~Chapter 3~

He stared straight at Lovelace, then slowly walked closer. Lovelace clutched her pajamas nervously.

Larvihan’s thumb brushed across her lips.

“You really did eat well.”

“Th-thank you for the compliment.”

Larvihan gave a small laugh, then sat down with his long legs crossed, watching her. His legs were so long that even crossed, they still stretched far out.

“Don’t you want to know what you ate?”

“Yes. I need to know so I can… spit it out somehow.”

Of course, it was already digested, but she feared that if she couldn’t return it, she might end up like the priests in the temple.

So she blinked quickly, showing eagerness.

“My power.”

“…What?”

Lovelace stared blankly, then quickly forced her shock away.

“Power, you mean…”

He’s handsome, but crazy.

“Do you remember what you ate before collapsing in the temple?”

“…Candy?”

“What? Candy?”

Pfft. Larvihan burst out laughing. While she was dead serious, he just smiled.

Yes, yes, because you’re in control, huh? Annoyance rose, but his handsome smile melted it away. Lovelace admitted to herself—she was weak against good looks.

“It wasn’t candy. It was the crystallization of my power that you ate.”

“Oh… so magic is real in this world? Wow, unbelievable.”

She spoke stiffly, like a robot. Magic? Birds talking would be easier to believe.

One of his eyebrows rose.

“You’ve never… seen magic before?”

His voice carried disbelief, even pity.

“There’s no such thing as magi—”

“Here it is, here it is. Chirp.”

Oh my god.

Lovelace’s jaw dropped. The bird in the cage started talking, as if it had read her thoughts.

“This must be a trick…”

“You’d be mistaken if you think that, chirp.”

Lovelace turned back to Larvihan.

“…A wizard?”

He nodded.

“So what I ate was mana?”

“You know mana? Yes, to be exact, it was my mana sealed with a special property.”

“Wow!”

She exaggerated her surprise. Larvihan scratched his forehead. From the moment she desperately picked food off the ground, he knew she was unusual. Truly amusing.

“Yes, Mr. Wizard. So… what do I have to do now?”

Wizards were dangerous beings. Even in novels or movies, they were always threats to ordinary people.

So, bow down in respect.

Lovelace shuffled forward and knelt on the cushion at his feet.

Larvihan smiled brightly again, a halo shining behind him. Was that also magic?

“Find it. The way.”

“How?”

He sighed. True, what could a girl who just learned magic existed possibly do? Annoying as it was, he’d have to act with her. Otherwise, pests would come swarming.

* * *

A week passed. Lovelace had been living with Larvihan all that time.

“Um, Lord Larvihan.”

“Just call me Larvihan.”

“I-I couldn’t possibly… Larvihan.”

Hesitant, she tried, but his sharp eyes pierced her. She quickly gave in.

During this week, she learned a lot of little things about him—small, but vital for survival.

He was a very famous, very powerful wizard. If she compared to novels she once read, he’d be like a 10th-class mage.

Every day, many people sought him out. He was busy. Yet strangely, he still often came to see her.

He hated waking up early. Sensitive to noise. Since Lovelace was a morning person, she had to lie flat in bed, eyes blinking, afraid to move.

One time, he even complained her eye-blinking woke him—though their rooms weren’t the same!

His mansion was huge, filled with magical devices: moving stairs, talking portraits, a kitchen that cooked by itself, brooms that swept alone.

He hated repeating himself. She saw it in how he treated his butler, head maid, and aides.

‘Sigh. I’ve observed him a whole week, but still don’t understand most of him.’

“You’re daydreaming again, instead of searching?”

“I-I’ll go right away!”

She hurried down to the 13th underground floor of the magic tower’s library.

Ah, one more thing she learned—after one warning, he acted immediately. She remembered the library takeover.

“Move.”

“Sorry, but without permission, no mage—”

“I hate repeating myself. Move.”

“Sorry, but—gahhh!”

Best not to mention that mage’s miserable end.

In the end, Larvihan claimed the library for himself. Bearded old wizards came to protest, but he just smiled.

“I’ve taken it. Until I allow, no one else enters.”

Ridiculous, she thought—but it came true.

While she searched for a way to spit out his mana crystal, the tower was quiet as if not a single ant lived there.

‘Handsome lunatic.’

