Inside the apartment, the cult leader and Bewitcher locked eyes.
“Why?”
Upon hearing Ashe’s question, Freya was caught off guard. After a moment of thought, she replied, “I’m still a legal citizen. I can rent a place to shelter you, I can work to support you, whatever inconveniences you have can be left to me… I would do anything you ask.”
“Though I’m pleased you’re willing to work to support me,” Ashe said, unable to suppress a smile, “my question isn’t ‘why should I take you with me,’ it’s ‘why do you want to come with me?'”
Freya’s face blushed slightly and she looked down at Xiao Xian who was rubbing against her feet, “No reason… I just want to be with you.”
“Let me rephrase then. Why can’t you accept me leaving you?”
Freya opened her mouth but found herself speechless.
She bit her lip, feeling a pain in her heart she didn’t know how to articulate.
Years of indoctrination had taught her not to expose her vulnerability.
Suddenly, she remembered what Ashe had said to Xiao Xian: ‘From now on, if you feel pain, don’t keep it to yourself. Cry out, or no one will know.’
“Because it would hurt,” she whispered. “The thought of never seeing you again, never tasting the food you cook, not being able to converse with you… it makes my heart ache. It’s uncomfortable, almost to the point of tears.”
As she spoke, Freya began to feel aggrieved, “Even though everything will return to normal after you’re gone, why does it hurt so much? It’s not any different from before, but your presence has thrown my emotions into chaos. Why is this so…?”
“Because you feel lonely.”
“Lonely?” She seemed puzzled. “But we—-we’re all lonely. It says so in the books, that loneliness is the wings of freedom, that freedom shines because of loneliness…”
Ashe took Freya by the hand and sat her down in the entranceway, gently saying, “But you’ve never truly embraced loneliness, you were only running away from it. However, because you were young and the world was novel to you, life was interesting, so you could always run. Loneliness could never catch up.”
“You’ve seen Fernand Snow’s speeches, haven’t you? Do you know why he sought out his descendants? Because loneliness caught up to him. He was too old, the world was no longer novel to him, and life was nothing more than a series of calculations. Faced with the pursuit of loneliness, he had nowhere to hide. So he urgently needed to find another container to bear his loneliness—-there’s nothing better than seeing one’s own lineage continue to alleviate the pain of solitude.”
“What I did was establish a bond with you. When we’re together, the bond can dispel loneliness; when I leave, the other end of the bond will be connected to loneliness. That’s why you feel pain—-you’ve been caught by loneliness, you can’t escape.”
Freya looked down at her beautifully manicured toes and murmured, “You’re so cruel…”
“In your eyes, I must seem like a villain,” Ashe laughed, “Actually, your point of view isn’t wrong, and the teachings of the Blood Moon are for your benefit. If you never engage in any intimate relationships, never establish any bonds, you won’t experience disappointment, loneliness, or pain. Since you never had it, you’re not afraid to lose it.”
“But… I reject this kind of ‘for your own good’.”
Ashe beckoned Xiao Xian over, lifted him high, and looked at where his testicles used to be, “The pet store neutered them before selling them to you, because for cats, being in heat is very uncomfortable, painful, and can lead to a lot of complications. Neutering them is for their own good.”
“In my view, what the Blood Moon has done to you is no different from neutering a cat. You dare not step into intimate relationships, being careful even when confronting marshmallows. This indeed lets you avoid many potential harms, but it also robs you of humanity’s greatest ability—the ability to love.”
“But humans are not pets, at least… they shouldn’t be.”
“I’m glad, Freya.” Ashe met Bewitcher’s gaze and said, “You’ve learned to love, and you know to resist instead of running from loneliness. This shows that it’s not me who’s crazy, but this realm.”
“Ashe, you’re really a thoroughgoing Cult Leader.” Freya’s smile was somewhat sorrowful. “So, what should I do?”
“Don’t resist entering intimate relationships; actively seek new bonds, be it friendships or romances. That way, you can resist the loneliness,” Ashe advised. “But the way you love needs some adjusting. You’re too extreme, even saying things like wanting to support me through part-time work. Switching from ‘complete independence’ to ‘total reliance’ like this, you could easily be deceived by scoundrels.”
“Stay true to yourself, learn to love. As long as you achieve these two points, you can live well in this mad realm, or rather, live happier than others.”
Freya stared at him intently, “Can I really not follow you?”
