Chapter 57

In the days that followed, Aikesi and Monika were almost inseparable.

Every morning, before the sky had fully brightened, with a thin layer of mist hanging over the valley, the two would go together to the stream to fetch water. Monika was responsible for carrying the two wooden buckets, while Aikesi stood beside her telling jokes to make her laugh. At first, Monika kept a straight face, pretending to be a lady of proper conduct, but she couldn't hold it for three days before breaking down, laughing so hard she nearly fell backward and dropped the buckets into the stream.

In the morning, Monika went to the herb garden to tend the medicinal plants. Aikesi sat on a nearby stone to cultivate. He was now at Sanctuary Peak, having grasped the Profound Mystery of Fire Element; flames danced and spun in his palms, growing hotter and more flexible in form. Sometimes he could condense the fire into a small bird that fluttered its wings on his fingertip; sometimes the flame became a flower with layers of petals, each one burning yet never extinguishing. Monika watched, mesmerized, often forgetting the work in her hands.

"So amazing." Once, unable to hold back, she dropped her hoe and squatted beside him, staring curiously at the flame, "Can I touch it?"

"Be careful, it's hot." Aikesi warned, lowering the flame's temperature to the minimum, barely a degree above body heat.

Monika cautiously extended her index finger and gently touched the edge of the flame. The fire was as gentle as a tamed kitten, rubbing against her fingertip.

"So magical." Monika's eyes sparkled like two grapes soaked in water, "It seems to have a life of its own."

"The Fire Element inherently possesses spirit." Aikesi explained, "It's just that most people cannot sense it."

Monika closed her eyes, palm open, as a faint golden light appeared. She tried to sense whether there was "life" within the light. After a long while, she opened her eyes and shook her head, somewhat dejected: "I can only feel the light, feel its warmth, but not that 'life' feeling you have."

Aikesi comforted her, "When you reach the Saint Domain, you will understand."

"The Saint Domain..." Monika rested her chin on her hand and sighed, "When will that be?"

"Take it slow." Aikesi smiled, "To cultivate to this level safely within the village is already remarkable."

Hearing him say this, Monika felt better and picked up her hoe to continue working. Aikesi closed his eyes again, sinking into cultivation. Each busy with their own tasks, they occasionally looked up to meet each other's gaze, smiled, then looked down again.

The herb garden was utterly silent, save for the rustling of the hoe turning the soil and the whisper of wind brushing through the grass leaves.

Afternoon was the time both looked forward to most. They would go up the mountain together to pick mushrooms and wild fruits, or simply do nothing, lying on the grass to watch the clouds. The mountain was full of mushrooms; under the pines, in the thickets, they grew in clusters and bunches—some as white as jade, some golden like honey, others topped with bright red caps like little umbrellas. Monika had grown up in the mountains; she could distinguish which mushrooms were edible and which were poisonous even with her eyes closed. Following her, Aikesi acted like a schoolboy, holding up every mushroom he saw to ask her, "What about this one? Is it edible?"

"No, that's a fly agaric; eating it will make you see little people dancing."

"What about this one?"

"Yes, that's a bolete; I'll stew it for soup tonight."

"Then what about this one?"

Monika leaned over to take a look and couldn't help but laugh: "That's a stone."

Aikesi looked down and indeed saw a round stone, merely covered in moss, looking from afar like a gray-green mushroom. He sheepishly put the stone down, causing Monika to burst into laughter again.

Sometimes they simply lay on the grass watching the clouds. The clouds in the mountains hung lower than those on the plains, as if one could reach out and pluck them.

"Look at that cloud, doesn't it look like a rabbit?" Monika pointed to a fluffy cloud on the horizon.

"Yes." Aikesi followed her finger, "Doesn't that one next to it look like a turtle?"

"Where does it look like a turtle?" Monika widened her eyes, scrutinizing it for a long time, "It's clearly a fox! Look, that's the tail, that's the ear—"

"—"

"Turtles have tails and ears too."

"Turtles don't have tails that big! You're just being difficult!"

The two argued for a long time, neither convincing the other, until finally they both laughed. Their laughter rolled back and forth across the hillside, startling a flock of sparrows foraging nearby.

