A Crown of Shadows and Starlight

Chapter 14

Although the shop’s management was handed over to Hel, his family was certainly aware of his supply channels. Even if Hel had never mentioned Meilin’s name, his family might still have investigated and found out. Recently, Hel had subtly revealed his family’s intent to recruit her, which indicated that they knew she was not affiliated with any particular faction.

For an ordinary apprentice, being recruited by a family was a great opportunity, as it ensured a steady supply of resources for cultivation. However, Meilin was unwilling to accept. Once she joined a faction, regardless of the benefits to her cultivation, she would inevitably become a tool for them—constantly producing potions without end. Moreover, she might be restricted to only crafting basic potions, which were in high demand and easy to produce. If that happened, her entire future could be ruined.

“It seems my cooperation with Hel is nearing its end,” Meilin thought to herself. She did not wish to suspect her friend or his family maliciously, but after four years in the academy, she had already seen enough of the darkness and corruption hidden beneath the power and mystery of wizards.

After chatting with Hel about recent happenings at the academy, Meilin left the shop and walked along the street. It was almost noon, and she planned to find a place to eat. Although the academy’s cafeteria was cheap, the food was barely palatable. Half a year of ascetic training and experiments had been monotonous and exhausting—now that her appetite was stirred, she craved something better.

As she turned her head, she noticed a female apprentice walking toward her from across the street. The other girl saw her at the same time. Upon recognizing Meilin, the girl seemed to freeze for a moment before hastily turning away and walking quickly into an alley.

“Keli!”

Despite the thick scars covering half of her face, Meilin immediately recognized the girl who had once tried to please Filler by oppressing her.

Hearing her name, Keli quickened her pace. However, Meilin was clearly faster and caught up within moments.

“Keli, stop!”

Keli suddenly halted but kept her back turned toward Meilin, refusing to face her.

“It’s been a long time. Let’s talk. We were friends once, after all,” Meilin sighed.

“Friends? You came to mock me, didn’t you? Now that I look like this, no one wants me. Are you satisfied?” Keli spun around abruptly, her voice sharp with anguish.

Up close, the left side of Keli’s face was truly horrific—deep purple in color, with raised black scars that resembled writhing earthworms.

“Whether you’re beautiful or disfigured, what difference does it make to me? Keli, I know you’re hurting, but if you need a reason to lash out, at least find a proper one. Shouldn’t I be the one who holds a grudge?” Meilin said calmly.

Keli was momentarily stunned and could not argue back.

When they had first arrived at the academy, they had been close friends. Everything changed because of Filler. Keli had admired Filler from the start, while Filler had been drawn to Meilin’s beauty. That was the root of their falling out—it had never been initiated by Meilin.

“There’s no point in dwelling on the past. I remember when we first traveled to the academy, you treated me to a meal. I once promised to treat you in return when I had the chance. What better time than now? Let’s go eat together.”

“Eat… together?” Keli echoed blankly, tears suddenly streaming down her face.

Eat together—this was a phrase they had often exchanged when they were still friends, inviting each other to meals. But after he appeared, the distance between them grew, and those words were never spoken again.

“Come on, let’s go,” Meilin urged before leading the way to a nearby restaurant. Without a word, Keli followed behind her.

This was a place Hel had recommended, and it was Meilin’s first time visiting. As they entered, she immediately headed upstairs. Keli hesitated briefly before following. The second-floor restaurant was special—its food contained energy particles and required payment in magic stones, whereas the first floor served ordinary food paid for with gold coins.

As soon as they reached the second floor, a waiter greeted them and led them to an empty table. Once seated, he handed them menus to order from.

“Two honey walnut cakes, two servings of saber-tooth beast steak, two glasses of Tora fruit juice, and one portion of snow crocodile meat,” Meilin ordered before looking at Keli. “Do you want to add anything?”

“This is enough,” Keli replied, lowering her gaze again.

“That will be all,” Meilin nodded at the waiter.

After he left, Meilin studied Keli for a moment and then frowned. “Keli, it’s just your face—why does it matter so much? At least you’re still alive. You can still cultivate. If you grow strong enough, there might even be a way to remove those scars in the future. For a wizard, appearance isn’t everything.”

“Don’t you hate me?” Keli suddenly raised her head and looked Meilin in the eyes.

“I pity you. Or, to be more direct, I feel sorry for you,” Meilin replied.

Seeing the anger flicker in Keli’s eyes, Meilin raised a hand to stop her from lashing out.

“Let me finish. I don’t pity you because of your scars—I pity you because of your past actions. You betrayed a friend just to please your boyfriend, and you even tried to push other women onto him for his sake. But honestly, I think it’s a blessing that he abandoned you. At least he didn’t bring you even greater harm.

“Of course, what you think is up to you. If you want to keep obsessing over this, I can’t stop you. But Keli, in the world of wizards, strength is what truly matters. Everything else… is unreliable.”

Just then, waiters arrived, setting down their meals. Meilin picked up her glass of Tora fruit juice and lifted it toward Keli. “I heard this juice is specially processed to aid a wizard’s meditation. Let’s try it together.”

Saying this, she took a sip. “Not bad. It really does have a unique taste. We should find some Tora fruit ourselves and make our own juice someday.”

“That fruit grows deep in the forests of Watercloud Lands—it’s not that easy to find,” Keli said, exasperation flickering in her eyes. Yet, the weight on her brow seemed lighter than before.

This meal cost Meilin one magic stone, but it was worth it.

Some might think she was too lenient toward Keli, but standards of behavior varied among individuals. In the wizarding world, what mattered most was interest and equal exchange. Even friendship did not stand above that.