Chapter 213

In addition, she must receive daily instruction from an etiquette teacher and demonstrate what she has learned that day to the teacher, as if giving a work report...

That's too boring.

What she longed for was freedom, beautiful forests and the sea, or high mountains.

So she listened intently to the story Chen Ce was telling.

She felt an unprecedented sense of satisfaction.

But joyful times are always fleeting.

Sunset is almost here.

Hearing the series of notifications that indicated "[Affection +1]", Chen Ce turned to look at the girl beside him.

"It's getting late, it's about time to head back."

"Eh..." Lux dragged out the last syllable, sounding reluctant—she wanted to hear more stories. She had just heard the tale of the powerful sorceress Syndra being sealed underwater.

What happened to Miss Syndra afterward? Did she regain her freedom? Did people hear her pitiful cries? Did Ionia accept her?

Most importantly... has she found her own happiness?

"Did Miss Syndra eventually find someone who loved her? Or someone she loved?" Lux asked, her eyes seemingly shining.

Girls her age always enjoy exploring these kinds of romantic questions.

"Yes, I do." Chen Ce nodded.

"That's great..." Lux patted her chest and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Well then, should we go back now?"

"Going back... I don't want to..."

"If you don't go back, your family will punish you, won't they?"

"No, no... I don't know what you're talking about..."

"I know you snuck out," Chen Ce smiled. "One day is about enough. It'll be bad if you don't go back soon."

"..." Lux's beautiful eyes revealed a hint of surprise—clearly, she had never realized that her "flawless" lie had been exposed, nor did she understand why it had been discovered.

After a moment of silence, she pursed her lips, as if she had made up her mind:

"I... I won't go back...! At least... at least not today!"

"Hmm?" This surprised Chen Ce.

"Anyway, I'll get scolded whether I play for half a day or a whole day... I'll go back tomorrow!" The girl shrank back, as if afraid that the other party would forcibly drag her home—she knew that Chen Ce was Garen's friend and would definitely choose to help Garen first.

Garen wants her to go back... just like her aunt... Garen always listens to his aunt...

She doesn't want to!

"I won't go back!"

"Being too willful isn't good..." Chen Ce had a bit of a headache.

"You're being willful... I'm not a child anymore!" Lux retorted defiantly. "You... don't understand anything at all!"

[Hero [Lux, the Lady of Lux] Affinity -1!]

A system notification suddenly sounded, and Chen Ce was startled.

Isn't this reaction... a bit too much?

This magical girl may have a bit of a temper, but she's not the kind of person who's completely unreasonable...

"I'm sorry... I misspoke." Chen Ce lowered his tone, abandoning his lecturing manner. "Perhaps I should first understand your situation today... Can you tell me why you were so reluctant to go home today, my dear Miss Lux?"

Lux paused for a moment, then said angrily, "I'm not talking to you... You'll definitely side with Garen and your aunt anyway!"

Why would you think that?

"Because you're Garen's friend!"

"But... aren't we friends too?" Chen Ce asked, reaching out a hand and placing it on the girl's head.

The latter was taken aback for a moment.

"It's okay, you can talk to me." Chen Ce smiled and ruffled the girl's long golden hair. "We're friends too, of course I'll stand by your side—as long as you're right."

Lux's lips moved slightly, and after a moment she finally spoke, "It's... Aunt Tianna... she wants to take me back..."

Why?

"I told her I wanted to see the rumors about the Great City Bridge... the one where people say there's Black Mage there... She wouldn't let me... She told me to stay home and learn proper etiquette and manners for women, but I didn't want to... so I ran away..."

"It sounds a bit bad, but it's not too serious," Chen Ce continued to reassure the other person.

"Hmm..." Lux nodded. "As for the other reason why I absolutely can't go back today... um... Chen Ce, can I really trust you...?"

"Of course, we are friends."

"Friend... okay, then I'll tell you... but you can't tell anyone else..."

"I will not betray my friends."

"Um... well... you should know about the House Buvelle, right...?" Lux seemed a little nervous, as if she was worried that the other person would forcibly take her away after hearing what she had to say.

"Of course I know." Chen Ce nodded again.

"Then you should also know... that Sona Buvelle was kidnapped by a Black Mage..."

"Yes, I know."

"Then... Sona and I actually know each other... We met once... I call her Sona- neechan..."

"Uh-huh."

"So... so... I think..." Lux trailed off mid-sentence.

But Chen Ce had already guessed what she was going to say next, "So you want to save her, right?"

Lux didn't reply, but her silence spoke volumes.

