Chapter 49
I heard myself gasp for breath, and then I suddenly realized that I was soaking wet. I was leaning against Mel, my fingers trembling, and he was holding my hand to keep me from shaking like a leaf.
"Xipei! Look at me, Xipei!" Mel lifted my head. "Look into my eyes, Xipei!"
A bright Illumination Spell emanated from between his fingers, and since our hands were still clasped together, it looked as if a ball of light was hidden in our palms.
"It's okay, Xipei... I'm here." Mel said, wiping away the tears from the corners of my eyes... It was only then that I realized I was actually crying.
This is so embarrassing...
I rested my forehead on his shoulder, hoping his robe was thick enough not to get my shoulder wet... Mel reached out and hugged my back, gently stroking it, and gradually I felt peace, I felt... a quiet I had never felt before in the darkness.
It's not the kind of quiet where there's no sound, but the kind of quiet where there's no threat.
... Clearly, this is a mine that could harbor demons!
Lusien stood a little further away, while Luolan beside him held up a ball of holy light, illuminating the entire tunnel with dazzling brilliance, as bright as if a themed party was being held.
Reynold was standing to one side, and I sensed he was hesitant. He reached out his hand, thought for a moment, then lowered it, asking, "... How... are you? Are you feeling unwell? Why don't you wait for us outside?"
I shook my head and smiled. "Thank you for your concern, I'm fine. I'm sorry I startled you... I'm alright, let's keep going."
Actually, I'm quite good at sneaking through tunnels in the dark. Even without lights, my eyes can see perfectly well in the dark. After all, in the bunker, we avoid using lights if possible. Most apprentices find dark corners to hide in. Who's stupid enough to leave a bright light on, afraid the master won't catch them?
Mel didn't ask me anything. He held up the brilliant Illumination Spell, one arm around my waist, so tightly that my ribs ached a little, but this reassuring pain told me that I was no longer in that bunker.
I won't...
Won't!
It won't get out of control again, this time Mel's here!
Chapter 49
Thinking this, I couldn't help but interlock my fingers with Mel's. Because my hands were still trembling a bit, I accidentally scratched him while holding him. I hurriedly tried to pull my hand back, but Mel took the initiative and grabbed it tightly, completely ignoring my mistake and not caring about the wound at all.
I bit my lower lip, feeling guilty, but more unexpectedly, I felt a stinging sensation in my nose, and my vision was blurred by a faint mist of tears... But this shouldn't be something to be sad about, so why... why am I still crying?
Damn it, could it be that my teacher left behind some kind of trigger-based curse, causing me to cry uncontrollably whenever I recall related memories? But theoretically, such a bizarre curse doesn't exist!
Therefore, I think my expression right now must be just as stupid as Moli's when she reads angst! I know in my heart that I shouldn't cry, and rationally I know there's no need to wail, but I just can't stop the tears from falling! It seems I should be more tolerant of Moli in the future.
... But this is so undignified, it's so damaging to the image of a monk!
Mel chuckled softly in my ear, a sound that echoed sharply in the silent, dark mine. My face flushed instantly. I turned my head away and wiped away the ridiculous tears with my other hand. Taking advantage of this moment, Mel sneakily licked my earlobe... The wet sensation instantly banished my pointless melancholy, but I still glared at him for this inappropriate action. In retaliation, I bit the tip of his nose.
"Ah!" Mel let out a small scream.
In an instant, all three pairs of eyes turned towards them... Uh... Oh no, my self-control has seriously failed me, because I saw that Mel's nose was a little red, with slight teeth marks, and some kind of... well, any adult could guess what it was, a water stain that was Illumination Spell, and Mel didn't seem to care at all, even raising her chin and proudly showing it off...
Well... to be precise, it's aimed at Reynold.
Mel... I'm really not stupid enough to have any more complicated relationship with Reynold. You don't need to do such childish things again and again, things that are so unbecoming of your status as an archmage!
Seeing this, Reynold's face flickered in and out of focus under the Illumination Spell, a dazzling array of colors. Oh... I realized this was probably a double blow to him, because Mel and I were, respectively, his substitute lover and his true love! I suddenly remembered this and wondered what Reynold was feeling right now. But I didn't do it on purpose; Mel and I being together was a completely natural outcome, not some kind of "revenge plot" popular in online literature.
After all, in the kind of online novels that Moli likes, normally Reynold would actively pursue Mel and they would end up together, while I would relentlessly pursue her, interfere in every way, and even do bad things to Mel... Hmm, so Reynold also reads online novels? His initial misunderstanding that Mel and I got into a fight and went to jail was exactly the same line of thinking Moli and the others had, wasn't it?
... That's terrifying! I can't imagine the Speaker of the Magic Council reading a tragic novel on his phone, tears streaming down his face!
Will he start wearing smoky, death-themed heavy metal makeup someday?
I couldn't help but shake my head, trying to shake off that unbearable sight. Come to think of it, the only time Mel and I met was when we were like the melodramatic romance novels Moli loves—picking up the same book in the library. But then again, I think it was a perfectly reasonable meeting. After all, it's perfectly normal for a mage to love libraries. Only a mage like Reynold, who doesn't do his job properly, would love candlelight dinners paired with plant reproductive organs.
Because my eyes met Reynold's for too long, Mel angrily turned my shoulder and kissed me on the lips with a loud smack. It was really, really loud. Lusien turned his head away with his face flushed red and even covered his ears with his hands. Reynold, on the other hand, looked like he was about to collapse. He turned around very uncoordinatedly and continued walking forward. I noticed that he was now walking with his hands and feet moving in unison.
"Mel..." I called to him with a sense of helplessness.
Mel was in a great mood and pulled me along, her steps light and quick, not like she was going to battle, but like a primary school student on a weekend field trip.
Hmm... my great mage really is acting like a primary school student today.
They're just... too cute!
He walked with such joyful steps that he almost skipped, his long hair swinging back and forth behind him, the curves perfectly expressing how happy its owner was. Every time this happened, I always wanted to ruffle his hair and see his innocent eyes... Ah, but that was so inappropriate! I couldn't add to the chaos. That kind of thing could be left for when we got home, since we're together every day now anyway.
Suddenly, Lusien, who was walking at the front, raised a hand. Everyone immediately stopped in their tracks. He looked wary, drew his longsword, and whispered something to the priest Luolan behind him. Luolan tilted his head, lazily raised a finger, and shook it. Lusien frowned. I heard his next question clearly:
"It's so dark up there, how can you be so sure there's no one there?"
It was indeed dark ahead, and even I couldn't see the details very clearly because the entire lighting system in the mine had stopped working. In addition, the dwarves were digging the mine... and the result was as messy as the unkempt, hardened, and smelly beards of some slovenly male dwarves, which could hatch chicks inside. In short, there was no planning whatsoever, and there weren't even any emergency lights that could be illuminated in the dark!
Oh, see? I'm still quite modern; I know about emergency lighting! No wonder I thought this tunnel was really illogical.
Faced with Lusien's questioning, Luolan grinned smugly, then suddenly twirled a ring on his finger, and then...
We were all stunned.