Mage Manual

Chapter 1686 - 1243: I Forgot

In the Amber Palace of the Yisu Imperial Palace, Ash lay on the bed, opening the Light Screen to view the suggestive photos sent by Felix, with a rare sense of disinterest.

This naturally wasn’t Felix’s fault. After several months of intense photography, Felix had become adept at capturing the beauty of optics, and as her understanding of Ash’s interests deepened, she often came up with unique themes. Ash, who used to simply enjoy vulgar tastes, had now been developed by her to be not so simple.

For instance, today’s theme was ’sleeping.’ Felix was sleeping in various places, such as on a desk or a sofa, appearing mundane and ordinary. Yet, with her complete lack of awareness, her open neckline, the shorts slipping down, and her serene sleeping face, Ash felt like a voyeur just looking at these photos. The one that made his heart skip a beat was a photo of Felix sleeping on a desk, where he could see the scenery inside through the sleeve’s opening, full of the hazy youthful beauty from school days.

While Ash grumbled internally about how Felix imagined he harbored such dirty voyeuristic desires akin to a urinal, he begrudgingly gave these photos the highest rating — if he ever fell, it would surely be Felix’s fault!

After sending the rating, Ash did not continue to savor but instead shut off the Light Screen, quietly staring at the patterns on the ceiling. A massive sense of exhaustion surged in his heart, like a fish stranded on the beach, with all hope dried up by the sun.

Maybe, to the Uroboros who controls the end, these untimely mages are really the shadows resisting the sunlight?

Only two months left... maybe not even two months, just a little over a month...

Ash closed his eyes, trying hard to empty his mind, making space for beautiful expectations to fill in: beaches, barbecues, fireworks, travel... Since traversing to this world, he finally had such a vacation, without anything chasing him, no need to worry about anyone’s safety, able to experience this world without a care, see the sun, lie on the lawn, walk with someone he likes.

Isn’t this the life he’s been dreaming of?

He should be happy, so he absolutely must not let slip any flaws. They are all too smart, he must deceive himself before he can possibly deceive them.

Actually, it can be thought of more positively, relationships like apple farming have an expiration date. Currently, their mutual love is genuine, but future distancing or even growing hatred is unavoidable. It isn’t anyone’s fault; even the sweetest apple becomes spoiled eventually.

Moreover, their relationship can’t even last till the future. Now everyone is enduring, thinking of the bigger picture, only because there is the ’Supreme Star,’ the ultimate foe pressing down on them. They must suppress all their rough edges and unite for even a sliver of hope. Once they defeat the Supreme Star and capture the world, no longer would fate hang above them, then the split would begin.

Even if they once shared life and death, cared for each other, and laughed together... in the end, they would hold the blade gleaming with blood towards their most trusted comrades.

There are no eternal friends, only eternal interests.

This isn’t arrogance. Ash doesn’t think he’s that important either; at most, he’s just the ignition for the civil war. The true root is the power to rule the world.

Although except for Vishi, the others presently show no evident power lust, it’s like those who don’t even have enough to eat don’t bother with sentiments; once all troubles are resolved, the massive power vacuum in front will naturally give rise to corresponding desires.

The most obvious example is the six Divine Lords, once seated in that position, without exception, impose their will upon all beings. People ultimately seek self-realization, though not all self-realization requires power, power can aid all self-realization.

For ideals like pursuing supreme swordsmanship that don’t require external help, if everyone only practiced swordsmanship, continually cultivating opponents that could challenge oneself, would not it be more efficient than seeking inward?

Even Ash isn’t sure if one day he would become a tyrant, let alone the talented female mages with deep desires?

Of course, if that day truly comes, Ash could use the supreme of magic’s violence to suppress all internal strife. But power ultimately needs someone to command; leaving it vacant is tantamount to handing it over to the next ecological tier, only the throne and power without a master exist. Yet no matter who Ash entrusts it to, there would be dissatisfaction.

Dissatisfaction leads to conflict, conflict breeds resentment, the subsequent development will resemble the many beautiful stories whose aftermath unwritten; after shared life and death comes drifting in the same bed, fighting within the same room, mutual destruction, maybe after millions of years, it turns into a fanfiction.

This still limits the disputes to just among themselves, what if there were children...?

Many things Ash just doesn’t want to think about, many things can’t stand overthinking.

That’s why maybe ending here isn’t too bad a conclusion, all the things Ash fears don’t have time to happen, everyone stays in their most beautiful years, freezing fireworks at their brilliant moment isn’t quite nice? Continuing to watch the long dark night ahead is impolite.

Ash pulled up the quilt to cover his head, letting out a light sigh.

Overthinking hasn’t improved his mood; if anything, it’s worsened. Sleep, sleep.

The demigods might not need sleep, but resting the brain is still very comfortable, like people don’t need to bathe every day, but daily bathing can make one feel refreshed.

After an unknown period, Ash suddenly felt a slight anomaly. He opened his eyes and saw a shadow standing by the bed, bathed in darkness, staring down at him, not making a sound.

Encountering this in the middle of the night while sleeping would undeniably be horrifying, but aside from being slightly surprised, Ash had no other reaction. He sat up and patted the side of the bed, signaling for the other to sit down.

"Do you want the light on?"

No response.

"Can I hold you?"

No answer came from the darkness, but the bed creaked gently.

Ash reached out to hold her in his arms; the sensation was very comfortable. He took a deep breath, catching a whiff of sweet milk fragrance.

"When I first came back from Hell, it felt like I had a nightmare, a life ruined. But waking up to see you lazily asking for a hug, my heart instantly relaxed."

Diya finally spoke, "I think I just... encountered the Black Demon."

"Mm." Ash wasn’t surprised at all, gently brushing her face as if two cats were grooming each other, "Did you find it a little frightening?"

"A little," Diya softly said, "but I also found her very kind, as if... no matter who betrays me, she would always stand by me."

Ash, while gently stroking her back, said, "Though both Death Mad and I feel she hates you, is jealous of you, but since you say so, perhaps she indeed wants to help you, after all, you two are the same entity on different timelines, her feelings towards you must be very complex. When you’re happy, she might hate you; when you’re sad, she gets angry for you... I think the Black Demon is also a very lonely person; you don’t need to be too afraid of her. If you meet again, you can hug her more."

"I’m glad you told me about this, but since ’personality shift’ has already happened, we can only calm and accept it. With me here, I won’t let the Black Demon replace you."

Diya softly acknowledged, staying in his embrace for a while before asking, "Do you know why I have a personality shift?"

"Probably because I hurt you, right?" Ash admitted, "But I don’t know the specific reason."

"How can you not know?" Diya raised her head, her eyes reflecting the faint interior light like two soon-to-extinguish stars, her voice with a hint of sobbing, "You clearly promised!"

"I forgot."

"How can you—"

"Not just the promise," Ash stated calmly, "I lost all memories about you. Even your name, I have to listen to how they address you before I dare to tentatively speak it."