Chapter 58: Mana Sickness

“U-understood…”

To be honest, as a former shut-in university student, Lin Sheng actually had all sorts of small issues—whether it was low emotional intelligence or some perverted quirks.

You could only say these were things that Sylphia wanted to correct.

However, Sylphia also knew that correcting these “small” problems was a long and arduous task.

Right now, all she could do was try to guide Lin Sheng to grow into what she hoped for, what the Academy hoped for, and even what society hoped for.

“If you understand, then we should discuss the current situation.”

“Current situation?”

Lin Sheng felt that something was off about Sylphia’s words, and suddenly realized she was unknowingly pressing him towards the bed in the room.

“Of course. We need to properly discuss what kind of punishment to give a little fox who got lost.”

“Eh?”

“Eh what eh, does the little fox think barging into someone else’s room doesn’t deserve punishment?”

“N-needs it.”

“But before the punishment, I have a question for the little fox. Why did you come to my room?”

“Well, if I answer honestly, Sylphia, will you let me go?”

“Little fox, how can you have such a naive and cute idea? I’m not negotiating with you, so my advice is to be honest and receive leniency.”

Looking at Sylphia coming closer and closer, Lin Sheng couldn’t help but get nervous.

What was she going to do?

Right now, it was just the two of them in the room.

If she really did something to him, he wouldn’t have the strength to resist at all.

Moreover, Sylphia was now so close he could see the fine fuzz on her face, and could even feel the warm breath from her nose brush against his skin.

“I… I just thought Sylphia, you’ve been acting strange these past two days; I was a bit worried, so… I wanted to come take a look…”

“…”

Lin Sheng clearly felt Sylphia freeze after his words.

Then the predator-like smile on her face gradually faded, replaced by a gentle smile of relief.

“So the little fox was worried about me.”

Sylphia’s expression softened significantly.

“I already told the little fox everything was fine before, so why do you insist on digging deeper?”

“But I can clearly feel you’re lying to me, Sylphia. What’s so serious that you can’t tell me?”

“Little fox, do you really want to know?”

“Um, o-of course I do. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have come to your room, right?”

Really.

He’d entered Sylphia’s room ready to die, so if he left without learning anything, wouldn’t it have all been for nothing?

“Since you’re so curious, I’ll tell you. Little fox, have you ever heard of mana sickness?”

“Mana sickness?”

Lin Sheng had heard of potion sickness in a certain 2D side-scrolling sandbox game, but did mana sickness exist in real life too?

“Is it caused by excessive mana intake?”

“Oh? While not exactly the same, it’s pretty close. It’s essentially caused by absorbing too much external mana. Since everyone’s symptoms vary and there’s no real harm, it’s always been considered a side effect.

And my symptoms these past few days are actually mana sickness.”

If what Sylphia said was true, and mana sickness was caused by mana overload—plus what she said earlier about the Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox’s traits—could her abnormality be because of him?

But if so, there was still another problem.

“In that case, why does Sylphia keep staying by my side? Wouldn’t it be better to stay away from me?”

He was constantly releasing mana outward.

According to Sylphia, her physical abnormalities came from absorbing too much of his mana.

Lin Sheng thought there was no way she didn’t know the reason.

“Because, in fact, the solution to mana sickness also varies from person to person. Some need to avoid the mana source, others need even closer contact.

Not only does the cure differ per person, but each type of mana sickness also requires a different solution.

So for your kind of mana sickness, little fox, it seems I can only resolve it by sticking close to you.”

Uh, is this for real?

He felt like Sylphia was tricking him.

Even though she sounded so convincing, was it really possible?

She said everyone’s symptoms and solutions were different, but somehow, it all sounded like a lie.

“Judging by your expression, little fox, you don’t seem to believe me?”

“It’s not that I don’t believe it—it’s just, how should I put it, what you’re saying is so outrageous, Sylphia, it’s hard to believe without thinking…”