At night, Dingyi District.
Reiichi Shigure and Caldesia were walking on the road to the apartment building.
"That's it...that's it..."
The top hat woman nodded and said, "So the three of you went to fight the Dragon Scourge two weeks ago."
Shigurei nodded in agreement.
Shigure Reiichi's right arm was locked.
Rei Shigure felt a numbness in his arm.
"Say! Why don't you take me with you!
! "
The blonde girl's question reminded him of a lion's roar.
"The dragon is scary. I'm worried about you getting hurt."
"Reiichi! You know I like these the most!"
That’s why we absolutely cannot let you have access to it.
Rei Shigure realized that it would be useless to reason, so he could only say in a low voice: "Forgive me."
"Don't hide it from me next time."
"Okay, okay."
Caldesia let go of her boyfriend's arm, crossed her chest and asked, "How many things have you done without telling me in the past few years?"
"……a lot of."
"Explain it to me one by one."
"In this case, Caldesia will walk with me until early tomorrow morning."
This statement is somewhat exaggerated.
According to estimates, it will be almost done in the second half of the night.
"It doesn't matter~ Anyway, with you by my side, Reiichi will be responsible for solving any troubles caused by some unsighted gangsters."
The largest gangster group in the city was crushed by you just a few hours ago. Now it is a difficult task to find gangsters who are brave enough to cause trouble for you.
Even so, he answered as usual.
"Okay, leave it to me."
The girl seemed dissatisfied again.
"Reiichi, you've already started dating and you're still the same as before."
“Should I change my style?”
"No, you must not become that domineering CEO with sunglasses, soldiers, and a muscular man."
I can't imagine what kind of person you describe.
"So, is it still the same as before?"
"No~~~~We still need to change something!"
Really bothering.
He says he wants to change but doesn't give any direction, and expects things to remain the same as before.
You are such a willful girl.
He encouraged himself mentally.
Hesitantly and with some flinching, he stretched out his hand and gently took the girl's hand.
"so?"
Caldesia snuggled against his shoulder.
"That's good."
He truly felt happy. Indescribably beautiful. If abandoning everything could turn this moment into eternity, he would be willing to do it.
"...You are such a willful girl."
"Anyway, there is someone who will always tolerate me."
He sent the girl to the door of the apartment, and the two chatted about friends as usual.
"Gongsun Ce and Xiaoqian feel there is progress."
"I think so, they've been through a tough battle together."
"What the hell! It's like fighting is a date."
"For those of us living in this city, fighting is our daily life."
"I don't want this kind of daily life. Do you think Kirara-chan will tell us her story?"
"I think so."
In the Capital of the Sky, it is common sense in interpersonal communication to not interfere with each other, not to inquire about each other, and to carefully control the distance between people without disturbing each other.
No one knows if the people around them may be hiding secrets.
No one knows whether the secret will harm others or themselves.
However, after experiencing this day, Shigure Reiichi had new feelings.
"I think... being honest with each other is what makes a true friend."
Caldesia nodded hard at his face.
"This is common sense! Reiichi! You've been in a dark corner for too long and you still have to say this with deep understanding?!"
He thought of the fire in the cinema this morning and said with a wry smile.
"Cardesia didn't do a very good job in this regard either."
"I am...that...people need to grow up! Give me enough room to grow!"
"Yes Yes Yes."
He stopped at the door and watched Caldesia walking towards the door of the apartment.
"Reiichi, the theme of the next club event is a reflection meeting on the date battle, tell those three guys not to be absent!"
Sure enough, I won't let this matter go.
He could almost imagine the embarrassing scene in the activity room.
"Okay, okay."
Shigure Reiichi stood in the shadow outside the street lamp.
He touched his nose awkwardly, "Next time... I will definitely do better."
Caldesia smiled, turned around and said, "I'll wait for you!"
Her smile was as bright as the sun, illuminating the young man in the shadow.
·
A few minutes later.
Rei Shigure changed into his vest and hot pants and was sitting on the sofa drinking beer.
She had been running around outside all day, and finally had some free time at night. As soon as she ate a bowl of noodles, she saw Ming Ke stirring things up in the central area.
The female hunter finally understood where the gray-haired young man's calmness that remained unchanged despite the landslide came from. She has only been here for two weeks and has seen so much. Gongsun Ce has lived here for who knows how many years, and his nerves may have been trained to a monster level.
Therefore, when she learned that Gongsun Ce was going to fight with Ming Ke, she was not surprised at all. She only sighed: Ah, this is what that guy would do.
Now the huntress can finally rest after a hard day's work. She had just turned on the TV to have some fun when she heard the sound of keys at the door.
"I'm back~"
The landlord who walked in smiled like a fool.
"Ah, who is this infatuated female college student? My landlord is a bachelor."
"This time, that time."
