122~Sophia
Miracles, it seems, still haven’t appeared.
All his efforts up until this point were utterly useless.
Dillin lay face-down on the bed, devoid of all hope, like a dead fish.
He was still wearing Tillysha’s dress; if someone suddenly entered the villa and saw him like this, they’d probably think he’s some kind of pervert who’s assaulting a goddess.
After a long pause, he got up from the plush velvet bed.
No wonder it’s a luxury item – lying on it feels like being caressed by the Mother Goddess herself, perfectly soothing his wounded soul.
…… But it’s not over yet.
Looking at the remaining tokens, Dillin tightly gripped the golden butterfly hairpin in his hand.
There’s no way he’s banking on hitting the bottom limit. His only hope is to score big in the single-draw.
Perhaps his method of drawing cards isn’t right, or maybe his luck is just off.
This time, he decides to change his luck by having someone else do the draw.
“Please, Tillysha!” Dillin mutters to himself, pumping himself up as he carefully places the hair accessory on his head.
A disheveled, lifeless black-haired boy disappears, and in its place, an elegant, poised elf maiden emerges within a swirling cluster of golden butterflies.
After transforming into Tillysha, all her indecision dissolves like clouds in the wind. In its place? A calm and collected indifference.
The golden-haired girl flicked her delicate hand and crossed her legs. Without even glancing at the token count, she tapped the ‘single-draw’ button on the projection screen with her snow-white fingertips.
After a shake, the gauze pouch stopped moving. Then, golden light shone brightly…
“Huh? Out it comes?” The golden-haired girl tilted her head.
“BOOM!” Golden light surged, bursting out of the pouch. A vial containing an enticing potion, held in her delicate hand, appeared.
Checking the display interface of the golden butterfly treasure pot, the limited-time UP item disappeared, confirming that it was hers now.
This is the potion to enhance the Mental Spirit of the Divine Child?
Tillysha loosened the cap, lowered her head slightly, moved her hair aside, and sniffed.
…Even for an elf’s sense of taste, this smell is not particularly good, but it’s tolerable.
Tillysha wanted to drink it all down in one gulp, but a deep physical memory stopped her from doing so.
She stood up and descended to the third floor, where she found a white porcelain coffee cup in a cabinet. Using a funnel, she carefully poured the liquid in, careful not to spill a drop.
Afterwards, she brought out the tray, raised her snowy swan neck, and sipped the drink, calmly and composed, like enjoying afternoon tea.
After finishing, she washed the cup and funnel. Leaning on the stove, Tillysha could feel the changes within her body.
The cool liquid traveled from her throat into the esophagus, then into the stomach. A few minutes later, Tillysha found her five senses had improved significantly.
The golden butterfly hair accessory shimmered with a blue glow, and her irises also took on a golden hue.
She initiated the Divine Analysis Technique and scanned her surroundings. The amount of information it retrieved was not significantly different from before. This is likely due to her already high level of Divine Analysis, which limits further improvement.
The main function of this potion was to increase mental spirit, allowing her to use Divine Analysis more often during battle. It seems the purpose was achieved. Her mental spirit has indeed increased significantly than before consumption.
In addition, she wonders if this increase in mental spirit could allow her to learn more Divine Skills.
The study paths for Divine Maidens and Divine Children are completely different. Divine Maidens must enhance their Realms and Divine Authorities, which require abundant combat experience and theoretical knowledge. When Divine Maidens reach a certain level, they must interpret the conditions to break through. If their talent is insufficient to understand it, their Realm and Divine Authority levels will stagnate.
The same goes for Divine Children, except that the skills of Divine Children must be studied later on. However, improving these skills also requires increasing their knowledge base, which supports their skills and mental spirit strength. Divine Children must constantly improve their understanding of the world, continue learning, and broaden their horizons to progress.
Therefore, many great Divine Children are often philosophers and riddlers, speaking in deep and difficult words, yet they remain humble.
