Xiaotan sat opposite Iris. She slowly breathed in, quickly breathed out, and repeated the sequence while tapping the back of her left hand. Her gaze lingered on Iris, her delicate hands, her soft shoulders, her neat clothing, but never her face. That heart-stirring pair of eyes, though not focusing on Xiaotan, was too captivating to look at directly.

Like the sun, their visage would burn into her eyes if she were to peek at them.

“Lady Iris, your eyes, are they . . .”

“They’re normal. Not everyone has your gift.”

“Will I be like you, one day?”

Iris faintly smiled. “I merely represent a path, not the path.”

Xiaotan wanted to ask more about magic, but a waitress came to the table and served the drinks. Xiaotan’s order was iced apricot tea she’d never drunk before, and Iris’s was a fruity cocktail, a blend of sourness and sweetness with a hint of alcohol.

Once the waitress left, Xiaotan pushed down her head.

“I was careless,” she said.

“You can give it worth by learning from it.” Iris sipped her drink. “Before you sat down, I’ve already cast a simple illusion spell.”

Xiaotan narrowed her eyes. Her mystical blue irises flashed. “Is it the viscous membrane? I thought it was my mind’s doing.”

“Hide the truth within the other truth, and no one will find it.”

Xiaotan took out a notebook and scribbled down the advice. She shyly glanced at Iris. It was her habit to jot down important information, whether it was for her study or detective work. Though her eagerness even embarrassed her, she suppressed it and listened attentively to her unofficial mentor.

“My style of magic is raw, unconventional, and unsuitable for beginners. It’s more beneficial to start with the regular training of Mage Apprentices.”

Xiaotan took a deep breath. Iris was extraordinary, a masterful Mage whom she wished to learn from, imitate, and succeed. Though she knew little of magic, she understood the astuteness required to devise the spell-concealing plan.

“Could you warn me of the pitfalls?” Xiaotan said.

“Nurture your eyes, but don’t solely rely on it. It’s a gift bestowed to you by your bloodline, but that bloodline isn’t you.” Iris raised her head and stared at the ceiling. “Do not easily reveal your value, and do not place your trust flippantly.”

“How can I . . . hide my gift?”

“In your current condition, only a few people can see your talent. When you learn how to manipulate your power, you can conceal it even from me.”

“Where can I learn how to control my power?”

“Royal Magic Academy is an excellent choice. The best choice, however, is your family.” Iris finished her cocktail. A curious smile crept onto her face. “Your gift comes from your bloodline. Your family must have the optimal way to cultivate it.”

“But my father will never tell me Mother’s origin. I only knew she is of a foreign bloodline, coming from the far west.”

“You have the skill to track me and the courage to charge forward. Why don’t you put them to the test?”

“But I’m without a lead. I can’t make something from nothing.”

“Look inside yourself, Xiaotan.” Iris touched her own heart. “Within mine is my family, my lovers, and my promises. I stand alone, but I am never alone.”

Xiaotan lowered her head and looked at her petite chest. Inside her body flowed her bloodline, which granted her the gift of the eyes. This bloodline, a mixture of her father and mother’s love and care, would always stay with her. It was what she had.

“Mother?” Xiaotan lifted her head and stared at Iris. “Though I could only vaguely remember my mother, I knew she loved me, and that she began writing a diary when I was born.”

Was that diary meant for her all along? She’d never opened it, fearing that it would hurt her. Her father also never mentioned it, and thus, it gradually left her mind.

“Only you can answer that question.” Iris gazed at a clock hanging on the wall far from her. She’d spend a few minutes talking and drinking with her stalker, but Tundra was waiting for her.

“Unfortunately, I’ll have to leave soon,” Iris said. “I don’t have any note with me right now, but I can point you to the relevant material.”

Xiaotan noted down the names of the libraries and books. Though Iris couldn’t give the notes prepared for Tundra, she could point out the reference she selected. As for the rest, it was up to Xiaotan to persevere onward, absorbing bits of knowledge, and integrating them into a foundation for her eventual style.

“Thank you, Lady Iris.” Xiaotan gripped her teacup, her hand trembling. “If I were to be greedy, may I . . . look forward to the next meeting?”

“I’ve enjoyed your company. Our next meeting will be a planned and uninterrupted one.”

Iris paid for the drinks and excused herself from the coffeehouse. While leaving, she glanced at the thoughtful Xiaotan. A slight grin manifested on her face.

At first, she thought Xiaotan was a cultist, but then she noticed Xiaotan’s mystical eyes and learned she didn’t know Iris’s secret identity. Her intention of tracking Iris was curiosity, and thus, Iris forced an encounter and expressed her goodwill.

Xiaotan reminded her of Tardi, a sly yet loveable young lady. Unlike the innocent Tundra, Xiaotan knew what she wanted and needed only a gentle push to embrace her desires. It was both her good luck and bad luck to have met Iris, who could teach her magic and much more.

A few minutes later, Iris emerged from the crowd. She entered a quiet street where Auburn Leaf Library stood. Orange-gold evening light fell upon her, giving her hair shiny tints.

