Mage Manual

"Two ice cream cones, please!"

"Two grilled fatty lamb skewers, please."

After buying a bunch of street snacks, Ash sighed, "It's been eight months since the war broke out, yet Black Robe Town seems like nothing ever happened."

"It's just how things are," Black Crow said, carrying the snack bags, "Tanomu once said there are fewer days without wars on the Wasteland than you can count on one hand."

"Let's not go back just yet. Let's eat right here."

Ash suddenly ducked into a dark corner of an alley. Black Crow shook his head, "I'm not eating."

"I'll lean against this wall, you lean against that one. Even if you take off your mask, I won't be able to see you." Ash pointed at the two perpendicular walls in the corner. "I can hear your stomach growling."

"Impossible. I can go three days without food or water without any physiological reaction."

"Are you eating or not? If you don't, I won't bring you out to eat next time. You always just watch us eat, making it seem like we're excluding you." Ash pressed against one wall and handed the cone to the other side, where he couldn't see. "This is when you should gratefully accept my kindness with tears of joy."

"Sorry, I never trained for crying, can't fake it."

Despite saying that, Black Crow still took the food, leaned against the wall, and, removing his mask, ate silently.

"How is it? Tasty?"

"It's good, but not as good as mine."

Ash was shocked, "Not as good as yours? You can cook?"

"Yeah," Black Crow said, "I'm the best cook among Ya Sha Jin. Every time I return to the sect, everyone waits for me to cook."

"So you can do everything except magic, huh?" Ash teased, "Then why don't you cook often?"

"No chance and no need. We've been roughing it, eating canned food is already a luxury."

"But I'm curious about your cooking skills! The Black Crow, who kills without batting an eye, can also wash his hands and make soup?"

"If I get the chance, I can cook for you guys."

"It's a promise then!"

While licking the ice cream, Ash asked, "So, Tamasi, when do you plan to leave?"

"...Huh?"

"We've given up chasing Silver Lamp and don't want to tangle with the Mercury Wooden Horse. We're solely focused on finding a way to leave Senluo." Ash said, "Our paths no longer align, so I feel we shouldn't hold you back..."

He hadn't finished when he heard a thud, the sound of the cone hitting the ground.

"...Do you despise me?"

Ash was taken aback, then chuckled without turning around, reaching out to smack Black Crow on the head. "The Mirror of Flowers is this potent? Are you affected by hormones now? How could you say something so weak?"

"Besides, I haven't finished talking." He said, "I was worried that you might hesitate to leave because of us, and I don't want to waste your time. However, if you're not concerned about us and want to walk the same path..."

"Tamasi, do you want to leave Senluo with us?"

Outside the alley, the sound of voices was noisy, and pedestrians were abundant. The bustling sound of the night market permeated every corner of the town, as if this place wasn't a wasteland, as if there wasn't a war outside.

"...Mercury Wooden Horse."

Black Crow didn't answer directly, only mentioning a name.

"Right, you still seek revenge against the Mercury Wooden Horse." Ash sighed, "I can't possibly say something idiotic like 'give up hatred.' Even though the Mercury Wooden Horse is currently much stronger than you, and it can afford countless mistakes, while you only need one to be doomed; even though the Four Pillars God Sect is about to unify Senluo, making your chance for revenge even smaller; even though..."

He paused, "You surely know the impossibility better than I do, and you're more aware of the insurmountable difficulties, yet you insist on revenge. How could I have the right to stop you? But..."

Ash's 'but' lingered for a while without a useful conclusion, ending with a deep sigh, "Sorry, Tamasi."

Black Crow was surprised, "Why apologize?"

"You've helped me so much, yet I can't help you with your revenge." Ash said quietly, "I still have people I want to meet, and I can't waste my life in Senluo."

"You don't have to apologize," Black Crow said. "I never expected to get anything from you."

"But you still want to help me leave Senluo?"

"Yes."

Ash was silent for a while before suddenly having a realization, "Oh right, if I leave Senluo, Silver Lamp automatically becomes the touchpoint, and then the Mercury Wooden Horse becomes mortal. Your chance for revenge would come!"

Black Crow was momentarily stunned, then nodded, "Yes."

"So you can't leave Senluo with us," Ash said. "But if that's the case, I need to think about how to settle you. You surely won't join other sects, and you can't reassemble the Ya Sha Jin sect, so I should find you a few allies..."

"You don't need to worry about me," Black Crow said. "I can survive on my own."

"Tamasi, have you forgotten you're illiterate?"

"Ash, have you forgotten that before meeting you guys, I was wandering alone, assassinating the Mercury Wooden Horse on my own, and facing the Four Pillars God Sect by myself?"

"Do you prefer being alone, or living with us?"

Seeing Black Crow fall silent, Ash smiled, "Even tools need maintenance. You're not good at taking care of yourself. If you live like you did before, you'll break sooner or later."

"...I won't."

"In any case, before I leave, I'll figure out how to settle you, as a form of repayment." Ash said, "Having toured most of Senluo, do you have a place in mind? Want to live somewhere? Or go back to the old Ya Sha Jin sect?"

"By the way, what kind of girl do you like? On second thought, I should help you solve this life issue before leaving, so you'll at least have someone to care for you. After your revenge, you won't feel empty..."

Seeing Ash's thoughts increasingly scatter, Black Crow had to repeat, "You really don't need to think about me!"

"But—"

"I haven't decided yet."

Ash blinked, "Haven't decided?"

"I haven't decided," Black Crow said. "I have reasons to stay, but..."

"I'm also not opposed to the idea of leaving."

Ash blinked, chuckled lightly, "Then think slowly, there's no rush. We actually have made no progress on leaving Senluo. By the time we leave, the Mercury Wooden Horse might already be dead."

"By then, you can have no worries and come with us to other lands." Ash patted Black Crow's shoulder, "If you want more people to follow your path, let the prestige of Ya Sha Jin spread across the six nations!"

"...Yes."

"Alright, let's go back. If we don't, Igula will start cursing."

When they reached the brightly lit street, Black Crow, looking at Ash with red hair and red eyes, perhaps due to their earlier heart-to-heart, couldn't suppress his curiosity, "Ash, how does the Mirror of Flowers' effect make you look nothing like your real self?"

Although others also changed significantly, many noticeable features like Igula's blond hair, Harvey's dark skin, Qikara's beast-man traits, and Gwen's blue hair were retained. Only Ash's hair color and complexion were entirely different, becoming a completely different person.

"Huh?" Ash blinked, hesitated for a moment, then said, "I'll tell you a secret, don't share it with anyone, especially Igula and the others."

"Remember, my love life is a bit chaotic, right?"

Black Crow blinked, "Could it be..."

"Exactly!" The Cult Leader stepped back two steps, spun in place, and with a broad smile said, "I don't know why, but every time the Mirror of Flowers changes my appearance into a girl I like. Tamasi, you're the first to see her, even Igula and the others only know about it, never seen her!"

"Well, is she pretty?"

After waiting for a while and not getting a response from Black Crow, Ash pouted, "Fine, fine, I didn't have high hopes for your aesthetic as a Ya Sha Jin, let's hurry... Wait, this smell is great, I'm going to buy some as a midnight snack."

As Ash went over to buy snacks, Black Crow looked at his back and softly whispered a line:

"Very good."