It’s not that they are humble, but with their vast knowledge, they understand they are truly insignificant in the grand scheme of the world.
Dillin hasn’t encountered high-level Divine Children, but he heard that dealing with them is very exhausting. They won’t intentionally explain what they say.
After enhancing their mental energy, Tillysha thought she should be able to learn more Divine Children skills. However, this potion only increased her mental spirit without a specific amount. Perhaps it isn’t enough to learn other Divine Children skills yet.
Removing the accessory, she reverted to human form. Dillin sighed in relief, at least they got what they wanted, avoiding the bl**d pressure spike.
After the satisfaction wore off, looking at the remaining two tokens on the golden butterfly, Dillin wondered why pressing fifty times didn’t yield a thing, but as Tillysha just one single-draw worked.
Is this about unintentionally reaping rewards or something else?
Lying on the bed, Dillin relaxed, looking at the black crystal card and remembering that Dillin’s formal student ID card still hasn’t arrived.
Talking about how much “funding” this card has?
The funds in the ID card are points; these points can be used to purchase anything inside the school, even for trading.
This is why in the Coleman Academy, it’s absolutely crucial not to lose your card. Inside the school, nothing can be done without an ID card, including attendance checking, buying food, shopping, all needing an ID card.
Looking at the slanting sun outside the window, Dillin realized it’s evening and decided to go out for dinner before coming back.
The mansion is very close to the canteen; it’s just a few steps away.
Before leaving the door, he paused, frowning as he realized an issue.
He’s still wearing Tillysha’s skirt outfit… His actual clothes aren’t here. Going outside like this will definitely make him seem like a weirdo.
On top of that, his Black Crystal Card hasn’t arrived. The card in his hand belongs to Tillysha. Using Tillysha’s card for dinner is not impossible, but…
He remembered what John told him that day at the gathering.
“You seem like a parasite living off others’ wealth.”
Let it go.
Dillin sighed again, putting the accessory back on.
Tough as it might be, this is necessary. Even if she doesn’t want to eat salad, she must.
She opened the door with the ID card, pocketed the black crystal card, and walked towards the canteen as Tillysha.
One interesting thing to note, before leaving, Tillysha felt uncomfortable and had to comb and dress up in front of the mirror, smoothing the small curl of hair until she was satisfied enough to leave.
There weren’t many people in the streets. The freshmen’s holidays had started, but the higher classes were still having lessons.
Fewer people meant fewer competitors for the canteen at this time.
Arriving at the elaborately decorated Dining Hall, Tillysha wanted to treat herself with a feast. However, she ended up ordering a plate of fruits and vegetable salad as usual, the only difference being that last time she had an average vegetable salad for free, but this time it was a premium paid-for version.
Hmm, both are grass anyway; hard to say there’s much of a difference if you look at it closely.
“Long awaited, Miss Champion.” After a quick routine, the young man in a black waiter’s uniform delivered the food to Tillysha and respectfully handed back the black crystal card. “Here is your vegetable salad and fresh fruit platter. Please enjoy your meal.”
“Thank you,” Tillysha nodded and smiled, sitting elegantly on the balcony chair and picking up her fork. As she was about to put a piece of salad into her mouth, her eyes met with a striking pair of purple eyes.
Their gazes met airborne for a moment before dissolving in silence.
Tillysha was the first to look away and continued eating her salad.
What a coincidence, bumping into someone she knows while having dinner, though she probably doesn’t remember me.
With the wind blowing by, the golden sunlight illuminated a delicate silver figure on the balcony opposite Tillysha. After Tillysha averted her gaze, the silver girl continued to stare at her, unwavering.
The silver-haired girl wasn’t here for food. The sketchpad and coloring pens in her hand made that obvious.
Why she was here was none of Tillysha’s concern. Even if the silver-haired girl was behaving strangely by staring at her, as long as she didn’t call out to her, it was fine.
