Mage Manual

Chapter 1693 - 1250: Gentle Darkness

Although Ash said he has amnesia, because he behaved too normally in the past, consistently light-hearted, everyone actually didn’t think it was very serious, and naturally didn’t consider what amnesia really meant for Ash.

"Do you remember the first time we met in the Void Realm?" Sonia suddenly asked.

"I remember." Ash said, "At that time I was still in Shattered Lake Prison."

"Compared to then, am I not more attractive, more adorable, and gentler?"

Ash’s lips slightly moved, and he could only respond, "Yes, yes." His conscience just couldn’t let him say a third yes.

"So, if you met me now, you’d fall in love with me too, right?" Sonia asked, eyebrows flowing with charm.

Ash understood what she meant, helplessly smiled, "Of course."

"Then that’s settled." Sonia smiled with her chin resting on her hand and biting the straw, "If you really forgot me, let’s start over, I will make you infatuated with me again. The past doesn’t matter because I’ll surely be in your future."

"This time I definitely want to be the daughter!" Diya clenched her fists.

"Vishi seemed to do just that, right?" Weiser said, "Ash hadn’t actually accepted her before amnesia, but he liked her anew after... ah, I get it, Vishi lost soul fragments before, causing something like amnesia, so she was infatuated like a young girl!"

"I wasn’t infatuated!" Vishi gritted her teeth.

"Indeed, a young girl’s infatuation shouldn’t ponder how many children to have in the future, in this regard you truly display the elegance of a Ghost Prophet..."

"Could we not talk about children anymore!"

Ash picked up a skewer of grilled shrimp, watched them squabble, and the little anxiety from confessing dispersed completely.

He looked up at the starry sky, Nabistin’s summer night wasn’t sultry at all, savoring the cool breeze and barbeque, this ordinary gathering made Ash feel it was the most enjoyable night.

Perhaps it wasn’t that this night was extraordinary, but after this night, many wonderful stories were yet to happen, and much precious happiness could be seized.

Though there’s still one thing to resolve.

After they were almost done eating, Ash asked, "Do you know why the Witch would come to me tonight?"

Everyone exchanged glances, Felix couldn’t help but say, "You might not know due to amnesia, but the Witch crawling into your bed doesn’t really require a reason."

Her Majesty blushed, "Oh, it’s not that intense..."

Ash’s corners of his mouth twitched, briefly explained the Black Demon issue, asked, "Weiser, have you encountered the Mirror Demon?"

"No." Weiser shook her head, "What kind of person is the Mirror Demon?"

Ash thought for a moment, then said, "According to Death Mad, the Mirror Demon is very obsessed with the Observatory person, so they should be... love-minded?"

Weiser nodded, "Then it seems quite different from me."

As everyone wore expressions of ’what nonsense are you spouting,’ Ash looked at Vishi, who crossed her arms watching him. After a brief silence, Ash turned his head, Vishi broke down, "Why didn’t you ask if I’ve seen the Youmo!?"

"But you see it every time you look in the mirror."

"Did you really lose your memory? How come your sharp tongue is even more precise than before?"

"Actually, I’m least worried about you," Ash said, "You and the Youmo, although very similar in nature, both have a core of supreme arrogance, no one can enter your heart, just like two scorching suns. The Youmo couldn’t erode you gradually, it can only crash into you like a meteor, or be crashed into by you."

"Hmph." The maid shot him a glance, lips slightly curled, "At least you have some insight."

"I can guarantee Vishi hasn’t been eroded by the Youmo," Weiser said, "The Youmo definitely wouldn’t consider living—" The Silver Lamp didn’t finish before being blocked by the maid.

Ash looked at Sonia, "Have you seen Death Mad recently?"

The red-haired girl nibbled her straw sipping orange juice, slightly averting her gaze, "No."

"Do you have anything to tell me?"

"...Oh, regarding your memories of Diya, Weiser, Vishi, we’ll together recount with you, cross-check and verify to prevent some unscrupulous people from tampering with your memories." Sonia glanced at Diya, who bowed her head to continue eating pretending not to see.

"Anything else?"

"Plus it’s already late, we should go back to rest—"

Ash pulled Sonia to face him, looked at the orange juice in her hand, said, "You’ve been sipping fruit juice a lot recently, I haven’t seen you have this habit before."

"I just recently like drinking sweet things, what’s wrong with that?" Sonia fiercely retorted, "Do you think I’ve gotten fat!?"

"I just noticed you keep biting the straw," Ash said, "Are you trying to bite something?"

Felix looked at Ash with shock, "Is this a topic to discuss on the balcony? Should we go to the room first?"

However, Sonia didn’t react like she heard a crude joke, rather she seemed uneasy like her browsing history was discovered. Ash took her straw and drank himself, suddenly leaned in to sniff her lips, Sonia shyly but amused, "I just had barbeque, apart from cumin, what else could you smell?"

Ash asked, "Do you still have those cigarettes?"

