I AM A MAGE BUT WITH MILF SYSTEM

Chapter 726: The aftermath

Character illustration:

Kraven:

Olivia:

Vanessa:

Sera:

Commander:

Liam:

Louisa:

***

Julian caught it with his left hand and immediately uncorked it. Without wasting any more second, he drank the contents in one gulp.

The liquid tasted bitter and metallic, but the effect was almost instantaneous.

A cool, soothing energy bloomed deep within his chest, spreading outward like a gentle tide. It flowed through his damaged meridians, seeping into every crack and fracture, slowing the collapse that had been threatening to tear his internal pathways apart.

The worst of the internal bleeding began to stabilize. The chaotic pain that had been raging inside him softened as well.

Even so, Julian could tell the limits of the medicine almost immediately.

The deeper damage remained and pushing himself again would only reopen everything the potion had just managed to contain.

phew!

Julian exhaled slowly as the pain dulled to a more manageable throb.

The Duke then placed a firm hand on Julian’s shoulder.

"You’ve shown me more than enough today. Rest now. We’ll speak more after you’ve recovered."

At the same time,

Outside the training ground, Cathy felt her legs go weak.

This... this is the power of the young lord?

The sheer scale of the clash she had just witnessed left her shaken to her core. Her earlier confidence from the garden encounter had completely evaporated. She suddenly felt exposed and vulnerable.

The training ground suddenly felt too heavy to remain any longer.

Without wasting another second, Cathy turned and hurried away.

**

Inside the ruined training ground, the soldiers remained silent and just stared at the two fighters with a mixture of awe, fear, and newfound respect.

The Duke looked at his son once more, then at Aldric.

"Both of you... well done."

He turned to the captain of the guards.

"Clear the area and begin repairs. No one speaks of what happened here until I say otherwise."

The captain saluted sharply.

"Yes, my lord!"

As the soldiers began to move, Julian remained on one knee, breathing slowly while the black medicine worked through his system.

The Duke’s voice reached him again, quieter this time.

"You’ve changed, Kraven. More than I expected."

Julian looked up at his father, a faint, tired smile on his blood-stained lips.

"I told you it was mine, Father."

The Duke studied him for a long moment before nodding once.

"Indeed you did."

***

Time passed as usual in the Astran Duchy.

After the intense duel, Julian was carried back to his room by several guards under the Duke’s direct orders.

The black medicine had stabilized the worst of the damage, but his body was still in a fragile state.

He was wrapped in clean bandages across his chest, arms, and right shoulder. His face was pale, and faint bruises had begun to form where the vessels had ruptured internally.

Currently, he was alone in the room, lying on his back and staring at the ceiling with half-lidded eyes.

That went way better than I expected.

A small, satisfied smile tugged at the corner of his lips. He had successfully demonstrated his power without revealing too much.

The Duke had seen enough to be impressed, Aldric had been genuinely pushed, and the soldiers now looked at him with a mixture of fear and respect. Most importantly, he had got rid of suspicion that surrounded his sudden improvement.

Just then, the door to the room opened softly.

Olivia walked in.

Her expression was deeply conflicted, her brows faintly drawn as if caught between worry and hesitation. She paused for a brief moment after entering, then quietly shut the door behind her.

Without saying a word, she walked toward his bed, her pace a little quicker than usual. The soft fabric of her orange gown swayed gently with each step, the movement the only sound in the otherwise silent room.

"Kraven... are you okay?" she asked, her voice soft but filled with obvious anxiety.

Her eyes fell over his body, taking in the pitiful sight. He was wrapped in layers of bandages, some already showing faint spots of blood. His face was unusually pale and there was a visible weakness in his features. The usual cold confidence she had grown used to since his return was gone, replaced by something far more fragile.

The sight made her chest tighten.

"Mother..." Julian tried to speak, but a harsh cough interrupted him. "Cough... cough... Yes, I am... fine."

Olivia immediately came to his side and sat down on the edge of the bed. Without hesitation, she reached out and gently ruffled his hair.

"Why did you fight the Commander?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.

"You knew how dangerous it was. You’re still recovering from whatever happened in Ezakael, and yet you pushed yourself like that..."

Julian coughed again, wincing as the movement sent fresh pain through his damaged meridians.

"Father ordered it," he replied hoarsely. "He wanted to see my power with his own eyes. I couldn’t refuse."

Olivia’s hand paused in his hair. She looked down at him, her eyes searching his pale face.

"You could have held back," she whispered. "You didn’t have to risk yourself like this. Look at you... you’re hurt. Badly."

Julian managed a weak smile.

"It was necessary. If I had held back too much, Father would have doubted me even more. This way... he saw what he needed to see."

Olivia was quiet for a moment. Her fingers continued to gently stroke his hair, a maternal gesture that felt strangely intimate in the quiet room. She could still remember the overwhelming sensation of his mana flowing through her earlier that day. And now here he was, paying the price for pushing that same power too far.

"You’re reckless," she said softly, though there was no real anger in her voice.

"Just like before... but different. The old Kraven would have done it out of arrogance. You... you did it because you had no choice."

She leaned closer, her free hand gently touching the bandages on his chest.

"Does it hurt a lot?"

Julian closed his eyes for a second, feeling the warmth of her touch.

"It’s manageable," he lied. "The medicine Father gave me is helping. I just need rest."