Close Combat Mage Chapter 68

Translated by: Taffy
Edited by: mrbaconator, Rend, Silva

Chapter 68: Gifting in Such a Way

Suo Jia’s emotions finally calmed down later that evening. Although he still felt regret, he didn’t bother dwelling on it any longer. In this world, many beautiful things existed, and it wasn’t like he could obtain all of them.Treasuring what he currently had was the most important.

Just as he was preparing to head over to the underground training room, a maid came with a message, saying that Wen Ya had brought Emma with her, and was requesting to meet with him. Hearing this news, Suo Jia had no choice but to go to them; it was possible for him to refuse meeting with Emma, but there was no way he could refuse meeting with Wen Ya.

Soon after, Wen Ya and Emma entered Suo Jia’s office one by one. Calmly looking at both of them, Suo Jia asked, “Sister Wen Ya, it’s so late already. Do you have something urgent to tell me?”

“Haha….” Laughing, Wen Ya shook her head and said, “Of course I have something to tell you. Otherwise, who would run over here in the dead of the night?”

While speaking, Wen Ya stretched her hand back and pulled Emma forward. Smiling, Wen Ya said, “The reason I’m looking for you today is because on behalf of your sister, you will have a good talk with Emma. Emma and I are close sisters, and since you and Emma don’t share any type of deep hatred for each other, then the two of you should properly discuss things. Alright?”

Suo Jia looked back and forth between Wen Ya and Emma, then helplessly nodded, “Ok, if Sister Wen Ya says so, then how can I refuse? If it’s just discussing, we’ll discuss. It’s not like I’ll lose anything from it.”

Hearing Suo Jia’s reply, Wen Ya patted Emma’s shoulders, and then said to Suo Jia, “Ok, the Fourth Prince is still waiting for me outside, so I won’t stick around. However, Suo Jia, I’ll warn you to be careful not to throw a childish tantrum; Emma is the friend that your sister introduced.”

Bitterly laughing as he shook his head, Suo Jia helplessly raised his hand to promise, “Ok, ok, ok….I promise that I won’t throw a tantrum tonight. That should be enough, right?”

Sweetly smiling, Wen Ya pinched Suo Jia’s cheeks and said in a doting voice, “You little fellow…..alright. I’m not going to stick around any longer; I’m leaving now.”

After Wen Ya left, the entire office became quiet for a long time. It was a peculiar silence that made both Suo Jia and Emma feel extremely awkward. Helplessly, Suo Jia personally prepared two cups of tea, and placed one in front of Emma, and one in front of himself. He lightly sipped a mouthful of tea, and calmly said, “Alright. Since you’ve come to look for me, you must have something to say. You can say it now.”

“This….” Emma had not imagined that Suo Jia would be so straightforward, and paused for a while. After carefully thinking it through, Emma finally ground her teeth, and pulled out the embroidered case containing the Faerie’s Soul. Then, she pulled out Vulcan’s Roar, and piled both of them on the table.

Seeing Emma’s actions, Suo Jia was first shocked, but then he broke out in laughter. Emma gathered the courage to speak after he laughed, and trembling, she said, “These are the gifts I bought for you. I hope….I hope that you….” The normally audacious Emma was currently so nervous that her tongue was locked, and was unable to finish her sentence.

Seeing Emma’s nervous appearance, Suo Jia could not help but chuckle. He casually opened the case to look at the Faerie’s Soul lying within, and then indifferently said, “I’ve pretty much understood your intentions. Are you bribing me?”

Faced with Suo Jia’s question, Emma began to panic. The Emma that had always been unafraid of both the heavens and the earth since she was young, had never imagined that there would one day be a time where she would be so nervous. Moreover, the one that would make her so anxious was a mere 8 year old child. This was too ridiculous!

Seeing Emma trembling, Suo Jia helplessly shook his head. Emma shaking in fear successfully gave Suo Jia a better opinion of her. Lightly closing the case, Suo Jia sighed, “Alright, I must admit, I have no way of turning away from this bribe. I cannot make myself push these two things away.”

“No!” Emma recalled Wen Ya’s words, and fiercely shook her head, “These are only presents. I don’t want to use them as an exchange for anything. I just want to become friends with you, best of friends!”

