Subtle Changes

After finishing his daily draw, the maid Gina came in to help him wash up and change.

As she fixed his hair, Gina praised him, "Young Master, you've become even more handsome today."

As his personal maid, Gina came up with new ways to praise him every day. Hekate had long since grown used to it.

But this time, he did not brush it off. Instead, he carefully studied his reflection in the mirror. With black eyes and black hair, the twelve-year-old still retained traces of childishness on his face.

The line of his jaw had become somewhat softer, and his eyes seemed a little larger as well. Overall, he looked less resolute and possessed a touch more androgynous beauty...

The Witch Bloodline was beginning to show its power.

Hekate lowered his eyes. "Gina, pack our luggage. I want to leave for the Royal Capital early."

"Yes, Young Master."

There were still two months before the next class of freshmen enrolled, but Hekate felt that he could not remain in this house any longer. The changes in his body would be difficult to hide from those around him. Leaving as soon as possible was the right course of action.

At breakfast, Hekate expressed this idea to his father.

Count Fortes fell silent for a moment before saying, "Going to the Royal Capital early to get used to life there isn't a bad idea. Leave the day after tomorrow. I'll arrange an escort for you, and you'll need to attend tomorrow night's banquet."

The third son of the Calilans family receiving a letter of recommendation from the Royal Capital Magic Academy was naturally worth celebrating with a banquet. However, Hekate usually disliked such occasions.

He had had enough of socializing. In his previous life, he had even died because of it. Thus, whenever he attended banquets in this life, he would only appear at the beginning before disappearing later on.

"Very well, Father."

It was a reasonable request. Hekate had no room to refuse.

When his mother learned that he would be leaving the day after tomorrow, she excused him from lessons for the day and dragged him off to pack. Whether he would need something or not, she stuffed it into his suitcase.

Hekate was helpless. There was a kind of cold called Mother thinks you're cold, and a kind of need called Mother thinks you need it.

They spent an entire day packing, and only after much persuasion did he get his mother to give up on cramming everything into that poor suitcase.

Late at night, when all was quiet.

Hekate stepped onto the balcony and gazed at the sky.

Before long, the pitch-black curtain of night was dotted with starlight. The murmurs of the Starry Sky swept past his ears like a gentle breeze.

Count Fortes was puzzled as to why Professor Emand had written you a letter of recommendation and wanted to test your Magic Aptitude again...

Hekate's brows rose slightly.

This ability seemed rather useful. It allowed him to learn certain things in advance.

"Testing my aptitude again? That's normal enough."

When he was six, Count Fortes had tested his Magic Aptitude. The Magic Crystal had shown that his aptitude was extremely poor, while Loria's aptitude at six had been above average, just like their second sister's.

Yet even Loria, with above-average aptitude, had not been chosen. It was naturally strange for someone with such abysmal aptitude as him to be selected. It was only normal that Count Fortes would want to test him again.

Another breeze drifted past.

Natasha Dewey von Christine learned that you had a letter of recommendation from Grants Academy. She agreed to her father's suggestion to build a good relationship with you...

"Natasha..."

A figure surfaced in Hekate's mind. She was quite cute, with golden hair and blue eyes, but they had barely interacted. Besides, he had no plans to marry. He was going to become a Witch, so what was the point of getting married?

At that thought, Hekate felt slightly dizzy and withdrew from the Star Speech state.

"Only two messages?"

His strength was still too low. Hekate shook his head and returned to bed.

The next day, when he woke up.

Duang~

Gift of Fate: Something good will happen within a day. A day later, misfortune will cling to you.

Hekate took one look and immediately refused it.

The good fortune was hardly good, while the bad luck was bad to the extreme.

Unless it was a special situation, such Gifts were useless.

That evening's banquet brought many nobles to the house, most of whom Hekate could not even recognize.

Although he had never particularly enjoyed attending banquets, he knew that his father did not have so many noble friends.

A letter of recommendation from Grants Academy really carries some weight.

Hekate silently thought as his father pushed him forward to greet the nobles.

Only when his father had important matters to discuss with them was Hekate finally released. He felt as though his face was about to freeze from smiling.

As expected, socializing was troublesome.

He casually picked up a glass of juice and walked out to the ballroom balcony, only to find that his eldest brother was already there.

Revolen smiled at him. "Hekate, how does it feel to be the center of attention at a banquet?"

"Not very good. I don't like being surrounded like that."

"Hehe, that's what nobles are like. You'll have to get used to it. Once you reach the Royal Capital, there'll be even more banquets like this." Revolen shrugged.

I'm not attending them. What a waste of time.

Hekate thought silently.

At that moment, a group of beautifully dressed young ladies noticed that he was alone and all wanted to invite him to dance.

Natasha reached the balcony first. Her delicate makeup accentuated the gentle smile in her eyes, making her appear innocent and pure. The girls who had failed to reach him in time watched her with envy and jealousy.

Revolen raised his glass toward Hekate. "I wish you a wonderful evening."

Then he turned and left, leaving the balcony to the two of them.

Under the moonlight, Natasha's eyes lit up when she saw Hekate's appearance. Covering her mouth, she chuckled softly. "Mr. Hekate, may I invite you to a dance?"

"Of course." Hekate smiled slightly.

If it had not been Natasha, it would have been another girl. That was simply how nobles were.

However, Hekate did not want to become entangled in complicated relationships that would hinder his cultivation.

After the banquet ended, Hekate returned to his room alone.

He moved a chair onto the balcony. Seeing the servants downstairs busily cleaning up the garbage left after the banquet, he sat down and looked up at the starry sky.

The starlight rippled, and the breeze gently caressed him.

Secrets unknown to others were whispered.

Natasha Dewey von Christine was reprimanded by her father because you refused to let her stay the night. However, her favorability toward you rose greatly. She felt that you possessed a special kind of temperament.

"What a baffling little brat. Rejecting her actually made her like me more." Hekate was speechless.

Revolen Noah di Calilans believed that you might compete with him for the position of family head. He planned to tie you to the nobles of Lundria so that you could not return to the Calilans family.

"Eldest Brother..."

Hekate lowered his eyes.

There was only one position as heir to Count Carilance. Naturally, his eldest brother did not want anyone capable of threatening him.

"After gaining a Witch Physique, my noble status isn't that important anyway. Not returning to the Calilans family aligns with my own plans as well. I just wonder what he intends to do. I hope it won't affect my cultivation."