, he failed to control his strength and almost lost his balance.

"This is..."

Feeling the boundless strength coursing through his body, Moen's eyes lit up with excitement.

"It feels like my level has improved."

After entering the academy, his cultivation level had stagnated due to immersing himself completely in his studies. Now, it seemed like there had been a sudden explosive breakthrough.

He was apparently already at the late-stage of the second tier.

"Being tempered in the Mercury Well for so long, an improvement like this is normal, especially considering how weak your physical constitution was before. It didn't take much to push it up a notch," Mela said, writing and sketching something as she spoke.

"But don’t get too excited. The effect won’t persist. The purpose of the Mercury Well is to enhance your body's toughness and resistance, not its raw strength. If you want to become stronger, that part is up to you—steadily, one step at a time."

"I see..."

Moen stared at his hands and couldn't resist clenching them into fists again.

Though he wasn't entirely sure what toughness and resistance would do for him, he could clearly feel the improvement, and that alone was worth celebrating.

"Wait a second. Did you just say… 'later'?" Moen suddenly caught on, his expression turning to one of horror.

"Does that mean this isn't a one-time thing?"

"One time? How could it be one time? Are you still half-asleep, kid? Do you think soaking in the Mercury Well just once will prepare your body to endure the Clock of Eternity?"

Still scribbling on her clipboard as if she were doing calculations, Mela said,

"With your current physical condition, you'll probably need to go through the Mercury Well roughly a hundred more times to meet the minimum standard."

"A hundred times?"

Moen's face turned as pale as paper. He had barely survived the first session; if he had to endure this a hundred more times... Even the strongest man would collapse under such an ordeal.

"Relax, relax. The first time is always the hardest. Since you’ve already made it through, the subsequent sessions won’t be as bad as you imagine," Mela reassured him.

"You know how they say you should find joy in pain? Maybe after a while, you’ll start to think this kind of suffering is actually fun!"

"I am *not* a masochist!" Moen roared furiously and then visibly deflated, the newly rekindled hope in his life plunging back into darkness.

The thought of enduring something so painful and dangerous at least a hundred more times made him consider drafting his will in advance.

One copy for his parents, one for Ann, one for Celicia, and another for his senior. As for his annoyingly youthful-looking yet ancient lolicon teacher, forget a traditional will—he might as well leave her a piece of candy wrapper so she could cry into it while licking it!

Wait a second... Speaking of his senior...

"What's the time now?" Moen asked, suddenly alarmed, looking over at Teacher Mela.

"Around nine," she replied casually.

"And the date?"

"The date? Do you really think I keep track of that?" Mela shrugged, clearly unconcerned.

Having lived for so long, she was no longer sensitive to the passage of time. Dates? She didn’t even know what year it currently was, nor did she care to find out.

"Then how long was I soaking in the Mercury Well?"

"Hmm..."

A faint, shimmering clock appeared before Mela. She adjusted its hands casually and said,

"Roughly thirty hours."

"Thirty hours?!"

That meant it was already the morning of the second day of the Open Campus event! And he had plans to meet his senior at ten!

Only an hour left!

"I'm doomed; I'm going to be late!"

Being late for his very first date with her—he'd surely be mercilessly teased to death!

Moen shot to his feet and grabbed Mela's shoulders, shaking her like his life depended on it.

"Do whatever you want to me later, but please, Teacher Mela, let me leave first!"

"Hm? You’re heading out?"

"Yes, I need to leave the academy. It’s very important."

"Just as well. While you’re at it, gather some materials for Phase Two."

"Phase Two? What materials?"

"Blood from an ancient dragon," Mela replied.

"The academy’s stock has run out. You’ll need to collect it yourself. With it, I can proceed to the next stage. Otherwise, you’ll have to keep soaking in the Mercury Well indefinitely."

"Fine, fine, ancient dragon blood, whatever. I’ll get it!" Moen shouted, already frantic with urgency.

"That’s good, then. Off you go."

With a casual wave of her hand, Mela cast a spell.

A wave of intense dizziness swept over Moen, and by the time his vision cleared, the scenery around him had completely changed.

Bright sunlight poured down on him, the air still carrying traces of last night’s moisture. The world seemed as though it had just been scrubbed clean, glistening under the sun.

"Incredible..."

For a fleeting moment, Moen stood awestruck, realizing Mela had teleported him directly to the front door of his dormitory.

"No time to marvel at this now!" he muttered through gritted teeth, rushing back into his dorm to prepare for his outing.

---

Shower.

Change of clothes.

Fix his hair.

He even spritzed himself with some expensive cologne.

After checking himself over in the mirror and ensuring he looked flawless, Moen dashed to the front gates of the academy, where he was supposed to meet his senior.

