Prima gazed at Wang Yue, who stood only inches away.
Memories surfaced like bubbles rising to the water’s surface.
She suddenly remembered that this person had been protecting her since the very first day of school. Wang Yue had never hesitated to stand up against the malicious Lilith, engaging in several fierce confrontations. Whether she won or lost, she had never once backed down.
It was that very courage that had inspired Prima, helping her through her darkest hours and giving her the strength to resist the urge to surrender to loneliness and self-loathing.
Now, Prima could live a normal life again. She no longer had to rely entirely on the constant care of her younger sister or Dorothy.
Everything felt as if it belonged to another lifetime.
She didn’t know how to repay this kindness, but she desperately wanted to do something for her.
Wang Yue seemed to lack for nothing, and she worked harder than anyone else.
—In reality, Wang Yue just wanted to be a “lazy dog.” She dreamt of sleeping until she woke up naturally, eating whenever she pleased, and spending her days doing the things she loved: planting fruit trees, raising small animals, reading books, drinking soda, and eating fried chicken and fries. It was only the Church that refused to give her peace, forcing her to constantly be on the move.
Staring at the curling lashes of Wang Yue’s deep brown eyes from such a close distance, Prima found herself becoming lost in them, as if she were being pulled into a swirling vortex.
An indescribable emotion surged through her chest, plucking at her heartstrings and leaving her soul in a daze.
“Wang Yue…”
Prima bit her lip, her eyes misting over with a thin veil of tears.
The lush curve of her eyelids gave her eyes a natural, captivating charm. Her soft, tender cheeks looked so delicate that one couldn’t help but want to reach out and pinch them.
“Don’t get too excited,” Wang Yue said, frowning as she noticed Prima’s strange expression. “While this is a sophisticated technique, moving at high speeds using light as a channel is inherently dangerous. Think about it—driving over forty miles per hour is already risky, let alone instantaneous movement. You have to be cautious when driving, and you must be even more cautious with Blinking…”
Prima snapped out of her trance, quickly averting her gaze from Wang Yue’s face.
Wang Yue leaned over and opened a lightweight aluminum alloy toolkit. The internal structure unfolded into multiple layers.
The storage compartments held various numbered “Candles,” along with essential tools for an explorer—an outdoor knife, a compass, a pollution detector, and more.
She warned, “From today on, your easy days are over. Not only do you have to learn Witchcraft, but you also need to familiarize yourself with an explorer’s way of fighting. Witchcraft can only serve as a secondary support, because a soft wand loses most of its mana during transmission. You won’t be able to unleash powerful spells that way.”
“I’ll work hard!” Prima said, pumping her fist with a serious expression. “I won’t let you down!”
Wang Yue patted her small head, a hint of a smile touching her lips.
“Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Come on, let’s continue testing the Cardinal Lamp. Use this time to get used to your prosthetics.”
Neither of them noticed that in a corner of the plaza, hidden within the shadows of the eaves, Lilith was watching them.
The long ponytail she had tied up in the training hall hadn’t been let down yet, and the tightly bound hair gave her a somewhat cold, sharp aura.
The once fierce and aggressive Lilith now looked like a frail, sickly girl. She leaned against the wall, her hands twisting together, her eyes filled with confusion and helplessness.
Lilith watched Prima running and laughing across the plaza, then looked at Wang Yue, who was holding the bright lamp and shouting “Recall.” The two of them were laughing and playing, and they even brought out a lunch…
During a break in training, Wang Yue pulled a beautifully lacquered Golden Chrysanthemum Red bento box from a basket covered with a towel. It was packed full of food.
Though the ingredients were simple, the box was high-end, giving the meal a sense of ceremony.
Wang Yue picked up a long-handled silver meat fork and lifted a piece of octopus-shaped sausage, offering it to Prima.
She stopped halfway, looking slightly apologetic. “Ah, I forgot. You can eat on your own now. My apologies.”
Prima leaned forward and took a big bite, swallowing the octopus sausage. “Thank you,” she said, her eyes crinkling with a smile.
“Try this, corn and pork rib soup.” Wang Yue poured a cup of steaming hot soup from a thermos and handed it over with both hands. “Blow on it first. Don’t burn your tongue.”
