Chapter 87 Spread Your Wings and Soar: You Will Become a Wind Mage
Gracia Academy, no classes today, Wednesday. Ancia has finally freed up some time after finishing two days of classes.
Merri himself is still in the Monster Mountain Range looking after the students undergoing training, while his shadow clones are taking combat lessons at the academy.
Ancia passed through the underground classroom, quietly walked to the corner wall, and opened his office using the hidden method set by Mortley. The office was simple and clean, with no other clutter.
She took out the wooden bat carving and placed it on Merriel's desk, painting the bat's eyes dark red.
In the minimalist office, the presence of this wooden bat sculpture is the only source of life.
After delivering the wood carving, Ancia left, while Skalk waited for her at the castle gate.
As soon as Ancia appeared at the end of the stairs, Skulker snapped out of his boredom and strode over to her, his ears perking up excitedly and twitching incessantly. "Where are we going?"
Ancia: "Nightingale Salon"
Skulk's ears drooped. "Okay, I'll take you."
Ancia pinched his cheek, "Why do you wear your emotions on your sleeve?"
Skulk lowered his head, letting her squeeze him more comfortably, and muttered, "Isn't that good? It makes things easier for you, you don't have to guess."
Ancia: "Don't you want me to go to the Nightingale Salon?"
Skulk shook his head. "No, you can go wherever you want. It's just... I just got back from the snowy mountains in the North, and I won't see you for a long time. I'll miss you a lot."
As he spoke, he nuzzled Ancia's palm, his amber eyes glistening as he looked at her.
Here we go again, that rain-soaked puppy look with a direct, brutal attack.
Ancia sighed, but she was really susceptible to this tactic.
She compromised a little, "How about we walk to the Nightingale Salon? That way we'll spend more time together than by car, okay?" Skulk nodded, "Okay, whatever you say."
Ancia chuckled, "So obedient, huh?"
Skalk replied matter-of-factly, "I'm your orc, of course I have to listen to you."
"We're still in the academy," Anxi coughed lightly and quickly pulled him away.
When Skalk and Ancia were together, he was the one who talked more. "Ancia, a new tree has grown on the snow mountain. It's the one on the top of the mountain we climbed. A tiny sapling has sprouted from the snow. Before we went back to the academy, I specially added some protection for it. I hope it will have grown taller when I go home this summer."
"The tribe has started stocking up on food for this winter, and many orcs go out hunting every day. Last time you didn't get to eat the fattest jerky in the snow mountain, I specially went to my mother's drying area to put one there, since she gets the best sunshine. Once it's dried, I'll put it away, and whenever you come to the snow mountain again, I'll take it out and make a stew for you."
"After you left, I went skiing again, but it wasn't as fun as it used to be. It's still the happiest time to go skiing with you."
...
Skalk spoke at length, telling Ancia everything he had been holding back, and only then did the torment of his longing become somewhat bearable.
Ancia listened to him with a smile until Skark finally stopped talking, then she chimed in, "It seems you had a fulfilling time on the snow mountain." She looked at Skark teasingly, "Why do you keep talking about yourself and never ask about me?"
Turning the corner, they arrived at the Nightingale Salon. Skalk stopped and looked at Ancia, his tone suddenly becoming expectant. "Ancia, were you happy while I was away?" He smiled shyly. "I can tell emotions from scents. When I'm around, if I can smell your happiness in the air, I feel more at ease."
Ancia was stunned. She only wanted to tease Skalk, but in the face of his intense and unreserved emotions, all her attempts to resist seemed inappropriate.
She stared at that wild yet innocent face for a moment, and then, under Skalk's questioning gaze, kissed him directly.
Instantly separate.
Ancia: "I'm happy, and I miss you a lot." She took out the small wolf wood carving with amber eyes and put it in Skark's hand. "I bought it when I thought of you."
"Alright, I'm going to meet Eve now, I'll leave you here." She touched Skulk's burning cheek one last time and walked into the Nightingale Salon.
After entering, Ancia was led by a male waiter to the most luxurious room.
Eve was sitting in the room when she saw her come in, and gave a light snort, "Why are you taking so long?"
Ancia: "Walking over."
Eve: "Why did you come over? I can send a carriage to pick you up."
Aurora, who was standing at the window, witnessed what happened around the corner. She covered her mouth with her fan and laughed, "Of course, it's because walking can be pleasant."
Eve, confused, said, "Okay."
The lighthearted expression on her face was so obvious that after Ancia sat down, she asked her curiously, "What happened? Why are you so happy?"
Eve touched her cheek. "Is it that obvious?" She smiled demurely. "Actually, it's this year's birthday celebration. My brother said he wanted to turn my birthday celebration into a small-scale charity gala and came to ask for my opinion, asking if I would feel wronged."
