Chapter 259

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Chapter 259

Sylas soon appeared at her room’s doorway, holding her own tray as if she had just rushed over from the next room upon hearing some noise.

Xerath had doubts because she thought she heard a noise from the next room, but when Sylas appeared, she looked flawless except for the plain plate she was holding.

"Sylas, come in and sit."

Sylas approached her with the plate and sat on a chair next to her.

"Um… Teacher, I don’t mean to disturb, but I wanted to ask when you plan to go home so I can help you tidy up."

Xerath looked up at her.

Sylas had a very formal expression, careful choice of words, and there was no hint of resentment or anger on her face, as if Xerath’s previous words hadn’t hurt her.

But because of this, Xerath felt even more guilty; none of it was her intention.

She glanced up, absentmindedly poking at the rice soaked in sauce with her spoon, capturing those green eyes.

The girl’s expression seemed carefree, as if nothing bothered her, especially… especially the kiss that Xerath didn’t know how to explain. People always have some last wishes they want to fulfill recklessly before they die, but if they don’t die, no one said it would turn into an awkward burden they have to bear alone.

"If you don’t mind, tonight?"

Without hesitation, Sylas replied, "Okay," but then immediately objected, "No, no, no… Maybe you should rest in Sotralo for a night, and then the next day, we can go to Withered Leaf City. In Withered Leaf City, we should at least have a meal and take a break before we go back home." She said it seriously, considering this matter all afternoon. "Then I will go and book a room in Sotralo."

She seemed restless now, and Xerath had to straighten up and hold her hand. "Sylas, let’s eat first." She gently pushed the restless girl back onto her chair.

After finishing her meal, Sylas couldn’t wait and ran off, only returning about an hour later. She couldn’t hide her excitement as she searched for things in Xerath’s room.

She didn’t have many extra belongings, just two sets of clothes for changing and a few books she had bought later. In contrast, Sylas had more of her own things.

The frail old wizard’s daily exercise routine had been reduced to just walking around the temple once, so Sylas suggested that she "ride Leunen." The water lord extended its flattery tendrils to show that it wasn’t a means of transport, but it was quickly banished by Sylas.

"Hmm… I haven’t seen Hyectra in a long time."

"Do you want to see it?" Xerath turned around, one hand holding her hat and the other opening a rift in the void. Bubbles emerged from the void, and Hyectra peeked out with one eye, greeting them, "Miss, I also want to see you, but I think it’s better for me to come out when we’re at the inn."

Sylas let out a big sigh of relief. "That’s great. I was worried that you still wouldn’t be able to summon the water lord. I’ve been worried for a long time."

Xerath smiled and said, "I’m sorry for making you worry. But I can walk on my own. The priest said if you don’t walk for too long, your muscles will weaken. And the mage only moves a little bit each day, so if she doesn’t take a few steps, she may have to become a Lich to save herself."

Sylas hoped Xerath would smile at her more, so she kept starting conversations along the way. However, Xerath seemed uninterested and often only gave one or two-word answers after Sylas said three or four sentences.

But if Sylas stopped talking, Xerath would slowly say a few more words.

The night was beautiful. Saint Trelanxi was a white city made of marble that sparkled under the starry sky. Xerath was in the city and smiled at her. The radiant light of the stars seemed to be captured in that brief and fleeting smile.

The process of using the teleportation array went smoothly. Xerath’s body was strong enough to withstand the pulling force during the teleportation. When the surroundings stabilized, Sylas hurriedly reached out to help Xerath, but the archmage stopped her in time.

"I’m fine, let’s go."

Sylas carried all the things, and to prevent any disruptions during their brief time together, Leunen was told to stay inside. So Xerath had nothing in her hands and was simply out for a walk.

It slightly disappointed her that Sylas booked two rooms. Even if Sylas had booked only one room with two beds, she would have asked for an extra room. Afterwards, she was surprised by her own fussiness.

However, after Sylas escorted her to the room, she didn’t leave right away. Instead, she asked, "Teacher, is there anything you need help with? Um… Do you need me to bring you something? Do you want me to hold your hand when you shower?" As she said these words, her face turned red, revealing her true intentions.

Xerath furrowed her brow and hesitated for a moment before saying, "So…could you please help me get my book for me?"

Sylas stood up and placed the suitcase on the table. After opening it, she took out a book and placed it on the bedside table, asking with a hint of disappointment, "Is this the one?"

Xerath said, "Um…could you help me bring my change of clothes to the bathroom?"

Sylas immediately jumped up and rummaged through the suitcase. Xerath’s clothes were neatly packed by her, so it was only fitting for her to take them out by hand. As she searched for an excuse, she quickly gathered a set of pajamas and held them in her arms, walking into the bathroom.

In a place hidden from Xerath’s view, Sylas suddenly buried her face in the clothes and took a deep breath.

It was the kind of intoxicating scent that she loved, a warm, cozy scent beneath the old parchment paper.

She greedily breathed it in until Xerath called from outside, "Sylas, what’s wrong with you?"

Sylas quickly poked her head out and said, "Um…teacher, I think I should also bring in a towel and toothbrush for you." Then she walked out and took out the third batch of "excuses" from the suitcase.

