Chapter 76.1 – Protagonist: Do you have someone you like?

The wind made the water of the lake ripple. Vivian’s golden hair danced in the wind and she put a hand up to keep it away from her face. Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw Xiu in the woods but her surprise quickly turned into pleasure “It’s you.”

Xiu was quietly observing Vivian’s expression. When he saw how the girl’s face was filled with joy, he walked out from the shadow of the woods with a smiled and greeted her as though they were two friends who had not seen each other for a while: “Long time no see, did you lose your bracelet in a lake again?”

The lake’s blue surface reflected the image of two people. A long time ago, when Xiu was still a student of the Magic School, they had met when Vivian lost her bracelet in a lake and Xiu helped her find it. Thinking of that time, Vivian began to smile and she stretched out her hand to reveal an old-fashioned chain on her wrist.

“Thank you for helping me find it. To me this is a very important memento.” Vivian’s beautiful eyes stared at Xiu: “Last time, because of an urgent summons, I did not have the chance to thank you before I left. Thank the god of light that we have met again.”

“Me too, seeing you again … I am happy.” Xiu smiled and said: “I did not expect you to be one of the tower climbers.”

The corners of Vivian’s mouth turned up slightly, forming a crescent moon shape. This handsome golden-haired, blue-eyed youth has made a good impression on her. Perhaps because they didn’t exchange names, this person will not compliment her because of her identity. Neither will he approach her because of her beauty. Whether it was the first time they met or the present meeting, they were able to get along with each other naturally, as if they had known each other for a long time.

The two people have a tacit understanding that it’s better not to ask each other’s name. Vivian asked Xiu: “How long have you been here?”

“I just arrived.” Xiu smiled somewhat helplessly: “I haven’t figured out this situation yet.”

“I’m nine days ahead of you so I’m leaving soon,” she said. Vivian winked at Xiu: “Let me give you some tips as a thank you since you helped me last time. We are now in the dragon caves. The lizard creatures will continue to try to to seize our nests and we must hold them off for 10 days. On the last day, the dragon god Io will appear – have you ever heard of Io?”

“Ah, the nine-colored dragon god Io, he can appear as any type of dragon.”

“Yes, Io can transform into any type of dragon. He is strong, but there is a way to weaken him.” Vivian smiled: “There are many troglodyte caves among the dragon caves. They have treasures. Bring those treasures back to your lair. The more of those treasures you have in your lair, the more dragons will drawn to attack it.”

“Each time you kill one of those dragons, you seal one of Io’s dragon forms.” Vivian smiled slightly: “Without his dragon forms, fighting Io won’t be too difficult.”

Xiu looked at the ignorant holy woman. He lowered his eyes and smiled. “Thank you, really … Thank you so much.”

Vivian can’t help but stare at Xiu’s mouth. That person’s hair and smile, they are both as dazzling as the sun.

“I have a friend who looks like you.” Vivian murmured: “He also has a splendid blond hair and is a good knight.”

Xiu’s eyes darkened; knew that Vivian was talking about the son of the lord, Eric.

“If I ever have the chance, I’d like to see the friend you’re talking about.” The curvature of Xiu’s lips was unchanged: “Am I really like him?”

Vivian nodded. “I think you would be able to get along with each other, but …”

The beautiful face of the holy saint became touched by a slight melancholy. “I have lost my friend, because he used a forbidden magic he is no longer able to use martial arts and magic. On one day, he and his partner quietly left the Temple of Light … left us.”

“I’m sorry,” Xiu said.

Vivian shook her head and motioned to Xiu that he shouldn’t apologize. Leaves fell from the trees into the lake, satirically looking at all of this.¹

“I left a long time ago and now I have to go back. You -” Vivian paused, and then said: “Would you like to come with me? I can let my disci-… companions help you.”

Being with this person felt right and parting with him makes her feel sorrowful.

“You want to help me because you are seeing ‘me’ now.”

Vivian was very confused. She looked at Xiu. The young blond’s voice was light, as though he was talking to himself. Before she could ask him what he meant, Xiu suddenly asked her another question: “Do you have someone you like?”

Vivian’s heartbeat sped up. This was the first time she felt this type of strange mood.She was silent for a moment then said: “I wholeheartedly believe in the god of light, I have no other thoughts but to serve him.”

“… So you will never feel my feelings.” Xiu said softly: “Do you know what it feels like to drift on the sea with only a piece of driftwood? Knowing that you can live because you have that piece of driftwood… the driftwood in your arms becomes even more important than your life – it sounds ridiculous, but that’s how I feel right now.”

Vivian stared at Xiu. The person in front of her was smiling – his lips were curved up and his eyebrows were raised in a smile but his eyes weren’t smiling at all. They were like water, a pure, beautiful blue light that brought only a terrible cold.

“There is someone I like so I can’t stand anything that might threaten to steal him away from me.”

Although Vivian’s necklace automatically triggered and quickly created a defensive barrier around her, Xiu’s dragon spear easily penetrated the light shield. The spear stabbed into Vivian’s stomach. Xiu bent close to Vivian and said: “I am not like Eric. His honor, compassion towards the weak, and sense of justice towards all … I don’t have any of those.”

The reflection on the surface of the lake was like a portrait of two perfectly matched people. Although the scene was the same as that time long ago, one of them had already changed.

Vivian opened her eyes. She spoke with great difficulty, her voice trembling and stuttering like the hands of an old clock: “Eric… You … are …?”

Xiu smiled, showing an almost gentle cruelty

“- The wicked Xiu, I remember you called me that.”

“…”

Vivian fell to the ground without a sound. Xiu pulled out the dragon spear. There was no blood on the spear and Vivian’s abdomen also had no scar – she was not dead but she was frozen in time. Xiu sent the sleeping girl down into the lake. He watched as, little by little, she was swallowed by the blue water.

Floating in the water, desperately holding on to a piece of driftwood, even if the driftwood is lost, death will not come immediately but the pain of struggling in the water is worse than death.

He fears losing Du Ze in the future, therefore he will do everything he can to keep him.

********

Translator’s Notes:

• The name Vivian is closely related to Arthurian myth. The Lady of the Lake, who is sometimes called Vivian, is a sorceress who gave Arthur Excalibur and raised Lancelot. The fact that Vivian appeared twice in a lake setting makes me think this is an allusion to the Lady of the Lake.
• This is another Xiu POV section. I really like reading about the story from Xiu’s POV. I’m also somewhat curious about what the others think about all of this. I would love a Violet POV, for example. Remember that arc in the demon cities when she was 100% supporting Xiu X Du Ze? Hahaha, that was fun!
• I wasn’t expecting that. Why didn’t Xiu just kill Vivian? I don’t get it. Why do you think Xiu just froze her time?