……
”Teacher! Teacher! I have returned!” Baelin dashed in quickly into the little shop with forge and anvils, smiling triumphantly. “I have also advanced into a Grand Knight and plucked the Dragon-Blooded Flower Bud for Jenny!”
As for Leylin, he sat at the counter concentrating on brewing his tea filled with yellow fellow petals and green buds, all this while not lifting his head.
”After cultivating in the breathing technique I’ve taught you, you managed to advance into a Grand Knight only now? What a big idiot you are! Also, when have I ever accepted you as my disciple?”
Baelin’s smile turned stiff.
”So… So when I slain that Goat-Horned Earth Dragon I heard your voice!”
The youth began to mutter to himself, “Back then you have admitted that I was your student, and even helped me to defeat…Argh!”
*Pak!* Leylin used a vine to lash at Baelin’s head.
”This is your imagination, kiddo! Want to be my student? Cultivate for another ten thousand years first!”
Under the relentless verbal abuse, Baelin’s head drooped.
He was extremely embarrassed now and had the urge to find a hole and hide in it. After slaying the Goat-Horned Earth Dragon, he knew that he had hallucinated, but he still wished to make use of this opportunity to make Leylin his master. These were also incited by Jenny and James.
Evidently, this shameless plan of his failed!
Leylin would never acknowledge him as his student, which left Baelin standing there, not knowing what to say.
”Haha… Mister Leylin is really a strict teacher!”
At this moment, Jenny walked in and reduced the awkwardness for Baelin.
”I am just educating this silly little chap!” Leylin smiled humbly.
As for Baelin, he heaved a sigh of relief and stood at the side.
”Actually… For Baelin to be able to advance to a Grand Knight at his age, he is considered to have a remarkable talent! Even in the aspects of the more mysterious arts, I believe he will have exceptionally great talent…” Jenny deliberated, “Mister, why don’t you give him a chance?”
Although Baelin did not quite understand what Jenny meant, he still looked gratefully at Jenny.
“I am rather strict when it comes to the selection of my students!” Leylin shook his head and expressed his rejection on the matter.
Hearing that, Baelin lowered his head again.
As for Jenny, she could only give a comforting gaze to him.
“Your purpose of coming here wouldn’t only be to speak about this, would it?” Leylin sipped on his tea, with no intention to brewing a cup for Jenny as he asked.
”Actually, picking the Dragon-Blooded Flower Bud was only made possible with the help of Mister Leylin. Also, regarding the Explosive Flaming Wolves, I have come here to express my heartfelt appreciation!”
Jenny curtsied and smiled wryly, “With your capabilities, Mister, I don’t think I can offer you anything that you’ll need. However, in the future should you require the assistance of the Argus Family, please send along your requests! I, Jenny Argus, solemnly swear by the name of the Sun Vines, that I will not refuse your bidding!”
Jenny’s face turned solemn as she made an oath.
”Also, I have come here to bid farewell to you, Mister!”
“Wait!” Before Leylin could speak, Baelin opened his mouth in shocked, “Jenny, you… you’re leaving?”
The Resolution Of A Youth
“Yes!” Jenny nodded.
“The Dragon-Blooded Flower Bud will perish soon, and my father will not be able to hold on much longer with his illness!”
”Alright then! I wish you a safe journey back to your home!” Baelin smiled with reluctance.
”Thank you!” Jenny did not speak further.
”Alright! The eastern capital is where the Argus Family is, I will pay a visit in the future!” Leylin sipped on his tea and stretched his right hand, gesturing as a gentleman.
”If Mister can come, then it would be the happiest thing that happened to Jenny!”
Jenny smiled, “How about returning home with me? My father would definitely be excited to be your acquaintance!” She looked at Baelin, “Of course, big brother Baelin, can come too!”
Hearing this, Baelin grew nervous as he looked eagerly at Leylin.
”My apologies! I have no desires to travel right now!” Leylin declined without hesitation, once again making Baelin look down in dismay.
Hearing this, Jenny turned silent for a moment, before she curtsied and took her leave.
”What’s wrong? If you have nothing else to do then get to work!”
Leylin roared at Baelin.
”Yes, Boss!” Baelin replied dispiritedly.
”Hehe… Youths!”
Leylin grinned silently.
This eastern region was one he would definitely pay a visit to. It was not only the centre of the mortals’ government, but it was also a gathering place for the Magi. It was rumoured to have large scale magic bazaars too.
However, going there of his own choice and being invited were two entirely different concepts.
With Leylin’s strength right now, he could do whatever he liked, but it would often attract some unwanted problems.
