Simulated Lives: The Sorrow of the Sword Maiden-Chapter 39 – Unable to abandon her plea for help

The sumptuous dinner began.
The meat was tender and smooth, and the vegetables were crisp and tasty.
The hot soup was also exceptionally delicious.
In this Magic World, people commonly used knives and forks, but Xu Xi was more accustomed to using chopsticks, so he carved two for himself.
Krisa originally used knives and forks too, but after seeing Xu Xi use chopsticks, she inexplicably wanted to learn how to use them.
Thus.
A peculiar scene unfolded in Xu Xi's home.
While everyone else used knives and forks to joyfully celebrate New Year's Eve, the little witch kept struggling with the chopsticks, repeatedly picking up and dropping food in an awkward situation.
She blinked in confusion.
"These are hard to use..."
Krisa couldn't understand why, after more than half a month of practice, she still couldn't master these two little sticks.
They were just ordinary sticks, yet harder to learn than magic.
"Krisa, take it slow."
Xu Xi reassured her, demonstrating slowly for Krisa to see. After another ten minutes, the girl finally managed to pick up her first piece of meat with the chopsticks.
It was as if she had achieved some ultimate goal, and she breathed a sigh of relief.
Chopsticks, her lifelong enemy!
To avoid the dinner getting cold, the girl eventually gave up her battle with the chopsticks and switched to the familiar knife and fork to enjoy the meal Xu Xi had prepared.
"Is it good?" Xu Xi asked.
"Teacher, it's delicious," Krisa's eyes widened slightly.
The clinking of knife and fork against the plate.
The sound of teeth chewing food, and the tongue rolling.
All happened simultaneously at that moment.
Undoubtedly, from her expression, the girl truly liked the food Xu Xi made.
But after the first bite, she immediately stopped, turning to look at Xu Xi with those empty eyes, as if waiting for something.
"Alright, I'll eat too."
Xu Xi smiled and began to eat as well.
Under the light, their shadows stretched long and slanted, the bright white light and the pitch-black shadow so distinctly separate, yet perfectly harmonious.
The New Year's Eve dinner for just the two of them was very quiet, far less lively than an ordinary family in the city.
But Xu Xi felt it was enough.
With delicious food and someone to accompany him, wasn't that more than enough?
"Whoosh—"
"Whoosh—"
The strong wind battered the windows.
Outside was a world covered in snow.
The once beautiful garden, now only had ever-deepening snow, including the withered tree, its branches laden with heavy snow.
Xu Xi sat inside, a sip of hot soup warming him inexplicably.
Not just because of the steam and warmth flowing inside.
But also because of the girl sitting beside him.
"It feels like home..." Looking at the snow outside the window, such a thought surfaced in Xu Xi's mind.
For this New Year's Eve dinner, Xu Xi had spent a lot of effort, wanting to give Krisa an unforgettable New Year, but for the two of them, four dishes and a soup were clearly a bit much.
Even though the girl had Demon Race blood, with a slightly larger appetite than ordinary people.
After half an hour of battle.
There was still a lot of food left on the table.
Krisa stood up, proactively starting to clear the dishes, intending to wash them clean, but Xu Xi stopped her.
"Wait, Krisa."
"Teacher...?"
In the girl's bewildered expression, Xu Xi's fingers brushed over his space ring, taking out the Azure Necklace he had prepared in advance, along with a gold coin.
The Azure Necklace was placed in the girl's left hand.
The gold coin was placed in her right hand.
Her expression became even more confused.
Xu Xi explained, "In my hometown, every New Year, there's a tradition of giving gifts to children as a blessing."
"So, I picked this necklace for you."
"I think if it's Krisa, it will look very nice on you, and the Aquamarine in the necklace will enhance your Water Magic to some extent."
"As for this gold coin, it's your New Year's money, symbolizing a wish for your safety."
Xu Xi spoke warmly.
Waiting for Krisa to accept the gifts.
But the young witch neither accepted nor refused, just stood there dazed, with those still empty, still lifeless eyes, watching Xu Xi's figure.
The room was very quiet, but Krisa's eyes were even quieter.
Like a fragile mirror, bright and delicate.
This mirror had shattered many times, again and again, so many times that even Krisa herself had forgotten how many times it had happened.
But today.
This fragile mirror, these lifeless eyes.
Reflected only Xu Xi's figure.
Occupying the entire world before her.
Somehow, Krisa suddenly felt her throat dry, her lips moved several times before she could barely utter a complete sentence.
"Why... why... give me..."
"Do you need a reason?"
Xu Xi extended his palm, gently ruffling the girl's hair, which had become smooth and silky after two months of rest and care, once dry and straw-like.
"But... but..."
The girl's eyes were full of confusion.
But someone like me, a wretched being, doesn't deserve gifts.
Clearly meant to be discarded, belonging to the useless, the annoying trash.
Yet she could be warmed by the "sun," living in the light.
That was already happiness enough, that was already joy enough, as long as she could maintain such a life, the witch felt genuinely satisfied.
Yes.
Someone as flawed and failed as her, how could she dare to ask for more?
"No buts, Krisa."
Xu Xi's words interrupted the girl's confusion and helplessness.
Those words carried warmth, like flickering candlelight, attracting the struggling person in the darkness, unconsciously wanting to get closer.
He said:
"In a person's life, there's actually no need to think too much, nor are there so many whys."
"If you like it, do it; if you don't like it, don't do it."
"Krisa is usually very well-behaved and obedient, so I like Krisa and am willing to give Krisa gifts."
"Similarly, if Krisa likes the gifts I give, just accept them, unless Krisa doesn't like them—"
Hearing this.
The girl quickly shook her head, tightly holding the necklace and the gold coin.
Expressing her liking for these two gifts through her actions.
"I like the teacher's... gifts."
Find the original at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.
"Is that so, then that's great."
Hearing the witch's answer, Xu Xi smiled.
The frail and slender Krisa looked very quiet and obedient, but her expressionless face and empty eyes still made people instinctively worry about her.
However.
Compared to two months ago, isn't it much better?
Xu Xi's eyelids slightly closed, his mind recalling the pitiful appearance of the girl when he first met her two months ago.
The filthy alley with sewage flowing, her battered and broken body, her young face covered in blood, her trembling and fearful powerless legs.
At that time, Krisa held a small knife to rob Xu Xi.
But what Xu Xi saw and heard.
Was a clear cry for help.
"Save me..." That was a desire even the witch herself hadn't realized, hidden deep in her eyes, a plea hidden in every wound, a cry for help hidden in every bit of pain.
A desire for someone to see her.
A plea for someone to take her away from despair.
Sending out a silent cry for help to everyone she met.
Xu Xi saw it, and he heard it all, so he saved Krisa back then.
Unable to abandon such a sorrowful witch crying for help.