Sorcerer’s Handbook

“So, you can’t tell me what you’re going to do, nor can you give me a clear promise.”

Sonya kicked a stone at her feet, her gaze following its path until it disappeared into the Rain Curtain. “So you want me to pray to the Divine Sovereign for you? But I don’t even believe in gods…”

“I’m not hoping you can help me with anything…”

“Then what do you mean? Do you want to see me worry myself sick over you? Fine.”

Suddenly, Sonya’s eyes brimmed with tears. She rushed over to embrace Ashe, burying her head in his shoulder, her voice quivering, “Don’t go! Don’t leave me. I can’t live without you. We have to be together forever—Is this what you like?”

Sonya pushed him away and calmly said, “You suddenly tell me that you’re going to undertake a very dangerous mission within five days, that you might die, all without giving me any choice. You’re so domineering, Captain. You never give me any options. I just have to obediently listen to

“In many TV dramas I’ve watched,” Sonya suddenly said, “many male leads, even when saying goodbye to the female lead before a dangerous mission, wouldn’t disclose the life-threatening risk. Instead, they would paint a bright future to reassure their partner, adding a lot of tragic color to the plot.”

“I used to wonder why scriptwriters liked using such clichéd plot devices. But now, it seems that clichés have their merits.” Sonya glanced at Ashe’s hand. “If they didn’t follow these clichés, the male leads would just seem too powerless.”

“But didn’t I inform you when I was planning my move in prison?” Ashe said in confusion. “What’s different now?”

“Different in strength, different in process,” the village girl paused. “And different in mood.”

“And did you bring me out alone just to talk about this?” She suddenly remembered something, her expression puzzled. “There’s no need to hide this from the Witch, right? Or…”

She looked at Ashe intently, her eyes sparkling with a glimmer of expectation. “Do you have something more important to tell me?”

However, Ashe shook his head. “This has to be kept from the Witch, and I can only tell you in advance.”

Sonya was slightly taken aback but then realized something.

“I’m not even sure if I have any inheritance to speak of, and I wouldn’t know how to transfer it to you,” Ashe said. “But you and I have the highest Bond Level right now. If I really have any Virtual Realm inheritance, it should all go to you. Like that sports car, and maybe those miscellaneous features…”

Sonya studied him quietly for a moment, then suddenly said, “You didn’t arrange your affairs like this during the Prison Break.”

“Prison Break was dangerous, but I was well-prepared. More importantly, the Blood Moon Kingdom is not quick to kill. Even if the escape failed, my most likely outcome would be becoming a permanent guest of the Blood Moon Tribunal. I might even manage to survive for a few more days,” Ashe explained. “But this time, there may be no such leniency, and…”

He paused. “The mood is indeed different.”

“Is it really that dangerous?”

Ashe blinked and then suddenly shook his head with a laugh. “No, even though I made it sound like a sure-death situation earlier, it’s really not dangerous as long as everything goes smoothly. It’s like driving a car—it’s dangerous, but if you operate it properly, you won’t crash… I was just trying to see if you would worry about me. I didn’t expect you to beat me so thoroughly; you’re not one bit gentle or considerate.”

“Then go find a gentle and considerate woman. I’m sure you have one in real life,” Sonya glared coldly at him. “She’s probably lying in bed right now, waiting for you to come and favor her.”

“Alright, alright, time to get back to exploring. The Witch must be getting impatient, and the white bull seems to have gone far.”

Ashe was just about to head back when suddenly the sword Princess threw herself into his arms, and he felt a punch to his abdomen. ‘Am I finally achieving the honor of being stabbed to death by the sword Princess?’ he thought.

But nothing happened; she merely hit him with her small fist.

“Before I met you, I always wore a Mask,” Sonya whispered in his ear. “Even if you’re wearing a mask when you speak, I can tell with my ears covered.”

