Chapter 2297: Radiance

Chapter 2297: Chapter 2297: Radiance

"I just said I’d wait for you in the garden, without specifying a spot. How did you find me?"

The black-haired girl finally asked with her back to Shard.

Shard took a step forward:

"I don’t know either. I just kept walking forward, and then, unknowingly, I saw you."

The blue-eyed girl turned around and looked at Shard with a smile under the moonlight, an angel’s statue standing behind her:

"Back then, you were able to convince me to accept who I am with just a few words. Even now, you can brighten my heart with a simple sentence. Maybe your mouth is your greatest power compared to your other abilities?"

Angie Illustrious tilted her head slightly:

"Greet me, Shard Hamilton. After thousands of years, it’s delightful that even with witches by your side, you still came to see me first. Do you know why I’m waiting for you in Moon Bay? Because I know wherever there are witches, you are bound to be there."

Shard didn’t know how she formed such a "stereotype", but it was evidently related to Miss Violet and Miss Teresa.

He thought for a while but couldn’t think of the right words to greet her, so he stepped forward and tried to embrace her. The smiling girl indeed did not resist.

"It’s been a long time, Miss Eles."

"Use another title."

"Long time no see, Miss Radiance."

"It’s been a while, Shard."

She gently pushed Shard away and looked him over. Her blue eyes were as deep as the ocean, and Shard saw a multitude of emotions and thoughts within them, but in the end, she said nothing, just took his hand on her own initiative:

"Let’s take a walk in the garden. I promise to return you to those witches before the ball starts."

"Actually, returning a bit later is fine too."

Shard said, then left the fountain with her and turned onto the path between the flowers.

The light was ambiguously faint; the gas lamps lit up the place just right, yet didn’t fully illuminate it. The two moved between brightness and shadow. Shard had so much he wanted to say but didn’t know where to begin:

"All these years..."

"It hasn’t been that many."

The girl guessed what Shard would say first and walked lightly. Shard felt her right hand was slightly sweating.

"After you left, I spent some time with Her Majesty Violet and Miss Teresa, oh, she later became the headmistress, and learned some things. Then, as the esteemed deity said, I sank into the sea and fell asleep like the dragon."

Her voice was very gentle:

"When I awoke again, it was already the Sixth Era, around five hundred years ago, which isn’t long for a dragon. I wandered the material world for a while to understand the Sixth Era’s situation. Unwittingly, Bella Belindel’s teacher caught my attention, and I stopped near Moon Bay, waiting until you set foot here."

She gently sniffed:

"I didn’t become a witch in the Fifth Era but gained the Ring Sorcerer level during my studies at Zaras. After waking up, I’m now a Twelve-Ring Sorcerer. But since I’m not human, I’m a bit stronger than an ordinary Twelve-Ring."

"Why didn’t you come to find me?"

Shard turned his head slightly to ask:

"I mean, after we parted in the cemetery, you knew I was about to head to the Sea of Darkness for the last time. Why didn’t you come to see me after that? I secretly hoped you would unexpectedly appear in front of me at some street corner."

The blue-eyed girl shook her head with a smile:

"There was no real reason, except... I wanted to create a more dramatic way of reunion. I even thought of arranging for you to set sail on a cruise and meet you again at the masquerade ball on the ship, recreating what happened on that ship so many years ago."

Shard looked at her with a smile:

"Did you abandon the idea because it was too inauspicious?"

Miss Eles also laughed:

"Yes, having the ship sink after a ball is something that should only happen once.

I later made some other plans, but none seemed right. Just as Margaret Anjou was hosting a banquet, I thought—why not meet here, walk and chat in a secluded part of the crowd, without needing a dramatic reunion."

She let out a slow breath, as if trying to release all the pent-up emotions at that moment:

"It’s so good to see you again, Shard."

Her voice was as light as the night breeze.

"Mm."

Shard nodded, and the two of them naturally paused their steps in the shadow not illuminated by the gas lights. Her sapphire blue eyes looked at Shard, blinking twice before she softly asked:

"Can I request the first of the three kisses you owe me now? How about as a celebration of our reunion?"

So, with blue eyes carrying a bit of excitement and nervousness, she slowly approached Shard, and Shard embraced her waist.

After the kiss, the two continued to walk hand in hand in the garden. The black-haired, blue-eyed girl’s face was slightly flushed, yet she smiled, and a wonderful emotion simultaneously filled Shard’s heart.

