Jade finally saw Sylas.
He had been forced by Isolde, once again, to wear brightly colored clothes.
A robe of pale cyan made him look like a delicate orchid cultivated in a hothouse.
Sylas was actually also in the flower pavilion, but in the inner room.
The small space was filled with blossoms.
This time, Isolde was surprisingly nonchalant, allowing the two of them to meet alone.
In such a short time, they couldn't do much anyway.
Sylas looked worried and dejected as he sat slumped in an armchair, his whole body seemingly swallowed by the furniture, unable to break free.
He saw Jade, his eyelids lifting slightly, and said slowly, "Auntie Jade, I've been captured again..."
Jade sat opposite him, gazing at him eagerly.
Her palms were sweaty, her heart racing.
Finally, she mustered her courage and initiatively took Sylas's hand.
She pursed her lips and said softly, "Little Sylas, I'm going on a tour of Lyonesse."
Sylas didn't refuse her.
Instead, he looked at a flowerpot nearby and said, "Then take care."
"You're concerned about me, aren't you? I'm very happy." Jade was overjoyed.
She lifted Sylas's hand, kissed its back, then said with anticipation, "Will you wait for me to come back? I'll bring you things from Ravenhold. Tell me what you want."
Sylas turned his wrist over, looking at her lifelessly, "Take this off for me."
"..." Jade bit her lip, not knowing how to refuse, yet unable to agree.
She shook her head, embarrassed, "No. You would seek death."
"I won't! I won't die!" Sylas hurriedly promised, gripping Jade's hand, his voice agonized, "Auntie Jade, help me, please.
What wrong have I done? Why must I be tormented like this? Help me, please?"
Jade glanced towards the door, not daring to guess if Isolde was eavesdropping.
After a long silence, she finally refused: "I truly can't... truly can't..."
"You..." Sylas was so frustrated he wanted to curse.
But he knew he must not act impulsively now.
Otherwise, Isolde outside the door would hang him up and punish him severely.
He lowered his head and threatened as if in a fit of pique, "If you won't help me, then if I get the chance later, I'll go seduce Crystal."
"Ah?" Jade was stunned; she never expected Sylas to say that.
Sylas simply threw caution to the wind.
He looked at Jade and said, "Anyway, according to you, I have to live like a slut. Then I'll be the worst slut possible."
"Little Sylas, please don't be like this," Jade pleaded, her heart in turmoil.
She moved closer to him, begging pitifully.
She said, "If you're like this, how will we face each other in the future? Don't be mischievous."
Sylas turned his head away, sulking, "Just you watch. If you don't help me, I'll have a child with Crystal and make you raise it."
"You... ah." Jade sighed helplessly.
Sylas continued to provoke her, "Just undo the Servant's Chain for me. Quickly. Otherwise, can you stand these messy relationships?"
Jade was also angered by his words.
She patted Sylas's hand and said, "Go ahead. If Lyn has a child, I'll raise it for you."
Then, she was amused by Sylas's childishness.
She reached out and pinched his nose, joking, "Looking at you now, your essence will have to be given to Her Majesty.
Will you even have the strength to seduce Lyn? Stop talking nonsense."
"You! You really are!" Sylas was furious at Jade's reaction.
He had said such horrible things, and she still didn't take it seriously.
Did she have no sense of shame at all?
His whole body began to tremble.
Pushed beyond his limit, Sylas finally slid off the chair and knelt directly before Jade.
"Auntie Jade, I beg you, please let me find release. My mother and sister were never captured..."
"Shh!" Jade hurriedly covered his mouth.
Those words must not be spoken carelessly!
She half-knelt down, facing Sylas.
In his eyes, she saw death and despair.
Finally, Jade relented.
She touched Sylas's wrist and said in the softest voice, "I can help you... but if you die, my heart couldn't bear it..."
"I won't. I won't die." Sylas promised again.
"Then promise me, if you attempt suicide but survive, from then on you must..." Jade's pretty face flushed.
She said with some greed, "...from then on, be my husband. You can't disdain me anymore."
She was quite insecure about her age.
Sylas nodded like a chick pecking rice, "No disdain, absolutely no disdain. Auntie Jade is the best to me. I love Auntie Jade the most."
"Pah, you little rascal, you only know how to sweet-talk." Jade grew even shyer.
She glanced at the door, then quickly undid the Servant's Chain from Sylas's wrist.
The moment the chain was removed, Sylas felt the strange restriction on his body vanish.
For a moment, he actually began to feel a fear of death.
It was like a person climbing a mountain; with safety equipment, they could act recklessly without worry.
Once the protection was gone, fear arose involuntarily.
But Jade took out a new gold chain from her storage pouch and put it on Sylas.
She explained softly, "This isn't a Servant's Chain. It's just... an ornament with a trace of spiritual energy.
Wear it. Don't take it off. Otherwise, Her Majesty will find out."
Sylas didn't feel the familiar restriction.
He quickly nodded, "Good, good. Thank you, Auntie Jade."
Like a condemned prisoner at the end of the road, he could no longer care about so much.
He actively wrapped his arms around Jade's neck and kissed her fiercely.
This had nothing to do with love, nothing to do with beauty or ugliness. It was just an anomaly before death.
Jade was startled by his initiative, but after the surprise, she instead held his back and quietly cooperated.
A long time later, Sylas finally let her go, his eyes closed.
He lowered his head, breathing lightly, and said faintly, "Auntie Jade, that's enough... that's enough... Thank you..."
"Little Sylas, you must be well. Don't give up on yourself. Auntie Jade will wait for you." Jade gently kissed his cheek, then stood up and left reluctantly.
Sylas supported himself on the chair and stood, then sat back down in the armchair.
He just stared blankly at the door.
Soon, the door opened. Isolde entered holding a peony, looking somewhat bored. "She's gone?"
"Gone."
Isolde smiled with a hint of a mocking smile, "Didn't do anything good?"
Sylas had nothing left to cling to now.
He wanted to curse loudly, but he feared Isolde might have a new Servant's Chain.
So, he still had to keep looking for an opportunity. "Of course not. We just caught up on old times."
He lazily leaned his head back, looking up at the flowers beside him.
The flower in the hothouse could finally wither.