Chapter 267

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Chapter 267

"Of course, these are all legends. Not many people have done serious research on this topic. Everyone says that blonde parents cannot have children with black hair, but it doesn’t work the other way around. Blonde hair seems to be a feature that can easily be covered up. Also, good-looking people always have something in common. If your father meets the standards and doesn’t affect your mother’s beauty, then you will look like your mother and there’s nothing strange about that."

Of course, there’s one more thing she didn’t mention – an interesting anecdote. Boring historians think that the people from the Setis family really like people with blonde hair and blue eyes. There is a special book filled with stories about the silly things a person named Setis did for their lover, and that’s why the Windcaller family is so large during the Setis Dynasty. They still exist even now.

Now Sylas was absolutely certain that it was a great idea to travel outside. It really helped the archmage recover well. In Sylas’s limited life experience, whenever Xerath discussed something seemingly meaningless with such a serious tone, it meant that she was very relaxed and at ease.

For example, on some sunny afternoons, when they were chatting together with some friends.

Are we friends?

She hadn’t thought through this question yet, and before she knew it, it was already dark outside. The archmage announced, "There’s a small town ahead. We will rest there tonight and continue tomorrow."

Sylas’s driving skills were impeccable. It didn’t take long for them to arrive at the peaceful little town. However, this time they didn’t encounter the embarrassment of not having enough rooms like before. The archmage managed to get two rooms smoothly. Sylas was disappointed, but she tried her best to act like she didn’t mind.

After she brought Xerath to her room, Sylas lingered and didn’t want to leave. But the water lord had already started tidying up the room swiftly, and didn’t need the clumsy mage apprentice’s help. She could only reluctantly walk out, moving slowly and thinking about any excuses to stay.

"Sylas."

Sylas immediately turned her head and asked, "Teacher, is there something you need help with?"

Xerath smiled and shook her head, "Will you find this journey boring?"

"Huh? No, not boring."

"There will be a long time where you can’t do anything. Writing and reading are too shaky. We will be on the road for days and days before we reach Mordant. We will have to sleep outdoors for at least two days. She shrugged her shoulders, "There’s nothing really to pass the time."

Sylas thought to herself: As long as you don’t feel uncomfortable with me staring at you, I definitely won’t find it boring. I might even feel like there’s not enough time.

"No, traveling with you is interesting."

"I’m honored that you feel that way. You should go back to your room. I need to take care of the things I have to do today." Xerath urged Sylas to leave, so she had to go back to her own room.

After taking a shower, she lay on the bed and couldn’t help but think of that unbelievable command. It made her face immediately burn, but what concerned her more was the motive behind it. Why did Xerath order her to kiss?

What does she want to know?

She struggled with this question for a long time, but suddenly had a bright idea: Could it be that she just wants to know if I will kiss her?

Her face turned pale for an instant because the only reason that could make the archmage think like this is that she already suspected that she had different feelings. This thought was so strong that she wanted to validate the answer to the question before she died.

Does she know the answer? What is her response then? Is it the relaxed and intimate relationship that suddenly developed in these few days?

Does this, does it mean that she has silently agreed to everything, even that we can take a step further?

She thought joyfully, but also extremely afraid that she might misunderstand and make Xerath react violently and push her away. This joy, that couldn’t be expressed, was suppressed by the fear, rumbling inside her body.

The second day of the journey had no changes either, with warm weather, shady trees along the road, occasional animals darting across the road, trucks passing by, and the old mage and young mage lying on top of the carriage.

The young mage simply used a Leunen mattress, commanding the reluctant water lord to transform into a vehicle, dragging it above the carriage.

This way, it would be quite stable, and reading a book would not be impossible. She told Xerath about this discovery, but the archmage said there was no need. It was good to take this opportunity to rest without having to work.

Sylas thought she didn’t have the word "rest" in her dictionary. Since they met, they only had symbolic rest on weekends – a different kind of work. They would go shopping for food and new books together, visit the library, and then go home to clean the entire mage tower and wash a week’s worth of clothes.

Xerath’s only form of rest seemed to be lying in her own recliner, barefoot, with Titus resting on her feet. Even the books she read at night were very challenging, definitely not considered "entertainment".