Rei Shigure took a sip of beer and noticed that the blonde at the door took off her hat and pinched the brim of her hat, looking very coy for some reason.
"What the hell, that expression of yours reminds me of a dead fish turned upside down in the sewer."
Caldesia said with a smile.
"Alice kiss~I...should I call you sister?"
“Cough, cough, cough, cough!
!
"
Before yelling at Shigure Reiichi, Miss Rei Shigure choked on the beer in her mouth.
·
"The next stop is Conghua Road. Passengers heading to Thorny District, please get off within three stops. The next stop is Conghua Road..."
Synthetic electronic music was playing on the last bus, and the bus was empty except for two people with super powers sitting in the rear seats.
"I'm not flying back this time."
"I think I've flown enough today. I can't do it anymore, I don't have the strength, I can't do it anymore."
"It's obvious that we have replenished the food."
"Consider mental fatigue, please, Miss."
The gray-haired young man looked at the passing lights outside the window and said, "Where is Qiluo?"
"I originally lived in the central area. Let's stay at my place for one more night today."
"oh oh."
Qin Qianbai looked at the roof of the car and said expressionlessly: "I feel a sense of crisis."
"Why, are you planning to enter the idol industry? Give up. Singers of the San Wu Wu Sect won't become popular!"
"Using martial arts instead of dance as a selling point."
"I'm afraid the audience is all uncles with big eyebrows and beards."
"Selling duel rolls to core fans."
"Fans who will buy this product are recommended to purchase personal accident insurance together."
"You can have a life-and-death duel with the idol with the scroll."
"Don't take it literally and you will die!"
Winter, winter. The eldest lady silently poked him with her elbow in protest.
"Look, look, this is punishment for Ah Ce who keeps looking for trouble."
“You don’t have to see it to feel it.”
The bus has arrived. The gray-haired young man got out of the car while rubbing his flanks, and the eldest lady jumped down deftly to follow.
They stood by the platform and watched the bus drive away until the last light of the car lights was hidden in the urban night.
"..."
The expressionless girl has no words.
Gongsun Ce pushed up his glasses and asked first.
"So... is it because of Ming Ke that you are like this?"
From the moment they met until now, he had never asked the girl why she didn't want to show her expression.
This is her privacy, her domain. As an outsider, it's better not to step into other people's hearts.
With this idea, he can persist in this city until now by relying only on fragile threads to connect each other.
However, should I say that I think I am already very familiar with it? Or is it that his stubborn ideas have also been changed in the recent series of events?
He wanted to know more about this girl.
Why are you like this. Do you feel dissatisfied with your situation? Even if he would be rejected by the other party, he still wanted to ask these questions.
"It has something to do with him."
To put it this way, it shows that Ming Ke was not all the factors that made her change.
"If I were to explain everything, it would be a very boring story." She looked sideways at herself, "Ace, do you want to hear it?"
"Just explain it within the scope that it won't be too unpleasant for you."
They walked along the road towards the apartment building. The eldest lady jumped up to the edge of the flower bed and walked backwards as usual.
She talked about her childhood.
Practicing martial arts, going to school, practicing martial arts with his family, getting to know Uncle Ming, getting to know Uncle Ming's classmates... until that snowy night, when Ming Ke was born.
Qin Qianbai concluded: "I feel that from that day on, my personality became less positive than before."
The superpower took a deep breath.
"——This is not a question of being active or not. A seven-year-old child is going to be autistic when he sees these things and has a psychological shadow! Fortunately, that person has the nerve to act like an elder and say, 'You should smile more. Just laugh 'hell no points for what he did to himself!
! "
"Speaking so fast."
Gongsun Ce raised his forehead and sighed: "...I regret not hitting him hard this afternoon. I should have used a sword."
"It's better not to use such dangerous things."
Gongsun Ce smacked his lips in displeasure.
"That bastard. When I become a master of magic, I will take this debt back no matter what."
The girl jumped down from the flower bed and approached the young man.
"It's obviously my business, why is Ace angry?"
The gray-haired young man was speechless for a moment.
"...Most people will feel sorry for you after hearing this! Such an excessive uncle!"
"is that so?"
"Hey, that's it!" He rubbed his hair, "You really want to beat him?"
"Yes. As a warrior and as a junior, I want to defeat this man."
Wanting to defeat someone, wanting to prove one's strength.
Gongsun Ce rarely had such feelings.
He is not the strongest, there are many people who are better than him. He always feels that winning or losing the battle is secondary, as long as he can achieve his goal.
"I am also very unhappy about Mr. Gongsun being cut so badly this time. Next time we will defeat him together."
"Lie, Ace doesn't care about victory or defeat."
It’s embarrassing to be caught out every time you lie, so you have to make up a better lie next time.
"Don't say that, I also have a desire to win. Let's make a deal."
"Um."
