Paranoid Tilis

"Has your teacher disappeared..."

Luo Wei gazed deeply at Tilis, who seemed momentarily at a loss.

This only further confirmed his suspicions.

The chaotic, distorted handwriting, the gradually escalating madness, and...

The final page of the notebook, torn out just as they were about to witness the so-called "truth."

Tilis's teacher, the great mage Usoma, had likely already met a tragic fate...

However, Tilis quickly snapped out of it. She vehemently disagreed with Luo Wei's conjecture, repeating her earlier words with a mix of agitation and trembling.

"It's not like that..."

She retorted loudly:

"You're just overthinking things because you're too weak, too weak! You're too cautious! You can't even begin to comprehend things beyond your imagination!

"My teacher already succeeded! She made it, so I will too!!"

Seeing Tilis in this almost delirious state, Luo Wei let out a bitter chuckle and gently placed his hands on her shoulders.

"I know it must be hard for you to accept. After all, your teacher has been with you for so many years. She raised you, taught you..."

"But if she saw you like this, she would be heartbroken. She wouldn't want you to follow in her footsteps..."

"So..."

Luo Wei quietly gazed at her, silently calling out in his heart.

[Negotiation/Pacification (Master)]

Activate.

The moment the skill activated, Luo Wei felt his entire state of mind stabilize and calm down.

To persuade someone, you first need to have a stronger psychological advantage over them, and...

Every word must strike at their core.

"Stop being so stubborn. Your power is already strong enough, isn't it? You already have the strength to protect what you care about."

"And look, I'm standing right here in front of you, safe and sound. I promise you, what happened four years ago—disappearing right before your eyes—will never happen again."

What she feared most was undoubtedly the unresolved trauma from four years ago.

Even with the best equipment and the strongest abilities, she had still been powerless to stop him from vanishing before her eyes...

Luo Wei couldn't help but feel a bit helpless. It wasn't Tilis's fault; the final chapter's boss had just been too difficult...

After Luo Wei finished speaking, Tilis opened her mouth slightly, her purple pupils trembling faintly.

It seemed like she was starting to listen.

But her stubborn nature made her purse her lips in frustration, averting her gaze from his.

Luo Wei pressed down firmly on her shoulders, forcing her to meet his eyes.

"Tilis!"

"See? Everything's still fine, isn't it? The sky hasn't fallen, and you don't need to risk your life chasing after dangerous things for the sake of power."

"We can just go back to how things were before, living quietly in the old house. You can focus on your magic, and when you have time, you can give me some advice on my alchemy table. Who knows? Maybe we'll come up with some fun new inventions together..."

Luo Wei smiled gently. "Isn't that... nice?"

Tilis lowered her eyelids, seemingly sinking into deep contemplation.

'Isn't that... isn't that nice?'

'Isn't that nice...'

This was exactly the life she had always wanted—to cast off all her heavy burdens, to never have to deal with those annoying colleagues from the Magic Hermitage again, to do whatever she pleased, to live freely...

More importantly...

Tilis slowly raised her head, quietly gazing at Luo Wei's face.

More importantly, she could be with him...

"Luo Wei..." Tilis's expression gradually softened.

At that moment, as if possessed, she seemed to forget all her plans, her desire to pursue "truth," her quest for ultimate power...

She was even genuinely moved by the picture he painted, truly considering the idea of dropping everything and leaving with him.

But that thought lasted only for a fleeting moment.

No!!

In an instant.

Rationality crushed her fantasies, and all the beautiful images before her eyes vanished like smoke.

She suddenly snapped back to reality, sensing something was off...

Why had she been following his train of thought?

Why did I suddenly stop being myself? How could I, as I am now, still be that girl who was content with the status quo, just drifting through life?

Ever since she learned those things from her teacher...

Her view of the world had changed completely. Fear, anxiety, and unease had never left her...

She knew all too well that this world wasn't as safe as it seemed. Those ancient horrors would return one day, and when chaos and darkness descended upon the world, would her current strength truly be enough to protect what she held dear?

Tilis's expression instantly tightened.

"No..."

"No, no!"

Her previously calm purple eyes began to tremble violently once more.

"You're lying to me! You must be lying to me!"

"Tilis?" Luo Wei looked at her in surprise. She had seemed so calm just a moment ago, so why was she suddenly like this again?

He quickly held onto Tilis's violently trembling body, trying to patiently calm her down.

But Tilis slapped his hand away.

"Don't think I don't know what you're thinking! You're scared! You don't dare to go with me to witness the truth! You don't believe in me! You must be laughing at me like all the others!"

"How could that be?" Luo Wei frowned.

"Then come with me! Come with me and witness it!"

As her emotions surged.

The atmosphere in the room once again turned cold and oppressive, and this time it was even worse. Every small object in sight began to shake violently.

Suddenly, the medicine pot that had been simmering for who knows how long shattered, and the pungent smell of medicine instantly filled the room.

"Tilis... snap out of it. You're losing yourself!"

The intense pressure made Luo Wei's entire body tense up. He clenched his teeth, using all his strength to resist...

His heart grew even more alarmed.

Because the [Negotiation/Pacification] skill's duration hadn't run out, yet it seemed to have completely failed. Tilis's emotions were spiraling further out of control...

How could this be? This wasn't the Dreamlands, and she wasn't an illusion...

"Zzzzt..."

Luo Wei watched as Tilis's body, right in front of him, began to distort in that eerie way again.

At the same time, Tilis's character information finally appeared before his eyes.

[Tilis]

[Race: Human (Spiritual Entity)]

[Affection: 100]

[Pollution Level: 100]

[Danger Level: Five Stars (Extremely Dangerous!)]

[Description: A despairing soul who clings to you. Stubborn, with a strong self-destructive tendency. Her physical form has transformed into a spiritual entity. The effects of Negotiation/Pacification skills are halved.]

[Save point updating...]