Chapter 23 Your music can only be healed by you.

The Crystal Tower is located not far from the main hall. It is not actually made of crystal, but it appears as clear and translucent as crystal under the moonlight.

It was a bit chilly outside. Ashlin, wrapped in a cloak, hurried past the statues in the garden that she had grown tired of seeing in just two days.

She sincerely hoped that Aidan had something really important to do, which was why he interrupted her petting the cat.

She didn't explain to Lucas because she felt it was...a private matter.

"Stop!" a voice said.

It was Tara, the short but imposing elven knight commander.

What are you doing here?

"His Highness Aidan needs me for something," Ashlin answered truthfully.

Tara frowned. "His Highness Aidan doesn't usually meet with others alone, let alone in the Crystal Tower. That's your excuse unless you have proof."

“No, I…” Ashlin reached for the note, but then remembered it had spontaneously combusted. “I wasn’t lying. I don’t know why he wanted to see me.”

Tara shook her head. "Go back. I'm here to guard this place. If any other elf sees you trespassing, I might be the one punished."

"We use rainbows."

"rainbow?"

"Step back, Tara." That musical voice rang out from nowhere.

However, Ashlin looked around but no one appeared; the voice was probably transmitted through magic.

Tara gritted her teeth, gave Ashlin a deep look, hesitated, and finally left.

The air was filled with magical particles that shimmered like fireflies; it was probably someone's music.

She climbed the tower, and the particles disappeared. Only then did she realize that she had forgotten to bring an oil lamp or candle, and her eyes were open as if they were not.

I never imagined that the crystal tower, which looks so shiny on the outside, would have no lights inside.

Ashlin could only feel her way along the handrail like a blind person, struggling to move forward.

As soon as she stepped onto the first step, the entire tower was awakened from darkness. Pale purple stars flowed from beneath her feet, winding their way up each step, carpeting the ground like a dream.

Her world was illuminated; clusters of purple flames rose on the walls, cheering her arrival, while tiny specks of light drifted in the air.

Sun God above, Aidan actually arranged this for her?

At the end of the carpet, the silver-haired elf held a luminous mushroom in her hands, waiting quietly, just like...

Ashlyn knew what this looked like.

She decided to stop acting like a crazy fan. If Aidan had ulterior motives because she was a die-hard fan, she couldn't let him get away with it. She had to let him know that she liked his music, nothing more.

So instead of praising his grand entrance, she simply coughed, her face expressionless.

Aidan didn't speak, as always. He waved for her to come over and stepped onto the rooftop.

The rooftop was even colder, and Ashlin shivered, pulling her cloak over her shoulder and burying her head in the hood as much as possible.

“If you lose your voice, I don’t mind if you use sign language,” Ashlin said.

Aidan blinked. "Hey, don't be so mean. I'm here to show you something."

He pulled a parchment from his robe. Ashlin leaned closer: it was sheet music.

“This is for you,” Aidan said.

“Your magic has greatly inspired me. I wrote this as soon as I escaped Laurel’s clutches,” Aidan said. “Consider it my…return gift.”

“I don’t recall ever giving you anything that would warrant a return gift, sir.”

"I don't understand... what kind of inspiration can my magic give you?"

Aidan moved a little closer.

“Dewdrops on the grass, moss on the trees, birdsong in the forest…” His gaze moved to Ashlin’s hair, “and the branches in her hair. That is my inspiration, and that is your music.”

He pulled a small lute out of thin air.

"Would you like to hear me play a song for you, Ashlyn Bailey?"

She didn't need to answer; she knew her expression betrayed her desire.

Who could refuse to have the greatest musician in Ilova play for them?

Perhaps she was overthinking it; Aidan had no ulterior motives. He genuinely had a pure pursuit of art, and Ashley gave him a different kind of enlightenment. He arranged the meeting like a date, perhaps simply because of the romanticism inherent in elves.

