125 - How Could the Villainous Young Master Be a Saintess?

## Chapter 125: Is It Possible for an Iron Tree to Blossom? "Ah, just like a dog can't change its habit of eating whatever it finds, the destined female protagonist can't change her nature either." Watching Aesphyra act obsequiously, Wenny folded his arms, his face full of disdain and contempt. However, in the original story, Mirexia and Aesphyra were already a pair, so it was understandable. The issue was this guy couldn't help but charm every beautiful girl he saw. Wenny wondered what kind of upbringing could have produced such a person. Seeing that this was simply a gathering of old friends reconciling, the senior prepared to leave. Before departing, however, she glanced meaningfully at Wenny. Indeed, his reputation was really too bad. His embarrassing outburst at the banquet wasn't too long ago, and his previous harassing actions towards Mirexia were no secret. Thus, most of the students from the kingdom didn't have a good impression of Wenny. Especially when he approached Mirexia, the first thought was that he was about to harass her again. "Long time no see, Aesphyra," Mirexia responded with a calm smile, also nodding in Wenny's direction. Mirexia always seemed unflappable, perhaps due to losing her mother early and receiving royal education at a young age. She assisted the king with state affairs, gaining a maturity beyond her years. Among her peers, she often appeared to be the most mature, making Wenny seem like a childish five-year-old in comparison. Wenny found it natural, accustomed as he was to this side of Mirexia. He understood she was someone who valued duty above all else, even personal feelings. He couldn't imagine how, in the game, Aesphyra managed to win her over. Honestly, after gaining memories of this life about Mirexia and grasping what kind of person she was, he truly doubted such a career-focused, love-shy person could ever "blossom." Forget about an iron tree blooming; it was a rare sight just to see grass growing on stone. Mirexia led a work-filled life that Wenny found frightening to even watch. If he had to live like that, he wouldn't last a day, but Mirexia had been living that way since childhood and was accustomed to it. Still, Wenny respected Mirexia despite not wanting that lifestyle for himself. Despite not wishing to become like her, he admired her profoundly. Regardless of alignment, even a neutral person would prefer to befriend someone as genuinely good as Mirexia. Of course, this admiration was not the type between lovers. Wenny recognized that Mirexia saw him merely as a friend and childhood companion. Although this friend was once immature and caused her trouble, now that he was a reformed man, they remained friends. Similarly, Wenny only viewed Mirexia as a friend. Among many female leads, Mirexia was one of the few he genuinely wanted to befriend. Frankly, someone with her character was best suited as a friend. For this reason, Wenny aimed to earn Mirexia's favor and assist her genuinely, not merely to gain virtue points but because he truly thought highly of her and wanted her as a friend. "Congratulations to both of you for joining the student council," Mirexia said, her gaze alternating between the two, a faint smile gracing her lips—a rare sight. "Did you two plan to join the student council together?" "President, you must be mistaken. There’s no way I would coordinate with someone like her," Wenny replied, glancing at Aesphyra with a disdainful pout. "Mirexia dear~ surely, you only invited me, and the others are unnecessary?" Aesphyra smiled sweetly at Mirexia, ignoring Wenny. "Tch, acting as if she's some treasure," Wenny muttered, averting his gaze. "No, I invited both of you," Mirexia stated frankly, not catching Aesphyra’s implied meaning. "Midterm exams are approaching, and all of Kaelrim Academy will engage in hunting monsters as part of their evaluation. The student council's current task is to ensure student safety and allocate resources efficiently." "Since you've both joined the council, I hope you can help out and provide ideas," Mirexia said. "Monster hunting? Is it in Resimir again, like previous years?" Wenny asked. "Yes, as usual. The Elyshian Church leads the hunt." "Ugh, why them again," Wenny muttered. Honestly, he'd avoid seeing those bishops' faces—like dried orange peels—unless necessary. "They probably view me as a thorn in their side," Wenny pondered, forcing a friendly façade when interacting. "Have you decided the activity areas for each year?" Aesphyra inquired seriously. "Not yet, we're still testing the strength of each area's monsters," Mirexia replied. "This test must be accurate to avoid mismatches in student-monster strength, which could lead to danger." "That makes sense, but Mirexia dear, relying solely on manpower in Resimir isn't highly efficient or accurate, right?" Aesphyra asked. "Correct, but testing monster levels has always been done this way, given Resimir's yearly changing pollution areas, resulting in varied monster levels," Mirexia explained. "True, Resimir summons monsters based on soil pollution level—a curse from the Demon God Pillars upon Tyrellian lands, essentially a magical effect. So, we could estimate monster strength by assessing the magic in the land," Aesphyra proposed. Aesphyra's work ethic and skills were undeniable when serious. "Indeed, but how to measure a land's magical curse intensity remains unsolved," Mirexia noted. "Perhaps I can help," Aesphyra suggested with a smile. "An alchemical potion that changes color based on land's magic might simplify things." "Is there such a miraculous potion? I've never heard of it," Mirexia said with astonishment and skepticism. "I learned its recipe from a worn ancient text and tested it several times—very effective. It might aid your midterm