Chapter 17: Teacher, You’re Serious?!

“Why do you like pureblood dragons?”

“Does liking… need a reason?”

“But the situation now is: almost everyone who gets involved with dragons only does it for fun.”

“Think about it: even the most ordinary mixed-blood dragon lives around two to three hundred years, far beyond a normal human lifespan.”

“Not to mention the pureblood dragons you’re interested in — their lifespan is at least five hundred years or more.”

“With that kind of lifespan difference… how do you expect to make a proud, experienced pureblood dragon, who might actually be older than you by who-knows-how-many years… fall for you?”

This was the question Rein’s mentor asked him again when he returned to Cantreia Academy specifically because of Sal.

The first time was fifteen years ago — only a few days before Sal left in despair.
The mentor had come to comfort Rein late at night, and asked him the same thing.

Back then, Rein was lost — uncertain of his purpose in life.

He regretted not confronting his own feelings sooner, and questioned whether all of his efforts had meant anything.

That was when his mentor knocked on his door.

And that was when the first conversation happened.

At that time, because Rein was struggling with self-doubt, he could not answer any of the mentor’s questions.

And perhaps because of that, Rein eventually chose to leave without saying goodbye — leaving only a letter.

In the letter, he wrote his deepest gratitude and apology to the mentor who had taught him and raised him into who he was.

Rein believed he could not answer the mentor’s question.

He was not an idealist — he could not say empty things like “love conquers all.”

If he did not know the answer, then he would go find it himself.

…

And now, Rein was certain that he had found the answer.
So when his mentor asked the question again, Rein confidently replied:

“If a pureblood dragon who is too old is too proud and experienced to develop feelings… then I just need to find one who is younger than me so we can grow feelings together, right?”

His mentor froze for a moment — but soon understood.

“That is indeed a solution… but all these years, there has been no news of any surviving pureblood dragons.”

“And not just publicly — even in the black markets, auctions involving purebloods stopped entirely ten years ago.”

Pureblood dragons were officially declared extinct sixteen years ago.
But the black market’s pureblood auctions only ceased ten years ago.

This revealed many dark things about the empire, but…

If even the black market ran out of supply, didn’t that mean pureblood dragons truly no longer existed?

“So you still believe there are pureblood dragon newborns in this world?”

But the answer that came next shocked his mentor.

Rein nodded.

“There are, Mentor. There are.”
And to prove he wasn’t lying, Rein continued, “Otherwise, why else do you think I rushed here in person at this exact time?”

Silence fell.

“You… everything you said is true?”

“Absolutely true.”

“You aren’t afraid I’ll report this? You and the pureblood dragon with you would immediately become everyone’s target.”

“I know you are not that kind of person.”

Rein’s voice was full of trust toward this mentor — now a top-tier Archmage — whom he had not seen in over ten years.

“If you were the type to be blinded by money or power, you would never have chosen a commoner like me over all the noble children back then.”

Rein had remembered this all his life.

The mentor’s previously stern expression softened, brows loosening.

“You brat… you’ve finally learned something!”

“So this time, you’re not here just for an admission letter, right?”

Rein no longer hid anything, and explained his request truthfully.

“I need an artifact that can completely suppress and store magical power, to help hide that child’s identity. And also…”

After hearing Rein’s second request, the mentor fell silent again.
Finally, the mentor sighed — voice heavy with helpless affection for his former student.

“You… You really weren’t lying. No one would go this far for just anyone.”

“I will grant your request. But you must be mentally prepared. Being a teacher is different from being a student.”

“I understand. Don’t worry.”

“That’s not the only thing!”

The mentor’s gaze lifted, posture commanding — the authority of an Archmage.

“I still must warn you… Even if you found a pureblood dragon just born, her lifespan is long. If you truly intend to… nurture feelings with her, you must consider that.”

But Rein clearly already had a solution.

“Can’t I just do what you are doing now?”

“…What do you mean by that?!”

Hold on.

The voice that responded — was not the deep, commanding voice of earlier.

It was unexpectedly young.

And… feminine.

Rein looked across the table.

The aged, white-haired, nearly-century-old Archmage famed across Cantreia and the imperial capital…

Was gone.

In that seat now sat a very small, very cute… extremely different-looking figure.

“Teacher, I didn’t expect that in fifteen years, you actually perfected this magic.”

There was not a trace of discomfort or shock in Rein’s eyes — only admiration.

“Though it seems the spell may still have limitations, since you can only stay like this temporarily… I believe you will complete it fully soon. And when that happens, achieving immortality will be—”

“Actually…”

The mentor — ever academically rigorous — hesitated several times before finally speaking.

“The spell cannot grant true immortality.”

“And I already perfected it.”

“…Huh?”

Rein froze — in a way that truly made him and Sal look like a married couple.

If the spell was perfect, then the mentor looking like this was not a side effect.

It was…

“Then you—”

“Well… I just wanted to…”

The mentor avoided Rein’s eyes, scratching her now smooth and soft cheek.

“Change my appearance… even my gender… to experience a different kind of life… maybe?”

“WHAT— TEACHER, YOU’RE SERIOUS?!”

This time, Rein could not hold back — and actually swore in front of his mentor.