Prima held the cup carefully, sipping the soup bit by bit and eating the corn and ribs. She exhaled clouds of steam, her eyes narrowing and her face flushing as her body began to warm up.
“It’s delicious~” she said happily.
Lilith, however, felt colder and colder.
Her skin was as pale as snow, her flesh felt chilled like translucent rubies, and the heart in her chest had frozen into a stone.
Seeing the two of them huddled together, sharing a steaming bento, the bitter waters of jealousy silently flooded her chest. It made it hard to breathe, and her body writhed in pain.
She raised a finger that wouldn’t stop trembling and suddenly bit down hard on it. Blood slowly stained her fingernails and teeth.
“Why… that little cripple… why is she laughing so happily… why does she always get warmth… while I have to die alone and cold…”
It felt like falling into an abyss; all the light and noise of the world were drifting away from her.
On the other side, after finishing their meal, Wang Yue packed up the utensils. She left the Cardinal Lamp and the toolkit with Prima.
“Keep training,” Wang Yue said. “I have some things to take care of, so I’m heading back.”
“Mm-hmm!”
Prima watched Wang Yue leave, then stretched her body. The composite material and forged plating of her prosthetic limbs shimmered with flowing light.
She threw herself back into training without a moment’s rest.
Her current way of moving was completely different from when she had all her natural limbs.
It was similar to playing a piano; she had to strike specific “keys” to trigger a rhythmic sequence, and only then would her limbs dance accordingly.
Objectively speaking, the potential of a prosthetic limb was higher than that of a human body.
A prosthetic could rotate at extreme angles that violated human anatomy, and it felt no pain. It couldn’t be sidelined by injuries or joint-locks.
In terms of materials, the strength, stability, wear resistance, and durability of a prosthetic were beyond anything a human arm or joint could match.
While Prima could only manage simple running and jumping for now, given time, she would undoubtedly possess physical capabilities far exceeding those of an average person.
Prima was practicing the “17th Set of National Radio Calisthenics” that Wang Yue had taught her when suddenly, a ghost-like figure appeared behind her!
The dazzling light-ribbon unique to a High-Frequency Particle Blade slashed through the air, severing both of her legs at once!
Prima let out a startled cry. Like a felled tree, her upper body collapsed. Just before she hit the ground, she braced herself with her hands and spun around. Her back hit the ground with a painful thud, and she looked up to find herself staring into Lilith’s cold, cruel, blood-red eyes!
“You seem to be having a lot of fun.”
Lilith ground her teeth, her head tilted at an angle. her gaze was like a sharp blade, carving into Prima’s face as if she wanted to tear her limb from limb!
Fear surged uncontrollably in Prima’s heart. She looked at the other girl in terror and confusion, stammering, “Why?”
“I hate you!” Lilith suddenly screamed hysterically!
Her face grew even paler. The High-Frequency Particle Blade she had barely managed to manifest flickered out of existence. The mana in her body was completely spent, leaving her without even the strength to hold her wand. Her fingers loosened, and the wand clattered to the ground.
Lilith panted heavily, cold sweat breaking out on her forehead. Her body swayed, and suddenly her legs gave out. Her knees slammed into the ground, and she toppled over uncontrollably to the side!
Noticing something was wrong, Prima crawled over and leaned over her, asking with concern, “What’s wrong with you?”
“I’m dying.”
“Huh?”
“You didn’t mishear. I have a terminal illness. That stupid doctor told me. The Headmaster and the school doctor were there too… In three days, you can go ahead and spit on my tombstone. You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” Lilith didn’t forget to add a final sneer.
Prima’s mouth hung open, thinking she had misheard.
“Get lost! I don’t need your pity.” Lilith tried to push her away, but she didn’t even have the strength to lift her hand.
After a long moment of silence, Lilith felt warm liquid dripping onto her face. Startled, she looked up at Prima.
Prima’s eyes were brimming with tears that blurred her vision. With her hands braced on the ground, she began to wail.
“How could I ever be happy about that!”
Tears fell pattering down like a warm rain.