Xerath sat half upright on the bed, leaning against the headboard, silently watching her busy herself. These were things she could have done herself, even if she was lazy, she could have asked the water lord to do it. But Sylas taking care of it was even better. Her nickname was little fairy, could there really be such a cute and absent-minded little fairy?

There’s nothing left to do. She hesitated, unwilling to leave. Xerath watched her quietly and said, "I hope I’m not holding you back. You should go back to your room."

People always make a big decision when they cut their own bodies. Xerath felt this determination when she said this sentence. If Sylas didn’t leave, she might not have the courage to let her go for a second time.

There are some idle mages who don’t want to study the noble subjects praised by the mainstream all day long. Instead, they study strange things that don’t make money. For example, there was a paper that pointed out, "theme of ‘heroes saving the beauty’ repeatedly appears in human literature because a substance is secreted in the body during fear, making it easy to feel the illusion of love." Although this viewpoint doesn’t fully cover Xerath’s feelings, it can probably express about 70% to 80%: every time she looks into Sylas’s sincere green eyes and recalls her silhouette in battle, she becomes so excited that only tight hugs and kisses can relieve this anxious desire that cannot be fulfilled.

But it’s not possible. She must make Sylas leave.

Sylas understandably feels defeated, and Xerath doesn’t want this either. But only by doing this can she prevent things from sliding out of control. The archmage has to repeatedly persuade herself that this is a "sacrifice she must make after careful consideration."

Before breakfast the next day, Sylas appeared in high spirits again. Xerath had no idea about her feelings after she left yesterday, but judging from her current expression, it seemed like nothing could affect her joyful mood.

Xerath couldn’t help but tilt her head and look at her, asking, "Having breakfast?"

"Yes! Teacher, is there anything I can help you tidy up?"

Xerath shook her head, raised the box in her hand, and Sylas took the box from her, accidentally brushing fingers with Xerath when exchanging it.

In that moment, as if time stopped, a rough touch grazed her fingertips, bringing a thrilling sensation delayed like a grain of sand, which only turned into joy after it left, continuously crashing into her heart.

While eating, Sylas asked softly, "Are you feeling unwell?"

Xerath looked at her puzzledly, "Why do you think so?"

"Your brows are always furrowed. Normally, this gesture makes people uncomfortable, right?" She hesitated and extended a finger, pointing at the center of Xerath’s brow, but when she saw Xerath furrowing his brows even deeper and showing a confused expression, she couldn’t help but press it on the tightest spot, trying to loosen it with her fingertip.

Xerath suddenly relaxed the tightly furrowed muscles and nodded in agreement, saying, "Talking gives me a headache, and excessive noise does too."

Sylas abruptly stopped her fork and exclaimed, "Is it noisy here?" Public places are usually quite loud, with the library possibly being the only exception.

Xerath couldn’t help but furrow his brows again and nodded lightly, saying, "A little bit."

"Hmm… I have a solution. Would you like to try it?"

If this question had been asked a month ago, Xerath might have inquired about the details. But now, her heart was filled with anticipation for the unknown, eagerly wanting to see Sylas’s endless "tricks," so she nodded gladly.

This reaction seemed to scare Sylas, she looked at Xerath dumbly and whispered "silence". All the sounds around them suddenly disappeared. Sylas opened her mouth to ask something, but she couldn’t hear, and she didn’t seem to want to know. The girl’s smile was very bright, and she reached out and touched Xerath’s forehead.

Xerath felt Sylas’s fingertips and felt her own eyebrows relax. All the things that made her frown disappeared. She guessed that Sylas was asking her if she felt more comfortable. She habitually opened her mouth to answer, but no sound came out.

Sylas laughed, her squinted eyes made her look younger, but it also made her beautiful face seem brighter.

Xerath quietly clenched her fist and lowered her head to look only at her plate.

When the Silence Spell wore off, Sylas would make it up to her. She spent the morning in the noisy city of Sotralo and then the afternoon in the library in Withered Leaf City. At night, she finally returned to her own realm, the tower at the center of Elemental Gate called Aimekotes.

The effect of the Silence Spell gradually faded away, and the constant sound of wind appeared in her ears. But she quickly ignored this monotonous sound. The library was a mess, most of the books were huddled in corners, trembling, covered in a thick layer of floating dust. As Xerath noticed her return, the books trembled and rubbed against each other, making a rustling sound, but she ignored them and walked past them as if they didn’t exist. She saw the place where she had been imprisoned and couldn’t help but look back at the girl walking beside her.

The girl’s profile was soft and bright, and it attracted her, but it was best that she didn’t know anything.

Xerath returned to her room, but Sylas was still worried. She checked inside and outside of Sunstone again, even lifting the bed and cleaning underneath. Xerath found it a bit amusing, but didn’t stop Sylas’s excessive protectiveness in the darkness. She enjoyed it.

"Is there anything… I can help you with?" Xerath clapped her hands and said, "Can I help you with books? Or clothes?"

Xerath hesitated deep down but inexplicably refused her, saying, "Sylas, Hyectra can do it, and you… you should rest. These days… thank you."