Sonia nodded, took out a pack from her space ring. Ash glanced at it; it was the same pack from before, with only one cigarette missing.

Who knows if cigarettes have a shelf life... Ash tapped out a cigarette, skillfully lighting up and taking a puff. In the quiet night, he could clearly hear the crackling sound of the tobacco; the smoke burned his tongue, mist blurred his throat, his brain felt slightly tipsy, blowing out an imperfect smoke ring, he felt himself becoming ethereal, troubles dissipating along with the smoke.

It’s the Death Mad’s bad influence; he no longer finds it irritating, Ash thought.

He took a deep drag before extinguishing the cigarette and cupping Sonia’s face, imprinting a nicotine-laced kiss on her lips. Sonia’s body tensed for a moment, then gradually relaxed, their tongues entwining amidst the spread of smoke, the burning nicotine swiftly replaced by the soft moistness tinged with cumin.

Ash knew why Sonia was accumulating pressure.

As long as the witches were around, Sonia would accumulate pressure, a contradiction that couldn’t be solved, not changed by anything Ash said or did. The only solution for now was to let Sonia vent on Ash regularly, but it was clear she wasn’t willing, so she started bottling it up, unconsciously seeking pressure release like the Death Mad, but couldn’t smoke, just nibbling all day on a substitute straw.

If Sonia wouldn’t initiate, then Ash would have to guide her.

Bang! Ash was heavily slammed into the wall. Though he started the war, Sonia now had the upper hand, plundering his lips as if a small country, bullied long enough, suddenly erupted in counterattack against a dominating country. They resembled two beasts biting each other, from sofa to railing, from railing to room, others voluntarily cleared a path, watching in stunned silence this intense and provocative duet.

Finally, Ash pressed Sonia onto the bed, the two panting lightly, warm breaths gently falling on each other’s faces. Ash took a deep breath, said, "When you feel stressed and want to smoke, tell me, I’ll smoke for you."

"Are you afraid I’ll lean towards the Death Mad?" Sonia gazed at him, her ruby-like eyes softening.

"No, I just want to know when you’re under great pressure and feeling bad." Ash blinked, "If you don’t want to tell me the specific reason but want me to comfort you, just call me to smoke a cigarette."

Sonia wrapped his neck, her gaze seeming to pull like thread: "Then you’re just... smoking a cigarette?"

Ash’s heart thumped like war drums, his throat felt dry, swallowing saliva, he turned his head, saying, "Sorry, tonight—"

The lights of the Amber Palace suddenly went out, pure darkness, not even starlight penetrated this bedroom. Ash felt familiar skin on his back, a witch lay upon him, speaking sweetly in his ear: "Just like you said, I’m only wearing gloves and socks now."

"With you like this, how could we even leave?" Weiser’s voice sounded on the right, seemingly lying in bed: "But to not add stress to the Sword Maiden, I blocked all light—if we can’t see, isn’t it alright?"

"Mm-hm." Vishi said nothing, only hummed lightly, indicating she sat at the bedside.

Ash didn’t immediately respond, cautiously observing Sonia’s reaction. He heard the Sword Maiden murmur something, then her soft lips silenced all his questions.

Tenderness in the darkness engulfed this room.

The final vacation of a lifetime began.

*

Outside, Dedarose relentlessly knocked Felix’s head, but Felix was glued to the door, refusing to leave. Dedarose helplessly leaned against the door, listening to inside commotion.

"Miss Lena, you..."

"I’m just supervising you won’t do anything extraordinary in the corridor."

"I wouldn’t!"

"Then what were those Observatory photos for?"

"Ah, ah, ah!? How do you know about that?"

"You forgot I’m also the tactile of the Gods of Four Pillars..."

A sudden cough prompted them to straighten up. They saw Yisu Palace’s effective ruler, Chief Witch, Legendary Mage, Purple Moth Hanna approaching. They didn’t have time to explain, Hanna motioned them to keep silent and leaned against the door to listen.

Whether delusion or not, Felix felt Hanna’s already-expressionless face grew colder.

Hanna gestured them to follow and spoke at a distance: "You’re going to Blood Moon tomorrow?"

"Yes, through Permanent Void Gate." Dedarose replied respectfully: "Thank you, Witch, for your trouble."

"Not a bother." Hanna held her chin, her tone subtle: "Going to Blood Moon, huh..."

Felix: "What’s up?"

"Nothing, I’ll head back, it’s time to log into the Void Realm." Hanna said: "I’ll ’arrange’ for your preparations to Blood Moon."

"Much appreciated."

Watching the Chief Witch’s silhouette fade away, Felix puzzled: "Why did she come?"

"So late, she came to the Observatory alone, likely for spell consultation." Dedarose calmly said: "Why else?"

Felix looked shocked at her: "Miss Lena, seriously?"

"You feigned innocence first, so I could only play dumb." Dedarose dragged her back to their room: "Go to sleep."

"No, I’m on night watch. I’ll guard the door, let me—"