Watching Evelyn sleep with her eyes closed, Ryan struggled to hold back laughter, his shoulders trembling.

  Not only did he easily earn 50 Magic Origin Value, he also managed to tease the aloof Evelyn. This was by far the most rewarding thing on his journey.

  Time quietly passed in the forest through morning mist and nightfall. In the blink of an eye, thirty days had gone by.

  That morning, Ryan leaned against an ancient tree entwined with night-glow vines, opening his Grimoire panel with a look full of anticipation.

  Over the past month, he had accumulated a considerable amount of Origin Value through Grimoire-assigned"Guard Tasks" and"Gathering Tasks."

  【Name: Ryan】

  【Magic Rank: Ninth-tier Adept Mage】

  【Mastered Spell: Chaosforge Arcana,…】

  【Items: Limb Softening Potion, Charm Pollen Sac, Magic Excitement Potion, Shorts, Longsword,…】

  【Magic Origin Value: 425】

  【Overall Evaluation: Pass (Escaped the bottom of magic apprentice ranks)】

  He used 300 Origin Value to expand the storage capacity of his Grimoire space to three cubic meters, finally freeing himself from stuffing magical potions into his pack.

  Even more exciting, after a month of magical accumulation, he had finally reached the threshold of a Journeyman Mage.

  "Today is the day I break through to Journeyman Mage!"

  Ryan took out a bottle of blue beginner magic concentration potion, obtained from the Grimoire shop.

  He tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp. The cool liquid slid down his throat, instantly transforming into pure magical energy that spread throughout his body.

  The magical elements in the surrounding air seemed to respond to a summons, converging around him to form a swirling circle of blue elemental energy.

  Not far away, Evelyn, who had been resting with her eyes closed, suddenly opened them, a flicker of surprise in her gaze.

  She could clearly sense the abnormal fluctuations of the magical elements around her, all originating from Ryan. She had thought he was just meditating as usual.

  But the next moment, her brow furrowed. With her Grand Magus-level insight, she could not determine what rank Ryan had just reached.

  Ryan sat on the ground, fully focused. The potion's magic surged through his body. Following the magic circulation method, he guided the energy to converge at his magic core.

  An hour later, a clear sound suddenly rang out from within his body, as if some kind of barrier had been broken.

  Immediately after, the previously scattered magic in his limbs and torso began rushing uncontrollably toward his core, condensing into a semi-gaseous, semi-liquid golden orb of magical energy.

  This was the"Mana Crystallization," the hallmark of a Journeyman Mage. With it, the cost of casting high-level magic would be greatly reduced.

  Even more astonishing, a gray aura appeared on his body's surface. His muscles became more defined, and it was as if raw power surged beneath his skin.

  Evelyn's pupils constricted as she watched. She finally understood the source of the conflicting impression she had sensed.

  Could it be that Ryan was simultaneously learning magic and strengthening his body? She had seen Ryan attach magic to his sword during combat, and now she saw him enhancing his body as well.

  The realization sent a jolt through her. In her mind, the corpse of the Grand Magus appeared unbidden.

  That corpse had also trained in magic and physical enhancement simultaneously. He had just reached Grand Magus level, severely injuring her in the process. Had he not been overconfident, she would have died instantly.

  Simultaneously learning magic and physical enhancement has always led to only two outcomes: either the person is a prodigy, or their average talent causes the two systems to hinder each other.

  Evelyn's gaze fell on Ryan, and she couldn't help but wonder: this guy, is he the former or the latter?

  Watching the magical vortex around Ryan gradually dissipate, she sincerely hoped he would be the former.

  "Evelyn! I've reached Journeyman Mage! Pretty amazing, right!" Ryan opened his eyes, excitement sparkling in them.

  Evelyn responded with a faint nod.

  Ryan didn't mind her indifference. He moved his limbs, feeling the surge of magic in his body and the strength of his enhanced physique. The thrill of the breakthrough made him want to swing a few swords, as if he had endless power.

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  His gaze inadvertently swept over Evelyn's magical robe, and a ridiculous thought suddenly popped into his mind. Would the stockings wrapped around her legs have a smell? She probably didn't have athlete's foot, did she?

  The thought was immediately suppressed. Not only was Evelyn's robe a special clean-rune garment with a built-in purifying effect, but in the past thirty days, he hadn't noticed any unusual smell. Clearly, he was overthinking. He had originally wanted to tease her a little about the cleanliness of her clothes, but now it seemed there was no chance.

  "Evelyn, we haven't had a proper wash in over thirty days. I feel like dust and grime are sticking to me." Ryan exaggeratedly scratched his arm and looked at her expectantly.

  The moment the words left his mouth, he felt a cold gaze piercing straight at him.

  A flash of anger rose in Evelyn's heart. This boy actually wanted her to bathe with him? He might even want to help her clean herself? He was getting bolder and bolder!

  She gritted her teeth, thinking that once her magic fully recovered, she would make him taste the restraints spell, properly punishing his bad habits.

  "You can clean yourself. My robe purifies automatically, so I'm not dirty." Evelyn said. She not only didn't need cleaning, but she also absolutely would not let Ryan touch her body.

  "All right then." Ryan sighed mockingly, though secretly relieved. He had only meant to tease her. If he really had to help her clean, he would have been a little hesitant.

