Chapter 262 The Villain Lady Arrives 90

Chapter 262 The Villain Lady Arrives 90

Tariq stood in the back garden of the academy, looking at the setting sun, his heart was as if covered by heavy dark clouds, not a single ray of light could penetrate. Elvira returned exhausted, her face full of helplessness and disappointment, her eyes that usually sparkled with wisdom were now dim.

"Tariq, I...I tried my best." Elvira's voice was low and hoarse. She slowly approached, and every step seemed to carry a heavy burden. "The traces left by Alice were too faint for me to detect. She seemed to have used some high-level concealment magic to deliberately erase her own traces."

Tariq trembled slightly when he heard this. He clenched his hands into fists, his nails digging deep into his palms, but he didn't feel any pain. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and tried to calm the turbulent waves in his heart.

When he opened his eyes again, they were filled with determination and resolve. "We won't give up, right?"

He looked at Lillian and Sophia; those two pairs of eyes, equally filled with worry yet encouragement, gave him some comfort.

I gently held Tariq's hand, which was warm and strong.

"Of course, Tariq. We are your friends and family. No matter how difficult it is, we will stay with you." Her voice was gentle and firm, like a spring breeze, blowing away the haze in Tariq's heart.

Sophia patted Tariq on the shoulder, giving him silent support. "Yes, Tariq. Alice won't give up easily. She must be waiting for us to find her somewhere. We must believe in her, and even more so, in ourselves."

However, in the dead of night, when the lights in the dormitory went out one by one and everything was silent, Tariq's heart was still. He lay in bed, tossing and turning, replaying the time he spent with Alice in his mind, the laughter, tears, quarrels and reconciliations, flashing through his mind like a movie. Self-blame and guilt surged like a tide, almost drowning him.

"If I had noticed her abnormality earlier, if I had cared about her more, maybe she wouldn't have left..." Tariq's heart was full of self-blame, and tears silently slid down, soaking the pillow.

Just then, there was a gentle knock on the door, followed by Lillian's gentle voice. "Tariq, are you asleep? I brought some hot tea and wanted to talk to you."

Tariq wiped his tears, sat up and opened the door. Lillian came in with a cup of steaming hot tea, gently placed it on the table, then sat down beside the bed and looked at him with caring eyes.

"Tariq, I know you are sad and blame yourself right now. But you have to understand that it is not your fault that Alice left." Lillian's voice was soft but firm. "Everyone has their own secrets and unspeakable things. Maybe Alice was facing a dilemma that we can't imagine. And she chose to bear it alone because she didn't want to make you worry."

"But..." Tariq hesitated, as if his throat was blocked by something.

"No buts, Tariq." Lillian interrupted him, "What we need to do now is to cheer up and continue looking for Alice. I believe that as long as we don't give up, we will find her one day."

Sofia and Elvira also came over after hearing the noise, and the three of them sat around the bed, forming a solid defense line to protect Tariq's injured heart. They took turns telling each other about their good memories with Alice, weaving a warm net with laughter and tears, trying to pull Tariq back from the abyss of self-blame.

"Remember that time we went on an adventure together? You almost fell into the river, but you ended up laughing the most." Sofia said with a smile, her eyes sparkling with memories.

Tariq felt a warm feeling in his heart as he listened to their stories. Those forgotten moments gradually became clear in his mind, making him realize that he was not alone.

"Thank you..." Tariq finally spoke, his voice choking. "With you by my side, I feel much better. I will cheer up, for Alice and for ourselves."

Everyone smiled at each other. There was no need for words to describe the tacit understanding.

On the other side, far away from the hustle and bustle of the academy, the magnificent hall of the Church of Light is bathed in holy light. Every brick and tile seems to be carved by God himself, exuding an inviolable solemnity and sacredness.

Alice, the girl who made Tariq and others worried, was standing in front of the statue of the God of Light at this moment, with her eyes closed, her hands clasped together, and silently praying an unknown wish in her heart.

Her face looked particularly gentle under the soft light, and her eyes showed both uneasiness about the unknown and firmness of her faith.

After finishing her prayer, Alice slowly opened her eyes and let out a long sigh, as if the burden in her heart had been temporarily lifted.

She turned around to leave, but unexpectedly found that Saint Aidan was standing quietly not far away, looking at her with an indescribable tenderness.

"Alice, your prayers are always so pious, as if they can directly touch the heartstrings of God." Aidan's voice was gentle and magnetic. He walked slowly towards Alice with a faint smile on his face. That smile was like the warm sunshine in spring, instantly dispelling the chill in Alice's heart.

Alice bowed slightly to show her respect, and then responded softly: "Saint Son Aidan, you are too kind. I am just doing my best to express my gratitude and request to the God of Light." Although her voice was soft, it revealed a firmness that should not be underestimated.

Aidan nodded slightly, with a hint of approval in his eyes. "Alice, I have something to share with you, maybe you will be interested." There was a hint of mystery in his words, which made Alice straighten up involuntarily, her eyes full of curiosity.

"Please speak, Holy Son Aidan." There was an extra sense of anticipation in Alice's voice.

Aidan smiled slightly, then said solemnly: "The Church of Light is about to usher in a new Saint Selection, and you, Alice, have been listed as one of the candidates."

As soon as these words came out, Alice's face suddenly showed an expression of surprise and disbelief.

She had never thought that an outsider like herself who suddenly appeared in the church would have the opportunity to become a candidate for the title of Saint. The title of Saint was the glory and responsibility that countless girls dreamed of, representing the embodiment of light and hope, and was the most respected and admired person in the church.

"I...can I really do this?" Alice's voice trembled slightly, with both excitement and anxiety.

Seeing this, Aidan gently patted her shoulder to encourage and comfort her. "Alice, your kindness, tenacity and belief in light have deeply touched all of us. You not only have the potential to become a saint, but also have a heart willing to devote everything to the cause of light. I believe that the God of Light will also choose you."

After hearing this, Alice felt a warm current in her heart and her eyes became moist. She looked up at Aidan, her eyes gleaming with gratitude and determination. "Thank you, Saint Aidan. I will work harder and live up to everyone's expectations."