Chapter 2648 - 2649: Bygone Days

Chapter 2648: Chapter 2649: Bygone Days

After finishing the story behind the parchment, Cicia summoned Dox’s "ticket" from the darkness — the Holy Light Vine Staff.

"As for this staff..." Cicia frowned slightly: "The emotions contained within it are the most complex among the treasures handed over by your teammates."

"The gratitude for a favor, the friendship resolutely protected, the love waiting in vain, the indifference towards sentiment, the sorrow of parting difficult to endure, and the longing waiting silently... etc."

Angel was somewhat puzzled: "The emotions within it, are they the stories of several people?"

"Four, if you count the maker, it’s the story of five people."

Angel: "..."

Originally, if it were the story of two people, he could already imagine a sensational drama. Unexpectedly, it’s the story of five people... Oh, wait, isn’t a five-person story even more sensational?

Angel pondered: "Which part of the emotions does Dox belong to among these five people? Dox is the one who handed this treasure to you."

According to Angel’s imagined script, Dox should belong to "love and longing," after all, the vine staff is ultimately kept by him, so it’s quite normal to emotionally connect with it.

However, if this is truly the case, then Dox’s previous carefree attitude is actually just a performance? Deep down, he should still be reluctant, because after all... he loved.

Yet, Angel’s imagined sensational drama hadn’t taken shape before Cicia poured cold water on it.

Cicia: "He occupies a small part in these emotions, considered as friendship, perhaps?"

Angel: "Resolutely protected friendship?"

Cicia nodded: "Yes."

"Then by exchanging this vine staff for a ticket, the ’resolutely protected’ seems to have disappeared as well?"

Cicia turned her head, looking at Angel: "Why do you think sending the vine staff away doesn’t count as protection? Don’t be limited by your thinking. Sometimes, giving up is also a choice. And your teammate previously chose to keep it, but now chooses to give it up. Perhaps from his perspective, giving up is also a protection for a friend."

Angel considered for a moment, what Cicia said seemed right. He always thinks too simplistically and superficially about such emotional issues; in reality, any form of emotion is very complex, much like human feelings, always fluctuating.

What you think may not be what you think; what you deny might actually be true.

Human hearts are unpredictable, emotions as well.

"I don’t know the specific story of this vine staff either, but it should be quite entangled." With that, Cicia muttered softly: "I actually don’t like treasures with such complex implications. Being immersed in them, I also end up entangled. But these kinds of treasures are the best to pass the time; viewing the whole story from different emotional perspectives gives different sentiments."

"Even though I don’t like such treasures, compared to your two Gold Coins, I prefer choosing this type of treasure."

Angel: ... The two Gold Coins he sent out have now become Cicia’s measuring standard, each one needing a comparison.

Cicia finally looked at the vine staff with complex eyes, then tossed it into the Mist.

In the Mist, a final treasure emerged — a stone tablet.

It was the stone tablet that previously housed the Black Earl’s nose.

Angel wasn’t concerned about the treasure itself, but he was eager to know the story of the Black Earl and what he discussed with Cicia?

"This stone tablet, is the carrier for the Black Earl’s nose avatar that you mentioned." Cicia didn’t hold the stone tablet in her hand but let it float in mid-air: "The stone tablet carried the Black Earl’s nose avatar for about sixty years, witnessing some emotional changes of the Black Earl’s nose over the years."

"However, his emotions are quite faint, not much meaning. It can hardly be considered a treasure."

"If it weren’t for him claiming to be from the Noah Clan, I really didn’t intend to accept it."

Upon hearing this, Angel realized the topic had reached its entry point, so he feigned surprise and asked: "Is there any connection between the Noah Clan and the Baiyuanians?"

If he directly asked Cicia why she favored the Noah Clan, Cicia might not answer. But Angel directly put the Baiyuanians and the Noah Clan on the same level, significantly increasing the probability of Cicia explaining.

Sure enough, Cicia frowned: "The Noah Family is just an insignificant Wizard Family in Naraku City, how could they have any connection with us Baiyuanians?"

Angel: "The current Noah Clan is a giant in the Southern Domain."

Cicia sneered: "So what? A Southern Domain where Legends don’t show, any organization or family placed ten thousand years ago could be deemed insignificant."

Angel stroked his chin: "That’s true."

"Since the Baiyuanians have no connection with the Noah Clan, then why does Miss Cicia favor the Black Earl? Could it be... because you fancy the power of the Noah Clan today, paving the way for the Baiyuan Clan’s revival?"

Angel knew very well that the latter statement was not the reason for Cicia’s favoritism, but it didn’t stop him from mentioning it. After Cicia met Popota, she would naturally understand the Baiyuanians’ current situation; apart from Angel, they virtually had no connections. If Cicia and Popota truly wanted to revive the Baiyuan Clan again, without the support of more forces, they would still end up like the Baiyuanians of old, devoured by a pack of wolves.

