Chapter 127
Early the next morning, Virgil sneaked into the kitchen to steal carrots and peas. He sat at the table peeling peas for half an hour, but no one showed up. After feeding Dvořák and Titus, the two ladies who were supposed to get up early still hadn't appeared at the table.
"Hmm?" Even Titus sensed something was not right and went to scratch his little companion's door first. Virgil followed slowly and knocked on the door as well.
"Sylas, are you awake? Do you need anything?" He pressed his ear against the door and faintly heard some movement inside. After a while, Sylas opened the door.
The little girl just woke up from bed, her eyes were still sleepy, and there were two buttons left unbuttoned on her shirt. Titus rushed over and spun around her feet.
"I'm fine. Is there any problem, Virgil?"
"Are you sure? It's already... already ten o'clock. I've already fed Titus and Dvořák, and I helped Shamodial change Tower Rock. But neither you nor the archmage have gotten up."
"Hasn't the teacher gotten up yet?"
"No."
Sylas suddenly snapped out of her drowsiness. Virgil saw the haze in her emerald eyes dissipate. The little girl swiftly passed by him, not even bothering to close the door, and ran up the stairs.
Titus sternly barked twice at Virgil's feet. Virgil awkwardly closed the door. "Is that enough? I'm not a bad person, you know!"
Sylas knocked on the door several times, but there was no response from Xerath. Usually, she wouldn't casually knock on Xerath's door, so she didn't know her waking habits. But the archmage should immediately wake up when she's alert and come downstairs. Since she didn't respond, she must still be asleep.
She couldn't just barge in. While she was anxious, she suddenly thought of Leunen. Leunen, upon hearing her request, had an embarrassed expression. "You want me to sneak a peek at an archmage's sleeping face, which is obviously... not very polite!"
"But... But you also saw, she didn't look well yesterday, even though she went to sleep so early, she still hasn't woken up so late."
"If I am attacked by the archmage, you must guarantee that you can protect me."
"Okay, okay, I promise."
Leunen stretched out a transparent water tentacle, and moved his eye along the tentacle. The tentacle carried the eye through the crack of the door, then slowly lifted it up.
"Hmm, it's very dark inside, my lady... It seems that the curtains are closed, the bed is messy, and the archmage is still lying on the bed... Unfortunately, the elemental vision only goes this far."
"Can't you just move a little further ahead?"
"Oh, this is too dangerous, too presumptuous! If only we could ask Hyectra..."
"So, don't you think it's strange that we haven't seen Hyectra for so long? Hurry, go check if she's okay."
Leunen had no choice but to take another risk and move forward a little bit.
"Ah, ah, such dignity. I think the esteemed archmage is probably fine. The pressure is so strong..."
"Leunen, you talk too much."
"Shh, I'm getting close to the bed."
"Just getting close? You're too slow!" Sylas stood up and wished she could open the door herself.
"I've tried so hard! ... Yet, she still hasn't woken up. I think she's a bit unaware."
The state of the archmage was enough to worry Sylas. She turned the doorknob and took off her shoes, tiptoeing inside. Leunen was shocked and whispered, "How did you get in? Oh, my goodness, the world is falling apart..."
It wasn't a long distance, but Sylas felt like it took longer than walking back from the outskirts of the desert to Aimekotes. She gradually approached the middle of the room, where she saw Xerath seemingly blending into a white blanket, becoming a part of the embossed surface.
She was still asleep, her eyelashes gently flickering, her breathing calm, and her lips pale.
Sylas was still getting used to her hairstyle and couldn't help but smile when she saw it. But without hair and color on her lips, in this dim environment, she blended in with the surrounding blankets. Sylas couldn't help but kneel by the bed and reach out to touch her face.
She was about to touch her skin, which was as smooth as marble. For a moment, Sylas even thought she would feel cold stone. Luckily, it was warm. She breathed a sigh of relief. The soft and warm skin made her reluctant to let go. While Xerath was asleep, she even placed her whole palm on her face.
Suddenly, she realized that she had really grown up. She could even cover Xerath's face with one hand. Was this the reason why Xerath asked her to "act like an adult" and measure her with adult standards?
So she would rather not grow up... But Xerath didn't show any extraordinary preference for children. Based on past experiences, she preferred to be with someone on equal footing.
