Chapter 185: Grandmaster "I actually came here to show you this," he explained, presenting the new product. "It’s called rice cake, increases intelligence by 10 permanently, same enhancement as the other items. Would you like to buy it?" New product launch with my most reliable customer and employee. Lola examined the rice cake with obvious interest, her enhanced senses detecting the concentrated magical properties contained within what appeared to be simple food. "How much?" she asked, though her tone suggested she was already committed to making the purchase regardless of price. "However much you want to pay," Noah replied with the generosity he typically showed toward his most valued ally and employee. Lola considered the offer thoughtfully, her expression suggesting careful calculation of fair value rather than an attempt to exploit his generosity. "Well, I have a decent amount of golden coins saved up," she mused aloud. "I don’t have much use for them in normal circumstances, so... 600 again?" Noah smiled at the fact that she was still willing to pay a premium price despite the flexibility of his offer. It showed how genuine she was as a person. Her daily salary was astonishingly high, yet she never took it for granted. Noah had saved her from certain death, given her shelter, and offered her a job, humble in title but priceless in value, something even emperors envy. "Deal," he agreed. The transaction completed their interaction on a positive note, with both parties satisfied by the exchange. Noah, with his successful product launch and revenge for countless teasing incidents, and Lola, with her new item and appreciation for his developing confidence. ... Lola’s expression suddenly turned serious as she held the rice cake, her ruby eyes glinting slightly. "I will be in seclusion for the next few hours. I want to break through to the grandmaster rank. I believe I can achieve it after consuming this enhancement along with the other items I’ve saved from my daily salary." Grandmaster rank. That’s an enormous advancement, but it makes sense; she isn’t a normal master-level mage. Noah raised an eyebrow with genuine surprise at the ambitious nature of her goal. Breakthrough attempts between major ranks carried substantial risks, especially when attempting to reach the legendary grandmaster level that few practitioners ever achieved. "Take your time with the process. Don’t rush anything for the sake of work obligations. The shop can wait—your wellbeing is more important." Noah said immediately, feeling concerned for her safety during such a dangerous endeavour. She’s risking everything for advancement. I need to make sure she has every possible safety measure. His protective instincts kicked in as he considered the complications that could arise during forced breakthrough attempts. "You can reopen for business once you’re completely finished and feeling stable. If you feel fatigued afterwards, or if anything goes wrong during the process, use any items from the shop that might help," he continued, emphasising that her personal condition had more priority over the shop’s night shift. "You can use the items in the shop as emergency healing. Beefy jerky, anything that can help. Enhancement could be crucial if the breakthrough strains your constitution beyond normal limits." Better safe than sorry. The genuine worry in his voice and actions sent unexpected warmth flooding through Lola’s chest. In her years of existence, few people had ever expressed such sincere concern for her personal safety. He’s worried about me...Not because I’m useful to his business, but because he actually cares about my well-being. Most relationships in her experience had been transactional—allies who valued her power, enemies who feared her, or admirers who desired her supernatural beauty. But Noah’s concern transcended such superficial considerations. He sees me as someone worth protecting rather than just a powerful tool to be utilised. The realisation that someone cared about her survival for purely personal reasons rather than value created emotional responses she hadn’t experienced in decades. The master-level succubus found herself momentarily speechless at the depth of consideration he was showing. When was the last time anyone worried about my safety? Has anyone ever cared this much? "Thank you, your concern means more than you might realise," she whispered softly, her voice carrying emotion that went far beyond gratitude. The moment stretched between them. Noah’s protective instincts had revealed the depth of genuine care that was developing between them. "I’ll be extremely careful." She promised with sincerity that reflected her appreciation for his worry. Why does he treat me so kindly...He’s making me fall for him more and more. Noah nodded with obvious relief at her commitment to safety before stepping toward the door to give her the privacy such intensive work required. "Good luck with the advancement. I know you’ll achieve grandmaster rank—you have the skill and determination to succeed," he said with a captivating smile that stole her breath and a thumbs up. After leaving Lola to her breakthrough preparations, Noah found himself with several hours of unexpected free time while his employee focused on magical advancement. Looking at the time, he decided this represented an excellent opportunity to work on his own development. Time to focus on swordsmanship advancement while Lola handles her breakthrough. Noah made his way to his estate, which had a clear, open area where he could practice intensive sword work without disturbing others or damaging property. The manual Lola had given him days ago remained in his storage ring, containing techniques that would allow him to reach the pinnacle of adept-rank swordsmanship more efficiently than standard training methods. Advanced techniques should accelerate my progression toward apprentice rank significantly. He wanted to reach Level 10 swordsmanship if possible, officially advancing from novice to apprentice rank before the mysterious tournament that Master Yamamoto had invited him to join. The training session would serve multiple purposes. Personal advancement, productive use of available time, and preparation for challenges that would test every aspect of his developing capabilities. Drawing his practice sword in the open field, Noah opened the advanced manual and began studying techniques that would push his swordsmanship beyond its current limitations.