Chapter Fourteen: Beautiful Memories

Chapter Fourteen: Beautiful Memories

After successfully advancing to become a Level-Two Soul Mage, Xiu Yi could hardly wait to learn new soul spells.

It must be said, however, that soul magic was truly pitiful in its paucity. The number of spells available to a second-level practitioner was even fewer than at the beginner stage—there were only three in total: Mana Drain, Mind Burn, and the Dance of Lost Souls.

The Dance of Lost Souls was a spell that disrupted the mind, an upgraded version of Mind Burn.

Yet Mind Burn could only compel the target to burn their own spirit; for those without strong obsessions, it was of little consequence. The Dance of Lost Souls, on the other hand, directly plunged the opponent into confusion, causing them to lose all ability to attack.

As for how long the Dance of Lost Souls could last, much depended on the willpower of the afflicted and the prowess of the caster.

Xiu Yi had once tried the Dance of Lost Souls on Xu, but the little dragon simply stared blankly for a moment and was otherwise entirely unaffected.

He very much hoped this was due to the unique constitution and indomitable will of a dragon, but when he considered how the little creature lazed about all day, living a life of idle ease, clearly possessing none of the qualities of the strong-willed, he could only sheepishly admit to himself that the fault likely lay in his own inadequate training.

Mind Burn, meanwhile, was an enhanced version of Psychic Shock, inflicting spiritual harm by igniting the target’s mental energy. Its effect was far more potent than an ordinary psychic assault.

Mana Drain was perhaps the most practical and yet most useless of the three spells.

As its name implied, this spell enabled the user to replenish their own magical power by siphoning mana from others—a truly game-changing effect.

Unfortunately, the spell came with a severe limitation.

The subject of Mana Drain had to be in a state of complete absence of willful resistance.

Only then could the Soul Mage successfully establish the channel for mana transference and draw power from the target without end. During this process, not only could the target actively sever the mana drain, but they might even seize the opportunity to strike back, turning the stolen power into a backlash against the would-be thief.

For the vast majority of mages, these requirements meant that they could not draw mana from their enemies, and to drain power from one’s own allies was to weaken them—utterly pointless in battle. Thus, for most mages, this spell was of little value.

But for Xiu Yi, he had long coveted this spell.

It was precisely for this reason that he had prioritized inscribing the Shadow Mark upon himself, striving so desperately for advancement—all for the sake of learning this very spell.

One could even say that, should he one day face Abritt, this spell would be the key to his victory.

When he finally completed the incantation for Mana Drain, a sly smile crept across Xiu Yi’s face.

He cast a wicked glance at the little dragon Xu, who was always eating and lazing about, refusing to study.

The little creature shivered inexplicably, sensing that something ominous was coming.

In the end, all debts must be paid; there’s no such thing as a free lunch. Not long after, Xu would come to understand this lesson “most profoundly.”

Xiu Yi was away from home for many days on this excursion, leaving Daisy and Lanti in a state of anxious worry—so much so that even Clarice came by to inquire about him several times.

During those days, Xiu Yi did more than engrave the magic marks upon his body; he also prepared a number of other items for himself as an alchemist.

Only after he had completed all his errands did he return to Camphor City.

“Oh, you’re finally back!” Lanti cried as soon as she spotted Xiu Yi. “Fink, you had us all worried sick.”

“Did something happen?” Xiu Yi didn’t believe his absence would spell the doom of the entire troupe.

“Oh, no, nothing happened,” Daisy said, clutching his arm. “It’s just that we hadn’t heard from you in days. I don’t know what you’ve been up to, but I hope you understand how much we care about you.”

Lanti’s voice was tinged with grievance. “We thought you’d left us… that you weren’t coming back.”

The affection both girls held for Xiu Yi was so obvious that even a fool could see it. He fell silent for a moment, then gently took Daisy and Lanti’s hands in his own. “I’m truly unsettled by this. I don’t understand what I’ve done to earn such special regard from you both. I always thought I was just a passerby in your lives. Even after all this time together, I knew the day would come when we’d part ways.”

