Sylvia was stunned.
She had anticipated Fan Xinglou might refuse, but the coldness in her words truly shocked her.
"You're really... Even if your disciple might die, you still wouldn't intervene?"
"Little princess, this old woman has lived for over a thousand years."
Fan Xinglou suddenly let out a long sigh, revealing an expression so complex Sylvia couldn't begin to decipher it.
"In this endless stretch of time, I've witnessed too many partings and deaths. Don't measure me by your standards. In any case, I won't interfere in this matter. Figure it out yourself!"
As if unwilling to be pestered further, Fan Xinglou vanished the moment she finished speaking.
Moreover, if that person called Akatsuki was truly an outsider like Roy and Stella, then Sylvia might not even be able to locate their hiding place.
Sylvia wanted to say more, but Fan Xinglou turned and left without giving her the chance, leaving her helpless.
When humans live too long, their thoughts tend to veer onto paths ordinary people can't anticipate. Sylvia was truly understanding this for the first time.
She hadn't lived for over a millennium like Fan Xinglou, didn't have her extensive experiences, so it wasn't her place to judge whether Fan Xinglou's perspective was right or wrong.
However, the only possible method to find Akatsuki had now slipped through her fingers, leaving Sylvia deeply frustrated.
She left the redevelopment zone and returned to Queenvail Girls' Academy before curfew.
"Come to my room tonight?"
She opened her phone and sent a message to her best friend.
Feeling down today, she wanted someone to talk to.
"Okay."
Okita replied shortly after.
Sylvia's mood improved slightly as she removed her clothes, keeping only her underwear as she headed to the shower.
By the time she emerged from the bathroom, towel drying her hair, Okita had already arrived in her room.
The two girls climbed into bed in their pajamas, with Sylvia clutching Okita's sleeve as she rambled about the day's events—the attack by Faceless, Fan Xinglou's refusal, and so on. Of course, she omitted that she'd been tracking Roy, only mentioning their chance encounter in the redevelopment zone.
Sylvia felt immensely grateful to have a best friend like Okita. Okita spoke little, listening quietly—an excellent confidante who never gossiped. Sylvia shared many thoughts with her that she couldn't voice to others, like her complaints about Petra or the dark side of the conglomerates. Voicing these things lightened her burdens. Having such a friend was a rare blessing.
"By the way, Okita, are you and Roy fellow disciples?"
"Essentially."
"Anything beyond that? Like your relationship... or do you like him, in a romantic sense?"
Sylvia cautiously studied Okita's expression.
"Absolutely impossible."
Okita answered faster than she'd ever spoken in her life.
"Not even if the world ended!"
"I see..."
Sylvia immediately felt relieved. It seemed everything had indeed been her misunderstanding.
Perhaps when Okita said those things back then, it was out of pride for his own school's style, praising Roy's swordsmanship that was similar to hers? That would make sense, though Okita being so certain was still a bit strange...
Before long, Okita fell asleep, lying there quietly like Sleeping Beauty.
Watching Okita's sleeping face, Sylvia secretly mused to herself. Okita slept extremely quietly—so much so that he would maintain the same position from night until morning without moving at all, almost like a corpse.
At first, it had startled her, but after sharing a bed for so long, she had long grown accustomed to it.
"But Okita and Roy aren't in that kind of relationship after all..."
Sylvia lay on the bed, pillow tucked under her chest, as she picked up her phone from the bedside and lightly tapped it against her smooth chin. A mix of hesitation and anticipation flickered in her eyes.
Roy... what an incredible guy.
If it weren't for him tonight, she might have really died by Akatsuki's hands. The terror of death approaching and the sense of security from being saved by Roy still lingered in her heart.
And what thrilled her most was how Roy had risked offending Akatsuki to attack him afterward—just to vent her anger for her.
Surprisingly thoughtful and considerate, wasn't he?
She unlocked her phone and, after some thought, sent a text to the head of Queenvail's special operations division, the "Radiant Star."
"Do you have contact information for Roy, the Festa champion?"
A reply came shortly after.
"Someone's selling it on the dark web. We can buy it if you need it."
"Someone's selling it? Who?"
"A peculiar member of the Shadow Stars from Saidoukan—even takes jobs from rival schools. Money talks, no principles. His name's Yabuki. He's the one selling Roy's contact info."
"Buy it."
"Got it. Wait a moment."
Sylvia turned off her phone screen and nodded to herself.
Seems she should warn Roy to be careful of someone named Yabuki.
He's a mole.
Before long, Roy's contact details were sent to her phone.
Sylvia saved the number.
"If he and Okita aren't in that kind of relationship, then it's fine if I get a little closer to him, right?"
That's what Sylvia thought to herself.
She patted her cheeks, took a deep breath, and began composing a message.
"Hmm, is this too forward? Might make me seem impatient. Maybe I should tweak it... But then again, if it's too subtle, would he even get the hint?... So troublesome. Who knew just an invitation could be so complicated."
After half an hour of editing, Sylvia steeled herself and sent the message.
"Delete the recording, and I'll agree to one reasonable request—but nothing beyond something like shopping together!"
This way, it wouldn't seem too forward or too reserved, and the hint was obvious enough, right?
She was, after all, a world-famous songstress. Not to boast, but any normal person would jump at the chance to get closer to her! Plus, it'd take care of that recording.
Soon after, the phone's indicator light blinked to life.
Sylvia's eyes lit up as she quickly pulled up a spatial window to check the message.
It was from Roy!
He must be fine then. To infiltrate Rewolf and come back unscathed—truly impressive. Just as expected from someone she had her eye on.
[No recording, just kidding.]
Sylvia stared at the few bold words on the screen, her expression freezing instantly.
For a moment, she didn't know whether to laugh, cry, get angry, or feel wronged. Her heart was a turbulent mix of emotions, like a spilled spice jar.
Hmm. So he hadn't recorded anything back then.
Which meant she should feel relieved—there was no leverage Roy held over her. He'd just been teasing.
But if he could say this so casually, did it mean he hadn't understood her hints at all?
Did he have no intention of building a closer relationship with her? Had she been too presumptuous?
"My first time asking a guy out ended in being ignored... complicated feelings."
Sylvia buried her face in her pillow, wriggling around irritably like a restless piglet.