— — — — — —
It had to be said, this reward came at exactly the right time.
Back then, Ravenclaw believed Tom wouldn't be trapped at the level of 'Century King,' but even so, it would take time to improve. After all, becoming a legend meant gaining some access to the magic around you.
So knowing it would take a long time—even for someone like Tom—Ravenclaw suggested he try a different direction: bloodlines.
After all, studying yourself is always easier than studying the world and its magic
But now, things were different.
For others, breaking past the Century King and becoming a Legend meant finding their own direction, coming up with their own "questions," making sure those questions aligned with the world's magic, and then solving them.
Step by step. No room for error.
Only then could they succeed.
But for Morgan and Tom, the order was completely different.
They didn't need to come up with the questions. The "problems" revealed themselves naturally before their eyes. They didn't have to struggle for answers either. A slight tug was enough to set things in motion, like flipping straight to the solution.
As long as they grasped the underlying principle, it was the same as understanding that layer of truth.
"No wonder…" Tom muttered, rubbing his chin. "No wonder Morgan could grow so strong in just over a decade that even Merlin found her troublesome, even got outplayed sometimes. It's like the world handed her an all-you-can-eat buffet."
Excitement flickered in his eyes as he continued observing those "threads" no one else could see.
He'd originally planned to take the girls to a horse show that afternoon.
Now? He had no interest whatsoever.
Most people don't enjoy studying. But if you told them that studying guaranteed power and wealth, countless people would dive into it without hesitation.
Unfortunately, reality is cruel. Effort doesn't bring equal rewards.
...
..
At Greengrass Manor, the two sisters had already received Tom's message. They knew he wouldn't be coming today.
Daphne sat on the sofa hugging a pillow, sulking quietly.
Lady Greengrass, who had taken the day off to relax, couldn't help but laugh when she saw her.
But after a moment, Lady Greengrass felt that her daughter was still always behaving like a child at this age, so she decided to be a responsible mother and teach her dear daughter a few things.
"Daphne, come here."
The girl shuffled over, listless. "Mom, I'm not hungry. You can have tea by yourself."
"Ahem, it's not that.... Sigh~ My dear, it's time you grew up."
Lady Greengrass gently stroked her daughter's soft, golden hair, her tone earnest. "Tom just has something important to deal with. What you should do is understand him and support him quietly, not sit here sulking."
Daphne's lips puffed out immediately, looking so aggrieved she could've hung a kettle from them. "Mom, I didn't complain in front of Tom. I'm just sulking here on my own. Is that not allowed?"
"Of course it is." Lady Greengrass reached out and pressed her lips back down. "But I'm talking about the long run."
"Tom already spoils you enough. Think about it. When has he ever refused anything you asked for? He even helped you pull off that ridiculous idea of entering a competition."
She let out a soft sigh. "You can't keep acting like this. You need to think more about Tom. The things he's dealing with now are already beyond what any wizard can understand. Even if you can't help him, at least don't make things harder for him."
"If you keep acting like a pampered young lady when you show up as Mrs. Riddle in the future, then tell me, what will people say about the Riddles? You need to be a responsible wife, okay? Or do you think Tom is raising a little sister, not a wife? If that's how you see it… then that girl Fleur might really make a better wife."
At that point, Lady Greengrass herself faltered a little.
She probably should've put it more delicately, but she knew her daughter. If she spoke too vaguely, it would go right over her head.
Right now, Daphne held a unique position thanks to Tom's affection. But she couldn't rely on that forever.
More importantly… Tom had taken such good care of Daphne that she showed no signs of growing up at all. How was she supposed to carry herself properly in the future?
Other households had refined, capable ladies. And here Daphne was still… a naive girl. If that contrast became obvious next to Hermione and the others, then in the eyes of the world, who the true first lady of the Riddle household was might not be so clear anymore.
That, admittedly, was part of Lady Greengrass's own little calculation.
She could accept that Tom wasn't the type to be devoted to just one woman. In the wizarding world, plenty of men weren't. Most just hid it better. Tom, at least, was open about it.
But the position of first wife? That had to belong to her daughter.
What reassured her was that, although Daphne still looked a bit confused, there was a hint of thoughtfulness creeping into her expression.
Seeing that her daughter was actually listening, Lady Greengrass quickly shared more of her own experience, trying her best to guide her toward change.
...
..
It wasn't until the next day that Tom finally stepped out of his pocket world.
He hadn't slept for a full day and night, yet he looked more energized than ever, a deep, almost unfathomable light shining in his eyes.
The first person to see him, Nicolas Flamel, immediately noticed the change and asked in surprise. "You brat, how did you get even better-looking again? Locked yourself up for a day just to give yourself a beauty treatment or something?"
Tom: "..."
---
A few hours later—
"Tom, you smell so good~"
Surrounded on all sides by the girls, Daphne was practically sniffing him like an overexcited puppy. Tom tipped his head back and let out a long, helpless sigh.
Such shallow women.
The original fairies were born from nature; everything about them aligned with perfect proportions. Naturally flawless.
Otherwise, how could Morgan le Fay look that good? Whenever she stood next to Rowena Ravenclaw, Tom found himself glancing at Morgan seven times out of ten.
Of course, it also had something to do with the Witch's Heart, which gave Morgan that faint, irresistible aura of allure.
Now all of those advantages had gathered in Tom.
Add in his previous transformations and the boost from divine power, and…
…he was basically a walking succubus at this point.
If he ever cross-dressed and looked in a mirror, he'd probably give up on dating entirely.
Too much of a loss.
It wasn't just Fleur and Daphne who were affected. Even Perenelle and Tina couldn't sit still. The moment Tom managed to send the younger witches away, the two of them came right up to him, demanding his "beauty secrets."
When they learned it was due to his new bloodline, both of them looked thoroughly disappointed.
They didn't envy his strength. If anything, they were happy for him.
But getting stronger and more beautiful at the same time? That was hard to accept.
For a moment, the two elder ladies who doted on him the most suddenly looked at him with a mix of annoyance and irritation, leaving Tom caught between laughter and tears.
Thankfully, after dinner, it was time to head back to school. No need to stay here and endure those looks any longer.
"Professor, hurry up and finish fixing the cup," Tom called out, waving at Nicolas.
The old man responded by chucking a slipper at him, but Tom had already slipped into the fireplace, dodging the rather pungent projectile.
"You little brat."
Though he grumbled, Nicolas's eyes were full of amusement rather than anger.
Having a troublemaker like this as a student really does make you feel younger.
.
.
.