Chapter 372: The Confession
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 372: The Confession
Late at night, the bright moonlight was blocked by opaque curtains, making the bedroom feel as though it were enveloped in a soundproofing spell.
Outside the room, several sneaky figures gathered in the hallway.
"Hey... do you hear anything? Any movement?"
"Not a sound."
"Keep it down, don't let them hear us."
"It’s probably useless. It looks like there’s a soundproofing spell on the bedroom too..."
"What? Ugh, what a waste of my time..."
"Scatter, scatter. No show to watch tonight~"
"Sister Bai actually set up a soundproofing spell? Is she getting up to some wild stuff in there?"
"Exactly. What decent person puts a soundproofing spell on their bedroom just to sleep? Do you use one?"
"I don't."
"How about you?"
"To be honest, I don't even know a soundproofing spell yet... haha."
"Do you think we should burst in and catch them in the act?"
"If you have two lives, feel free to try~"
"Yeah~ the sisters will remember the contribution you made with your sacrifice."
They chattered back and forth for a while before finally dispersing to their own rooms, bored.
* * *
Inside Bai Yu’s bedroom.
Two graceful figures lay on a single bed, tightly wrapped in a large duvet. The only melody in the room was the sound of their uneven breathing.
I lay quietly on the left side, resting on my side. My supple white hair was scattered haphazardly across the pillow as I stared at the back in front of me. In the pitch-black night, my eyes held only disappointment.
I gently reached out and draped my arm over Sister Bai’s waist, letting my body slide closer until I was pressed against her.
Bai Yu felt a slight movement of the covers, followed by a hand softly crawling up her waist. Goosebumps immediately broke out across her skin. When she felt two soft weights press against her back, she realized the figure was hugging her from behind in the dark. From this position, she could hear the breathing even more clearly; the warm puffs of air seemed to echo in her ear.
"Xiao Han..." Bai Yu called out softly.
"Mhm. Can't sleep, Sister Bai?" I hummed in response, whispering a question I already knew the answer to.
"Yeah... how am I supposed to sleep when you're doing this, Xiao Han?" Bai Yu replied with a wry smile.
"That just means your heart is in turmoil, Sister Bai~" I tightened my grip, pulling her into a more intimate embrace. "If you didn't have feelings for me... you wouldn't be losing sleep over this."
"Xiao Han, you're getting more and more direct with your words..."
"Well, we're sharing a bed. I feel like there's no need to hide things anymore. Don't you agree, Sister Bai?"
"..."
"Fine then... but it's our last night. Are you really unwilling to even face me while you sleep?" Seeing that Sister Bai remained silent, perhaps hesitating to speak, I continued on my own.
"I... I'm afraid I won't be able to control myself."
Finally, Bai Yu voiced her concern.
"Can't control yourself? Why do you need to hold back, Sister Bai? Or do you think I'm not good enough for you anymore..."
"It's not that. Xiao Han, you will always be the only one who matters in my heart."
"Same here~ So... Sister Bai, what exactly is the barrier between us? Is it these pajamas?"
"..." Bai Yu didn't know. Perhaps she had never truly faced her own heart. But when she heard the sound of a zipper being pulled behind her, she jolted. "It's not the pajamas, Xiao Han!"
Bai Yu hurried to turn around and face me, grabbing my hand to pull the zipper of my cat pajamas back up.
"Hehe~ I know it's not the pajamas. But at least you're finally willing to face me," I said with a smile.
Even though it was late and the moonlight was shut out by the curtains, I could clearly see Sister Bai’s face in the darkness.
Though we were now face-to-face, for some reason, the atmosphere felt off. Silence seemed to be the only thing that could describe the scene.
"Xiao Han, do you know what you're doing?"
After a long silence, Sister Bai sighed and spoke first.
"I know. I'm playing with fire~" I replied with a light chuckle.
I took the hand that had fallen when Sister Bai turned around and placed it back on her waist, nestling my head into her chest as if seeking shelter.
"Sister Bai, you're already a Transcendent Witch~ Ten years of hard work just for this moment, so you wouldn't be bound by the world anymore. So... why are you letting your own thoughts bind you? Everything should be flowing as naturally as water... yet I feel like I'm facing a block of wood, not Sister Bai."
"I'm sorry, Xiao Han. My mind is a mess right now. I don't know what to do..."
"Then follow your instincts. Would your body lie to you?"
"If I give up thinking and follow my instincts, am I still me?"
"Ugh..." Hearing this, I puffed out my cheeks in frustration. "Sister Bai, what on earth is going on in that head of yours? Do I need to hit you with a hammer to clear out all that junk before you'll face me properly?"
