Luo Ge stood on the stone steps in front of the Sanctum site's gate, watching Auber's figure disappear completely around the corner at the end of the road before turning back to walk away.
However, as he turned around, he almost bumped into someone.
Isolte was already standing less than two steps behind him, without him even noticing.
With his hands behind his back, his toes grinding pebbles on the ground, his expression hesitant and unspeakable.
His lips opened and closed repeatedly, as if he had rehearsed his opening lines countless times in his mind, but when it came to his lips, they all got stuck.
Luo Ge was taken aback by her appearance. " Isolte? What's wrong...?"
Isolte a deep breath and finally raised her head, meeting Luo Ge's gaze. "I am truly grateful for the care and attention you have shown me during this time, Lord Sword King."
When she said that...
His posture was upright, his tone was earnest, and he even bowed slightly; his manners were impeccable.
Luo Ge frowned. "Why are you suddenly being so polite? Honestly... Didn't you call me Luo Ge so naturally before?"
"What 'Sword King Sword King' nonsense? It sounds really awkward."
Isolte pursed her lips and remained silent for a moment.
Then she whispered, "I'm going back to City of Ars with my master tomorrow."
After listening, Luo Ge didn't react in any particular way, he just nodded. "Oh, I see."
After a pause, he added, "Then I wish you a safe journey."
Isolte stood there for a while, and when she was sure he really had nothing more to say, she couldn't help but pout slightly.
What a perfunctory attitude... I'm about to leave, and there wasn't even a hug or a simple "I'll miss you."
That's way too blunt!
This person.
But after spending time together, Isolte had figured out Luo Ge's personality. He was a straightforward, sunny, and handsome young man.
Anyway, it really appeals to Isolte's sexual fetishes.
As she was secretly grumbling to herself, Luo Ge suddenly became serious.
He abandoned his previous casual attitude, straightened up, and fixed his gaze on Isolte's face, his tone becoming much more serious. "However, after spending time with you these past few days, I've also come to realize something."
" Isolte, you are now a worthy opponent."
Isolte was stunned. "... An opponent?"
"Um."
Luo Ge nodded, his expression frank. "You have great talent and a solid foundation. Although you're still far from being my match, your progress is quite rapid."
"Especially that ' Light Reversal' move, you learned it in just one afternoon."
"Although I call you an idiot, I know in my heart that there are very few people in the entire Sword Saint who can master that move in such a short time."
He paused, then continued, "I've seen many people practice swordsmanship, but there aren't many who truly make me feel that they might one day catch up to me."
"You're one."
Isolte's eyes suddenly stung.
Although she could tell it was a lie, something she was just saying to comfort herself.
But she just gets happy; she can't help but feel joy.
She couldn't quite describe the feeling.
From childhood to adulthood, so many people have praised her talent, her noble birth, and that she will definitely become Water God in the future. So many that she's almost tired of hearing it.
But not a single word of those words truly praised her strength itself—they praised her identity as the granddaughter of the Water God, her bloodline as Reida, and the aura surrounding her.
Only Luo Ge truly saw her sword and would genuinely dedicate himself to teaching her training.
"Really..."
Isolte blinked hard, quickly wiping her eyes with her hand, her voice slightly nasal, "Why are you suddenly saying so many touching things? You've gotten sand in my eyes."
"That's not something touching," Luo Ge said calmly. "Just consider it my recognition of your hard work over the years."
"But remember this: I'll give you time to catch up, but the final result..."
A slight, faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
"They'll only be gone for good."
Isolte was stirred by these words, and her competitive spirit surged up.
She raised her chin and laughed, "That's not necessarily true. Who can predict the future?"
She stared into Luo Ge's eyes, and suddenly an idea popped into her head. "That's right, why don't we make a deal?"
What agreement?
"When I become the Water King in the future, will you come to visit me in City of Ars?"
Luo Ge did not answer immediately.
