It was a hug that was six years late.
Yet, in the one second they held each other tightly, time seemed to flow back to six years ago.
Lu Mo felt Cecilia’s weight and her warmth, and she felt that bouncing golden stray hair brush against her cheek.
Cecilia, meanwhile, hooked her arms around Lu Mo’s neck and buried her face deep into her chest, greedily inhaling her faint, delicate fragrance.
They had grown up.
Yet, they also seemed to have never changed.
***
The sun began to set.
The sunlight was no longer as harsh as before, and the air gradually lost its scorching heat.
The surface of the lake reflected the colors of the sky as it slowly softened.
The two of them sat side by side on the lakeshore.
They took off their shoes and socks, dipping their fair ankles into the water.
It was just like when they were children.
Even though they had not seen each other for six years, there seemed to be no distance between Cecilia and Lu Mo.
Cecilia constantly shared stories of her six years at the academy. She spoke slowly, and Lu Mo listened patiently.
“Did you know, Miss Lu Mo? If I hadn’t been thinking that I had to survive so I could see you again, I might have actually jumped from the tallest building in the academy…”
“It was bad enough having to memorize those tongue-twisting commandments every day, but those old matrons even tried to control the way I walked and my eating etiquette! Don’t you think they were going too far?”
“And the food in the cafeteria was terrible…”
Cecilia kept complaining about her life at the academy.
As she spoke, her emotions grew a bit heated, and her stray hair stood straight up. She suddenly kicked out with her feet, splashing water and sending ripples across the lake’s surface.
Having not seen her for six years, she had truly blossomed.
She was elegant and poised, with bright eyes and white teeth. Her golden hair fell to her waist like a waterfall, looking even more brilliant than the sunlight above their heads.
She was so beautiful that one hardly dared to look directly at her.
However, Lu Mo could still see a trace of the childishness from years ago in Cecilia’s slightly baby-fat cheeks and the golden stray hair that twitched according to her mood.
“Miss Lu Mo, would you say this Saintess Academy is wicked?” Cecilia turned her head to look at Lu Mo, a lingering spark of anger still in her eyes.
“Hungry, very hungry.”
Lu Mo smiled and replied, “I can tell you were scolded by those teachers quite a bit.”
“But… I tried my best to be like you, Miss Lu Mo, and I resisted,” Cecilia added afterward.
“Resisted?”
“Yes.” The golden-haired girl nodded under the setting sun. “The things they strictly required me to do, I insisted on trying to be lazy about. The things they saw as school rules and forbade me from violating, I insisted on trying anyway.”
“For instance, I’d sneak out of the academy, eat a good meal, and then run back. Or I’d sneak into the academy kitchen late at night to find something to eat. And when everyone else had their eyes closed in prayer, I did nothing and secretly watched two cats fighting outside!”
‘That doesn’t really count as resistance, does it?’
‘Furthermore, most of it is related to sneaking food.’
Lu Mo could not help but give a bitter smile.
But this was a good thing, right? At least Cecilia was questioning things and resisting.
The golden-haired girl had no idea what Lu Mo was thinking. She simply felt she was very impressive, and she puffed out her chest as her stray hair bounced even more happily.
“Even though they occasionally found out I broke the rules, they couldn’t do anything to me. After all, my talent for Holy Power was always in first place at the academy. I always got full marks on my training and tests. Instead, they were the ones afraid I might leave the academy in a fit of rage.”
“Then you are very impressive,” Lu Mo said casually.
“Mhm!” At that moment, Cecilia seemed to grow even more proud. When she looked at Lu Mo, her gaze was filled with happiness and a touch of seriousness.
“So, Miss Lu Mo, Cecilia is really strong now!”
“Cecilia has learned many support-type combat techniques and secret arts, and I also tried to learn some offensive ones. For those high-tier Holy Power combat techniques, Cecilia can already perform them instantly without chanting!”
“So… Cecilia can protect Miss Lu Mo from now on.”
“If anyone dares to bully Miss Lu Mo, Cecilia will blast them away with a super-tier combat technique!”
