Once Syndra finished the entire fish, she licked her lips as though still craving more. When she looked up, she found Luke smiling at her, and immediately lowered her head again like a startled rabbit.
Luke took the initiative and asked, "How was it?"
"It was delicious. I've never had grilled fish this good before," Syndra replied quietly.
"I thought so too. I have to say, I really am amazing. Who knew my cooking skills were this incredible?"
Luke laughed with shameless self-satisfaction.
Syndra secretly lifted her head and glanced at him.
His smile was almost dazzling.
Confident and cheerful, it was like sunlight spilling down around him, giving off an incredibly warm feeling.
"Though the fish in this lake deserve some credit too. They taste this good with nothing more than a simple grilling."
Luke looked toward the lake.
The fishing rod he had left in the water hadn't moved at all.
Ever since he caught those first two fish, there had been no more bites.
Syndra nodded in agreement and looked toward the lake as well.
Then she suddenly froze.
She remembered that this was the back mountain.
And there was only one lake on the back mountain.
Which meant the fish in this lake...
"Ah!"
She suddenly cried out and jumped to her feet.
The sudden noise startled even Luke. He turned to her in surprise.
"So you actually can make your voice that loud."
Syndra looked completely flustered.
"The fish in this lake are spirit fish Master is raising. H-he... he doesn't let anyone catch them..."
"Really?"
Luke was also briefly stunned.
Then he smiled again.
"So what do we do now? We already ate them. At this point, they're resting peacefully inside our stomachs."
Syndra dropped back onto the ground, her small face full of confusion.
She had absolutely no idea what to do.
After thinking for a moment, Luke asked, "What would happen if your master found out?"
"He'd probably get really angry... and then kick me out of the temple..."
Syndra sounded frightened just thinking about it.
"You don't want to leave?" Luke asked.
Syndra lowered her head and didn't answer.
A brief silence settled between them.
Luke eventually said, "Then we just don't let him find out. You know, I know, and that's it. If neither of us says anything, how could he possibly know?"
"But..."
Syndra hesitated.
"No buts. You and I are accomplices now. Even if you run to your master and sell me out, you're not escaping responsibility either."
Luke casually picked his teeth with a bamboo skewer, suddenly looking downright cocky.
"Think about the fish sitting in your stomach. You've got to take responsibility for it, don't you?"
Syndra couldn't say a word.
She simply lowered her head, feeling completely lost.
Ever since becoming her master's disciple, she had never made a mistake before.
She didn't know what would happen if she did.
And that uncertainty frightened her.
If Master found out, she wouldn't be able to remain at the temple.
And if she couldn't stay at the temple, then she and her family...
Everything she had now had been so difficult to obtain.
She didn't want to lose it again.
I can't tell him. I absolutely can't tell him.
That thought echoed through Syndra's mind.
Luke stretched lazily.
"By the way, it's already dark. Aren't you in a hurry to get back?"
"Oh."
Only then did Syndra notice that night had fallen without her realizing it.
She instinctively started to stand, then thought about it and sat back down.
"What's wrong?" Luke asked.
"I'll just be alone if I go back."
Syndra hugged her knees and stared into the flickering fire, falling silent again.
She would be alone back there anyway.
Sitting here doing nothing didn't seem much different.
The two of them had only just met and were still strangers, so naturally they didn't have much to talk about.
After sitting in silence for a while, Luke started getting bored.
"Since we're just sitting around anyway, how about we play a game?"
"A game?"
Syndra raised her head, confusion in her eyes.
Luke lifted one hand and flipped it over.
Like a magician performing a trick, a deck of playing cards suddenly appeared in his hand.
Syndra froze slightly, her eyes widening in disbelief.
She clearly wanted to know how Luke had done that.
Luke smiled.
"That's called a magic trick."
Syndra looked curiously at what he was holding.
"Then what are those?"
"These are playing cards. There are fifty-four cards in a full deck."
Luke briefly explained them.
He remembered that Ionia in this era was still rather traditional, so something like playing cards probably didn't exist here yet.
Then he smiled mysteriously.
"Want to see another trick?"
Syndra nodded.
"Then watch closely."
Luke proudly began his performance.
He shuffled the cards, then spread them out in front of Syndra.
"Pick any card. Remember the number and suit, then put it back."
Syndra obediently did as she was told.
She reached out with her small hand, pulled out a card, memorized it, and placed it back into the deck.
