Both of them climbed the stairs to the sed floor of the house, where the atmosphere was calmer, almost deserted.

  As they walked down the long corridor, a maid appeared and approached Non with a slight bow.

  "Allow me to carry the basket, Mr. Non," she said respectfully.

  Non handed her the basket of bread and, in a rexed tone, instructed,

  "Prepare them well and bring them upstairs in about five minutes. We'll be studying."

  The maid nodded quickly ao carry out the task.

  Emily watched her leave, still bewildered by the formality of everything happening around her.

  They tinued walking until they reached a spacious room, with finely decorated stone walls, rge windows letting in sunlight, and a series of shelves filled with books, artifacts, and scrolls.

  Emily stood in awe as she entered.

  The room was rger than any she had seen in her life.

  The simplicity of her own home seemed like a distant dream pared to this pce, where everything seemed designed for luxury and fort. She felt a mix of awe and nervousness, and as she looked around, she couldn't help but think she didn't belong there.

  Finally, gathering her ce, she spoke, though her voice trembled slightly.

  "What… what do you expect me to do?"

  Non, sitting in one of the chairs he window, looked at her with a slight expression of fusion.

  "Nothing," he replied simply, as if he didn't uand why she was so nervous.

  "Sit down," Non added, gesturing to the chair near his.

  Still fused, Emily did as he asked and sat down, though her posture was stiff, as if she were stantly o.

  Non looked at her calmly and, after a brief pause, asked,

  "So, what was it you wao know about the academy?"

  Emily, remembering her initial reason for being ied in him, began speaking quickly, almost without thinking.

  "Well, it's just that I don't want to do my job poorly now that I'm w with you, I don't want to distract you or make mistakes, and I don't want you to think I'm not capable, it's just that… I don't know if I should be asking you this now or if I should be paying more attention to what I should be doing because… well, I don't want to be a burden…"

  Emily's words tumbled out, driven by nerves, and Non could barely keep up.

  Seeing her so agitated, he raised a haly to calm her.

  "Rex," Non said in a serene voice, "I don't mind telling you about the academy, nor teag you magic, if that's what you're ied in."

  "T-teach me magic?" Emily repeated, her eyes widening. "Are you joking?"

  "No," Non answered, straightforward but sincere.

  Emily shot up and began pag the room.

  Excitement and nervousness enveloped her, and her mind raced.

  She couldn't believe what she had just heard.

  She was going to learn magic!

  Real magic!

  Her steps, growing more and more frantic, started to bee a little chaotic, whion found amusing. He watched with a slight smile as Emily moved in circles, overwhelmed by excitement.

  After a few moments, she stopped abruptly, realizing she had been ag somewhat ridiculous.

  "I'm so sorry," she said, embarrassed, l her head.

  Non chuckled softly.

  "Don't apologize so much, it's okay," he assured her, easing the mood.

  "It's just… everything is happening so fast, I hardly process it…" Emily fessed, letting the uainty and amazement show in her voice.

  "You take your time to think about it," Non said, always calm. "If you want, while you think it over, I tell you about my time at the academy."

  Emily nodded automatically, as if her body was responding for her.

  It was hard to keep her emotions in check whehing that had happeoday felt like something out of a fairy tale.

  Non began to speak.

  "I got into the academy because I scored the highest orance exams."

  Emily's eyes widened.

  "The highest score?! But… that exam is extremely difficult!"

  Non shrugged modestly, but before he could tihe door opened, and the maid entered, carrying a tray with the breads they had bought.

  The breads were perfectly prepared, decorated with fine herbs and apanied by small dishes of honey, butter, aic fruit jams.

  Everything was so different from what Emily had known.

  The maid, though surprised to see her master behaving so casually with an unknown young woman, maintained her posure ahe tray oable.

  Non dismissed her with a gesture, and the maid left, leaving the two of them alone again.

  As Emily took a small piece of bread and begaing it quickly, Non watched her with curiosity.

  "So, what kind of magic would you like to learn?" he asked.

  Emily, swallowing her bite hastily, answered enthusiastically,

  "I'm ied in wind magic. I've heard you fly with it, and… I've always dreamed of expl the world from the sky…"

  Non smiled, amused, but his tone was a bit more serious when he replied.

  "Flying sounds great, but if you don't manage your mana properly, you could fall from a dangerous height. Or even bee an easy target for hunters or enemy mages."

  "Please don't burst my bubble!" Emily excimed with a pyful hint of frustration, making Non ugh.

  The versation tinued, and Non asked,

  "At least, do you know the state of your mana core?"

  Emily shook her head, l her gaze to the bread.

  "No, I've never been able to see it. I don't know how, and I don't have the moo get it checked…"

  "We could use tomorrow to have the healer check your core," Non suggested casually.

  Emily looked up, surprised.

  "Would you really do that for me?"

  "Of course," Non replied without hesitation.

  Emily's joy alpable, but at the same time, a new doubt arose in her mind.

  As she sat and looked at him, she thought to herself,

  'Why is Non being so kind to me?'