Lu Mo was slightly stunned when she heard those words.
The image of Cecilia hiding in her arms, wailing loudly and leaving tears and snot on her chest, felt as if it were only yesterday.
In those six years, some parts of Cecilia hadn’t changed, but she had also grown up a lot in many ways.
She had not forgotten her. And now, she wanted to stand up and protect her.
‘…’
Looking at the proud and serious golden-haired girl, a trace of warmth flickered in the depths of Lu Mo’s heart.
‘But in these six years, I have also grown much stronger.’
Lu Mo thought to herself.
However, she did not say this to Cecilia and only smiled.
“Alright, that’s enough of my story for now.”
Seeing that Lu Mo hadn’t said anything, Cecilia started questioning her. “What about you, Miss Lu Mo? Where did you go during these six years? What did you do? Did you miss me? Did you make new friends? And… did you get hurt?”
“Six years…”
In those six years, she had defeated several teachers hired by the head of the Kallis family.
She had left home and traveled alone, listening to the song of loneliness.
She had defeated the geniuses of various noble families.
She had danced amidst slaughter.
She had lingered between life and death.
She had suppressed the God-blood and stood at the peak of all geniuses.
***
She had done too much.
But in front of Cecilia, the wind and rain, blood and loneliness of those six years ultimately transformed into a light chuckle.
“I didn’t do much. I just went on a long journey. I saw some scenery, met some people, and worked on improving myself.”
She spoke with great nonchalance.
“Hmm…”
Cecilia looked at Lu Mo with a bit of a headache.
She seemed somewhat dissatisfied with Lu Mo’s answer. It felt a bit too simple.
However, she actually cared more about another question right now.
“Also, Miss Lu Mo — “
She suddenly leaned closer to Lu Mo, looking directly at her with those clear eyes, and spoke with anticipation, “Does the promise from back then… still count? Now, I am really about to become a Saintess. And you, are you still willing to be my Knight?”
Cecilia could clearly feel herself becoming nervous.
She stared at Lu Mo, even forgetting to breathe.
She had graduated from the academy, but she was also leaving. Once spring arrived, she would go to The Holy Sanctuary to officially serve as a Saintess.
Did Lu Mo still remember the oath from that year?
“It still counts.”
Soon, Lu Mo smiled again and answered, “It has always counted.”
Lu Mo had never forgotten the promise she made to Cecilia. That long journey, that blood, and that loneliness were all for the sake of the promise she had made to the girl during their childhood.
“Yay!”
After hearing Lu Mo’s answer, the heart that had been hanging in Cecilia’s chest finally settled.
Her eyes lit up, and her smile became uncontrollable. Her stray hair started wagging again like a happy puppy’s tail.
She let out a laugh and hugged Lu Mo the next second.
“I knew it… Miss Lu Mo definitely wouldn’t forget!”
“Miss Lu Mo is the best!”
“Actually… it’s okay if Miss Lu Mo doesn’t become very strong,” she whispered into Lu Mo’s ear. “Because I’m here, and I’m a very strong Saintess now. If there’s danger in the future, I will protect you.”
“Is that so?” Lu Mo smiled after hearing that.
“Wah — “
In the next second, Cecilia let out a cry of distress.
Before she could react, Lu Mo suddenly flicked her smooth forehead.
“You want to protect me? Why don’t you try catching me first… silly Cecilia — “
As Lu Mo spoke, she had already stood up and run off into the distance.
“Miss Lu Mo… don’t… don’t run!”
Cecilia clutched her forehead and began to chase after Lu Mo with a bit of flustered excitement.
After six years, the two figures were once again chasing each other.
At that moment, they were not a Saintess and a Knight, but simply young girls running freely under the setting sun.
On that day, Cecilia clearly felt she had become very strong, yet she still could not catch up to Lu Mo.
In her daze, she actually had an illusion —
‘It seemed… she would never be able to catch up to Lu Mo.’
Whether it was the past, the present, or the future.
***