Being young meant she could have very close intimate moments with Xerath. Kisses and hugs were never seen as inappropriate. But only an adult magician would truly catch her attention. It was the admiration between magicians, not a teacher's praise for a student.
Indecisive... Her thumb gently touched Xerath's lips, trying to see if they felt pale and cold... Surprisingly soft, yet dry and wrinkled, it somehow made her feel pity. A faint light emanated from Sylas's fingertips, and water vapor condensed on her thumb, lightly moisturizing her dry and hard lips. The sensation from her fingertips indicated that, under the moisture of the water, her lip skin gradually became softer.
Xerath's brow suddenly furrowed, and Sylas felt the arm beside her, tucked under the blanket, move slightly. She realized it was a sign that Xerath was waking up.
Did I wake her up? Nervously, she pulled back her arm and obediently knelt beside Xerath. Just as she finished pretending, Xerath opened her eyes and sighed, "Sylas..."
"Teacher, do you want some water?"
Xerath seemed startled and quickly turned her head to stare at her. "When did you come in?"
Sylas blinked innocently, just now Xerath called her name!
"Um...I just came in, I didn't come in for no reason!"
Xerath raised her hand to her forehead and asked with closed eyes, "So...why did you come into my room?" She still looked tired.
"It's already ten o'clock...Virgil asked me to come up and make sure you're safe."
Xerath smiled gently and blinked at her, "Well, did you make sure?"
"Um, I did, but there's nothing to eat right now, only leftover mashed potatoes from yesterday. Do you want to eat?" She handed Xerath the cup from the bedside, nervously watching her bring the cup to her lips.
Sylas felt quite uneasy. If the archmage didn't drink water soon to moisten her lips, she would soon discover that her lips were still moist and then suspect something was wrong with herself.
"Okay...I'm really hungry."
"Then I'll go help Virgil make a fire...Without us, can he cook?"
Xerath laughed softly, "Let Leunen handle it, okay?"
"Oh, alright." Leunen couldn't wait and ran off, afraid that the archmage would realize what had just happened and hold him responsible.
Sylas lowered her head uncomfortably and thought, maybe Xerath asked Leunen to leave just so that I wouldn't be embarrassed when I got scolded.
"Sylas..."
"Teacher?" She looked up to catch the archmage's gaze, but it was clear that the archmage wasn't looking at her. In the dark room, it was just the two of them, with a warm presence slowly filling the still air. She knew it was Xerath's scent, a familiar warmth like old parchment.
Heat emanated from Xerath's body, even through their thin clothes, it felt incredibly strong.
"Thank you for coming back to save me." The archmage suddenly smiled and looked up.
"Ah, well... um, sorry..." Sylas blushed and held onto the blanket tightly.
Xerath gently patted her hand, "Why are you apologizing?"
"Because you told me to leave."
"Obviously I didn't, I tricked you into leaving because I knew you wouldn't listen to me."
"But... but Virgil said even if I went, I would only cause you trouble."
"In theory, yes, that's why Virgil won't come looking for me."
"So... so..."
Xerath continued to explain, her clear voice echoing in the darkness, "I also disagree with these actions that only rely on one's passion and have no practical use... In your reckless return, do you have any plans?"
Sylas blushed, wanting to say it might be futile, but Xerath urged her on, so she reluctantly said, "Lightning follows a pattern. We will make Leunen touch the ground and raise metal rods from eight to ten meters high, with a certain distance in between, to avoid being struck by lightning. We intend to... use this... well, at least... in short, to prevent you from being attacked by thunder and lightning..."
Xerath chuckled softly, "It sounds quite reasonable. I don't know how effective it will be, but you did happen to save me, so I sincerely thank you. However, I hope there won't be a next time."
Sylas ignored the second half of the sentence and grabbed Xerath's arm, asking, "Teacher, did you really encounter danger? What do you mean by 'happened to' save you?"
Xerath said, "Simply put, the lightning that struck above my head could have hit me, and I felt targeted by it. But it changed direction and went towards the new core that was created because of you at that moment."
Sylas opened her eyes wide, suddenly let out a sigh of relief, and slumped. Xerath smiled and watched her reaction with a smile.
"That's, that's great!" she happily swayed from side to side, her gaze suddenly falling on Xerath.
The archmage suddenly had a bad feeling and quickly pressed her shoulder to prevent her from pouncing. Jumping around on the bed was definitely contrary to the archmage's definition of "appropriate."