Lovelace proudly thought she’d found the perfect nickname. She muttered “Han-lu, Han-lu” (Handsome lunatic) while heading deeper underground.

Another late night. She sighed deeply.

‘But really, what’s the title of the novel I transmigrated into?!’

She still couldn’t recall the story. At first, she thought it was because her role was just a side part, far from the main plot.

But after meeting Larvihan, she changed her mind. He clearly looked like a main character.

‘Shouldn’t I remember by now? Like other transmigrators, at least spin some hopeful theories!’

But her life wasn’t easy. She still couldn’t remember the original story.

‘Then fine. I’ll just find a way to spit this out quickly and escape! Get away from Larvihan, this main-character type!’

Determined, she kept flipping through books.

Time passed. Larvihan looked up from his ancient text.

There was no sunlight in the underground library, but the magic lamps shifted color with time. Now it glowed orange—it was evening.

“Already this late?”

He looked around. No Lovelace.

She’s probably asleep in some corner again.

Shaking his head, he searched for her. It wasn’t hard. Ever since she ate his mana crystal, he could sense her movement and scent clearly.

He found her asleep, leaning against a shelf, a heavy tome spread across her knees.

“You live so carelessly.”

She had no idea people were after her for his power, yet slept peacefully. Annoying, yet it softened his heart.

Larvihan crouched before her, thinking whether to wake her. He decided against it.

For a whole week, she had begged to come here the moment she woke.

From morning to night, except meals, she climbed stairs, pulled down books, put them back, strained her eyes reading tiny letters.

Her stamina was terrible. Even standing up left her pale. At mealtimes, her eyelids trembled.

Annoying, but she couldn’t die. She had to stay healthy to guard his mana.

So he had his butler Davidson prepare nourishing meals for her. Each time, she ate everything clean, even large portions.

That was refreshing. He had only seen people pick at food before.

Watching her, he too felt he wanted to rest. She had a strange talent for making people relax.

Maybe just for a while.

‘It’s still quiet now.’

The forces after his power had not moved yet. So a little rest was fine.

He sat beside her, pulled over the book she’d been reading, and began.

“Hm… cold.”

She murmured in her sleep. He glanced at her.

He never felt cold or hot, thanks to mana keeping his body constant. But still, for appearance, he wore seasonal clothes.

He took off his jacket and draped it over her.

Then—thump. Her small head fell against his shoulder.

A strange impulse stirred. For once, he didn’t feel it was bad.

He remembered their first talks. Her desperate fingers in her throat, her frantic run to the bathroom, her trembling eyes asking firmly what she had eaten.

‘Even while shaking, she still ate well.’

Her round eyes sparkled with every word, rolling nervously whenever he drew near.

Each time he felt the urge to stain those innocent eyes with desire, fear, and raw emotion, he was shocked and strangely pleased.

He realized—Lovelace was at the start of all these changes in himself.

“Mmm…”

She smiled in her sleep, clinging to his arm.

Normally he’d have shoved her off coldly. But this time, he didn’t move.

Strange, but not unpleasant. Unfamiliar, but not bad. That’s what he felt toward her.

* * *

Lovelace’s eyes flew open. What am I doing here?!

She quickly grasped the situation.

It was night. She had Larvihan’s jacket over her. Oh no. I fell asleep!

She hurried to find the book she’d been reading. It had seemed important…

“What are you looking for? This?”

“Ah, yes!”

Larvihan appeared, leaning on the shelf, holding the very book she wanted.

[The Black Magic Book of Anything Possible]

She grabbed it.

“I think the answer might be in here. It says anything is possible.”

Embarrassed that she’d fallen asleep, she babbled.

In truth, she wanted to thank him for covering her with his jacket, but it felt too awkward.

‘Maybe he just tossed it and it landed on me.’

She focused on scanning the book.

“Wow! I found it!”

Her eyes lit up as she spotted the subtitle she’d been searching for. Their problem’s solution!

[How to Transfer Great Power]

“Really? Read it.”

She wanted to scream with excitement, but Larvihan was calm as ever, even though this was about his own power. Strange. But then again, he never showed much emotion.

‘That’s why he kills people so easily.’

“Well? Read it.”

He urged her.

“‘The most effective way for humans to transfer strong power… is physical contact. The most representative and effective method is slee… ping toge—?’”

Lovelace’s voice broke off. Her face flushed red like a roasted sweet potato.