"The mana poisoning medicine," Zhao smiled slightly, his severity beginning to crack, "was going to be our little secret. A lesson about prejudice for your classmates… and my help for the unfortunate student."
He reclined in his chair, his owl manifesting more relaxed now. "But it seems I underestimated your... initiative. Instead of needing help to last three days, you decided to venture alone into dangerous territory."
The laugh that followed was genuine, the change in his attitude flowing naturally. He hadn't stopped being the strict professor, but now Ren could see the admiration mixed with the reprimand, like a master craftsman acknowledging a particularly clever apprentice.
"The medicine is still yours if you want it," he offered, sliding the flask across the desk with deliberate care. "Though I suspect you might have your own method for handling the poisoning."
