Chapter 76
"Sylas," the Elemental King called her name, their voice always gentle and soft.
Sylas obediently walked over and listened quietly to Xerath's instructions.
But Xerath looked hesitant to speak, and Sylas couldn't help but ask, "Teacher, what's wrong?"
Xerath sighed softly and held her hand, "I plan to send you to advanced school for a while."
Sylas's hand suddenly trembled, "Why?!"
Xerath slowly looked up and saw her once bright green eyes filled with surprise and hurt.
They were filled with tears.
Her eyes turned red around the edges, glistening with tears. She wanted to pull her hand back, like a wounded little animal.
"Sylas... I'm not... I don't want to abandon you, I won't. Our contract will always be there."
"Teacher..." Sylas clenched her teeth, her voice coming out from between them, "But I can't ask anything of you, a master can use the contract and dispose of a contract demon anywhere. I've read that book, I'm not some ignorant beast... I also hope... I hope you can be honest with me, if I make any mistakes, can't you just tell me and let me fix them?"
As she spoke, tears fell down her face. Xerath wanted to reach for a handkerchief, but Sylas's hand resisted, so she had to use her other hand, in a difficult position, to fetch her own handkerchief.
"Don't cry... It's not your fault, it's mine."
Sylas was even more puzzled. What mistake did Xerath make that she had to drive herself away? No matter what mistake she made, Sylas could forgive her as long as she could stay in Aimekotes and be with the Elemental King.
Xerath was afraid that Sylas would run away, wanted to wipe her tears, and feared that her magic might hurt her - even the slightest injury was not acceptable. So she had no choice but to hold her between her legs. Xerath locked Sylas between her legs and used her hand to wipe away the tears that fell from Sylas's blinking eyes.
"To take the graduation exam and become an official magician, you need to learn some exam tips. I have graduated for too long, so I don't know the current trends in exam questions. You need to go to school to study on your own. Most students studying in the tower also have to go back to school for this step. It's not... It's not that I'm tired of your company, I won't be."
The choked little creature gradually stopped crying. "You really won't?"
"Of course, I promise."
Sylas pouted and nodded, her expression seemed to say, "Yes, I am worth liking."
Xerath smiled and wiped away a tear that was about to fall. "Our recent course, Gustavian language, is not progressing well. I know it's because I'm not teaching well. Maybe you should go to school and listen."
"There are also some history lessons. I've been away from school for too long, so I can't teach them well either. You need to go to school to study this as well."
However, Sylas still pouted, even though all of these things can clearly be learned at home, as long as... as long as... it just takes time.
She stubbornly turned her head away.
Xerath straightened her legs and adjusted her collar, getting ready to speak. But just then, Sylas, with an unknown courage, escaped from Xerath's grasp.
The archmage immediately raised her hand, starting to utter a spell that would bind the tornado. When Sylas suddenly turned around, tears in her eyes, she gritted her teeth and said something.
Xerath paused, and suddenly a calm silence surrounded her. Her spells and elements were cut off, and the incantation in her hand became ineffective, as golden light spilled from her fingertips.
Sylas took the opportunity to run out, and the heavy doors of the library were forcefully closed by the joyful wind element. The water lord flew to the doorway and opened the doors so she could run out unhindered.
But by this time, Sylas had already run downstairs. Xerath lifted her robe and hurriedly ran downstairs, pushing open the doors in one breath.
The wind rushed in, and outside was empty, not even a footprint could be seen. Xerath sighed in confusion and slowly walked upstairs, encountering Titus who was wandering at the staircase.
"Titus, where is Sylas?"
"Woof, woof, woof!" It may be a very serious accusation. Titus leaned forward and barked incessantly, lasting about thirty sand grains before stopping and panting, possibly tired from barking.
"Whine!" Square cushion pointed towards the direction of the room, Xerath sighed and looked at Sylas's bedroom door.
Diego had reminded her in a letter about half a year ago that the age of fourteen for a child is very troublesome, and changes in temper are completely unpredictable, so she should be careful.
But Sylas has always been sensible, and their way of getting along is almost unchanged: whenever Xerath expects something from her, Sylas will try her best to achieve it, and Xerath will encourage and reward her, making Sylas very happy. This seems to be a very ordinary thing.
Xerath thought that this must be the phenomenon that Diego described finally happening. She raised her hand and knocked on Sylas's bedroom door.
She knocked persistently, and there was a surge of elemental waves, squeezing out a puddle of blue water from under the door.