Furthermore, his injuries had not healed completely. Before finding enough methods to curb the emotional instabilities of Warlocks, he did not wish to have a high profile.
Hence, entering the area inhabited by Magi in the eastern region through the Argus family, was a wise choice.
Through the earlier spying done, Leylin had guessed that Jenny’s road back home would not be smooth sailing. Evidently, Jenny had the same feeling, hence she invited Leylin to travel back with her.
Leylin understood that the most precious things were often unobtainable. Hence he would let Jenny encounter setbacks and beg him before he would help her, creating a false impression in front of her.
Moreover, there was an even better reason now!
Leylin glanced at Baelin who was nurturing his sorrow at the side before his lips curled up at one corner of his mouth.
A Magus who was fed up with the dangerous Magus world and was starting to live in seclusion under his apprentice’s involvement with a girl, would once again enter the fray of the Magus world. Yes, it seemed like a pretty good excuse to return!
As for the age? Magi never bothered with appearances nor age.
As for Leylin, he could also use his bloodline to change his aura, eyes, body shape and appearances in minute proportions, allowing him to look much older than he was. This was enough to fool many Magi.
……
Jenny journeyed with haste. Once she left the town after bidding Leylin farewell, she continued her journey hurriedly.
”Why? You wish to go after her?”
Looking at the horse carriage that was gradually turning smaller in the horizon, Baelin stood rooted to the spot. Leylin could not help himself but mock him.
Provoking this youth daily was part of Leylin’s amusement outside of his cultivation and research.
“I’ll definitely go to the eastern capital. Definitely, but not now!” A flame of hope seemed to start burning in Baelin’s eyes.
“Boss! No, my lord! Please train me more rigorously! I want to be a man whose name will shake the eastern region, and then look for Jenny there with these achievements.”
Baelin half-knelt on the ground, a great ambition, and thirst for power burning in his eyes!
“Haha, that’s good! I like that look in your eyes! Don’t worry, I’ll give you an even more ‘rigorous’ training… “ Leylin seemed to be harbouring some evil designs.
Originally, in such situations, perhaps a young man from a small town would train himself for many years and would then enter the eastern capital, and then take the Marquis’ daughter as his wife. It would be just another common occurrence.
But it was unfortunate — or perhaps one could call it inspiring — that, con
trary to Baelin’s own expectations, he would soon be reunited with Jenny!
The night that Jenny left, Baelin, who had been tortured by Leylin for an entire day and was about to crawl into his pitiful bed and get some sleep, was woken up by the sound of a fierce banging on the door.
“Baelin! Lord Leylin!” This was a woman’s voice, filled with fear, and it also belonged to the voice of someone Baelin would never forget.
“It’s Jenny!” He quickly got up at lightning speed and opened the entrance to the shop.
Jenny was standing covered in blood, with James lying on the ground. However, there was a large hole on this poor old man’s chest, with some arrows on his back. By the looks of it, he would not be able to live past tonight.
“Baelin, get Lord Leylin! Save…”
Upon seeing Baelin, Jenny relaxed and immediately collapsed in a dead faint.
“Hey! Who’s going to tell me what’s going on here?” Seeing the soft female body in his arms, Baelin looked ready to break down.
Wait! Wasn’t this how it usually went in tales involving Knights?
Where was the counterattack? Where was the wait? Where was the whole thing about meeting in the capital?
Baelin hugged Jenny tightly, his mind unable to work.
However, at this point, a warm blood gushed out and spilled into Baelin’s hands, causing him to come back to himself.
“Lord Leylin, we have a problem!” The fearful, hoarse voice of the young man seemed to resound throughout Potter Town.
Blood and flames! The glinting from a knife, and then the dazzling rays from rank 0 spells!
This was the last thing James had seen.
Though he had long since known of the malicious ways of Jenny’s two uncles, he had never imagined that they would be so gutsy as to ambush them right in the open, that too on the main street!
Under the sudden attack, Jenny’s temporary guards could not even withstand a single blow.
If not for them relying on the Marquis’ magic artifact that the Madam had secretly left behind for their use before they left, he and Jenny would not even be able to flee!
After that, they returned to Potter Town, escaping and fighting back on the way.
James had simply fainted after telling Jenny to obtain Sir Leylin’s help.
“This is…”
James opened his eyes, bewildered as he stared at the yellow light and the ceiling that he did not recognise.
“Sir James, you’re awake!” Baelin, who was at the side, quickly came over and tipped a bowl of green liquid into his mouth.
