Xia An was extremely worried about Luo Ya.
Ever since Luo Ya’s friend—at least, that was what Xia An assumed the person was—had vanished without explanation, Luo Ya had been listless and uninterested in everything.
Xia An wanted to comfort her, but an urgent reassignment order from the Magic Council forced him to report to the Permanent Council.
Before leaving, he went to check on Luo Ya.
The girl didn’t speak; she just buried her head in the pillow.
Xia An was anxious, but he had no choice.
He would have to deal with it when he got back.
The Deep Blue Permanent Council was also called the Deep Blue Sage Committee.
Every member was a veteran Sage who had held that title for years.
Ye Yan hadn’t yet earned a seat because her total magic power didn’t meet the threshold.
Along the way, Door Holders opened heavy doors for Xia An, ensuring his movement was seamless and uninterrupted.
These Door Holders were the same kind of Artificial Lifeforms as Ruiken.
Xia An didn’t want to dwell on their exact ages—it was frightening enough to think about.
When he reached the innermost door, a round table decorated with precious materials came into view.
At the head of the table, facing the door, sat a silver-haired girl in a Gothic long dress.
She exuded a mysterious, captivating aura.
Her crimson eyes, pointed ears, and the fangs that flashed briefly from her cherry lips when she smiled all revealed her identity—a Vampire.
The girl’s name was Ye Mo.
She was a member of the Sage Committee and Deputy Secretary General.
Xia An had heard of Ye Mo.
She was the Sage who had clashed with Ye Yan before becoming her friend, but they had never interacted much beyond that.
Now, as a Grand Magister of Deep Blue, Xia An enjoyed many conveniences provided by the organization.
When an official order came down, no matter how busy he was, he had to report on time.
That was a matter of principle.
One by one, phantom figures appeared in the seats around the round table.
They were Magic Projections.
At that moment, every Sage in Deep Blue had descended into this hall.
Xia An felt the pressure mount.
Of course, the Magic Projections remained completely still.
The Sages’ attention clearly wasn’t here; they were just going through the motions, hanging in the background for formality’s sake.
“Alright, since all committee members are present,”
the stunning girl said in her cold, clear voice.
“The routine inquiry will now begin.”
Xia An straightened up, on high alert.
“Grand Magister Xia An, regarding the girl you recently accepted as your apprentice…”
The first question made Xia An freeze.
About Luo Ya?
Why was she drawing their attention?
“From complete obscurity to defeating Princess Emma, who was nearly at the level of a full-fledged Mage, in a one-on-one duel. In just half a month, it’s truly impressive.”
“Although both sides used Magic Artifacts as auxiliary Mana Pools, and Princess Emma—a nepotism case—was among the weakest of the top apprentices at that stage, judging purely by the match performance, Miss Luo Ya’s adaptability under pressure and solid mental fortitude deserve to be called exceptional.”
A cough suddenly came from one of the phantom figures.
“Fine, fine. I won’t gossip about your noble-blooded relative, you fastidious aristocrat,” Ye Mo said with undisguised contempt.
“Back to the point. Deep Blue’s multi-layered screening still missed such a talent. That’s a failure on the part of the relevant departments. Grand Magister Xia An’s keen eye prevented this talent from being cruelly Hidden Talent. That’s a significant contribution to Deep Blue.”
Xia An’s unease grew.
Was she implying they wanted Luo Ya?
“Perfect timing,”
Ye Mo shifted the subject.
“There’s a research project of vital importance to Deep Blue that requires precisely someone like Miss Luo Ya.”
“As her teacher, your actions on many occasions have clearly shown how much you value her.
Therefore, we decided to ask for your opinion first.”
“Of course, you will be compensated—far beyond what you can imagine.”
“Guaranteed in the name of Deep Blue.”
Xia An was silent.
Then he slowly spoke.
“May I ask, does the research require a talent…”
“…or a specimen?”
The moment the words left his mouth, the atmosphere in the room shifted.
But Xia An didn’t stop.
“Is what I’m being offered compensation, or the blood money for selling my student?”
“Master Xia An… saying things like that is rude…”
Ye Mo frowned, displeased that Xia An had made things so blunt.
“If you knew it would be rude, then don’t ask such offensive questions.”
Xia An smiled without warmth.
“I really don’t understand,”
Ye Mo spread her hands helplessly.
“She’s just an apprentice.
Why go so far to protect her?
Could it really be, as rumors say, that she’s your illegitimate daughter?”
“But even if she were your biological child, what’s there that can’t be traded?
Children are essentially their parents’ property—that’s only natural.”
“If you’re going to continue this boring line of questioning, then forgive me, I’ll be leaving,”
Xia An said.
“I don’t want to offend you—I’m just doing my job,”
Ye Mo replied.
“But I have to warn you—have you considered the consequences?”
“If you refuse, your evaluation scores in Deep Blue will take a massive hit.
The resources you receive will essentially be halved.
That’s almost devastating to your future development.
You’re only twenty-five.
You have a long way ahead.
Is it really worth making enemies of everyone over a child who brings you no benefit?”
“Is that a threat?”
“Not really.
Just a sleazy unwritten rule.”
“Is that so?”
Without a moment’s hesitation, Xia An spoke.
“I refuse.”
“…!”
Ye Mo’s eyes widened slightly.
“If you think I’m holding out for a better price or asking for an exorbitant amount,”
Xia An said, throwing the Grand Magister badge—the symbol of his rank granted by Deep Blue—onto the table,
“then I’m willing to leave Deep Blue with her.”
Ye Mo’s expression turned amused.
“I think the terms we offered were already generous enough.
Your current multiple-share usage of the Mana Pool, various rare materials, the opportunity to have Master artisans custom-make Magic Artifacts on public expense, and even the use of an entire [Throne] Magic Calculation Center.
Honestly, even I’m tempted.”
“If it weren’t for someone guaranteeing that the experiment’s gains would definitely exceed the cost, I wouldn’t have offered such a high price.”
“Is she so important to you?”
Is she so important to me?
Xia An was momentarily stumped.
What exactly did Luo Ya mean to him?
Even though Xia An knew everything was a Simulation, deep in his heart, what kind of feelings had he placed in Luo Ya?
Xia An recalled the look of confusion and fear on Luo Ya’s face when he first saw her.
He recalled every smile and frown from their time together—not long, but intimate.
That child was strong, brave, kind, and unafraid of hardship.
Most precious of all, even after going through so much, she still hadn’t given up her hope for the world.
She still maintained her vitality and optimism toward life.
There was no denying it.
In Luo Ya, Xia An felt the vitality of a young life—something he had long lost.
Regardless of the System’s quest rewards or the Simulation, Luo Ya had truly carved an irreplaceable place in Xia An’s heart.
Before and after his rebirth, Xia An had drifted aimlessly, struggling to survive in a concrete jungle.
Over time, it was no surprise that his ability to feel emotions gradually weakened.
His moods rarely stirred, and the threshold for happiness grew increasingly higher.
Luo Ya’s appearance felt like filling a void in Xia An’s heart, bringing color back into his life.
Thinking this far, Xia An spoke.
“She is the Continuation of My Life.”
“…I see.”
Ye Mo was genuinely surprised by his answer.
“For a twenty-five-year-old to say something like ‘Continuation of Life’…”
“It makes you seem like an old man.”
“Alright. The routine inquiry is concluded. The Committee is aware of your stance.”
Xia An stood up without a word of farewell and walked straight out.
One by one, the Magic Projections around the round table vanished.
The empty room now held only Ye Mo.
“Lian Shan, Lian Shan… I did my best. Don’t blame me for not trying hard enough…”
Ye Mo muttered to herself.