Hate Me, Witch!-Chapter 78: Ailora’s Kiss

Soft golden hair cascaded down.

Ailora lowered her head slightly, her vibrant blue eyes hidden behind strands of hair, making it impossible to discern the emotions within.

“I know… you carry a lot on your shoulders.”

“There are things… I’ve never really thought about before. It’s always been you, Xia Ya, who worries about our future.”

“But—”

“When I saw you in the washroom… I had this terrible feeling.”

“It was as if you had gone somewhere far, far away… and I could only stand there, watching your silhouette fade into the distance.”

“Watching you drift further and further from me, while I stood frozen, unable to do anything…”

Her voice trembled.

Ailora had never been the type to easily reveal her emotions.

But back in that shattered washroom, where Rhongomyniad had split the door open—

When she saw Xia Ya collapsed on the floor, his face deathly pale, unconscious—

At that moment, the entire world fell into silence.

He was the boy she relied on.

The one most important to her—the person she had spent the past ten years with, day in and day out, her dearest love.

At that moment, she was consumed by an overwhelming fear of abandonment.

As if the entire world… was leaving her behind.

During the three days Xia Ya remained unconscious, Ailora searched through every secret gathering and transcendent market in the Imperial Capital.

She even went so far as to hold Lieutenant Colonel Zieg at gunpoint with her silver spear, forcing a wry smile from him as he used his military authority to exchange for the highest-grade, classified mental enhancement potion.

And while staying by Xia Ya’s side at home, she found herself thinking over and over again—

What if he never woke up?

What if he continued to deteriorate… and died?

What would she do then?

Fortunately—

Xia Ya finally woke up.

And the light of the world returned to Ailora’s side.

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“I know there are many things you do that I can’t understand.”

“There are things you’re capable of that I could never do.”

“But even so—”

“I won’t just stand idly by anymore…”

“I will grow stronger, become smarter… become someone who can help you.”

“So—”

“Don’t leave me behind.”

“Don’t abandon me… alone.”

Her fingers trembled as they gripped the hem of Xia Ya’s clothes.

But before she could react, she felt a warm hand gently cover hers.

“…Alright.”

Xia Ya let out a weary sigh and held her hand. “This time, I really messed up. I didn’t expect to be so exhausted that I couldn’t even clean up after myself.”

He was genuinely worried that if this happened again, this foolish girl might do something irreversible in a moment of desperation.

He met Ailora’s deep blue eyes.

Then, slowly, he spoke each word with deliberate clarity.

“Let’s repeat our promise once more.”

“From now on, I will always keep you by my side. I won’t abandon you, won’t leave you behind. Even at the very end—even in death—we will never be apart.”

“And you must live well. Treasure your own life…”

“To become someone who will always be of use to you.”

Ailora murmured, completing the vow.

Xia Ya reached out, gently brushing the face of the golden-haired girl before him.

Then, he patted her shoulder. “Alright, this is the childhood friend I’ve raised to perfection—”

Xia Ya’s words abruptly stopped.

Because in the next moment, the girl before him dove into his embrace, like a swallow returning to its nest.

And then—

A cold, soft sensation…

Spread across his forehead, bit by bit.

—

Ailora’s lips were cold, yet gentle.

The warmth of her presence in his arms lasted only a fleeting moment.

She quickly pulled away, putting a bit of distance between them.

“What a shame.”

Xia Ya reached up, touching his forehead where she had kissed him.

“If I’d known you were giving me a little reward, I would’ve preferred something more… lips-on-lips.”

“Xia Ya,” Ailora said matter-of-factly, her blue eyes twinkling, “a first kiss is something precious. It should be exchanged at the most important moment—like at a wedding.”

“That’s exactly what you wrote in the manuscript you sent to the Royal Literary Society.”

Her voice no longer trembled. Confidence and composure had returned to her.

No longer was she the lost, abandoned girl who didn’t know what to do.

This was Ailora—the top-ranked student on the Military Department’s mission leaderboard, the strongest of Saint Roland Academy.

“…That was just some nonsense I wrote to fool those naïve, love-struck virgins.”

Xia Ya sighed regretfully.

“I’m a man destined to write the Exotic Species Cultural Evaluation Guide, how could I possibly let such outdated customs hold me back?!”

He was so frustrated that he wanted to time-travel back and strangle his past self for writing such drivel.

Because now? His real reward was gone.

“…Forget it. There’ll be another chance sooner or later.”

Xia Ya waved his hand dismissively and turned toward the door. “Come on, let’s go eat.”

Ailora smoothed her golden hair and obediently followed behind him. “Where are we eating?”

“Dark Night Garden.”

She paused mid-step. “Xia Ya, are you sure that’s a restaurant?”

“Why wouldn’t it be? Sure, it’s a secret base of the Shadow Council, but its public cover is a high-end hotel.”

“They serve a proper feast, and best of all, we get to eat for free.”

Xia Ya waved her hand casually and stepped into the hallway.

As he changed his shoes by the door, he added, “By the way, I didn’t come out of this mess empty-handed.”

“At the moment when I pushed myself to the limit and defeated my enemy, I felt a breakthrough in my mental strength.”

“It won’t be long before I reach the peak of the Third Ring and start attempting the Fourth Ring breakthrough.”

“As expected… fighting on the edge of life and death is the best way to grow stronger. Since I rarely put myself in desperate situations, the effects of pushing my limits are even more pronounced…”

The sudden flash of silver in Ailora’s golden eyes interrupted Xia Ya’s somewhat self-satisfied words.

A sharp and commanding aura burst forth, radiating from her entire being.

In the next moment—

A majestic, ethereal Holy Spear materialized silently in midair.

The ancient shaft of the knight’s lance gleamed with streaks of radiant silver light, flowing like liquid starlight.

An ancient and unfathomable power, as if from countless eras past, slowly took shape around the weapon, carrying an indescribable sense of authority and might.

Within Xia Ya’s perception, the surrounding space seemed to stabilize slightly as the Holy Spear manifested.

Only after a long while did the silver glow in Ailora’s eyes slowly fade away.

She waved her hand, recalling the newly awakened Rhongomyniad back into her Soul Pact Space.

“So, what kind of trouble is your Holy Relic stirring up this time?”

Hearing Xia Ya’s question, Ailora closed her eyes for a moment, sensing something before reopening them.

“I think… my emotions just now resonated with Rhongomyniad.”

“That deeper level of soul resonance triggered its further awakening, unlocking a portion of its ancient power.”

“And as its wielder, I received the corresponding Soul Pact feedback.”

Ailora thought for a moment before adding, “From now until the Fourth Ring, I shouldn’t have any bottlenecks in my mental power.”

There was a hint of excitement in her voice.

To her, Rhongomyniad’s awakening and her own power growing stronger meant one thing—she would be able to help Xia Ya even more in the future.

And that meant she could stay by his side forever.

“By the way, Xia Ya, what were you talking about just now?”

“My mental energy was completely focused on the Soul Pact Resonance and the Holy Spear’s awakening, so I didn’t hear you.”

“N-Nothing.”

“Just thinking about what we should eat later.”

Xia Ya sighed, grabbed Ailora’s hand, and led her toward the door.

Damn lucky Europeans.

…Forget it, I’ll let it slide.

After all, this Luck Goddess was his personally raised little wife.