After a moment of silence, she continued, "I dare not tell anyone about this... Garen and Aunt Tianna certainly wouldn't approve... They'd think it's dangerous... They'd just make me stay home and learn some aristocratic etiquette... like a rag doll being manipulated..."

"Hmm... I can understand them." Chen Ce finished the first half of his sentence under the girl's uneasy and disappointed gaze, then continued, "But I understand you even better, Miss Lux —this time, I stand firmly on your side."

"R-Really...!" The girl's beautiful eyes widened in delight.

"I asked you to take me out of the city just now to avoid Aunt Tianna... I saw her...!" the girl continued excitedly, "But now she should be going to His Majesty's, so we can go back to the city!"

"Yes, I can take you back over the city wall." Chen Ce smiled and made a gesture of carrying you in a princess carry.

The latter recalled the scene she had found earlier... her pretty face flushed slightly.

But compared to such trivial matters, she was more concerned about Sona now.

She and Sona weren't very close—as she herself said, they had only met once. But she was determined to save Sona.

Because Sona is the beloved daughter of the priest Barrett.

As a member of the Illuminators, she was also part of the clergy.

The House Buvelle has already sacrificed too much for Demacia... She can't just stand by and watch Sona suffer the same fate!

Those Mageseekers have been talking about their operation for days, but there's been no news at all. They're completely unreliable!

The only way to save Sona is through our own efforts!

"Then let's hurry!" Lux exclaimed excitedly. "Let's find clues first, and then rescue Sona from that cunning, treacherous, perverted, disgusting, shameless, and extremely possessive villainous Black Mage!"

"Hmm..." Upon hearing this, Chen Ce, the cunning, treacherous, perverted, disgusting, shameless, and possessive villainous Black Mage, scratched his head.

"Okay, I'll take you to see someone first..."

Chapter 76 Sona: There are also cakes?

"That Black Mage is so wicked! He actually kidnapped Sona just to Sona her music!"

"Filthy! Vulgar! Perverted! Shameless!"

"Just like you told me before, magic itself has no inherent good or evil; it's all about how the person wields it—and clearly, that cunning and despicable Black Mage belongs to the latter!"

"It's because of people like this that magic has become an 'evil art' that everyone hates!"

"These are the people who ruined the reputation of mages! It's because of them that Demacia has so drastically banned magic!"

"This kind of person bears at least half the responsibility for the current chaos in Demacia!"

"They are so bad!"

On the main street of Great City, a young girl wearing a coat and hood quietly denounced the despicable behavior of a certain "Black Mage".

The young man beside her did not respond at all.

Lux didn't notice anything amiss.

She continued to berate him the whole way.

Chen Ce listened the whole way.

Finally, after saying the last sentence, "[If I catch him, I will give him the most severe punishment! The kind of punishment specially prepared for perverts!]", Lux remembered her important matter—she was going to meet someone with Chen Ce.

"Who are we going to see?" she asked curiously.

Chen Ce remained silent for a while before slowly saying, "Go find a gentle and beautiful young woman."

"A girl? Around my age?"

"He should be a year or two older than you."

"Oh... so who exactly is she?"

"A gentle and beautiful young woman."

"...?"

You'll see when you see it.

"What's with all the mystery?" Lux rolled her eyes, then asked with interest, "What are her distinguishing features? Let me guess who she is?"

"Hmm...as for her distinguishing features..." Chen Ce thought for a moment, "She is aphasic."

"A person who is mute? Like Sister Sona?"

"Yes."

What other characteristics are there?

"She is highly accomplished in music."

"Oh... anything else?"

"She's about your age, but she's far superior to you in certain areas."

"Location? Height?" Lux blinked curiously.

Chen Ce didn't answer. Okay, height is one factor, but it's definitely not the most important one.

"These features you described sound a lot like Sona's..." Lux said with a doubtful expression.

"Yes," Chen Ce did not deny it.

The girl stared intently into his eyes.

After a long while, she slowly spoke in a wise tone, as if she were conducting detective reasoning:

"We're going to find Sona, but you said we should find this girl first... and her features are very similar to Sona's... so..."

"Hmph, I already know..."

"She's Sona's friend, isn't she! You should go find her and ask her for clues about Sona!"

"..." There are some very simple truths that Chen Ce didn't want to explain too clearly.

"Why aren't you saying anything? Did I hit the nail on the head?" Lux put her hands on her hips, looking quite proud. "My reasoning skills are excellent, aren't they? I was born to be a knight! I'm not the useless 'noble lady' that people talk about!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Ce clapped his hands expressionlessly, "You're amazing, Miss Lux."

"Shh...! Don't call my name in the street...!"

"Oh."