Sylas had intended to slip away secretly.
He didn't dare gamble on whether Gwendolyn could truly control Mirabel.
So, he was terribly afraid that in a little while, a troop of soldiers would arrive to take him away.
Then he would be completely locked away in the palace, never to emerge again.
However, Seraphina doesn't want to do this.
She swaggered off in a carriage, leisurely heading west.
She didn't take the initiative to bid farewell; that would make her seem too attached to worldly matters.
But she didn't travel quickly either, wanting to see how Stonewold would react.
Sylas sat in the carriage, truly feeling like he was on pins and needles.
Watching Seraphina's calm and composed demeanor, he really wanted to take a needle and jab the horse's rear hard, to make these two ambling horses run for it.
Luna sat beside him, sensing his anxiety.
She comforted him: "Young Master, don't panic. If Master wants to protect someone, no one has ever managed to detain them."
Seraphina said confidently, "Ah, see, my disciple here gets to the heart of the matter.
You have to come with me to cultivate the potion.
The potion extracted now is still in a state matched to you.
You must raise it well for me. Only when it degenerates back to its initial state will the process be complete."
Hearing this, Sylas felt slightly more at ease.
He kept lifting the carriage curtain to look outside, still afraid soldiers would chase them down.
But, the more he feared something, the more it happened.
Just as the carriage left the city, they saw over a dozen cavalrymen charging towards them like the wind.
Seeing the insignia on their uniforms, Sylas's face turned deathly pale.
These knights were the Imperial Guards.
However, when these cavalrymen reached the carriage, they spoke with considerable respect:
"Sister Seraphina, please wait. The Chancellor was unaware of your departure today and has come specially to see you off."
Seraphina gave a faint smile, appearing very transcendent and noble.
She said, "This humble sister is but a wandering cloud and wild crane, not overly concerned with the vulgar rituals of the mortal world. Please return."
"Sister, please wait. Our Lady will arrive shortly."
Seeing this, Seraphina nodded.
"Very well, then we shall wait."
Sylas, upon hearing this, felt much more settled.
These knights said Gwendolyn was coming.
That meant Gwendolyn had dealt with Mirabel.
He let out a long sigh of relief.
Then his heart felt quite complex again.
When he had confessed honestly to Gwendolyn, revealing his relationship with Mirabel, he estimated any possibility with Gwendolyn was gone forever.
Oh well. For someone like him, being able to live safely and stably was good enough. He shouldn't hope for true love.
From now on, he would focus on building his health, striving just to see his daughter. That was enough.
He didn't wait long before seeing Gwendolyn riding a black horse towards them.
Her body had just recovered, so she wasn't moving very fast.
Gwendolyn's complexion wasn't particularly good. She arrived beside the carriage.
Naturally, Seraphina had to disembark.
No matter how much she played the transcendent master, she couldn't do so before the Chancellor of a nation.
She said lightly, "Chancellor, your body has just recovered. You should rest more.
This humble sister has matters to attend to in the western regions. Taking my leave without a proper farewell, I ask your forgiveness."
"Sister Seraphina, your great kindness and virtue are something I will never forget. I have prepared five thousand gold to see you off."
Seraphina naturally declined, but very quickly, Luna happily accepted the storage pouch.
Master and disciple, having received the money, tactfully made way for Gwendolyn.
Gwendolyn didn't enter the carriage. She leaned near the curtain and said softly, "Take good care of yourself in Hanvale."
Sylas sighed deeply. He always felt he was somewhat of a scourge on the nation and its people, so he didn't dare look at Gwendolyn.
He said, "I know. Don't worry."
Gwendolyn: "If you need money, just tell me. If you can't stay in Hanvale, you can always come back for a visit.
Don't overthink it. The Chancellor's estate of Stonewold is always open to you."
"...Okay."
Gwendolyn hesitated, as if thinking of something. She said with difficulty, "That..."
She looked at Sylas, saw he wasn't looking at her, and her heart grew cold. She ultimately swallowed her words of confession.
Forget it. He was leaving. She shouldn't be sentimental.
"My Lord, I am leaving," Sylas said, his farewell quite desolate.
"Mm. Write to me when you have time. Go on."
Gwendolyn pretended to be nonchalant, turning her horse around to leave.
Sylas held the curtain open, watching her retreating figure, his heart filled with a sour feeling.
The carriage finally began to move away.
Gwendolyn kept her back to the carriage. After a long time, an attendant said, "My Lady, they have gone."
Gwendolyn's lips were pressed tightly together. She looked like she was about to cry.
Tears she had held back for a long time finally welled up. She choked out, "Gone, are they?"
"Gone."
"That's good..."
"But My Lady, Lord Sylas was watching you the entire time..."
"..."
Gwendolyn suddenly turned her horse around, wanting to chase after them to the west.
But after a few steps, tears streamed down her face.
Missed. It's just missed.
Find another chance to meet later.
She rode aimlessly for a long time, eventually calming her mood somewhat.
Next, she would focus on governing Stonewold well, making it powerful.
Strive to give Sylas a powerful home!
...
From Ironpeak to Hanvale, taking the main road required detouring through the Pass.
Sylas thus enjoyed the snowy scenery of the central plains from the carriage.
The heavy snow on the Loess Plateau was truly boundless, an endless, unobstructed white.
Seraphina set up a formation inside the carriage to keep everyone warm.
Luna reverted to her white cat form, lying in Sylas's arms.
Sylas, bundled up thickly, had both hands under his cloak. Luna kept nibbling his fingers, making him massage her.
"Oh, stop messing around."
Sylas rubbed her head, then realized this was also a lovely young lady.
His hands trembled slightly.
But Luna wouldn't overthink it. She kept snuggling against Sylas's chest until she burrowed into his robes, finally settling down.
Seraphina, driving the carriage, turned her head to see her disciple had forgotten her master again.
Dissatisfied, she cried, "You forget your master as soon as you have a master! Such an ungrateful disciple!"
"She's just a kitten. It's cold; she needs to warm up," Sylas actually defended her.
Seraphina immediately twisted her face, mimicking his speech: "She's just a kitten..."
Then, without turning her head, she tossed him a book.
"Since you like raising cats so much, here's a book of arcane arts for you to study."
Sylas caught the book, his heart leaping. Without even looking at the title, he hurriedly asked, "But Honored Sister, I am a man. I cannot gather spiritual energy."
Seraphina laughed, "Who needs spiritual energy? It's the Art of Taming Spirits, to help you manage these little spirit creatures.
Oh right, I've raised many shape-shifting little spirits. There are cats, dogs, birds, beasts... When we get to Hanvale, I'll call them all over. We'll have a late New Year's celebration."
"Master, no... Don't call them all over..." Luna immediately began to beg.
If they all came, wouldn't Sylas be eaten clean?