"I respect the Mentor, even though I also fear the Mentor... but that doesn’t stop me from having the same feelings for the Mentor."
The Wood Spirit shows fear toward the Wise Sovereign because of its innate flaws, which are inherent and have physiological feedback issues, or rather... a defect. An uncontrollable fear, an uncontrollable timidity, an uncontrollable terror of non-human living beings.
But a defect is still just a "disease." Although hard to treat, it does not affect its thinking ability. It can see the Wise Sovereign’s concern and also sense the care from the Wise Sovereign.
After hundreds of years of companionship, the Wood Spirit understands the Wise Sovereign’s intentions very well. He regards a flawed self as an Inheritor—how could the Wood Spirit not be grateful?
However, physiological feedback of timidity makes it difficult to control itself.
The Wood Spirit deciding to leave is not simply to "approach humans." It merely made a choice—a choice to see if it could change itself.
How to change an innate character flaw? The Wood Spirit doesn’t know, but the Wise Sovereign taught it that when unable to handle something, it could find ways to trace back to the source and find a solution from there.
The Wood Spirit doesn’t know if tracing back can solve its problem, but it wants to try.
Perhaps its former master, Sanders, knows how to solve its problem? Or maybe when it sees Sanders, the character issue may heal miraculously?
It sounds naive, but there is an underlying reason. The Wood Spirit feels this way because it can accept being in Angel’s hands.
Previously, it could not accept being touched in any form, but with Angel, it could.
The reason? The glove.
The glove Angel wears is the same one Sanders once wore. Moreover, the Wood Spirit can sense that Sanders once used the same glove to hold it before it became the birth spirit.
Because of this premise, the Wood Spirit is more determined to see Sanders.
It’s not that it doesn’t remember the kindness of the Wise Sovereign, but it knows its excessive timid reactions can hurt the Wise Sovereign. Solving its character defect is a hopeful aspiration and a way to respond to the Wise Sovereign’s affection.
So, it’s not that the Wood Spirit doesn’t care. If it didn’t care about the Wise Sovereign, how could it notice the Wise Sovereign’s emotional changes immediately?
How could it, for the first time in its Spirit life, express an emotional confession?
"Mentor, I have to go for a reason, and I will definitely come back."
The two sentences from the Wood Spirit left the Wise Sovereign stunned for quite a while. The Wood Spirit spoke very briefly, but the Wise Sovereign understood the Wood Spirit deeply and probably guessed its thoughts.
Although the Wise Sovereign initially taught the Wood Spirit out of personal interest, because the Wood Spirit was a blank slate he could color. Even if it betrayed him, he could see it at a glance. This fit the Wise Sovereign’s need for control.
But, after hundreds of years of teaching and companionship, that personal interest had long vanished. The Wise Sovereign genuinely regarded the Wood Spirit as its Inheritor.
The Wise Sovereign knew about the Wood Spirit’s character flaws, and never expected emotional returns from the Wood Spirit.
But at this moment, the Wise Sovereign was still stunned.
Emotions overflowed uncontrollably.
Not to mention Angel, even those around could see the profound care and undisguised emotion in the Wise Sovereign’s eyes as he looked at the Wood Spirit.
However, the Wood Spirit’s statement also brought some side effects.
The Wise Sovereign’s feeling of reluctance continued to rise.
If at this moment, Angel said, "Let Sanders come here to see the Wood Spirit," perhaps the Wise Sovereign would have agreed.
Ultimately, the Wise Sovereign was rational. He saw through the Wood Spirit’s pursuit and acknowledged the Wood Spirit’s choice.
Holding onto the affection, like constantly feeding food into the beaks of hungry fledglings, might allow their bodies to grow, but mere feeding does not teach fledglings how to fly, let alone teach them how to hunt and be self-reliant.
No matter how reluctant, the Wise Sovereign knew that the Wood Spirit’s willingness to take a step forward was correct. Even if it suffered outside, that’s a necessary price for growth.
"Alright." The Wise Sovereign contained his reluctance and spoke softly.
"I’ve agreed to your going out, and you can come back too. But, it’s best if you come back alone."
The Wise Sovereign’s words sounded like a threat, but they were actually his encouragement.
Being able to come back alone is also a mark of the Wood Spirit’s growth.
...
After resolving the matter of the Wood Spirit’s departure, the Wise Sovereign gently exhaled a breath and looked again at Angel.
"The Wood Spirit following you is its choice, and I also agree with its choice, but I don’t want to see it fall halfway up the mountain before learning to fly."
Angel understood the Wise Sovereign’s meaning—it was merely a concern that he might have ill intentions toward the Wood Spirit, or fail to protect the Wood Spirit well.
However, although he understood, figuring out how to answer the Wise Sovereign was a challenge.
Promises are always pleasing to the ear. However, the call of a dying kingfisher is also pleasing.
So, how to make the Wise Sovereign trust him, Angel could not give an absolute answer.
"Does the Wise Sovereign have any requirements?" Since he couldn’t give an absolutely satisfactory answer, he let the Wise Sovereign decide.
The Wise Sovereign seemed to have anticipated Angel’s response and said directly, "Use the True Words Tome as a contract, and promise me these requirements."
After he finished speaking, the Wise Sovereign waved his hand, and the pages of the True Words Tome displayed a contract in plain sight.
Angel’s gaze fell on the True Words Tome, his eyebrows slightly raised.
The contract naturally had penalties, which were severe, but the reward section was blank.