Mage Manual

Chapter 1750: Chapter 1297: Ash Rescue Squad

In the Ashley Hotel in Kaimon City within the Kingdom of Blood Moon, Siflin knocked and entered the suite. It was quiet inside; the bar was covered with empty bottles, and various sundries were scattered everywhere. World Film City’s dolls, hourglasses flowing from top to bottom, cards crafted by ogre artists—these were all items Sonia and the others had bought during their shopping over the past half month. It was possible Ash bought them, as Sonia and the others didn’t seem that childish.

The curtains covered most of the window, with only a thin ray of sunlight illuminating the room. Dust danced like elves in the beam.

Siflin saw a Meiwa with cherry pink hair lying on a bed that could fit five people. The Meiwa was curled into a small ball under the blanket, much like a little dog abandoned by its owner, which softened the heart of the little bat that initially didn’t want to indulge her any longer.

After Sonia and the others left one after another yesterday, Freyja seemed to have lost her soul. Siflin spoke to her for a long time with no response; she just clutched a diary replica and stared blankly while sitting on the bed.

Siflin could somewhat understand, for the Meiwa had come with huge expectations to find Sonia. She believed she held the key to unlocking the truth and should naturally lead everyone to rescue Ash. Instead, she became a drenched dog with four buckets of cold water poured over her.

It wasn’t Meiwa’s fault, as even Siflin herself didn’t expect Sonia and the others to be so... heartless.

She predicted the cruelty of Vishi was likely to refuse, guessed the independent Weiser might withdraw, but didn’t foresee Sonia and Lissdia being so heartless to ignore Ash’s past contributions.

Actually, it was quite normal; as the ’Reality Princess Group,’ they were not truly familiar with the personalities of Sonia and the ’Void Realm Queen Group.’ During these half months of eating, drinking, and playing together, Sonia and the others’ portrayal made Siflin mistakenly think they might be kind and lovely... but only when facing the crossroads of fate will the Mages reveal the true colors of their souls.

In the end, why did Siflin and Freyja naively think Sonia, Lissdia, Youlan Weiser, and Vishi would want to save Ash?

Because of the diary.

In the diary, Ash did vent about Sonia’s capricious vanity, Lissdia’s timidity, Weiser’s unscrupulousness, Vishi’s prioritization of interests, but under his tender words, these negative traits transformed into their endearing aspects. Even for Weiser and Vishi, whom Ash initially had a poor first impression of, he grew to respect their thoughts and saw commendable attributes in them despite disagreeing with some of their worldviews.

The diary’s progress stopped at the third Angel Hunt when Ash was not yet in a relationship with Vishi. Ash still thought Vishi deserved eternal damnation in Hell, yet he simultaneously felt she was the strongest Mage he had met, that this woman would someday stand at the pinnacle of magic, hiding a heart of strength beneath the guise of a miscreant.

In Ash’s diary, even Vishi was a charming antagonist character, much less the Sword Witch Silver Lamp. After reading the diary, how could Siflin and the others not harbor goodwill towards the operators? How could they not hold expectations for them?

Ash likely really concealed some content. He might know, but just as he liked the cute side of the Sword Maidens, he equally liked their... not-so-cute side.

Freyja must be really grieving, as Sonia and the others’ ruthless rejection not only dashed her hopes but also trampled on her admiration. She fell in love with Ash through the diary and adored Ash’s love with Sonia and the others, naively believing such beautiful love deserved a perfect ending, yet what awaited was the disillusioning reality.

Hence Siflin let Freyja stay here; reminiscing over a lover’s sorrow as a grieving Meiwa in the place Ash once occupied was better than the depressive, explosive, sickly Meiwa she was a few days ago.

"Hmm~"

Just then, a nasal hum resounded from under the covered blanket, breaking the silence. Siflin’s body tensed up, and she accidentally glimpsed a white lace bra under a dress casually thrown on the chair beside her.

She grasped a corner of the blanket and pulled it vigorously, startling the Meiwa who was watching the diary while rewarding herself. Freyja quickly pulled the blanket over herself, blushing to the point of bleeding, her expression both aggrieved and shy: "What are you doing!"

"Shouldn’t I be asking you that!" Siflin felt her blood was about to reverse flow: "What are you doing here!"

Freyja hesitated for a moment, "Sif, don’t you know? Okay, what I did just now was—"

"I don’t need you to educate me about physiology, I am the Medical Practitioner!" Siflin felt she was on the brink of depression: "Why are you doing this here... on Ash’s bed... Haven’t you heard Sonia say they just connected on this bed a few days ago?"

"Yes, Sif, you’re right." Freyja wore a puzzled expression as if questioning why Siflin was posing such a strange question: "So you’re fully aware of the room’s charm, aren’t you?"