“Don’t you believe us? Or do you think we have ulterior motives?” Daisy looked at him seriously.

“Perhaps you think we’re too forward? Too frivolous?” Lanti asked.

“No, it’s not that. In truth, I’m deeply moved by your affection, but I’m also afraid to accept it. I wonder if I’ve done something wrong to lead you to misunderstand. I mean… I can’t make you any promises.”

“Why should there be promises?” To Xiu Yi’s astonishment, it was Daisy who spoke.

She smiled teasingly at him. “You just don’t understand us.”

“I don’t,” Xiu Yi admitted with sincerity.

“That’s because you’re not part of the troupe, so you can’t grasp what life is like for us,” Lanti said softly. “Fink, maybe you don’t realize this, but the girls in a troupe travel constantly for performances. It’s not uncommon for some to go to bed with nobles for money, and this has stained our reputation. It’s nearly impossible for us to find good husbands. Even without the lure of money, nobles always find ways to get what they want and care nothing for us afterward. We don’t want this life, but there’s nothing else we can do. We’re pitiable women, and a bad name clings to us, regardless of what we’ve done or haven’t done.”

Daisy continued, “So we girls have learned one thing: when happiness comes to us, we must seize it for ourselves. If we miss it out of pride, we’ll only regret it forever.”

Lanti picked up the thread, “We’re not like those noble ladies with endless choices. Most of the men we meet are rough dockworkers, farmers, hunters—men who will never be part of high society. Our only way up is to climb into a noble’s bed and slip away at dawn with a few gold coins for our trouble. All we can hope is not to get pregnant—or maybe to get pregnant, depending on one’s choices.”

Daisy added, “So before we’re forced down that path, we at least want to cherish every opportunity, to value every good man who crosses our path. Fink, before that day comes, at least let us choose the one we like. For no other reason than that we like him.”

At last, Xiu Yi understood.

On this continent, even the most illustrious troupes had female singers and dancers of the lowest status. More often than not, the word “songstress” meant little more than “prostitute.” The life of the troupe was much like that of the Gypsies—predestined to wander, to live a life of sorrowful ballads no matter how carefree they seemed, and to taste only the bitterness of rootlessness no matter how unrestrained they appeared.

For most troupe girls, when a man they fancied passed by, they would drop their pride and seize him with all their might, even if he did not belong to them. At least, before being forced into a noble’s bed, they could say their first lover was a choice of their own.

Life rarely offers many chances—one must grasp every possibility!

In this way, they could at least claim a beautiful memory of their most important moment.

The young man before them was handsome, polite, never losing his temper even when blackmailed by Clarice, and generous enough to lend her money. He seemed clever, capable, considerate—his only flaw was his youth. The girls could find no other fault in him.

That was more than enough to make them fall for him.

They did not expect Xiu Yi to stay with them forever, only that he might leave them with a memory to be cherished for the rest of their lives.

Such an attitude toward life arose from their uncertainty about the future and their lack of confidence in it. They no longer cared about the outcome, only about experiencing happiness—even if only for a brief moment.

Xiu Yi fell silent.

In that moment, he wanted to say, “I can protect you.” But in the end, the words would not come.

It was Daisy, ever perceptive, who placed her small hand over his heart. “You needn’t pity us or feel sorry for us, nor should you let us hold you back. From the day we joined the troupe, we were prepared for this life.”

Lanti encircled his waist from behind. “We don’t know what the future holds, but we do know that tonight, at least, can be beautiful. Fink, will you be with us?”

With a hoarse voice, Xiu Yi replied, “Yes, I will… I’d be honored to give you a happy memory.”

“Perhaps it will be the most beautiful memory of our lives,” Daisy murmured sweetly, her eyes closed in bliss.

Her expression was already one of rapture.

That night, Daisy and Lanti spent the night in Xiu Yi’s room.