Chapter 35: I Will Not Abandon You

Cressa cried as she ran away.

She ran far.

Very far.

So far that the knights sent by her “father” couldn’t find her.

Since then, the young Cressa began a life of wandering, constantly teetering between half-dead and near-death.

Her demi-human identity was too easy to recognize.

Kind-hearted people who initially wanted to adopt her would scream in terror upon seeing the horns on her head and quickly flee.

Why?

Why is this happening?

Young Cressa didn’t understand until she grew older and realized the reason for people’s fear.

This was a great era ruled by deities, gods who were benevolent and generous, protecting humans with divine power, while demi-humans were seen as evil creatures, always killing humans and opposing the gods.

Thus, people genuinely despised demi-humans.

“Get out, get out!”

“Great Sun God, please rain down your fire and burn this witch to death!”

People either drove her away in disgust or chased her with swords.

Cressa couldn’t find a place to settle down.

So, she could only follow her mother’s dying words and keep running, running to a place far away, a place where even she could survive.

With this thought, Cressa wandered for a long time.

She had laughed before, picking up naturally fallen fruits by the roadside, their sweetness filling her heart with joy.

She had cried before, trying to join human children’s games, only to be ostracized and pelted with stones, leaving her covered in wounds.

Later.

Both laughter and tears disappeared.

Only fear remained.

As she grew older, Cressa’s demi-human traits became more pronounced.

Just a little closer, and people could clearly see the horns on her head and the scales on her body—the very symbols of a demon.

Thus, more violence ensued.

They hurled hard stones and rotting, foul-smelling food from afar, hitting the girl on the head, leaving her covered in stench and wounds.

They took pleasure in unleashing their violence, kicking, whipping, and delighting in the girl’s pleas and screams.

They even tied her to the back of a carriage, dragging her along the ground.

Mother…

Why is this happening…

In the midst of endless torment, the light in the girl’s eyes completely vanished, and from then on, her emotions became flawed.

She no longer knew what joy was, nor where sadness came from.

“Actually, this might be a good thing.”

Cressa said this, her eyes staring blankly ahead, devoid of any emotion, only eternal emptiness.

Not feeling sadness meant not crying, saving a lot of energy. After losing her emotions, she ran much faster than before.

As long as she ran fast enough, she wouldn’t get beaten.

Cressa shared her escape experiences with Xu Xi, her expression blank, her tone flat.

She couldn’t feel cold, couldn’t feel heat, couldn’t feel the warmth of her heart.

Like a robot.

Recounting her past.

She told Xu Xi that muddy water wasn’t good to drink because it contained a lot of sand and stones, making her stomach ache.

In comparison, the city’s drainage ditches might be better, as the rats inside could be used to stave off hunger…

“Enough, Cressa!”

Xu Xi suddenly spoke, cutting off the girl’s words.

He took a deep breath, his voice heavier than ever before: “I’m sorry, truly sorry, for making you recall so many painful memories. I… am deeply sorry.”

The sound of self-reproach broke the silence in the air.

Especially when he met Cressa’s empty, lifeless eyes.

That sense of guilt and remorse.

Grew even deeper.

“Sorry…?” The demi-human girl looked confused, unable to understand why Xu Xi was apologizing to her. Did she say something wrong?

The master could never be wrong, the sun that saved her could never be wrong.

Cressa genuinely believed this.

Since Xu Xi wasn’t wrong.

Then the fault must lie with her, right?

Thinking this, Cressa looked at Xu Xi and sincerely suggested: “If I’m causing you so much trouble, I must be useless. Please discard me.”

Useless things should be thrown away, that was the girl’s belief.

After all.

That’s how her “father” had discarded her.

The witch believed she had no merits, except for being obedient.

Although she liked Xu Xi very much, although she wanted to stay by his side forever, although she never wanted to wander again, if Xu Xi chose to discard her, she would leave far away.

Just like when her mother told her to run, and she obediently ran for a long time.

Yes.

Just be obedient.

Cressa sat properly in place, her fingers interlocked on her thighs, waiting for Xu Xi’s verdict, to be cast out of this beautiful, dreamlike home.

She felt a bit reluctant, but there was no other way.

After all, she was so ugly, incompetent, and lowly.

Being discarded was only natural.

Having experienced such gentle treatment for a while, she should be content. How could she ask for more?

“…” Cressa sat quietly, still with that empty, lifeless expression, but her interlocked fingers unconsciously rubbed together.

What felt like seconds stretched into an eternity.

Even the emotionless girl felt inexplicably uneasy.

Finally.

She awaited the final “judgment.”

A warm, familiar, broad hand gently covered Cressa’s head, moving and caressing, transmitting a faint warmth and comfort.

“I will never abandon Cressa.”

Xu Xi said this.

His voice was soft, but his tone was firm, filled with heartache and affection.

“Huh?” This outcome clearly surprised the girl. She let out a flat sound of surprise, unexpectedly cute, and looked up at Xu Xi.

“Really, Mentor?”

She asked.

“Yes, really.”

Xu Xi replied.

The misfortune that had haunted her since birth suddenly vanished, and the beauty that only appeared in dreams now truly became reality.

Like a beam of light, illuminating the girl’s world.

Cressa was stunned for a long time.

She thought, if it were before, she would have laughed joyfully or cried with emotion.

But after losing her emotions, she never experienced those feelings again.

“…Thank you.”

In the quiet meditation room.

The girl suddenly felt a tingling in her nose.

Perhaps it was from practicing meditation, she thought.

…

[The witch’s talent surprised you, but what concerned you more was her past and experiences]

[Oppression, bullying, pursuit, abuse, torment… almost every evil act you could imagine, Cressa had endured. Her life was filled with suffering, and if not for her young age, something irreversible might have happened]

[You couldn’t help but wonder if human malice surpassed even the demons of the abyss]

[You realized that merely nurturing Cressa’s strength was far from enough]

[You also needed to nurture her character, to make her an independent person who could live well even without you]