There was a few seconds of silence between them.
"Sorry for trespassing into your Castle."
Gilan took off his hat, bowed to the other person, and said softly.
He realized that this girl was no ordinary person.
Although, under the power of spiritual vision, the other party's consciousness was no different from that of an ordinary person, the sight of this desolate island, this enormous yet empty Castle, and this lonely girl in a wheelchair was still striking.
This doesn't look like an ordinary person at all.
I'll leave now.
Gilan put his hat back on and was about to turn and leave.
But the girl in the wheelchair called out to him:
"Please wait a moment, sir."
Upon hearing the sound, Gilan stopped in her tracks.
Immediately afterwards, the rustling sound of wheels turning came from behind.
The girl pushed her wheelchair to Gilan's side, turned to look at him, and smiled:
"I didn't mean to send you away... Actually, I'm quite bored here by myself. It's been a long time since anyone has visited. Could you keep me company for a chat?"
As she spoke, she pointed behind her.
At the far end of the hall, there is a huge circular staircase leading upstairs.
"In return, how about I treat you to afternoon tea, sir?"
Looking at the girl's delicate yet sickly pale face, her clear eyes and sincere smile, Gilan remained silent for a moment, then nodded as if possessed.
Whether it was pity for her loss of both legs or the fact that she seemed to be a high-ranking, mysterious figure whom Gilan wanted to try and build a good relationship with, he accepted her invitation.
Seeing that he agreed, the girl smiled happily.
With a smile on her lips, she propelled her wheelchair forward, leading the way.
Upon reaching the circular staircase, Gilan gentlemanly walked behind the girl and offered to push her wheelchair up the ramp on one side of the staircase.
The girl was taken aback at first, but did not refuse.
The two went up to the second floor.
Guided by the girl, Gilan then led her to a tea room with an old-fashioned decor, yet a very cozy atmosphere.
The tea room is small, about 20 or 30 square meters.
White candles illuminated every corner of the room, making it bright and spacious.
A variety of vibrant flowers, as well as potted plants of all sizes and varieties that Gilan could not identify, were carefully arranged and placed in corners, on windowsills, and on wall panels, decorating the tea room.
If you didn't tell me, Gilan might even think this was a greenhouse.
"Please have a seat, sir."
The girl pointed to the small round table in the center, then went to the counter on her own to make tea and get cups and saucers.
Her movements were unhurried and graceful, showing skill and elegance.
"My name is Tolina, and yours, sir?"
" Gilan."
The wheelchair-bound girl named Tolina chewed on the name, seemingly trying to remember it.
Immediately, carrying a tray in one hand and rolling her wheelchair with the other, she slowly approached the round table. She neatly arranged the carved teapot and cups and saucers, and poured Gilan a cup of hot tea.
"This is ' Nightfall ' tea that I specially grew on the island. When brewed with 'white tea leaves,' the tea has a slightly sweet taste and a delicate fragrance."
Tolina laughed.
"I hope you like it, Mr. Gilan."
Gilan picked up her teacup and took a small sip.
Instantly, a rich aroma of tea, mixed with an indescribable sweetness, burst forth in his mouth. Although he was currently without a physical body, even his consciousness felt a profound sense of comfort.
The next second, he froze again.
Because he discovered that his spirituality had changed, becoming more resilient and stable... This meant that the upper limit of cosmic elements that his spirituality could contain had been raised.
The efficiency of absorbing elements every day has also become higher!
Gilan's eyes lit up with joy, and she drank the entire cup of tea in one gulp. Her spirit seemed to be cheering and jumping for joy, having gained immense satisfaction.
"This tea..." He put down his teacup and asked in surprise.
"It seems you like it very much."
Tolina was pleased and offered to refill his glass.
This time, Gilan wasn't in a hurry. Looking at the other person's elegant demeanor, she spoke frankly:
"Mmm. It tastes great, and it's very helpful to me."
Tolina raised her dark eyes and looked at the blond youth.
She slowly opened her mouth and said:
"Just like you can see my pain..."
"I can see your pain, Mr. Gilan."
"Your heart is filled with unease, anxiety, and impatience. Perhaps this pot of tea can offer some relief."
"You seem eager to climb the Origin Rank, wanting to gain greater power and a more stable mind... Perhaps only in this way can you feel safe and suppress the pain in your heart."
The girl picked up her teacup and succinctly revealed his hidden emotions.
Gilan was taken aback.
Then the other party slowly said:
"But the pain won't disappear; instead, it will lurk deep within your heart, slowly growing stronger by absorbing your increasingly amplified emotions, eventually transforming into an unstoppable, raging beast."
"When this beast fully matures, it will devour your ego."
"At that time, you will no longer be yourself."
"Instead, it is a beast ruled by madness, a beast called the 'id'."
Gilan fell into a long silence.
The girl's words were like a sharp knife, piercing his seemingly hardened heart and tearing open the fear he hid deep within, a fear he was unwilling to reveal to outsiders.
"Thank you for reminding me, Miss Tolina."
Gilan said hoarsely.
"But I had no other choice..."
"Yes," the girl sighed. "So many of the helplessness in this world stems from having no choice."
"Like me, I was born without legs, and I can't imagine what it would be like to stand and walk."
Gilan stared blankly at the other person.
Thinking back to my past life, although I also lost both legs, I had walked, jumped, and run freely as a child, enjoying that kind of beauty.
But the girl in front of him had never experienced this from beginning to end.
"Born with a chronic illness, with no cure in sight."
With a deep sense of pity, Gilan murmured a sigh.
The girl's hand, holding the teacup, paused.
Upon hearing this, her eyes flickered for a moment, and she seemed somewhat lost in thought.
Soon, the blond youth spoke again, asking:
"Miss Tolina, do you hate the rain?"
"Rain..."
The girl recalled what a rainy day was like, paused for a moment, and then answered in a way that surprised Gilan:
"I don't hate rain. On the contrary, I like it."
"Why?"
Through their conversation, Gilan seemed to have forgotten her surroundings, as if she had found a kindred spirit and was happy to talk to her.
The girl smiled.
"Because it's very special to me... I've only seen rain a handful of times in my life."
Gilan was somewhat surprised.
He frowned slightly, and through his own experience, he empathized and guessed what it meant, then said:
"Don't you go out very often?"
"Hmm." Tolina looked at him in surprise and nodded. "So I find everything new and exciting, no matter the weather."
"Mr. Gilan hates rain?"
"Um."
Gilan took a sip of tea and looked out the tea room window at the night and the sea.
Rain always makes me feel irritable.
"Mr. Gilan," Tolina said softly, "Perhaps on the contrary, it's because you're upset that you see the rain."
Gilan raised her eyes and looked at the girl with a puzzled expression.
The girl lowered her head slightly, gazing intently at the candles on the small round table.
The firelight reflected on her fair face.
"I'm afraid of the dark, so I filled the ' Black Castle ' with candles. But sometimes, I inevitably see an even deeper darkness that envelops everything, and no amount of candles can help."
Tolina smiled faintly.
"So, we really are a bit alike."