An aggrieved voice ca from the other end, defensive and confused. "I was just confirming!"
Axel exhaled slowly. "Yes. It’s her."
He paused before adding, "Erase everything about her possessing talismans or having connections to sell them. Completely."
Silence followed.
Then ca a hesitant response. "That’ll require your family’s influence."
Axel clenched his fist.
He took a deep breath, thinking of Lana, her expression, her lack of caution, her quiet perseverance.
"...So be it," he said at last. "Use my family’s na."
His jaw tightened. He and his family had never been on good terms, but for this, just this once, he was willing to bow.
The call ended.
Axel returned to his desk and imdiately typed out a ssage in the mystic departnt’s group chat.
’From this mont on, no one is allowed to discuss Lana possessing talismans or having any connection to sell talismans. Anyone who crosses this line, don’t bla for knocking on your door personally.’
The responses were instant.
Thumbs-up emojis flooded the chat.
A few curious ssages followed, questioning whether such a student truly existed.
Axel replied calmly, ’No discussion. No leaks.’
Then he closed the chat.
Everyone in the mystic departnt knew the truth.
Though they appeared equal on the surface, Axel was far more powerful than any of them, on par with the university’s principal.
When he finally entered back, he saw Lana leaning against the desk, elbow resting on the glass slab, her head propped on her hand. Her expression was thoughtful, distant.
Axel sighed inwardly.
’This child really doesn’t know how dangerous the world is.’
He had never cared much about students before. Yet with Lana, he found himself unreasonably overprotective.
Sitting down, he spoke calmly. "From now on, if you want to sell talismans, use as your connection."
He t her gaze steadily. "I’ll handle everything. You don’t need to pay anything."
Lana’s shoulders slumped instantly.
She pouted. "Are you looking down on ?"
Axel blinked, stunned. "What?"
"You’re not even willing to take a middleman fee," she continued, cheeks puffed slightly. "That’s clearly underestimating ."
For the first ti in a long while, Axel didn’t know whether to laugh or sigh.
"Wasn’t that clearly showing that you are looking down on my ability?"
Lana’s brows knit together as the thought crossed her mind, and she lifted her chin slightly, her posture carrying a stubborn pride.
Axel, on the other hand, was thoroughly amused by the way she frad the situation.
"I’m doing this so you won’t be at a disadvantage," he replied calmly, his tone patient.
Hearing that, Lana let out a soft chuckle, the corners of her lips curving upward. "But I want to be at a disadvantage."
For a brief mont, Axel almost lost his composure.
’This woman...’
The urge to scold her surged up his throat, but he forcibly swallowed it back. Instead, he fixed her with a serious gaze.
"Now that you understand the risks, I expect you not to sell talismans on your own in the future."
Lana nodded obediently. "From now on, I’ll set the price at eighty percent. You take the remaining twenty."
Axel frowned instantly. "I don’t need your money."
She t his eyes without wavering. "That’s my sincerity."
Her voice remained calm, almost gentle. "If you keep refusing, then I can only say you’re heartless."
The words struck like a slap.
Axel slamd his finger toward her, fury flashing across his face. "You’re truly ungrateful!"
Lana pouted exaggeratedly and slumped back into her chair. "That’s right. I’m heartless, ungrateful, even a white-eyed wolf."
For a second, silence hung between them.
Then Axel felt laughter bubble up uncontrollably in his chest.
’This child is unbelievable.’
In the end, he nodded. "Fine. I’ll do as you say."
Yet inwardly, he was already planning sothing else. ’I’ll quote the original price and pretend I’m taking a cut.’
Lana saw through him instantly.
Her gaze sharpened. "If you dare disobey , I’ll sell the talismans openly."
Axel’s heart skipped a beat.
He raised both hands at once, surrendering. "Alright. Alright. I’ll follow your rules."
Seeing his obedient expression, Lana burst into laughter.
For the first ti in a long while, she felt sothing warm settle in her chest.
After Monk Anrao, there was finally soone else looking after her. Perhaps Lucian belonged on that list, too, but Axel was different. He pampered her as if she were his own child.
She couldn’t understand why he treated her with such care.
But one thing was certain... Axel was an exemplary teacher.
As the thought lingered, mories from her previous life surfaced quietly.
Back then, the people from the mystic departnt had stood up for her, even demanding clarifications on her behalf.
Maybe, just maybe, if she had reached out to Axel sooner in that life, her ending wouldn’t have been so tragic.
He was the smartest and wisest teacher she had ever t.
Pulling herself back to the present, Lana looked at him seriously. "Now that I’ve reached yellow rank, I’m planning to take on higher-level missions."
Axel nodded without hesitation. "You should. Especially those that offer fifty credits."
His gaze softened slightly. "That’s the fastest way to accumulate funds for additional resources."
Lana stared at him with quiet perseverance, her gaze steady and unyielding as she pressed,
’Additional resources? What more can I do to gather?’
Her fingers rested lightly against the armrest, cool wood brushing her skin, grounding her restless thoughts.
She had already planned everything in advance, even with the sponsorship secured.
Yet, the idea of completely resting made her uncomfortable.
It felt wrong, almost dangerous. She wanted to go out, to collect as many resources as she could with her own hands, so that no one could ever corner her in the future and say, ’We sponsor you a lot!’
Even if the arrangent had been a win-win deal from the beginning, a human heart was fickle, and that truth could never be ignored.
’What if one day they bring up the money?’
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