Ancia raised an eyebrow. "So what do you think?"
Eve: "My brother isn't even having his own birthday celebration anymore, so why should I feel wronged? Rather than being hypocritical with those nobles, I'd rather spend it with the people I truly care about. Besides, I've always worried that my brother will end up like my grandfather, the tyrant he is. I'm so happy that he's taking the initiative to ask for my opinion."
She pursed her lips, not saying another word. She always felt that after her grandfather passed away, her and her brother's lives became much more comfortable.
Ancia: "A charity gala? That has nothing to do with me."
Eve panicked, "How can it be okay? You have to come!"
Ancia said with a smile, "Oh, am I in the category of 'people Her Highness truly cares about'?"
Eve glared at her. "You know perfectly well. If you don't give me a gift I'm happy with, I'll come knocking on your door." The princess then turned to Aurora, who was watching them laughing and joking from the window, and extended an invitation, "Countess Aurora, you must come too."
Aurora straightened her gorgeous purple dress, her eyes gleaming with an unyielding ambition. "Of course, how could I be absent from such an occasion?"
Eve's birthday charity gala was just around the corner. That day, she knocked on the door of Villa No. 11 early in the morning and dragged the drowsy Ancia to the palace to get dressed.
When Ancia fully regained consciousness, she was already wearing a dress from the same collection as Eve's. The colors were harmonious, and anyone who saw them would think that they had a good relationship.
Ancia: "When does the party start?"
Eve: "It's still early, let's eat some bread first."
The bread on the table had been cut into bite-sized pieces. Ancia casually picked up a piece, and the familiar taste and texture surprised her. "Bread from Jenny's Bakery? Did you send someone to queue up to buy it?"
Eve smiled smugly, “You can’t get such fresh bread even if you queue up to buy it. My brother invited the owner to make it and used a week’s profit to hire her to serve me today. Just send someone to the kitchen to tell her what kind of bread I want.”
She leaned closer, her thick eyelashes fluttering, "Ancia, what... what gift did you prepare for me today?"
Ancia first took out the wooden carving of an eagle with outstretched wings, its eyes coated with a layer of silver powder. She said softly, "Eve, may you be free from constraints, soar high on the wind, and forever fly in the sky."
Eve picked up the wooden carving with delight. It wasn't the most precious gift she had ever received, but it was her favorite. She stroked the carving lovingly, clearly adoring it so much that she couldn't stop smiling, yet her lips still lingered, "Hmph, barely passable."
Ancia chuckled softly, "There's more, don't get too excited yet."
She then took out a wind-based magic book, which she had specifically asked her mentor Cheryl to find. "There is only one copy of this magic book in the world, and it is not even in the Royal Library. Eve, I have always believed that you will become a wind mage."
Even without the advantages of being a princess, Eve is hardworking enough among magicians. The brilliance of her crown always overshadows her efforts in pursuing magic, making people overlook that she is also one of the few magicians who has reached the three-star level in her first year.
Eve took the grimoire, buried herself in Ancia's arms, and could no longer speak.
Many people questioned her, many people praised her, many people hated her, and many people fawned over her... but all of them were facing Eve Augustine, her surname, and her status as a princess.
Only Ancia, despite having only known Eve for a short time, only saw Eve from the very beginning.
Through her name and haughty appearance, she saw her ideals, her soul.
Eve thought that even if a mage lived for five hundred years, she would remember this moment forever.
She said sullenly, "Ancia, you're so annoying."
Ancia patted her shoulder, "Do you hate me again?"
Eve shook her head, expressing her thoughts honestly for the first time, "Ancia, we'll always be best friends, best friends for life, okay?"
Before Ancia could agree, Eve thought of the Heart of the Tower in the Royal Treasury. Her brother hadn't given her a gift yet, so she could get this magical item and buy land near Cheryl's Light Mage Tower. Once she became a Magister, she could build her own Wind Mage Tower there and become Ancia's neighbor.
Anyway, she's a proud and willful princess, and she just wants to stick to Anciya. Anciya will probably advance to nine stars before her, but she won't be much slower.
Ancia smiled and said, "Okay."
The charity gala that evening was indeed sparsely attended; apart from Eve's invited friends, there were only ministers and nobles in important positions.
Ancia suddenly remembered something and asked Eve, "What is Verion's birthday?"
Eve: "My brother's birthday? What a coincidence, it's the day after mine."
Isn't that after midnight?
Just then, Verion arrived at the banquet hall and, through the layers of people bowing, looked towards Ancia.
-----------------------
Author's Note: It's so cute that everyone's eating in silence! They barely speak but keep watching [Let me see].
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