After receiving the gratitude, Sylas didn’t feel excited about it. "Thank you" sounded too unfamiliar between the two of them. She hoped for a response from Xerath, but didn’t want to hear "thank you."

The unexpected calmness made Xerath feel awkward. It took a lot of courage for her to say those two words. She lacked the courage to face what had already happened, so she avoided those words and expressions that could trigger negative thoughts, cautiously skirting around them.

"Um… um… Then I’ll go back. I… I’ll clean the house properly tomorrow."

Xerath neither agreed nor disagreed and got up to see her off. "I’ll watch you go downstairs."

Sylas walked away looking back step by step, and finally ran back with quick steps. She asked, "If you need any help, just let me know…"

Xerath stopped her with a smile. "As long as my magic is still there, I have countless servants to do things for me. No need to trouble you."

Sylas could only leave reluctantly again.

Xerath watched her fading figure and thought, even under Lacrima’s influence, Sylas never wavered. She never doubted Xerath’s attitude towards her. Xerath didn’t know if she should feel proud or sad.

The next day, Sylas cleaned the entire library. With her own strength, she made all the books float and swept them off. Leunen complained about the smoke and dust everywhere, while using his body to collect the tiny particles.

"Anyway, you’re not pure anymore."

"Oh! Does impure mean original sin?"

"Sort of."

Leunen obediently turned into a water ball for vacuuming, while the magic broom ran around beside him.

But organizing the books was a huge task. They didn’t fly back to their proper places on their own, so Sylas had to put them back, one by one.

When she reached Xerath’s notebook shelf, she seemed to sense something. Hyectra appeared first, the water lord, politely saying, "Miss, please wait a moment."

"I’m about to organize the teacher’s bookshelf. I can finish before she comes."

"No, it’s not necessary. The lady will be here soon."

While they were talking, Xerath walked in wearing a black wizard robe, just like she usually does. The buttons were done up all the way to the top, and her pants showed a clear, straight seam at the bottom. Her hair was perfectly neat, and her face was as pale and tired as ever. Her lips had a hint of red, but it was just a light shade compared to the purple before.

Given her physical condition, this outfit seemed too grand and formal, making Sylas think that she had something to announce.

But Xerath only gestured for her to follow, and they walked together to the depths of the library, where the archmage placed one hand on the pedestal of the Portal.

Suddenly, as if triggered by something, the books shook and flew around in a noisy frenzy. An invisible force seemed to be pulling them, causing them to collide in mid-air, some flapped their wings, and there was even a chaotic chain of collisions.

The commotion gradually subsided, and the books that Sylas had misplaced flew back to their original positions. Sylas stared with her mouth wide open. She had been planning to ask Xerath at lunch if she had a catalog she could use to organize… but now it seemed unnecessary.

Xerath calmly observed everything as they walked through the now silent library.

She returned to her seat. Her bookshelf had been restored to its original state, although it seemed a bit unstable, as if one leg had been consumed by darkness. The archmage signaled the water lord, who, in turn, pulled out a few notebooks from the shelf. Xerath used the library’s pen (which she had no idea where it had been hiding before) to write down several numbers. After a while, the books flew back with the pen.

The water lord held them in his hands, and the archmage said sternly, "Your desk is broken, and I’m too lazy to go to the town and buy a new one for you. So, for now, use mine."

"And what about you?"

"I will go back to my room."

"Oh…" Sylas reluctantly replied, but Xerath’s health condition was still not good, so it made sense for her to stay in the room.

After saying that, Xerath went back to her own room. She came out dressed so formally, but it seemed unnecessary to her to just have a few words with Sylas and take some books.

Of course, she wished Xerath would wear less and not cover her body so tightly with a robe. Even though they were not adults yet, she clearly remembered how graceful and beautiful Xerath’s body looked covered in thin fabric.

She still remembered it to this day.

Just when she thought she would see Xerath during mealtime, Hyectra walked into the living room and actually put away the portion of food that belonged to Xerath, preparing to take it upstairs. Sylas asked in surprise, "Isn’t the teacher coming down? What happened to her?"

"The lady just woke up."

"So… how is her body doing?"

"She’s just feeling sleepy, you see, even with the help of holy water, a soul that has been corrupted by shadows will temporarily be very weak."

"Um… when will she get better?"

The water lord shrugged. "Probably a few months? Um… she asked me to ask you about your progress."

"Uh…" Sylas hesitated. Her mind was completely focused on Xerath, not the progress. "Just a few crazy ideas…"

"Well, you need to develop these ideas further. The lady wants to see any progress from you, like your experiment plans."

"…Okay." She felt a bit down. Her initial intention of returning home was to see Xerath every day, but what’s the difference now? They were less than thirty yards apart, yet they couldn’t see each other for days. Speaking would give Xerath a headache, so they had stopped talking altogether. Almost all communication was done through paper or Hyectra.

There was also something constantly on her mind, that surprising kiss. Till now, Xerath hadn’t said or done anything to explain or punish her. Moreover, they had many doubts to discuss, but so far, nothing had been brought up.

This made her anxious and confused, to the point that every time Hyectra appeared, she would get nervous.