The two walked back to the apartment and took the elevator up to the seventh floor.
The eldest lady said before entering the door.
"I remember, Ace still owes me 24 hours."
"You still remember this now?! Promise me to put the unpleasantness of the morning behind me, okay?!"
The girl raised the corners of her mouth with her fingers and made a smile.
"No, good night."
He followed suit and made the same movements.
"Yes, good night."
·
Gongsun Ce walked into the room. The half-read letter and the unopened package were still lying on the table.
He recalled the unfinished second half of the letter, which contained Miss Knight's comments and her current situation.
"well……"
The happy mood faded away little by little, and tension and anxiety took over the body again. He felt a dull pain in his stomach. Even when he faced Ming Ke's Feitian Pure Land, he had never felt such torture.
How would she evaluate her actions? He doesn't want to know. He was afraid to know. It's time to escape reality! Hurry up and put the letter away as if you haven't seen it before, go back to bed, have a good sleep, and then take it out to read it when you are in a good mood the next day!
Gongsun Ce sighed repeatedly.
"...It would be nice if I could escape."
He sat at the desk and took the letter piece by piece. Finally, he made up his mind to open his eyes and focus on the first line of writing.
"About your evaluation and my current situation."
"I am very happy that you wrote to me in Common Language, which shows that you have not forgotten the due etiquette. I am also surprised by the number of grammatical errors in the letter. Ce, your level of Common Language is not improved compared to three years ago. retreat."
"I made a copy of your letter paper, and the errors and corrections in the writing were pointed out in the copy. I also gave them two books, "Fundamentals and Application of Common Language" and "Collected Letters of Alvin Poli". The former is written by Mo The Introductory Manual on Lingua Franca compiled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Don for foreign guests is detailed and will help you solidify your foundation; the latter is a collection of letters exchanged by well-known figures in the 19th century. It is beautifully written and can be used as a model for imitating Lingua Franca letters."
Gongsun Ce opened the package expressionlessly.
The one at the top is a copy of his letter. It is full of red pen check marks, and it looks like a short essay that has been corrected by a conscientious foreign language teacher.
Underneath the copy of the letter were two brick-thick foreign books. He grabbed the books and flipped through them twice, then placed them very slowly on the corner of the desk, and then slammed the letter paper onto the table.
"You are mentally ill, you woman!
! "
The next line read: "I think you are letting out your usual curse words, which is not a good habit."
The gray-haired young man said filial piety: "What's wrong with me just scolding people?! I've had enough of being polite. Mr. Gongsun, I'm not suitable for this kind of behavior!"
"If your mind is dominated by violent emotions, please calm down for five minutes before reading the letter."
Gongsun Ce went to the bathroom and washed his face. He was amazed that Miss Knight's rank was still as high as before. There was probably no other person in the world who could make him angry with just a few lines of words.
He returned to the table again and picked up the letter.
"I think you've regained your composure."
"Ce, you know your character weaknesses. You are not an easy person to get along with. I was surprised when I saw you talking about your new friends. You are always used to closing your heart, which makes it difficult for you to get along with others. Make real friends.”
"You told me about the way people in Sky City get along with each other. To me, it sounds like fragile and lonely hedgehogs, eager to get close to each other, but worried about hurting each other. This is not surprising. Many people have grown up. Teenagers and girls in cities all have similar emotions. But in your city, this has become a real concern: the default rules justify alienation and give everyone an excuse to avoid communication."
"Human beings grow up through injuries. You are alienated from each other and hold great power, but your hearts may not be as mature as your appearance."
Gongsun Ce squeezed the letter tightly.
If it were before today, he would have commented on it no matter what. Now, he had to admit that the other person's words were correct to a certain extent.
"Treading on the Stars"
But in this city, alienation is a kind of protection. In order to keep the people you care about away from danger, they always need to keep distance between each other.
"You will argue that this is to protect each other and stay away from trouble. Ce, maybe other people have to live like this, but you are different. You have the wisdom and strength to protect others."
you think too much.
"You're going to deny what I'm saying. You think you're powerless because you always want to do everything right and you think you should be responsible for everything - it's a sign of arrogance and an excuse for self-loathing."
Her words were sharper than Mo Yuankai's.
She never takes her feelings into consideration tenderly, only speaking her mind frankly.
"Neither you nor I are the center of the world. If we die at this moment, all we can affect are our relatives and friends. So when I saw your self-blame in the letter, I was extremely surprised—— Why do you think you are to blame?"
He looked at the words on the letter and moved his eyes inch by inch. The gears in my brain seem to be rusty, and my thinking is stuck in front of a certain obstacle, making it difficult to move forward, let alone filling in the understanding of information into the thinking circuit.
He read it subconsciously, reading it quickly, wanting to stuff the letter paper into his eyes.
