"Are you okay?" she asked softly.
"Elena?" Dapper blinked in disbelief. The weird, creepy girl with oversized breasts had just released such a powerful magic attack?
'I thought her system had something to do with healing…?'
"Are you hurt? Here, take this," Elena said, and in the next moment, a small bottle containing a glowing blue liquid materialized in her hand.
"This is a healing potion. It'll restore your Mana to peak capacity since yours seems rather low," Elena said, opening the wood-like cork with a quiet pop.
Without hesitation, Dapper snatched the vial and gulped the contents down. A hot, tingling wave coursed through his chest, spreading across his body. He felt rejuvenated—like something was seeping into his pores.
[Ding!]
[Grade 1 Healing Potion has been consumed.]
[The host's Mana has been restored.]
[100/100]
---
"This…" Dapper muttered, feeling his strength return in full.
'Is this why the system told me to keep a good relationship with her? But who is she really?'
"Miss, thank you so much! Thank you! I saw death flash before my eyes. If not for you, I would have been Murkpaws food!" the driver exclaimed, bowing deeply as tears rolled down his face.
'Stupid bastard. I nearly passed out trying to save your ass. A simple "thank you" would've been nice,' Dapper thought as he straightened his clothes.
"There's no need for that, sir. It's my duty. We only hired your service—you're not our bodyguard. We understand the risks involved," Elena replied with a polite smile, stopping him from thanking her again.
The driver nodded, replaced the spent crystal, and climbed back into the vehicle. Dapper and Elena followed, and the car resumed its journey.
As they drove, Elena glanced sideways. Dapper had reclined his seat slightly, his eyes closed.
'Shit, my cover's blown. I wanted to keep playing the innocent girl act, but now… I guess he deserves to know the truth,' Elena thought, clenching her fists.
"Dapper, are you okay?" she asked gently.
"Hm? Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little drowsy—"
"Dapper, I'm sorry. For lying. For not telling you the truth about who I really am. I saw the way you looked at me earlier. I... I'm really sorry," Elena mumbled, her eyes lowered as she fidgeted with her fingers.
Dapper raised his seat and gave a small smile. "What do you mean by 'lied'? You never really told me anything in the first place. Honestly, I was just surprised you pulled that off. You've always been so quiet in class. Everyone has secrets. You don't have to tell me everything—I get it. Maybe someday, when you're ready."
He reached for her hands and held them gently.
From the way she acted, Dapper could already guess what was coming. She was about to tell him something personal. But deep down, he feared it might cancel his side quest—and he wasn't ready to lose that secret reward. Especially not when he himself had plenty of secrets too.
"T-Thank you… You're so understanding. Probably one of the best people I've ever met. It's just a shame you're already taken," Elena said, giving his hand a small squeeze.
"You're one of a kind too, Elena. You're the first person who's been able to blend in with another persona right under my nose without raising suspicions. But if there's one thing I do believe… it's the sincerity of your feelings," Dapper murmured, leaning closer—his face now only inches from hers.
"Dapper…" Elena's cheeks turned red as heat flushed through her body. Her affection toward him spiked in an instant.
She leaned in, eyes closing, lips parted for a kiss. Dapper followed suit, eyes closed, his lips almost touching hers—
"Oi, oi, even if you turned on the sound-cancellation in the back seats, I can still see what's going on," the driver suddenly said, voice deadpan, his eyes on the road. "It's a safety feature. If you two went any further, I might've seen something I wasn't supposed to. Sorry for the inconvenience."
"Oh! W-We're sorry about that!" Elena quickly jerked back, her face burning in embarrassment.
Dapper caught sight of a small screen attached to the driver's dashboard, and sighed.
The journey continued. Dapper and Elena began chatting again.
"Elena, do you know why I felt so dizzy after casting just one fireball?" Dapper asked.
"How much Mana do you have?"
"One hundred."
"Ah. That explains it… That size of fireball probably drained everything you had. Spells, whether Level 1 or Level 2, consume Mana based on the output you channel into them. For example…"
She summoned a tiny flame, flickering like a candle, in her palm. "You can't compare the Mana this takes with what a bigger flame would use. Mana is like fuel—the more you pour in, the greater the result. Spell levels are just rarity rankings."
Dapper's eyes widened with realization. It all clicked—the fireball he'd used was way too big. But another question burned in his mind.
"How do I control the amount of Mana I use? And how can I increase my Mana pool?"
"You really don't know much about magic, do you? And I bet your system is magic-related," Elena chuckled. "To control your output, you need practice. Train your Mana daily, experiment, and refine your control. That way, even with low Mana, you can be precise and effective. With good control, you could've taken down those Murkpaws with just thirty percent of your Mana."
"And increasing Mana varies per person. It all depends on your system's conditions. Some systems require absorbing monster cores, others need blood, and some… need to eat monster meat. You'll learn more about it at the academy," she explained.
Dapper nodded, absorbing every word.
'System conditions, academy huh…'
"Sir, we've arrived," the driver called out.
Dapper turned off the tint feature and glanced outside. They were now in what looked like a settlement—people walking, cars driving, different races mingling. No monsters in sight. Just ahead, a large building with a lit-up sign caught his eye.
The cinema.
He stepped out with Elena, who paid the driver even though he insisted she didn't need to.
Together, they walked toward the cinema. Just before entering, they bought two premium tickets and then disappeared inside.
*
*
*
*
*
[A/N: It's a bit sad to announce, but I've finally decided to go premium after this chapter. You might think it's a little early, but considering the length and direction of the novel, I felt it was the right time to lock it after 21 chapters. To everyone who's stuck with the story from day one up until now—thank you so much for your support. I truly appreciate it.
A special shoutout to MrRobot—thank you for always being there.]