The words sting. Overestimating? If anything, Lilia is underestimating the depth of Malleus’ complicated feelings. This is a man who has been here with him his whole life, with whom Malleus also helped raise a human child, and now they are attending this quaint school together as peers. Malleus’ feelings are a swirling mess of admiration, fondness, possessiveness. The look on his face must really be quite scary, though he’s certain it won’t phase Lilia in the slightest.

No one else he would make these offers to… Malleus’ heart does an odd flip in his chest.

“Do not dare assume the extent of my feelings for you.” Is that the rumble of thunder outside?

It’s not at all that he wants to reject Lilia’s offer, and Malleus realizes that. But the idea of Lilia humoring him, ‘assisting’ him with something like this when it would not at all be a small thing to Malleus, is deeply offensive. Upsetting, even.