Cicia didn’t react initially, thinking Angel was teasing her because his latter half of the statement was full of teasing tone.

Just as Cicia was about to respond sarcastically, she suddenly paused. Upon careful consideration, Angel’s apparent teasing actually concealed a very real issue beneath his joking tone.

Having the Primeval Flame, the ancient altar reigniting doesn’t mean the Baiyuan Clan could rise immediately.

Revival is a goal, an outcome. But without the process, where is the outcome?

And the revival process, relying solely on Cicia and the yet-unmet Popota, could they truly achieve it?

Cicia’s gaze gradually became somber as her thoughts narrowed and the outlook became bleaker.

At this moment, Angel spoke: "Suddenly speechless, is it because you don’t want to answer this question? Or are you pondering how to brush me off?"

Cicia glared at Angel: "I’m just thinking!"

Angel had an expression of ’I see now’: "Is this your norm for thousands of years? When something comes to mind, you start pondering, and as you ponder, you lose track of time, letting the days pass by like that?"

"If that’s truly the case, I don’t mind, but are you planning to let Popota wait till he completely withers away?"

Cicia: "... You little rascal, you have a lot of wild ideas, but unfortunately, they’re all wrong."

Angel replied nonchalantly: "Wrong is wrong. I don’t mind right or wrong, I just want to remind you, keep those unreachable matters in mind; when the time truly comes, you can consider how to face them. After all, the Baiyuan Clan was blessed with celestial favor; the revival might be inherently destined, just like a distant mountain appearing insurmountable, but upon closer examination, there might be a staircase leading directly to the peak."

Upon hearing this, how could Cicia not understand that Angel completely saw through her thoughts? Or rather, her thoughts were actually being led by Angel.

This feeling is really annoying.

"Do you know, you’re quite unbearable like this." Cicia stared at Angel.

Angel innocently replied: "Did I do something wrong? I even arranged your meeting with Popota."

Cicia remained silent for a moment, then scoffed lightly: "I can’t be bothered to argue with you. Also, I’m taking back what I said earlier."

Angel: "Oh?"

Cicia: "I previously mentioned, that nothing is eternal and nothing is predestined. I now retract the latter part of the statement, I hope some things can be destined."

As for what those "some things" were, both Cicia and Angel tacitly understood.

As Cicia concluded this sentence, her previously dark mood dissipated quite a bit. Credit, if spoken, must go to Angel; but Cicia was unwilling to admit that she was emotionally swayed by a little rascal, so she directly changed the subject.

"Returning to the topic, you asked me earlier why I favored the Black Earl. There is a reason for this." Cicia posed with an attitude ready for a long discussion.

Angel also appropriately fell silent, as if giving Cicia a great deal of face.

Cicia: "A long time ago... ten thousand years ago, to be exact, I was sent to Naraku City by the Prophet. For some unspeakable reasons, I made a friend."

The so-called "unspeakable reasons" were actually twofold: either limited by an oath or constrained by the Prophet’s mission.

Angel couldn’t judge which it was. As long as it didn’t affect the overall situation, he was disinclined to guess.

"This friend of mine had a very unique status. She had a very prestigious origin, but she was like a bird trapped in a cage, her life predetermined."

"She longed for freedom, yearning for a life outside the cage."

"My position in Naraku City was special, so befriending her did not face opposition from her family; in fact, they were quite happy about our friendship."

As Cicia spoke of the past, her gaze gradually turned misty: "Initially, we were both cautious of each other. But later, some things happened, and we became the best of friends..."

"After becoming close friends, I learned of her situation. Driven by compassion, I made up an excuse and obtained her family’s consent to take her out of the ’cage’ for a brief escape."

"To this day, I still don’t know if taking her out that time was right or wrong."

Angel hadn’t intended to speak, but as Cicia fell into silence, he interjected to lighten the mood: "Why do you say that?"

"Because she met someone outside."

To prevent Cicia from further brooding, Angel spoke again: "Up to this point, the story hasn’t mentioned the Noah Clan. So, should it be their turn to enter the scene?"

Cicia nodded: "Yes, it was a young wizard from the Noah Family."

"The rest of the story surely involves love and turmoil?" Though Angel said this, he had already largely guessed the truth: Cicia’s close friend was probably Margaret, the Warden’s daughter, and the young wizard from the Noah Clan was undoubtedly Augustine.

"As you’ve guessed, indeed, there was a strange attraction between them. There was love, entanglement, but no resentment," Cicia said calmly. "That wizard from the Noah Clan had an aura of mystery and was a person whose thoughts and actions were unpredictable. My friend was attracted to these qualities."

