Facing the Golden Elf’s eyes, which held a hint of hope.
Xia Ya rely lowered his gaze slightly, avoiding Hathaway’s line of sight.
During these months drifting through the Dinsional Void, aside from thoroughly enjoying the thrill of reversing roles between teacher and student, he hadn’t been doing nothing.
He spent several months thoroughly analyzing the outer layer of the Lost Isle—the detailed structure of that Eternal Night Veil.
To cast such a barrier before falling, one that could envelop an entire royal court and persist for a whole millennium without being detected by outsiders.
Even mythical creatures that ventured into the Endless Sea, hoping to find the location of the Elven Royal Court and uncover treasures left behind by the Elven King, ultimately returned empty-handed.
Just that feat alone was enough to vaguely glimpse the rank of that Elven King.
Even in the First Era, where mythical creatures ran rampant, such an existence was undoubtedly extraordinary. If not, he wouldn’t have beco the master of a royal court during the glorious era before the Cataclysm, nor be revered as the left hand of the Creator, the Sun God.
What concerned Xia Ya even more—
Was still that Sun God, rumored to have fallen a thousand years ago, whose na now only circulated in myths of the First Era.
“In the Church of Dawn during the Fourth Era, there was also the title of ‘Church of the Blazing Sun,’ one of the Seven Gods of Dawn.”
“But for the na alone to stand alongside the other six gods, it probably ans the deity worshipped by the Church of the Blazing Sun isn’t actually that Sun God.”
“Perhaps it rely inherited part of the authority and divinity from that divine bloodbath…”
“And this true Sun God…”
“And the World Tree that appeared with the Glorious Era, beca the foundation of existence, yet withered alongside the Cataclysm…”
A glimr flashed in Xia Ya’s eyes, but because his gaze was lowered, Hathaway beside him didn’t notice.
That veil called Eternal Night nearly blocked all external detection of the Lost Isle.
Whether it was long-range observational skills or predictions and divinations via spiritual intuition, none could glimpse the truth within.
But from certain indirect details, Xia Ya still ford so speculations.
Truths that felt suffocating.
Xia Ya paused slightly, his gaze swept across the Golden Elf beside him, whose face was lit with joy and excitent, and a slight heaviness settled in his heart.
Whether it was the so-called seven True Gods of the Church of Dawn, or those raving Evil Gods from the Abyssal side.
One thing was certain: deities who had attained the Divine Throne were all exalted beings, whose divine essence far surpassed mortal emotions...
Not just their godhood—even the essence of their life had transford, evolved into an entirely new mythical species.
Though their appearance might still resemble their pre-deification race, in truth, they had beco entirely different beings.
Their differing attitudes toward their followers were, at their core, rely different thods and choices for gathering faith.
Perhaps there were exceptions—like the ancient Dragon King who chose to protect his child even if it ant being torn apart by his own kin.
But that was never the norm.
So—
That exalted Elven King who looked down upon all living beings.
When the Cataclysm erupted and even he couldn’t protect himself, would he truly risk his life to protect those so-called kin in the Elven Royal Court, whose races had long diverged from his own?
There had to be so specific intent hidden in that Eternal Night Veil.
Only, such intent might not be what the elves believed it to be.
Of course, if it were only that, it might just be Xia Ya projecting his own cynicism onto others.
Even if their life essence was no longer the sa species, that Elven King had truly been the ruler of the royal court, having protected the Elven Royal Court for countless years.
To develop feelings for his kin and choose to protect them even at the cost of his own life—this wasn’t entirely impossible to believe.
What truly alerted Xia Ya wasn’t these speculations.
But a cold, stark truth—
According to the intelligence Xia Ya had obtained from the Historical Echoes of Aisgania.
Not just in the Fourth Era.
Even in the Third Era, or as far back as the Second Era, there had never been any rumors of High Elves aside from Hathaway.
Even after several eras had passed, and the effects of the Fallen Sun had long since faded, and the Eternal Night Veil should have already shattered—
The High Elves had seemingly vanished along with that Lost Isle.
Gone forever, from the annals of history.
……
“Xia Ya…”
“Xia Ya?”