Startled by my sudden outburst, Bai Yu froze. She hadn't expected Xiao Han to have such a side to her.
"Hmph~ Since you want to contemplate life so much, let me give you a hand!" I was almost driven to laughter by her denseness. I'm trying to be romantic and you're giving me a philosophy lecture?
Has your romantic IQ not reached the high ground yet?
Do I need to cast a Great Wisdom Enlightenment Art on you?
I need you to realize how foolish your current hesitation is. If you figure it out later, I won't be this proactive!
What a dummy... I clearly said I wouldn't be the proactive one anymore.
But when facing Sister Bai, those principles seem to vanish like thin air...
Perhaps... Sister Bai is more important than any of that...
"Eh? Xiao Han?!"
"Don't move, Sister Bai!" I lifted my leg and straddled her. In the next moment, I was looking down at her from above.
"I'm giving you a blessing!"
I spoke softly as my mana surged. Great Wisdom Enlightenment Art, activate!
The Great Wisdom Enlightenment Art is a spell from a Great Spellbook, and its effects are permanent. Even if it weren't for this moment, I would have used it on Sister Bai eventually, because this spell is simply too important for anyone.
Wisdom Enlightenment—it might not turn someone into a peerless genius overnight, but it constantly and subtly changes a person's way of thinking, ensuring they are no longer trapped by confusion...
That is the Great Wisdom Enlightenment Art.
Even if a person can only receive it once, they benefit from it for a lifetime.
This was also a huge gamble for me. I was betting on whether Sister Bai could think things through.
Even I wasn't sure what her final decision would be.
Because... it was too fast. Everything had happened so quickly that I hadn't had time to build up enough of a bond with her. After all, a confession isn't a bugle call for a charge; it's a ceremony to announce a victory.
Though from the very beginning, this was a game Sister Bai had won without even trying.
Suddenly, I slumped down onto Sister Bai. The mana required for the Great Wisdom Enlightenment Art was immense. Unlike when I used it on those of the Fool's Dream Clan, this time I wanted to give Sister Bai the absolute best.
Furthermore, the mana sources weren't being carried by Ley Line Shackles but by my own body. The violent consumption of mana drained my self-generated mana dry, leaving me feeling hollow and exhausted.
In that moment, Sister Bai became my most comfortable bedding—soft and reassuring...
Then I heard a thump-thump, thump-thump. It was Sister Bai’s heartbeat. It seemed to be telling me something, allowing me to let go of my last shred of defensiveness...
I don't know how much time passed. It might have been a second, or it might have been the whole night. I only felt a familiar voice calling to me.
"Xiao Han... Xiao Han... are you asleep..."
"Mmm... no... not asleep... Sister Bai." I reached up to rub my eyes.
"Xiao Han... did you do something to me just now?"
"I placed a blessing on you to make you like me~"
"So that's what it was... I really have no choice... Xiao Han... I've realized that I truly have fallen for you..."
"Mhm, mhm... Wait, what?!" I hummed a few times before the realization hit me like a bolt of lightning!
"Wait! Sister Bai, what did you say?" I immediately lifted my head to look at her, my mind finally catching up...
"I said... I think I've fallen for you, Xiao Han. Will you be my girlfriend? I'll treat you well."
"Be... be your girlfriend! Really? Am I dreaming!" I was so excited I could hardly find the words to express my feelings!
I was being confessed to!
Sister Bai actually confessed to me!
"Yes." Sister Bai reached out and pinched my cheek.
"Ow... it hurts... I'm really not dreaming!" I pressed my hand over hers and rubbed my cheek.
"So... Xiao Han, your answer is..."
"I will! Yes, I will!"
As my answer echoed in her ears, Bai Yu stopped suppressing her heart. She reached up to hook her arm around the back of my neck while her other hand pulled me by the waist into a tight embrace. Then, I felt a wave of warmth on my lips... the heat of her breath brushed against my face.
Sister Bai’s fingers ran through my silver hair, stroking the back of my neck as if she wanted to forcefully maintain this moment forever.
This assertive Sister Bai... I love her so much...
In that moment, the two figures on the bed intertwined. It was as if no amount of gossip from the outside could disturb the purity of this moment...
Everything around us seemed to freeze. There were only two burning hearts and the rhythm of hurried breathing and heartbeats. In the quiet night, they composed the most beautiful melody.
* * *
Morning.
"It's all your fault, Sister Bai. I almost couldn't get out of bed today, just like you said."
I looked at Sister Bai in front of me with mock indignation.
Snap~
With a crisp sound, the leg ring Sister Bai was hooking with her finger snapped against my thigh.
"I've put it on for you~" Sister Bai said with a smile, seemingly unbothered by my complaining.