Before long, it all slid out, and it was Leunen.
"Archmage, what a coincidence, my master says she doesn't want to talk to you right now."
Xerath found it both funny and sad in an instant, "Well, she has learned how to boss you around."
The oval-shaped gentleman gracefully bowed and straightened himself, adjusting the large golden jewelry on his neck. "This is my duty."
Xerath smirked, and Leunen suddenly sensed something amiss. Leunen spun around, intending to escape, but out of nowhere, Hyectra emerged and wrapped it in a membrane, sprouting numerous ice spikes that pierced through Leunen's body in all directions.
It was water, and this physical attack didn't directly harm it. However, the frozen ice spikes froze its body.
The archmage, radiating a golden glow, placed his hand on the doorknob and whispered, "'Eureka!'"
The door lock clicked and popped open. Sylas curled up in bed, still crying heavily. It wasn't until Xerath sat on the chair by the bedside that she jumped up in surprise.
She wanted to run out, but icy drafts crept in through the crack, quickly freezing the entire doorway. She angrily lay back on the bed, turning her back to Xerath.
"Sylas..."
"When?"
"In a week's time, you will first attend preparatory school to join the Intermediate Entrance Exam, which will take place two months later."
"Have you prepared yourself?"
"Of course," Xerath paused, "It's important to be prepared beforehand."
Sylas heard this and understood a different meaning, "They've already planned to get rid of you."
With a pouty face, tears continuously rolled down her rosy cheeks as she sniffled from time to time.
A thin stream of water flowed out from the icy door, and like a tentacle, it wiped away Sylas's tears by her bedside.
"Can't we... can't we just not go?"
Xerath shook her head, "No, I've already said it, this will be very beneficial for your future."
"But what if... what if I don't want to graduate? Can I stay with you forever, as your apprentice, and not leave this place?"
Xerath stayed silent for a long time, so long that Sylas thought there was still room for discussion. She stood up and turned to face Xerath.
The bright and wise green eyes, full of hope, looked at Xerath. She was almost about to give up again.
"...Unfortunately, Sylas, you can't do that. You must become a formal magician. This is my promise to you, and also my requirement."
"But I don't want to right now! I just want to be with you..."
Xerath sighed and fell silent for a long time, so long that Sylas thought she was angry.
"Sylas..." She reached out and touched Sylas's face. "You are a very talented person, you will become a great magician."
The little beast became a little angry and shouted loudly at her, "If the price is leaving you, then I'd rather not!"
"Sylas!" The archmage's gaze suddenly became sharp, and the surrounding wind became restless. Sylas shivered. Xerath hadn't been angry at her like this for a long time.
"I command you."
A familiar and strange sting vibrated on her collarbone. The itchy feeling made her uncomfortable, unable to even cry out. Her strength seemed to have been drained away. She covered the branding in pain, bowing her head, waiting only for her command to be spoken.
"Sit down!"
She finally received the command and eagerly sat down, her body shaking and swaying for a while before stabilizing.
"Sylas, I admire your talent and treasure it. But you need polishing to become a true priceless treasure. I don't want it to be wasted, causing me to live in regret in the future. Archmages have endless lives, but how long can you stay in the tower? Fifty years? Sixty years? What about after that?"
"I..." Sylas sat on the bed, dumbfounded.
The archmage stood up, sternly looking at her and pointing at her mark. "If I wanted a pet, I already have one. I don't need to spend a fortune to raise another. I don't want a pet. But if you're content being an apprentice for a lifetime, you'll forever be just a pet with no right to sit on equal footing with me!"
Xerath's face became unprecedentedly severe, and Sylas was overwhelmed by the intensity she had never seen before. Anger twisted Xerath's beautiful and graceful face slightly, forming deep wrinkles between her eyebrows.
She glanced at the two water lords who had somehow already untied at the door, and the two differently sized blue water spheres instinctively moved back a bit.
"Hyectra, open the door."
Leunen nervously stepped aside, and Hyectra opened the door. Xerath sighed and said, "I hope you consider your future carefully. I'm going back to my room, and you should rest too."
The door slammed shut, and Leunen looked at the entrance and floated over to the young contractee, feeling a bit lost.
"Miss..."
Sylas threw herself into its arms and cried loudly, saying between sobs, "I never wanted to be a magician. She said I could stay and be her apprentice, so I stayed. She liked me learning all these strange things, so I learned. And now she wants me to leave!... Sniff..."