She peered through the translucent door of the library. A few visitors paced between the rows of books as they contemplated their next exciting, fascinating read. At the reception counter, Tundra diligently completed her work. She occasionally glanced at the clock, hoping that time would move faster.

Iris pushed open the door and stepped inside. The tiny bell hanging on it rang. The sound grabbed Tundra’s attention. She turned to face the new visitor, her eyes glowing. She then looked at herself, trying to find any imperfections.

While Tundra fixed her appearance, Iris took off her hat and walked to the counter. Her lovely smile entranced Tundra, who could only dumbly stare as Iris wrote her name on the document.

“Lady Iris . . .” Tundra fiddled her hair. “There are others in the library.”

“I can wait for you.”

Once she jotted down her name, Iris turned around and went to rows of books. She picked a few about local myths before settling in a tranquil corner, reading her time away, page by page, book by book.

Time passed. The other visitors left the library, some lending their unfinished books, others asking Tundra where to find more relevant titles. Tundra swiftly dusted the library, cleaned the shelves, organised the mess, and hung the closed sign on the door.

Iris closed her book and put it back on the shelf. Once she returned to her seat, she tapped her fingers on the glass surface of the table. Her Virtual Space Ring glowed.

A few books and notes manifested in front of her, spreading on the table, exposing their titles to Tundra, who stood by Iris’s side, eyeing the material like a student preparing for her new class.

“Must I finish all of them?” Tundra said. “This many books, it’ll take me a few weeks to work through everything.”

Iris shook her head and gestured for Tundra to sit opposite her. “The deadline is a week. I’ll teach you how to break free of your preconception and see magic the way I see.”

Tundra’s eyelids twitched. “I can barely read a textbook in a week, let alone something novel like a new way of magic. Even my seniors don’t learn a new framework unless they specialise in it.”

“Every milestone will have a reward.” Iris chuckled. “If you trust your instinct, you’ll grasp the method in no time. Will you trust me, even if it’ll hurt?”

Tundra, holding her breath, nodded. She reached her hand forward, closed her eyes, and relaxed. She wouldn’t resist even if Iris undressed her; her heart stayed with Iris, illogical, irrational.

After observing Tundra’s blushes, Iris delicately held Tundra’s hands. As her Corruption Power flowed into Tundra, it subtly changed her, teased her mind, and influenced her soul, though Iris restrained herself from corrupting Tundra. Her magic would only open a new pathway inside Tundra. It would help her experience what an instinctive way of casting spells was.

Tundra shivered, her body burning up. The air in her lungs and the saliva in her throat grew thick. They stuck to her, searing her heart. She wanted to open her mouth, but the soundless moans in her mind were too embarrassing to actualise. She sealed her lips together, enduring, wishing for everything to pass.

If it went for too long, she might lose herself.

As her muscles cramped, her voice leaked out. It raised the room temperature, messed up the innocent atmosphere, and lingered in her and Iris’s minds. Her body was burning, her touch sensitive, her mind muddling. She tightened her grip on Iris’s hands, but she lacked the strength to pull Iris in and kiss her.

She could only wish, but Iris knew better than to give her a taste.

Iris merely leaned forward and kissed Tundra’s left cheek. Tundra shuddered. Her reddened eyes snapped open, and she almost tipped backwards. Her face went crimson, but she didn’t scream or make excuse.

Her gaze simply stayed on Iris’s lips, staring.

“Regulate your breathing,” Iris said. “Focus. Feel the path. I’ll reward your other cheek when you cast your first spell.”

Heaving, Tundra closed her eyes. As her lewd desires diminished, her mind cleared up. She concentrated on her body and circulated her Pure Power on the new path.

Unlike Iris’s Corruption Power, Tundra’s Pure Power tickled her but never aroused her. It disappointed her, but she didn’t dwell on it. She flipped her hands and clenched them. Her brown Pure Power congregated above her fists, forming a miniature mountain.

“I did it?” She blinked. “No incantation, no preparation, and no complex calculation . . . I thought, then I cast?”

“Congratulations,” Iris smirked. “You’ve stepped into the realm of the extraordinary.”

Tundra looked at Iris, her eyes shimmering. She didn’t ask for it, but she wouldn’t do anything until she got it.

Giggling, Iris grabbed Tundra’s chin and kissed her on the right cheek. Her lips, infused with her Corruption Power, tainted Tundra’s sensitive skin. It invaded her delicate flesh, stirring her heart.

She hated that she felt such a way toward Lady Iris, the Lady Iris whom she admired, but she couldn’t deny it. Lady Iris was a woman; she, too, was a woman, a younger woman, but was it wrong to love her?

Was it wrong . . . to yearn for her?

Realising Tundra was going down a dubious train of thought, Iris loudly coughed.

“Allow me to advise you on how to proceed.” Iris donned severe air. “Our goal for today is to finish this book. Magic as Nature is a fundamental text for those who strive to innovate without restriction.”

Iris carefully narrated her experience and knowledge while Tundra attentively listened to Iris’s words, her tone, and her voice. The two engaged in a study that engrossed them too much that time itself became irrelevant.