Chapter 263 : Chapter 263

Volume 2 Ch 6: Iruya, the Witch of Pride

People ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍always said there was little affection within the imperial family. But Ilis felt that Cecilia might not possess such a thing at all. In Cecilia’s eyes, people were probably divided only into useful and useless, beneficial and worthless.

Everything ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was unfolding exactly as Cecilia had expected.

And ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Ryan...

Ilis ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍stopped outside the master bedroom door.

The ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍attendant had already announced her arrival and withdrawn with a bow, yet she suddenly found herself hesitating.

In ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍what identity should she walk in?

As Cecilia’s guard?

As a temporary teammate who had gone through life and death with him?

Or as... someone entangled with him in a complicated way, someone who knew his greatest secret and had also exposed her own greatest secret to him?

She thought of the way Ryan usually looked—cold, as if he cared about nothing at all.

Cecilia was outwardly warm and inwardly cold. Ryan... seemed to be the exact opposite.

She drew a breath and pushed open the heavy carved wooden door before her.

When Ryan entered the drawing room, Ilis was standing with her back to him before a tapestry depicting an ancient forest hunting scene. She seemed to be looking at it, yet also seemed lost in thought.

Today she had changed into a simple light-gray long dress, with a thin outer layer of the same color draped over it. A dark sash at her waist outlined her slender figure.

Her long black hair still fell smoothly down her back, with only a single section loosely tied by a plain silver ribbon.

From behind, she looked little different from an ordinary human noble girl, save that her bearing was more upright and graceful.

At the sound of footsteps, she turned around. Her violet eyes were clear and calm, and her gaze settled on Ryan—lingering for a moment on his striking silver hair.

For an instant, a faint daze passed through her heart. That color, that texture... for one fleeting moment it almost made her think of her own people. In fact... many pure-blooded elves in her memory did not possess a hair color so pure and dazzling.

But she silently shook off the absurd illusion at once.

Ryan was human. That was beyond doubt.

It was only that the silver hair... was astonishingly similar.

“You’re awake,” Ilis said. Her voice held a little less indifference than when she stood at Cecilia’s side. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m all right. Thank you for your concern.” Ryan walked to the single armchair in the place of honor and sat down, then gestured for her to do the same. “Please.”

Ilis seated herself on the sofa opposite him, her back still perfectly straight. A broad tea table lay between them, bearing the delicate pastries and steaming black tea the servants had just brought in.

For a moment, the air fell silent.

Only the steam curling from the teacups moved soundlessly.

Ilis looked at Ryan’s calm face, then at that silver hair glinting coolly in the light of the drawing room. Many questions circled in her heart, yet for a moment she did not know where to begin.

She had not expected Ryan to be so silent.

Did he truly have no interest in investigating her elven identity?

Or had he already realized it, and this silence was some kind of deliberate observation?

Just as Ilis was hesitating and about to speak, Ryan also happened to lift his eyes, as though he too intended to say something.

The two of them parted their lips at the same time, then both stopped.

Their gazes met.

For an instant, the atmosphere grew strangely still.

The awkward silence stretched.

Then, at that moment, a small figure poked its head out from behind Ryan’s shoulder.

It was Syl.

The little blue bird tilted its head and looked curiously at Ilis with its black bead-like eyes. Then something seemed to attract it. Flapping its wings, it flew lightly across the tea table and landed directly on top of Ilis’s head. Its tiny claws lightly scratched at her smooth black hair, and then it lowered its head and curiously pecked at the silver ribbon among her hair, chirping twice in a clear little voice.

This unexpected interruption broke the silence.

Ilis clearly had not expected the little thing to show such intimacy. Her body stiffened slightly, but she did not drive it away. There was only a trace of helplessness in her gaze.

Ryan watched the scene, and some of the tension in his gray-blue eyes eased. He spoke first.

“It seems Syl likes you very much.”

Ilis raised a hand, moving very lightly, as though she wanted to touch the little creature perched on her head, but she stopped halfway. Instead, she lifted her chin slightly and looked at Ryan. Something complex lay in her violet eyes.

“Likes me? Yes. After all... it is a Sacred Beast with extremely deep ties to the elves. It is not strange for it to feel some affinity toward elven blood.”

The meaning in her words could not have been more obvious.

Ryan did not respond at once. He merely met her gaze calmly, tapping one finger lightly against the armrest.

Only then did he slowly say,

“So the person who tried to sneak into my room not long after school started... that was you, wasn’t it?”

Ilis’s violet eyes widened slightly.

Instinctively, she tried to defend herself. “I wasn’t trying to sneak into your room! At that time I only wanted to... observe the situation. And take a look at that stone while I was there.”

The moment the words left her mouth, she seemed to realize for herself how weak that explanation sounded, especially given that “observing the situation” was hardly convincing in the context of visiting someone else’s residence in the dead of night.

She pressed her lips together slightly and looked away for a brief moment. The tips of her ears seemed to warm almost imperceptibly.

Ryan watched her rare display of awkwardness and gave a faint smile, but said nothing more. He simply looked at her quietly.

Ilis herself knew her explanation sounded suspiciously like a cover-up. She turned her gaze back and met Ryan’s eyes again.

For a few moments they looked at one another, and it seemed that both of them saw the same helplessness in the other’s gaze.

The taut atmosphere quietly loosened. A trace of shared amusement almost surfaced in their eyes at the same time, and much of the heaviness and mutual testing in the air truly dissipated.

Ilis let out a small sigh in her heart.

That was fine. Since he had long guessed it already, there was no need for her to waste effort trying to conceal it anymore.

From the moment he had awakened the Azure Tempest and obtained the Emerald Wind Oath, it had been inevitable that someone as perceptive as Ryan would form suspicions.

She simply had not expected him to bring it up in such a way—so casually, so plainly—that all the complicated psychological preparation she had made beforehand now felt somewhat unnecessary.

She straightened herself again, her expression returning to calm, though her tone had become more candid than before.

“All right. It was me. But my target was never you. It was... the thing you obtained.”

“That white crystal.”

“Yes.” Ilis admitted it without hesitation. “Even before you bought it, I could already sense it faintly. Even through that layer of sealing, I could feel within it a power fluctuation that was exceptionally pure, and which faintly resonated with the origin of my race. I wanted to obtain it and examine it carefully. Perhaps I might have found in it some... clues that had long been lost. I simply did not expect you to buy it first.”

Ryan fell silent for a moment.

By Ilis’s account, if he had not intervened, then Syl likely would have fallen into her hands.

If so, what would have happened later in the original plot?

Would she have awakened Syl?

Would she have formed a Covenant with him?

Ryan remembered clearly that in the game, although Iruya as the Witch of Pride displayed overwhelming combat ability, that power did not seem directly connected to the Azure Tempest. The core of her strength lay more in that unique and arrogant fighting style of hers, as though she were manipulating the rules themselves. It seemed to lean more toward...