“What?” Winnie raised an eyebrow. “Did you forget everything I said before? Or do you think I was just bragging?”
“Oh? What did you say, Winnie?” Aesphyra tilted her head, causing the bow tie at the back to shift sideways with the motion..
“Fine, you really didn't take my words to heart, did you? Do you really think I'm the type to just talk the talk?” Winnie was displeased. How dare this detestable silver-haired little nut treat him like this? Was she toying with him?
Tsk, after all the effort and risk he took to refine the Blessed Angel's Kiss, this girl was ungrateful enough to think he was just talking. What a joke.
“Speaking of which, Winnie, why did you want to climb my wall earlier? There are no banana trees or fish in my yard.” Aesphyra said playfully.
“I say, aren't you a rather ungrateful silver-haired dwarf? Are you treating me like a stray cat?” Winnie scoffed. “If I didn’t come, you would’ve only ended up being afraid all the time. Soon enough, you’d turn into a stiff little nut,or some shriveled old nut!”
"And here you are, not thanking me for saving you from all that trouble, but teasing me instead? Hah, it's really not worth it. I should have just let you, little nut, fend for yourself."
“Oh, so should I thank Winnie for taking time out of his busy schedule to humor me?” Aesphyra crossed her arms, a slight smile on her lips.
This little silver-haired shorty, no matter when or where, always had an overabundance of confidence, as if nothing could stump her, as if she always had a solution.
Even now, despite her body being on the verge of being devoured by the 'Divine Blessings,' she still appeared so at ease, as if these things were trivial matters.
“Tsk, what are you pretending for? Your condition must be pretty bad right now, right?” Winnie frowned. “You little nut stay indoors all the time, even in energy-saving mode, so why are you putting on this act? Why aren't you panicking at all? Have you found a cure?”
“So, according to Winnie, I should be depressed all the time, always worried, dispirited, and listless to be considered normal?” Aesphyra tilted her head curiously. “Whether I'm happy, worried, or despairing, the objective facts won't change because of my will. Since that's the case, why spread negative emotions and drag others down into my gloom?”
“What's destined can't be escaped, can it? Since there's no way to break free, what needs to be done is to remain calm and wait for an opportunity. Panicking will only let opportunities slip away.” Aesphyra replied calmly.
“Alright, alright, perfect answer, master, I get it!” Winnie said mockingly, clapping his hands in mock annoyance. “Then have you waited for an opportunity?”
“Who knows? Maybe, maybe not.” Aesphyra said mysteriously.
"I'm listening, I really am,” Winnie retorted. “I thought something had happened to you since you haven't been out much lately. I didn't expect you to be calmer than me now, making me look like a clown. Wait, did our memories get mixed up? Am I the one who's sick?”
“Hehehe.” Aesphyra let out a soft chuckle, Winnie didn't know what she was laughing at.
'Virtue + 30.'
'Current Virtue: 9804.'
“Come in, Winnie.” Aesphyra brushed a strand of hair from her face and walked gracefully into the yard.
“This isn't good, is it? What if others see? This is my first time here.” Hearing Aesphyra invite him into her dorm, Winnie glanced around.
"So you found my dormitory without a single mistake. Did you plan this ahead of time?" Aesphyra said with a playful smile.
“Don't slander me! What do you take me for? I'm not the type to pry or eavesdrop. I, the young master of Camella Royal Capital, have my pride!” Winnie scoffed. “I mean, you're not interested in guys, so do you mind people seeing a guy enter your yard?”
“Since Winnie knows, hurry up and come in. Standing at my yard's entrance, do you want more people to see?” Aesphyra taunted.
“…Uh huh.” Winnie heard this, looked around, and after confirming no one was paying attention to him, tiptoed into Aesphyra's yard.
This wasn’t his first visit to Aesphyra’s dorm, but since he had to pretend otherwise, he acted as though it were his first.
"Stop looking, Winnie. The yard wall is very high. No one in the academy besides you would dare to climb my wall. No one will see you here, so speak your mind." Aesphyra said, seeing Winnie looking around curiously after entering the yard.
“Tch! Your attitude is as annoying as ever.” Winnie pouted. “Do you think I came here to chat? I'm not that idle.”
“You ungrateful silver-haired little nut, do you still look down on me? If I hadn't come this time, your little nut life would truly be over. You should thank me for saving your life, you know??” Saying this, Winnie stopped playing coy and took out the refined bottle of Blessed Angel's Kiss from his waist pouch.
Seeing the quality of this alchemical potion, Aesphyra thought of something, her beautiful eyes narrowing slightly.
'Virtue + 100.'
'Current Virtue: 9904.'
Hoo hoo, scared now, you silver-haired little nut?
“Stop looking, stop guessing. Yes, it's exactly what you think, the real deal.” Winnie said proudly, holding the potion and shaking it. The liquid inside scattered into fine white foam resembling wings, which was the simplest way to authenticate the Blessed Angel's Kiss.
“This is the same as the one you gave me last time, though its grade is probably lower. But I think it's enough to cure the lingering roots of your illness.” Winnie said confidently.
“Where did you get this potion?” Aesphyra stared at its faint pink hue, looking meaningfully at the blue-haired youth before her.
“That's none of your business. Anyway, this is definitely a genuine 'Blessed Angel's Kiss'.” Winnie raised an eyebrow. He had refined it with his own vital blood, which had severely weakened him. How could he not know?
“No matter how difficult your injury is to treat, it shouldn't be beyond the help of 'Blessed Angel's Kiss'. This is a divine medicine rumored to contain the authority of 'Resurrection' and 'Healing'.” Winnie said.
