Chapter 516: 133. Skinny Bird
Hearing Tang Zeming Asuka’s voice, Fisher was momentarily stunned and did not respond immediately.
He thought for a moment that Tang Zeming Asuka had suddenly become extremely clever, or perhaps sensitive like Hela, and had detected the subtle clues he was revealing.
But upon further reflection, he felt otherwise.
So he asked Tang Zeming Asuka,
“Did Hela tell you?”
Tang Zeming Asuka opened her mouth and replied,
“Did the Angel Hela know beforehand?”
“Yeah.”
“It wasn’t the Angel Hela who told me, it was Margaret. She said the Loom can see the existence of people in this world, but it cannot see the existence of Trans, because Trans is not bound by any rules. In the Loom, she saw Teacher Fisher. Maybe she wanted me to be on guard against Teacher Fisher; or maybe she wanted to use this as a pretext so that there would be a greater chance of me leaving with her afterward.”
“Is that so? But even so, in the end, you still didn’t leave with her.”
“Yeah.”
In fact, the more he talked to Tang Zeming Asuka, the more Fisher felt that she might already be aware of the current situation. Perhaps Mikhail had told her earlier, or maybe she had guessed it herself. Regardless, Fisher found it difficult to express the next words that came to his mind.
Unexpectedly, it was she who spoke first at this moment.
“Is the place you’re going back to very far, Teacher Fisher?”
“A little.”
“Will we be able to meet again afterward?”
“Maybe… a very long time later.”
For Fisher, this was the most affirmative answer he could give, but even up to modern times, Fisher had not found where the missing Magic Lord had gone.
The longer he stayed in the past, the more he hoped that in the future she would have returned to her own world.
At this moment, how could the typically tactful and reserved Tang Zeming Asuka not understand Fisher’s hidden meaning?
She opened her mouth, and her words continued to brew.
The sea breeze before her blurred the words she wanted to say to Fisher. What she perhaps wanted to express was:
“Teacher Fisher, can you take me with you?”
But for some reason, the words that came out were:
“What about the Angel Hela? Will she leave with Teacher Fisher?”
“She won’t.”
Fisher’s response buried what Tang Zeming Asuka originally wanted to ask; since even the Angel Hela couldn’t leave with Teacher Fisher, how could she?
She was unwilling to ask a question whose answer she already knew, so she could only suddenly hug her knees and say,
“Then… ah.”
The atmosphere at this moment was slightly stagnant, but soon, Fisher continued the conversation,
“After leaving the Holy Realm, I will return to the mortal world to look for you. Soon, this world will become unsafe for you. Several demigods have issued a hunting order against Trans; whoever is a Trans will become an enemy of mythical beings. This is also why Michael wants to pull Mikhail out of the mortal world.”
Tang Zeming Asuka’s cheek rested on the mechanism as she asked,
“But Teacher Fisher has to leave eventually, right?”
“Yeah, after you settle down.”
She quietly buried her head against the mechanism, letting her black hair cascade down, hiding her expression from the moonlight,
“Teacher Fisher should just leave directly. I can be alone.”
“Are you sure, Asuka?”
“Yeah.”
She nodded slightly, then raised her head and said softly,
“I felt sad when I was forced to separate from Teacher Fisher earlier. If I meet Teacher Fisher again before our destined farewell, I might really find it hard to let go. By then, even if Teacher Fisher wants to leave, it probably won’t be possible.”
Fisher found it somewhat amusing and asked,
“Really? What do you plan to do?”
“Take advantage of knocking out Teacher Fisher and then tie him up?”
“…”
That was such a simple and dull method. Was it his teaching method that was wrong? Why did he always end up teaching such problematic students in this area?
Well, it was certainly a joke, because after asking this question and sensing Fisher’s silence, Tang Zeming Asuka chuckled.
Unfortunately, at this moment, Fisher, far away in the Holy Realm, could not see her expression and could only hear her laughter.
