The morning sun always arrived right on time.
When the first golden ray pierced the heavy curtains of the Rose Pavilion, casting streaks of light across the floor, Gavi, as precise as an alarm clock, was already standing by Helos’s bed.
“Master, it’s time to get up.”
The blonde girl’s voice was crisp and steady, without a hint of laziness.
She was like an alarm clock set to a program, never delaying even a single second out of drowsiness.
Helos drowsily turned over, trying to bury her head in the soft pillow to escape reality.
“Mmm… five more minutes…”
She let out a vague mumble.
All those random thoughts from last night had drained too much of her energy, leaving her eyelids as heavy as lead weights.
“No.”
Gavi mercilessly pulled off her blanket.
“According to today’s schedule, you need to finish washing up and breakfast within an hour, then head to the teaching building for the first class: Modern Alchemy General Course. Being late will affect your credits, which in turn will affect Master Christ’s evaluation of your performance at the Academy.”
At the name “Christ,” Helos’s brain, which had been like paste, finally cleared up a little.
She reluctantly climbed out of bed and let Gavi help her dress and wash up, as if taking care of a giant baby.
The cool towel on her face finally drove away the last traces of sleepiness.
Gavi helped Helos change into the gray academy uniform, tied the bow at her collar, and brushed her long silver hair until it was smooth and shiny.
Gavi’s movements were practiced yet very gentle.
“There.”
She looked at the girl in the mirror with satisfaction.
“Perfect.”
Helos looked at herself in the mirror—still a bit groggy, but at least refreshed—and sighed helplessly.
“Let’s go, Master. Time to eat first.”
The girl was led by the hand by Gavi, out of the room, down the wooden stairs that still creaked a little, and all the way to the private family-style dining room on the first floor of the Rose Pavilion.
As soon as she approached the dining room, a tempting aroma of food hit her nose.
It was the toasty scent of baked bread, mixed with the fresh flavor of fried eggs, and a faint sweet smell of milk.
Helos’s stomach made a very timely “grumble” of protest.
She pushed open the dining room door.
The morning sun filled the small room.
And beside the table covered with a white tablecloth, a tall figure wearing an apron was busy at the open kitchen.
Helos rubbed her eyes.
She thought she hadn’t woken up yet, or was seeing things.
That man skillfully flipping the frying pan, holding a spatula, moving with a natural fluidity…
Didn’t look at all like the stupid knight who only knew how to swing a sword?
“Julius?”
She called out tentatively.
The figure turned around.
Seeing Helos, who had just woken up, a faint smile appeared on his stern face.
It really was him.
Julius was holding two plates.
“You’re awake? Right on time.”
He cleared his throat, seeming a bit uncomfortable with his homey appearance in an apron, but quickly regained his composure.
He walked to the table and gently set down the plates.
“Come sit. Breakfast is ready.”
Even when she sat down, Helos was still in a daze.
She stared at the breakfast placed before her.
Two slices of toast, golden and crispy.
A fried egg, perfect—crispy on the edges, soft and runny in the middle.
A small bowl of fresh vegetable salad drizzled with a special dressing.
And a glass of warm milk.
The breakfast was simple, yet unexpectedly exquisite.
“Th-this… made for me?”
Helos pointed at the plate, her expression as horrified as if she’d seen the sun rise in the west.
“Otherwise?”
Julius untied his apron, casually hung it on the back of a chair, and sat down opposite Helos.
“Who else here needs this specially crafted ‘patient meal’?”
He pointed at the items on the plate and explained.
“I made this especially for you—a super low-mana nutritious breakfast.”
“No meat, right?”
She poked at the pile of green vegetables with her fork, asking uneasily.
“Of course, no meat.”
Julius said seriously.
“Most magical beast meat has residual mana that hasn’t been purified. Even ordinary livestock raised in this mana-rich Imperial Capital accumulate some mana particles in their bodies.”
“Given your current condition, eating that could trigger a rejection reaction from the ‘Curse of Silence,’ causing indigestion or stomach pain.”
“So—”
He tapped the table.
“Until your body fully adapts or we find a way to control it, you can only eat these completely safe foods. The bread is made from specially processed flour, the eggs are from ordinary farm chickens, and the vegetables are ones I specifically selected.”
Helos listened, stunned.
She never thought eating would require so much attention.
Even though it wasn’t much different from what she ate as a child, no one had ever told her about this.
But what surprised her even more was…
“You… made all this?”
She picked up a piece of bread, looking at Julius suspiciously.
“You… in the three years you were wandering outside, did you go train in the Grand Cathedral’s kitchen?”
In her memory, though Julius had strong survival skills and could grill wild game, this kind of delicate home-style breakfast…
Didn’t seem like something those hands that only knew how to hold a sword could make.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Julius raised an eyebrow, seeming displeased by her doubt.
