vncnus Page 293
Page 293
That was Ateliers, whom he had been waiting for. Even in the dead of night, even though her black robes were covered with dust and dirt from the journey, she was as vibrant and beautiful in his eyes as the roses that bloomed before him that night.
Latis suppressed her excitement and longing, straightened her back as if hoping it would make it easier for her to see her, and raised her hand to her chest amidst nervousness and excitement.
As he lowered his head slightly, mimicking the solemn gestures Ateliers made to him in both simulations and reality, a trembling heat began to surge up his spine, rushing to the back of his head, and finally exploding into a brilliant burst of fireworks above his head.
He suddenly began to understand, to some extent, the love that Artemis had for him.
……
……
"Your Excellency, how are mage towers built?"
"Sir, I'm a little worried that the teachers at the academy might find our attire too crude..."
"This place looks so bustling, can we really stay here?"
"I wonder if I'll ever see someone as kind as Your Excellency again..."
"Lord mages, no, gentlemen mages, do you even welcome us...?"
"Let's think about the upcoming entrance exam first!"
……
Artemis's pointed ears twitched slightly as she listened to the anxious chatter of the apprentices behind her through her hood, and a faint smile appeared on her face.
She didn't answer or explain any questions, nor did she participate in any topics, because they had already asked the questions countless times on the way. Now, they were just expressing the various emotions that kept welling up inside them and didn't really need a response.
Perhaps this is what humanity is like: unstable yet full of life. Compared to the dullness and loneliness that come with a long life, human desires seem to be closer to the legend of Mildred, which is revered by the elves.
A gentle look appeared in Artemis's eyes. After much reflection and growth, she understood the true meaning of life better than she had ever before.
Perhaps this truth is different from the truth in human cognition, and also different from the truth in the cognition of pure-blooded elves, but as a half-elf, she does not need to rely on either side to seek her own identity. She simply follows her own will to bloom with all her colors.
Suddenly, her real name began to shine in her mind.
It wasn't that she activated an ability based on her real name, nor that the person linked to her borrowed her real name's ability; rather, it was a feeling of mutual reflection.
Simply put, a real name is like a star, and the people connected to it are like a lake. When the distance is far, the starlight shines on the lake, and the lake reflects the starlight.
As the distance increases, the reflected light becomes increasingly dazzling, until the star is almost immersed in the lake, at which point it is illuminated by the lake's reflection.
Is this its own reflection or the lake itself emitting its invisible light? No one can be sure. Depending on the state of the two connected entities, the light will be completely different. For example, for Latis and Ateliers, perhaps when the stars are thrown into the lake, the light they release will be ten or a hundred times greater than before.
As for the views on true names on the continent of Atlantis, there is actually no unified understanding so far, because apart from races that are born with true names, everyone else, whether they are mages, warriors, knights or other professions, needs to search for their true names in the starry sky.
They naturally wouldn't reveal the effects of their true names casually, only hinting at their characteristics in snippets of description. Simply put, it's a fragment of power that leads to a higher level, but it can also become an unexpected hindrance.
A strong throbbing surged through Artemis's heart. Guided by this captivating feeling, she immediately looked up at the tallest spire on the city skyline at the end of the road.
Her gaze pierced through the magical clouds that resembled flowing clouds, looking towards the top of the mage tower, where Latis was watching her from afar.
Their gazes met in the air, and even at this distance, she seemed to clearly see her own reflection in Latis's dark eyes.
Suddenly, she saw Latis reveal a bright smile, and then solemnly bow to her with his hand on his chest.
Ateliers' eyes widened instantly, and the tips of her ears immediately burned. The gesture and angle of this greeting were exactly the same as when she bowed to Latis. This guy was definitely imitating her on purpose!
However, a hint of shyness quickly crept onto her cheeks. Just as she had immediately abandoned the idea of hiding her love when Latis gave her the "Autumn Leaves' Distant Dream" earrings, being expressed with the same feelings as herself felt like being unreasonably coerced into having her emotions manipulated. This would instantly shatter her fragile composure and slight pride.