“It’s not that you can’t, I’d be very willing.” Ashe said, “But that would mean you have to give up your achievements of over a decade, risk becoming a wanted criminal, give up the degree within your grasp, abandon the resource-rich Swordflower College, forsake the mature Sorcerer training system of the Blood Moon Realm, and even give up the opportunity to become a Spirit Art Master… Are you willing?”
Bewitcher was taken aback.
“I’ve spent five days and four nights with you, compared to the over ten years you’ve spent in Caimon City, this is barely significant. To you, I’m not that important. You’re just a bit impulsive—of course, I’m glad for this impulsivity, as it means your love is sprouting.”
Ashe couldn’t help but laugh, “Speaking of which, I once invited someone to leave with me, she decisively rejected me due to realistic factors. Now that you’re actively following me, I’m actually rejecting you.”
Freya grumbled, “You yearn for the unattainable, and reject the ones who throw themselves at you.”
“I’ve been scolded by you so much that I’m starting to doubt my noble character.” Ashe grinned, “But my thoughts have always remained the same—I can give you this choice, but you need to think it through.”
“I can be your regret, but I can’t be your disaster.”
Freya hugged Xiao Xian and slumped on the ground, deep in thought for a long time. Eventually, she slowly said, “So you plan to toy with me until there’s no turning back, then just up and leave?”
With Ashe’s persuasion, she calmed down a bit. Becoming a Spirit Art Master was her dream. At this moment, her love seemed greater than anything, but that was because she hadn’t made a strict comparison, or rather, she didn’t want to. But when Ashe placed her dream and love on the two sides of the scale before her, she could no longer run away.
Visible things are always important, invisible things can always be easily discarded.
“You’re suddenly so harsh, making me out to be some scoundrel, but I really haven’t done anything.” Ashe was somewhat at a loss whether to laugh or cry, “And I’m not saying I won’t pay… Didn’t I give you a spirit?”
He paused then added, “If you haven’t found new bonds temporarily, just look at the spirit and miss me. Missing someone can alleviate loneliness, can brew anticipation.”
Looking at the Compassion Art Spirit in the Glowing Sphere, Freya suddenly felt a pang of sorrow.
“Are all the nice things you’ve done for me, all your actions these days, just out of sympathy?”
Inside the apartment, the cult leader and Bewitcher locked eyes.
“Why?”
Upon hearing Ashe’s question, Freya was caught off guard. After a moment of thought, she replied, “I’m still a legal citizen. I can rent a place to shelter you, I can work to support you, whatever inconveniences you have can be left to me… I would do anything you ask.”
“Though I’m pleased you’re willing to work to support me,” Ashe said, unable to suppress a smile, “my question isn’t ‘why should I take you with me,’ it’s ‘why do you want to come with me?'”
Freya’s face blushed slightly and she looked down at Xiao Xian who was rubbing against her feet, “No reason… I just want to be with you.”
“Let me rephrase then. Why can’t you accept me leaving you?”
Freya opened her mouth but found herself speechless.
She bit her lip, feeling a pain in her heart she didn’t know how to articulate.
Years of indoctrination had taught her not to expose her vulnerability.
Suddenly, she remembered what Ashe had said to Xiao Xian: ‘From now on, if you feel pain, don’t keep it to yourself. Cry out, or no one will know.’
“Because it would hurt,” she whispered. “The thought of never seeing you again, never tasting the food you cook, not being able to converse with you… it makes my heart ache. It’s uncomfortable, almost to the point of tears.”
As she spoke, Freya began to feel aggrieved, “Even though everything will return to normal after you’re gone, why does it hurt so much? It’s not any different from before, but your presence has thrown my emotions into chaos. Why is this so…?”
“Because you feel lonely.”
“Lonely?” She seemed puzzled. “But we—-we’re all lonely. It says so in the books, that loneliness is the wings of freedom, that freedom shines because of loneliness…”
Ashe took Freya by the hand and sat her down in the entranceway, gently saying, “But you’ve never truly embraced loneliness, you were only running away from it. However, because you were young and the world was novel to you, life was interesting, so you could always run. Loneliness could never catch up.”
“You’ve seen Fernand Snow’s speeches, haven’t you? Do you know why he sought out his descendants? Because loneliness caught up to him. He was too old, the world was no longer novel to him, and life was nothing more than a series of calculations. Faced with the pursuit of loneliness, he had nowhere to hide. So he urgently needed to find another container to bear his loneliness—-there’s nothing better than seeing one’s own lineage continue to alleviate the pain of solitude.”
