Chapter 342

Chapter 342. Dance

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍night wind seemed to still at that moment.

In ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the distance, fireworks burst silently across the night sky. Dazzling showers of light drifted down, illuminating the two silent silhouettes in shifting flashes of brightness and shadow.

Logaris ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍did not answer at once. Instead, he reached out with a motion so gentle it hardly seemed like him and tucked a wind-tossed strand of her silver hair softly behind her ear.

His ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍cool fingertips brushed her slightly cold cheek by accident.

Sylvia’s ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍body trembled almost imperceptibly.

In ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍his distinctive red-and-blue heterochromatic eyes, the dazzling rain of light across the sky was clearly reflected, as was the girl before him, who was about to be crowned queen, yet at this moment was asking him for an illusory promise.

“As long as you always walk the correct path.”

He spoke softly.

There were no eternal vows, no sweet words, but there was an unquestionable certainty and obsession that belonged solely to Logaris.

The corners of Sylvia’s lips rose uncontrollably.

However, before that smile could fully bloom, Logaris suddenly changed the subject.

“Then, Your Majesty, our future queen who is about to reign over the world…”

Logaris braced one hand against the cold stone railing and leaned forward slightly. Behind the lenses of his Rimless Glasses, his gaze carried a deep, abyss-like probing.

“Suppose one day, I become like Mad King Maggie, losing control in pursuit of some extreme ‘truth,’ or because of some bloodline I cannot control…”

His voice paused. In those heterochromatic eyes, the crimson glow in his left eye brightened slightly, as if a trace of suppressed madness was flowing within it.

“…and even threaten the existence of the Astrelia Kingdom.”

He enunciated each word, his voice exceptionally clear in the biting night wind. “When that time comes, what will you do?”

Sylvia also did not answer at once.

Instead, she turned her hand over and grasped Logaris’s hand where it rested on the railing.

Her fingers pressed forcefully, irresistibly, one by one into the gaps between his, clasping his hand tightly.

“I will keep a close watch on you.”

Sylvia looked straight into his eyes.

“I will not let that happen.”

“What if it does?”

Logaris did not back down. He continued to press her relentlessly, like an obsessive seeker of the Dao who had to obtain a final answer.

“What if the situation completely goes off the rails? What if I truly become this country’s greatest calamity?”

A brief dead silence fell over the rooftop.

There was only the sound of the wind, and the faint cheers from far away.

Sylvia turned her head and looked down once more at the brightly lit, endless Royal Capital below.

That was her kingdom. It was the heavy burden she was about to take up. It was the countless people who trusted her.

Several seconds later, her gaze returned to Logaris.

“If that day truly comes…”

Sylvia’s voice was very soft, yet it landed with the force of the sharpest icicle striking the ground.

“As the queen of Astrelia, for the sake of the kingdom, I will personally eliminate every threat.”

Logaris’s eyes narrowed slightly. He could feel that the grip of the hand clasping his had not loosened in the slightest.

But he did not interrupt her.

“But,” Sylvia tightened her hold on his hand once again. She looked at him, and in the depths of her eyes surged a nearly pathological, extreme possessiveness.

“As Sylvia, after I have done all of that… I will go with you.”

“Whether it is to Hell or to the Void, wherever you go, I will follow.”

Hearing that answer, Logaris froze for a full half second.

Then, he laughed softly.

It was not his usual cold laugh, elegant yet vile, laced with malice and mockery.

It was a smile from the heart, carrying a few traces of relief and gratification.

It perfectly matched the obsession with absolute bonds that lay deep in his bones.

“A satisfying answer. It seems you will always walk the correct path, Sylvia.”

Logaris tightened his hand around hers in return. With a slight exertion of strength, he pulled her a little closer to him, then lowered his head and looked into her eyes.

“Then,” he said softly, his tone carrying a hint of gentleness even he himself had not noticed, “I will work hard to make sure Your Majesty never has the chance to draw her sword.”

Thump.

Sylvia’s heartbeat skipped.

She looked at him. In that pale-blue right eye, which always hid calmness and distance, her own figure was now clearly reflected, along with the brilliant fireworks filling the sky.

She suddenly felt as if she were a little drunk.

Even though she had not drunk a single drop of wine.

The final Spatial Teleportation landed in the academy’s Grand Assembly Hall.

The vast Grand Assembly Hall was unlit. Only pure moonlight poured in through the enormous stained-glass window in the dome, casting a huge, sacred patch of light across the glossy, mirror-like obsidian floor.

Everything here carried an air of solemnity and sanctity.

Logaris remembered that at the ball during the year they graduated, there had been one outrageously bold senior who, on this very stage and in front of all the teachers and students of the academy, had offered the senior he loved a clumsy yet sincere waltz.

Back then, he and Sylvia had been sitting in the audience below the stage.

He remembered Sylvia’s eyes at the time. There had been a mixture of aristocratic “disdain,” “envy” toward that foolish courage, and a trace of hidden “longing” even she herself had not noticed.

At this moment, there was no one on the stage.

The moonlight was the only spotlight.

Sylvia released the hand she had been holding tightly all this time and walked alone to the center of the stage.

She stood within that huge patch of moonlight, turned around, and quietly looked at Logaris below the stage.

Her silver-white hair and deep-blue uniform, beneath the cold moonlight, were so beautiful that she looked like an unreal painting.

Then, she made a motion Logaris had never imagined.

She slightly lifted the pleated hem of her Saint Arcadia Academy uniform skirt and gave him an impeccable, textbook-perfect ladylike curtsy.

In her silver-gray eyes, a light brighter than all the stars in the night sky combined was shining.

“Professor Logaris,” she said, her voice carrying an unprecedented boldness and teasing tone, “would you do me the honor of dancing with me?”

Logaris stood below the stage and looked at her.

He did not hesitate. He stepped onto the stage, came before her, placed his right hand over his chest, bowed slightly, and performed a standard noble’s salute.

“The honor is mine.”

He took her outstretched hand. It was warm and smooth as jade.

The instant their fingertips touched, Logaris lightly snapped the fingers of his left hand at his side.

SNAP.

A soft sound rang out.

An invisible barrier, centered on the stage, silently spread outward like ripples across water, instantly enveloping the entire Grand Assembly Hall.

A High-Tier Soundproof Barrier. Spatial Lock.

From this moment on, this place became an isolated world cut off from everything else, belonging only to the two of them.

Immediately after, there came a second snap of his fingers.

SNAP.

A melodious, ethereal waltz melody sounded out of nowhere inside the empty Grand Assembly Hall.

Melodic Magic.

This piece had no stirring drumbeats, no splendid strings. There was only piano music flowing quietly like moonlight.

Gentle, lingering, and without the slightest trace of sorrow.

This was a melody that belonged only to them.

Sylvia drew closer with the motion, and the two of them followed the rhythm, dancing gracefully on the moonlit stage.

Logaris’s steps were as precise as the most intricate magitech instrument.

Sylvia’s dance steps were as light as a nightingale skimming across the surface of a lake.

Their steps were tacitly matched down to their very bones.

Forward, backward, turning, crossing.

It was as if they had rehearsed this hundreds and thousands of times.

They did not speak. They only gazed at each other.

In their eyes, there was no longer room for anything else.

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