Looking at the rough stitching and crooked shape, no merchant would ever have the face to put this up for sale.
Clearly, this was hand-knitted by someone.
Annie reached out, her fingertips gently brushing over the somewhat scratchy wool.
It reminded Annie of an old acquaintance.
"Truly a... strange fellow."
Annie's gaze softened.
She picked up the green scarf, wrapped it twice around her neck, and buried the lower half of her face in the warm wool.
Though it looked a bit ugly... it was indeed very warm.
Around the corner of the dormitory building not far away.
Camilla was peeking her head out secretly, nervously observing the situation here.
When she saw that always-icy blonde girl actually pick up the scarf and wear it, and even... saw a faint smile she'd never seen before appear on the girl's lips, Camilla felt her heart skip a beat.
She leaned against the wall, letting out a long sigh of relief, a silly smile unconsciously spreading across her face.
"Hmph... at least you recognize quality."
This interlude served as a reminder to Annie, and even to Su Modie's various avatars scattered across the globe—
Christmas was almost here.
One couldn't really blame them for being slow to realize.
After all, among Su Modie's avatars, one was lying in a special care unit in Washington pretending to be injured, one was hiding in the deep forests of the Himalayas practicing cultivation, and the rest were all heavy shut-ins who never stepped foot outside. Naturally, they couldn't feel the daily thickening festive atmosphere of the outside world.
However, once they learned this piece of information, the interest of the avatars immediately surged.
Especially Lux, who was far away in Kamar-Taj studying magic.
She immediately began pondering what kind of gift to bring back for Sister Modie.
But this stumped her.
Give a scarf or a sweater?
Please, she was a mage; that lacked creativity and was too easy to obtain. It wouldn't reflect her feelings at all.
Actually, Su Modie herself didn't care about gifts.
After all, this was essentially 'passing from the left hand to the right'—sending a gift to herself. Where was the surprise in that?
It was purely self-entertainment.
But since the avatars had the heart for it, Su Modie had no reason to spoil the fun; instead, she was happy to watch them bustle about.
So, Lux, having racked her brains for half a day without a clue, decided to learn from her Master Brothers at Kamar-Taj.
On the training grounds.
Lux blinked her big eyes and stopped Mordo, who had just finished practicing his staff techniques.
"Master Brother Mordo, can I ask you something? If you're giving a gift to a girl you like, what would be good?"
Mordo wiped his sweat, his brow furrowing seriously, his somber expression as if he were contemplating the fate of the Universe.
After holding it in for a long time, this straight-laced man finally squeezed a sentence through his teeth:
"A practitioner should discard external possessions. Excessive material enjoyment only corrodes the will. I don't think gifts are necessary."
"..."
The smile on Lux's face stiffened.
She silently rolled her eyes in her mind.
No wonder you're single; you deserve to have no friends!
"Alright then, thank you, Master Brother. Goodbye!"
Lux turned and left decisively, not wanting to hear any more of his preaching.
She left Mordo standing there alone, rubbing his forehead. It took a long while before he finally reacted.
"Wait... a girl he likes?"
After bidding farewell to that old fogey Mordo, Lux found Kaecilius.
He turned out to be an unexpectedly sentimental soul.
At the mention of gifts, this middle-aged man—who hadn't yet become a dark-eyed villain—actually softened with a hint of sorrow.
It was as if through the void before him, he saw someone who could never return.
"Giving gifts... that is indeed an art."
Kaecilius put away his magical tool, his fingertips unconsciously rubbing the ring on his hand. "When I was pursuing my wife, I gave her hand-knitted clothes, and also lipstick and perfume. Women always like things that make them more beautiful."
"Or... how about a pet?"
The corners of Kaecilius's mouth barely curved into a bitter yet gentle arc. "My wife loved dogs when she was alive. Those were our hardest days; a pet could accompany her in place of my busy self, and it could also... bring a bit more life to the home."
Seeing Kaecilius's lonely expression.
Lux didn't dare ask more, and Su Modie didn't dare listen further... Lux certainly knew how to pick people to ask.
Asking a man who was still brooding over his late wife what to give a girl he liked... Lux nodded thoughtfully.
Clothes? That had just been passed over.
Cosmetics? Pass!
Sister Modie knew nothing about makeup, and she was naturally beautiful; she was lovely even without any powder or paint.
Finally... a pet?
Lux's eyes lit up.
This was actually not bad!
Su Modie really did like small animals.
She showed great care for Kumashi and Kotetsu Isane... then she would find a pet for Sister Modie!
It had to be something special, something that could guard the house and also be a fun companion!
Having made up her mind, Lux's gaze began to search all over the training grounds.
Eventually, her gaze fixed on a green figure not far away who was eating grass... no, meditating.
It was a bipedal minotaur—Lintra.
Lintra had already perked up those bull ears and overheard Lux's question earlier.
Seeing Lux look over now, the minotaur immediately straightened his back and cleared his throat.
Lux put her hands behind her back and asked with a beaming smile:
"Hey, Master Brother Lintra~"
"Hehe, Little Junior Sister, you've asked the right person for this!"
Lintra shook his horns proudly, full of confidence. "Although I haven't met anyone in person yet, I have many years of rich... cough, online dating experience! When it comes to capturing a girl's heart, I have quite the..."
But before he could finish.
"That's not it."
Lux interrupted him, her beautiful big eyes shimmering with a light that made a chill run down Lintra's spine.
"I wanted to ask... do you have any plans to move to New York?"
"It's an international metropolis, you know. Room and board included~"
"Eh?"
Lintra was stunned.
Even that face full of green bull hair couldn't hide his current confusion.
He blinked his bull eyes, staring at Lux's expectant little gaze, his brain working rapidly.
Move to New York? Room and board included?
Why did this sound a bit off?
They locked eyes in silence for a full five seconds.
Only then did Lintra suddenly react.
Wait!
Dammit, this girl couldn't be thinking of packing him up and sending him off as a pet gift, could she?!
"Moo—!!!"
Lintra was so scared his bull cry went out of tune. His Green-hair stood on end, and cold sweat poured down his honest bull face.
"No, no, no! Absolutely not!"
He waved his hands frantically in front of his chest, even taking several steps back, shaking his head like a rattle. "Don't even think about it! I came here to learn magic, not to be a pet! I'm not going to New York! Not even if you kill me!"
"Eh? Are you really not going to consider it?"
Lux showed a visibly disappointed expression and sighed.
"Clearly, Master Brother looks very obedient, and that furry texture should feel quite nice too... what a pity."
"..."
Hearing this incredibly sincere regret, Lintra only felt a blast of cold air rush straight to his head.
This little girl... she was serious!
She was actually seriously considering the feasibility of packing him up and giving him away just now!
"What kind of person would actually think of giving their own Master Brother away as a pet?!"
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