"Mhm."
I bit my lip and tested the tightness of the leg ring with my finger. It felt snug, but it was fine. After all, that slight press into the skin looked the best.
As expected, Sister Bai knows best when it comes to fastening leg rings~
"Mhm, it's just right. I won't hold last night against you then." I braced myself against the edge of the bed and slowly stood up. Even though it was morning, I felt refreshed and my mood was incredibly bright.
As for what exactly happened in the latter half of the night... that, of course, would remain a secret in my heart.
"Let's go, Xiao Han~ I'll take you to breakfast." Sister Bai reached out her hand and smiled at me.
I didn't stand on ceremony and took her hand. She pulled me up, and after a quick wash, I felt my energy return completely, my drowsiness vanishing.
Just as Sister Bai and I finished getting ready, several doors along the guest hallway opened a crack, and heads popped out one by one.
"They didn't notice us. Going out this early?"
"Wow... Sister Bai was fierce yesterday... the little junior had to be helped out this morning?"
"I told you~ they definitely did something indescribable last night!"
"Once you've had a taste, there's no going back. I wonder how Sister Bai will handle things later."
"Sigh~ we're just not from the same world as Sister Bai after all. But does anyone have that little junior's contact info? I want to help Sister Bai look after her after she leaves."
"Don't know her. Do you guys know what year she's in? White hair should be easy to spot. What was her name again?"
"Sister Bai called her Xiao Han. That name sounds familiar..."
"Calamity Witch Xiao Han. If it sounds familiar, you're probably thinking of her."
"But this Xiao Han clearly isn't that one. Even if that one is a freshman, we probably couldn't afford to mess with her..."
* * *
Meanwhile.
Sister Bai was taking me to the academy's grand dining hall. If you wanted the most complete and delicious breakfast, the dining hall was the place to be.
Sister Bai didn't take her broom to fly me there. As for the reason... well, better left unsaid.
We chose to take a shuttle. Rattling along the way actually had its own charm.
It was Sister Bai who had first introduced me to the shuttles, but unfortunately, I had rarely taken them since getting my flight license.
Once we arrived at the dining hall, Sister Bai ordered quite a few breakfast items for me.
"Alright, alright, Sister Bai. I can't eat that much."
"It's fine. Eat something good; consider it nourishing your body."
"I'm not at the point where I need to 'nourish' my body yet, am I? I'm a Self-Awakened Body Cultivator. I know exactly how my body is!"
"Fine, fine~ then just eat well for today." Under Sister Bai’s persuasion, we found a secluded spot to sit down.
The breakfast was very lavish. A small portion of thick congee with lean meat—the meat was from a precious, farm-raised Transcendent Alien Beast. You could tell just from this small bowl of porridge: for some, ascending to Transcendent means graduation; for some farm-raised beasts, ascending to Transcendent means ending up on the dinner table... It was quite a thought.
Then there were other things, like fried eggs, dried meat slices, a bread salad, and a small dessert for after the meal.
In this moment, we both tacitly avoided the topic of our impending separation, greedily enjoying the warmth of the present.
Until a figure appeared behind Sister Bai, almost imperceptibly.
My eyes narrowed as I looked at the stranger.
The other party seemed a bit surprised as well, as if she hadn't expected me to see her, but that surprise quickly faded.
She stood there quietly, waiting until the breakfast was completely finished.
As I set down my dessert spoon, the figure moved.
She walked over slowly, drawing no one's attention, as if she didn't even exist in this space.
At that moment, Bai Yu noticed my strange behavior and followed my gaze. When she turned back, a trace of sadness appeared on her face.
"I'm sorry, Xiao Han. I think it's time for me to go."
"It's okay. Go ahead, Sister Bai~ I don't have any regrets now~" I smiled and waved my hand. At that moment, I was certain—that figure was a clone of the Primal Witch.
Just as Sister Bai and I thought this was the final goodbye, the figure suddenly spoke.
"Xiao Han... your name is Yang Yuehan, right?"
"Yes..." I replied calmly.
For some reason, even though I knew I was facing the Primal Witch, I didn't feel a shred of nervousness, as if I were facing an ordinary person. I even felt a sense of affinity.
"How interesting. Keep it up. I have high hopes for you." The Primal Witch reached out and lightly patted my head. In the next instant, her figure vanished, and Sister Bai disappeared along with her.
It all felt like a dream. Only the used dishes across from me proved that Sister Bai had been here to share breakfast with me.
I stood up, gathered the dishes, and walked toward the tray return, muttering to myself.
"Honestly, Sister Bai makes me clean up after her even after eating... I really can't do anything with you... Hmph~"