CHAPTER 82: COTTON WALL

"Leila, may we know how you and your husband met?" Celeste asks just as Theo returns to the table.

Servers begin circling, placing appetizers in front of each lady. The dishes give everyone something to fuss over, but their ears are trained on Leila.

Theo takes his seat quietly and lifts his cutlery, ready to eat. The Baroness watches him in silence, her expression unreadable.

The atmosphere looks normal on the surface — as if no one had nearly died choking two minutes ago.

Leila smiles lightly.

"We met at a small gathering held at the Montrose Estate by Henri Montrose, Maurice’s grandfather," she begins.

Celeste immediately cuts in, "Oh! I know Henri Montrose! He was in Team Zero! Everyone in Concordia knows Henri Montrose!"

"Celeste," Veronica warns softly.

Celeste blinks, then shrinks slightly. "Sorry. Didn’t mean to interrupt. Please, go on."

Leila nods and continues.

"It was a small gathering. My grandmother was invited. She worked with Grandpa Henri, and they always held reunions. I was only eighteen back then. I’d heard about the Montroses from my grandmother but never met any of them. When she asked if I wanted to come along, I said yes immediately."

Her expression softens at the memory.

"We met that day. He said he liked me and asked permission to pursue me. We went out for two months before he proposed... and we got married a month later."

Leila finishes quietly, with a gentle smile.

Celeste’s face drops.

"That’s it?" She looks genuinely disappointed.

Leila chuckles softly. "I don’t understand. That was how we met."

"Well, I expected love at first sight, whirlwind romance, he pursued, you refused, that kind of dance. From the way you tell it, it has none of those. Ah!" Celeste snaps her fingers as understanding hits her.

"You don’t love your husband. That’s why you tell it like that. It’s alright. It’s normal."

"Celeste!" Veronica cuts in sharply. She turns to Leila at once. "Leila, I am so sorry. She doesn’t mean it like that. We only wanted to get to know you better."

After Margareth’s outburst earlier, the table had been trying to recover some dignity.

Asking Leila about her husband was supposed to help them regain momentum and save face.

Who would have thought Celeste would be just as tactless?

Celeste pouts. She understands. She is also try to save their faces. They are usually one unit. They face the newcomers together, as one. But today, it falls apart.

It’s all because of that stupid jealous bitch! Celeste says inwardly.

The Baroness is also feeling similar thing. The incident with Margareth rattles her more than she’d like. It has been a while since someone acted that stupidly in front of her. The nerve!

I cannot let this continue. I need to do something. The Baroness decides.

"Leila," she puts down her cutlery.

"I have to apologize for what happened with Margareth Blackwood. What she did was uncalled for. Regardless her accusation is right or wrong, her conduct is wrong. I do not want to nor I intend to step in between your families’ dispute. But again, what she did here, is wrong."

She pauses, and takes a deep breath.

"And as someone in my position, I cannot with conscience, let it slide. I know Montrose Corporation is currently having trouble mining the dungeon in Beachwalk in peace."

She leans in at the table. "I might be able to help you with that."

Leila blinks. This is out of her expectation. That is the only reason why she came to this ridiculous luncheon. But she never thought it would be this easy. She instinctively looks at Theo, who is smiling at her.

Leila turns to the Baroness, a genuine smile is plastered on her face. "Thank you very much, Your Ladyship. We would appreciate it very much."

The Baroness smiles. For the first time that afternoon, it is genuine.

Theo sees it and scoffs inwardly.

If you think one favor is enough to control us... Baroness, you’re about to learn how wrong you are.

With the Baroness finally relaxing, the rest of her court exhales in relief. They’ve been walking on eggshells, navigating a social minefield, and her shift in mood feels like a ceasefire.

The ladies retract their claws. They chat about trivial matters, gossip like usual, and they even attempt to include Leila.

Theo quietly eats, enjoying the food, his favorite part of this second life, but he listens to every conversation, ready to jump in if Leila needs him.

The Baroness watches him the entire time. Ever since her offer to help with the mining issue, she has barely spoken unless addressed. Instead, she studies at him like a hawk eyeing a prize.

Theo is well aware, but he doesn’t care. He knows she is a mage who can perform proper magic, but her level is nowhere near him. She doesn’t interest him.

He’s been wanting to meet someone who truly understands magic... but the Baroness isn’t that someone. As a mage, she sits on the lowest side of the spectrum.