“What I did was establish a bond with you. When we’re together, the bond can dispel loneliness; when I leave, the other end of the bond will be connected to loneliness. That’s why you feel pain—-you’ve been caught by loneliness, you can’t escape.”
Freya looked down at her beautifully manicured toes and murmured, “You’re so cruel…”
“In your eyes, I must seem like a villain,” Ashe laughed, “Actually, your point of view isn’t wrong, and the teachings of the Blood Moon are for your benefit. If you never engage in any intimate relationships, never establish any bonds, you won’t experience disappointment, loneliness, or pain. Since you never had it, you’re not afraid to lose it.”
“But… I reject this kind of ‘for your own good’.”
Ashe beckoned Xiao Xian over, lifted him high, and looked at where his testicles used to be, “The pet store neutered them before selling them to you, because for cats, being in heat is very uncomfortable, painful, and can lead to a lot of complications. Neutering them is for their own good.”
“In my view, what the Blood Moon has done to you is no different from neutering a cat. You dare not step into intimate relationships, being careful even when confronting marshmallows. This indeed lets you avoid many potential harms, but it also robs you of humanity’s greatest ability—the ability to love.”
“But humans are not pets, at least… they shouldn’t be.”
“I’m glad, Freya.” Ashe met Bewitcher’s gaze and said, “You’ve learned to love, and you know to resist instead of running from loneliness. This shows that it’s not me who’s crazy, but this realm.”
“Ashe, you’re really a thoroughgoing Cult Leader.” Freya’s smile was somewhat sorrowful. “So, what should I do?”
“Don’t resist entering intimate relationships; actively seek new bonds, be it friendships or romances. That way, you can resist the loneliness,” Ashe advised. “But the way you love needs some adjusting. You’re too extreme, even saying things like wanting to support me through part-time work. Switching from ‘complete independence’ to ‘total reliance’ like this, you could easily be deceived by scoundrels.”
“Stay true to yourself, learn to love. As long as you achieve these two points, you can live well in this mad realm, or rather, live happier than others.”
Freya stared at him intently, “Can I really not follow you?”
“It’s not that you can’t, I’d be very willing.” Ashe said, “But that would mean you have to give up your achievements of over a decade, risk becoming a wanted criminal, give up the degree within your grasp, abandon the resource-rich Swordflower College, forsake the mature Sorcerer training system of the Blood Moon Realm, and even give up the opportunity to become a Spirit Art Master… Are you willing?”
Bewitcher was taken aback.
“I’ve spent five days and four nights with you, compared to the over ten years you’ve spent in Caimon City, this is barely significant. To you, I’m not that important. You’re just a bit impulsive—of course, I’m glad for this impulsivity, as it means your love is sprouting.”
Ashe couldn’t help but laugh, “Speaking of which, I once invited someone to leave with me, she decisively rejected me due to realistic factors. Now that you’re actively following me, I’m actually rejecting you.”
Freya grumbled, “You yearn for the unattainable, and reject the ones who throw themselves at you.”
“I’ve been scolded by you so much that I’m starting to doubt my noble character.” Ashe grinned, “But my thoughts have always remained the same—I can give you this choice, but you need to think it through.”
“I can be your regret, but I can’t be your disaster.”
Freya hugged Xiao Xian and slumped on the ground, deep in thought for a long time. Eventually, she slowly said, “So you plan to toy with me until there’s no turning back, then just up and leave?”
With Ashe’s persuasion, she calmed down a bit. Becoming a Spirit Art Master was her dream. At this moment, her love seemed greater than anything, but that was because she hadn’t made a strict comparison, or rather, she didn’t want to. But when Ashe placed her dream and love on the two sides of the scale before her, she could no longer run away.
Visible things are always important, invisible things can always be easily discarded.
“You’re suddenly so harsh, making me out to be some scoundrel, but I really haven’t done anything.” Ashe was somewhat at a loss whether to laugh or cry, “And I’m not saying I won’t pay… Didn’t I give you a spirit?”
He paused then added, “If you haven’t found new bonds temporarily, just look at the spirit and miss me. Missing someone can alleviate loneliness, can brew anticipation.”
Looking at the Compassion Art Spirit in the Glowing Sphere, Freya suddenly felt a pang of sorrow.
“Are all the nice things you’ve done for me, all your actions these days, just out of sympathy?”