If Tillysha is correct, she had saved the silver-haired girl in her human form before awakening. If she’s recognized, her identity as an elf will come to light for one more person.
Moreover, she is the second daughter of the Moon Elf King, related to the Moon Elf King by bl**d. Best not to get involved with these potential threats.
With that, Tillysha tried her best to make herself invisible while eating her salad.
The wind lifted a strand of her golden hair. Under the dying sunlight, it looked like shimmering golden silk, dazzlingly colorful.
The sunset light enhanced the striking beauty of the golden-haired girl’s face. As the sun was setting, the scene was breathtaking.
… So beautiful.
Sophia, holding her sketchpad, was momentarily stunned watching this scene. She glanced at her hand, then at the setting sun on the horizon.
She was on the second-floor balcony of the Dining Hall because it was a quiet spot with the perfect angle to capture the stunning sunset as painting material.
At this moment, she suddenly had the urge to abandon painting the sunset and instead paint the girl.
But she quickly dismissed the thought.
She didn’t think her simple tools could perfectly reproduce the beauty of the girl.
Imperfect creations would only ruin the perfect impression. Since she couldn’t reproduce the most beautiful picture in her heart, it was better not to create it and leave a vague impression in her heart.
From then on, watching the elegant girl eat her meal, Sophia bit her tender lips softly.
She wasn’t the kind to disturb others, nor did she like being disturbed herself.
However……
Looking at the face of the girl, she felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity.
She realized that the girl was the same one who suddenly appeared before the Secret Realm during the awakening and made herself famous across the entire school as “Coleman Champion” and the “Radiant Golden Sun” Tillysha.
She’s clearly human; why……?
The golden-haired girl before her now bathed in the same crimson sunset glow, her hair shimmering in an identical way.
She’s human; she can’t be the golden elf who saved her in peril that time.
Even so, her heart kept reminding herself, Sophia can’t help but think otherwise.
Looking at the sunset on her half-drawn sketchpad and the magnificent red sky at sunset, she suddenly felt a bit bored.
Knowing it’s rude to stare at someone for so long, Sophia gently shifted her eyes and absentmindedly added a few strokes to her painting, not fully focused.
Does she only eat vegetable salad?
Subconsciously keeping an eye on the girl across the table, the silver-haired girl was swinging her short legs, which can’t reach the ground with her sketchpad in her arms.
Most humans don’t like eating vegetable salads, at least the humans she’s seen prefer eating meat-based food like animal organs and grilled meats.
As she continued to paint, her focus drifted towards her own painting. Sophia’s cute little brows furrowed together.
… What is this even supposed to be?
Realizing her mind was no longer on painting, Sophia simply packed her sketchpad and put a tiny leather bag on her back.
Watching the sunset on the horizon disappearing into the mountain peaks, Sophia slightly closed her eyes. Such a beautiful scene was something she struggled to capture on canvas.
As something even more beautiful than this sunset grabbed her attention, she found it hard to focus on her painting.
Since she couldn’t do it well, why bother?
She tore off the unfinished painting from the board, folded it neatly. Just as she was about to throw it in the trash, a voice, clear and melodious like a nightingale, called her out.
“Please wait a moment.”
“……” Hearing this voice, Sophia slightly changed expression, halting her action.
She saw the golden-haired girl gracefully wiping her lips with a napkin, then rising from the chair and walking towards her with elegant steps.
“Why would you want to discard this painting, Miss Elf?”
“…… Not perfect enough.” Sophia furrowed her brows, not understanding why this person called her out.
“Not good enough? But to me, this painting is quite excellent.” Tillysha’s gaze focused on the artwork in Sophia’s hand, not shifting even though she didn’t realize when she had developed such a strong interest in art.
She originally planned not to involve herself with this person, but when she accidentally saw Sophia’s painting, she was both amazed and suddenly intrigued.
Seeing Sophia was about to discard this painting for some reason, Tillysha instinctively stood up and stopped her.