"Three years ago we experienced a painful disaster, and many people died that day. The Netherworld Disaster, the Glazed Disaster, the Order, and that evil, despicable man. We fought against so many enemies, and You participated in all the battles and personally brought the final disaster to an end. This achievement is worthy of anyone being proud of. I don’t understand where your self-blame comes from.”
Very slowly, he transformed words into information and processed information into cognition. It felt like it took him a long time to understand what she said.
He felt stuffy in his heart, and there was a warm feeling, flowing to his limbs and bones like fluid, gathering in his eyes, almost turning into liquid and flowing out.
"If you are still obsessed with your failure to kill the Glazed Dragon, I would like to repeat it again: human power has its limit. Under the circumstances, you have done your best."
He pressed his eyes hard without using his superpowers. After a while, the next line of words came into view.
"Three years have passed. You should look to the present and the future, step out of the past, and bravely welcome a new life."
"Don't be afraid of getting hurt, and open your heart to the people you care about. I know your tenacity and strength."
"You are my best assistant."
The warm liquid wetted the letter paper, turning the words into black ink.
He had been running away for three years, afraid of hearing her disappointed scoldings. Now he thought he was a little stronger and prepared, but found that the things he feared never existed.
He seemed to see Miss Knight writing at the desk. Three years have not left any trace on her body. She is still calm and kind, and her gray eyes are shining with the light of reason and wisdom, making him unable to look away.
Gongsun Ce laughed in a low voice: "Where did you get the psychological counselor? It's so unsuitable for you. It's really..."
He continued to talk nonsense that even he didn't care about. I just feel that my body has become much more relaxed. The stress, fatigue, and anxiety accumulated in the past disappeared with the words in the reply.
He then looked down, and the Dawn Knight wrote a lot more about the situation of Superbia's revival. The ancient city is gradually restoring its original appearance, and many new buildings have been added during reconstruction. Due to the shortage of manpower, there are fewer knights patrolling the streets, and more hunters in black have joined the official troops. The public has mixed reviews... He scanned the descriptions of what the knights saw line by line, and his mouth was filled with happiness. The ground is raised.
"...About my current situation. After unloading the burden, I have a lot more free time every day, which I use for reading and exercise. I try to watch the animations you recommended once a month. A few of them are worth watching. Most of it is dull and boring.”
You really saw it.
"About everyone in the Knights. The position of leader is still vacant, and we have welcomed two new members: Knight Branagh is an introverted man who loves painting, and Knight Akuya is a person who is keen on parties and socializing. Ladies. They have great talent, but they still lack experience.”
"Knight Gaffrey is troubled by the new members. This may be one of the reasons why his hairline is receding this year."
"After hearing your letter, Knight Raquel presented you with a set of uniforms for high school girls in the middle of the empire, and suggested that I attach a recent photo of you wearing them. He claimed that this would make you more energetic, but I was skeptical. .Considering your habit of sitting naked at your desk, I decided to abandon his suggestion."
It’s amazing, the human brain.
Just a few lines of writing can awaken the unbearable past.
The good times were immediately replaced by embarrassing memories.
“No one wants to see something like that!
Gongsun Ce held his head and screamed, "Besides, you still remember the misunderstanding from so long ago!" "
"Knight Orianna found a new heavy sword. In a strategic sense, it cannot replace the previous weapon, but she declared that it is 'very convenient'. She has been really busy recently and has offered to give her position back to me many times. All the suggestions were rejected by me. As you said, she already has the ability to solve difficulties."
"Knight Orianna is very concerned about Mo Yuankai's current situation. Attached is her verbal advice: 'Gongsun Ce, please help me urge him to lose weight, otherwise I will cry.'"
It seems that the eldest brother is in trouble.
"I would like to say hello to you and Mo Yuankai on behalf of all the knights."
"Looking forward to your next letter."
"Yours truly, Airandia."
Gongsun Ce carefully collected the letter and put it in the drawer.
He continued to unpack the package. Under the two books was a locked notebook, which was to be handed over to Yan Qi later. There was also a box of biscuits lying at the bottom, which should be a return gift from Miss Knight. There was a handwritten card tied with a ribbon on the box, with the same handwriting as on the letter paper.
"Can be shared with friends."
Gongsun Ce ate a small piece of biscuit. It's not to his taste, it tastes too bland.
He put away the card, went into the room and lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling idly, thinking of the scenes he had experienced today, and the chaotic thoughts in his mind gradually calmed down.
I felt an unprecedented sense of peace in my heart, and a smile appeared on my lips. Just at this moment, all worries disappear.
Gongsun Ce lay in the leisurely spring night, feeling the surrounding environment.
It was not as quiet as using the Silence Mantra. I could hear the noise outside the window, the clock ticking, and my own steady breathing.
Tranquility with a hint of noise...
The tranquility of everyday life.
