Chapter 916 (1/2)

Chapter 916: A Second Trip to the Ruin

Translator: TransN Editor: TransN

“… I used to be like you.” Pasha suddenly broke the silence. “Every time my friends went to war, I would wait at the city gate. The Union even built a high tower there for people to rest. They would know immediately if someone came back.”

“Are you talking about Taquila?” Tilly asked.

“Yes, but after a few years, nobody but the garrison visited there. Do you know why?”

“…” Tilly did not reply but she already knew the possible answer.

“Because all we got was disappointment and grieve in the end.” Pasha put her tentacle on Tilly’s shoulder. “Witches are connected through magic power. Our bond is much stronger than blood. Once we get to know each other, everyone would become our sister, no matter if she was an ordinary combat witch or a member of the Blessed Army. However, the intimate relationship also generated negative emotions on the tower. It was frustrating to see bodies be sent back from the front on the day of return. When our outer defensive line gradually shrank and nobody needed to depart for war, the Union ordered the high tower to be torn down.”

“Are you trying to say that it’s unnecessary to wait for them?”

“Quite the opposite. I want to say that the fact that you’re still longing for their return means that you haven’t truly lost something,” Pasha said in a slow and gentle tone. “I hope you’ll never turn into someone like me, who views sacrifice as the new norm.”

“I have lost a lot of things. I made many decisions when I left the palace for Sleeping Island. A lot of them were decisions of loss and gain, and I had to abandon some of my closest friends… As long as I choose the right path, I won’t hesitate. But there’s someone who is different. There’s always one or two people that hold a special place in my heart, who always make me restless.” Tilly held the stone ring of Lightning in her hand tighter. It was no problem for her to control the two Magic Stones alternatively, but Ashes could not even fly a straight line with the two Stones. Therefore, she had to keep the ring to herself.

Nevertheless, Tilly did not reveal her thoughts but simply nodded slightly. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. I’ll go check how the digging of defensive line at the border is going. There’s a room with a bed near the entrance to the hall. You can sleep there if you want.”

“Got it.”

After Pasha headed back the way she had come, Tilly suddenly had a cold feeling around her palm.

She spread out her hand and found one corner of the magic stone fixed by the ring had come off. The fragment sank into her flesh and left a tiny bead of blood on her hand.

…

“It’s been five days. Why haven’t we seen the ruins yet?” Lotus grumbled. “It’s so boring hiding underground all day.”

“How do I know? In any case, I’ll go wherever your tunnel is heading.” A girl with braided hair shrugged. She threw a piece of dried meat into the air and then opened her mouth. With a flash of blue light, the dried meat disappeared and her cheeks puffed up. “Yum… So it isn’t a lie. Life in Neverwinter is indeed luxurious. Even their rations are so delicious.”

“T-tunnel? Do you think I’m a mole?”

“Pretty much.”

“Um… you’d better go easy on the food.” Iffy sighed. “I don’t want to return with an empty stomach.”

“I don’t want to be lectured by a witch from the Bloodfang Association.” The girl jerked her head away from Iffy. “I’ve heard that you once conspired against Princess Tilly. If I were her, I wouldn’t even share wheat cakes with you, let alone dried meat.”

Iffy rolled her eyes.