Linley nodded silently, and then sat down. “You guys aren’t drinking alcohol tonight?” Bending down, Linley retrieved a flagon of strong liquor from a chest, and immediately poured himself a cup.
“Third Bro, we need to talk to you about something,” Yale said with a grin.
“Talk.” Linley was in a very foul mood.
Yale said softly, “Tonight, when we were on the streets, we saw a girl. She looked a lot like your Alice. Honestly. We were a bit far away, so we couldn’t clearly tell. But that girl was holding hands with another guy.”
“Lies,” Linley said in a steely tone that brooked no argument.
Yale couldn’t help but start.
Reynolds clapped Linley on the shoulder with a laugh. “Third Bro. We’re all men. As men, how can we let women ride on our heads? Alice hasn’t shown up several times now. If I were you, I would’ve thrown her off a long time ago. Even if she knelt in front of me, I wouldn’t pay her any mind.”
“Fourth Bro, you’re just a punk ass kid. What would you know?” Linley said with a laugh, and then he drank a large cup of liquor. “Come, enough chitchat. I’m in a foul mood. Drink with me.”
Reynolds, Yale, and George all exchanged glances. They couldn’t do anything besides sit down and drink with Linley.
Early next morning, Linley, Yale, George, and Reynolds were all sleeping, stretched across the table. Linley was the first one to wake up.
Seeing his three dear friends, a bitter smile was on Linley’s face. In his heart, he murmured to himself, “Boss Yale, Second Bro, Fourth Bro… all of you accompanied me in drinking and said so many words of encouragement to me. I understand what you guys are thinking. For Alice to miss our appointment these past two, three times, I too had a bad feeling, but… I don’t believe it. I’m not willing to.”
Linley walked over to the window, looking down.
It was five or six in the early morning. The City of Fenlai seemed to have just woken up as well. Only a small number of people were walking about, preparing to work. The vast majority of people were still sleeping.
“Linley.” Doehring Cowart flew out from within the Coiling Dragon ring.
Doehring Cowart was forever dressed in those pristine, long white robes. His white beard was forever long.
“Grandpa Doehring.” Upon seeing Doehring Cowart appear, Linley suddenly felt as though he himself was a lonely boat that had finally reached the harbor.
Glancing at the sleeping dorm mates, Doehring Cowart laughed. “Linley, you have three really good friends. As for the affairs of the heart between men and women? I can only say this. In the 1300 years when I was alive, from what I’ve seen, perhaps only one time out of ten would I see a person be successful in his first love.”
“Grandpa Doehring, I get it,” Linley barely nodded. “But… I trust her.”
Doehring Cowart nodded as well. He no longer spoke.
In the middle of November, Linley put on his backpack, making sure to secure the two memory crystals within, and then headed towards Fenlai City again, once more arriving at the two-story house.
“Uncle Hudd, has Alice come back yet?” Linley said courteously to the guard named Hudd.
Hudd shook his head. “No. It’s been over a month since Miss Alice has come back. She hasn’t returned a single time.”
“Not a single time?” Linley frowned, furrows appearing in his forehead. “Then Uncle Hudd, I’ll head out now.” Linley courteously bid farewell.
Walking alone on the Dry Road, Linley walked over to the bar, but did not enter. Bebe mentally said to him, “Boss, don’t be so worried. For Alice to not appear, maybe she just has some important things going on? For example, maybe she went to do training. That’s always a possibility. Don’t stand here thinking idle thoughts.”
“Right. Maybe she’s busy dealing with something and can’t get free.” Linley’s eyes suddenly came alive again.
Seeing this, Bebe couldn’t help but wrinkle his little nose. “Boss, you are so love-struck that you’ve gone dumb. Just a few words of encouragement and you’re incredibly excited.”
“You little punk. No alcohol for you today, as punishment.” Linley didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
But Linley also had to admit that after joking around with Bebe, his mood had improved a little.