“Could it be that you got too tired from studying Arcana earlier and are now falling asleep standing up?”
Noticing Xia Ya’s absent-mindedness, Hathaway raised her fair hand and waved it in front of his eyes.
When she saw he still didn’t respond, a hint of mischief suddenly lit up the Golden Elf girl’s pretty face.
She took two small steps back, lifted her white skirt, and a playful curve appeared on her lips.
“Xia Ya… Teacher.”
That sweet, girlish voice startled Xia Ya out of his deep thoughts, and he snapped to attention.
“What did you just call ?”
“Hm? Did I say sothing just now?”
The Golden Elf placed a pale finger to her lips, speaking with slight confusion.
“No matter what you just said, do a favor and say it again.”
“No.”
She smiled and spun in a circle, lifting the white skirt again.
“But—”
The Golden Elf blinked, one eye closing into a wink while the mischief in the other grew stronger.
“If Xia Ya, you’re willing to co with back to the Lost Isle, I’ll call you that every single day.”
Phew—
Xia Ya let out a long breath.
No doubt about it—when the childlike Shī-chan acts cute, it’s honestly a terrifying test of self-restraint.
If it were anyone else, maybe he could manage.
But Xia Ya had seen Hathaway since childhood as the future sovereign seated upon her throne—majestic, solemn, mysterious, and breathtakingly beautiful.
Such a drastic contrast between the past and present felt like a targeted double-critted attack just for Xia Ya.
It was like the aesthetic of a purple-haired old lady piercing a certain cheerful lamp-post king.
Well, it made sense.
According to the Serpent of rcury, transcendent species from the Glorious Era had incredibly long lifespans.
A pure-blooded Golden Elf could live for thousands of years.
aning, by pre-contamination High Elf standards, Hathaway was indeed just barely into adulthood.
And since she fell into the Lost Isle shortly after being born, spending her years in that silent royal court researching mana and the Starrealm… it was no surprise she lacked worldly experience.
Although her current rank and status had already placed her at the pinnacle of the Lost Isle, every now and then, she still revealed a hint of a young girl’s heart.
At the very least, he couldn’t imagine the Shī-chan of the Fourth Era ever saying sothing like this to him.
Xia Ya cald the waves stirred up in his heart by the girl before him and looked once more at the Golden Elf in front of him.
No longer with a playful or teasing expression, but with a serious face, speaking each word with gravity.
“Hathaway.”
“If I said I wanted to take you away from the Lost Isle, away from your kin.”
“To cross the Endless Sea and return to the Western Continent…”
“Would you co with ?”
Sensing the seriousness in Xia Ya’s voice,
the Golden Elf girl also withdrew the faint smile on her pretty face.
She blinked her pale golden eyes, the brief flicker of hesitation and conflict vanishing almost instantly.
“I’m sorry, Xia Ya.”
The Golden Elf spoke softly.
“I’m really grateful to you. If it weren’t for you, I’d probably already be just another corpse drifting through the Dinsional Void.”
“Spending ti in this little house studying Arcana and magic with you has truly made happy.”
“I really want to continue diving into the ocean of Arcana, to seek out the truths you spoke of—those hidden beyond the stars.”
“And I want to beco a powerful wizard like you.”
“But—”
Her gaze shifted slightly.
Then paused beyond the window of ‘Xia Ya’s Flying House,’ staring into the pitch-black and silent depths of the Dinsional Void.
After completing the forbidden-level Arcane model and original spell of “Hathaway: Dinsional Anchor,” she was already capable of pinpointing coordinates in the vast void without any reference.
What Hathaway was looking at—was the direction of the Lost Isle.
“I can’t leave.”
She whispered, “That’s the burden once entrusted to by the fallen Elders of the Council—sothing called the future of the Elven race.”
“Though this burden wasn’t what I wanted at the start, it was a mission forced upon by the old Council Elders because of my exceptional talent… but now, I can no longer discard it.”
“After nearly a thousand years, it’s beco an obsession.”