But now, she lay on the edge of Leunen, looking down. Xerath had her hands behind her head, with a book covering her face to block the light. She enjoyed the perfect sunshine and gentle breeze, just like a young mage apprentice – not caring about her appearance, the kind who would lie down on the large lawn in front of Falcon Fortress and take a nap, with her shoes propped up on the railing.

Luckily, Leunen was still somewhat transparent. She secretly watched Xerath through the shimmering body of Leunen.

Leunen’s mouth moved and whispered, "My little owner, I feel a part of my body getting hot."

Sylas hadn’t caught on and asked, "Where?"

"Here." It cut off the part that Sylas had been staring at, made it into a cylindrical shape, and showed it to Sylas. "See?"

The intent to mock was clear, and Sylas rudely dismissed its mouth, making it understand that it couldn’t gain any advantage in the struggle with the owner.

Mordant is on the border of the Kingdom of Keilden. The further you go into Mordant, the less populated it becomes. There is only one town in between, and after that, it’s just mountain roads. Here, you have to climb up the mountains and the road must wind through them.

"Did you see it? The ice that doesn’t melt in the summer." As the mountain gradually rose, Sylas noticed that the nearby trees also became shorter. Now, there was only grass on the mountain.

Next to the carriage was a steep mountain road. Mordant seemed to have little military value, so it didn’t even have a teleportation array. Only the road was well built.

Some large supplies couldn’t be transported by teleportation array and had to rely on roads. That’s what the archmage explained to her earlier.

"Once we cross this mountain, we will start descending. But first, we will walk along the ridge."

The wind was already strong, blowing loudly everywhere. The dark clouds couldn’t condense above, and the archmage went into the carriage and pulled Sylas inside too. Sylas had never seen such a scene before and had originally wanted to stay outside the carriage.

"The truly beautiful views are still ahead," the archmage said mysteriously. Occasionally, they passed by villages halfway up the mountain. The archmage replenished some water and food, and they continued on their way.

Soon, the sound of the wind grew louder. Suddenly, the surroundings became wide open. Ahead was a vast expanse of whiteness, with the road hidden in the white. Only piles of rocks in the snow pointed the way.

And at the end of the vast whiteness was a deep mountain valley. Xerath blinked at Sylas, who was staring ahead, and said, "Don’t you think it’s much more beautiful now? We can stop and admire it for as long as we want."

Sylas suddenly snapped out of her daze, immediately stopped the carriage, jumped outside, and ran into the snow. She shouted and cheered, with small fireballs, small water balls, and small stones flying around her. Xerath got off the carriage behind her, brushed away her wind-blown hair, and thought that if Titus was here too, the two little pets would probably start rolling around in the snow immediately.

Sure enough, just as she finished thinking about this, Sylas suddenly fell over and rolled, then got up and continued running.

There was a pulse in the valley ahead, a faint blue rising into the air in front of the interrupted glacier. Sylas ran to the end of the mountain, opened her arms wide, and shouted loudly.

The clear voice mixed with the wind, and echoes could faintly be heard in the valley. Sylas had always liked her voice, which had made her enjoy reading those letters she didn’t understand ten years ago.

Her shout was also particularly cute, with the youthful lightness peculiar to young people.

Xerath walked up to her and the young lady suddenly said shyly, "Um… um… I didn’t mean to be so out of control…"

Xerath smiled and said, "The first time I saw these, my reaction was the same as yours. You don’t need to feel ashamed. Some feelings can only be expressed in irrational ways, and there’s nothing shameful about that. Accepting yourself as a human being means accepting your characteristics." She turned her head and smiled at Sylas.

The young lady was stunned. The green mountains, the cold blue glacier, and a person who looked like an icy fairy standing at the top of the glacier with a smile. She thought to herself that it was not her fault for being disrespectful. Irrational feelings can only be expressed in irrational ways.

In front of her, Xerath took off her own shoes, rolled up her pants, and revealed feet as white as snow. The ankles were delicate, just above the snow, as if chiseled out of a block of ice.

She shivered but kept looking down and walking forward. The wind blew her robe, clinging tightly to her body. She turned her head and smiled at Sylas, saying, "It’s so cold!"

Sylas suddenly felt an urge in her heart. She clumsily ran towards Xerath and wanted to hug her now, and give her another kiss, right in the midst of the mountains.

But Xerath, without any guard, looked up with an innocent face and asked, "What’s wrong?"

Her bravery disappeared without a trace, and she asked nervously, "Um… where are we going to stay tonight?"