dkrc 132. Examining Learning Outcomes
132. Examining Learning Outcomes
Sylvie was sitting quietly in the corner of the sofa, her hands folded on her knees, her posture elegant and relaxed.
Her long hair cascaded down her shoulders, and the deep red skirt shimmered softly in the candlelight, making her look like a meticulously arranged strawberry dessert.
Her gaze followed Xinlai without conscious effort; it was a natural, almost instinctive, habit as if her eyes were meant to be on him.
Xinlai looked at Sylvie with a complex mix of scrutiny and tenderness in her eyes.
"What I just said, you're capable of doing it, aren't you?" he asked, his tone casual, but he emphasized the word "capable" slightly.
Being merely a decorative figurehead with Xinlai won't do.
He doesn't need decorations around him who only serve tea and water. Even a vase has to fulfill its purpose: either it can hold flowers or it can kill someone.
Sylvie hadn't been by his side for long, but Sinley knew very well that this woman was far more complex than she appeared.
Sylvie blinked slightly, her long eyelashes casting a small fan-shaped shadow on her eyelids.
She pursed her lips and let out a soft "Mmm...", her voice carrying a hint of barely perceptible hesitation.
"What's wrong? You don't seem too happy about it." Xinlai said, leaning slightly forward and gently taking Sylvie's chin with one hand, her fingers pressing against her smooth skin, lifting her face close to hers.
His thumb brushed against the corner of her lips, intentionally or unintentionally, the intimate gesture carrying an irresistible sense of control.
Sylvie's chin was being pinched, so her lips could only open and close slightly when she spoke:
"Where is it..." She pouted, her worry flashing across her face like a ripple on the water.
"I'm just worried about how Eve is doing."
She didn't finish her sentence, but Xinlai understood what she meant.
Xinlai was silent for a moment.
Eve has become a witch, and a witch's emotions are amplified infinitely; love, hate, anger, and infatuation are all pushed to their extremes by an invisible hand.
Although Eve hasn't shown any hostility towards him yet, that's because their bond is deep enough. But Eve's feelings for Sylvie...
I've always had a slight unease about it.
That kind of unease couldn't be described as jealousy or anything else; it was more like an instinctive repulsion between two people with similar magnetic fields.
Eve's gaze towards Sylvie always carried a subtle scrutiny, as if she were weighing something or comparing something.
In the past, I could suppress those emotions with reason, but now...
If Sylvie is sent to deliver the item, Eve might lose control of her emotions the moment she sees her.
After becoming a witch, self-control has never been her strong suit.
This did remind Xinlai...
"Did you learn some self-defense magic that I told you to practice?"
Xinlai released Xiwei's chin, leaned back on the sofa, and changed her tone from teasing to serious.
Upon hearing this, Sylvie immediately nodded, a hint of pride appearing on her face: "Gordon specially found me some basic first-circle magic materials, and I've been practicing every day, so I've learned a little bit."
"For example?" Xinlai raised an eyebrow, signaling her to continue.
Sylvie started counting on her fingers earnestly, her expression somewhat endearingly childlike:
"I think it's called Miniature Fireball... Although the fireball is only the size of a fist, the temperature is quite high."
A short-range teleportation spell, capable of instantly teleporting approximately twenty steps. There's also a simplified magical shield, but it doesn't last long, maybe... half a minute?
One is an offensive move, one is an emergency escape, and one is a brief defense; it can indeed be considered a well-matched basic self-defense kit.
Xinlai nodded slightly in her heart, but no expression of satisfaction appeared on her face.
"Hmm..." Xin Lai didn't comment immediately, but simply raised her hand to signal the maid to come over.
The maid quickly brought a piece of hemp rope about the thickness of a thumb and respectfully handed it over. Xinlai took the rope and skillfully and gently bound Sylvie's hands behind her back, wrapping the rope around twice and tying a knot that wasn't too tight but definitely impossible to break free from.
Startled by the sudden action, Sylvie blushed slightly and shifted uncomfortably, stammering, "What...what are you doing...?"
"Let me test your learning progress."
Sylvie struggled a couple of times and found that she couldn't break free of the rope, but it wasn't too painful.
She swayed her body slightly, as if in a coquettish manner, her long hair bobbing gently with the movement, and her voice carried a hint of grievance:
"I'm still not able to cast spells without a staff... Gordon said I'll need at least a few more months before I can try casting spells without a staff."
"Then try to do it." Xinlai showed no mercy; her tone was even more stern than before.
"You mean, after you're tied up by a bad guy, he'll be merciful and return your staff to you? Or do you think the bad guy who tied you up will be so gentle as to just tie a bow for you?"
"Ugh..." Sylvie was speechless after being rebuked. Her red lips pouted slightly, and her watery eyes were filled with the words "You bullied me".
Xinlai stood unmoved to the side, arms crossed over her chest, looking down at her with an aloof and unapproachable air.
Sylvie stared at him for three seconds, knowing there was no room for argument, so she obediently closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and tried to calm herself down.
Her chest rose and fell gently with her breath, and the deep red satin of her dress rippled softly in the candlelight.
"Calm down, visualize the magic circuit in your mind, and then imagine the magic circuit being slowly filled with magic..." Xinlai stood aside, patiently guiding her. Her voice was a little softer than before, more like a guide than a command.
But his attention unconsciously drifted away and landed on Sylvie's fair neck.
Her neck was long and slender, like fine white porcelain, gleaming with a warm luster in the candlelight.
Her collarbone was clearly defined, like a meticulously sculpted curve, rising and falling slightly with her breath. Further down, through the floral embellishments on her shoulders, a patch of fair, delicate skin was faintly visible…
Xin Lai calmly withdrew her gaze, her expression remaining unchanged.
"Hoo..." Sylvie slowly closed her eyes and followed Sinlai's instructions step by step.
She sketched out the magical path of the miniature fireball spell in her mind, trying to infuse the magic into it and then guide it to the hemp rope on her wrist to burn it off.
However, when she was halfway through building it, her thoughts drifted uncontrollably, as if she had been pulled into a vortex of memories by an invisible hand.
She saw herself walk into the study where Eve was sleeping.
The study is large, with towering bookshelves embedded in three walls, stretching from the floor to the ceiling, filled with all kinds of books.
Yellowed ancient books, banned books with leather covers, scrolls and manuscripts were piled up haphazardly, and the air was filled with the unique smell of old paper and ink.