Chapter 291: Klisa’s Carelessness

Yanshan City on a winter night.

Possessed a very peculiar landscape.

Neon lights mirrored the bright moon, transcendence and technology coexisted; in this modern city of interlacing light and shadow, the silhouettes of Transcendents often flitted by.

Some flew on swords.

Others rode on Demonic Beasts.

Or else, they moved with lithe grace, leaping across rooftops and scaling walls among the skyscrapers.

Multicolored neon lights shone, outlining the city's silhouette in the snowy night; hurried pedestrians and flowing traffic formed vibrant, glowing vistas.

Amidst that chilly tranquility.

Xu Xi could still faintly hear the soft breathing of the witch behind him.

In the dead of night where all sounds were hushed, the witch's breathing was steady and continuous, dissolving into the curtain of night and flowing silently.

It was very quiet.

And very cute.

At this moment, Xu Xi suddenly recalled that since the end of the second simulation, he had rarely spent time alone in a room with the witch like this.

On one hand, it was because Klisa had become increasingly reliable.

She no longer needed Xu Xi's guidance.

On the other hand, in the real world, Xu Xi had no lifespan-related restrictions and didn't need Klisa's constant attention.

"Mentor, please have a cup of hot tea to warm yourself up."

While Xu Xi was reminiscing about the past.

The considerate witch had brought tea from somewhere, supporting the cup with a tray and steadily offering it to Xu Xi.

The surface of the water swayed slightly, rippling, and was a vibrant red color.

It was dragon blood spiritual tea, possessing both great taste and aroma.

"Thanks, Klisa."

Xu Xi took the cup, habitually thanking the girl, and took a sip of the tea; yes, it was a familiar taste.

Mellow yet refreshing.

High Grade.

"Good tea," Xu Xi clicked his tongue lightly, feeling that the dragon blood spiritual tea he grew himself was much better than the Chaka in the Magic World.

To this day, he couldn't forget the expensive price of one gold coin per cup.

Whoosh—

Whoosh—

The wind outside grew more violent.

The pitch-black sky was being churned, the old windows rattled, and from time to time, bits of cold wind whistled through the gaps, swirling in the empty old house.

But the loyal witch would not allow any factor that might affect Xu Xi to exist.

She lightly raised a finger.

Under the moonlight, the desolate cold wind dissipated on its own, vanishing along with the falling snow, dispersing silently and peacefully.

"…"

Her eyelashes trembled slightly, and the moisture covering the surface of her eyes further accentuated her calm and indifference in the hazy glimmer.

Anything that affected Xu Xi.

Could not escape the capture of those eyes.

"Klisa, there's no need to be so serious. Why don't you sit down?"

Xu Xi chuckled slightly.

However, Klisa was unwilling to do so.

Expressionless, she stood beside Xu Xi, holding a tray in one hand and a kettle in the other.

There was an indescribable seriousness about her.

What was she doing?

Klisa's answer was simple: she was waiting for Xu Xi to finish his tea so she could refill it with fresh hot tea.

Calm, simple.

Just like in the Magic World, the witch served Xu Xi in her own way, meticulously and earnestly, in a manner she deemed useful to him.

This was the following of the "Dim Shadow."

It was also the spreading of wings by the "Caged Bird."

It was not a shackle.

This was the freedom exclusive to the witch.

"Then… I'll trouble you, Klisa," Xu Xi handed over the empty cup, subconsciously meeting those gorgeous eyes.

Noble gold, silent black, and blood-weeping red.

Tricolored eyes.

Symbolizing the witch's three transformations.

"Thinking about it now, the simulation experience in the Magic World was truly full of twists and turns," Xu Xi lamented.

Just then, something unexpected happened.

The witch, having taken the empty cup and about to pour new tea, unexpectedly had a slip of the hand, and the kettle fell to the ground.

All the tea inside spilled out.

Amidst the thumping sound of the impact.

Some of the water even soaked the witch's dress and left droplets on her silver-gray hair.

"I'm sorry, Mentor…"

Klisa stood there blankly as water droplets slid down the strands of hair on her forehead, dripping onto the ground.

She apologized.

Her expression was dazed, and her body was wet.

By her feet, the kettle rolled and spun until it came to a stop.

"It's alright, Klisa."

Xu Xi's expression was initially surprised, but then it softened, and he comforted the witch in a gentle voice: "There's nothing to apologize for; it's just a small matter."

There was no blame or harshness.

Such things would be meaningless.

With the help of magic, the mess from the overturned kettle was quickly cleared away.

As for the wetness on the witch, Xu Xi used a long-unused wind-fire composite magic—his self-created Hairdryer Spell—to help dry her soaking hair.

Klisa was very good and remained perfectly still.

Her hair fluttered in the warm wind.

Revealing her exquisite face.

Without joy or sorrow, expressionless, yet somehow rich with emotion.

While drying Klisa's hair, Xu Xi had a slight hallucination; the grown-up Klisa before him seemed to overlap with her fragile childhood self.

"Is something wrong, Mentor?"

Klisa asked.

She had noticed the hesitation in Xu Xi's movements.

"It's nothing," Xu Xi smiled and shook his head, continuing to cast Fire Magic and Wind Magic to blow the girl's hair completely dry, leaving not a single trace of water.

"I just suddenly remembered when I first met you, Klisa."

"Time really does fly."

Xu Xi's tone was full of emotion.

The Klisa of the past was thin and weak, in a desolate state as if she might die at any moment.

That wretched appearance was still deeply etched in Xu Xi's mind.

And now.

The girl had grown up.

Growing to a point that surprised even Xu Xi.

Was he happy? Indeed, he was.

Was he moved? Indeed, he was.

But more than that, it was a sense of gratification; seeing the girl he once knew grow up brought Xu Xi more joy than becoming stronger himself.

From learning magic at the very beginning to the subsequent Awakening of power and taking on the management of the Courtyard alone.

Every transformation of Klisa's.

Xu Xi had witnessed them all.

The once scrawny and pitiful girl had long since grown into a reliable adult with great power, no longer needing Xu Xi's worry or concern.

"Alright, Klisa, you can stand up now."

After drying the girl's hair, Xu Xi let go.

The witch stood up.

Her silver-gray hair cascaded down.

Caressed by the moonlight, it gathered into a magnificent silver waterfall, with starlight blooming at the tips of the strands.

"Thank you, Mentor," Klisa spoke, politely thanking Xu Xi, though her expression was quite unnatural.

On her chest, deep blue waves shimmered—the reflection of the Sea-blue Necklace.

It was very turbulent.

Very intense.

Rising and falling.

Like a child who had secretly done something wrong.

But Klisa was so good and obedient, how could she possibly do anything wrong?