November 29th. This was a blizzard day, and snow covered everything in white. Linley, Reynolds, Yale, and George were all seated within a carriage. The driver was someone belonging to Yale’s merchant clan, and behind them there were several knights escorting Linley’s sculptures.
“Third Bro. In the next few days, the end-of-the-year exams will be coming. I wonder if that fellow who was once proclaimed the number one genius of our institute has become a magus of the sixth rank yet.” Yale chuckled.
George and Reynolds were all extremely proud.
Because in the previous week? Linley had reached the realm of the sixth rank.
In truth, Linley had reached the fourth rank when he was thirteen, the fifth rank when he was fourteen, and by now, he was almost seventeen. After two and a half years, Linley had finally made the transition from being a magus of the fifth rank to a magus of the sixth rank.
Two and a half years!
What about that Dixie, who was previously regarded as the ultimate genius of the Institute?
Dixie had become a magus of the fifth rank when he was twelve, but now he was also around seventeen. It had been five years. Honestly speaking, Dixie’s progression was also extremely fast. However, compared to Linley, who was assisted by the Straight Chisel School’s technique of stonecarving, he was much slower.
If, at the end-of-the-year exams, Linley had reached the sixth rank while Dixie had not, then Linley would be known as the indisputable number one genius of the Ernst Institute.
“Third Bro, try and smile. Becoming a magus of the sixth rank is something you should be happy about,” Reynolds said encouragingly.
Linley quirked his lips.
“You call that a smile?” Reynolds intentionally tried to tease Linley.
Linley finally let out a smile. “Alright, Fourth Bro, let me be quiet for a while.” Linley had already decided that this time, no matter what, he was going to meet Alice. If he couldn’t see her in Fenlai City, he would go directly to the Wellen Institute to look for her.
No matter what, he had to have a face-to-face with Alice and sort things out.
Opening the carriage window, Linley let a cold gust of air inside. He couldn’t help but squint. Outside, everything was blanketed in white, and the sky itself was filled with feather-like plumes of snow. While enjoying the winter scenery, the time passed quickly, and they soon arrived at Fenlai City.
After delivering the three sculptures to the Proulx Gallery, the four of them had a meal, then temporarily parted ways.
By now, Linley’s income was very high. Almost each month, he was able to collect around 20,000 gold pieces. Thus, Linley didn’t really care much about money anymore. Carrying his backpack with two memory crystals, Linley headed directly to Alice’s home.
“Boss, if I recall correctly, this is the fourth time that you’ve headed to Fenlai City with these memory crystals, right?” Bebe said disapprovingly. “How about you give them to Delia instead? I rather like Delia.”
From October until now, this indeed was the fourth time that Linley had carried these memory crystal balls to Fenlai City.
“That’s enough, Bebe,” Linley said with a frown.
Walking on the snow-covered street, crunching noises could be heard with each step Linley took. In short order, he arrived at that familiar, two-story house.
After seeing and briefly speaking with Hudd, Linley could only turn and depart.
“Once again, not back.” Linley was frowning severely. “Wellen Institute!” Linley immediately decided to head off to the Wellen Institute.
Fenlai City. The Fragrant Pavilion Road.
Alice was walking on the streets, holding hands w
ith Kalan. Kalan gently asked, “Alice, are you not planning to make things clear to Linley?”
“Maybe later.” Alice shook her head.
Kalan nodded and no longer spoke.
His eyes on Alice, who was holding hands with him, Kalan couldn’t help but smile. He had grown up with Alice and had been childhood sweethearts with her. In his heart, he had always liked Alice, but he didn’t expect that Alice would get together with Linley so quickly.
When he had first discovered that Alice and Linley had started dating, Kalan had exploded with rage.
Ever since he had been a kid, Kalan had always regarded Alice as his. Even if Linley had previously helped him, when it came to love, Kalan wasn’t going to back off. Thus… he had used a few small tricks to achieve what he wanted.
“Love at first sight? The hero rescuing the damsel in distress?” Kalan was filled with contempt. “When faced with reality, all of that is as flimsy as a piece of white paper.”
