"Are you sure? Won’t Lady Leonor be disappointed?" Sebastian asked.

Edmund shook his head. He rose from his seat and walked toward Sebastian. The man turned to him.

"No."

"Leonor doesn’t care about student status. The only thing that matters to her is being able to stay together with them," Edmund answered.

"I can understand that," Sebastian admitted.

"I’ll go meet Nisya and discuss this matter with her," Sebastian explained.

Edmund raised his hand and gently patted Sebastian’s shoulder. "I’m counting on you."

Sebastian nodded. Right before taking his leave, he pulled out a black pouch and handed it to Edmund.

Edmund froze for a second as he accepted the pouch and opened it.

Inside were five medium-grade monster cores, exactly what he wanted.

"Lately, it’s been difficult to find medium-grade monster cores," Sebastian said. "But I’ll keep trying."

"This is enough, Sebastian."

"You can post an adventurer quest at the Adventurer Guild office. That’s the only way we can continue obtaining medium-grade monster cores," Edmund explained.

"I’ll do it, Lord Edmund."

Sebastian said his farewell to Edmund. He left the office to handle Lady Leonor’s documents.

Edmund still held the black pouch, intending to give one to Leonor today.

He decided to leave his office while carrying the pouch.

When he reached the main hall, one of the maids approached and informed him that Leonor was in the back garden with Nisya.

Edmund immediately headed there and saw Leonor and Nisya inside a small pavilion located in the middle of a flower garden in the backyard.

From where he stood, Nisya appeared to be teaching Leonor tea etiquette and how to sit gracefully like a noblewoman.

He quietly watched them. Nisya demonstrated everything first while Leonor copied her movements directly.

From walking gracefully, sitting elegantly, to the proper way of drinking tea, Nisya taught everything slowly so Leonor would not feel overwhelmed.

I don’t know how long they’ve been studying, but this is good progress for her.

Edmund finally stepped toward the small pavilion. Nisya and Leonor immediately turned when they noticed him approaching.

Nisya stood and bowed respectfully. Leonor did the same. Edmund was slightly surprised by what Leonor demonstrated.

Leonor held the sides of her dress with both hands, slightly lowered herself, and bowed her head.

A noblewoman’s formal greeting etiquette.

"Impressive," Edmund praised.

"Thank you, Edmund. I mean, Sir Edmund," Leonor answered with an elegant smile.

The wild woman who had once been impossible to tame was now beginning to display the manners of a true noblewoman.

"Remember to use that etiquette when meeting someone with a higher status than yours. If they’re equal to you, a simple bow is enough."

"I understand, Sir Edmund," Leonor replied.

Edmund opened his black pouch and took out a medium-grade monster core.

Leonor’s eyes widened as her attention locked onto the red-black orb in Edmund’s hand.

"As I promised yesterday, I’m giving you one medium-grade monster core," Edmund explained.

Leonor stepped closer and accepted the golf ball-sized orb. She closed her eyes as a crimson red mana aura appeared around her hands.

The energy stored inside the monster core was completely absorbed by Leonor. Edmund was slightly surprised.

He had thought Leonor would simply swallow the monster core whole.

But reality was different. She absorbed the energy inside it elegantly.

The monster core in Leonor’s hand turned transparent as all the energy inside it vanished, leaving behind nothing but a clear glass-like sphere.

In an instant, the transparent sphere faded into tiny dust particles that scattered into the air.

Leonor slowly opened her eyes, which now glowed with a strong crimson light.

"This is delicious. I want more," Leonor requested.

"Nisya," Edmund called. Nisya stepped closer.

He handed the black pouch to her. "There are four left. Give her one every five days."

Nisya looked inside the pouch. Sebastian had already explained Leonor’s identity to her, so she was not too shocked to learn that Leonor consumed the energy inside monster cores.

"I’ll do it, Lord Edmund."

