He Holds a Rose from the Abyss - Chapter 18

Chapter 18 – The Truth

“Why did you open the magic array when you don’t even need it?” Chi Lang wanted to beat up Joyce.

Joyce: “I’m not very good at using this. When they used this to cheat, I often couldn’t hear what people outside were saying… Later, I figured out a way to pass the exam by myself.”

“You don’t have to be nervous, it’s not like you’re talking to anyone, and who can hear your voice?” Joyce quipped.

“You don’t understand,” Chi Lang sighed, “Shut up… or I won’t be able to resist the urge to hit you.”

Joyce said seriously, “You can’t beat me, in magic competitions with people my own age, I’ve only lost to Dana.”

Chi Lang: “So what?”

“I recently read the codex of the great magician Ian again. During this time, my magic control is much better than before,” Joyce was very happy, “I want to compete with Dana again, this time I should be able to defeat her .”

Chi Lang was a little puzzled: “So why did you invite her to the opera? Did I understand it wrong? Isn’t it for some romantic atmosphere?”

“Ah, I wanted to take advantage of her good mood and tell her to compete again.”

Chi Lang:  …

“With all due respect, the likelihood of you getting back together with Dana again, I think,” Chi Lang’s tone was bleak, “is probably the same as the likelihood of me getting a perfect score in calculus.”

Joyce did not understand and showed a confused expression.

Chi Lang patted his shoulder with an indescribable mood, and then left.

Before returning to the bedroom, Chi Lang went to the library to borrow a book.

He held the book in front of his face and slowly opened the door to his room.

The room was dark, the curtains were drawn, but no lights were lit.

Only a bleak halo was reflected on the floor, and the umbrella leaning against the door had a vague shadow.

Chi Lang walked in and smelled the smell of wine.

Sheffield had his back against the table, holding a wine glass in his hand. The wine glass was a crystal one with an intricate pattern engraved on it, and now only a little wine was left.

“Why don’t you pull the curtains back? It’s so dark.” Chi Lang walked over and tried to pull the curtains open.

“Chi Lang.” Sheffield called him, “Come sit down over here first.”

Chi Lang actually liked the fact that Sheffield called him by his first name, he had a kind of floating feeling. He thought to himself, ‘Sheffield’s pronunciation is so standard, he should be able to learn Chinese quickly.’

Chi Lang sat on a chair.

“Sorry, I didn’t get rid of that necromancer, he got away.”

“Ah, why apologize? If he got away, then he got away, there is no rule that you have to catch the murderer, right?”

“He wants to obtain your soul,” Sheffield put the glass on the table. “Your soul, with the power it contains, is an excellent spellcasting material for necromancers.”

Chi Lang’s heart tightened.

“Do you remember Margaret?” Sheffield changed the subject very abruptly.

“Remember, when do you want to visit her?” Chi Lang did not forget the all-knowing magician, he also got the top score, and should have a chance to ask questions.

“Tomorrow afternoon.” Sheffield paused for a long time. “I’m sorry, I was with the intention of using you before, I didn’t consider your situation. Now it seems that you may be in danger when you go to see Margaret.”

“It can’t be called ‘using’. You helped me get the perfect score, in return, I’ll help ask a question for you. It’s okay,” Chi Lang smiled, “What danger would there be in Margaret’s place?”

“She is the first person in the prophecy department. She knows the past and the future… How are you going to explain to her where your soul comes from?”

All the anxiety and joy of Chi Lang disappeared. He suddenly realized that Sheffield had long known that he was not Micah Rahman.

“Even that necromancer could see that your soul is different, would Margaret not be able to see it?”

Chi Lang’s voice was a little astringent: “Then, I won’t go tomorrow? About that necromancer, I will stay with Luth during the day, and I should be fine at night if you are here.”

Sheffield pulled the book away from his face and smiled: “Why are you covering your face with the book?”

Chi Lang thought, ‘I didn’t know how to face you before.’

Sheffield put his two hands on Chi Lang’s shoulders and looked directly at Chi Lang: “I don’t know where you came from or why you came here.”

He smiled as if self-deprecating: “I don’t know when and how you will leave, and I’m also worried about the prying eyes of others.”

Sheffield’s eyes reflected Chi Lang’s appearance, and said softly, “So tell me about that.”

‘Let me know your past so that I can know how to protect the future,’ Sheffield thought.

Sheffield: “Why did you come here?”

In fact, he asked this question when Chi Lang was drunk, but he suspected that Chi Lang said it wrong when he was unconscious, so he wanted to ask it again.

