In the end.
Of course, Lin Nuo was not hypnotized by XÄ«.
Because a Paper Crane suddenly flew over from who-knows-where and landed right in front of XÄ«.
She had already reached out her hand toward him, but her words suddenly shifted, telling him to wait for her here a moment.
Then, following the guidance of the Paper Crane, she left…
Only then did Lin Nuo pull himself out from the suffocating, inescapable pressure of her relentless questioning, and snapped back to his senses.
‘… Wait, something’s off! Why am I even explaining myself to her?’
‘I came out with her for a date… Cough, cough! I mean, for a walk, yes! I went out with XÄ« for a walk, to thank her for spending time and effort teaching me swordsmanship.’
‘But now, not only is she openly riding on my head, she’s got that domineering look… It’s obvious that even if she ordered me to kneel and lick her jade-like legs, she wouldn’t allow me to refuse!’
Lin Nuo suddenly realized: for a boy out in the world, what’s the most important thing?
It’s to protect yourself!
Don’t lower your dignity; you’ve got to have self-worth and vitality! You can’t let all your energy go to your little head!
‘If she wants me to kneel and lick her jade-like legs— That would require a different price altogether!’
‘And anyway, whatever princesses or Royal Ladies there are, none of them look as good as my Fatty Bird… It’s just a pity Fatty Bird got taken by her, too.’
“Flap flap—”
Before long, the sound of a pure white Pegasus beating its wings drew near again, bringing the carriage smoothly to the ground.
“Ji ji!”
Striking a “White Crane Spreads Its Wings” pose, Fatty Bird landed on the Pegasus’s head, chirping at him, while the Pegasus snorted.
It seemed that sudden Paper Crane was just a tiny episode in this stroll with her but for quite some time, Lin Nuo didn’t see XÄ« get down from the carriage.
He moved closer and, with a swoosh, pulled open the curtain.
He saw Xī, who along the way—even during idle chatter—had always looked spirited and interested, now just sitting quietly on the cushion inside, both hands properly folded on her lap, eyelids drooped, falling silent.
When Lin Nuo reached out his arm to her, only then did she somewhat sluggishly place her slightly cool hand in his palm.
Getting down from the carriage, XÄ«’s steps remained slow and measured, no longer as light and lively as before.
“What’s wrong?”
Before Lin Nuo could voice his question, XÄ« quietly removed her lace gloves and stepped forward, placing her hand in front of his eyes.
A blood-red vertical pupil appeared—it was unmistakably the Dream Eye that activated hypnosis.
She hypnotized Lin Nuo once again.
This time, Lin Nuo thought she was still mad about before and felt it was finally time to tell XÄ« that he hadn’t actually been hypnotized by her.
He placed his hand on her delicate, fragrant shoulder, trying to call her to look up.
But before he could speak, he felt XÄ«’s shoulder suddenly start to tremble faintly.
It was as if she was deliberately suppressing some emotion, her voice hoarse and weak, a tone Lin Nuo had never heard from her before.
“In your subconscious, is this how you’re trying to comfort me?”
“…..”
There was no answer.
A split second before XÄ« slowly lifted her head, Lin Nuo seemed to realize something.
He immediately composed himself, letting his gaze go unfocused and his expression dull, perfectly imitating the dazed obedience of someone under hypnosis.
“How much time do I have left?” XÄ« turned to the side and asked.
The next moment, the Paper Crane that had called XÄ« away floated out slowly.
It seemed to have some kind of message transmission spell cast on it.
Dax Migludia’s voice came from within the Paper Crane: “The sooner the better. Preferably, return to set up the defenses before sunset… Lady XÄ«, Shilang Bay is bound to your very life…”
“You know the seriousness of this matter, now is truly the time to leave…”
“Buzz!”
‘Something’s wrong!’ Lin Nuo immediately sensed that something was amiss, but he couldn’t dwell on it.
Still, from the emptiness in XÄ«’s gaze, he could feel her emotions shifting rapidly downward, plain for all to see.
XÄ« glanced at the sun, which would soon sink beneath the horizon.
Just as before, she wrapped her arm around Lin Nuo’s, pressing her cheek tightly against it, leading him toward the sea….
“Plap, plap, plap—”
“Splash, splash, splash…”
Lin Nuo didn’t know what kind of magic XÄ« used, but it seemed like they passed through a bubble barrier, and the sound of waves crashing against rocks vanished instantly, leaving only the gentle flow of seawater in his ears.
The fishermen and the flat land behind them were gone.
In their place was a boundless sea, stretching to the horizon in every direction.
It seemed Xī had brought him to an island somewhere on the surface of the Sea of Shattered Light…
But only when he felt the ground under his feet was oddly soft did Lin Nuo realize: the white “island” he was standing on was actually the baby mermaid Yosena had mentioned—the Magic Whale he’d released from Silver Tears Lake.
XÄ« had brought him to the back of that Magic Whale from Silver Tears Lake.
