Chapter 213: Snow
Moonlight was falling softly on the rain‑filled grass and trees, the lingering droplets clinging to leaves and blades of grass catching the light, making the whole garden shine in an unusually mesmerizing way. The air was cool and damp, carrying that faint earthy scent after rain.
Nested between those shimmering patches of grass, Ash sat on a wooden bench in the Class 1S Dormitory garden. His eyes, however, were not on the moonlit scenery but on Little White, who was gleefully chasing after a small glowing bug that darted in the air, sometimes dipping low to the ground before shooting back up.
Why did she say that...?
Ash felt a faint trace of anger still lingering inside him. Elysia should not have brought up something so sensitive, not in that way. But more than the anger, there was confusion gnawing at him.
Why did I react that way...?
He did not understand it. The moment her question reached his ears, something inside him flared—an unexplainable heat, sharp and intense. Before he realized it, his body had already acted, moving him away from her.
I thought I had complete control over my emotions... damn, I guess it’s still too soon to claim that.
With a quiet sigh, Ash rubbed his face with both hands, as if trying to clear his thoughts. For now, he didn’t want to think about Elysia. He needed to shift his focus elsewhere, and so his mind turned to what he should do next—whether to head for the next Rune or handle other matters first.
There are three more Runes here... on this planet... and my theory about the Ancient Civilization being involved feels more and more correct. Otherwise, it makes no sense that ten of the twenty Runes would be here... even if I leave out the five hidden ones.
Currently, Ash had seven Runes in his possession. Counting the hidden one he had absorbed, that made eight, leaving three more that he already knew the locations of.
One is in the Neutral Continent, one lies deep in the ocean, and one rests in the continent of the Dwarves...
"Which one should I go for first...?" he murmured under his breath, his voice barely louder than the rustling of wet leaves in the breeze.