She sat there cross-legged, removing her hood. The coolness of the evening breeze dissipated as the first note rose. Aidan's slender fingers danced nimbly across the strings, and music leaped lightly from them. Gradually, pale purple magical particles transformed into falling stars, enveloping them.

Ashlyn realized that she was finally truly alive; before this, her life had been submerged underwater. The music pulled her ashore, allowing her to gasp for breath in the forest air.

Aidan's music possessed magic, she certainly knew that. But before, she had only heard human musicians play his music. Hearing him actually play it in person nearly made her faint.

In a daze, she found herself in the ash forest by the Foxtail River bend, with her good friend Mia behind her, pleading with her not to go any further.

She laughed and shook off Mia's arm, casually picked up a tree branch to use as a walking stick, and headed into the depths of the forest.

Moss, wild mushrooms, and dandelions were everywhere in the woods. She searched for the verbena and datura that Sanova had requested, but she wouldn't stop even if she found them.

Trees stretched out their branches to her, affectionately brushing against her arm, and feeding her small fruits and fallen leaves. White moths flew towards her, as if she were a flame.

She is free.

The old leaves rustled and whispered to each other, then slowly, slowly, they retreated in the opposite direction, as if drawing back the curtain of a play.

Behind the scenes stood the divine oak tree, its leaves vibrant and lush, a single tree possessing more vitality than the entire forest. Only its body shimmered with a faint purple light, causing Ashlin a slight unease, but she quickly dismissed it.

It was so powerful that Ashlin wanted to kneel before it and offer it everything. She knew now. The forest goddess had personally planted the seed of the divine oak in the valley, blessing the elves—a long-lived race who loved nature and art—so that they and their creations would be immortal. The magic of the divine oak flowed in the soul of every elf, a constant reminder: it was the source, the root, the beginning. When the divine tree died, inspiration would also end.

But then, a rapid, intense melody bursts in, as if denying the previous magic. It's more turbulent, wilder, more unrestrained, its rhythm like a stampede of horses. The sacred tree withers rapidly in the wild music, all its moisture drained in seconds.

As the music ended, Aidan bowed gracefully, but Ashlyn forgot to clap. Something slid down her face—perhaps an illusion caused by magical particles, or perhaps tears.

“This is too…” Ashlyn found herself unable to speak. She should get used to it; it was the norm for her when she was with Aidan.

Aidan remained silent, waiting for her to snap out of her reverie.

“So that’s how it is,” she said with difficulty, “the withering of the sacred oak tree has also wiped out your creative inspiration.”

“Some elves, like my sister, think so,” Aidan said. “But that’s not what I mean. Inspiration shouldn’t come from a single, concrete thing… The Divine Oak simply inspired us, and after that, its task was finished. Its withering was not the end, but the beginning.”

“I’m not just giving you this music, Ashlin. I’ll also teach you how to play it.”

Ashlin wiped her eyes with her sleeve, still seeing the sacred tree before her, and it took her a while to realize what he was talking about.

“Only you can heal it,” Aidan said, as if reading her mind. “And only you can truly make the Nocari Flute work. You are the spellcaster, and the music I compose is the incantation.”

"You seem very sure."

"That was just something he said to win your sister's favor. I don't believe in fate, and my coming to Elf Valley was just a coincidence."

“Coincidence? No, Ashlyn, Lucas is far more farsighted than you. You will save Ilovania, and even the entire land. The path was paved the moment you turned the prince into a black cat,” Aidan said. “I know that dark forces are quietly stirring beneath this land, and the appearance of the Children of the Forest at this very moment is the answer already written by fate.”

Ashlyn had only intended Lucas's words as a prank to deceive the Queen, but she never expected Aidan to believe them.

Does she believe in fate?

She seemed to have never thought about this kind of question before.

Life in Foxtail Bend is simple: tinkering with herbs, chasing and playing with Mia, and picking mushrooms in the ash forest are the greatest joys.

Fate and prophecy are things that only poets and scholars explore; they have nothing to do with her.

She rarely even inquired about her origins, because it was meaningless. Sanova didn't know who her biological parents were either; nobody knew.

