Chapter 17

Any accomplished necromancer is typically expressionless, as they claim to have seen through the essence of the world, believing that the senses are merely illusions that deceive the soul. The more expressionless they are, the more profound their magic is—of course, the exception is the saintly and legendary necromancers who have lived long and become more refined, as their prolonged existence has led to a severe lack of principles, so they would play cat and mouse games with Sigma with great enthusiasm.

Sandro, a standout among the elite group, was also a typical expressionless person, with naturally white hair and a stern face, fitting the image of a necromancer that people often imagine. He stood not far away, staring at Sigma without a word.

"…Is there something you need?" Sigma felt very uncomfortable under his gaze, thinking, Is he here to settle accounts? Just for cursing him? Is it really that serious? If he’s here to settle accounts, why not ambush me with a few assassins? Afraid I might kill him?

Sandro continued to stare at Sigma in silence. When Sigma became impatient and was about to leave, he spoke in a low voice, "It was my fault back then. Even though I wasn’t interested in those things, I represented the entire academy, not just myself. I shouldn’t have been so indifferent in that situation. After all, we uphold the principle of equivalent exchange. We were warmly welcomed during our visit, so I shouldn’t have treated them that way…"

"…" What the hell, is the sun rising in the west?

Sigma’s eyes widened. Something was definitely off. He took two steps back, on guard. "What’s wrong with you?"

"I came to apologize." Sandro bowed deeply. "I’m sorry, it was my fault."

What’s going on? Looking at the seemingly sincere Sandro, Sigma felt a bit embarrassed. Preconceived notions were deeply rooted, and his twenty years of Chinese education had left a lasting impression. He had a bit of a 'if you don’t offend me, I won’t offend you' personality. With Sandro being so humble, he couldn’t be too harsh.

So he softened his tone, "Well, I also did something wrong. Cursing you in front of everyone made you lose face, so…"

"I didn’t lose face," Sandro said coolly. "Everyone knows your deeds and rumors, and they think my behavior was nothing out of the ordinary. They concluded that you were being unreasonable and that your personality is quite strange. They felt sympathy for me being cursed for no reason. The druids also think that it’s normal for necromancers to be cold, and they found your explosive temper and cursing to be exaggerated, even asking if you’re usually that domineering."

…So you’re definitely here to pick a fight, right? You must be here to pick a fight!

Seeing the annoyance rise in Sigma, Sandro added, "Please rest assured, I’ve cleared up their misunderstanding. I told them that Sigma’s cursing was entirely out of love for the academy. He didn’t want our actions to tarnish the reputation of Atlas Academy and wanted to maintain its great image in the hearts of the druids. The conclusion is that although Sigma’s approach is domineering, he is indeed protecting the academy he loves in his own way…"

"…Bullshit." Sigma was taken aback, then said disdainfully, "Don’t make assumptions about me. I dream of escaping this damned academy, how could I love it? Cursing you was just because I was annoyed. Why give a cold, expressionless necromancer like you a lively, beautiful girl, while the one accompanying me is just a middle-aged man who’s a bit more handsome than me? And you’re so indifferent, why not just let her go to me!"

"You’re joking. Appearance and gender are just deceptive illusions that mislead our senses, meaningless to necromancers. In comparison, the druid by your side has a brilliant and great soul. Communicating with him must be a supreme pleasure, and everyone in the delegation envies you." Sandro bowed again. "I apologize again. Diplomacy and cultivation are different. Our every move represents Atlas, and we can’t act on our whims."

With that said, what else could Sigma say? He nodded, "My words were also inappropriate. Honestly, cursing you wasn’t my intention. You know a bit about my background. Washington is a noble in the frontier, but in reality, they’re nouveau riche who bought their titles with money and military merit, without the etiquette training of old nobility, which is useless in the frontier. My ancestors were muscle-bound brutes who would strip down to their underwear and wrestle in the banquet hall when drunk. I grew up cursing and swearing like them, and it took two years of correction from my fiancée to change. But when I get excited, I still curse out of habit…"

"Understood, understood." Sandro finally showed a hint of a smile, a glint of reminiscence in his eyes. "My brother is the same. He’s a talented warrior who joined the Iron Warband of Warhammer Province. After a year, the elegant noble boy turned into a rough, foul-mouthed warrior. In the heat of battle, it’s all about overwhelming momentum. How can one charge forward bravely while being polite?"

"…You have a brother? Like a gorilla?"

"No, why mention a gorilla?"

"Never mind, it’s good that he’s not."

After this conversation, although the atmosphere between them was still cold, there was a hint of warmth. It seemed Sandro had achieved his goal. He said crisply, "Since my apology has been conveyed, I should take my leave. Sigma, it’s a pleasure to truly get to know you. Rumors can’t be entirely trusted. You don’t seem like a domineering person, and I’ll explain to everyone."

"You too, Senior Sandro. Necromancers aren’t as boring as people think. At least they can miss and care for their loved ones, which is a good thing to have some human touch." Sigma seized the opportunity. "By the way, I learned a secret technique from the High Priest today. I want to start a project and will need your help."

"The technique to stimulate plant mutations with the power of death? Sigma, that kind of spell is just for leisure and broadening one’s horizons. It’s best not to delve too deeply into it."

…So you all know it! The stingy High Priest wasn’t just being polite; it really was a lousy gift!

"…I know my limits. I just want to promote a 'Plants vs. Zombies' game project, which we’ll start after returning to the academy. I can adjust the power of the magic plants, and everyone can practice their necromancy skills. It’s a win-win."

Watching Sigma leave, Sandro stood there, his eyes flickering, and he chuckled, "You were right, Miss Luluvi. Sigma’s every reaction was as you predicted. What’s the term for this? Tsundere?"

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PS: Sorry for the late update today, as I was delayed by a minor accident.