He could not describe his relationship with this black-haired girl at this moment, but in short... it was a very special relationship.

"""

"Before I went into sleep, I witnessed many interesting things during the Fifth Era."

She continued speaking softly:

"Miss Violet actually entrusted me with a very important mission."

"Oh?"

Shard looked at her with curiosity:

"What mission? Is it related to me?"

"She said that since you can transform into a strange dragon, you might be able to learn Dragon Language Spells. So she taught me the pronunciation method of a unique Dragon Language Spell mastered by another Demigod Witch, hoping that I could teach it to you when I saw you."

After finishing, she regretfully pointed at herself:

"Although part of me is a dragon, due to my limited talent, I cannot use that Dragon Language Spell."

Shard’s Magic - Dragon Roar happens to record a kind of Dragon Language Spell. The current ’Summon Lightsaber’ spell is interesting, but if there is a more useful spell, it could potentially replace the current Dragon Roar.

"Would you teach it to me now?"

Shard asked again, and Miss Eles shook her head:

"Miss Violet said that this spell is the highest-level ability of that Demigod-level Witch. Everyone can only use it once, and only dragons like you with special talents might be able to learn it. Once you hear that Dragon Language, you’ll understand what ability it is.

So, to ensure that ability is unleashed at the most suitable time and with the most proper effect, she advised me to tell you about it when you encounter danger."

She pondered for a moment:

"However, I can tell you that this should be considered an attack-type Dragon Language Spell. So it’s best used when facing strong enemies, and now I must continue keeping this secret."

While the summer weather is abnormal, little flying insects can still be seen circling the gas lamp’s lampshade in the garden at night. Occasionally, flying insects bump relentlessly against the lampshade, making strange noises.

"What about later?"

While holding her hand and continuing to walk forward, Shard asked:

"I currently live in Tobesk if you..."

"No."

She shook her head with a smile:

"The God who bestows dreams to children has given me some important tasks. Shard, I belong to the ocean, and some things I haven’t yet completed. But rest assured, at least before the matter of Moon Bay is over, I won’t leave this city."

"But I don’t want you to continue wandering. Please allow me to use such vocabulary... What important task do you need to accomplish?"

"I can’t tell you that, but it relates to strengthening the ’Radiant Messenger.’ No, essentially, that ship is not my true self; my true self is my special soul, and the ship is merely the vessel I rely upon. Right now, the ship is not strong enough, and I need to make it more perfect."

Shard then had an idea:

"Would you be willing to act temporarily with a witch? I’m not only referring to Miss Belindel; the current Grand Witch of ’Light’ is in the shipbuilding business. She will arrive at Moon Bay in a while, and if you don’t wish to leave the seaside, would you be willing to join her?"

Shard sincerely didn’t want her to continue feeling alone.

"Aphrola Family? Actually, I’ve always been in contact with her, but she hasn’t noticed that something is wrong with me and thought I was a wealthy pirate’s daughter of the Archipelago Kingdom-Karagly. But I think, there should be no problem, as compared to ordinary people, I’m more familiar with witches."

She smiled while examining Shard’s expression:

"Look at you, as if afraid that I will go far away and never see you again."

"I just feel, since I persuaded you to accept yourself, since I persuaded you to come out of that Sea of Darkness, I have the responsibility to take care of you."

"Is that all?"

She continued looking at Shard:

"If that’s really all, then based on the fact that I am born because of you, should I call you fu..."

"Cough cough, cough cough."

Shard interrupted her words very nervously with a severe cough:

"Please, don’t say it; otherwise, I feel I would suffer great misfortune."

The girl lightly laughed from her successful mischief, her graceful figure matching her smile at that moment. Although she claimed not to be a witch and Shard’s emblem did not react to her, her appearance indeed matched those real Grand Witches.

So, the Fifth Era was truly an interesting period.

The backyard of Margaret’s Manor is quite large, and although not entirely open to tonight’s guests, the locks and fences cannot stop Shard and Miss Eles.

While strolling together under the moon, Shard also expressed his concern about Moon Bay:

"Be careful in Moon Bay as there are many dangerous things here."

"I know, like the ’Mermaid,’ correct?"

She asked and seeing Shard’s surprise, she further explained:

"Although I grew up following two Demigod-level Witches, and even though I don’t have their kind of power, I can still manage to preserve my life... As long as the ocean still exists in this world, I will not die."

"""