“Ugh…” Within the green liquid, there were numerous roots and suspicious things that looked like bugs floating on top. It looked extremely disgusting and the smell that seemed to come from a sewer assaulted his nostrils, almost causing this old man to black out.
“What’s this?” After being forced to drink two large gulps, James finally got the chance to push away the large bowl in Baelin’s hands.
He swore that even if he were to die, he would not want to smell this thing again.
“It’s some herbal medicine that Lord Leylin instructed me to boil. It’s very helpful towards your injuries!” Baelin pushed the bowl towards him, looking helpful.
“No, thank you so much for your help! Does this mean that I’m in Mister Leylin’s shop? How is the young miss?”
James immediately asked.
“Don’t worry, Jenny is very safe!” Baelin was a little confused, “Do you think you could tell me what happened?”
He was extremely curious towards the events that had befallen on them, but he felt sorry if he were to call Jenny awake, which was why he was still rather confused about the situation.
“What else could have happened?” James forced out a smile, and then gave a short summary of how Jenny’s two uncles had arranged an ambush.
“That’s vile!” Baelin felt aggrieved as he mumbled and then pounded on the table.
*Pak!* The sudden force that exploded caused the wooden table to be fall apart.
This loud sound also attracted the attention of another person.
”Sir Leylin, it’s all thanks to you this time!” After seeing Leylin enter, James struggled to get up and bowed.
James himself knew how severely injured he was. After all, it was caused by another level 3 acolyte.
However, being able to treat such injuries, Leylin’s identity had even become more mysterious.
”James, you are still sustaining injuries, so no need for such formalities!” Leylin smiled gently before tapping on Baelin’s head.
”Let us step out and let James have some more rest…”
”Oh! Okay!” Baelin who seemed to be dreaming got up and as he stepped through the door, he comforted James. “Sir James, you should recuperate here quietly, we’re safe here…”
”Of course! I have no doubts about that!”
James replied. How can a place that had an official Magus not be safe? If so, are there any safer places out there?
Apart from that, if Leylin wished to help them, Jenny and those two uncles of hers caught in the internal strife were only as significant as specks of dust.
”But what should we do to get Mister Leylin to help us?” James pondered.
Through some discreet inquiries made during this period, he had a little more understanding of Leylin.
Amongst the people that James knew, this Lord Leylin was aloof, proud and disliked troublesome matters, hence he seldom appeared in public places. The mortal items were just like floating clouds to him.
Apart from training Baelin each day, there was no other recreation that Leylin would partake in.
”Baelin! Right, Baelin!” James clapped his hands, an indescribable light in his eyes…
……
”Speak! What’s the matter?”
Leylin looked at Baelin, who seemed to be struggling within during the journey to the training grounds, and smiled.
“My lord, I’d like to take your leave for a period of time and escort Miss Jenny to the eastern capital!”
Hitchhike
The young man’s voice was resolute; his fists were clenched and his face flushed. Faint rays of light radiated from his body.
“So stubborn. Are you sure you won’t go back on your words? The moment you go to the eastern capital, I probably will no longer teach you!”
Leylin had a toying expression on his face.
“A Grand Knight isn’t anything much. There are probably a whole dozen in Jenny’s family. Let’s not even talk about the dangers on the way that will probably cause you to lose your life. What are you planning to do after you send her back? Be a captain of some guards at the Argus Family? Or perhaps, even worse, become a mercenary?”
“Have you thought of all these?”
Leylin asked.
Baelin had turned pale, but his voice was steady, “I know all that! But… but if I don’t send Jenny home safely, my heart will never be at ease. I know this for sure…”
“Fine! You can leave, but you are to never return.”
Leylin looked at this toy of his that was full of righteousness and gave an ultimatum before returning to his room.
*Boom!*
The door slammed shut, leaving Baelin standing outside, silently.
“Thank you, Baelin!” At this moment, a small, cold hand covered Baelin’s calloused palm.
“Jen..Jenny, you…” Baelin began to stutter as he spoke.
A finger that was equally icy — and was rather fragrant — was placed upon Baelin’s lips.
“You don’t need to say anything else!”
Jenny mumbled, and then rested her head on Baelin’s shoulders.
“When I was younger, what I liked the most was leaning against my Father’s body and resting my head on his chest. Now, can you lend me your shoulders to rest on for a while?”
“Of-of course. It’ll be my pleasure to…” Baelin stood there in a daze, his nostrils breathing in the fragrance from Jenny’s
hair. He did not dare move even a muscle.
……
A night passed and Baelin looked at his crush who had left his side, and also the trace of dampness on his shoulders, before smiling wryly.
“Let us set off!”
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