"Aikesi." As the laughter subsided, Monika suddenly called his name.

"Hmm?"

"Before... did you ever like anyone?"

Aikesi was taken aback, not expecting her to ask that. He turned his head to look at her; Monika was staring at the clouds in the sky, feigning composure, though the tips of her ears were slightly flushed. He thought for a moment and said, "No."

"Really?" Monika turned her head to look at him, a hint of skepticism in her eyes, "You're handsome, and you're a Saint Magus; surely many girls must like you? In the Yunluo Empire, in the O'Brien Empire, wasn't there even one who caught your heart?"

Aikesi gave a bitter smile, rolled over, and lay on his back with his hands behind his head: "When I was in the Yunluo Empire, I practiced magic every single day."

He paused, then turned his head to look into Monika's eyes, his tone becoming serious: "Besides, no matter how good those girls were, they weren't you."

Monika's face instantly turned bright red, burning from her cheeks all the way to her ears. She hurriedly turned away, unable to look at him, her heart pounding wildly as if a little deer were crashing around in her chest.

"What about you?" Aikesi asked in return, "Have you ever liked anyone?"

"No." Monika shook her head, her voice muffled, "There are only those people in the village; we're all like family. When I was young, I thought Uncle Mile was amazing, able to kill a wild boar by himself, but that was just admiration. Later, when I grew up, I never thought about such things. The boys in the village... how to put it... they're all good, but there's just no feeling."

"And now?" Aikesi's voice was very soft, almost blown away by the wind.

Monika said nothing, only burying her head lower, her chin nearly poking her collarbone. Her ears were as red as boiled shrimp, and even her neck was tinged with a faint pink.

Aikesi reached out and gently took her hand. Her hand was small, soft, with distinct knuckles.

"Monika." He said seriously, "I like you."

Monika's body trembled slightly, as if struck by electricity. She raised her head, her eyes full of surprise and shyness; her pupils reflected Aikesi's image, along with the vast white clouds. She opened her mouth, her lips moving several times, but no words came out. Her face burned hot, and even her breathing became rapid.

"W-what did you say?" She finally squeezed out a few words, her voice as thin as a mosquito's buzz.

"I said, I like you." Aikesi repeated, word by word, with crystal clarity, "Since the day you saved me, I have liked you."

Monika opened her mouth again, wanting to say something, then swallowed it back, repeating this several times. Her eyelashes trembled slightly, like two startled butterflies.

"What about you?" Aikesi pressed on, gazing at her with burning eyes, "Do you like me?"

Monika lowered her head, staring at her own toes. After a long while, she nodded very gently. The movement was so slight and small that if Aikesi hadn't been staring at her, it would have been almost imperceptible.

A surge of immense joy rose within Aikesi, erupting from his chest like molten lava, so hot he nearly jumped up. He forced himself to restrain his excitement, simply tightening his grip on her hand. He could feel her hand trembling slightly too, a thin layer of sweat forming on her palm.

"Then it's settled." He said softly, a smile in his voice, "In the future, we'll go out and see the world together."

""

"Mm." Monika leaned against his shoulder, her voice as thin as a mosquito's but carrying an unmistakable joy.

The sun set, dyeing the entire sky gold, then gradually transitioning to orange-red, like a palette knocked over. The two sat on the hillside like this, hand in hand, watching the sun slowly descend. The distant mountains were edged with gold, a thin evening mist rose in the valley, and everything was quiet and beautiful, as if time had stopped at that moment.

In the distance, wisps of cooking smoke rose; the village was beginning to prepare dinner. From some chimneys drifted the scent of burning firewood, mixed with the aroma of stewed vegetables, carried over by the wind.

"We should go back." Monika stood up, brushed the grass clippings from her skirt, and reached out to smooth her wind-tousled hair.

"Sit a little longer." Aikesi pulled her back down and pointed overhead, "Look, the stars are coming out."

"

Monika looked up and indeed saw the first star appear on the horizon, hanging there all alone yet shining with startling brilliance. Then a second, a third, a fourth—before long, the sky was filled with stars, dazzling as diamonds, as if someone had scattered a handful of crushed diamonds onto deep blue velvet. The Milky Way stretched across the sky, extending from one end to the other, so magnificent it left one speechless.

