Damien inwardly sighed in relief, thinking that he finally got a god-sent opportunity and felt like thanking the gods for giving him a chance. Since Luna was the only goddess he knew, he thanked her with a chuckle mentally, to which he only got a harrumph.
He was excited that his hopes finally didn't seem bleak anymore. At least, he would be able to hold his head up high the next time he meets Lily instead of pretending to be strong.
But he thought of something puzzling and asked, "But how did your father know about this? I mean, the last time this gate appeared was thousands of years ago, and it was the first time. And now you are telling me it's going to happen for the second time soon. How did he predict this?"
Reva slightly shook her head, "I don't know. My father surely has his ways which even I am not privy to."
Damien inwardly sighed and wondered if Reva's father already knows more about the gateway than others or if there was some other reason.
'Perhaps it could be the Xeton God....' A random speculation passed through his mind.
"Wait a sec. How long will this gateway be open? And how will we come out?" Damien questioned.
"One year. And you won't be able to come out till it closes. Practitioners here don't have artifacts powerful enough to teleport themselves out from the other side of the gateway to this side. But the practitioners who know about the possible benefits they would get wouldn't mind since they get at least one year to increase their cultivation. All they have to do is get inside."
Damien wondered how the Xeton emperor knew about this stuff so precisely. But at the same time, he didn't think that the time limit for the gateway would be as long as one year.
If he entered it, wouldn't the timeframe he was given be coming to an end? But at the same time, he felt that it was a good chance to further his cultivation and come back stronger. If he could save Lily, then nothing else mattered.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64ce79d606107d003c23ea27", id: "pf-5140-1"})Seeing his happy expression, Reva's brows knit together as she asked, "But are you sure you want to go? It's very dangerous, and the chances of surviving in that place are not even high."
Damien playfully smiled, "Ohh? It seems like you are worried about me."
Reva firmly pressed her lips and said in a defensive tone, "As your friend and teacher, can't I?"
Damien charmingly smiled as he leaned his face towards hers and looked at her breathtaking azure eyes, making her feel flustered but didn't back down. He said as he maintained his gaze, "Look at my eyes and tell me if I am the kind of person who does things recklessly."
Reva's eyes artfully fluttered as she looked at his starry black eyes, which seemed to ooze an aura of confidence and firm determination, making her feel as if there was nothing that could faze him.
She wondered if seeking power was his pure driving force or if there was something else for him to have such grit and resolve. She had never before felt the same feeling from anyone else, even seasoned and expert practitioners.
However, after a few moments of silence, she flatly said, "Yes."
Damien jerked back with a "huh."
He wryly smiled as he said, "Is that how you think about me?"
With a hint of puckishness in her eyes, she said with a slight exasperation in her tone, "Hmph, you were bold enough almost to kill the heir of the Clive Family. Even on the day of the entrance exam, you didn't hesitate to badmouth his younger brother. I wonder what makes you feel so brave and fearless."
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64cc9e79c7059f003e4ad4b0", id: "pf-5109-1"})Her eyes sharpened as she questioned, "Is it because of Valentina? Were you two in love before you even joined here?"
'Phew, why do women seem so quick to catch on to these things? And their imagination...sigh.' Damien thought back to how his women would catch on to things without him even revealing anything.
Reva's speculation was half true, but the reason for his determination and resolve was something else.
But at the same time, Reva wondered why she was even asking him about Valentina and how that was her business. She was having an inexplicable feeling but couldn't understand what it was or why she was even feeling it. She just thought of it as a question of pure curiosity.
Damien blinked his eyes as he asked in a surprised tone, "How did you even come up with that? Do you think someone like me would have come upon her earlier?"
Reva said as she pressed her lips together, "Who knows? Alchemist Azrael was coming from the Rong Empire, after all. Maybe you met up with Valentina there?"
Damien's gaze remained cool as he said, "Rong Empire is a big place, and I would have been glad if I fell in love with Valentina at that time. But what can I do...she got charmed by me on the day of the entrance exam."
He leaned forward as he said with a grin, "You can't blame a beauty for falling in love with me, can you?"
Reva crinkled her eyes as she let out a scoff, "How immodest," However, her scoff came off as cute to Damien, making him laugh mildly.
Reva felt peeved that Damien was taking her words lightly and asked, "What's so funny about it?"
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "663633fa8ebf7442f0652b33", id: "pf-8817-1"})"You are just too cute sometimes," Damien said with a glowing smile.
Her snow-white cheeks became slightly flushed as she said, "I don't know what you are talking about. I am not cute."
He chuckled, feeling amused by her words, and said with one of his eyebrows raised, "And why do you seem so concerned about Valentina?"
Reva gave a quick shake of her head as she feigned her focus, shifting towards the scrolls on the table, "No, I am not. I am just pointing out some obvious facts."
Damien inwardly chuckled, seeing her trying to look disinterested. He then said as he looked at her elegant side-profile, "I wonder if we would have been more than friends if I met you earlier?"
The more he spent time with Reva, the more he felt that there was some inexplicable pulling force that made him feel like he was destined to meet and become close to her.
Sometimes, that feeling would defy all logic he knew and make him act in ways he never even planned to, just like how he got close to Lily fast by letting that feeling pull him along. And the same happened with Valentina as well when he suddenly confessed to her.
Reva's eyes quivered as she looked at Damien with a strange light in her eyes, "W-What do you mean?"
Reva felt her heartbeat increasing as if it was slowly going out of her control, guessing the various meanings possible behind his words.
Damien waved his hands casually as he smiled, "Nothing, I am just joking with you. Why are you getting all serious?"
Reva felt exasperated, wondering why she was reacting so much to his silly jokes. She coldly said with a huff as she turned away her head, "It's my mistake. I forgot that you talk too much."
Damien laughed, "Haha, now don't be angry at me. At least you have someone like me to pass the time. By the way, where is my gift you promised?"
Reva slowly looked at him and said with a subtle smile, giving off an entrancing charm, "Since you have been a bad student lately, you will have to wait for it."
She was thinking of how to get back at him for teasing her so many times that she lost count. At first, she decided to be the mature one as his teacher and ignore his teasing.
But over time, she felt competitive seeing Damien get one over her and getting laughs out of her reactions which she previously never had. Even if someone else dared to talk so casually or be carefree with her, she would have acted differently.
However, before Damien, she had no idea why her actions and reactions were utterly foreign to even herself.
In fact, after interacting with Damien, she discovered some inexplicable feelings and emotions she never felt before in her life and wondered why Damien was able to bring out these emotions in her.
And now, after feeling embarrassed because of her own actions due to his teasing, she felt like giving payback to him.
"Please, teacher. How could you punish an excellent student like me? You promised me." Damien put up an aggrieved expression while trying to grasp her hand in a pleading manner but only caught the empty air as Reva elegantly moved her hand to dodge his claws.
Reva crossed her arms, highlighting her bountiful bosoms even further, and felt pleased seeing his reaction, "Who said I would break my word? I will give it to you before you enter the gateway."
