Chrissa's Carelessness

The winter night in Yanshan City.

It boasts a truly peculiar landscape.

Neon lights and the bright moon shine together, where the extraordinary coexists with technology. In this modern metropolis of intertwining light and shadow, the figures of superhumans often dart through.

Some soar on flying swords.

Others ride magical beasts.

Or, with a light and graceful posture, they leap and bound between skyscrapers.

The colorful neon lights illuminate the city's outline on a snowy night, as pedestrians hurry by and vehicles flow endlessly, forming a dazzling scenic line.

In that cold, serene atmosphere.

Xu Xi could faintly hear the soft breathing of the witch behind him.

In the silence of the night, the witch's breathing was steady and continuous, blending into the night, flowing quietly.

It was peaceful.

And endearing.

At this moment, Xu Xi suddenly recalled that since the end of the second simulation, he had rarely spent time alone with the witch in the same room.

On one hand, it was because Krisha had become increasingly reliable.

No longer needing Xu Xi's guidance.

On the other hand, in the real world, Xu Xi had no lifespan constraints, so Krisha didn't need to constantly watch over him.

"Mentor, please have a cup of hot tea to warm yourself."

As Xu Xi reminisced.

The thoughtful witch, seemingly out of nowhere, brought a cup of tea, holding the tray beneath the cup, and steadily presented it to Xu Xi.

The surface of the water rippled slightly, shimmering, with an overall deep red hue.

It was Dragon Blood Spirit Tea, rich in both flavor and aroma.

"Thank you, Krisha."

Xu Xi took the cup, habitually thanking the girl, and took a sip of the tea. Hmm, it was a familiar taste.

Rich yet refreshing.

Top quality.

"Good tea," Xu Xi murmured softly, thinking that the Dragon Blood Spirit Tea he had grown tasted much better than the Chaka from the magical world.

He still couldn't forget the exorbitant price of one gold coin per cup.

Whoosh—

Whoosh—

The wind outside grew fiercer.

The dark sky was churned, and the old windows rattled noisily. From time to time, cold gusts slipped through the cracks, swirling in the empty old room.

But the loyal witch would not allow any factor that might disturb Xu Xi to exist.

With a gentle lift of her finger.

Under the moonlight, the cold, lifeless wind dissipated on its own, vanishing along with the falling snow, silently and quietly.

"..."

Her eyelashes fluttered lightly, and the moisture covering the surface of her eyes, under the dim light, further accentuated her calm and indifferent demeanor.

Anything that could affect Xu Xi.

Could not escape the grasp of those eyes.

"Krisha, you don't have to be so serious. Just sit down."

Xu Xi chuckled slightly.

However, Krisha was unwilling to do so.

She stood expressionlessly beside Xu Xi, holding a tray in one hand and a teapot in the other.

There was an indescribable sense of earnestness.

What was she doing?

Krisha's answer was simple: she was waiting for Xu Xi to finish his tea so she could pour him a fresh, hot cup.

Calm and unpretentious.

Just like in the magical world, the witch, in her own way of thinking what was best for Xu Xi, meticulously and diligently served him.

This was the following of the "Shadow of Dusk."

It was also the unfolding of the "Caged Bird."

Not a constraint.

This was the freedom unique to the witch.

"Then... thank you, Krisha," Xu Xi handed over the empty cup, instinctively meeting those mesmerizing eyes.

A noble gold, a serene black, and a blood-red hue.

A tricolored gaze.

Symbolizing the witch's three transformations.

"Thinking about it now, the simulated experiences in the magical world were truly full of twists and turns," Xu Xi mused.

Just then, something unexpected happened.

As the witch took the empty cup and was about to pour a new cup of tea, her hand slipped unexpectedly, and the teapot fell to the ground.

The tea inside spilled out completely.

In the gurgling sound of the collision.

Some of the liquid soaked the witch's dress, adorning her silver-gray hair with droplets of water.

"I'm sorry, Mentor..."

Krisha stood there dazedly, water droplets sliding down her bangs, gently dripping to the ground.

She apologized.

Her expression was blank, her body drenched.

At her feet, the teapot rolled around, spinning and turning until it finally came to a stop.

"It's alright, Krisha."

Xu Xi's expression first showed surprise, then softened as he gently comforted the witch: "There's no need to apologize. It's just a small matter."

No blame or reproach.

Such things were meaningless.

With the help of magic, the chaos caused by the spilled teapot was quickly cleared away.

As for the dampness on the witch's body, Xu Xi, for the first time in a while, used a combination of wind and fire magic—his self-created "Hair Dryer Spell"—to dry Krisha's wet hair.

Krisha was very obedient, staying still.

Her hair fluttered in the warm breeze.

Revealing her delicate face.

Expressionless, yet somehow full of emotion.

As he dried Krisha's hair, Xu Xi had a fleeting vision, where the grown-up Krisha overlapped with her fragile, younger self.

"Is something wrong, Mentor?"

Krisha asked.

She had noticed the hesitation in Xu Xi's movements.

"Nothing," Xu Xi smiled and shook his head, continuing to channel the fire and wind magic, drying the girl's hair thoroughly, leaving no trace of moisture.

"I just suddenly remembered the time when I first met you, Krisha."

"Time really flies."

Xu Xi's tone was filled with emotion.

Back then, Krisha was thin and frail, her state desolate, as if she could pass away at any moment.

That pitiful image was still deeply etched in Xu Xi's mind.

And now.

The girl had grown up.

To a point that surprised Xu Xi.

Was he happy? Indeed, he was.

Was he feeling emotional? Indeed, he was.

But more than anything, it was a sense of comfort, watching the girl he once knew grow up, bringing Xu Xi more joy than his own strength.

From learning magic at the beginning, to awakening her powers later, and then taking on the responsibility of managing the courtyard alone.

Every transformation of Krisha.

Xu Xi had witnessed it all.

The once frail and pitiful girl had long grown into a reliable adult, possessing great strength, no longer needing Xu Xi to worry about her.

"Alright, Krisha, you can get up now."

After drying the girl's hair, Xu Xi let go of his hands.

The witch stood up.

Her silver-gray hair cascaded down.

Bathed in moonlight, it formed a dazzling silver waterfall, with starlight shimmering at the tips.

"Thank you, Mentor," Krisha spoke, politely thanking Xu Xi, though her expression seemed somewhat unnatural.

At her chest, a deep blue glow shimmered, the reflection of the Sapphire Necklace.

It was turbulent.

Intense.

Rising and falling.

Like a child who had secretly done something wrong.

But Krisha was so obedient, so well-behaved—how could she have done anything wrong?