Siflin stared dumbly at Freyja, for a while before letting out a long sigh, sitting on the bed full of melancholy, holding her forehead as she muttered to herself: "I actually worried about you, I was really foolish, truly."

"Even if Sif is a silly little bat, I love you, okay."

Freyja laughed and embraced Siflin, two ample, soft masses pressing against Siflin’s back, causing her thoughts to waver—Meiwa’s charm wasn’t limited to men; it’s just that women are less easily ensnared by Meiwa.

Siflin glanced at the diary replica on the bed, perplexed, and asked: "Why are you rewarding yourself while reading the diary?"

"Casting materials."

"But we also read the diary, is there such a Chapter? Did you hide the extras?"

"Don’t you think the main text is quite suggestive too?" Freyja asked seriously.

Siflin decided not to get entangled with Meiwa over these matters: "I’m not going along with your madness anymore. How many more days do you plan on staying here? Seven days enough?"

Freyja shook her head and gave an answer that surprised Siflin: "I’m leaving soon. You can cancel this room."

"Huh? You can drop your fantasies about Ash just overnight? How about staying a few more days? I don’t mind."

"Why should I drop them?" Freyja looked at Siflin with a puzzled expression: "I’m going to save him. Why would I stay here?"

"Save him?" Siflin paused: "But didn’t Sonia and the others refuse?"

"The Sword Maiden and the others refused, but what does that have to do with me?" Freyja looked even more puzzled: "I’m saying I’m going to save Ash. Can’t I?"

"Just you?"

"I’m a Legendary Mage! I’ve inherited the Enchant Heart! My heart’s Void Wings are fully formed!"

Siflin opened her mouth. In all fairness, Freyja was indeed a top-notch Legendary Mage on earth. Someone like her could topple cities and destroy nations. There wasn’t a place in the five countries she couldn’t go, or a person she couldn’t offend. Achieving some unbelievable feats was a piece of cake for her. It seemed impossible to say she wasn’t qualified to save him.

Siflin asked, "Ash is stronger than Sonia and the others; he’s a Demigod. Even someone like him has all traces of existence erased. Can you really save him?"

"I might not be able to now, but I can take it slow." Freyja somehow produced a box of teddy bear cookies and said as she munched, "Maybe I’ll need to ascend to a Demigod to save him. It might take a long time to gather all traces of him, but as long as I keep searching, I can eventually rescue him from the corners of the world that have abandoned him."

She looked at the diary replica beside her: "Ash must still be alive. He gave me this diary replica, hoping I’d save him! It might take him a long, long time to wait, but I’ll do my best!"

Siflin looked at Meiwa dumbfounded. How long Ash has to wait means how long you’ll pursue him... Just for a diary, a man who vanished from your memories, why can you go this far?

As if sensing the question in Siflin’s heart, Freyja stuffed a teddy bear cookie into her mouth and said, "I like Ash."

"Mm."

"I’m not saying I like him because of this diary," Freyja explained. "I’m saying, I’m very sure I’ve always liked him."

"Didn’t you lose your memories of him?"

"But a paper filled with words, even if erased clean by an eraser, still leaves marks. At first, it was indeed just because of the diary I felt fond of him, but after sleeping here for a night yesterday, imagining his every move, joys, sorrows, suddenly connected me to my old self." Freyja stretched lazily, her impressive curves undulating. "During those days apart from Ash, I’m sure I imagined countless nights of what adventures he was going through... Back then, I must have been very happy."

"I can’t tell if ’secretly loving someone far away’ or ’missing someone who’s disappeared’ is more pitiful," Siflin retorted.

"Since I’ve always liked him, I like him now too, so I have to save him." Freyja poured the remaining teddy bear cookies into her mouth, chewing as she spoke: "What’s wrong with wanting to see someone you like?"

Siflin wiped the cookie crumbs from her mouth and said grumpily, "Whatever."

"Then Sif," she took Siflin’s hand, her gaze intense on the little bat, "have you remembered you like Ash?"

"Huh? Why would I like him? Is it written in the diary?"

"It’s not in the diary, but why were we bathing together in this room’s bathroom five days ago?"

Genuine cold-blood Siflin felt her blood vessels on her face heating up and directly covered Meiwa with a quilt, pouncing on her for a bout of beating. After a round of scuffle, Freyja tightly embraced Siflin, pinning her beneath, and asked pitifully, "Shall we look for Ash together?"

Siflin gave her a sideways glance, struggled but couldn’t break free from her grip, and had to purse her lips and say, "Whatever."

"Yay!" Freyja kissed Siflin’s cheek, rubbed her face against hers like a cat, and giggled: "Now the Ash Rescue Team has two members!"