The Ideal of a Magical Creature
Natalie turned her face away angrily, gazing up at the starry sky. Freyr leaned back comfortably in his chair, chewing on a piece of grilled sausage as he watched Natalie standing by the railing. The moonlight softly illuminated her face, her red robe fluttering, and her silver hair glistening like snow. From the side, her facial contours appeared gentle, but there was an inexplicable expression on her face.
"What are you thinking about?" Freyr asked.
"I don't know. That's why I'm thinking," Natalie's response was strange, and her tone was somewhat melancholic.
Turning back, Natalie looked at Freyr, a hint of confusion flashing in her eyes. "Actually, I find myself very odd... When I was sealed in the painting, I longed every day to be unsealed. But now that I'm free, I find myself not knowing what to do... I'm not human. But strangely, Natalie bestowed upon me a fragment of her memory, giving me human thoughts. Following you around these days, I feel a bit lost... I don't know what I should do. Although staying by your side is leisurely and much more comfortable than being sealed in a painting, it makes me even more confused... You're human and, given your age, you can live for decades or even a century... Am I supposed to stay by your side for the next hundred years, only able to talk to you, being your shadow? Just watching, watching, watching... for a hundred years, until quietly disappearing with your death?"
Freyr sat up a little straighter, his expression growing serious. He looked deeply at Natalie and sighed, "I'm surprised... Your thoughts are very close to human. Really... But I can't answer your question. Because what you're pondering is a great question that even the wisest of humans can't answer: the meaning of life."
"The meaning of life..." Natalie repeated the words softly.
Seeing the seemingly sad expression on Natalie's face, Freyr suddenly remembered a fairy tale from his past life: "Pinocchio."
Naturally, Freyr immediately told this story to Natalie.
The magical creature listened intently, not uttering a single word throughout. When Freyr described how Pinocchio's nose grew longer whenever he lied, Natalie couldn't help but laugh. She laughed joyfully, almost innocently.
But when Freyr spoke about Pinocchio's desire to become a real human, with a real human body...
Natalie lowered her head, so low that Freyr couldn't see her expression.
Finally, Freyr finished the story, concluding with the part where the puppet finally became a real boy.
"I also wish to have a real body," Natalie suddenly said.
Her voice was very soft, but in that gentleness, Freyr detected a deep longing.
When he had heard the story of Pinocchio before, Freyr never felt much. But tonight, seeing this magical creature sitting before him, voicing such a wish with a sorrowful face...
A wave of sympathy surged in his heart, but he didn't know how to comfort Natalie.
"Maybe..." Freyr pondered, "maybe we could try... perhaps magic could..."
"It's late, I want to rest now," Natalie abruptly interrupted Freyr. Her words were strange because a magical creature didn't need rest.
Clearly, she was avoiding Freyr's potentially empty consolation.
With a soft "bang," Natalie's body vanished. Freyr sighed, knowing Natalie didn't want to talk anymore. Despite being a magical creature, Natalie could choose to inhabit any object around Freyr when she didn't want to speak—be it a ring, a badge, clothes, or even his boots. If she wished, she could even attach herself to Freyr's belt. Otherwise, floating around Freyr all the time, he would feel like he had a ghost trailing him.
Freyr sighed, not stopping Natalie's retreat. Although he could command her to appear—since it was his spell that unsealed her and she had to obey his every command—Freyr didn't want to say anything more knowing she was in a bad mood.
After taking a sip of wine and extinguishing the fire, Freyr lazily shrank back into his chair, looking up at the sky.
The stars were still bright. Freyr suddenly asked himself, "What is the meaning of life for me?"
He sat there for a long time. Just as he felt tired and was about to get up and go to bed, Freyr's mind suddenly stirred! His powerful mental strength sensed a slight fluctuation in the surrounding air!
The faint ripple in the airflow could not escape Freyr's current sensitivity. He sat up abruptly, his eyes flickering as he looked around!
"It seems your senses are quite sharp." A soft, melodious voice drifted over from the darkness.
The voice sounded very old but was extremely gentle, even carrying a hint of amusement. "Based on what I've heard about your situation, you shouldn't have this level of mental strength, Freyr Russell."
A shadow suddenly appeared, drifting in from the railing of the terrace!
In the dark, this person wore a white robe, a wizard's robe. He had an old face, long beard, fine features, and a peaceful smile, though his gaze was as piercing as needles!
Being stared at like this made Freyr uncomfortable.
"Who are you?" Freyr frowned. "A wizard, I presume? I don't believe I have any dealings with the Wizard Guild."