“Winnie, you didn't happen to go to the Church of Radiance headquarters without prior notice, did you?” Aesphyra teased.
“What nonsense are you talking about? If I had the ability to sneak into the Church of Radiance headquarters, why would I be here at this lousy academy? Wouldn't I be invincible already?” Winnie retorted.
“Then, this potion couldn't possibly be a gift from the Church of Radiance, could it?” Aesphyra asked with a smile.
“A gift to me? Tsk, would they be that generous? Let alone whether they could even find a bottle of 'Blessed Angel's Kiss' in their internal inventory, it's good enough that those bandits didn't rob me!” Winnie pouted.
“Yes, such important things must be kept well.” Aesphyra's tone shifted, as if she was no longer dwelling on the origin of the potion.
Then, just as Winnie breathed a sigh of relief, thinking the conversation was over, Aesphyra suddenly spoke.
“Did you thank Miss Vanessa when you received the potion?”
“I got……” Winnie started, then realized something was wrong. No matter how he answered this question, it would be inappropriate. He immediately stopped speaking, and then he saw the silver-furred little cat smiling at him.
Damn it, almost tricked by this silver-haired little nut again!
She pretended not to ask, making him relax his guard, and then immediately sprang her trap?
You crafty fox!
“Mmm-hmm~ What did you get?” Aesphyra leaned forward, smiling.
“I, what did I get? Don't care about the origin of this potion, and don't ask!” Winnie huffed.
“Oh~” Aesphyra nodded, her expression deeply meaningful, as if she had understood everything.
No, what does this girl understand now? What is she pretending for?
“So, Winnie, did you take this potion from your family's inventory?” Aesphyra asked while examining the potion.
“What difference does it make whether it's yes or no? I'm the only descendant of the Varelis family now. It's normal for my family to have some spiritual medicines left by our ancestors, right?” Winnie went along with Aesphyra's words.
However, Aesphyra's words weren't meant for him to go along with.
“I see. Winnie, it must have been quite difficult for Miss Vanessa to refine this potion, wasn't it?”
“What Vanessa? I told you I don't know any Vanessa. I saved you with a family heirloom, and you're making up some Vanessa?” Winnie feigned displeasure.
“Is that so?” Aesphyra's curved lips. “Then Winnie, your family's heirloom is quite unique. It's not in the style of the ancient empire's potion bottles, nor is it in the style of the early Tyrell Empire's glass bottles, but a generic, modern potion bottle.”
“Could it be that this potion has time-traveled?” Aesphyra teased.
“No.” Winnie was shocked. “It's just a glass bottle. How can you tell the style from it?”
“Isn't it simple?” Aesphyra raised an eyebrow. “Anyone with a little historical knowledge should be able to tell.”
No, how much historical knowledge does “a little” refer to?
'Virtue + 300.'
'Current Virtue: 10204.'
Holy cow??
Winnie stared at the increase in virtue, his eyes wide.
As everyone knows, this silver-haired little nut is not only tiny in stature but also stingy with giving out virtue points, only giving a few dozen points each time, as if afraid he would take advantage if she gave too much.
But this time, she gave out 300 virtue points at once?
Winnie could hardly believe his eyes.
“Winnie, Miss Vanessa, is she alright?” Aesphyra looked at the Blessed Angel's Kiss in her hand with a serious expression. Winnie could even notice subtle movements: through Aesphyra’s disposable gloves, the knuckles of the hand holding the potion were slightly pale and tense.
“The essential main ingredient for refining the Blessed Angel's Kiss is 'Blessed Angel Blood Essence,' and as far as I know, a large amount is needed. The lower the realm, the more is needed. With Miss Vanessa's current realm, she will need a lot of vital blood to refine it successfully.” Aesphyra's smile faded as she looked at Winnie seriously.
"How is she now? Is she alright?"
No, she even knows about this?
Winnie didn't know where Aesphyra got this information. This was a unique alchemical potion of the Varelis family, wasn't it? How did she know it so clearly?
It definitely wasn't from books, right?
This made Winnie's gaze conflicted. Aesphyra appeared so serious and sincere, indicating she was truly worried about Vanessa's current condition.
At this moment, if he insisted he didn't know Vanessa, wouldn't that be bad? This silver-haired little nut would be very worried, right?
However, just as he showed a moment of hesitation and conflict, this hesitation was well captured by the prescient Aesphyra. Her lips curved, revealing a triumphant smile.
“Winnie, you do know Miss Vanessa after all.”
“Otherwise, why would you hesitate just now?~”
You little rascal! This detestable nut!
Winnie was almost amused to death.
He now understood that he shouldn't have thought this scheming silver-haired nut was any good.
Look, wasn't he directly tricked into revealing it?
“Tsk, get lost! So much nonsense, do you still want this potion? You heartless thing! Give it back to me!” Winnie roared, reaching out to snatch the potion, but Aesphyra elegantly dodged him.
Tsk, the flexibility of a silver-haired little nut.
“Winnie, you're acting as usual, so I know Miss Vanessa must be fine.” Aesphyra smiled charmingly. “Thank you for your confession, Winnie~?”
“Confession my foot, you nut!” Winnie was amused to death. At this moment, all he wanted was to grab this hateful nut and hang him on a tree to beat him, but he couldn't defeat Aesphyra.
She even deceived his feelings. So all that pretense before was an act, meant to gauge his reaction?
Winnie never expected that even though he kept his mouth shut and didn't say anything extra, he would still have his intelligence extracted by this extremely cunning little nut.