Chapter 643 - 540: Parting

Chapter 643: Chapter 540: Parting

Silence returned to the Silver Star Potion Shop, leaving only two young people holding new books and the faint, lingering scent of farewells and expectations in the air.

Watching the trio’s figures disappear around the corner of the alley, Vanessa blinked hard and wiped the tears from her eyes.

She took a deep breath and turned to the equally silent Allen beside her. Her voice was still a little stuffy.

"So... Allen, what are your plans now?"

Allen pulled his gaze from the empty mouth of the alley, a firm, bright light rekindling in his azure eyes.

He straightened his back, his voice crisp and clear.

"I plan to travel the continent, honing my Sword Skills and the combat techniques Mister Rudolph taught me while taking on quests to help those in need."

He paused, a look of aspiration dawning on his face.

"I want to be like Mister Rudolph—to have enough Power to be strong, but to never use it to bully the weak. Instead, I want to be able to help people when they’re in trouble. Maybe... that’s the path I’ve chosen."

When he finished, he looked at Vanessa.

"So, Lady Vanessa, what about you?"

"Me?"

A flicker of uncertainty crossed Vanessa’s violet eyes.

The way of a Witch’s succession had always been different from a typical master-apprentice relationship.

Once a master confirmed their apprentice had the potential and foundation to explore on their own, they would often leave behind some guidance or a few items, and then depart gracefully. After that, there were no more ties. Their lives and deaths were left to fate.

She had originally thought she would be like her master, Mel, staying to watch over this Potion shop and diligently honing her skills as a Witch through quiet study and experimentation.

And then, when her skills had matured, perhaps she too would one day find a successor of her own and entrust the Silver Star Potion Shop to them.

But now, her heart was anything but calm.

Lately, listening to Holland’s wild tales of bizarre adventures, and hearing Ellis occasionally mention the strange magical phenomena and legends of ruins across the continent...

A picture of a world far vaster, more vibrant, and more dangerous than Gray Rock City—more than just this little Potion shop—had quietly unfolded in her mind, awakening a deeply buried curiosity.

More importantly, there were Holland’s heretical words from before, comparing faith in and offerings to the Deities to a "transaction."

Though she had felt offended at the time, his words were like a stone tossed into the lake of her heart, sending out continuous ripples.

’Four years of silent calls...’

’Maybe I really should try a different path?’

As these thoughts swirled within her, Vanessa gently bit her lower lip and made her decision.

"I... I want to go to Moon Shadow Lakefront."

Her voice was quiet, but perfectly clear.

"I’ve heard it’s one of the most important gathering places in the Northern Lands for the followers of Suren, the Lady of the Silver Moon. There’s also a place on the lakefront called the Silence Monastery, which accepts and guides believers and seekers who search for the moon’s protection."

She looked up, her violet eyes filled with a seriousness that seemed aimed at convincing herself.

"Compared to... the Mysterious Lady, Lady Suren’s teachings seem more tolerant. She doesn’t completely shut the door on those who seek knowledge and mysteries. Perhaps there, in a place bathed in moonlight, I’ll be able to... feel a different kind of Echo."

"Moon Shadow Lakefront?"

Allen’s eyes lit up, and he clapped his hands.

"That’s great! I’ve heard of that place! It’s... uh, east, across the Ashen Plain, right? We can travel together! That way we can look out for each other on the road!"

Hearing this suggestion, Vanessa frowned almost instinctively. A look of mingled disgust and impatience—one she had never shown in front of Roland—flashed across her violet eyes, and her tone turned sharp.

"Travel together? With you? A ’hot-blooded moron’ who just got cornered in an alley and barely managed to run off some thugs with a few moves Mister Rudolph taught you?"

She crossed her arms, looking Allen up and down as if he were a giant walking disaster.

"Teaming up with someone like you would just mean attracting endless trouble. It’d be ’save this person, help that person’ the whole way. You wouldn’t even know what killed you in the end. No, thank you."

Allen was taken aback by her sudden, sharp-tongued assessment.

But surprisingly, he didn’t get angry or argue. Instead, he just rubbed his nose sheepishly and chuckled.

His smile was so guileless that it was like her venomous words had struck a pillow of cotton.

"Alright, alright, you’re right. I can be... a little impulsive."

Allen scratched his head, readily admitting it. But then his tone shifted, and his azure eyes filled with a sincere plea.

"But, Lady Vanessa, there is something... I need your help with."

Vanessa eyed him with suspicion.

"What is it?"

Allen quickly and carefully took several neatly folded pieces of parchment, the ink still fresh, from his satchel. He held them out to Vanessa with a hopeful, ingratiating smile.

"You know that book on Swordsmanship Mister Rudolph gave me? It also came with this... uh... strange training method called the ’Secret Silver Body Forging Technique’."

"It lists a bunch of herb names, and has instructions about breathing rhythms, muscle exertion, and ’feeling the faint flow of Energy in your body.’ It’s making my head spin, and there are a lot of parts I just don’t get..."

He looked at Vanessa with pleading eyes.

"You’re an Apprentice Witch, you know so much about herbs and Energy. You’ll definitely understand it better than I do! Could you... could you help me figure out what this all means? And what parts I need to pay special attention to?"

"I’m worried if I just try to practice it on my own, I’ll do it wrong and end up ruining my body."

Vanessa looked at the parchments, then back at Allen’s "sincere, help-seeking model student" expression. The disgust in her violet eyes deepened, now mixed with a hint of helpless exasperation. ’What an idiot.’

"...So troublesome."

She pursed her lips and muttered under her breath, but still reached out and took the parchments.

"Let me see. But let me be clear: I’ll only look over the descriptions and principles to see if there are any obvious contradictions or dangers. I’m not going to practice the actual movements and sensations with you. And if something goes wrong when you practice, don’t come crying to me."

"That’s great! Thank you, Lady Vanessa! You’re a huge help!"

Allen immediately beamed, thanking her profusely as if he hadn’t heard her complaints or her attempt to distance herself from the matter at all.

Vanessa shot him an exasperated glare and unfolded the parchment. Her eyes swept over the neat script, which held a unique rhythm of its own, and the concise, precise diagrams.

Her violet eyes gradually focused, for the moment pushing aside the sorrow of parting and her uncertainty about the future.

The faint afternoon light of Gray Rock City streamed through the high window, falling upon the Potion shop’s slightly cluttered workbench. It also fell upon the young Adventurer and Apprentice Witch—one standing, one sitting—as they began their research.

The Chapter of their unknown adventure, it seemed, had just been marked with its first, faint punctuation.