She pushed him away, her eyes full of disdain. “Don’t pretend in front of me. You’re acting so indifferent, but aren’t you just hiding your fear? Your poor acting is so obvious; don’t you want me to know? What, do you think I’ll hold you and comfort you, ease your mind?”

Already filled with pressure and prepared to confess to the sword Princess, Ashe couldn’t help but feel angry at such questioning. Adding to this was a bit of shame at having his mind seen through, making his tone sarcastically sharp. “When I calmly explain things, you don’t like it. When I laugh off my crisis, you’re not satisfied either. What do you want me to do? Should I hug you and act spoiled? Should I pull you into my arms to seek warmth?”

Sonya sneered, “And what do you want me to do? Let you rest your head on my lap pillow while I sing to you?”

Ashe gritted his teeth, “And what do you want me to do? Hold hands and stick together all these days?”

“Do you want me to look at you with nothing but love in my eyes, like some love-struck fool?”

“Do you want me to escape from reality every day just to depend on you to survive?”

“Do you want me to change into something cuter and sexier to comfort you?”

“Do you want me to look for chances every day to—”

Before she could finish saying the unspeakable word, Sonya, red-faced with anger, stomped on Ashe’s boot, “Die!”

Then she stormed off in a huff, only to come back and stomp on his other foot. “Hurry up and die! I’m waiting to inherit your stuff, hmph!”

Boom!

Deya looked at the furious sword Princess and momentarily set aside her “Ashe and Annan bed fantasies.” Earlier, in her mind, the Black Butler and the White Queen had been playing out different scenarios where Ashe and Annan were alone, all ending in intimate harmony. It made everyone unhappy, except for the Black Butler, who, though not happy himself, had a face full of delighted expectation, tirelessly imagining explicit dialogues between Ashe and Annan.

“What are you two fighting about?”

“Don’t ask me, ask him!” Sonya pouted, sitting in the back seat. When Ashe returned, she turned her head, looking out at the Reverse Golden Rain.

Ashe silently took the front seat, opened the virtual realm map, and began exploring.

In such a tense and stifling atmosphere, even Deya didn’t dare speak out of turn. She sat in the car more quietly and properly than ever.

After a while, Sonya suddenly turned to her and said, “Did I tell you last night that one of my upcoming opponents in the Meteor Trial is from the Sanctuary?”

“Yes, yes,” Deya nodded. “He’s also a swordsmanship Sanctuary, just like you.”

“If I can keep winning, I will face him in the Final,” Sonya said. “But he’s not just a Sanctuary; he’s a very strong sword saint. I have no chance at all.”

“Yes.” Deya thought it was time to comfort the sword Princess and said, “There’s nothing you can do. The gap in skill is too great. Even if you lose, you’ll still have gone down with honor. You’re already impressive enough—”

“But I want to win the Meteor Trial,” Sonya said. “I don’t want to lose.”

Deya was taken aback. “But the opponent is a Sanctuary sorcerer… your swordsmanship realm can’t breakthrough to Sanctuary level in such a short time, sword Princess.”

“Exactly.”

Suddenly, Sonya grabbed Ashe by the collar and said intently, in the midst of his bewildered glance, “There are only a few days left until the Final. I need to become a Sanctuary as soon as possible!”

“Do you understand, Observer?” She glared fiercely at Ashe. “Hurry up and find the Rainbow Tail. I need to become a Sanctuary now!”

The Witch sisters looked on in stunned silence as the sword Princess suddenly erupted, filled with awe.

The sword Princess is so brave!

She actually dared to boss the Observer around so arrogantly!

Is this an uprising? It must be an uprising, right!?

What to do—if the Observer and the sword Princess start fighting, and I don’t have any snacks to eat while I watch?

Just as the Witch sisters were considering whether to find a Blade Fish Dragon for a snack, the Observer calmly replied:

“Alright.”

Deya blinked, and in her shock, she seemed to have discovered some sort of secret—does the Observer really just bully the weak and fear the strong?