"So beautiful." Monika exclaimed, gazing upward, mesmerized.

"Mm." Aikesi was not looking at the stars; he was looking at her profile. "Very beautiful."

Monika sensed his gaze, and her face flushed again, this time even the tips of her ears turned crimson: "Why are you looking at me? Look at the stars."

"The stars aren't as beautiful as you."

Monika was both shy and amused by his words, lightly punching him: "Smooth talker. Who taught you these lines?"

"Self-taught." Aikesi said with a straight face, "Perhaps I have a special talent."

Monika laughed even harder, bending over until tears were about to spill from her eyes.

The two sat like that until the moon rose. The moon was large and round, hanging above the mountain peak, illuminating the entire valley as bright as day. Moonlight spilled onto the stream, shattering into pieces of silver foil, gently swaying with the flowing water.

A night bird took flight from the woods, swept past the moon, leaving a string of clear chirps behind.

"We really should go." Monika stood up.

Aikesi nodded, stood up as well, and casually picked up the basket containing mushrooms and wild fruits. The two walked down the mountain path; the moonlight stretched their shadows very long, very long, overlapping together, making it impossible to tell which belonged to whom.

At the village entrance, Desili was waiting for them.

"Back?" He glanced at Aikesi indifferently, "Dinner is ready."

"Coming, coming." Monika pulled Aikesi and walked in quickly, not daring to look her father in the eyes.

Desili watched the two backs, shaking his head helplessly. He said nothing, simply turned and entered the house.

Dinner was stewed chicken with mushrooms, along with fresh wild vegetables and roasted bread. Monika's cooking skills were excellent; the chicken soup was stewed to be delicious and rich, the mushrooms had absorbed the broth, and one bite filled the mouth with fragrance. Aikesi ate three bowls of rice, so full he kept burping. Seeing him like that, Monika found it both funny and touching: "Eat slower, no one is fighting you for it."

"You make it too delicious." Aikesi sincerely praised, "It would be great if we could eat this every day."

Monika's face turned red again; she lowered her head and shoveled rice, pretending not to hear.

After dinner, Aikesi returned to the stone house, lay on the bed, and tossed and turned, unable to sleep. His mind was full of Monika's image.

Outside the window, moonlight like water spilled over the quiet mountain village. In the distance, Monika's room still had the light on; the orange-yellow light leaked out from the window, warm and cozy. She probably couldn't sleep either.

Aikesi smiled and closed his eyes.

Early in the morning, he went to find Monika: "Today I'll take you to see the town."

"The town?" Monika's eyes lit up, yet she hesitated a bit, "Will Father disagree?"

"I already told Mr. Desili." Aikesi smiled, "He agreed."

This was true. Last night he had gone to find Desili, saying he wanted to take Monika out for a walk. Desili had been silent for a long time, finally only saying one sentence: "Come back before dark."

"Great!" Monika jumped up happily and ran back to her room to change clothes.

Moments later, she came out wearing a pale green long dress; her emerald-green hair was braided into a plait hanging behind her back, making her look as fresh as new leaves in spring.

"Does it look good?" she asked a bit nervously.

"It looks good." Aikesi said sincerely, "Let's go."

The two walked out along the mountain path. Monika rarely left the village and was curious about everything. She would stop to look at the wild flowers by the roadside; she would chase after butterflies flying past for a few steps; even the fish in the small stream made her lie down and watch for a long time.

"Slow down." Aikesi was at a loss between laughter and tears, "We still have to come back before dark."

Monika reined herself in a bit then, but still couldn't help looking around.

The small town was thirty li outside the mountains, called Qingshi Town, the only market within a hundred li nearby. The town was not big, with only one main street, lined on both sides with various stalls. Sellers of cloth, sellers of vegetables, sellers of farm tools, sellers of snacks—shouts rose and fell, creating a lively atmosphere.

Monika had never seen so many people before; she was both excited and nervous, tightly holding Aikesi's sleeve.

"Don't be afraid." Aikesi gripped her hand, "Just follow me."

The two wove through the crowd; Monika's eyes were not enough to take it all in.

"What is that?" she pointed at a small stall.

