Luo Ye restrained the urge to make a sarcastic remark.
He never would have expected that this figure—who looked even more stunning, with a more delicate face and an aura that was undeniably regal, even at a refined age in her thirties—would command a presence far stronger than the grown-up Lilith attending a funeral three years later.
Truly worthy of being a mother.
Not just any mother, but his real mother.
At the same time, she held another identity—
The most renowned actress in the capital.
“Nice to meet you, Ms. Victoria,” Luo Ye greeted, then took a sip from his glass, choosing to be straightforward. “You specifically bypassed the academy’s surveillance and had someone deliver a letter to my dormitory. Is there a particular reason for this?”
“What are you talking about?”
Victoria covered her mouth with a light laugh. The corners of her eyes always carried a hint of amusement, her smile beautiful and radiant, now blooming like a flower that invited all kinds of wild imaginings.
“I’m just an actress—I don’t have the ability to infiltrate the Imperial Magic Academy, nor do I know anyone who can. But it seems your dorm supervisor is a fan of mine, so I asked her to deliver a letter to you. If you want to blame someone later, don’t blame her; blame me instead.”
Luo Ye appeared to be casually sipping his cocktail, but his eyes were fixed intently on every subtle movement Victoria made.
Facing a professional actress, he couldn’t simply take her words at face value.
Yet her acting was superb, flawless even, making it difficult for Luo Ye, despite his full attention, to discern whether she was lying or telling the truth.
He decided to trust only half of what she said.
Victoria’s fox-like, alluring eyes stared at Luo Ye for a long moment. Seeing he showed no reaction, she finally relented and took a step back.
“Alright, you don’t seem like someone of your age. If you really plan to dismiss the dorm supervisor, I will pay her an extra retirement bonus—after all, this all started because of me.”
“That would be best.” Luo Ye finally set down his glass and replied.
In truth, when he first agreed to meet Victoria, he had mentally prepared for two possibilities.
The first was that she possessed the power to forcibly break into the Imperial Magic Academy and infiltrate his dormitory without any of the guards or court tutors noticing.
If that were true, not going would have been disrespectful.
She coming and going freely in his own dorm, and even sending a letter to notify him, was purely out of courtesy.
Not dragging him away directly was already her showing some respect to the academy.
The second possibility was that she bribed the academy staff, who were the only ones able to bypass the defense arrays he set and unlock the door with a key.
Now it seemed the latter was the case.
He’d have to give the dorm supervisor a serious talking-to when he got back.
Victoria stared at Luo Ye’s face for a while longer before sighing. Taking the cocktail the bartender handed her, she lamented self-deprecatingly, “How boring. It’s rare to have some private drinks with a young, handsome man, and yet you treat me like a stranger to be wary of. Auntie is truly hurt—both her beauty and her inner character have been insulted.”
Luo Ye’s temple twitched slightly. Her level of shamelessness was beyond his expectations.
He found it hard to believe that a married woman—with a daughter around his age, from a perfect, enviable noble family in the royal city—would care so much about a private meeting with a young man and even say such outrageous things.
Yes, it’s impossible for anyone not to appreciate youthful attraction.
Especially for married men and women, the impulse to stray might be there, but most people rationally resist and don’t cross the line.
Victoria openly stating such things was clearly improper.
Of course, Luo Ye would never outright call her out on this behavior; after all, matters of the heart and impulse were complicated, and whoever lost control first was the one at fault.
He wouldn’t fall into this woman’s trap so easily.
After pondering for a moment, he asked, “Since you think my bluntness is a bit inappropriate, I’ll change the subject and unfold it slowly.”
“Oh, right. The next question might be a bit rude, but I’m really curious—why did that guest offend you so at the start?”
Luo Ye really didn’t understand. This was the imperial royal city, so why was Victoria called a lapdog of the neighboring kingdom?
Wasn’t Victoria also from the empire?
It was puzzling.
Luo Ye couldn’t make sense of it.
Victoria’s eyes lingered on Luo Ye’s face for a long moment, then she cautiously asked, “Have you always lived inside the academy without trying to learn about the outside world?”
“Yes, that’s right,” Luo Ye nodded.
Although he grew up in the real world, after arriving here, he realized the original owner of his body barely understood the empire beyond the academy, despite a few rare trips outside.
Rather than trying to explain in detail, it was simpler to just say “yes, yes,” and listen to Victoria explain.
“That explains a lot,” Victoria murmured, then smiled as she explained.
“It’s because of my hair and eye color—they’re distinct features of the nobles around Cranlino, the capital of the neighboring kingdom of Eirland. Although not every person with light green hair and golden eyes is noble, people usually assume so.”
“If you count my ancestors, a few generations back, we were indeed from that kingdom. When it came to me, I happened to inherit those genes, ending up with light green hair.”
“So if Lilith and I never show our true faces, it’s very likely we’ll be mistaken for nobles from the neighboring kingdom~”
Victoria winked as she told this piece of history.
I see, Luo Ye thought.
“Alright, enough small talk, Ms. Victoria. I’ll ask again—why did you go to such lengths as bribing academy staff just to see me?”
“Oh my, such a passionate young man, always so impatient,” Victoria smiled gently, as if sighing over the impetuousness of youth, or teasing Luo Ye’s lack of experience.
But Luo Ye wasn’t about to be so easily manipulated.
“Ms. Victoria, you know my position in the academy, don’t you?”
Luo Ye put down his glass, straightened up, and stared at Victoria, speaking deliberately.
“Hm?” Victoria tilted her head slightly. Her light green hair swayed softly with the movement, falling down around her waist. “What’s wrong? Isn’t Little Luo Ye the academy’s tutor assistant? Are you trying to pull strings for my Lilith?”
“Not exactly.”
Luo Ye looked at Victoria with a meaningful smile.
“My position isn’t just tutor assistant—I’m effectively half a teacher.”
“In other words, I have authority over your daughter.”
Victoria’s brows furrowed slightly, as if guessing what Luo Ye was about to say.
“That’s right,” Luo Ye confirmed her thoughts directly. “If you intend to keep dodging the question and won’t tell me why you called me here…”
“Madam, you wouldn’t want your daughter to get bullied at school, would you?”
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