Seeing his silence, Isolte's heart tightened involuntarily. She asked cautiously, "Will this put you in a difficult position? Well... for you, practicing swordsmanship is the most important thing, and the Sword Sanctum is too far from our Water God Style School. It's a long journey."
"Actually, it's not difficult at all."
Luo Ge looked at her, speechless. "But isn't this cheating? With your talent, I reckon you should break through to Water King before you turn fourteen in no more than six months."
"Six months? Aren't you basically forcing me to make a trip to City of Ars within six months?"
Caught red-handed, Isolte's cheeks flushed slightly, but she stubbornly refused to admit it. "Who, who cheated!"
"Breaking through the Water King in six months is my own skill! So, tell me, do you agree or not!"
Luo Ge thought for a moment and said, "How about this, we can keep in touch by letter from time to time."
Is it really possible?
Isolte's eyes lit up immediately.
"Sure."
Luo Ge nodded. "I'll have someone from the Sanctum forward it."
"What about the agreement?" Isolte, her gaze fixed intently on him like a cat afraid its prey would escape.
"Alright, I agree."
Luo Ge said, "The day you become the Water King, I will personally visit you in City of Ars."
"You mustn't forget that when the time comes."
"Snort."
Isolte with her hands on her hips and her chin slightly raised. "You think everyone's like you, forgetting people so easily? I would never do something like that."
"I'll treat you well once you arrive."
As she spoke, the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up in a smile.
"Oh, right."
She thought for a moment, then added, "You should also keep going, keep striving to achieve your dreams."
"Um."
Let's cheer each other on!
Luo Ge smiled, feeling that having such a friend was actually quite nice.
The setting sun cast long shadows of the two people side by side, one shorter and one taller, pressed against the ground shoulder to shoulder.
They looked at each other and laughed simultaneously.
The smile was faint, yet pure and simple; it contained nothing more than a swordsman's purest blessing to another swordsman.
Just then, Luo Ge's gaze suddenly passed over Isolte's shoulder and landed behind a tree not far away.
There's someone hiding behind that tree.
Actually, it wasn't really about hiding; most of Nina's body was exposed, but she thought she was hiding very well.
Clutching a blade of grass he'd casually torn off, he absentmindedly tugged at the leaves, his gaze occasionally drifting this way.
Luo Ge gestured with his chin in that direction. " Nina, why don't you come over and say something too?"
Nina froze when her name was called, looking like a thief caught red-handed, even dropping the blade of grass in her hand in fright.
Her face flushed red, and her first reaction was to wave her hands. "No! I don't want to! You guys chat, I... I was just passing by!"
She turned and tried to run away.
However, Luo Ge had already strode over, grabbed her by the back of her collar without a word, and dragged her over like a disobedient cat.
"Hey--What are you doing! Let go of me! Luo Ge, you bastard!"
"Stop fooling around."
Luo Ge released his grip, his tone unusually gentle. "I know you two had a falling out before, and you're holding a grudge about losing, thinking Isolte on you. But anyway... you're still good friends, right?"
"If a friend is leaving, you should say goodbye properly, otherwise you'll have regrets later in life."
Nina stopped struggling.
She glanced at Isolte secretly, just as Isolte was looking at her too.
The moment their eyes met.
The previous rivalry, the sulking, and the complex emotions that welled up after that public sparring match all seemed to have been blown away by the wind, becoming light and airy.
Seeing that neither of them spoke, Luo Ge didn't linger. He waved his hand and turned to walk towards the dojo, saying, "You two keep talking, I'm leaving now."
He left decisively, without even looking back.
The two remaining girls stood there in silence for a long while.
"... that."
Isolte spoke first, "Does your wrist still hurt?"
Nina paused for a moment before realizing that she was referring to the sparring match three days ago, when Nina's sword was sent flying by Nina 'Light Reversal.
