I didnt even think that was possible. I didnt know how to feel about another persons mana running through my body. It mingled and merged with mine, collecting all the impurities. My body would regain its health and be refreshed later but the slow movement of the mana somehow tickled me.

It was dangerous to douse someones body with someone elses mana. He knew the danger if my mana rejected his. Does he accept me as more than just a disciple? Maybe he had grown attached. My worries were brief. As the mana coursed through my body and detoxified me, I felt light and suddenly drifted off to sleep.

I think I heard his murmur full of laughter. Pretending to be asleep. Really?

***

After changing into comfortable clothes, I headed to the kitchen. I was worried about Kaichens food habits. He wouldnt say it but I knew that he was very picky when it came to food.

He used his mana recklessly. But even if he was very powerful, he needed to regain his strength. No matter how strong a person might be, they could collapse due to exhaustion. Mimi hurried over to me as I opened the refrigerator. She was surprised to see me.

Countess! You cant be in the kitchen. You need to rest! You just woke up a while back, she said. She then gasped when she saw the food I had finished preparing.

Its alright. I just made it really quick. I do need to replenish my energy, right? Besides, I was tired of lying down.

I smiled at her as I finished plating the food. I made a lot today, so lets all eat together. I will take this to my teacher.

Its amazing

What?

The Archmage never ate the dishes I made. You did say that he was a picky eater, but I didnt realize it was to that extent.

He didnt even take a bite?

Yes, he told me not to prepare anything. Mimi looked upset. Maybe she thought she wasnt able to feed the saviour of Acrab at all. I didnt hide my smile. I placed the plate on the tray with a pitcher of water and left the kitchen.

I noticed my reflection in the window and I didnt like what I saw. But he had seen the worse side of me. I just wanted to see him. The room where Kaichen stayed had been a guest room which hadnt been used for a long while. It was rare for any guest to visit Acrab so the room had not been maintained in the past.

Acrab was a production city where craftsmen and artisans converged to create things. There was no need for people to travel so far to buy from Acrab as it would eventually reach the capital anyway. The only advantage was that, if you reached Acrab to buy things then you would be the first to buy them, which wasnt much of an advantage to be honest.

Count Alshine had been a kind person with no political greed. He did not covet and desire power for himself. So, he managed the town of Acrab and made space for the craftsmen. He would then invest the money he got from it into strengthening the territory of Acrab to keep it safe.

Dalia had squandered most of that money. I had to handle the aftermath of it, naturally. In my previous life, my hobbies had cost a lot so I had gotten a job to sustain myself. I wasnt very social but wasnt a bore with people either. I used to read novels all weekend at home. My house hadnt been very spacious but it was sunny and I liked it. Even that would have been impossible in Seoul but I lived in a rural area so I was fortunate enough to have my own space. I had a decent job and manageable workload. I was afforded a decent number of leave. Thinking back, I did have a pretty quiet and peaceful life.

It felt so distant now. It was even surprising that I had not forgotten about my past life. It felt like it happened to some other person a long time ago. But if I exclude the time I was trapped in the time magic, it must have been only four months ago. For me, it felt like a lifetime away.

The life of a Countess might look like a treat. A mansion, land and guaranteed income through taxes. But Acrab had suffered because of the time magic and then the epidemic. The jobs had been closed down. Income had dried up.

It would be difficult to get Acrab to its previous glory. The mansion will have to do as it is. Young Angel did a great job managing the mansion and Mimi worked for free. But that wouldnt last long. Mimi had a younger brother she needed to support. I will eventually have to find a way to generate income so that I can provide her a decent salary for all the work she does. Right now, I had no money on my hands.

I had a little of the pocket money Kaichen had given me when I lived in the Willow House but I wasnt shameless enough to spend his money while here in Acrab.