My monster cards can evolve infinitely.

A wise man once said that time always flies when you are happy.

Xiuqi felt that time was passing very quickly.

He arranged the dried food and dried fruit on the huge, table-like tree stump, forming a picnic array. Ilulit also added pearl-like white berries to it.

They sat cross-legged facing each other, with food between them.

The girl looked at each food with curiosity, occasionally picking up a piece of dried swamp lizard meat, bringing it close to her nose to smell it, her bright eyes blinking incessantly.

Xiuqi pointed to a dwarf biscuit and said in a clear, slow voice, "Biscuit."

Ilulit tilted her head and began to imitate his pronunciation: "Biscuit...dry."

"Yes, cookies." Xiuqi nodded in agreement, picked up a cookie, and took a bite.

The girl's eyes lit up, and she picked up a piece and took a small bite.

However, the rough texture of the biscuit made her frown slightly, but after taking another small bite, her frown relaxed a little.

She pointed to the biscuits and pronounced in that elegant, ancient language, "Serano."

Then he looked at Xiuqi expectantly.

"Sera...Lano." Hugh tried to imitate the girl's pronunciation.

Illulite smiled and nodded, then pointed to the white fruit: "Elune."

She picked one up, took a gentle bite, and the glistening juice flowed into her mouth.

And so, a meal turned into a language lesson for the two of them.

Xiuqi began teaching some common phrases, such as greetings and thanks.

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Ilulit then taught him about "Starlight Moss", "Moon Dew Fruit", and "Silver Leaf Fern".

The two would occasionally exchange a smile because of each other's strange pronunciation, as if their clumsy attempts were gradually closing the distance between them.

Xiu Qi rummaged through his bag and actually found a wine-infused flame candy.

Ilulit's eyes suddenly brightened, clearly showing her fondness for these sweet little candies.

"sugar!"

"Candy..." the girl repeated his words, her face beaming with joy.

She suddenly stood up and walked briskly to a vine-woven frame in the corner of the treehouse.

She took a delicate, transparent crystal bottle from the shelf. The bottle contained a pale golden liquid, and a few petals, shimmering with light, were immersed in the liquid.

Ilulit carefully held the crystal bottle and then took two cups that looked like they were made of white flower petals from the side.

"Aire Mírië o Lucia (Lucia's Precious Blessing)," she held up the crystal bottle to Hugh, as if sharing a rare treasure.

Gently uncork the bottle, and a delicate floral and fruity fragrance immediately fills the air.

Ilulit poured the pale golden liquid into two petal cups, handing one to Xiuqi and picking up the other for herself.

Xiuqi took the cup and saw the liquid swirling inside, with tiny specks of light dancing around it, like a miniature starry sky.

The two exchanged a smile and simultaneously raised their glasses for a light sip.

The moment he entered, Xiuqi felt an unprecedented experience.

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Like a clear mountain spring, it feels warm like sunshine the moment it enters your throat, leaving a lingering sweetness.

Even more remarkably, as the wine entered his throat, his perception of the arcane elements around him became clearer and more acute.

"Vael'thil? (Is it good?)" Ilulit looked at him expectantly.

Although Xiuqi didn't understand the question, he guessed what it meant from her expression and nodded vigorously: "It's delicious!"

Ding--

[Upon first consuming "Lucia's Precious Blessing," both attributes increase by 1.]

Perception +1, Charisma +1

Upon hearing the notification tone, his expression immediately became even more delighted.

Clearly, the things that accompanied this mysterious girl were extraordinary.

He had only ever heard of the idea that one could improve attributes simply by eating and drinking; it was something he had only heard in the legends of bards.

The girl smiled happily, put down her petal-filled wine glass, took Xiuqi's hand, and gestured for him to follow.

The boy and girl crossed the central pool, startling several small fish that emitted a faint glow, causing them to dart away.

Illustrated took out a silver brooch inlaid with moonstone from the cupboard, engraved with ancient characters that Xiuqi could not recognize, and showed it to the boy.

She then pointed to the feather decorations hanging on the wall and began to introduce them one by one in a clear, flowing voice.

The most special thing is a picture book.

The cover is a beautifully collaged pattern of petals and leaves. As Illust gently opens it, what is revealed is not a picture, but a magically preserved image—

The first page features a woman with a face similar to that of a young girl, but older, dressed in a magnificent gilded robe, praying before the statue of an eight-armed serpent goddess.

The second page depicts a sea of ​​blooming flowers, with a group of tiny fairies with transparent wings flitting among them.

The third page features Illutt herself, looking younger than she does now, sitting by the window, intently drawing something.

In the video, she occasionally looks up and smiles, as if she knows someone is watching her.

Hugh noticed that, apart from the older woman, there was only one other person in all the images: Ilulit.

There were no other companions or family members present.

Beneath this beautiful and tranquil dome lies a vast and lonely prison.

When he looked at Illustrious, the blonde girl was gazing at the image of the older woman, a hint of sadness in her emerald eyes.

Xiuqi did not disturb the girl, but simply stood quietly beside her.

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The two were only a step apart, neither too close nor too far, just enough to feel each other's presence.

The warm glow from the dome illuminated the girl's exquisite profile, creating a heartwarming and breathtaking scene.

In a sense, he and Ilurit were both missing the most important person in each other's lives.

After a while, the blonde girl turned her face, seemingly sensing Xiuqi's concern, her eyes curved into crescent shapes again, revealing an innocent smile.

And so, in this quiet place, the two young men and women of similar age let the gentle glow stretch their shadows long and long.

Time passed quietly and peacefully.

Shuki taught Illulite more words, and the girl patiently corrected his Elvish pronunciation.

The two tried to communicate using language, facial expressions, and gestures. Although misunderstandings often arose, these misunderstandings also became a source of joy for them.

The glow of the dome outside the window gradually changed.

It transitions from a bright pale blue to a soft light purple, then gradually deepens, eventually becoming a deep purple like the night sky.

Just as Hugh learned to say "thank you" in Elven language, Illust suddenly looked up and gazed out the window.

The smile on her face disappeared.

The glow of the dome was disappearing at an abnormal rate, as if it were being frantically devoured by some force.

A deep, resonant sound, as if emanating from the depths of the earth, came from afar.

The blonde girl quickly got up and walked to the window, gazing into the distance over the windowsill.

The next instant, her back suddenly tensed.

Illustrated slowly turned around, her face pale.

Her bright eyes had dimmed, as if filled with reluctance and determination.

The girl spoke clearly to Xiuqi in High Elf:

"Vael'eth valanar (You should leave), Hugh!!!"