"I’ve already discussed this with Sebastian. We agreed to help your four friends enroll in Livden Academy," Edmund explained.

"Really?" Leonor asked excitedly.

"Yes."

"YEAAYY!"

Leonor jumped around excitedly before turning and hugging a confused Nisya.

Leonor truly hoped she and her friends could continue staying together once they entered the academy.

Nisya was also happy seeing Leonor’s emotional state improve, but her eyes shifted back toward Edmund, "Isn’t the entrance requirement for Livden Academy extremely difficult?"

"If they have talent, they can enter easily," Edmund answered, crossing his arms authoritatively. "But if they don’t, we just need to train them and Leonor. That way, they can enter through the strength examination route."

"Train them?" Nisya asked.

"This is part of the ambition I’ve planned. You don’t need to worry about them. Your focus is only on guiding Leonor," Edmund said firmly.

"I understand."

While Nisya and Edmund were talking, Leonor grabbed Nisya’s hand and pulled her back to continue studying.

Unique talent. Strong determination. Quick understanding. Enthusiastic and persistent.

No wonder she became Lucas Twain’s greatest enemy in this novel.

With her power, she could become the cruelest villainess or the strongest hero.

Even though Edmund already had complete control over Leonor, he still did not know what kind of person he wanted her to become.

Would becoming a villainess make things easier for him? Or would the path of a hero be the better choice for her?

Let time answer that. I need to keep observing Leonor’s development.

After finishing his business with them, Edmund planned to visit the orphanage and meet the four girls.

Sebastian had already provided complete profile information about them, but evaluations of personality and ability were still subjective.

Edmund needed to witness their abilities himself.

He left the Aschwin mansion wearing a nobleman’s shirt, a coat, and a sword hanging at his waist.

The man walked alone through the city streets. Many citizens turned toward him with smiles, greeting Viscount Edmund warmly.

The trip did not take long. He arrived at the orphanage and saw that everything inside was operating normally as usual.

Irana came forward to greet Edmund, her face showing confusion. "Viscount Edmund?"

"Hello. I came to visit the orphanage." 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

"Where are the other children?" Edmund asked.

"They’re in the backyard," Irana answered.

The two of them walked inside and arrived there. Many of the orphanage children were in the backyard, playing and relaxing.

The arrival of Viscount Edmund in his noble coat and formal attire immediately drew all of their attention, especially after Irana introduced him to them.

"That’s Viscount Edmund."

"Woah, he’s handsome and strong."

"I want to be like him."

Many of the children approached Viscount Edmund. Edmund smiled and greeted them gently, warmly, and kindly.

However, among all of them, only those four girls did not come forward. Their eyes stared at Edmund coldly.

"What’s wrong with them?" Edmund whispered to Irana.

"About them... it’s because of Lady Leonor."

"They didn’t like it when Lady Leonor moved to the Aschwin Mansion."

They hate me because I took Leonor away from them.

Edmund kept a serious expression as he walked past the other children with Irana still accompanying him.

His steps stopped when he arrived beneath a tree in the backyard, right where the four girls were gathered together gossiping.

"You girls! Stand up immediately and greet Viscount Edmund properly."

With irritated expressions, the girls stood up and bowed respectfully, demonstrating the same noble greeting Leonor had performed earlier.

"Greetings, Viscount Edmund."

Edmund smiled and did not immediately tell them about his plans. Instead, his eyes focused ahead on a wooden sword with a damaged blade.

The wooden sword hung from Denise’s waist, the seventeen-year-old girl with striking red hair.

Her gaze was sharp, and her natural expression looked fierce.

"Take this, Denise."

Denise looked slightly shocked that Edmund knew her name. She raised her head and saw Edmund extending his steel sword toward her.

"What do you mean?" Denise asked.

"You hold my sword. I’ll hold your wooden sword."

"Let’s have a duel!"

The bright red-haired girl stared at him with widened eyes. "WHAT?!"