Chapter 64: How to View

While Yilu spoke, Tif’s gaze remained fixed on her without a moment’s break.

Observing her, Tif could sense that Yilu wasn’t lying.

Words can deceive, but during the process, the subtle movements and expressions are habits people can’t change.

She had never interacted with Yilu before, but based on this short time, Tif didn’t think Yilu was the type to fake it to this extent.

Hearing Yilu describe someone like that ordinarily would be impossible.

Though her words held no intention to praise, neither did they carry any malice.

Tif’s fingers traced the edge of the teacup.

It seemed right to have pulled Yilu aside for these questions today.

“Miss Yilu.” Tif spoke up.

Hearing the seriousness in Tif’s voice, Yilu snapped out of her memories. “I absolutely didn’t mean to belittle your brother. Don’t misunderstand.”

Normally, her words could easily be taken that way.

Tif shook her head lightly, indicating she wasn’t too concerned.

She wanted Yilu’s honest opinion—the more genuine, the better, good or bad.

“He is exactly as you described.” Tif picked up her teacup, blew on it to cool the steam, and let the heat dissipate.

She didn’t drink right away; instead, she turned her head to gaze across the courtyard.

“Just as you said, that’s what he’s really like.”

Teanya, sitting silently nearby, could only smile bitterly.

What kind of sister lets someone talk about her brother like that without objection, even agreeing the whole time?

“Then let me tell you something you don’t know, Miss Yilu.” Tif took a small sip of the tea in her cup, still staring at the courtyard. “Besides what you mentioned, no one else knows that on the night before he left for his post at the Academy, he stayed here alone for a long time, as if he really disliked that arrangement.”

Yilu was surprised for a moment. “He seemed to mention that—didn’t like being stuck at the Academy much.”

She had always thought it was Lyr joking; now Tif confirmed it, so it must be true.

“He used to be like that. Every time he was troubled, he would come here and sort it out by himself.”

Tif took a breath. She had many complaints about Lyr, and this was the one she disliked the most.

“As for why he came back here, it’s mainly because he killed a Witch in the Border Regions. He was affected by her, his Magic Power weakened, so he had no choice but to be reassigned.”

No one else was around, so Tif wasn’t worried about revealing Lyr’s weakened Magic Power.

Besides, from Yilu’s expression, she seemed to already know something.

Having explained what she knew, Tif closed her eyes. When she opened them again, her gaze sharpened.

Now that she knew how Yilu saw Lyr, and had even supplemented that picture, it was time for the answer to the question she cared about.

“Miss Yilu, you now fully understand what kind of person my brother is, and your description isn’t wrong.” Tif continued. “But I still have the same question: what do you think of him?”

Having spent so much time with Tif, Teanya rarely saw her press a matter this far.

Yilu’s earlier words could count as an answer, just a bit vague.

Pressing further like this bordered on interrogation.

“I don’t entirely agree with your mention of ‘causing trouble.’” Tif’s voice turned stern, her eyes fixed on Yilu.

Tif had always been extremely indifferent to most things.

It was as if the weight of household trifles left her no energy for other people’s affairs.

But now she was unusually earnest—far from a casual chat.

“If you only see him as someone you can reach out to for help when you’re in a bind, with no other considerations, then that would truly be causing trouble for him—and for me.”

The last sentence carried more weight than Tif had ever used.

Even Teanya, an outsider, felt a strange pressure.

Only then did Yilu understand Tif’s meaning.

She wasn’t really asking how Yilu viewed Lyr; she was asking whether Yilu treated him as a tool.

Yilu’s gaze gradually dropped, eventually settling on the cup in front of her.

Ripples spread faintly across the water’s surface in the breeze.

Every gain must come with a cost.

She had claimed to walk alone, needing no help.

Yet in the end, she seemed to be the selfish one who received help but could offer nothing in return.

“I’ve always called Lyr an idiot. I think you’ve sensed that during our time together.” Yilu took a deep breath and sighed. “But for me, at least I don’t want his kindness to be treated that way.”

Tif had already made herself perfectly clear.

“What do I think of him?” Yilu murmured the question Tif had repeated.

Yes, what did she think of him? Was he just a tool she casually reached for when she needed help?

“I think I should remind you, Miss Yilu, that I’ve also brought this up with that idiot a few times. If you keep interacting like this—regardless of other factors—could it have a bad influence on him?”

Yilu raised her head, looking as if she had never expected this answer.

She had thought about this before when she first started interacting with Lyr, but hadn’t dwelled on it.

“He said that you’re his friend’s sister. Helping you a little more is no big deal.” Tif paused deliberately. “That’s all.”

Seemingly an innocent reply, but Yilu felt an inexplicable displeasure, her eyelids twitching.

‘What did he mean by “just his friend’s sister” and nothing more?’

‘Was she nothing but an appendage of her brother, not even worthy of being considered Lyr’s friend?’

“Did he really say that?” Yilu struggled to suppress the rising anger in her chest.

“If you don’t believe me, you can ask that idiot.”

The more casual Tif sounded, the more it proved that this response came directly from Lyr.

If the earlier tension was created by Tif’s seriousness, now both fell silent, frozen in place.

Teanya, caught in the middle, couldn’t help but take a sharp breath.

She really hated being in this kind of atmosphere, but with no way to escape, she could only sit there stiffly.