Unconsciously, he raised the corners of his mouth slightly, but that arc was somewhat heavy. He suddenly asked,
“Asuka, do you regret it?”
“Regret? Regret what?”
“Not leaving with Margaret back then.”
“How could that be, Teacher Fisher.”
Tang Zeming Asuka smiled, looking at Fisher and saying,
“I can feel it. Although it’s true that Margaret wanted to take me with her, her feelings for me are fake; on the other hand, the feelings that you all have for me are real. So even like this, I still don’t feel regret. She wanted to sacrifice your life to serve as a bridge back to our world; I can’t accept that.”
“But—”
“I know, Teacher Fisher. I’ve already said, it’s really okay for me to be alone. The technique you taught me before, using multiple ring heads together, I’ve tried many times since then, and each time I succeeded. I have a lot of such magic stored on me, so even if a regular angel or elf encounters me, they won’t have a way to deal with me. Moreover, the rules of this world have no effect on me; even the Loom can’t find me. As long as I hide, I’ll be fine.”
“Asuka.”
“And it seems Mr. Gouwen is also fine. Mr. Mikhail said that the mechanism he sent to find Mr. Gouwen saw him with his beloved wife, only that she was knocked down. And Mr. Mikhail has such a powerful angel like Michael taking care of him, so he will be fine too.”
“Asuka.”
“And I… Hey, hey, Teacher Fisher, are you calling me?”
“…Are you still trying to deceive yourself, Asuka?”
“Eh?”
“Really, is it okay?”
On the cold mechanism, drops of burning tears were already rolling down its surface.
Under the dim moonlight, the young seventeen-year-old high school girl had already burst into tears.
She maintained a smile and a bright expression, even her tone was flawless, just like how she used to be, having acted like this countless times in front of her parents.
Even when forced to jump off a building, even while enduring the torment of mental illness, she could deceive everyone around her without a flaw, and this time should be no different.
Clearly, the mechanism could not convey any images, and Teacher Fisher should not be able to see her.
But why…
“Why… Teacher Fisher?”
Her restrained voice was so faint that perhaps only at this moment did it reveal some cracks.
On the other side, Fisher paused for a moment, his face showing a “just as I thought” expression,
“I just feel that you would be very sad right now. You are always good at escaping, and coincidentally, I always notice this, don’t I? Otherwise, when you first came to this world, that night, I wouldn’t have discovered you carving words on the wall with my knife.”
“So, is it really okay, Asuka?”
Tang Zeming Asuka’s eyes grew increasingly blurred. Perhaps she had long been waiting for someone, even if it was just anyone to uncover her lies, as long as it wasn’t herself.
But in her mother’s eyes, there was never a “herself”; the relief of her own heart made her feel that this was enough. But her father loved her so much; his devotion to the Buddha was too absolute. How could she let him suffer again?
She finally broke down in tears, her voice now tinged with blur and sadness as she cried out at the mechanism in her arms, calling out to Teacher Fisher in the Holy Realm,
“It matters! Wuwuwu… it matters!”
“I don’t want to be alone; I’m really afraid. I want to go home. I don’t want to be chased without reason!”
“I don’t want Teacher Fisher to be with the Angel Hela. I also want to be a little braver and tell Teacher Fisher earlier that I like you too, because I’m already eighteen this year! I might be a bit childish, but I really think so.”
“I want to be like others, like Mr. Gouwen, with a wife who cares for him. Like Mr. Mikhail, with the treasured Angel Michael. I really envy that. I want Teacher Fisher to take me away, to leave together.”
She pressed her forehead tightly against the mechanism, and at this moment, the fervency that erupted seemed to raise the original coldness. It was as if she had tolerated for a long time, speaking to Fisher word by word,
“I know, I know that sometimes I’m really foolish. Sometimes I can’t understand many things and end up causing trouble for everyone. I know I can’t grasp what Teacher Fisher is thinking at many times, and I can’t be as mature and charming as the Angel Hela.”
