There was very little black mist around Bai Ci, and even what existed was confined to herself. This indicated that her negative emotions toward others were so faint they were practically negligible.
A person like this was not the type to harbor malice toward others for no reason; she was entirely trustworthy.
At this moment, Arbiter, having lifted her eyepatch, locked her gaze onto Wisteria.
She could clearly see a thick, impenetrable black mist swirling all around Wisteria, continuously emanating from his body.
It didn't just envelop him completely; it had even spread to fill the entirety of Carriage One.
With just one glance, Arbiter felt a sharp pain flare up in her eye.
She had no choice but to shift her gaze to Violita, looking at someone else to give herself a brief respite.
Violita was also wrapped in black mist. It was just as dense, almost completely shrouding his body, save for a faint, struggling glimmer of light right where his heart was.
This meant Violita was no saint either. Deep negative emotions were buried within him, most likely hatred or an obsession.
However, this black mist only clung to him and did not spread outward, indicating that although he harbored malice, he had no intention of harming those around him for the time being.
Next, Arbiter's gaze landed on Marg, who was standing nearby.
There was only a thin, evenly distributed layer of black mist around Marg, showing no active hostility. He was clearly just on alert and bore no malice toward those around him.
Finally, once she felt she had adapted, Arbiter's gaze returned to Wisteria.
This time, she looked closer at Wisteria, observing the black mist that blanketed all of Carriage One and trapped everyone inside.
As she turned her head, she finally noticed the exception right beside her.
Amidst the dense black mist, the space around Bai Ci was completely spotless, without a single trace of dark aura. She was like a patch of pure blank space, appearing almost radiant against the surrounding darkness.
That heavy malice deliberately avoided her, never touching her in the slightest.
Arbiter sighed inwardly, her lips twitching. What kind of Mary Sue heroine script did I just stumble into?
The trainmaster was practically made of malice, yet he didn't harbor the slightest aversion toward Miss Lora. Even his malice refused to touch her. If this wasn't a classic “you are my only light” trope, what was?
At a time like this, was she supposed to say she was “shipping” them?
Arbiter was so engrossed in the drama that she failed to control her gaze, letting her eyes linger on Bai Ci for a bit too long.
Wisteria, naturally hyper-vigilant, noticed Arbiter's gaze fixed on Bai Ci, causing his displeasure and aversion to intensify.
Watching Bai Ci take her teacup, his gaze slowly shifted to Arbiter. “Miss, if you will excuse my bluntness, you do not seem to be a passenger of Carriage One.”
“Carriage One is strictly reserved for VIP guests with prior reservations. Please leave so as not to disturb the rest of the passengers.”
Looking over instinctively and meeting those purple eyes, Arbiter felt a sudden, agonizing sting in her eye. She hurriedly pulled her eyepatch back down.
But it seemed too late. A streak of bright red blood-tear slipped from beneath the newly covered eye, tracing down her cheek.
The rigid smile on Wisteria's face remained unchanged, but the scrutiny in his eyes intensified. He spoke again, “Miss, I am speaking to you. You are not a passenger of Carriage One. Please leave immediately.”
“Furthermore, what have you been looking at this entire time?”
“Arbiter, what's wrong?” Bai Ci noticed the blood-tear and quickly supported Arbiter by the arm.
At the same time, she turned to Wisteria with a warm smile, trying to defuse the tension. “I apologize, Mr. Wisteria. She is my friend, Arbiter.”
“She heard I was in Carriage One and just wanted to come visit me. She has no ill intentions and didn't mean to disturb anyone.”
Softened by Bai Ci's attitude, Wisteria's irritation subsided slightly. He gave a small nod. “I see, so she is Miss Lora's friend. However, even friends must maintain boundaries. She cannot remain in Carriage One for long.”
He paused, then continued, “Additionally, Miss Lora, you must have heard the announcement just now.”
“An emergency has occurred on the train, and the dining car has descended into a bit of chaos. Please avoid going there for the time being. It is safer for you to remain in Carriage One.”
“I understand. Thank you for the warning,” Bai Ci said, gently wiping away the blood-tear on Arbiter's face.
She helped Arbiter sit down in her own seat to rest, then whispered, “Are you okay? Is your eye hurting?”
Gritting her teeth against the agonizing pain in her eye, Arbiter wanted to make up a lie, claiming she had an eye condition that was flaring up.
But her class restrictions dictated her manner of speech, making it impossible to use such a normal excuse.
With a resigned, devil-may-care attitude, Arbiter said, “My eye has suffered the backlash of destiny and is currently enduring the punishment of the abyss. It is of no consequence; a brief respite shall suffice.”
In a way, she had actually spoken the truth.
Her eye had bled precisely because of the backlash from the overwhelming negative emotions swirling around Wisteria.
“I understand,” Bai Ci said, catching on. She let out a helpless sigh and covered for her. “Even at a time like this, you're still speaking in that fantasy-novel style.”
Turning to the others, she explained Arbiter's words. “Arbiter has had an eye condition since childhood. She can't look at things for too long and is highly sensitive to bright lights. She must have accidentally strained it just now for this to happen.”
From the side, Violita glanced at Arbiter, then at Bai Ci. A flash of understanding crossed his eyes, and he spoke up in a professional tone to help back up Bai Ci's lie.
“Indeed. Judging by this young lady's symptoms, it does appear to be a congenital eye condition.”
“It is highly likely that her optic nerve is hypersensitive, making it prone to congestion and tearing when stimulated, accompanied by severe pain in acute cases. She needs immediate rest and must avoid bright lights and eye strain.”
He paused, then added, “I have some knowledge of medicine. If this young lady does not mind, I have an ointment that can temporarily alleviate her discomfort.”
“However, the ointment takes some time to take effect, meaning she will need to remain in Carriage One to rest for a while. Could the trainmaster be a bit more lenient with the rules?”
Wisteria did not even look at Violita. His gaze lingered on Bai Ci's face for a brief moment before he chose to back down.
“I see. My apologies for the offense. Since this young lady is unwell, she may remain in Carriage One to rest for now. However, please refrain from wandering around, so as not to disturb the other passengers.”
Bai Ci quickly nodded in gratitude. “Thank you for your understanding, Mr. Wisteria. We will certainly be careful.”
Rate on N.U.
