Sword Flower University, the Forest Library.
Though they could not compare to Truth University's four Gate of Truth libraries, Sword Flower University's Forest and Flower Libraries were still among the premier scenic spots in Jialesi. In terms of book collections, neither the Forest nor the Flower Library could even make the top ten in the city, but when it came to pleasant, comfortable environments, the two were unshakeably ranked in the top two, earning them the reputation of being the "number-one holy ground for lovers' dates" at Sword Flower University.
Unlike the Flower Library, where all sorts of blossoms competed in vibrant splendor, the theme of the Forest Library was a "peaceful forest." From the outside, it looked like a lush, verdant woodland, complete with small bridges over flowing brooks, mating rabbits, squirrels nibbling on pine cones, and a pleasant, cool breeze wafting through the trees. Comfortable swings, benches, treehouses, and even bears were scattered everywhere—yes, truly affectionate bears that visitors could lean directly against to read.
To Sonia, however, the most miraculous thing about the Forest Library was that there were no mosquitoes.
This truly shocked the country girl, who had grown up in an agricultural town and spent much of her childhood heading into the woods to forage for mushrooms to supplement her meals.
Still, sacrifices in functionality were naturally made for the sake of a cozy reading experience. Books were stored inside tree trunks, and the Forest Library spanned four floors connected by winding trunks. Anyone visiting for the first time was likely to get lost, even with a map in hand.
This was not Sonia's first visit, and she knew how to connect to the library's navigation index through her miracle bracelet, yet it still took her considerable effort to locate the books she needed.
Just as she was looking for a bench to sit down and read, she unexpectedly ran into an "enemy."
"Hello, Senior."
Sonia watched Celia walk toward her. Compared to when they first met, the third-year senior seemed slightly worn and haggard, yet it took nothing away from her beauty. If anything, it lent her a pitiable charm that stirred a protective urge in anyone who saw her—a fact best demonstrated by the male students nearby, who had one eye on their books and the other fixed squarely in this direction.
Celia was somewhat surprised as well. She gave a slight nod, but as she brushed past Sonia, she suddenly paused. "Last time... I caused you trouble."
"You did. How do you plan to compensate me?"
The moment the words left her mouth, Sonia realized her 'Sincerity' ritual had ended long ago, meaning she no longer had to speak the unvarnished truth. Yet whether due to lingering effects of the Sincerity sorcery spirit or simple inertia from recent days, she kept blurting out her true thoughts right when she ought to be tactfully lying.
Celia blinked in surprise, then covered her mouth and giggled. "Then how about I treat you to a cup of tree sap?"
The Forest Library housed a water café serving drinks with a distinct forest theme, such as "Tree Sap," "Flower Nectar," and "Dewdrops." Although the names sounded unappealing, they were sorcerer beverages concocted by water sorcerer students working part-time. Their sweetness and texture far surpassed ordinary drinks, and they were priced lower than outside shops, making them a huge hit with students.
Since Celia was seeking to mend fences and Sonia had no direct conflict of interest with her, Sonia naturally didn't mind expanding her network. She readily agreed, followed Celia to the water café, and ordered a "Dewdrop on a Blade of Grass."
"I'm sorry," Celia said once they sat down. "I was too rash last time and didn't think things through. If there's anything you need from me, please let me know, and I'll do my best to make it up to you."
Seeing Celia's genuine sincerity, Sonia couldn't help softening her tone. "While you were ninety-nine percent in the wrong, can I really claim I wasn't one percent at fault? Perhaps my behavior gave you the wrong idea... By the way, Senior, I saw you playing the third female lead in Taking My Child's Surname. You were amazing!"
Celia caught her drift immediately and asked with some surprise, "My uncle directed and wrote that film, so he let me do a guest appearance... Sonia, are you interested in becoming a screen maiden?"
"Mm-hmm!" Sonia's eyes lit up. "I actually read acting books in private."
Although shocked that Sonia didn't aspire to become a sword saint, Celia didn't press the matter. Catering to her interests, she promised to do her best to ask her uncle to arrange a good role for Sonia.
"For anyone else, my uncle might not agree, but you're now a disciple of the Hidden Hand Sword Saint and the sorcerer who unfurled her Silver Wings the fastest at Sword Flower University. That pedigree alone brings a lot of attention, which amounts to free publicity. But if you perform poorly on screen and fail to leave an impression on the audience, you'll fade into obscurity just as quickly," Celia said seriously. "At most, I can only provide an opportunity. Whether you can seize it will depend on your effort and luck. That said, my uncle doesn't have any shooting plans scheduled recently, so you might have to wait a while."
"No problem! I still have three years until graduation!"
The two hit it off, and the atmosphere grew far warmer. After chatting about campus life for a bit, Celia asked somewhat bashfully, "I heard that he... is still single?"
What else would he be? Turn into a dog?
Sonia naturally knew who Celia was referring to, and nodded. "At least, I haven't seen any other girls around him."
"Then you—"
"Absolutely not."
Celia breathed a sigh of relief. Just then, their drinks arrived. Sonia took a sip of "Dewdrop on a Blade of Grass" and found it surprisingly rich and creamy, reminiscent of milk tea, yet light and refreshing without being cloying. She thought to herself that it would be wonderful to become a water sorcerer.
