"Besides," he said aloud, stretching his muscles as he stood up from his meditation position, "relying entirely on automated training feels like cheating myself out of real growth. The idle room is an incredible tool, but combining it with active practice creates much better results."

"My handsome boss is always right~" A melodious voice that would send tremors through the hearts of those who heard it erupted from across the room.

Noah's eyes landed on the only person who was inside the room, and the only person who possessed such a beautiful voice. The sound carried a seductive clarity that seemed to resonate directly with his soul, creating warmth that spread through his entire being.

"Lola? You are talking? Did I disturb you?" Noah asked with genuine concern, feeling somewhat embarrassed by his habit of thinking aloud.

He had spoken out of habit without considering that she might be in the middle of delicate magical training that required absolute concentration. Disturbing an archmage's advancement could potentially cause serious complications or setbacks that might take days to correct.

Lola shook her head gracefully before standing up and dusting her clothes from invisible particles; her movements were the epitome of elegance that marked all her actions. Even such a simple gesture seemed to possess an otherworldly beauty that made Noah's breath catch slightly.

"How could your voice ever disturb me..." she replied with obvious affection, then paused meaningfully before adding with a mischievous glint in her eyes, "actually, it can... in another way." She flashed Noah a beautiful smile that could certainly topple countries on Earth, her enhanced charisma making the expression almost devastatingly effective.

The implications of her words weren't lost on Noah, and he felt many emotions at that moment despite his improved self-control. Lola's flirtatious nature had become more pronounced recently, though he wasn't entirely sure whether it was genuine affection or simply her way of expressing gratitude for his help with her situation.

"You... Lola, that's enough. You are teasing too much," Noah protested, though his glinting eyes betrayed his curiosity about her training progress rather than genuine annoyance at her behaviour. "Wait, does that mean you are done with your advancement session?"

The possibility that she had completed another major breakthrough filled him with excitement. Lola's continued growth meant better protection for both of them during their upcoming expedition, and her magical expertise provided invaluable guidance for his own development.

She shook her head, the smile still brightening her face as she observed his eager expression. "Almost done in reaching that level, just took a small break because I missed you."

The idea that someone as powerful and beautiful as Lola would interrupt her own crucial training simply because she missed his presence seemed almost too good to be true.

"You missed me? We've been in the same room for the past few hours," Noah pointed out, though his tone remained calm.

"Yes, but you and I were both so focused on our training that we weren't really here for each other," Lola explained with a slight pout that somehow made her even more adorable. "I like it better when we can talk and share our experiences rather than just existing in parallel silence."

Leo looked up from his resting position with what could only be described as amusement, as if the intelligent lion found their interaction entertaining. The lion had become accustomed to the growing chemistry between his father and his human companions, and seemed to approve of the developing relationship.

"I suppose you are right, we've both been focused on improving our strength," Noah admitted, recognising the truth in her observation.

"That's part of what I find attractive about you," Lola replied, moving closer with graceful steps. "Your dedication to growth and your refusal to become complacent, even with such items at your disposal. Most people would become lazy and entitled with your advantages."

The compliment hit deeper than Noah expected, touching on insecurities he hadn't fully acknowledged or come to terms with from his previous experiences. Having someone as accomplished as Lola say that to him meant more than he could easily express.

"Thank you," he said quietly, meaning it more than she might realise. "That... actually means a lot."

Lola nodded warmly, her expression softening with understanding. "Any time."

She turned to look outside the window, her gaze taking in the barren area outside their store. The place was still filled with various craters and damage from the previous war that the elves had left behind.

"Also, I heard you reprimand those elves who were waiting outside earlier," she mentioned casually, though her tone carried a hint of amusement at the memory.

"Oh, really? My bad, I thought that using mana to block my voice off from your side would help... but I guess not," Noah replied with slight embarrassment, realising his attempt at privacy had been completely ineffective.

Lola chuckled softly, the sound carrying genuine warmth rather than mockery. "Yeah... It's difficult to stop a grandmaster's senses using your current mana control level. Your technique was actually quite good for your rank, but the power differential makes it ineffective against someone of my capabilities."

The explanation made sense, though it highlighted just how much room for improvement remained in his abilities. Even reaching level 14 in mana control still left him far short of what true masters could achieve through decades of practice.

She looked at Noah with an appraising expression that seemed to see through his physical form to assess his development directly. "You've grown a lot stronger in such a short period of time. You are training really hard, aren't you?"

As someone who had reached her current stage of power, Lola could recognise genuine progress versus artificial enhancement with remarkable accuracy.

"I can feel that you are approaching the adept rank," she continued, her voice carrying both pride and amazement. "Most practitioners require years to reach that threshold from where you initially started."

"Yeah, the shop items and functions help out. It's nothing major."

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