501 BE CAREFUL ON YOUR WAY

After the thrill to be able to come back, Senja realized two things.

First, her hair was still the color of purple and second, she lost her ability. She didn't mind the former, but the later slightly bother her.

Her original plan was required her to use her ability to defeat Modama, but now since it has gone, she needed to rearrange her plan again.

The next morning, Senja had awake even before the sun kissed the horizon and walked into Qianru's room in her simple black clothes and sword hung on her waist.

The girl was still fast asleep and didn't even aware there was someone coming inside her room, only after Senja shook her shoulder to wake her up, she groaned and opened her eyes with alert.

"Senja?" She asked with puzzled expression. "What are you doing?" She looked around her, but didn't find anything that could be possible as a threat.

Senja did not tell her about her departure last night, but because of the realization about her ability which has gone, she needed to go earlier than her plan to arrange something.

"Listen." Senja put her forefinger in front of her lips to ask her to not make a noise in the early morning. "I need to go to the Q city." Senja divulged her destination.

She needed to tell her about her departure because she didn't want Qianru to freak out when she couldn't find her and made unnecessary commotion to find her.

"Senja!" Her eyes widened in shock. "Q city is not safe now, the first city that they will take down is Q city!" Qianru warned her anxiously upon hearing her plan.

Senja had predicted before that Qianru would object her idea, hence she had prepared the answer that could make her agree no matter what.

"There is traitor among Xiao Jun's confidants and I have a way to find it out. If the traitor still there and no one aware about this, the result of this war will be differ from our expectation."

"Traitor?" Qianru evidently shocked by the news, her eyes widened in disbelief.

"Yes, that's why I need to go." Senja took her hands and squeezed them to reassure her. "I will be fine, moreover it is their place that I will be heading."

Qianru still felt unease to let Senja go by herself, but the weight of her words before about the traitor was too heavy to be ignored.

And for Senja, she didn't need her ability to assess the anxiety and worry in Qianru's heart, it was as clear as day to see.

Finally after contemplating for awhile, she nodded reluctantly, "You have to be careful Senja." She added.

"I will." Senja said. "I want you to do something for me."

"What is it?"

"First, don't mention about my departure in your letter to Xiao Jun and second… " Senja leaned on her and whispered something into her ear.

Furrowed on Qianru's brows showed her confusion. "Why I should do that?"

"For the safety of all people here." Senja shook her hands lightly, "Promise me you will do that. This is very important."

Qianru hesitant, but she nodded in the end. "I promise."

"Keep your promise Qianru. It's about life and death."

Qianru nodded to reassure Senja, indicating that she would do as she told. "I will."

"Then, it's time for me to leave."

Both of them hugged each other warmly before Senja stepped out of the room. She was wearing her straw hat to cover her purple hair and black clothes with sword hung on her waist, she looked like a wanderer.

Even the guard who saw Senja having hard time to recognize her if she didn't take off her hat and showed them her striking purple hair. They didn't allow her to leave at first, but after some threat here and there, finally they obliged.

When Senja was about to ride her horse out of the northern fortress, Xiao Mugi met her in the stables. His short legs stumbled while his chest rise and fall, he was panting heavily.

"Where are you going?" He asked curiously, assessing Senja's outfit that out of place.

"To save the day!" Senja said heroically.

"It's dangerous out there." He said with his childish tone.

Upon hearing his words, Senja stopped preparing her horse and crouched down in front of the boy until their eyes leveled.

"What? Do you worry about me now?" Senja queried with amusement.

"No." He blurted out, but backed away in the process as tinge of red strike his chubby cheeks. He was simply so adorable in Senja's eyes.

"Come here boy, tell me what you want." Senja waved her hand to call him back.

Strangely, this time Xiao Mugi didn't complain when Senja called him 'boy' and obediently took a step forward.

"Will you meet my father?" He asked timidly.

Xiao Mugi question brought back a memory to Senja, despite she had heard this before, she didn't mind to hear it again. So, with smile on her face she replied with the same answer.

"Hmm." Senja nodded. "I will meet him."

"Will you tell him to comeback before my birthday?" He pleaded timidly. "He had missed my birthday three times." Xiao Mugi said with sorrow engulfed his small body.

"When your birthday?" Senja asked with mirth dancing in her eyes.

"Two months from now I will turn seven." He said.

"Two months." Senja drawled like she did back then. "Alright, I will tell him. I hope he can make it."

The little boy fiddled with his fingers while looking at his feet.

Senja was waiting his next words, but looking at Xiao Mugi move awkwardly, she stood up and said. "Alright, I think it's time for me to leave." She said.

When she was about to get on her horse, Xiao Mugi spoke with voice that like a whisper. "I know my father is busy, but at least you can comeback for my birthday, right?"

The boy stared at Senja expectantly with the eyes that looked like Xiao Tianyao.

The smile bloomed on Senja's lips while a warm tear trickled down on the corner of her eyes, she bent over and hugged Xiao Mugi's warm body that smell like milk tightly.

"Alright." While saying that, Senja gave him big kisses on both of his cheeks and tousled his head. "Promise." This time she meant to keep her promise.

Xiao Mugi's eyes widened when he received Senja's kisses, but then he did the thing that caught her out off guard and warmed her heart.

He kissed Senja back on the cheek and said. "Be careful on your way."

"I will."