Then again, if her roommates became water sorcerers, she could get free drinks off them, but Lois and the others didn't seem interested in being creation sorcerers...
Celia said hesitantly, "This isn't like him... In the past, he'd always start a new relationship right after ending one..."
"Uh-huh, uh-huh."
"Do you think he... could still be thinking about me?"
Sonia nearly spat out her drink. It took all her effort to keep her expression in check. Looking at Celia's yearning yet anxious expression, she couldn't help feeling a twinge of pity.
After the 'Sincerity' summoning ritual and what she had learned as a sorcerer recently, Sonia vaguely realized that Felix's flirtatious, playboy behavior had likely been some sort of ritual, or a necessary condition to evoke resonance from a sorcery spirit.
The moment Felix became a sorcerer, he severed all romantic ties and stopped frequenting entertainment venues altogether, spending every day either studying or undergoing rigorous training. Sonia didn't believe the Void Realm had the power to reform a person's moral character, which meant Felix had merely been putting on an act before. Once he became a sorcerer, he naturally had no need to keep up the charade.
There was no need to tell Celia that, however. For one, it was merely Sonia's speculation; for another, Celia wasn't entirely without a chance.
Celia was an exceptional catch: sleek black hair draping over her shoulders, delicate facial features, a tall figure with fantastic hips, and even her bust was nicely proportioned—only a tiny bit smaller than Sonia's. Most importantly, her feelings were genuine. Who could resist the advances of a tender, gorgeous senior with long straight black hair?
"It's possible!"
"You think so too, right?!"
Celia said happily, "Then what should I do to get back together with Felix?"
"Well, about that..." Sonia suddenly recalled the question from the Destiny Q&A: "For the greater good? To resist a common crisis?"
Seeing Celia's bewildered look, Sonia remembered they were just students; getting back together didn't require reasons that complicated. "Actually, as long as you take the initiative to step into his life, he won't push you away. Of course, don't rush straight in aiming for a reunion. You can say you're there to clear up misunderstandings and start off as friends. If needed, I can create chances for you two to 'run into' each other."
"Mm-hmm, mm-hmm!"
"Once you're familiar with each other again, plenty of tactics will come in handy," Sonia said with a grin. "For instance, Woodpecker Tactics."
"Woodpecker Tactics?"
"It means suddenly sighing when you're together, and when he asks, you say it's nothing; or suddenly falling silent during a conversation, occasionally acting dispirited to make him worry about you, but never giving a clear reason. Then, from time to time, you suddenly lean on him, act cute, and make him feel you can't manage without him. Through these frequent emotional prods, you'll gradually achieve a shallow layer of emotional control over time. By then, a single sigh or gesture will sway his emotions, forcing him to focus all his attention on you. I call this the Woodpecker Tactics."
Warming to her topic, Sonia continued to instruct, "If you successfully get back together, you can move on to step two: Negative Emotion Transference and Positive Emotion Control. Put simply, whenever you're unhappy, you must share it with him so he becomes unhappy too; but if something good happens to him and he wants to share it, yet it's not something you like, you must shoot him down and belittle it. In short, if you aren't happy, he isn't allowed to be happy, and he can only be happy within the boundaries you permit.
"Step three is the Time Distortion Method. When he treats you well, you must stay calm and make him promise to treat you this well for the rest of his life. Stretch that devotion across a lifetime and normalize his sacrifices.
"Then pair that with step four: the Historical Projection Method. Whenever he grows cold toward you, summon his historical projection from the past to prove his heart has changed. Naturally, as long as he's willing to apologize, you have to give him a little sweetness.
"Master these four steps, and Felix will definitely fall completely under your sway as a perfect partner!"
Celia blinked as she listened, and only after Sonia stopped did she smile and ask, "Sonia, have you ever been in a relationship?"
Sonia's face flushed red. "No. I'm sorry, I was being arrogant, parading these useless personal opinions in front of you, Senior..."
Celia gently shook her head. "No, your 'techniques' are very practical. If it were the past, I would have happily learned and used them.
"But love is a 'miracle,'" she said softly. "I don't want to hurt him, nor do I want to see him unhappy. I only hope... that I can stand beside him."
Sonia froze. Only now did she notice the books Celia was carrying: Sword, Wind, Abyss, Wind Sorcerer Support Guide, and Recommended Sorcery Spirits for Combat Winds—all books on how wind sorcerers could support sword sorcerers in battle.
Celia smiled. "Still, thank you very much for your advice. I might need your help again in the future. Could I add your Curtain handle?"
"Of course."
The two exchanged personal Curtain handles, allowing them to communicate directly over the Curtain through their miracle bracelets from now on.
Celia glanced at Sonia's books. "Speaking of which, Sonia, are you planning to teach yourself the mind faction? But these two seem..."
The Interpretation of Dreams and A Detailed Guide to Psychological Language were required reading for the mind faction, but the other two left Celia somewhat puzzled: Days with a Sin Sorcerer and How to Relieve Others' Psychological Stress.
The former was akin to an adventure novel, while the latter, although related to the mind faction, leaned more toward being a practical handbook and offered little benefit for learning the mind faction itself.
Chapter 113