Mage Manual-Chapter 581 - 471: Heartbeat Again

Sonia was a loyal fan of Dedarose, having watched all sorts of films and dramas starring her since she was young. When she was twelve or thirteen, filled with a naive longing for love, Dedarose was in her late teens, presenting many romance films. The village girl’s view of love gradually took shape from those series.

Although Dedarose is now a national star in Dazzling Star, even die-hard fan Sonia had to admit that the romance dramas Dedarose starred in during her early years were basically not popular.

Back then and even now, the romance series the citizens of Dazzling Star enjoyed the most were either those with themes of passionate, unrequited love or complex love triangles, where all characters were entwined and couldn’t bear to part—a portrayal of love as something greater than everything else. Sonia could understand; after all, such dramatic conflicts made for exciting viewing.

However, Dedarose rarely participated in these types of dramas. She mostly starred in career-oriented dramas, detective series or others where romance wasn’t the main theme. Although there were romantic scenes, they were generally relaxing interludes among the tense plot points, leaving viewers with a knowing smile and a yearning for more.

In the few dramas that involved love triangles, Dedarose almost never played the lead; she was usually the supporting actress. Whether her character was good or evil, she would fall for the male lead but would never give up her dreams for him. Ultimately, she would stand opposite to the male lead, distinctly different from other women lost in unrequited love, thus often being the first one written out.

Later, when Sonia was about fifteen or sixteen, Dedarose had entered the peak of her career and starred in many Empress dramas—where the female lead was the core of the series and all male characters were secondary. Dedarose’s image of cool, unyielding firmness deeply impressed Sonia, who was a diligent student at that time.

It was only natural for Sonia, who grew up under Dedarose’s influence, to scorn love in favor of career ambitions. Although meeting the Observer caused Sonia’s suppressed romantic heart to flutter, it didn’t mean she had become foolish or changed her views on love. At most, she regressed to the age when she yearned for love, around twelve or thirteen.

When Sonia realized the Observer had other romantic interests in reality, her first reaction was, of course, anger, resentment, sorrow, grievance, and even killing intent. She even wished she could use the Blood Moon Shattered Lake technique... no, she should use the Blood Flower Water Moon to slice the Observer into thirty-six pieces.

But once she calmed down, the village girl realized she couldn’t do anything.

Nothing at all.

Even though they met every night in the Void Realm, even though they had witnessed the golden fish together and battled the Heroic Soul Army, supported each other in the memory loss cottage, shared their future in Fate Q&A... They could share all secrets and emotions, but they just couldn’t touch each other’s reality.

Even if Sonia really got angry and killed the Observer, she would only kill his spiritual projection. At most, it would mean he needed a few months to recover, which was essentially meaningless—not to mention interfering with his life; Sonia couldn’t even threaten his life.

Distance weakened the heartbeat to a mere echo, and space turned emotions into a mirage floating over reality.

So, what could she do if the Observer had someone he liked in reality?

Act cute like a kitten to vie for affection?

Throw a tantrum and press him with a show of displeasure?

Flirt and seduce to turn his head upside down?

Setting aside whether Sonia was willing to do all that, the key question was, even if she did, could she stop the Observer’s actions in reality? Could she ensure he wouldn’t have a change of heart?

She couldn’t.

And Sonia certainly didn’t want to.

After meeting the Observer, she had stopped flattering others and hadn’t worn those dressy masks again. She found her true self and became a better version of herself; she wouldn’t go back.

More importantly, she was already a Two-winged Mage, a Sword Saint seed; it was almost certain that she would later advance to the Holy Domain and eventually become a Dazzling Star noble! With this strength and future, she could be her own master wherever she went, so why should she suffer and be frightened because of someone haunting her dreams?

Even if this power was a gift from the Observer, Sonia was willing to help him manage the team well and try her best to complete explorations and battles, but she could never give herself over to him completely!

Even though the Observer had just taken the initiative to apologize and explain, Sonia hadn’t changed her mind. In fact, analyzing the Observer’s emotional composition, she vaguely felt that the Observer might not have been acting on his own, that a sense of guilt without repentance was evidence of this.

But if this time wasn’t of his own accord, what about next time, or the time after that?

She couldn’t feel secure with someone who couldn’t address or even raise the issues, even if he killed countless Fish-Slicing Dragons.

Or rather, the Observer had never done anything that gave a sense of security: more and more operators, a reality never interconnected... The Observer had never actively clarified his stance, and although he was a reborn amnesiac, he had ultimately been strong; did he really have the softness in his heart to accommodate others?

Perhaps it had all been wishful thinking on her part, and now was simply about accepting a lost bet.

Sonia had forgotten which drama it was from, but she still remembered Dedarose’s line: Those emotions that make you doubtful, anxious, and even question whether you are not good enough, are the burdens you need to discard.

The decisive and proactive Village Girl, who had always refrained from advancing the emotional bonds to maintain an ambiguous status, did so because she realized this concern. Once this concern became a reality, she could decisively withdraw without dragging her feet or being swept by sorrow.

That’s how it should have been.

But seeing the Observer chatting and laughing with the Witch in battle as if nothing had happened, a surge of sourness mixed with Killing Intent involuntarily rose in her heart—He never cared about me after all; his apology was just acting the part, and without my interference, he couldn’t wait to get close to the Witch.

