126 - How Could the Villainous Young Master Be a Saintess?

126~The Young Fighters No Longer Return to the Past "Is it really that powerful?" Wenny exclaimed. The enchantment on this cup is truly fascinating. "This technology has been refined over many generations, but it's still not mature enough. This is due to humanity's limited development and understanding of alchemy," Aesphyra explained, holding her teacup. "Alchemical arts, in the end, were not created by humans. To say we have only grasped the surface would not be wrong. In the Terrilis continent, or even beyond it, there are beings who understand alchemy and its principles better than humans ever could." "For example, Eurnes?" Wenny couldn't help but ask. "It's surprising that you know of the Profane Demon God, Wenny," Aesphyra said with a playful smile. "Indeed, alchemical power might very well be one of Eurnes's abilities (or powers minimized), much like exquisite meals accidentally dropping crumbs that ants find and treasure." With Aesphyra's explanation, Wenny understood the point. "In front of Eurnes, humans cannot even claim to have learned the basics of alchemy. So, it's normal for alchemical substances to go undetected by a cup like this. But generally, this would never happen on the Terrilis continent." I see. But does Mirexia really need this item? Wenny recalled Mirexia's original character settings: the blood of the Furious Golden Dragon rendered her immune to all poisons, and any potent toxins would be negated by her powerful draconic lineage. This was an advantage of the Furious Golden Blood but came with a downside. For instance, Mirexia's body was insensitive to alchemical toxins but likewise insensitive to beneficial alchemical substances. This insensitivity was indifferent to good or bad, unless it involved very high-grade healing alchemical medicines, which were unlikely to be truly effective on her. Moreover, this was the Kyridian Academy, one of the safest places on the Terrilis continent, with numerous formidable mentors and the principal of Kyridian Academy on guard. Anyone daring to harm a student here would be courting death. Furthermore, Kyridian Academy strictly barred any outsiders who were not mentors or students from entry, ensuring unrivaled security. Not to mention Mirexia's Furious Golden Blood making her immune to poisons, the academy itself was absolutely secure. There would be neither anyone brazen enough to poison the student council president nor any real motive to do so. In Wenny's view, using such teaware was largely for the sake of demonstrating one's status—high-end, sophisticated, and luxurious. Soon, this tea party came to an end. During it, Aesphyra certainly did not miss any opportunity to get closer to Mirexia. Subsequently, Wenny and Aesphyra officially became members of the student council. After that, Wenny found himself diving headfirst into work. And honestly, the workload was far busier than he ever imagined. While Wenny wasn't sure of Aesphyra's tasks, he felt that aside from learning from Mirexia, he was doing all the menial jobs. Tasks like serving tea, assisting seniors, or conducting external research were all piled on the newcomers. As the weather cooled into autumn, the student council's workload climbed. Naturally, as part of the lowest ranks, Wenny became even busier, having to balance studies during weekdays with student council duties on weekends. But there was an upside: financial stability. Kyridian Academy would never have students work for nothing. Over the weekend, Wenny found himself assigned to research duties around the academy again. Armed with a student council armband and wearing the autumn uniform, he stood on the bustling street. "Hey, you there, the dude over there, yes you, stop right there." "Uh, uh, yes, is there something you need, senior?" The student, spotting the red student council armband on Wenny’s elbow, cringed slightly, unsure what he might've done to get called out by a council member. "Do you know what day it is today?" Wenny approached the male student, eyeing him up and down with a squint. "No, I don't... Is today some kind of special day?" The male student puzzled over the question. Wasn't today just a normal day, with no special occasions or prohibitions? "Today marks the cooling of the weather, did you know?" Wenny observed the student for a while before lifting his head, feigning deep sagacity. "Huh???" The male student was stunned and slow to catch on. "You, my friend, it's cooler now, yet you're still wearing spring uniforms. Tough, aren’t ya? You aware you might catch a cold? If you miss classes due to a cold, you'll fall behind, understand?" Wenny poked the student's sleeve for emphasis. "Uh, I-I