Chapter 20: ◎I Have Absolutely No Magic Aptitude.◎

Some time had passed since the Coming-of-Age Banquet. Although a few culprits remained at large, the castle had gradually returned to its former tranquility.

The castle’s young mistress was quiet and reserved, not one for idle chatter, so the little white cat she doted on had become the unchallenged ruler of the household, proudly holding its cute little head high wherever it went. But over the past few days, the little white cat’s appetite had increased, even as its energy flagged; it slept far more than it stayed awake.

Tong Yuwu grew worried and frequently summoned the doctor to examine her, but Meng Yiran had a hunch deep down—

This wasn’t sickness. She was simply gathering energy for her next transformation into human form.

Custom pet clothing had become all the rage among the nobility, and Tong Yuwu had ordered the maids to make several outfits for her cat. The clothes arrived today, and Meng Yiran mustered her strength, fighting off drowsiness to join Tong Yuwu in a game of dress-up.

Jenny assisted from the sidelines, but Meng Yiran wouldn’t let her get too close, leaving her to handle minor tasks like passing items and folding garments.

As Tong Yuwu slipped a light yellow dress over the little white cat, Jenny suddenly spoke up. “Miss, this cat’s a girl, isn’t she? She looks fully grown. It won’t be long before she goes into heat. Should we try finding a tomcat for her?”

Meng Yiran ignored Tong Yuwu, who was still tying the ribbons, reared up on her hind legs, arched her back, and hissed at Jenny.

Tong Yuwu scooped her up and held her firmly in her arms. Meng Yiran lifted her head in grievance, rubbing her soft fur against Tong Yuwu’s chin while mewling pitifully to tattle.

At last, the dress was on. The poofy skirt made the little white cat look all the more sprightly and endearing. Tong Yuwu leaned down for final adjustments, her long black hair cascading and catching in Meng Yiran’s white fur.

“No need,” she said. “She has me. That’s enough.”

Jenny let out a light laugh. “Oh, that won’t do at all.”

As she sorted the remaining clothes, she added, “Once she fills out a bit more, if we haven’t found her a mate, she might become impossible to handle.”

Tong Yuwu turned to her, violet eyes dark and inscrutable, giving nothing away. She parted her lips as if to speak, but a knock at the door interrupted her. She glanced that way. “Come in.”

The young steward pushed the door open and stepped inside, halting two meters away to bow respectfully to Tong Yuwu. “Good morning, Miss.”

Tong Yuwu motioned with her eyes for him to go on. He couldn’t quite hide his smile as he produced a document. “You asked me earlier to apply for your admission to Clarity Magic Academy. They’ve sent their response.

“This is the admission notice.”

He approached and handed the paper to Tong Yuwu. She accepted it, and Meng Yiran craned her neck curiously, nuzzling close to her chest for a peek. As usual, the little white cat couldn’t make sense of the text, but she recognized the badge—it matched the document Tong Yuwu had retrieved from that spire building.

Jenny caught on. “Clarity Magic Academy? You mean the magic academy ranked in the Empire’s top three?”

The young steward smiled and gave her a gentle nod.

Jenny leaped to her feet in excitement. “Oh my gods!”

She grinned ear to ear. “Miss, I’ve heard that school’s incredible. Didn’t Madam study there? It produces nothing but elite, powerful mages. You’re going to be a grand mage who commands magic yourself!”

The young steward cleared his throat. “And the academy’s admissions are notoriously strict. They ignore pedigree and judge solely on magic aptitude. Only those who qualify receive an invitation.” He paused, puzzled. “Miss, when did you take your magic aptitude test? Was it before I came on staff—something Madam arranged?”

Meng Yiran pricked up both ears, listening raptly.

So the apparently fragile Tong Yuwu was a secret prodigy magic apprentice after all? No wonder the novel’s male lead groveled at her feet—she was no ordinary supporting character!

“Mother ran plenty of magic tests on me,” Tong Yuwu said, tucking the admission notice away. “Unfortunately, they all showed I have absolutely no magic aptitude.”

Her words hung in the air, freezing the expressions of the room’s two humans and one cat.

The steward realized he’d overstepped, his face flushing with embarrassment. Still, he eyed the notice dubiously. “B-but…”

“Clarity Magic Academy was founded by the Ming Family,” Tong Yuwu said, anticipating his question. “Around three hundred years ago, one of my Tong Family ancestors saved the Ming Family’s founder. In gratitude, the Ming Family vowed that any direct descendant of the Tong line—regardless of age, gender, talent, or aptitude—would be admitted upon application. That’s how Mother got in.”

She extended the notice to Jenny. “Put this away. Get ready—we leave for Clarity the day after tomorrow.”

Jenny snapped back to attention and covered her mouth. “The day after tomorrow?”

Tong Yuwu looked up. “Is there a problem?”

Jenny hurriedly shook her head. “No!”

She took the Admission Notice and cradled it carefully in her hands. “I… I’ll go prepare right away.”

Tong Yuwu’s decisions were never to be questioned. After Jenny left, she gave the steward some brief instructions on how to manage the castle’s affairs once she enrolled at the academy. At last, everything was settled, leaving only the Noble Miss and her precious white kitten alone in the Master Bedroom.

Meng Yiran seized the moment, nestling into her arms and looking up with a pair of “meows.”

The earlier conversation between Tong Yuwu and the steward hadn’t mentioned any plans for her. Meng Yiran guessed that Tong Yuwu would likely take her along, but without a direct promise from her lips, a thread of unease lingered.

Tong Yuwu grasped one of her front paws. “The castle’s doctor isn’t up to the task. Once we get to Clarity Magic Academy, I’ll find you a light mage for treatment.”

Meng Yiran still remembered how much money the castle had shelled out the last time they called in a light mage to treat Tong Yuwu.

She didn’t think she was sick at all and saw no reason to waste that kind of money. With that, she leaped from Tong Yuwu’s embrace and hopped energetically around the floor, trying to show just how healthy she was.

Whether her message got across clearly, Meng Yiran couldn’t be sure. But Tong Yuwu watched as the Little White Cat bounded about with her butt in the air, the skirt draped over her little body fluttering with each bounce. A genuine laugh bubbled up from Tong Yuwu, lighting up her purple eyes until they sparkled like amethysts.

The Little White Cat felt a bit deflated, but the effort hadn’t been entirely in vain. She came to a lazy stop, flopped onto the carpet, and let out a yawn. Before long, the sleepiness she’d been fighting off came rushing back. She struggled to keep her eyes open as her small head bobbed drowsily.

Tong Yuwu scooped her up and placed her on a soft cushion. “Go to sleep,” she said gently. Meng Yiran cast aside all her worries and surrendered to slumber.

Once her breathing had evened out into a steady rhythm, Tong Yuwu walked over to the bedside table and picked up the Golden Conical Ornament. She headed toward the decorative painting on the north wall.

The door to the Secret Passage slid open, then shut behind her. In the vast Master Bedroom, nothing remained but the soft, shallow breaths of the Little White Cat, fast asleep on her cushion.