assessments," Aesphyra suggested. "An ancient text??" Mirexia thought incredulously. She might believe it from a seasoned alchemist but Aesphyra seemed too young. It's not distrust of a friend but concern for safety—Aesphyra just recently ventured into alchemy. Could she perfect such a potion from an ancient tome's fragments? "Of course, you could conduct tests. I'm not suggesting this potion entirely replace human trials—both should proceed concurrently. If multiple tests corroborate their results, it would suffice," Aesphyra explained. "I see. If it proves useful, it'd be a great help, Aesphyra," Mirexia responded. A question lingered: "Aesphyra, should the formula remain confidential?" Mirexia implied she'd keep it secret, knowing ill-intentioned individuals might exploit this, endangering Aesphyra. "You can't guard against thieves forever, after all." "Would it be possible for you, Mirexia, to publicly announce that this was a result of the academy's own research?" Aesphyra suggested with a smile. "Afterward, I'll donate this alchemical formula to the academy without compensation, as my way of giving back. But please keep it anonymous and say it was submitted by an unnamed student." As the saying goes, it's not the thief breaking in that's worrisome, but the thief thinking about it all the time. Aesphyra had no intention of using this formula to make a fortune. Wenny was stunned. Was it that his perspective was too narrow, or perhaps he was just too used to being poor? Whether Aesphyra came up with the formula or discovered it in an ancient tome, licensing a unique alchemical formula to a renowned workshop could potentially be a highly lucrative endeavor. Yet Aesphyra just gave it away? Is she really that unselfish? She's treating money like it's nothing! What does this prove? It shows that with Aesphyra's assets and savings, she doesn't concern herself with this amount of money. And perhaps she knows many such lost alchemical formulas, given her talent. She might even have innovated many improved formulas. This one might be the least useful. Wenny swallowed, his gaze fixed on Aesphyra. He realized he had underestimated the worth of a destined female protagonist. The treasures that fall from the hands of a destined female protagonist are monumental challenges to ordinary people. "I understand, Aesphyra. Thank you for all you've done for the academy. I'll make the arrangements," Mirexia responded, her esteem for Aesphyra growing immensely. A selfless spirit that eschewed fame and solely focused on student safety was something Mirexia admired greatly. Wow. Wenny was awestruck. Did she really give away an ancient alchemical formula just for a lady's smile?? Aesphyra, you're something else!... With this move, running a harem is truly deserved at this point. Who could compete with her grandeur? The discussion soon turned to Aesphyra and Mirexia, who were deeply absorbed in their conversation. Wenny had initially thought he and Aesphyra were there to observe and learn, but Aesphyra proved so professional that Mirexia could propose ideas for her to improve. When experts engage, mere mortals are sidelined. Wenny could only remain silent and play the role of onlooker. A reincarnated expert and a princess trained in state affairs—their level of discourse was daunting for Wenny, who struggled to keep pace. He felt that even a misplaced punctuation mark would impede them, counterproductive to Mirexia’s goals. Mirexia, noticing Wenny's awkwardness, made efforts to include him, asking him to share his thoughts and posing simple questions to encourage participation. She even absorbed his input, giving constructive feedback. However, whenever he spoke, Aesphyra couldn't help but laugh. Though her laughter was kind-hearted and courteous, to Wenny it seemed irreverent, under the watchful eye of Mirexia. Aesphyra, is this your way of retaliating?? Wenny felt as if he owed Aesphyra something from a past life; otherwise, why did he always end up losing face around her? If not for a concern about maintaining decorum, Wenny would have criticized Aesphyra's jeering behavior in true 'kingdom's notorious youth' fashion. When their work concluded, the trio sat down for tea. Wenny admired the student council’s exquisite white porcelain tea set, realizing it was a luxury he'd never afford. The inlaid patterns were intriguingly intricate, with hollow, crystalline interiors that shimmered under the chandelier light. "President, is this teacup an enchanted item?" Wenny asked curiously. "Yes, all the student council's tea sets are enchanted. Their patterns can emit a glow," Mirexia replied. "Really? How do they glow? Can we see it?" Wenny inquisitively examined the white porcelain cup with dark-golden patterns in his hand. "Haha." Aesphyra couldn’t hold back a soft laugh. Now, what are you laughing at, Aesphyra?? No matter what I do, you laugh. I’ve tolerated you long enough, you know?? "Aesphyra, could you tell me what’s so funny?" Although Wenny wanted to retort harshly, with Mirexia present, he refrained and inwardly opted to let it go. "Wenny, if your teacup starts glowing, you’d better be careful," Aesphyra said with a beaming smile. "What do you mean?" Wenny asked, puzzled. "Do you think the enchantment on these teacups is just for show?" Aesphyra asked, resting her chin in her hands. "If the patterns on your cup start gleaming, it means only one thing—someone has tampered with your drink." "Are you saying...?" "These teacups are designed to detect alchemical substances in beverages," Aesphyra explained. Ah, Wenny understood now. The teacup was intended to prevent poisoning, as no one would suspect harmless alchemical substances—only toxins needed to be anticipated. "Though the technology isn’t flawless, it effectively prevents most known alchemical toxins," Aesphyra continued. 2025/04/19/22/19