"Candied haws." Aikesi bought two skewers and handed one to her.

Monika took a bite, and her eyes immediately lit up: "So sweet!"

Aikesi looked at her satisfied expression; his heart was sweeter than honey.

"There's a jewelry stall over there; want to take a look?" he suggested.

"Mm!" Monika nodded.

The jewelry stall was not big, displaying various silver ornaments and jade ornaments. The craftsmanship was not exquisite, but they sparkled under the sunlight, looking very nice. Monika spotted a green jade hairpin; the head of the pin was carved with a small flower, simple and elegant.

"If you like it, buy it." Aikesi paid the money and inserted the hairpin into her hair.

"Does it look good?" Monika touched the hairpin.

"It looks good." Aikesi smiled, "But you look even better."

Monika's face turned red again, and she lowered her head.

The two continued strolling, buying cloth, buying pastries, buying all sorts of little trinkets Monika had never seen. Monika was like a little bird out of a cage, chirping nonstop, with a smile always on her face.

At noon, the two ate at a small restaurant. Monika had never eaten outside food before; she found it incredibly novel and wanted to taste every dish.

"This fish is so delicious!" she picked up a piece of fish meat and gave it to Aikesi, "You try it."

"This soup is also good!" she ladled another bowl of soup and pushed it over.

Aikesi looked at the bowl piled high with food, at a loss between laughter and tears: "Enough, enough, you eat some too."

"I am eating." Monika, with her mouth still stuffed, said indistinctly.

Aikesi looked at her ungraceful appearance and suddenly remembered the first time he saw her: she was wearing a white dress, standing by the stream, quiet as a painting. Who could have thought this girl had such a lively side.

"What are you looking at?" Monika noticed his gaze.

"At you." Aikesi said frankly.

Monika's face turned red again; she lowered her head and shoveled rice, saying no more.

After finishing the meal, the two strolled around the town for a while. In the afternoon, Aikesi took her to a small hill outside the town.

"What are we doing here?" Monika asked curiously.

"To watch the sunset." Aikesi pulled her to the top of the hill, found a flat stone to sit on, "Watching the sunset here looks better than watching it in the village."

Monika sat down, half believing and half doubting.

The sun slowly sank westward, the clouds along the horizon stained gold, red, and purple, layered one upon another, breathtakingly beautiful.

In the glow of the setting sun, the distant mountains seemed draped in a sheer veil, hazy and dreamlike.

"So beautiful," Monika murmured.

"Mm." Aikesi looked at her profile and said softly, "Very beautiful."

Monika turned her head, meeting his gaze without flinching, simply gazing at him quietly.

"Aikesi," she suddenly spoke.

"Mm?"

"Will you… leave someday?"

Aikesi froze: "Why ask that?"

Monika lowered her head, her voice very soft: "You're a Saint Magus, and so young. The outside world is vast, waiting for you to explore. This mountain village can't hold you."

Aikesi fell silent for a moment, then reached out and cupped her face: "Monika, look at me."

Monika lifted her head, a thin mist of tears in her eyes.

"No matter how vast the outside world is, without you, it's meaningless," he said seriously. "I promise you—I'll take you with me, wherever I go. Okay?"

Monika looked at him for a long while, then nodded slowly.

Aikesi smiled and pulled her into his arms.

The sun set, the moon rose. Beneath a sky full of stars, the two sat together, saying nothing.

The wind blew through the mountains, carrying the fragrance of grass and trees.

In the distance, the town's lanterns lit up one by one, scattered like a river of stars upon the earth.

"We should go back," Monika said softly.

"Mm." Aikesi stood, taking her hand. "Come again tomorrow?"

"Yes!" Monika smiled, her eyes curving into crescents.

Hand in hand, the two walked back along the mountain path. The moon followed behind them, stretching their shadows long and long.

Near the village entrance, Monika suddenly stopped.

"What's wrong?" Aikesi asked.

"Thank you," she said seriously. "Today was so happy."

"Every day will be this happy," Aikesi squeezed her hand. "I promise."

Monika smiled, rose onto her toes, and quickly kissed his cheek, then blushed and ran into the village.

Aikesi stood where he was, touching the spot she kissed, grinning foolishly for a long while.