Holding Alice’s hand, Kalan was totally content.
“Alice, when do you think you’ll make things clear to Linley?” Kalan asked again. Kalan really didn’t want Alice and Linley to stay entangled much longer.
Alice shook her head. “I don’t know either. But I believe that if I don’t meet with big brother Linley for a long period of time, in time, his feelings will fade. By then, if I say goodbye to him, he won’t have as strong a reaction.”
“You’re right. After all, Linley saved us once.” Kalan nodded.
As they walked, they reached the intersection between the Dry Road and the Fragrant Pavilion Road. Kalan noticed that Alice suddenly came to a halt. He couldn’t help but look curiously at Alice, but Alice, looking stunned, was looking at a place on the Dry Road. Her face was ashen. Kalan also turned his head…
A young man, dressed in a moon-white robe, was standing there, not moving in the slightest. He was staring at them, stunned. His face was devoid of all color, as white as snow.
“Linley!” Kalan immediately frowned.
51
The Desolate Snow
Alice had previously believed that she no longer held too deep of an affection for Linley, but when she saw him once again face to face, especially when she saw the disbelieving look on his face, she felt pain in her heart.
“Big brother Linley.” Alice called out to him.
Linley’s snow-white face held not a speck of blood. He stood there, stunned, for a long time.
“Swish!” Letting out an enraged scream, the little Shadowmouse, Bebe, transformed into a vicious black blur and charged directly towards Alice and Kalan. Although Bebe was now highly intelligent, he was still a magical beast, and still possessed the vicious cruelty of beasts.
He could keenly sense the disbelief and despair in Linley’s heart. He was going to get revenge.
Bebe’s body suddenly enlarged by one size, and in the blink of an eye, appeared by Kalan and Alice. Bebe’s sharp claws gleamed with cold light, freezing the hearts of those two. They didn’t even have the chance to dodge or to speak!
“Come back!” Linley’s voice suddenly rang out.
The dark blur that was Bebe shuddered, then landed on the snow, brushing right by Kalan’s face. Bebe turned his head to stare at Linley. “Squeak squeak!” He called out, while at the same time he began to argue mentally with Linley.
Linley slowly, but firmly, shook his head.
Bebe glanced at Alice and Kalan with his cold, cruel eyes, then turned. Once more mysteriously shrinking back to his usual size, he transformed into a cruel shadow once more and leapt onto Linley’s shoulders. Just judging from his superficial cuteness, no one could’ve imagined how terrifying he actually could be.
“Huff, huff.” Only now did Kalan begin to gasp for breath. Sweat was beaded on his forehead, and with terror, he stared at Bebe, perched on Linley’s shoulders.
Alice also stared at Linley. She took a deep breath. “Big brother Linley, I know that right now, in your heart, you must be in a lot of pain. It’s not convenient for us to talk about this on the street. Let’s go to a nearby tavern and have a good talk there. Okay?”
Linley nodded. He did not speak.
On the Dry Road, within a lavish hotel. Linley and Alice each sat on opposite sides of a table. As for Kalan, he quite intelligently ran off to sit in a corner of the room, not daring to get close enough to disturb them. He had just barely escaped with his life from Bebe’s near-assault. Kalan really was terrified of Linley.
The table was made of polished black marble. On it were two cups of warm fruit wine.
Linley and Alice were facing each other silently.
After a long silence, Alice let out a tiny sigh. “Big brother Linley. I’ve wronged you terribly in this affair. This entire time, I’ve refused to meet with you because I wanted you to be mentally prepared. At the very least, I didn’t want the two of us to part ways as enemies.”
“Enemies?” In his heart, Linley laughed bitterly, but he didn’t speak. He just quietly listened, looking at Alice.
Alice continued. “Big brother Linley. I admit that in the beginning, I really, really liked you. I had also thought about us getting married and having kids. But after being together for a long time, I realized that in many ways, we really weren’t a good fit.”