If she enrolled at the academy in Caelthorn, she would barely reach level three out of twenty-five.

The thought of discussing magic with the Baroness is... unappealing.

I’d rather explain magic to Liam.

Theo’s dismissive behavior gets under the Baroness’s skin like worms. She feels it crawling, irritating, unsettling—but this time, she doesn’t know what to do with it. So she stays quiet.

When the desserts arrive, Theo’s expression changes instantly.

His entire face lights up.

The maître-d is among the servers. He personally presents the dessert to the Baroness.

He sets the plate gently in front of her.

"Your Ladyship. May we present the dessert: White Silk Panna Cotta."

The other servers place a plate before each lady.

The maître-d continues, "It is a snow-white panna cotta infused with white peach and lotus. Topped with a thin iridescent glaze that shifts softly under the light. Served chilled, with a spoon of pear-rose compote on the side."

He bows to the Baroness, then to the rest of the table.

"I hope you have enjoyed your lunch. Please enjoy your dessert."

He retreats.

Theo is smiling the whole time. His eyes never leave the dessert.

When the plate lands in front of him, he looks at it like it’s a priceless treasure.

How can a human make this without magic? The skill. The precision. This is art.

While the others see a simple dome on a plate, Theo sees something else entirely: a smooth ivory mound that glows faintly under the soft light, like moonlight trapped in cream.

It shifts gently when the plate moves, a quiet promise of melt-in-the-mouth sweetness.

He can’t wait to dip his spoon in.

The Baroness watches him, baffled.

A dessert. A simple dessert can make you this happy?

She doesn’t understand at all.

Theo dips his spoon in, scoops a little, and lifts it to his mouth. The moment the panna cotta touches his tongue, he melts right along with it.

He closes his eyes, fully savoring the dessert. If the pastry chef saw Theo’s reaction, the man would probably burst into tears from pure validation.

Leila smiles as she watches Theo enjoying himself. For a moment, it feels like things are normal again, like she has her daughter back. But she cannot forget what happened earlier in the luncheon. His words, his tone, his confidence, the strength in his gaze — none of it belonged to the old Thea.

It is like she has become someone else entirely.

Should I be worried? Or proud?

Leila exhales softly. I will deal with it later. Right now, let her enjoy her dessert.

The luncheon ends not long after.

Theo and Leila cannot wait to leave. The entire table rises. From the corner of her eye, Leila sees Miranda and Claudia also getting up, heading toward the door.

The ladies begin saying their goodbyes, one by one. They all put on their best behavior, polished smiles and gentle tones, but the words are empty and the warmth is fake.

Everyone at that table knows they are all pretending.

Suddenly, the Baroness steps toward Theo.

She takes Theo’s hand.

A light squeeze.

Then she lets go.

The whole thing lasts less than ten seconds, but in that brief moment, the Baroness receives her second shock of the day. Because when she clasped Theo’s hand, she pushed a small thread of mana forward, testing him.

Checking his affinity.

She has been dying to know ever since she saw his hair. Now feels like her only chance.

But Theo knows exactly what she is trying to do. And he has no intention of letting her succeed.

To him, probing someone’s affinity like that is extremely rude.

A mage’s affinity has always been a sensitive topic, even in Caelthorn. It determines worth, status, and one’s place in the world. Only an arrogant or uneducated mage would attempt to sneak a read.

In his academy, every student’s affinity was recorded and sealed away by Theo himself. Only he could access those records.

The Baroness feels nothing.

Like her mana hit a wall made of cotton.

This has never happened to her before. She always gets some kind of feedback, but this time, nothing.

But now?

Theo sees her baffled face and scoffs inwardly.

Do you seriously think you can read my affinity in under ten seconds?

He shifts his head just a little, almost pitying her.

I don’t know who taught you. Or if anyone ever did. Probably the latter. You’ve never had real education. But then again... how could you? This world barely has any mana at all.

The thought stalls him for half a second.

Unless...

A possibility flickers — strange, absurd, and immediately dismissed.

No. Impossible. Mana doesn’t just... disappear. And it definitely doesn’t just "come back." Don’t overthink it, Theo.

Before the idea can tempt him again, a warm hand touches his.

Leila.

She smiles, eyebrows lifting in a silent question: Shall we?

Theo nods and takes her hand.

Together they bow politely to the group and turn to leave.

He doesn’t spare the Baroness a single glance.