"Big brother is so mean..."
The half-elf couldn't help but murmur to herself. She wanted to immediately sprout magical wings and fly to her lover at the top of the tower, but an apprentice suddenly appeared in front of her.
"Your Excellency, are you not continuing your journey?"
She suppressed the surging emotions within her, looked down at the apprentice before her, and said with a smile:
"I won't go into the inner city with you. Just follow this road, pass through the gate of the spire wall, and after being inspected by the guards, you will have completed your apprenticeship."
“I see…” The apprentices stopped for a moment, looked at each other for a few seconds, and then suddenly bowed to Ateliers in unison.
"Thank you, Your Excellency the Ferryman!"
"Ah, no need, no need!"
Artemis was startled and quickly beckoned them to stand up, but the apprentices not only ignored her, but also began to express their gratitude in their own local dialects. Some even knelt down and performed a grand ceremony comparable to that of paying respects to one's parents.
"What are you doing?!"
The half-elf frantically helped up one apprentice after another, but as soon as she helped one up, the one in front of her would suddenly bend over. Filled with anxiety, she instinctively looked towards Latis on the mage tower for help, only to find that her unreliable older brother was already laughing so hard he was doubled over, showing absolutely no intention of offering assistance.
"Ugh! You stinky big brother!"
Artemis cursed inwardly, and after standing there in a daze for a few seconds, she reluctantly accepted the apprentices' courtesy.
"Anyway... it's getting late."
She composed herself, looked at her apprentices who were beginning to listen attentively to her final instructions, and finally couldn't help but smile. She took a step back and performed a Buddhist nun's salute.
"May your future path as Dharma Masters always be filled with the vibrancy of life, may you always remember the hardships you have faced, and may you always hold boundless ideals for the future."
Hearing this blessing, which was so different from what they usually heard, the apprentices looked at each other in bewilderment. However, they had already gotten used to the extraordinary thoughts and ways of this guide on the journey of the extradition, so they could remember what she said.
"Goodbye, Your Excellency!"
After the apprentices offered their blessings in a flurry, they left reluctantly yet with anticipation. Their steps gradually became firm and swift, a result not only of their own inner will but also of the mark left by the mysterious guide.
Artemis watched the apprentices' departing figures and finally breathed a sigh of relief. Just as she was about to look back at the location of her own mage tower, a red-haired girl suddenly stepped out from the middle of the group and quietly approached her.
"Your Excellency, are you just leaving like this?"
Hongli cautiously looked up at the shadows beneath Ateliers' hood. Although she had been secretly observing her guide the whole way, she hadn't really dared to speak. In her mind, high-ranking mages were all powerful, cold, and mysterious, but this lady seemed different. Therefore, as they parted, she couldn't help but recall her initial thoughts.
I must become this ferryman's apprentice!
Although she had this idea, Hong Lite still couldn't bring it up directly. If she hadn't taken the academy's test, she wouldn't have the face to become this powerful lord's apprentice. Therefore, she decided to take the test first.
But before that...
"Um, sir, may I know your name... or your identity?"
Artemis looked surprised as she listened to Honglit's request. The reason she hadn't revealed her name was that she didn't expect to gain anything from the apprentices. After all, she wanted to help them out of her own free will, and the Mage Guild offered rewards to those who acted as ferrymen... Unexpectedly, the apprentices ended up respecting her, their temporary ferryman, even more.
"If fate allows, we will meet again."
The half-elf thought for a moment and then said:
“I live in Lundia and I see you going to school every day.”
"Oh, oh... Well then, sir, we shall meet again someday..."
A hint of disappointment flashed across Hong Lit's face, but she quickly cheered up. If it were anyone else, they would definitely think that this gentleman was politely declining, but Hong Lit was different. She had already determined her future goal based on these few words.
Find that mage tower where you can see everyone going to school every day!
Seeing that Honglite had also left with the group of apprentices, Artemis finally breathed a sigh of relief and looked up at the top of the mage tower again.
