In a small courtyard, three people sat around a circular table. They remained in silence, none of them being the first to speak, as if they were all carefully weighing their words.
Li Yue’s eyelids trembled. It seemed she had enjoyed enough of this tranquility. Her throat quivered slightly, as if she wanted to say something but found it somewhat difficult.
“I originally thought you were looking for ‘Him,’ but I didn’t expect you to be coming for me...” Li Yue’s vacant eyes swept over the two men before her. Her words were calm—as calm as a pool of stagnant water. It wasn't that her heart was at peace; it was that her heart had already died.
The two of them seemed stunned for a moment before they understood the meaning behind her words. They remained speechless for a time, and before they could say anything, Li Yue continued following her own train of thought.
“If Clo were here, she would probably brew a pot of tea.” Li Yue brushed a strand of hair away from her eye. The corner of her eye twitched slightly as she gave a very faint smile. She glanced at the moonlight outside the window, which appeared hazy through the snowy mist. She realized she truly couldn't see anything clearly anymore.
“Please forgive my lack of manners. I have neither the mental energy nor the physical strength to brew tea for you two.” Li Yue leaned back in her chair. Every gesture she made exuded an aura of being enveloped by death, much like someone who had just lost their closest kin—a mix of indifference and a sense of profound loss.
She wasn't lying. She truly lacked the energy and strength to do anything that required patience, like brewing tea or tending to flowers. When she was conscious, she would occasionally reflect on the past and converse with the self in her memories. However, if she had to kill someone in an instant, she might still be able to do it, though killing a Calamity class in one blow would be quite difficult given her current abysmal state.
“It’s fine, it’s fine. I brought some, I brought some.” Stephenson coughed lightly. He was already feeling the urge to flee from this awkward atmosphere. “Mount Aldai black tea. We’ll have it plain to savor the fragrance. That will be enough.”
Stephenson pulled out his drawing board and proceeded to draw three cups of steaming tea. He saw Li Yue’s eyes tremble slightly, though he couldn't tell if it was out of displeasure or some other emotion.
“We wish to hire you. We want to establish a school of thought to primarily study the magic of those ‘three’.” Albert took a sip of tea, resisting the urge to look into Li Yue’s eyes, which looked like stained blood.
“As an assistant professor? I’m afraid I don't have that much energy...” Li Yue blew on the somewhat hot tea and took a tiny sip, only to find that even boiling tea could no longer cause her pain.
“No, no, no. We simply want to establish this school of thought. Currently, there are almost no professors in the academy, let alone a Great Mage, who dabble in this field.” Stephenson crossed his hands and offered a slight smile. He felt as though the girl across from him could see right through his expressions and into his thoughts.
“If you want to learn... why not go to the Royal Court?” Li Yue paused. “Almost everything I created that humans can use for death magic is recorded there.”
“We want to establish the discipline first. In the near future, if possible, we hope to have friendly exchanges with the Royal Court.” Albert smiled. “In truth, the magic of the Church is also just a faction within the academy. It’s just that they became too powerful and began interfering with internal decisions, which is why such a plan wasn't possible before.”
“I won't teach anything. Aside from using those spells to kill, I know nothing else,” Li Yue said flatly. She looked at the two men, her eyes devoid of any emotion.
“We only hope...”
“Just sign your name. Signing the employment contract is enough. It’s just a formality; there won't be any restrictions or magical contracts or anything of the sort.”
“I won't have to go to endless meetings every day like Clo does?” Li Yue looked up. “Are you doing this to lay the groundwork for peaceful coexistence with the Royal Court in the future?”
Albert nodded.
“Fine. If the future is a peaceful world, then many things will be much easier to handle.” Li Yue smiled. She seemed genuinely happy. A faint joy lingered on her brow for a moment, and a flash of relief could be seen in her eyes. “In that case... never mind... this is already the best possible outcome.”
Albert looked at Stephenson. They didn't know what this girl—who just a few days ago was omniscient and omnipotent—was thinking at this moment.
“So, your answer is?”
“I agree.” Li Yue nodded. Without needing any medium, her name was written onto the document they had prepared. Or rather, she didn't use the name “Li Yue.” She generously signed the name “Jormungandr.”
“Thank you... thank you very much.” Stephenson glanced at the signature, and his hand trembled so much the parchment nearly fell to the floor. Albert caught it steadily, though a closer look revealed that his hand—the one that usually played with a butterfly knife—was also trembling slightly.
“By the way.” Li Yue called out to the two as they were about to leave. She looked at Stephenson, who was wearing a forced smile, and paused. It seemed she had something to say, and in that brief silence, his palms became drenched in sweat.
“Leave behind the spell you used to manifest that black tea. I want to make a dinner. If Clo returns now, she probably hasn't eaten yet.”
Stephenson’s hand shook as he wrote down his signature spell for manifesting reality from the void on the table. Although Li Yue had never studied this type of Art Department magic—she only knew how to play the violin—simply manifesting a dinner was an easy task given her tier, or rather, her divine essence.
“Then, until we meet again.”
“Until we meet again.”
Li Yue glanced out the window and slowly moved toward the sofa, seemingly exhausted to the extreme.
On the night road, Albert looked at the blood-colored writing on the parchment, his hand trembling slightly.
“Hey, painter, tell me, is this the most incredible professor I’ve ever hired?” Albert cleared his throat. “This is the most powerful deity of the Twilight Era, the absolute spiritual pillar and leader of the Royal Court... well, she was a hundred years ago.”
“Unprecedented... and in the future... there will never be another like her.” Stephenson swallowed hard and carefully put the parchment away. “Also... you’re the one who sells the paintings. I’ve never actively tried to sell them myself.”
“It’s all the same.”
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