Miss Witch Doesn't Want to be a Diva-Chapter 952 - 84: The Eternal Wind Sweeps Across the Lakeshore
An empty, silent classroom, where the tinkling piano melody rings clear and crisp.
Even though one hasn't seen it yet, the sound, like lively fairies darting through the woods, paints an ethereal, beautiful silhouette in one's mind. She must possess slender, nimble fingers and a flawless heart seeking peace.
The melody consists of only a few short phrases, looping over and over, winding and stretching as if weaving long threads of thought. It gradually quiets the mind, evoking memories long forgotten and scenes once lost to time.
Played repeatedly, this simple tune never grows tiresome, no matter how many times it's performed.
So it continues, until much later when a gust of wind sweeps through the courtyard outside the classroom, marking the gradual end of this serene eternity, like leaves slowly falling to the ground.
Releasing the piano keys, the girl sitting at the piano stands up. Taking slow steps toward the window, she gazes at the radiant world outside and extends her fingers to feel the breeze slip through them.
It's hard to describe the feelings in her heart—perhaps some loneliness, though not tinged by sorrow, just faint recollections from long ago.
Leaning against the window sill, the girl quietly gazes at the world beyond—the sunlight-dappled tranquil afternoon, the occasional birdsong, muffled voices from afar, and the ticking pendulum sounds from the school's clock tower.
A subtle sense of peace and muted happiness seems to flow gently through the air.
Perhaps she too often overlooks that this life is exactly what she once yearned for. It's just that its simplicity makes it mundane, like glass under the sun, invisible to the eye.
Yet, with the slightest tilt, the glass can refract sunlight into colorful arcs of brilliance.
At this thought, the girl breaks into a rare smile.
Free of force and pretense, it's a genuine release from within—like the golden threads of time's memories, shimmering beautifully under the sunlight when they flutter and rise.
...
During a rare two-day break from training, Tilan invited a few close friends to a lakeside fishing trip at the school's back mountain.
Though it wasn't a grand gathering, Tilan's initiative in inviting others still surprised those around her—it seemed like the first time she had actively asked anyone to join her.
If this were Ores or Shui Yanqing organizing the outing, it wouldn't carry the same impression, as such invitations from them had become routine.
"By the way, does Tilan know how to fish?"
Tilan, Ores, Shui Yanqing, Blanchi, Audrey, and Prin—six of them walked together along the wooded path, some carrying buckets and fishing rods in their hands, curious and excited.
"A little," Tilan replied, reminiscing about her afternoons by the lake during her time at Yuanting Academy in high school.
To outsiders, her identity might be primarily associated with Edith Academy, but she never felt Yuanting Academy was any lesser. It was precisely those leisurely and relaxing days at Yuanting that allowed her to sort out many of her thoughts and ease the pressure built up at Edith Academy.
"When fishing, you prepare the bait, set the rod aside, and can lean against a tree to enjoy the sunshine and breeze, take a nap, or thumb through a favorite storybook."
As she spoke, Tilan remembered the days with the little white ducks clustered around her, the lazy Sunlight Snake napping nearby, and the large spider bustling about while she fished—climbing up and down the tree branches.
Now those little ducks had grown into big white ducks, the Sunlight Snake was still sleeping at home, seemingly preparing for its next evolution. As for the large spider, it was now darting energetically ahead of them in the forest, concealing itself in such a way that few could spot it.
"It seems Tilan truly loves that kind of quiet and secluded life," Audrey said as she walked closer, standing beside Tilan while raising her personal terminal to snap a photo.
The girl with silky black hair raised her head, her silver-haired companion grinned broadly, exposing small dimples. Their contrasting hair colors—black and white—complemented each other, as sunlight filtered through the trees, scattering across the forest floor. Amid the radiant smiles of their friends, time seemed to freeze in this fleeting moment.
The group continued hiking along the forest trail—Prin stepped lightly ahead, often leaping onto roadside stones or hopping onto branches that stretched across the path. Her nimble movements carried her onto the treetop above, where she flipped midair and landed gracefully.
Blanchi wore a beige Uesugi blouse with a checkered long skirt today. Her wicker basket held picnic food to be enjoyed later, her attire evoking a rustic pastoral charm. Occasionally, she asked Shui Yanqing to help capture photos, laughing freely as she posed.
Meanwhile, Shui Yanqing sported a pale yellow sundress with faint blue accents along the ties and edges—mirroring her hair's layered shades of color. Though she spoke less than usual, her mood today seemed lifted, free from the usual tension and heaviness.
As for Ores, she trailed behind, lifting the hem of her gown—a snowy white dress threaded with silver, elegant enough for a banquet yet impractical for trekking through the woods.
"I wanted to wear something simpler, but when I saw this dress in my wardrobe this morning, I couldn't resist putting it on," she explained to the others after meeting up, though regret flickered briefly across her face. She maintained her stubborn stance.
The group laughed warmly and reassured her, and together they continued on their way.
After traversing several miles of forest-covered trails, the six finally reached their destination—a sparkling, serene-blue lake tucked away in the eastern corner of the school grounds. The location was seldom visited, separated from the main campus by a mountain to the west and shielded to the east by another hill. It was tranquil, the breeze blowing south to north, refreshingly cool.ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm
