Second Lead Syndrome (1-187) | ✓

• 117 •

Two days passed by with the four of them recuperating and training, especially Hana. Following Cecil's teaching and finding her own way to transmute water into ice, she finally managed to turn the entire blob of water in her hand into ice. 

"I did it! I really did it!" Hana jumped for joy, the ball of ice in her hand flying out. 

"You did it, Hana!" Cecil jumped for joy as well, and the two girls rushed at each other, hugging and giving one another a high-five. 

"I did it!"

"It was amazing!" 

"So amazing!"  

K'xug watched the scene of the two ladies squealing and hugging one another happily in amusement. Whereas, Xue was giving off a gloomy aura, and somehow K'xug noticed that the gloomy aura was directed towards him. 

K'xug turned to look at Xue, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion.

Meanwhile, a gardener nearby was trimming the plants around the courtyard when he felt an ominous presence in the air, making him look up. To his horror, he watched as an ice ball was aiming straight for him, and he yelped, jumping aside. 

The ball of ice smashed onto the ground, in between his feet and drops of sweat rolled down his face. If it had reacted any later, the ball of ice would have landed right on his groin. 

There was no recovering from that. 

His startled yelp attracted the attention of the four of them, and Hana realised what happened, gasping as she dashed forward. 

"Sorry, Mr. Jake, sorry!" 

"N-no, it's fine, I am sorry for being in the way as well." 

"Are you alright?! Did it hit you? I apologise for being so careless!" 

"No, I should apologise, young mistress." 

"No, no. It's me, I am so sorry! Sorry!" 

"No, no. I am the one at fault here, young mistress."

It ended up being a competition of who was the one in the wrong. Both of them bowing to one another repeatedly. 

Cecil watched the scene, conflicted yet amused. 

Xue was still as gloomy, narrowing his eyes at K'xug. 

K'xug remained indifferent, but he could feel the gloominess from Xue growing.

What did I even do wrong? 

K'xug decided to escape from Xue by marching forward, planning to resolve the situation between Hana and the gardener. 

Cecil noticed Xue's gloomy grey eyes on K'xug, tilting her head as she stood beside him. 

"Xue? Why are you glaring at K'xug like that?" 

Xue turned to look at Cecil, and Cecil took a step back. 

Somehow, the feeling she got from Xue was the same feeling when she first saw Xue. She forced a small smile on her face.

Seeing this kind of Xue...it feels like I first met him years ago. 

"Wh-what's wrong? Are you...mad?" 

"Yeah." Xue stated bluntly, turning his head away. 

Cecil frowned. 

His mood has been great this entire time!

What caused him to be so moody? If I am not wrong, yesterday--

...yesterday...

Cecil recalled a certain memory from yesterday, and she gasped, her head swivelling towards Xue.