Chapter 30: “Only You Remain in His Eyes”
Liya.
In her century of life, there were few times when she spoke according to her true inner feelings.
Because she discovered that if she was slightly impolite to people, most of them would naturally stay away. As long as she didn’t interact with ordinary humans, she wouldn’t be hurt by separation.
They would describe her as “arrogant,” “unwilling to yield,” “temperamental,” and “unapproachable.”
This layer of habitual insincerity, like a protective barrier, allowed her to live in her comfort zone.
But…
From yesterday until now, a conditioned reflex hidden within her circuits had broken through this inertial barrier at this moment, transmitting signals from her brain’s nerves.
A witch’s circuits were different from those of ordinary humans.
They provided witches with a more efficient way to control magic, but it also meant a deeper connection with the witch’s blood, nerves, and senses.
This was also why the Blood Mint, which merely stimulated the magic circuits, gave Liya an extraordinary experience.
Liya, who had always been too proud to lower herself, at this moment, stared at the glistening coin in Will’s hand, emanating a strong minty aroma. For the first time, she acted according to her true desires—
Tentatively, she spoke in a soft voice:
“Then… how do I do it?”
Her face flushed red. She raised her extremely beautiful red magic eyes, which even held a hint of tenderness. Her eyes were fixed on the coin in Will’s hand, and her nostrils twitched occasionally as she inhaled.
“Uh…?”
Seeing Liya’s reaction in his arms, Will was momentarily speechless.
He hadn’t expected… that the effect of the Blood Mint would be so potent.
Although the original work’s description of this thing was already extreme, seeing it manifest before him was still surprising to Will.
Actually, Will hadn’t thought much about the effects of the Blood Mint. He had initially thought it would just make a cat attracted to the item and want to play with him, wanting to bat at it.
Now, seeing Liya’s hazy eyes, her soft voice and body, and her slightly parted lips.
Will felt as though he had hypnotized Liya, like he was engaging in some form of mental control.
Was he…
Perhaps going a little too far?
The original work guaranteed that this thing would have no harmful side effects on the body, but the current situation made Will a little worried.
However, they had come this far, and there was no turning back. If the side effects were too severe, he would stop it later.
“Very good, Liya. First, you need to learn… honesty.”
“…Honesty?”
Liya was somewhat dazed by the scent of the Blood Mint.
She gazed at the coin, and it seemed as though a voice in her heart was telling her that she had to have it, no matter what.
“Yes, you must answer every question I ask from now on truthfully.”
“…Okay.”
“Then, answer me, last night, with this thing, was it good?”
“It… it was very good. Extremely good, I’ve… never experienced this feeling before.”
“Continue, answer me, do you want it?”
“I… I want it very much. Extremely much, both for the experiment and for my body… I want it so much.”
“Mmm. Answer me…”
Will fell silent for a moment.
Regarding yesterday and the coin, the questions were actually done. What else could he ask?
He looked at the witch under him, wearing a large hat and an ill-fitting mage robe, who no matter how you looked at it, seemed only twelve years old.
She looked up at him with hazy, expectant eyes, her body seemingly drained of strength.
Yesterday, a her like this had pushed him away, not wanting him to interact with her powerful clients. But it also meant that with her body in this state, she had stood in front of him alone.
Little witches were always lonely.
“…Do you want to fall in love with someone? Do you want to have someone you love by your side? Do you want to not be lonely anymore?”
“…”
Liya paused for a moment.
If it were the Liya before her brain’s reflexes were altered by the Blood Mint, she would undoubtedly have denied everything with a triple negative, crossing her arms and saying she absolutely didn’t need it.
But…
“I want… I want to! I want to!!”
Each word was spoken with more force than the last.
Will smiled faintly and slightly loosened his grip on Liya’s left arm.
“Since you want to, then… the second step is, you need to learn to be direct, Teacher Liya.”
“Dir… direct?”
“Say what you think, do what you want, and boldly pursue anyone you desire—”
This was the Liya Will wanted to cultivate.
“Listen carefully, with your great power and long lifespan, if you make a move, there’s nothing you can’t obtain, Liya.”
He continuously spun the coin coated in mint essential oil in his hand, and Liya’s red eyes followed the coin’s movement.
“Especially, the person you like… once you learn this, you can easily get them?”
“…Easily?”
“Listen carefully, because you are the strongest, the cutest, the most charming—”
Liya raised her eyes.
Her heartbeat was rapid, her internal magic circuits were spinning quickly, and her focus gradually shifted from the coin in Will’s hand…
To Will himself.
“—When you stand before him, he will surely have only you left in his eyes…”
Will, wearing glasses, saw Liya herself in his only visible left eye, her golden Twin Tails and red pupils.
In her ears, she could only hear her own accelerating heartbeat.
“I… I understand…”
That she… was the strongest, the cutest, the most charming?
It seemed like the first time anyone had ever praised her like this.
Slowly, Liya felt her consciousness returning bit by bit.
And Will before her became clearer and clearer.
To make…
Will’s blue eyes were actually very beautiful, though they were often hidden behind his glasses. He stared at her, leaning against the wall.
To make only herself remain in his eyes?
“Then, the final step. If you take me as your student, meaning, you become my mentor, I’ll give you this coin.”
Student… mentor?
She could only take one student now, and it would be her first student…
Was it…
Him?
…Will Systom?
This young master before her, whom she had initially thought of as a mere prodigal son, but who actually had a sharp mind and an assertive attitude…
She actually didn’t dislike him…
In this instant, Liya’s heart began to race in a different way, a strange shyness that broke through the intense pleasure of the Blood Mint, shattering her original personality barriers.
She jolted.
“No, no, no, no, no— I can’t! I don’t agree!”
Liya shook her head frantically, her Twin Tails flying like a rattle drum.
“Wh-what’s wrong…”
Will was startled. This scene was as terrifying as if you thought someone was asleep, drew a silly face on her, and she suddenly opened her eyes wide.
Why had her tsundere personality suddenly returned?!
“You, you, you, you, you— What are you doing when I’m not paying attention?!”
“I, I, I, I, I… I didn’t do anything. I just asked you a few questions.”
“I… I haven’t lost my memory. Ugh! Wait… what did I answer…”
Liya’s face instantly turned crimson.
“You’re dismissed! I need to go back and be alone—”
“Hey… wait… wait?”
Will stood frozen, watching Liya’s pink Twin Tails disappear down the corridor. He scratched his head.
He couldn’t understand.
Why had Liya truthfully answered all the previous questions as if hypnotized, but for the last one… she woke up?