“Don’t underestimate me.”
He reached across the table and poked Helos’s forehead.
“On missions out there, to avoid being poisoned or starved, these basic survival skills are a must. Making a little breakfast is no big deal.”
“Back at the duke’s mansion, I also watched Mr. Ron cook, so I picked up a thing or two.”
“And…”
His voice lowered slightly, as if a little embarrassed.
“I also promised before that I’d take care of you.”
Helos rubbed her forehead where he poked, but a strange feeling stirred in her heart.
She lowered her head and took a bite of the golden toast.
Crunch.
The crispy texture burst in her mouth, followed by the sweet fragrance of wheat.
The taste…
Was surprisingly good.
Not as perfect as Old Ron, the family chef, made it, and the heat wasn’t as precise—the edge of the bread was even a little burnt.
But it really wasn’t bad.
Helos then forked a piece of fried egg and stuffed it into her mouth.
The yolk flowed on her tongue with a faint salty aroma.
She chewed slowly, her movements unconsciously slowing down.
This was made by Julius.
The Julius who always followed her around, only swinging his sword and lecturing.
The Julius who disappeared for three years and came back more mature and steady.
He had actually gotten up early, gone into the kitchen, tied on an apron, carefully controlled the heat, all to make her a “completely safe” breakfast.
Just thinking about it.
The bread in her mouth seemed to become even sweeter.
Sickeningly sweet.
So sweet that her heart started beating uncontrollably.
A wave of heat rushed to her cheeks.
“Cough! Ahem!”
Maybe because she ate too fast, or maybe because her thoughts were too embarrassing, Helos suddenly choked on a piece of bread.
She clutched her chest and coughed violently, her face turning bright red.
“Eat slowly.”
A hand reached out just in time, bringing the glass of warm milk to her lips.
Julius frowned, gently patting her back to help her breathe, and said helplessly.
“No one’s competing with you. Choking on food while eating—you’re still that stupid noble daughter.”
Helos didn’t have the energy to retort. She took the milk and gulped it down, finally feeling the lump of bread slide down her throat.
She let out a long breath and wiped the milk from the corner of her mouth.
“Phew…”
She turned and looked at Julius sitting beside her.
He was leaning sideways, one hand on the back of the chair, his jet-black eyes fixed on her with a hint of barely perceptible concern and tenderness.
The morning sun fell on his profile, gilding his cold features with a soft golden edge.
Helos stared, a little dazed.
“What’s wrong?”
Julius felt a little uncomfortable under her gaze and instinctively touched his face.
“Is there something on my face?”
“No.”
Helos shook her head.
She looked at him, and suddenly felt that the man before her—the squire who always followed behind her, the ruthless saint knight—seemed to overlap, yet was also different.
“Julius.”
Helos looked at him seriously.
“Right now… you’re like an old mother hen.”
Julius’s expression froze.
His hand, which had been about to pour her another glass of water, stopped mid-air.
A vein pulsed on his forehead.
“Old… mother hen?”
He ground out the words through gritted teeth, his gaze turning dangerous.
He got up early for this breakfast, studied recipes for ages, and almost set the kitchen on fire.
And this was the evaluation he got?
“Yeah.”
Helos seemed completely unaware of the impending danger and continued recklessly.
“Watching over my health, my sleep, now even my meals, and nagging all the time—exactly like an old mother hen.”
“He. Lo. Si.”
Julius took a deep breath, forcing down the urge to throw this ungrateful girl over his knee and spank her.
“Hurry up and eat.”
He said coldly, putting back on his stern face.
“You still have class after eating. If you’re late for the first period, just watch how I deal with you.”
“See, see! Even more like it now! Old mother hen Julius!”
Helos made a face at him.
“Nyah nyah nyah.”
“You little…”
Julius finally lost his patience.
He reached out quickly, his two fingers accurately pinching the soft flesh of Helos’s chattering cheeks.
Then, gently.
He pulled them outward.
“Mmmmph!!!”
Helos let out a muffled protest, her whole face stretched into a comical flat pancake shape.
Julius narrowed his eyes and threatened.
“Talk any more, and I’ll give your dinner to Sylvia tonight.”
“Want to eat, or not?”
“Mmff! Mmff, fine!”
Helos surrendered tearfully.
“Don’t pinch my face!”
“Hmph.”
Julius let go, looking at the girl’s pink cheeks, his mood inexplicably improving.
He picked up his own plate and elegantly cut a piece of fried egg.
“Hurry up. Gavi is already waiting at the door.”
“I know, I know—”
Helos rubbed her cheeks, picked up her fork again with a pitiful expression.
Though she was complaining, and her face still stung a little.
But…
Helos looked at the imperfectly shaped fried egg on her plate.
She suddenly felt.
This kind of life…
Wasn’t so bad, was it?