There, Latis had already presented a large bouquet of roses, and when she looked at him again, he waved the roses around.
She should have marveled at how intense human emotions were, but as her apprentices repeatedly interrupted her longing to return home, the impulse within her grew stronger with each attempt to restrain her desires—an urgency hardly befitting an elf with a long life.
She suddenly realized that she already shared almost the same feelings as her lover.
Artemis lowered her head with a slightly reproachful smile, guessing that her ears must be red by now.
Fortunately, she was wearing her favorite hooded coat today. She thought to herself, how shy she would be without the hood.
Chapter 295 Preliminary Notes Before Getting to the Point
Artemis flew silently up to the mage tower.
On such a night, with her shimmering, ethereal wings fluttering behind her, she looked just like a fairy from a fairy tale.
Latis instinctively took a step forward, and before Atelier could land, he grabbed her waist and pulled her into his arms.
The shimmering magical wings traced two faint arcs of light, then dissipated quietly upon impact, transforming into countless emerald fireflies that danced around the two for a moment before gradually fading away.
The half-elf's supple body appeared exceptionally slender in Latis's arms. As her hood fell, the wind blew it open, finally exposing her bright red ear tips.
But she wasn't so shy in front of the person she loved. Instead, she secretly tiptoed and, taking advantage of the opportunity to rest her chin on Latis's shoulder, rubbed her ear against his ear haphazardly.
Latis had perhaps been at the top of the tower for too long, and his ears had gotten a little cool. When Atelier noticed this, she suddenly realized that her ears were actually hotter than Latis's.
This seemed like nothing special, but Artemis's heart suddenly fluttered. She turned her head, rested her cheek on Latis's shoulder, and looked at Latis's ear.
"Big brother's ears are round and thick..."
The thought flashed through Artemis's mind, but she immediately realized what she was thinking. A blush crept onto her cheeks, and she blinked her azure eyes, puffing out her cheeks in embarrassment.
"It's all my brother's fault, that's why I... Ugh, it's all my brother's fault!"
She couldn't resist leaning forward and gently biting Latis's ear.
"Oh, you miss me that much?"
Feeling the damp sensation of her teeth gently rubbing against his earlobe, Latis finally spoke with a teasing tone. He didn't say anything like "Finally back" or "Long time no see," phrases he'd already uttered countless times during their usual long phone conversations. Therefore, when Ateliers returned, there was no need for further pleasantries; the distance between them remained just as close, as if they had never been apart.
That's not what I meant!
Artemis released her mouth, bumped her forehead against Latis's cheek twice, then let out a soft hum and said:
"That's not what I meant, but I really do miss you."
"I miss you too, Art."
Latis turned his head, but unexpectedly, Ateliers was about to kiss his cheek, so she directly pressed her lips to his.
"Well!"
The half-elf's eyes widened instantly, and she immediately realized what had happened. She hesitated for a moment, but instead of moving her head away, she gently and awkwardly offered her tongue.
Her tongue was clumsy, like a fledgling bird just peeking out of its nest, unaware of whether the outside air was cold or warm. Latis, on the other hand, was like an unexpected yet skillful eagle; even if he wasn't exactly gentle, he was enough to make the fledgling feel excitedly intoxicated and securely protected as it soared through the sky.
It wasn't the first time they had kissed each other, nor was it the first time their lips and tongues had touched. However, after a brief separation, they seemed to finally understand that lips and tongues were not only a verbal expression, but also a silent way of speaking.
After a long while, Ateliers finally withdrew her tongue, gently tilted her head back, opened her eyes which were now like a gushing spring, and looked at Latis with a smile.
Her calves ached from standing on tiptoe for so long, so she had to reluctantly fall back to the ground. Upon noticing this, Latis instinctively caught her, but after letting go, she returned to her original height.
"I did not do it on purpose!"
Artemis reiterated, just as before, that she wasn't such a restless sprite, but then she blinked and continued, just as before:
"Although it wasn't intentional, I really wanted to kiss you."