Luke squared the cards without looking at her choice even once.
Then he shuffled them before confidently turning over the first card.
"Was this the one you picked?"
Syndra's eyes widened.
She looked even more astonished than before.
A spark of color appeared in her normally dull eyes as she nodded vigorously.
"That's the one. That's amazing."
Luke smiled and shuffled the cards again.
"Pick another one. This time, you can shuffle the deck yourself."
Syndra chose another card and memorized it.
Then she took the deck and awkwardly shuffled it before handing it back to Luke.
Luke accepted the cards but didn't manipulate the deck at all.
Instead, he immediately flipped over the top card, revealing the ace of hearts.
"Is this your card?"
Syndra shook her head.
She wondered whether Luke had made a mistake.
The card she had memorized was the two of spades.
"Then hold out your hand," Luke said.
Syndra obediently extended her hand, palm facing upward.
Luke picked up the ace of hearts, turned it facedown, and placed it against her palm.
Then he snapped his fingers.
"Turn it over yourself."
Syndra didn't understand, but she used her other hand to pick up the card.
The moment she turned it over, she froze.
The card in her hand was now the two of spades.
"How did you do that?"
Her voice unconsciously grew louder, filled with curiosity.
Even her eyes were now willing to meet Luke's directly.
"I told you. It's magic. One of the skills I rely on to make my way through life."
Luke grinned proudly.
Syndra stared at the two of spades in her hand.
Calling that a magic trick hardly seemed sufficient.
It might as well have been actual magic.
Afterward, Luke demonstrated several more card tricks.
Syndra gradually became absorbed in them and occasionally let out adorable little cries of surprise, proving to be an excellent audience.
Even she didn't realize that the gloom around her had faded considerably.
In its place was some of the brightness and cheerfulness expected of a girl her age.
Perhaps this was what she was really supposed to be like.
A long time passed without either of them noticing.
The night grew deep.
Eventually, Syndra had no choice but to return to the temple.
She reluctantly got to her feet.
"I should go back..."
Luke nodded.
"Want me to walk you there?"
"No. I know the path, and there's nothing dangerous around here at night."
Syndra shook her head, picked up the bucket, and began walking back.
Luke watched until her figure vanished from sight.
Then he lifted his head toward the moonlit sky.
Countless stars glittered overhead, brilliant and beautiful.
That night, Syndra returned to her room at the temple.
It was a small wooden cabin, so cramped inside that there was barely any room to move around.
This had been her "home" for the past three years.
Ever since arriving at the temple, she had lived here.
Having even this tiny home was already enough to satisfy her.
As long as she endured enough, perhaps everyone else could be happy.
Although she was tired, Syndra knew she still couldn't sleep.
She busied herself for a while and brewed herself a bowl of bitter medicine.
Even though she had to mentally prepare herself every single time she drank it, Syndra still swallowed every last drop.
Her master had prescribed this medicine to help her control her powers.
She had to drink one bowl every day.
She had been doing so for three years.
After drinking it, Syndra felt a chill spread through her body.
Taking advantage of the medicine's effects, she sat cross-legged and began practicing according to the method her master had taught her.
For some reason, her ability to sense the magic within her body had grown weaker and weaker.
She often felt as though she could barely summon any strength at all.
But Master said that proved she was getting closer to controlling her power.
Syndra refused to become discouraged and practiced even harder.
Late that night, Syndra finally finished her training.
She lay down on her small bed, pulled the blanket over herself, and stared blankly at the ceiling.
She thought about the man by the lake.
Would he still be there tomorrow?
For reasons she couldn't explain, a faint sense of anticipation appeared in the girl's heart.
Holding onto that anticipation, she eventually drifted off to sleep.
The next day.
Dong...
Dong...
Dong...
Syndra was awakened by the temple bell.
Although she was still sleepy, she immediately climbed out of bed.
After getting dressed, she hurried to the main hall to greet her master.
When she arrived, the other three disciples still hadn't shown up.
Her master, Konigen, was already sitting cross-legged in the center of the main temple, resting with his eyes closed.
Syndra stepped forward and respectfully greeted him.
"Good morning, Master."
"Mm."
Konigen answered indifferently.
"Sit."
Syndra obediently sat down and waited.
Konigen spoke again.
"Have you been diligently practicing the exercises I taught you?"
Syndra answered truthfully.
"I practice every day, at least four hours."
"Good. And the medicine? Have you continued drinking it every day?"