Chi Lang closed his eyes and said, “I don’t know. Maybe it’s because of a dream… a dream about roses. I don’t know when I will leave… My hometown, there is no magic, and the development of technology is far beyond than here… …”

He has no more secrets, Chi Lang thought, he told this person everything.

Sheffield squatted down, took Chi Lang’s hand, and kissed Chi Lang’s palm lightly.

His eyes curved into a crescent shape: “It’s enough to know this, although I still have some questions I want to ask…”

“What kind of person do you think I am?”

Chi Lang did not say anything, but Sheffield kept smiling and looking at him, Chi Lang could only pick up the book again to cover his face.

All of a sudden, Chi Lang felt his body froze, he couldn’t move at all, he couldn’t even lift his fingers.

He saw Sheffield hook the corners of his mouth, revealing a very gentle smile.

Then he heard himself say, uncontrolled, “A good person, a very good person.”

Sheffield’s voice lowered: “How about a little more detail about your feelings?”

Chi Lang opened his mouth, and just before he could answer, he suddenly found that he could control his body, so he stopped what he was about to say in time.

“Sorry, I shouldn’t have asked that.” Sheffield gave him another kiss on the palm.

“Why, just now, I can’t control myself…” Chi Lang asked.

“A little magic,” said Sheffield, “and Margaret could easily ask your secret if she wanted to.”

“So, don’t go tomorrow afternoon,” Sheffield said with a smile.

“If that necromancer enters the academy, I can detect it, so don’t worry too much.”

Chi Lang nodded and stood up: “I’m going to draw the curtains.”

Sheffield also stood up and took his hand from behind: “You don’t seem to be very happy.”

Chi Lang was silent for a while, gritted his teeth, and said, “I feel a little uncomfortable. You should have known that I am not Micah, and, although I told you the secret, but—

“The ability you just used, only you have the magic, and can peer into my heart at any time.

“Actually, I was just ready to answer you when you asked the first question,” Chi Long said slowly, “even if you didn’t use that kind of magic, I would have answered you.

“And I would have told the truth, I would have thought you were very nice.

“But the ability you’ve shown makes me feel less comfortable.” Chi Long struggled to express his thoughts accurately.

“You already know everything about me, but I know almost nothing about you, and you can even see my heart at any time.”

Chi Lang slowly let go of Sheffield’s hand, he was a little confused inside.

But the next second, Sheffield took his hand again, and he heard Sheffield say, “I’m sorry, I’ll never use that kind of magic again, and I won’t let anyone else use it on you.”

Chi Lang was pulled by Sheffield to the window and opened the curtains.

The window reflected both of their faces, Sheffield came closer to the window, and after about a few seconds, Sheffield said to him: “The magic just now was called pupil magic, you have to look someone straight in the eye to do it.”

Sheffield smiled and completely concealed the haze in his eyes: “I used this magic on myself, but since it works on myself, I can still talk, but if you want to ask, I will tell the truth uncontrollably.

“Trust me,” he said. “I can tell you anything you want to know.”

Chi Lang blinked, and suddenly he felt a little floating again.

“Do you have one of those magic stones, the kind that Joyce and the others use to cheat on tests?”

“Apart from you, I haven’t helped anyone else cheat.”

Chi Lang thought for a while: “Do you like to eat sweet or salty?”

“…sweet.”

“What about wine? Wine, blueberry wine, cherry wine?”

“Wine.”

…

From beginning to end, Chi Lang only asked some questions about preferences. He didn’t ask about Sheffield’s identity, didn’t ask about Sheffield’s past, and didn’t ask about something that he had wondered about for a long time.

After asking, Chi Lang said, “That’s all I need to know.”

“I thought you would ask me how I knew you were not Micah, or, ask me who I am…”

“If you want to tell me, you can tell me,” Chi Lang said. “It’s not good to go prying into your secrets like that. Everyone has secrets.”

Sheffield was stunned, held his right hand, and wanted to kiss the palm again.

Chi Lang quickly put his left hand over the palm of his right hand and said righteously: “What kind of etiquette is this? Don’t kiss it.” In fact, he felt a little itchy and felt a little warm in his palm.

“It’s not etiquette.” A smile also surfaced under Sheffield’s eyes as he shook his glass, “It’s just that I wanted to do it.”

“But since you refused, let me make another formal request,” Sheffield bent down and offered him his hand, “Can I kiss the palm of your hand?”

‘No, no, no,’ Chi Lang thought, ‘it’s better if you stand farther away.’

Fine, you kiss it.