Sebastian''s voice was calm as he spoke, devoid of any personal emotion, just stating a fact.


    "The reason I''m telling you this is because you''ve been spending a lot of time with him. I''m a bit worried." He paused for a moment, and then gave a faint smile. "But maybe I''m just overthinking it."


    "But," Sebastian looked at Miranda with an intensity in his eyes. "I really don''t want you to get hurt." Miranda''s expression shifted slightly.


    He gave a small smile, raising his hand as if to tousle Miranda''s hair, but then thought the gesture might not be appropriate and restrained himself.


    "You''re still just a young girl," he said softly, with a hint of a sigh. Miranda''s eyes followed Sebastian''s hand as it was lifted and then lowered.


    Miranda was a smart cookie. Even though she was a bit slow on the uptake when it came to emotions, she could still pick up on certain things.


    And she was a bit of a carefree spirit, not one to dwell on emotional matters. Having seen her fair share of life''s ups and downs, she categorized people quite distinctly: the sick, the healthy, and the deceased. Because of this, her approach to human emotions was rather rational and detached. She rarely revealed her own feelings.


    Of course, what was happening now had nothing to do with all of the above. Her emotions were stable, without a hint of fluctuation.


    "Sebastian," Miranda suddenly spoke up.


    Sebastian didn''t respond, but just looked at her.


    Miranda said, "You''re not getting any younger."


    Sebastian remained silent. Though he said nothing, a slight furrow appeared between Sebastian''s brows. Miranda was skeptical. "You don''t have a thing for someone like me, do you?"


    Sebastian chuckled. He was used to Miranda''s straightforward and often unconventional way of speaking, and his reaction seemed entirely natural.


    He didn''t answer Miranda''s question directly, justughed and said, "I do look pretty youthful, don''t I?" What might sound like vanity from someone else was just a statement of fact from Sebastian, and it seemed perfectly reasonable.


    Indeed, Sebastian had an air of


    maturity andposure, but if one


    only looked at his face, he wasn''t much different from those


    lov


    charming, youthfulds.


    Miranda didn''t consider herself a typical person; her way of doing things had always set her apart.


    It wasn''t that she tried to be different; it was just her nature. So she had gotten into plenty of trouble growing up.


    Besides the asional beating, there were those family elders who used her to test their remedies.


    Being part of a family of healers and poisoners, they knew how to cure and how to poison. Their methods of discipline, hence, often involved potions or needles.


    Yet somehow, in this world, many people seemed to get along with her unusual nature, resonating with her in harmony. Sebastian was one of them.


    He always managed to address


    words with a respectful and


    understanding approach. Eliane


    as


    different. Elian would join herin her entricities.


    They were fundamentally different. One was like a wild, untamed king, while the other resembled a noble gentleman raised in a royal court.