The campus was oddly quiet due to most students leaving to enjoy the Open Campus festivities. On the way, Moen didn’t encounter a single soul, which made the figure waiting next to the large stone inscribed with "Santa Maria College" all the more conspicuous.

"Senior!"

Anna stood there in a pale yellow long dress, worn over white leather boots. A simple woven fabric bag hung over her arm—not made of anything extravagant but striking in its simplicity.

Her long hair was tied at the ends with an understated ribbon, flowing neatly down her front. On her elegantly made-up face, her eyes curved with a smile the moment she saw Moen, and the teardrop mole at the corner of her eye intensified her natural charm.

"Moen, you’re late," she said with faux sternness.

"Am I?" Moen panicked internally, quickly pulling out his gold-plated pocket watch to check.

The slender hands of the clock still had a bit to go before aligning at the top.

"Wait, I’m not late!"

"Are you sure?" Anna placed a thoughtful hand on her cheek, feigning seriousness.

"Isn't it customary for a gentleman inviting a lady out to arrive half an hour early? I even came half an hour ahead of time so you wouldn’t have to wait.

"And yet, as a delicate young lady, I stood here all by myself for half an hour in the chilly morning. What if I caught a cold? What if some stranger harassed me? What if some ruffian tried to grab me off the street? And then—what if some unreliable someone stood me up entirely–"

"Alright, stop! Just stop!" Moen hastily interrupted her with a resigned laugh.

He had been right to worry—whether he was actually late or not, there was no escaping her teasing.

"You win! I was wrong. Senior, I’m sorry, okay?"

"Alright, since you’re so sincere, I’ll forgive you. Besides, who could stay mad at such an adorable junior?"

Anna chuckled mischievously, the light in her eyes momentarily leaving Moen stunned.

"But from now on, you’d better make it up to me," she added.

"Of course! I’ll make today’s outing—uh—repayment worth every bit of your time, Senior!"

Moen puffed his chest out dramatically, as though he had just made a solemn vow.

---

On the carriage ride into the city, Anna rested her chin on her hand and gazed out the window at the scenery passing by. Meanwhile, Moen nervously flipped through a book he had secretly prepared: *Belland’s Dating Guide*.

It wasn’t until now, sitting in the carriage, that the full weight of his nerves hit him like a spilled glass of water. Originally, his plan had been to spend all of yesterday preparing—reading through the guide, drafting ideas, and even personally scouting locations.

But thanks to Teacher Mela summoning him out of nowhere and keeping him in the Mercury Well for thirty hours, he had no plan at all. In fact, he didn’t even have a clear destination yet; when boarding the carriage, he had simply told the driver to head towards the city and stop when he said so.

"Wow, has it really only been two years? Everything looks so different already," Anna exclaimed softly, drawing Moen out of his reverie.

Following her gaze, Moen’s eyes landed on a recently revitalized commercial street in the Lower City District. Clean and brightly lit, it exuded a refined vibrancy at odds with the usual gritty atmosphere of the district.

"This is..."

He narrowed his eyes, quickly flipping through the guide.

"Yes, this is the newly reconstructed commercial street in the Lower City District."

The guide elaborated:

"It’s part of an initiative to boost the local economy. A variety of interesting stores have been introduced, and the area draws a decent crowd.

"There’s even a special event going on currently… Recommended rating: four stars. Not bad at all.

"Most importantly, Senior seems to like it!"

Moen’s eyes lit up as he made a snap decision: This would be their first destination.

---

---

"Ugh, Head Maid, this is so tiring..."

The little maid Neo waddled through the busy street, balancing an armful of groceries that teetered precariously in her grasp.

"Why are we crossing half the city to shop here anyway? Couldn’t we just stick to our usual spots?"

Worn out, she glanced at the figure walking gracefully ahead of her—a composed and elegant woman in traditional black-and-white maid attire. Despite the attention they drew from passersby, the Head Maid seemed entirely unfazed.

The Duke’s estate was in the western outskirts of the city, but for some reason, the Head Maid had insisted on dragging her all the way to the eastern Lower City District without so much as a single guard for protection. Given how shady parts of this district could be, what were they supposed to do if they ran into trouble?

"Sometimes, it’s important to familiarize oneself with the offerings of other areas, don’t you think?"

Ann stood in front of the fruit stand, selecting items, though it was apparent her mind was elsewhere.

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

Her nose twitched, as if she were trying to confirm something.

A few breaths later, the corners of her mouth slowly curved upward, revealing a strange smile that made Noel shiver involuntarily.

"W-What? Did something happen? Head maid?"

"Young Master."

"Huh?"

"I can feel it. Master's presence."

Ann's eyes glittered with a penetrating light.

"Young Master is within a ten-kilometer radius!"