Suddenly, Diya felt a chilling Killing Intent coming from the side; turning her head, she saw the Sword Maiden casually slaying a fierce hydra dragon and coming over with a carefree smile asking, "What are you guys talking about?"

"The Observer was asking if I’m tired tonight, and if I am, we could drive to some special building further away, to stop scavenging for resources for now," Diya hurriedly explained.

"I see," Sonia uttered, joining the conversation with a smile, but her hands were not slow at all; even the crafty wily hydra dragons here were effortlessly wiped out by her.

Back in the car, Diya sitting in the front seat looked at the two laughing and talking in the back and couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief, thinking that the Observer really lived up to his name, managing to resolve the Sword Maiden’s issue so quickly, and even completely reconciling the two—

White Queen: "They haven’t reconciled at all, look at the Sword Maiden’s sword."

Diya looked over and noticed that the Sword Maiden’s sword wasn’t at her waist but was placed on the seat between her and the Observer.

Black Butler: "Take another look at the position of the Observer."

Diya examined closely and found the Observer sitting sideways facing the Sword Maiden, with his left hand never raised but instead covering his body as if to guard against attacks from the side.

Red Death Cultist: "Try sticking out your tongue and making panting sounds."

Diya did as instructed, instantly attracting strange glances from the Observer and the Sword Maiden: "Huh? Why are they looking at me?"

"Of course, they’re looking at you because you just acted like a dog," sighed the Red Death Cultist. "I didn’t expect you to really do it."

"You’re the one acting like a dog!"

Diya glanced at the Sword Maiden and the Observer and sighed internally.

Alas, the emotions between these adults are so complex.

Fortunately, their feelings for Ash were just pure affection.

.....

..

After a half-hour drive, they arrived outside a black hemispherical space, which looked like a black bowl turned upside down on the earth, impenetrable to the reverting Golden Rain.

"Dark Illusion Miracle Park?" Sonia recognized it at a glance.

The Miracle Parks on the Time Continent came in many varieties, like the Mist Miracle Park they had been to before where Mages had to capture Technique Spirits within the mist, and once the mist dissipated, the Technique Spirits would vanish.

The Dark Illusion Miracle Park was also this kind of challenging Miracle Park, where absolute darkness prevented reconnaissance, even Miracles would fail, and the sounds of Technique Spirits would amplify countless times. While Mages could not understand them, their ears were filled with noise.

Mages must capture Technique Spirits with both sight and hearing severely limited, also under a time constraint, after which the darkness would fade and the Technique Spirits disappear.

"If the three of us go our separate ways, we’re likely to bump into each other inside," Ash suggested. "Why don’t we three hold hands? That way, we can form a net to capture more Technique Spirits and avoid collisions."

It was a very sensible suggestion, and both the Witch and the Sword Maiden readily agreed. Diya glanced at them and said, "How about I go in the middle?"

Ash shook his head: "Witch, you are adept at the Fist Claw Faction, and the Sword Maiden at the Sword Technique Faction, you both are much more agile than me, it’s better if you take the sides."

The three of them held hands and walked towards the darkness when suddenly Ash remembered something, handing each a love sword: "It might not be of much use, but at least it could enhance your hearing and reaction abilities."

It was that feeling again.

Every time the Observer augmented her, Sonia felt as if she was enveloped in his embrace. But unlike the previous mix of shame, anger, and joy, this time there was only the feeling of affection intertwining with a twinge of resignation that receded then swelled repeatedly, even bringing a redness to her eyes.

Fortunately, she had entered the Dark Illusion Miracle Park, where no one could see the peculiarity in her expression, nor could anyone hear the tsunami in her heart.

Vision filled only with impenetrable darkness, ears barraged with the chaotic or joyful noise of Technique Spirits, the only tangible feeling was the hand holding hers. Just as my heart began to succumb to dependence, the Village Girl immediately snuffed out this feeble thought.

Dependent at the first sign of danger, heart fluttering at his touch, how could she tear herself away if she was this weak?

I need a conclusion, thought the Claw Club.

On second thought, they hadn’t actually done much between them, no hugs, no kisses, let alone anything further, at most knee-pillows and hand-holding. Thinking of this, Sonia stared into the darkness ahead, listening to the noise around her, and couldn’t help but come up with a bold idea—

As a goodbye or even a reward, she could sneak a kiss here without anyone noticing. If the Observer asked, she could say a Technique Spirit bumped into his face.

The thought took root and grew rapidly into a towering tree. Sonia’s heart raced, thankful that souls didn’t have temperatures, otherwise, her hand might heat up.

There was no better opportunity than this, whether to move forward or to end it.

Sonia took a deep breath, resolved, and quietly turned her head, reaching out gently—

Chu.

Sonia froze.

She knew the person before her froze too.

In that moment, she felt as if she could truly see through the so-called "Pitch-Black Eyes," seeing the Observer with lips tightly sealed, his face determined, anxious... and delighted.

Though there was no warmth to be felt, heat seemed to burn from her lips all the way to her ears. Thankfully, the tender darkness hid her blushing face.

"I caught it!" The Witch’s voice arose nearby: "No wonder it was so loud; turns out it’s a ’Heartbeat’ Technique Spirit!"

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