understand." "Good. As long as you understand. By the way, there’s a student council research report we're compiling. Mind suggesting any improvements or feedback you think the student council might need?" With these words, Wenny revealed a form he’d hidden behind his back, feeling quite satisfied with his conversational prowess. "No, I think everything's good as it is," the male student quickly shook his head. “Really? Don’t hold back, man. If you don’t tell us anything, how are we supposed to improve?” Wenny frowned. “Are you sure you have no feedback?” “Yes, I really don’t have any.” “Ha ha ha, that’s impossible! You must have feedback!” Wenny chuckled, fixating a sharp gaze on the male student. “There’s no way you wouldn’t have any feedback. I can tell just by looking at you!" "Huh???" The male student was bewildered. "The weather's turning, and here I am scrambling everywhere for research, tired as a dog. Even I have lots of feedback for the student council. How can you possibly have none??" Wenny squinted his eyes. “Well?? B-but senior, I really don’t have any feedback.” The student's eyes seemed to swirl in dizziness. “Is that so? Do you really have no feedback?” “Really, none.” “Alright, fine then. You can go. I won’t keep you.” Wenny waved dismissively. “Mm-hmm, okay.” Given the chance, the male student nodded rapidly and hurried away. Wenny continued his street post for survey purposes. By noon, having wrapped up that part of the work, he spotted a familiar figure near a cake and coffee shop. At first, he thought he mistook someone else for, after all, encountering the ever-busy high-ranking princess on the streets was bound to be rarer than drawing a top-tier card. After rubbing his eyes, Wenny confirmed that he wasn’t seeing things—indeed, the familiar golden silhouette at the cake shop front was Mirexia. What was she doing there? Curiosity piqued, Wenny edged closer, noticing that Mirexia's gaze was intently fixed on the cakes and desserts displayed within the shop, lost in silence. Today, Mirexia donned her autumn school uniform, pairing knee-high white stockings with a black pleated skirt of moderate length, and a long-sleeved white student jacket on top. Wenny could tell that Mirexia genuinely liked wearing these thick white knee-high socks. The radiant appearance of the girl drew the eyes of many passersby, making it easy for Wenny to spot her. Mirexia's gaze, cast on the treats inside, glimmered with unmistakable enthusiasm. This glimmer was all too familiar to Wenny, and he found himself drifting into memories, recalling how, as a child, Mirexia seemingly had always loved sweets. Subconsciously, he approached. Moments later, Mirexia shifted her gaze, turning only to meet Wenny's eyes. A startled look froze Mirexia where she stood. “President, what a coincidence to see you here too!” Wenny greeted her with a smile. “Mm.” Mirexia was momentarily flustered, having realized that Wenny had likely noticed her earlier actions, and a trace of embarrassment shone in her bright blue eyes. Quickly regaining her composure, she offered a serious explanation. “Earlier, I thought I saw an acquaintance in this pastry shop, so I came to take a look.” “Oh, did you find that acquaintance, dear princess?” Wenny smiled, not calling out the fib. "No, it was a mistake," Mirexia shook her head. "I see," Wenny mused, rubbing his chin. "Well, is the princess free now?" "The work is momentarily paused," Mirexia replied, unsure of what Wenny had in mind but nevertheless answering. "My work for the morning is also almost wrapped up. I suddenly feel like having some dessert—would President Mirexia do me the honor of joining me?" Wenny smiled and gestured towards the dessert shop, offering Mirexia an easy way to agree. Not appearing too busy now, Mirexia maintained her calm demeanor, though her eyes betrayed a twinkle of interest as she nodded. "Great, then I won't be worrying about interrupting you. After you, President Mirexia," Wenny said, observing Mirexia's reactions as he pointed towards the dessert and coffee shop entrance. Together they stepped into the lavishly decorated coffee shop, its warm hues creating a cozy ambiance. The flooring and walls were made of chestnut wood, and a live musician strummed soothing tunes within the establishment. Walking on the wooden floors, the two created soft, creaking sounds. A young lady with shoulder-length hair stood behind the counter, smiling warmly. Behind her, colorful wood pieces formed patterns of cakes and cutlery against the wall. "Good afternoon, both of you. May I help you with something?" she asked, failing to recognize Mirexia as she had never been in this cake shop before. Yet, the young lady noted how exceptionally