Linley finally spoke. “In many ways? Alice, I don’t just like your strengths, I also accept your weaknesses. I believe that when two people are together, they should make allowances for each other and try to understand each other. No two people will be a perfect, flawless couple without a hint of discord.”
Alice bit her lips. With her two hands, she picked up her cup of fruit wine and took a sip.
“Back when we were younger, when we first met, I was fifteen.” Alice spoke only after a long period of collecting her thoughts. “In my heart, you were the hero who saved me, descending from the heavens. I once thought you were my earth, my sky, my whole world, but I now realize that isn’t the case. Aside from these things, family is important as well.”
Linley was startled.
“Big brother Linley, you’ve always been so filled with vitality, and you are also very good to me. You are very hard working as well. I must admit that you are very perfect. But… this isn’t enough. For example, this time, when my father went gambling, he lost several hundred thousand gold coins! But all big brother Kalan had to do was ask his family to help, and the matter was easily resolved.”
Alice looked at Linley. “Big brother Linley, this is something you aren’t capable of doing. Although my father is a gambler and an alcoholic, he’s still my father.”
“Just because of this?” Linley said gently.
“No,” Alice continued. “Not just this. I’ve discovered that big brother Kalan has always been very good to me as well. He grew up alongside me, and I’m very familiar with him. But with regards to you, I’ve always felt as though you’ve been shrouded by a layer of mist. I can’t see you clearly.”
“You are a genius magus at the number one magus institute in the continent, and at age fifteen, you were able to have your own private exhibition booth at the Proulx Gallery. By the sound of it, you are very perfect, but because of that perfection, I feel like I can’t see you clearly.”
Alice’s voice grew lower. “The most important thing is, the two of us are always in separate places. At the beginning, it wasn’t so bad, but as time went on, I got tired. I’m used to always having someone by my side, just like how big brother Kalan is always by my side.”
After saying all of these things, Alice fell silent.
Linley was silent as well.
After a long time passed, enough for the wine to grow cold, Linley spoke. “Alice, do you remember what we once said to each other? I once said to you, I can directly come live with you. But you told me no. You didn’t want to interrupt my training.”
“But now, you say that I’m never with you?” A very pained smile was on Linley’s face.
Alice wanted to speak, but the
re was nothing she could say.
Everything she had just said was just excuses.
Looking at Alice, Linley continued. “Alice, do you remember that first time we were together in a hotel, you said to me, you hoped that if my love for you disappeared, I would tell you and wouldn’t hide it from you. You would quietly leave me.”
Linley suppressed his agitation, forcing himself to remain calm. “Back then, I also said, if you ever feel like you’ve lost your feelings for me, I too would hope that you would tell me directly and not lie to me. I, too, would quietly leave.”
Alice’s eyes grew moist.
“It isn’t a big deal that you are now with Kalan. But I wish you hadn’t deceived me. For you to now be with Kalan behind my back and not openly explain things to me, to let me continue to harbor hope in my heart, to let me wait for you time and time again…. do you know how it feels to wait for someone like that?”
Linley’s body began to tremble. “September 29th, that was the first day you missed our meeting. I waited from midnight until nearly dawn. Every minute, every second, was hard to endure. When I returned to school, I was thinking, was it because I made you angry the previous time? So I wanted to make you happy. Like an idiot, I went to buy memory crystals to record the scenes of all the places around the Institute. I hoped that when we were not together, when you missed me, you could watch me.”
“Carrying these two memory crystal balls, in mid-October, I once again went to you, my heart filled with hope. But once again, you weren’t there.”
“In my heart, I started to grow restless. But I held firm. Because I remembered that promise that we made each other. I believed that if you were going to leave me, you would let me know first. That’s why I held firm. The end of October, mid-November, I went as well. But in the end…”
Linley stood up, regarding Alice with a bitter smile on his lips. “I came again today. But I’m lucky. This time, you didn’t continue to deceive me.”
Coiling Dragon_Book 1 of the Coiling Dragon Saga Page 45