"You think you are smarter than me? I'm way more smarter than you. Anyway, why is your hair tied and covered? You're even hiding your hair? Unbelievable. Who would recognize you with that?" She laughed mockingly."You'll be shocked by how many people will," Mattimeo said.Soon, they approached the camp."You should go ahead now. I'll take my leave.""No way! I'm going with you.""You can't go with me!""Yes, I can!"Silence fell between them.Mattimeo stared at her, completely at a loss for words. He had never expected her to be this stubborn."Do you realize I'm a man and you're a woman?" he asked."So what? I'm twenty, so I'm already old enough to know what decision I'm making," she argued."Well, you might think I'm soft and kind, but I'm a predator. You don't want to know what will happen to you if you stay with me." Mattimeo stepped closer, his expression turning serious.She didn't retreat. Instead, she stood her ground and tilted her head back to meet his gaze."I really want t

Viscount Joshua stood at the edge of the training field, his hands clasped behind his back as he watched his soldiers engage in a mock battle.Steel rang across the field. Two soldiers collided in the center, their wooden swords knocking against each other as they fought for an opening. One slipped on the trampled earth, and his opponent immediately pressed forward, forcing him to retreat.The Viscount's eyes followed the exchange for a moment before shifting to another group. Their formation was holding, but their movements were still too slow. He would have to address that later."I heard that alchemist Mattimeo brought a woman in last night," Kodak said suddenly.The Viscount turned his head."A woman? Are you sure of what you're saying?""Yes, my lord." Kodak nodded."Hmm. So the alchemist likes women after all. Yet he's been ignoring the women I sent him like the plague." He chuckled."My lord, you know he's very smart. He might have deduced your intent in sending all those women

The Count was a middle-aged man, very much older than the Viscount.Currently, Mattimeo and Zaki were seated at the table with him. A large meal was spread before them, and the servants moved diligently around the table, serving each dish as needed."Do you know, both of you are much more interesting than many master alchemists right now?" the Count said suddenly."We dare not compare ourselves with master alchemists," Mattimeo replied.The Count studied him for a moment, his gaze lingering on Mattimeo's face. Then he turned his attention to the fatty, who seemed far more interested in the food in front of him than in the Count. The feeling appeared almost mutual. The Count had spent some time investigating Zaki and had already discovered something important about him."I was thinking of introducing both of you to the Second Prince. Right now, your fame is limited to the small regions known to Tigerfang, but I can actually help both of you become extremely popular."Mattimeo's movemen

"Zhang, I heard that Mattimeo has returned," a skinny guy in a green robe said as their group walked through the forest."So I heard. I have some people watching him. The next time he's going on a mission, it's going to be his last." He chuckled evilly."But... That girl is not the only girl in the sect. Why are you so hell-bent on getting her?" The skinny guy couldn't help but ask."Because I love her! Do you understand what love is!?""You love someone you haven't even been with before? How's that even possible?""Enough."A tall, masculine youth said, cutting the two off."If he loves her, then he must get her. There's no way someone from our family could lose to a nobody. If he's from a noble family, maybe we should be worried, but in this case, he's not. Just a nameless nobody."Zhang smiled with glee."You see? My brother is the best."The other three didn't say anything. Even though they felt that it didn't make sense to go to all these lengths for a woman who didn't love him,

"What are you saying? Stop that. I'm your teacher, and you are my student," she said, but her voice lacked its usual firmness."You owe me one unconditional request, Aurora. Can I use it now?" he asked."Oh, and what's your request?" she asked."Kiss me," he said boldly.She stared at him in shock.Mattimeo held her gaze without backing down. For a moment, neither of them moved. Then, on impulse, she let the feelings she had been trying to suppress take over.She stepped forward and kissed him.The kiss was sudden and intense, her lips pressing firmly against his as though she had finally stopped fighting what she wanted. Mattimeo froze for a heartbeat, stunned by the force of it. He had been expecting her to refuse and negotiate, or perhaps give him a quick peck just to satisfy the request.Never in his wildest dreams had he expected her to kiss him like this.Her fingers slipped into his hair, gripping the back of his head as she pulled him closer. The warmth of her body, the softne