She subconsciously touched her right wrist, then said irritably, "It doesn't hurt anymore! You controlled the force of that sword strike quite well; it didn't really injure any bones."
"That's good."
Isolte a sigh of relief. "I actually wanted to talk to you ever since that day, but every time I saw you walk away with a dark expression, I didn't dare to say anything."
"I wasn't frowning!" Nina's eyes widened.
"It clearly exists."
"That's because you secretly got stronger behind my back! What happened to being best friends? You went to get special treatment from Luo Ge all by yourself, leaving me out in the cold. How could I not be angry?"
"I... I didn't..."
Isolte choked for a moment, "That's because... oh well, anyway, I'm sorry! I'll definitely tell you first if I find anything good next time!"
"Hmph, that's more like it."
"... So, are we still good friends?"
Nina was silent for two seconds, then turned her face away, her voice muffled. "... Um... I guess so."
Isolte laughed and grabbed Nina's arm. "That's good! I'm leaving tomorrow, so you have to keep me company tonight! Shall we go for a walk on the beach?"
"Come on, come on, don't pull me so tight, it's so hot..."
The two girls' bickering gradually faded away, disappearing at the end of the path like two sparrows chirping away.
Luo Ge hadn't actually gone far.
He leaned against the corner of the dojo's outer wall, listening to the laughter fading behind him, a faint smile appearing on his lips. Then he picked up the Elegant Dragon Sword and walked towards the sea.
His evening class was still waiting for him.
The next morning.
At the entrance to the Sword Sanctum, two fast horses were already prepared with their packs, with dry rations and water pouches hanging beside their saddles.
The Water God Reida was leisurely checking if the reins were fastened securely.
Isolte stood beside her, clutching a riding whip in her hand, her eyes constantly scanning the Sanctum site.
"Huh?"
Reida glanced at her granddaughter, " Isolte, are you reluctant to leave here?"
Isolte abruptly looked away, her ears turning red for a moment. "N-no! I was... I was checking if there was anything I'd forgotten!"
Reida smiled without saying a word, only revealing a meaningful expression.
Isolte scanned the departing crowd again and again.
Dozens of disciples from the Sanctum came to see her off, including Gino. Nina stood at the front, waving to her, while a circle of junior sisters chattered around her, saying things like, "Senior Sister Izo, be careful on your journey." But among those faces, she didn't see the one she wanted to see.
Didn't he come?
Although we said goodbye properly last night and made plans together.
But if he doesn't even show his face this morning, I'll still feel a little uneasy...
Isolte bit her lip and mounted her horse.
" Isolte!"
"Let's go, stop spacing out."
Reida mounted another horse and shook the reins.
The horses' hooves clattered on the stone pavement.
Isolte sat on horseback, swaying slightly with the rhythm of the bumpy ride. One step, two steps, three steps, and the gate of the Sword Sanctum grew farther and farther behind her.
She turned her head back somewhat reluctantly.
With that casual glance, her gaze passed over the crowd, over the roof of the temple, and landed on the tallest and oldest sycamore tree deep within the Sanctum.
The tree's canopy is so dense that morning light filters through the leaves, casting a golden glow on the ground.
Right under that tree, a young boy was sitting against the trunk, holding the Elegant Dragon Sword.
He didn't approach, didn't wave or call out, and didn't even straighten his back.
He simply sat there quietly, a great distance from the Sanctum, and nodded faintly in her direction, like a silent reef.
A bright smile instantly bloomed on Isolte's lips.
She didn't call out to him.
He simply nodded in that direction, his lips moved silently, and he uttered two words.
Then she turned back, whipped her horse, and followed Reida's figure into the dust raised at the end of the road.
Under the sycamore tree, Luo Ge let out a soft breath and stood up.
The Elegant Dragon Sword slid half an inch out of its sheath, its cold light reflecting in his calm pupils.
It's a new day.
He walked towards the sea, where the sound of the tide remained unchanged.