Chapter 30
She gave Virgil a signal with her eyes, and a new Earth Child appeared at her summons from the top of the stone wall. Virgil reached out his hand to support Xerath, helping her climb onto the top of the stone wall.
The mage couldn't cast spells on things she couldn't see. She had to find a way to make the target appear in her line of sight. This was, of course, very dangerous as what was behind the wall was completely unknown. Luckily, the archmage's casting speed was not affected much by the headwind. The Earth Child stood in front of the archmage, protecting her as they rushed out of the living room.
"Sylas!" The powerful magician gave up a chance to cast a spell and used his voice to distract the crying little girl. Golden magical energy flowed continuously from his fingertips, leaving behind intricate patterns that even the wind couldn't blow away.
Suddenly, the edge of the terrace rose up, blocking the gusty wind. The wind above slowly trickled down, making the wind much gentler. The roaring sound of the strong wind disappeared, giving an unexplainable sense of safety. But whether it was Virgil peering out from behind the stone wall or Xerath, they both knew that the wall wouldn't hold for much longer.
It's not because of a lack of magical power, but because the structures below the terrace couldn't bear such a heavy weight for a long time.
"I command you, kneel!"
Due to the absence of the wind and the arrival of the rocks, the archmage's words echoed in this peculiar space. A tingling pain surged from below the little girl's collarbone, and a strange feeling of heaviness kept pressing on her, forcing her to kneel on the ground.
Suddenly, a crack appeared near the base of the terrace, indicating that it had reached its maximum weight capacity. The archmage let go of his control over the earth elemental, and they crumbled one after another in the wind, returning to the void.
The roaring wind reclaimed all the lost territory in an instant, revitalizing the wind elemental. However, Sylas's voice became hoarse and she could barely shout anymore. The archmage slowly walked towards her, a gentle breeze swirling around them, enclosing them in a strange atmosphere.
The archmage approached her slowly, his voice slightly hoarse from his earlier loud shouting. "Sylas, are you scared? But you can't be like this. You're not a wild beast, you're like me, a human."
"Demon beast, demon beast..." Sylas was lying on the ground, her voice completely hoarse. With a sob, she couldn't remember any other words, just repeating this combination of words over and over again.
"You can't always live your life with explosions like this. If you continue, the Demon Hunter will keep chasing you until the moment you die."
Sylas became quiet and looked up at Xerath, holding back tears.
Xerath gently lifted her chin and crouched down, maintaining eye contact with her. Unlike when she teased Virgil, she was well aware of the allure she held over Sylas.
The beauty of direct perception, the rational beauty of magic, and the absolute authority of the Elemental King. This gave weight to every word she spoke.
"I am your owner, which means I will protect you and teach you how to control the elements. You will become more influential and powerful than most of the people who pursued you before, Sylas."
"Xerath...Xerath..."
"Do you understand?"
"Xerath...won't sell me?"
"No more selling. So, are you choosing to leave Aimekotes and return to the wilderness, or stay and become a civilized person?"
"I... I..."
Xerath stared at her, as if searching for any hint of lying in her eyes that burned with faded flames.
The emerald melted and shattered again. "I... I'll stay..." she struggled to say, grinding her teeth, and suddenly burst into tears.
Xerath let out a sigh of relief and said, "Call me teacher."
Unfortunately, Sylas couldn't stop sobbing. Xerath gently said, following her spine, "It's okay, just cry for now."
Like a floodgate opening, Sylas threw herself into Xerath's arms, quickly soaking her robe with tears. By the time Sylas managed to say "teacher" through her sobs, the wall clock had already turned two rounds, and Virgil was lying on the worn-out couch, holding Titus tightly. Both of them listened intently to the sounds outside.
"Good child."
"Hey! Xerath!" Virgil peeked out from behind the couch. "Are you really planning to keep her?"
"Do you have any objections?"
"Not a very strong objection... but you see, you're not even married yet, and you're already planning to have children?"
"Firstly, Virgil, Sylas is my student, not my adopted daughter. Secondly, I believe that getting married and having children are not conflicting matters. Even if I do get married, I won't have kids..."
The archmage quickly realized the lack of precision in his words, "No, I think even if I have children, I won't get married."
She sighed, "Let's forget about both. I won't get married or have children. Virgil, this is not a rash decision on my part."
No need for explanations." Virgil shrugged, realizing that his previous few words were only a fraction of what Xerath had to say, each followed by supporting arguments. It's hard to describe it with any words other than "overwhelming.
"Virgil, you can't deny that I'm a relatively suitable choice. Firstly, I have the ability to handle every chaos she brings, as long as you don't scare her. Secondly, our relationship is good, look, she still needs me to sleep with her."
Virgil whistled, "You've all come this far."
"Virgil."
"Oh don't stop, continue with your argument, I'm listening." When Xerath starts to ramble, it's best not to interrupt her, it's Virgil's life experience.
"Thirdly, after spending over a month together, I have come to understand her situation very well. She is a very talented child, and I am an Elemental Archmage. I believe I have the ability to guide her in all aspects, whether it be academics or daily life, especially in controlling her magical powers. She will become a great wizard."
"Oh, I genuinely look forward to it."
Xerath glanced at him with a stern look, "Lastly, and most importantly, if she falls into the wrong hands, the consequences will be unimaginable."
"The savior of the continent, Xerath of Elemental Gate, is truly magnificent."
"Virgil," the archmage stared at him, making it clear that he wasn't joking.
"I have no intention of meddling in your personal matters," Virgil innocently looked at her, but he understood it well in his heart. The archmage's long speech was only meant to persuade herself. "But do you really want to waste so much time raising a child?"
Xerath's hair was a bit messy, and there was a disheveled child clinging to her, yet it didn't diminish her cold and stern demeanor. Her golden hair was intricately braided on top, and her gray eyes gave her a distant appearance.
She had calmed down from the excitement of her previous long speech and calmly said, "I believe teaching is an important aspect of a wizard's career."
"I am an Elemental Archmage, how can an archmage not have an apprentice?"