Even if she knew, so what? She already has a family; she doesn't need another one.

But now that she knows she is a child of the forest, things have changed. Her identity has suddenly become important.

"Do you know what my name means?" Aidan suddenly asked.

Ashlin thought for a moment. Aidan was a word that tingled with warmth. That was her entire impression.

"I'm not very good at Elvish."

“Whether in Elvish or in the language of some human people, ‘Aidan’ means fire,” Aidan said. “That’s why our meeting and alliance were destined; after all, your name means ashes.”

Ashley didn't understand what Aidan was trying to say; was he going to burn her or something?

“I’m pretty sure my adoptive father didn’t think that much about it when he named me,” she said. “He just named me that because he found me in an ash forest.”

"Perhaps, but I believe it's all fate's arrangement. Now, I will teach you this piece, and please remember what I'm about to say."

He then produced a flute out of thin air, but it was a very ordinary one.

“I didn’t choose to play the flute just now because different instruments produce different magical effects,” Aidan explained. “The lute is what I wanted to show you, while the flute’s effect is closer to the magical effect you will ultimately cast on the Divine Oak.”

Ashlin really admires herself.

She works as a model by day, practices her forest magic control in the evenings, and studies music at night. Soon she'll become a terrifying all-rounder.

Ashlyn might not be good at concentrating, and she might struggle with precise control of magic. However, she always learns new things very quickly. Moreover, her teacher is the most skilled musician. At first, what she played was closer to the crowing of a rooster about to be killed, but soon she was able to play it in fits and starts. Considering she doesn't actually have much musical talent, it's likely that Aidan's magic helped her.

“My sister is very difficult to deal with. Sometimes I’m really fed up with Melia’s heart of stone. She can’t even be bothered to see me, let alone you guys.” He spread his hands helplessly. “I went to great lengths to find a portrait of Sheeta for her, just to win her favor, but she just casually said that she didn’t need it.”

His expression was somewhat strange, but Ashlin couldn't quite put her finger on why.

She put down her flute.

"Lucas said that a medical apprentice named Setiel might be involved in the disappearance of the Magic Flute. Do you know him?"

Aidan rested his hand on his chin.

“Setiel, of course. That child has an exceptional talent for healing. You suspect he's using the power of the Magic Flute to heal?”

She nodded.

He paused for a moment, seemingly out of nowhere.

"There will be a masquerade ball. Yes, I know."

"So, you also know that the Elf Prince has the privilege of inviting his dance partner in advance?"

"What?"

“This year’s ball theme is animals. I’m just saying, if you see a swan at the ball…” Aidan smiled, “you can walk over to it.”

"As a fan and her idol, right?" Ashlin asked him to confirm. "I mean, the kind of dance partner without any romantic feelings?"

Aidan remained silent for a moment.

“Or, the teacher and his apprentice.” He nodded. “If you don’t want to, yes, there’s no romance.”

Ashlin grinned and patted his shoulder in a friendly manner.

Just then, Aidan's expression suddenly changed.

A series of hurried footsteps came from the stairs.

They looked nervously toward the door, then breathed a sigh of relief when they saw who it was.

Lucas in human form.

The dark-haired boy, panting, leaned against the wall, glaring at the witch and the elf. He looked like he had run all the way there; his dark blue cloak was askew and disheveled.

He was running so fast that the slippery ground nearly caused him to fall onto his own cloak.

Ashlyn opened her mouth in surprise, and out of the corner of her eye, Aidan once again had a strange expression.

"Lucas? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Lucas gave a dry laugh.

"Because I really did see a ghost."

Author's Note: Regarding some character names:

Ashlyn: Beautiful ash tree; ash; grey meadow

(Ashley and Sanova live near the ash forest in Foxtail Bay)

Lucas: The Man Who Brings Light

Elaine: radiant, bright

(Yes, the Deville family in Sun City always makes sure their children's names are glowing.)

Aidan: fire; blazing