She didn’t look away, but used her pale golden, beautiful eyes to et Xia Ya’s gaze directly: “After putting in so much effort, crossing endless subspace, and finally discovering the treasure called magic that can illuminate the future of the Elves—”
“If I were to abandon the entire Lost Isle, abandon my race just for a mont of selfishness—”
“If I truly did that, I honestly don’t know how I’d face the eyes of those elders who raised in the Paradise of Sages after I die.”
“Of course—”
“All the Arcane knowledge I’ve learned was taught to by you, Xia Ya.”
“If not for you, even if I had discovered mana in the depths of the Starrealm, I could never have learned to construct Arcane models or complete spellcasting so quickly.”
The Golden Elf looked calmly at Xia Ya, her gaze clear and pure.
“So, if you want to erase my mories of magic, or forcefully take away, or even kill here and now, I have no complaints.”
“I know you’re strong, even stronger than I imagined.”
“Even though you’ve been saying these past few days that I’ve caught up with you in Arcana and magic, I have a vague feeling that Arcana and magic aren’t everything you’re capable of.”
“The real you is far more powerful than the wizard you present.”
……
Tch—
Looking into the pure, unclouded beauty of the Golden Elf girl’s eyes, Xia Ya’s heart couldn’t help but sink.
Teacher, you’re calling my bluff here.
Xia Ya never considered himself that selfless. The matter of the Lost Isle wasn’t nearly as simple as it seed.
The Elven King, the Sun God—the Creator of the Glorious Era, the World Tree… there was layer upon layer of fog and darkness wrapped up in all of it, tangled with too many variables.
To Xia Ya, who had no prior connection with these Elves—who might already be lost to history—it was naturally better to avoid unnecessary trouble.
Even though he often joked about writing an Exotic Species Cultural Evaluation Guide, Xia Ya didn’t exactly extend his love to the entire Elven race.
Back on the Western Continent, the people Xia Ya truly cared about had always been just a handful.
And yet—
“Even if I tell Teacher about what’s happening on the Lost Isle now, she probably wouldn’t believe …”
Xia Ya sighed softly in his heart.
But, well, this was exactly the kind of teacher he knew.
If the girl in front of him had actually agreed to his suggestion so easily, following him without hesitation, then Xia Ya would’ve started wondering if he had the wrong person.
“Alright then.”
He reached out and, to the Golden Elf’s slightly surprised gaze, gently patted her pale golden hair.
Hmm, the texture was sowhere between Xibao’s and Little Ai’s—in short, smooth and amazing.
“Headpat King” achievent progress 1.
“I’ll go back to the Lost Isle with you.”
Xia Ya smiled.
“After all, Hathaway, you’re my proudest—and also the one I worry about the most—chief disciple, aren’t you?”
Xia Ya had already made up his mind. This inverted ntor-disciple relationship? He was all in.
Even the gods couldn’t stop him—he said so himself.
“Really?”
The Golden Elf girl’s previously calm eyes suddenly sparkled, tinged with excitent.
For a mont, she didn’t even notice Xia Ya’s earlier intimate gesture. Instead, she joyfully lifted her skirt and twirled around the small house in light steps.
But soon, the Golden Elf looked at Xia Ya with so concern.
She wasn’t stupid. The reason Xia Ya had asked if she’d leave with him must have been due to so difficulty.
“Xia Ya, is it troubleso for you to enter the Lost Isle?”
“I heard that the Eternal Night Veil was built specifically for the Royal Court… non-elves who try to enter might be seriously affected.”
She spoke with a hint of regret: “If that’s the case, then I’ll just go back alone…”
“No need.”
Xia Ya cut her off with a calm smile: “It’s just that non-elves are heavily suppressed inside and can’t use ntal energy. Once I leave, I’ll recover.”
“It’s nothing serious.”
“Really?”
Hathaway didn’t think much of it and simply nodded lightly.
Because of that, she didn’t see the deeper aning flickering in Xia Ya’s eyes at that mont.
Though her current childlike form was undeniably adorable—
A teacher like this… could never beco the future leader of the Black Tower’s Eight Pages—The Eternal Page.
Xia Ya’s gaze fell silent, fixed on the direction of the Lost Isle in the void.
The future wasn’t necessarily set in stone.
However—
Before then.
This still-young Golden Elf Shī-chan… might just need to experience the harshness of reality.
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