"Yes, every day."
"Excellent."
Konigen opened his eyes and looked at her with apparent satisfaction.
"Your talent is unusually difficult to handle. Finding a cultivation method suited to you was no easy task. You must treasure the opportunity and continue practicing diligently."
"Thank you, Master," Syndra said gratefully.
"There is no need to thank me."
Konigen smiled and closed his eyes again.
Syndra never noticed the coldness that had flashed through them just before he did.
Before long, the other three disciples arrived.
They were Huzhang, the senior disciple, Baishan, the second disciple, and Meiwu, the third disciple.
Syndra was the youngest and lowest-ranking among the four.
After the three of them also greeted their master, Konigen gave them a few simple instructions and dismissed everyone.
Before Syndra could leave, however, he called her back.
"The spirit fish I've been raising in Bright Lake behind the temple. Have you been feeding them recently?"
Syndra's heart tightened.
"Yes, Master. I feed them regularly."
She lowered her head, a trace of nervousness slipping into her voice.
Konigen didn't notice.
He simply smiled.
"They should have grown quite a bit by now. Just remember not to neglect their feeding. Once those spirit fish fully mature, they'll be extremely useful to me."
"When I finish dealing with this breakthrough, I'll go take a look."
Syndra's heart immediately leaped into her throat.
She didn't know what to say.
All she managed was a stiff little acknowledgment.
Konigen looked at her.
"That will be all. You may leave. There's nothing much that needs doing these next few days. Just focus on your training."
"Yes, Master."
Syndra nodded again and quickly left the main hall.
Only after stepping outside did she finally breathe a sigh of relief.
But the weight hanging over her heart never disappeared.
Sooner or later, Master would discover what had happened.
What was she supposed to do?
Maybe he wouldn't notice if only two fish were missing.
Clinging to that hope, Syndra took the fish feed and headed toward the back mountain.
She had already finished most of the temple chores over the past few days, so she would have relatively little to do for a while.
When Syndra reached the back mountain, she immediately saw firelight ahead.
An uneasy feeling rose inside her.
She quickened her pace and approached.
Then she saw Luke yank hard on his fishing rod.
Water exploded into the air as a brilliantly colored spirit fish came flying out of the lake, its scales sparkling like diamonds in the sunlight.
And over the campfire nearby...
Two more were already sizzling away.
Syndra froze completely.
The dread that had been hanging over her heart finally became certainty.
"Oh, you're here again."
Luke turned around and spotted Syndra standing there like a statue.
With a proud expression, he asked, "So? Was that cast cool or what?"
Syndra finally snapped out of her daze.
She couldn't care less about answering his question.
"D-didn't I tell you... y-you can't catch the spirit fish here?!"
She was so anxious that she started stammering, her eyes widening noticeably.
Luke blinked.
"But I was hungry."
Syndra was both anxious and angry.
"Being hungry doesn't mean you can eat them! I told you that last night!"
"There you go getting worked up again."
Luke remained completely calm and smiled.
"Still, you sound much more alive when you raise your voice like that. Usually, I start wondering whether you left your vocal cords at home."
"That's not what I'm talking about!"
Syndra protested helplessly.
Even she didn't realize that her voice was now at least twice as loud as usual.
"A lot of the time, the things you think are problems aren't actually problems."
As Luke spoke, he sat down and began cleaning the newly caught fish.
Syndra watched him with equal parts anxiety and helplessness.
Right before her eyes, yet another spirit fish that had still possessed a chance at life was placed over the fire.
"It already happened. We can't change that now, can we?"
Luke smiled at her.
"So, to make sure these spirit fish didn't sacrifice themselves for nothing, why don't you sit down and have some?"
"No! I already ate breakfast! And I'm never eating the spirit fish from this lake again! You already made me break the rules once!"
This time, Syndra refused immediately.
Even though her stomach was still empty, her stance remained firm.
Luke picked up one of the nearly finished grilled spirit fish and held it toward her.
"You're really sure you don't want any? Look into its eyes, put a hand over your heart, and tell me you don't want even one bite."
"I'm not eating it!"
Syndra instinctively looked into the grilled fish's eyes.
Somehow, they seemed to radiate a desperate desire to be eaten.
She forced herself to look away.
Then, despite herself, she swallowed.
Fifteen minutes later.
Syndra was happily holding a grilled fish in both hands and eating away.
It was so good.
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