  Seeing him compromise, Evelyn also quietly relaxed. If Ryan had tried to force her, given her current magical state, she might not have been able to stop him.

  Ryan dove into a nearby small river, a new water source they had discovered while traveling. The water was clear. Over the past thirty days, they had already left the forest's core area. Strangely, they hadn't come across a single outpost, let alone a town.

  He took out a fragrant towel, a cheap item refreshed daily in the Grimoire shop. It only cost 1 Origin Value and was much better than an ordinary towel. He wiped his body with it while occasionally diving into the water to catch a few fish for dinner.

  The fresh scent lingered in his nose, gradually calming his mind. He couldn't help but wonder: over the past thirty days, had his favorability with Evelyn increased or decreased? Sometimes she allowed him to feed her, sometimes she was cold as ice. She was unpredictable.

  "Forget it, why overthink!" Ryan shook his head. Evelyn's magic hadn't fully recovered yet. He would take advantage of her weakened state to get a little closer, a little treat for himself. He needed to focus on learning magic, but a little fun now and then was necessary, especially with the Grimoire's help.

  He put away the used towel, took out a new one, wrung some river water from it, and swam to the riverbank. Once ashore, he put on his magical robe, holding the fresh towel, and walked straight toward Evelyn.

  "Evelyn, let me wipe your arms and face. I promise I won't touch anywhere else." Ryan held up the towel.

  "No need." Evelyn tried to move back, but her body hadn't fully regained flexibility. She could only watch helplessly as Ryan's hand drew closer. She felt both angry and powerless. How could he be so persistent?

  Ignoring her refusal, Ryan neatly folded the towel into a square and gently held her fair, soft arm.

  When his fingertips touched Evelyn's slightly cool and soft arm, Ryan couldn't help but marvel inwardly.

  The skin's smoothness surpassed even the Moonlight Crystal.

  He admitted he did have a slightly overstepping thought, but he had no intention of going further.

  This kind of intimate touch was enough just to the point. If he actually did something inappropriate, Evelyn's temperament meant that once she recovered, she would make him pay dearly.

  The cold towel brushed over her arm, and Evelyn didn't say a word.

  Over the past month, she had already figured out Ryan's personality. No matter how much she argued, he wouldn't stop. Rather than wasting her breath, she silently endured.

  But only she knew that in these thirty days, her emotional swings had been fiercer than in the past several hundred years combined.

  The panic when teased, the frustration when her magic was overdrawn, the helplessness when relying on others, and even the faint, almost imperceptible happiness when Ryan clumsily cared for her.

  When Ryan brought the towel closer to her face, Evelyn finally could not help but want to stop him.

  She could tolerate her arms being wiped, but her face was her final boundary.

  To her surprise, her previously weak arm actually lifted. Although the movement was slow and stiff, it firmly grasped Ryan's wrist.

  "Evelyn, you can move!" Ryan still had a playful smile on his face, but his mind immediately went into alert mode.

  This was it—the fun of teasing was over. Now he had to think about how to get out of here!

  Evelyn's fingers tensed slightly."I told you, I don't need it."

  This was a sign that her magic had fully recovered.

  "Since you've recovered, I won't bother you! Keep the fish by the river for dinner. I'll be going now!" Ryan quickly stepped back, flipping his wrist to free it from Evelyn's hand.

  Although he had just become a Journeyman Mage and his combat power had increased considerably, who knew how many hidden tricks she still had?

  Evelyn watched Ryan's retreating back and let out a small hum of exasperation."Why are you running!"

  This boy had been braver than anyone when teasing her, yet now that she had recovered, he ran faster than a magic wolf.

  Ryan didn't look back. In a few flashes, he disappeared into the forest, leaving only a faint magical ripple behind.

  Evelyn shook her head helplessly, stabilized her newly recovered magic, and summoned the ultimate ice sword. She planted it beside her, ready to respond to any sudden threats.

  She sat quietly for the entire afternoon. Only when the sunset stained the sky red did she slowly stand.

  She glanced at the still-burning campfire by the riverbank. As soon as she took a step, she felt a strange constriction around her legs.

  It wasn't magical backlash, but more like something was wrapped around her legs. She frowned and lifted the hem of her magical robe, and instantly froze.

  Two slightly glowing Shadow Silk Stockings tightly wrapped her legs, from ankles to knees. It was clearly something Ryan had left.

  The surrounding air suddenly dropped in temperature, and even the grass on the ground formed tiny ice crystals. This was a sign that Evelyn's emotions were spiraling.

  She bent down to remove her shoes and peel the stockings off. When her fingertips touched the fabric, she could still feel a faint residual warmth, clearly from being worn close to the skin for a long time.

  If Ryan were here, he would undoubtedly marvel again. Once the stockings were removed, her legs were slender and proportionate, the skin glowing under the sunset.

  Evelyn clenched the stockings in her hand, her expression dark.

  The material was very special, maintaining cleanliness automatically. No wonder after thirty days there was no odor, and it had even absorbed some of her scent.

  "Ryan!" Her voice was full of gritted-teeth rage. She finally understood why he ran so fast earlier—he had secretly tampered with her all along!

  Evelyn stared in the direction Ryan had disappeared for a long time before folding the stockings neatly and storing them in her storage bag.

  She gripped the ultimate ice sword, her magic lifting her body as she slowly ascended and left the spot.