"Was it a one-sided secret love or a mutual pursuit?"

Cicia: "An interesting description. But no, neither. It was... a mutual secret love."

"My friend rarely got to go out, so I became their go-between. She liked Noah, but they’d only met once. She thought Noah only saw her as a friend, but I knew Noah was infatuated at first sight, constantly hoping I’d help pass messages. Yet I was aware there were insurmountable barriers between them."

Angel: "Did you pass the messages?"

Cicia nodded: "I did. Every time Noah wrote those love poems, I’d subtly guide him, making them seem less explicit."

Angel: "Even if they weren’t explicit, they were still love poems. Your friend didn’t realize?"

Cicia: "And what if she did? She hoped to escape the cage, but she also knew it was just a hope."

Angel: "So they kept exchanging messages?"

Cicia nodded: "Noah’s expressions became more blatant, but my friend became more reserved. Yet feelings are hard to hide, especially from a perceptive wizard. Noah could sense her feelings through her hesitant but lingering script."

"But at that time, neither he nor she had a way out."

Angel: "What happened after?"

Cicia shook her head: "I don’t know. I was just their go-between for a while. Then, I faced some inevitable decisions and chose an unforeseen path, becoming what I am now."

"Transformed into a box?"

Cicia nodded: "After becoming a box, I slept for many years. Only after my soul fully merged with the box did my consciousness gradually revive. By then, Naraku City was nearly at its end."

"Did you ever hear from that Noah ancestor and your friend again?"

Cicia curiously asked: "You care about their ending?"

Angel: "It’s not that I care about their ending. Think of it this way: if I told you some gossip involving your ancestors, getting you all interested, and then didn’t tell you the outcome, what would you do?"

Cicia: "...I’d probably be itching with curiosity."

Angel: "So, now you understand how I feel?"

Cicia: "I don’t know their ending. I asked the Wise Sovereign, who gave me an ambiguous answer. No matter how I pressed, the Wise Sovereign wouldn’t elaborate."

"That’s the gist of it. It was because of my friend that I met that Noah wizard. Although his talent for writing love poems was ordinary, he was indeed a very mysterious person."

Angel, who had helped Augustine with love poems, silently mused: His talent for writing love poems wasn’t just ordinary; it was quite ordinary.

Angel: "Mysterious? This is the second time you’ve described him this way."

Cicia contemplated: "He had an inexplicable aura about him. Hard to describe what it felt like. Moreover, he was quite knowledgeable, seemingly knowing everything. Once you visit the Noah Clan, it’s clear he was nothing like the rest of their fools."

"Mystery in his aura, mystery in his breadth of knowledge, and as a Prophet Wizard, I couldn’t see through him."

Angel: "It seems that this Noah ancestor harbored some significant secrets."

"Perhaps." Cicia looked at Angel: "Speaking of secrets, don’t you have secrets? What you know, can do, act, and think clearly doesn’t match your age."

Angel didn’t reply, but smiled silently.

Cicia genuinely wanted to know Angel’s secrets, whether it was about the Primeval Flame or the Baiyuanians he knew. But as Angel didn’t take the bait, she set it aside... Perhaps she could inquire with that Baiyuanian named Popota?

As for whether the clansman might be bribed by Angel, Cicia wouldn’t consider that much right now. Even if Popota was indeed bribed, she believed that those of the same origin and clan would be easier to approach than an "outsider" like Angel, making persuasion simpler.

"Even though this Noah was mysterious, I still learned a lot from him. I can say he was my second close friend in Naraku City."

"Thus, out of regard for my dear friend, I naturally show leniency to Black Earl, a descendant of the Noah Clan."

Angel looked enlightened: "So that’s how it is. However, the Noah ancestor probably never expected you’d show leniency to his descendant’s avatar, but kick his true descendant away."

Angel was referring to Vay, who was kicked out of this pitch-black space by Cicia at the beginning.

"Is that my fault? I’m not omniscient. How was I to know Vay was of the Noah Clan?" Cicia retorted irritably: "Even if I did know, I wouldn’t be lenient enough to grant passage for a mere ten Magic Crystals."

Angel mentioned Vay purely because he sensed Cicia’s emotions drifting into past memories, gradually sinking into melancholy.

Once Cicia’s mood turned sour, it would likely be difficult to ask anything further.

That’s why Angel brought up Vay.

Cicia was indeed easily distracted; Angel’s words immediately altered her mood.

Seizing the moment before Cicia descended back into gloom, Angel quickly asked: "By the way, speaking of the Noah Clan, I do have some questions for you."

Cicia asked puzzled: "I’m not too familiar with the Noah Clan. I only know a bit about that person."

Angel: "What I want to know might really relate to that person."

"Oh?"

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