Yet from the way she relaxed into the sea breeze, it didn’t look like she wanted to introduce him to the big fish.
It seemed she brought him here simply… to share a moment of quiet that belonged only to the two of them, with no one else to disturb them?
“Help me put this on…”
Someone under hypnosis has no awareness, no questions—they only obey XÄ«’s every command.
But—
When he saw what XÄ« put into his hand, it turned out to be a purple veil, perfectly matching her dress.
Lin Nuo’s hand, as he accepted it, hesitated almost imperceptibly.
“Are you not used to seeing me dressed like this?” she asked, turning her back to him, both hands resting behind her.
The gentle curve from her shoulders to her back made one want to follow softly with a finger.
She answered herself, “Actually, this is a dress meant to be worn only at a wedding.”
“….”
Gloves, veil, gown…
Lin Nuo more or less guessed the girlish feelings hidden behind this sense of ritual.
“It’s what those silly girls I mentioned to you recommended. They said purple looks noble on me, suits me, looks more restrained and won’t steal your thunder. They also said I’d definitely look good wearing this.”
The setting sun was nearing the sea’s surface, gilding the entire sapphire-blue sea with golden afterglow.
Gentle, shimmering orange-gold light cloaked the girl’s figure in a delicate radiance.
XÄ« slowly turned, her eyes reflecting a glint of gold, her voice as soft as the wind itself: “Between me and her, who is prettier?”
“Splash, splash, splash…”
The sound of waves soon covered her words, almost making them inaudible.
Lin Nuo looked at her hopeful, delicate face, pretending to be dazed and dull, his eyes empty as he spoke: “The Divine Empire’s elven princess… Princess Amidina is a paragon of beauty in the eyes of many nobles and royals, peerless, unmatched by anyone. I once thought her beauty worthy of every praise she received…”
Before he finished, Xī—rarely—grew so nervous her shoulders even trembled slightly, then all at once her energy faded.
The light of anticipation in her eyes dimmed, her head adorned with a beautiful purple veil slowly drooping.
“So… is that really what you think…?”
Even her looks and figure weren’t his top choice…
The girl held her own arm with one hand, turning away from him as if sulking, or perhaps just a little unhappy.
This side of her was completely different from her usual lofty and willful self—real and endearing.
Seeing the warm sunlight on her fade along with her mood, Lin Nuo continued with what he hadn’t finished saying: “But only after I understood your feelings, when I began to truly look at your beauty, did I realize all those descriptions like ‘nation-toppling, peerless beauty’ only conjure a vague silhouette in my heart.”
“Honestly, whenever I read in books about the ideal face or figure of the most beautiful girl, it always ends up referencing some aspect of you… You, by my side, are clearly as beautiful and unique as any princess—perhaps even more so.”
“Whether you’re all dressed up like now, or simply accompanying me as you did in the past, I have to admit.”
“—You are beautiful.”
“That’s my truest thought at this moment.”
Lin Nuo’s words slowed, his tone utterly sincere because he really wasn’t lying.
Halfway through, XÄ« was already moved, turning back toward him, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears, gazing steadily at Lin Nuo.
Her delicate, makeup-free face… looked touched.
She really is…
She looks insatiable on the outside, but inside, she’s actually easy to satisfy.
“Close your eyes. Kiss me.”
Once again, XÄ« rose up on tiptoe, leaning forward, bringing her soft cheek to Lin Nuo’s lips.
But this time XÄ«’s eyes closed as well, and didn’t wait for the hypnotized Lin Nuo to lower his head; she couldn’t help but pull his head down and plant a deep kiss on his face.
Her lips were a little cold.
What he kissed was her icy tear…
“Splash, splash, splash…”
The sound of paper gathering came from the side.
From the corner of his eye, Lin Nuo saw XÄ« raise her hand and use her magic to summon a Paper Angel dressed exactly like her.
Then, she placed her hand on top of Lin Nuo’s head.
The blood-red beam, symbolizing the Dream Eye’s hypnosis, flared from XÄ« once more.
But unlike before, this time, XÄ« wanted to leave a lasting mark in Lin Nuo’s mind: “From now on, this is the me you know.”
XÄ« hugged Lin Nuo tightly, her voice muffled against his chest: “Remember to love me.”
“Buzz—”
As the sun sank fully beneath the horizon, the glow on the sea faded in an instant.
With a sweep of her sleeve before his eyes, a wave of dizziness hit Lin Nuo, making his eyelids suddenly heavy.
She let go of him, as if sensing something.
When Lin Nuo opened his hand again, he saw the Rainbow Crystal Princess Amidina had given him—seized long ago by Xī—now pressed into his palm by Xī once more.
In the last moments as his vision darkened, XÄ« waved her hand at him, just as she always did.
“Here, take it back. If you want to find her, go look for her…”
Her farewell was as light as ever: “Go protect the one you truly care about.”