“I really don’t want to let go, even if it’s like the Angel Hela or anyone else. I don’t want to give up, because only after coming to this world did I truly feel a bit of happiness.”
In the waves, her fingers and toes dug deeply into the sand, using the earth as the foundation for her courageous release.
“But… but—”
“But I know that many things can’t be accomplished just by how I think. I can’t. If I had previously convinced myself that nothing mattered, that would be deceiving myself. Now, telling myself I can have whatever I want, isn’t that also deceiving myself?”
“I can’t let my feelings for Teacher Fisher and my anxiety keep you in a place that doesn’t belong to you!”
“If it continues like this, even if Teacher Fisher cares for me and stays by my side, each and every second, each day, each month, if it continues like this, wuwu, I will really feel guilty.”
In the distance, Fisher’s gaze slightly moved. Perhaps it was only at this moment that he could barely perceive the gentle soul that Tang Zeming Asuka hid within her body.
Often, those who are more gentle and understanding tend to be less obvious.
When you stay by her side, over time, you’ll come to take her silent dedication for granted.
Because she is not used to expressing emotions, everything she experiences is seen as smooth sailing; because she doesn’t know how to ask for help, everything she gives becomes a matter of course.
Perhaps the more a child cries, the more they will be fed; for him, whose impression is based on this, whenever one of his rare advantages is discovered, it becomes a blessing; while the more honest and obedient a child is, the more helpless they become, for him, whose impression is based on this, whenever one of his rare shortcomings is discovered, it becomes a disappointment.
“Asuka.”
At this moment, even if Fisher wanted to interrupt, he couldn’t. This originally very clever and sensitive girl was actually perfectly aware of all the words he wanted to say,
“And also, Teacher Fisher has said it before, right? We will have the opportunity to see each other again in the future. At that time, without so much guilt, without so many shackles, by then, I will have become very mature. So even if it’s the Angel Hela, I will defeat her, and I won’t let go.”
Tang Zeming Asuka covered her eyes, trying to block her eyes as if stopping a spring from flowing, attempting to prevent tears from falling.
“Teacher Fisher, my past isn’t happy. My family isn’t complete. I’ve realized that these are destined and unchangeable. The only way to make up for it would be in the next life. Only in the next life might I have a pair of harmonious and loving parents.”
That day, Margaret had told Tang Zeming Asuka the cruel truth in such an honest way.
She honestly told Tang Zeming Asuka that the answer she had been desperately seeking, even deceiving herself for so long, even suffering betrayal to pursue, was simply that,
Aside from her mother, who never loved her, she was no longer anyone’s child.
“But… I still have other things I can pursue. These are not destined; no one else can help me.”
“Teacher Fisher taught me the true magic and walked this valuable journey with me. But from now on, the road really goes on alone.”
At this moment, the weakest bird in the nest cautiously walked to the edge of the nest, poking its head out to look down at the “sheer cliff” beneath the nest.
How high it was! What a dangerous world it was!
How splendid and vibrant the path ahead was!
The weak bird, having lost the original love, finally turned back to glance at the nest that had coldly stared at her; there may have been hesitation in her eyes.
She certainly faced a choice: to continue staying in this nest that had never given warmth, begging the indifferent others for food, or take the risk and spread her wings to fly into the future or destruction?
Oh, weak bird, after glancing back a few times and pausing for a moment, finally rejected the temptation of the nest, spreading her wings and struggling to fly out toward the nest.
Under the dim night sky, accompanied by the ancient waves crashing against the shore, Tang Zeming Asuka finally raised her head, tears streaming down her face.
She looked up at the stars, then painfully but resolutely squeezed out a warm smile.
She said,
“Teacher Fisher, in the future, let our paths cross again.”
In the nest, the other chicks that were loved eagerly poked their heads out, wanting to see the sight of the weakest bird falling to its death with no burial place.
But all they saw was her stumbling and flying farther and farther away.
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(end of chapter)