attractive this girl was—simply mesmerizing. "You might be interested in our couple’s set, which we currently have a promotion for. It's a fantastic deal and fits the two of you perfectly. The set includes a large fruit tea with two straws for sharing...." "Ahem! Sorry to interrupt, miss, but we're not a couple," Wenny corrected her, a bit embarrassed. He glanced at Mirexia, who didn't seem particularly bothered, though her expression mirrored a subtle change. "Oh, oh, I see. My apologies to you both," the lady said, realizing her mistake. She didn't know either Wenny or Mirexia but assumed them to be a couple, as their appearance and entry into the shop together suggested as much. Perhaps they were merely at the stage of mutual interest, shy to admit anything more formal. However, their expressions now seemed to dispel that idea, the opposite in fact. "Miss Mirexia... Miss Mirexia, do you have any preference for desserts or fruit tea?" Wenny handed over the menu provided by the lady at the counter. "Why don't you order for me, Wenny?" Mirexia said with an expression that seemed to suggest, 'I'm just accompanying you; it doesn't matter what we eat.' "What, not fond of desserts, Miss Mirexia?" Wenny inquired. "I’m not particularly keen on overly sweet things," Mirexia replied, averting her gaze. This made Wenny want to laugh suddenly but he held it back. Hadn't Wenny been her childhood friend, familiar with her personality, he might have believed that. It seemed Mirexia had a bit of a prideful streak—so fitting given her twin-tailed blonde hair, wasn't it? Therefore, he ordered a chocolate cake, a strawberry cake, and two fruit teas, leading Mirexia to an empty seat to enjoy the café's melodious music. As Mirexia listened to the comfortable music, she glanced at Wenny across from her. He wasn’t looking back at her but was instead watching the outside world from the café's glass windows, seemingly lost in thought as he observed passersby. It was then she realized it had been years since she and Wenny had spent time alone like this. Since being declared the future Queen of Camilla, they hadn’t had such casual gatherings. In the blink of an eye, the blue-haired boy from her past had grown into a charming young man. Soon, the server brought over their cakes and fruit tea. "Here you go, Miss Mirexia, this is yours," Wenny said, pushing the chocolate cake toward Mirexia, who appeared to be lost in her thoughts. "Mmm." The glint of interest returned to Mirexia's eyes, akin to the shimmering surface of a blue lake, as she regarded the chocolate on the cake. "So, do you like it?" Wenny asked, then hesitantly added, "I remember you used to love chocolate when you were little... of course, maybe my memory's faulty." "When I was little…" Mirexia’s eyes flickered with recollection. Really? She had forgotten much of her childhood, it seemed. But the young man before her seemed to know it better than she did. As she took a bite of the cake, the crisp chocolate combined with the soft cake, and the rich sweetness blossomed on her taste buds. Its flavor held a certain magic, causing her brows to relax and her lips to curl up in satisfaction. Perhaps, indeed. She had really enjoyed sweets as a child, particularly chocolate. The young man remembered her better than she did herself. “What's the matter?” asked Mirexia upon noticing him watching her. “Oh, it's just... Miss Mirexia, your smile is as beautiful as ever,” Wenny said. He wasn’t sure why, but the words slipped out on their own. “If only you could smile like this more, genuinely.” Hearing this, Mirexia’s pupils constricted. Such familiar words brought forth old memories, like being swept in an ocean of reminiscences. "Mirexia, are you truly okay? Nowadays, you always look so stern, though you used to smile so much..." "The smiling Mirexia is the world's most beautiful girl! ...Why has it turned out like this?" A blue-haired boy stood beside her, looking at her with concern. Did she smile? Realizing she had been in a daze, Mirexia touched her lips, confirming that the corners had indeed turned up into a lovely arc unnoticed by her. So, this is what genuine happiness feels like? When did her smiles become mere formalities and gestures of politeness? The tides of memory retreated, revealing the blue-haired boy who had once filled his eyes only with her, now grown into a young man yet still meeting her gaze with familiarity but with newfound distance. Times have changed. Mirexia never considered herself one for sentimentality, sadness, or melancholy. Yet now, unbidden, those feelings crept over her heart. Growing up had erected walls between the boy and girl, setting them on different paths, spreading them further apart.