Simulated Lives: The Sorrow of the Sword Maiden

Chapter 55 – Light and shadow are companions that go hand in hand

"Mentor...?"

Krisa's legs felt weak, as if she might collapse at any moment.

She moved forward unsteadily, her steps trembling.

Her body was frail.

Her voice was faint.

Krisa was in poor health, so weak that even walking was a challenge. She could only inch forward with difficulty, her labored breathing accompanying her slow approach to Xu Xi.

The scene was silent, yet it carried a powerful emotional impact.

The witch demonstrated something through her actions.

In the face of true willpower.

A frail body could not hinder her in the slightest.

The light fell on the girl, further illuminating her pale, bloodless face. She trembled as she extended her slender fingers, resting them on the chair where Xu Xi sat.

With this support, the pressure of moving forward eased considerably, allowing her to reach Xu Xi's front.

Then.

Krisa saw the familiar face, deeply asleep, worn out from exhaustion.

"Mentor... is fine..."

She tilted her head slightly and blinked.

The reality was different from what she had imagined. Xu Xi was not in trouble; he had simply fallen asleep, nothing more.

"That's a relief."

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Her calm voice echoed in the air.

The sorrow and worry that had accumulated in her chest dissipated entirely, returning to the usual emptiness.

What should she do next...?

Krisa felt a bit lost. After confirming Xu Xi was fine, she suddenly didn't know what to do. Should she lie back on the stone slab and patiently wait for Xu Xi to wake up?

Light and shadow are inseparable companions.

When light appears, shadow follows closely, for once it leaves the light's range, the shadow ceases to exist.

So.

When the light falls silent, where should the shadow go?

Krisa didn't know how to answer this question. Her life, her everything, had long been accustomed to being by Xu Xi's side.

Anything else held no interest for the witch.

But, given the witch's current physical state, even if she were awake, what could she do?

She struggled to even take care of herself.

Let alone anything else.

Thus, Krisa abandoned the unrealistic thought of helping with chores as usual.

She stood quietly, her expression calm and indifferent, hands crossed in front of her abdomen, leaning against the edge of the table, silently watching over the sleeping Xu Xi.

The room was dim, the light hazy, creating an illusionary touch of old times.

Delicately and gently, it enveloped the man and the girl.

The former in deep sleep.

The latter standing watch.

This was the only thing the witch could think of doing at this stage.

And it was also the only thing she wanted to do.

Since the light was asleep, the shadow would stay by its side until the light once again warmed the world, giving the shadow a reason to exist.

However—

How should I put it, this feeling was somewhat subtle, and a bit peculiar.

"Mentor's face..." Krisa murmured to herself. She wasn't as tall as Xu Xi, and although she could usually see his entire face, she hadn't observed many details.

But now, with Xu Xi sitting and asleep, the standing girl could see everything clearly.

This was her first time observing Xu Xi so closely.

The witch saw the eyes swollen from overwork, from reading books for too long.

The witch saw the fingers that, even in sleep, maintained a pen-holding posture from constant writing.

The witch saw the face worn out from overwork, lips slightly pale, a strong sense of fatigue etched on it.

She saw it all.

She saw everything.

She saw the passage of time at his temples, the quivering breaths at his nostrils.

She saw Xu Xi sleeping deeply, and everything he had given behind that depth.

Ah...

Ah...

So that's how it is.

A heavy feeling seemed to pierce through Krisa's heart in an instant, causing her pupils to dilate slightly.

Previously, the witch thought that when the light fell silent, the shadow would lose its refuge.

But now.

Reality told the witch.

Even when the light was silent, when the sun temporarily extinguished, its residual warmth still penetrated the soul, providing a path for the shadow to follow.

The witch didn't know what words or actions could be worthy of that intense and warm light. Her feelings gradually accumulated, her thoughts becoming increasingly chaotic, with more and more impulses building up in her chest.

The witch was too clumsy; she had no idea what to do.

So.

The witch did the best she could think of, based on her understanding.

She carefully extended her ten fingers, gently cupping Xu Xi's cheeks, bending down to let her forehead touch his, her nose brushing against his.

Her gray-silver hair fell, a few strands sliding across the man's face.

"May you be well."

Krisa Christina whispered a prayer.

In her calm and steady voice, there seemed to be a fleeting mix of emotions, but the overly tranquil words made one wonder if it was just an illusion.

Touching, feeling the warmth of the light.

Time seemed to stand still.

A few short seconds felt like an incredibly long transformation, countless new sensations bursting forth in the witch's heart.

What was it, exactly?

Krisa felt guilty, maintaining the forehead-to-forehead contact, unwilling to part with the warmth and closeness, even though she knew, as "personal property," she shouldn't overstep like this.

Suddenly.

It seemed Krisa's actions disturbed the man's sleep.

Xu Xi's brow furrowed slightly, letting out a small groan, a sound so soft it startled the 17-year-old witch into a hasty retreat.

"!!!!!"

With her weak legs, the witch managed to run at an unprecedented speed.

She fled back to the stone slab.

Grabbed the bedding Xu Xi had prepared for her.

Jumped in, hid inside.

Curled her body into a ball.

Like a cocooned silkworm, she wrapped herself tightly, leaving no gaps, afraid of giving the outside world even the slightest glimpse.

Gently trembling, slightly wriggling, quite adorably.

Her heart pounded wildly, bringing an unprecedented tension.

The witch didn't know why she was so scared. Although she had overstepped, it was just a simple forehead touch, yet her heart was in utter chaos.

"Mentor?"

After waiting a long time, there was no movement.

Nor did she hear any reprimand from her master.

Krisa cautiously peeked out, letting her eyes emerge from the bedding, and upon seeing Xu Xi still asleep, her tense mood gradually calmed down, returning to its usual emptiness.

However.

"So strange... so hot..."

Krisa was puzzled, her hand gently caressing her snow-white cheek, finding both sides burning.

The witch suspected she might have a fever. Could this be the price for overstepping with her master?

The witch's knowledge had increased.

She thought that as long as her master didn't find out, this price was acceptable.