Hearing Emma’s words, Suo Jia’s hand could not help but shake. His face also grew serious, and he slowly retracted his hand. Shaking his head, Suo Jia said, “Miss Emma, there are some things that I don’t think you’ve understood. Friends.h.i.+p is not something that can be bought with gifts. If you wanted to use these two items to bribe me to help you lose weight, then I can agree. However, if you want to use these things to exchange for my friends.h.i.+p, then I apologize; I refuse to exchange it, and I have no way of doing so either.”

Speaking up to here, Suo Jia looked at the Faerie’s Soul in regret, then bitterly laughed, “Friends.h.i.+p is not an item. It’s something that cannot be seen or touched. It cannot be exchanged for anything. It is precisely because of these reasons that friends.h.i.+p is such a precious thing; friends.h.i.+p is priceless!”

Faced with Suo Jia’s rejection, Emma panicked. Urgently looking at Suo Jia, Emma questioned, “Then how do I make friends? What do I have to do to gain friends.h.i.+p?”

“Friends.h.i.+p?” Suo Jia was bewildered by the question for a bit, and then he murmured, “I also cannot clearly say what friends.h.i.+p is. Based on my understanding, the so-called friend is willing to selflessly sacrifice themselves for the other, will worry when their friend worries, will consider their friend’s problems as their own, and will not ask for fame nor privileges; it is because of their friends.h.i.+p that a friend is willing to make any sort of sacrifice for it. This is what friends.h.i.+p is!”

Speaking up to here, Suo Jia smiled, “It’s like me and Sister Wen Ya. Knowing that my mother needed to live in a better environment, Wen Ya gave a house to me. Knowing that I needed a n.o.ble status, she gave the eighth lord rank to me, all without requesting any reciprocations. Real friends.h.i.+p does not have a material form, but it can be clearly felt.”

“But….” Doubtfully looking at Suo Jia, Emma asked in confusion, “But, I’m also doing the same. Because you needed these magical equipments, I gave them away to you. Isn’t this the same as Wen Ya?”

Smiling, Suo Jia shook his head, and plainly said, “No, of course it’s not the same. When Wen Ya was doing this, she did not at all consider what she would gain from it. She was only giving me these gifts out of concern; she never expected any repayments. When she saved me that time, she wouldn’t even leave behind her name.”

At this point, Suo Jia looked at Emma profoundly, “However, you’re different. The reason you have these gifts for me was because you wanted me to help you. Strictly speaking, your actions are bribing me, and are not presents for the same of friends.h.i.+p!”

“Fine!” Hearing Suo Jia’s words, Emma ground her teeth, and suddenly pulled out a glorious box covered in gold and jade. With a serious expression, she looked at Suo Jia, “If that is so, then I will give this item to you out of grat.i.tude only. I only wish for you to try becoming friends with me. Do you think that’s good enough?”

Seeing Emma pull the item out, Suo Jia’s eyes widened in curiosity. Putting aside the object within the box, the box alone could qualify as a treasure itself. Could the item inside be any less precious?

While pondering, Suo Jia lightly opened the precious box. Suddenly….a crown giving off a blue light shone from within. It was both simple and dignified, and the entire crown gave off a mysterious air.

“This is!” In shock, he stared at the crown’s elegant pose. Although he didn’t know exactly what it was, Suo Jia could feel that it was extraordinary. It was definitely an amazing magical item. But…exactly what was it?

Seeing Suo Jia’s concentration on it, Emma heavily replied, “This is an Epic-ranked magical item that can shake the entire world. I’m sure you’ve heard of its name before—–its name is Atlantis’ Wisdom!”

“What!” Hearing Emma’s words, Suo Jia shouted as he jumped up in shock. In disbelief, he stared at the crown in front of him. He couldn’t believe what he had just heard. This….this was actually part of the Atlantis set: Atlantis’ Wisdom! Everyone knew that the Atlantis equipment set was a high grade Epic-ranked set!

Trembling, Suo Jia touched the mysterious crown, and closed his eyes in excitement. As a water mage, putting aside using this item, even personally seeing it and being able to touch it was an honor. To a water mage, the Atlantis equipment set was definitely an existence superior to even a Divine artifact!