Love Letter

"Your Highness, the messenger has returned, bringing a letter from Her Highness the Princess..."

Before the steward could finish speaking, Kang De had already rushed out in three strides.

The messenger, weary from his long journey, bowed deeply upon seeing Kang De and presented him with the box he was holding.

"Your Highness," his voice was still strong and resonant, "I have fulfilled my mission... Her Highness said that only you can open the letter in the box, and that you must be careful not to damage it."

Although he was filled with doubt and unease, Kang De did not open the box immediately after receiving it. Instead, he looked at the messenger and said sincerely, "You've had a hard time... Please get some rest."

The messenger bowed and said, "It is my duty to serve you."

This messenger was not a stranger, nor was it the first time he had sent a letter to Kang De.

Last time, at Nick Valentan's request, I delivered a farewell letter to Kang De.

The messenger was one of the few who knew the truth and was determined to survive. After successfully delivering the letter, he took his leave.

Because he wanted to escape the war and the elven army, he had to live no matter what, to live and tell the world about the war in Valentan, and all the stories that happened there.

But the Battle of Valentan ended in a near-miraculous manner, with Goth emerging victorious and the city, ravaged by war, preserved. After Kang De delivered his historic Valentan National Cemetery Speech, the messenger returned to Valentan and came before Kang De.

He said that his mission was complete and he no longer needed to tell the story of Valentan, because all the sacrifices and heroic deeds here would be engraved in the history of this country and this nation, and would be remembered by the world forever, far better than what he had done alone.

Since Kang De had accomplished this task better than anyone else, he dedicated the rest of his life to it.

Then the city of Valentan gained a messenger and a postman.

Ulysses.

Kang De patted the increasingly silent young man on the shoulder. A few days ago, when he delivered Nick's letter, his eyes were empty, extremely sad, and his mood was desolate and sorrowful. All kinds of emotions were expressed on his face. Now, this young messenger has become much more composed. Perhaps a person only needs a few days to grow up.

Or just one night.

He asked, "Is everything alright? Did you encounter any danger along the way?"

The messenger was respectful and silent, each word spoken with composure, as if carefully considered. "All is well, Your Highness. The journey, though long, has been peaceful; the beasts of war have fallen silent."

"I see..." Kang De then asked, "How is Tina?"

"She seems to be in good spirits, but troubled, Your Highness," Ulysses replied. "Yet she is still happy because of your letter... It's clear that Her Highness loves you very much. She carefully instructed me to deliver the letter safely and gave me valuable gifts. Sword Saint Cascading Snow also inquired about it. Teldrassil values you highly."

Kang De breathed a slight sigh of relief; it seemed nothing serious had happened.

Otherwise, the messenger would have rushed back in a panic.

Kang De asked a few more questions, including about the situation of the international brigade led by Tina, from economic and military aspects to support from the surrounding areas. Ulysses answered all of them in detail and got to the point.

He carefully observed the soldiers' views on the war, the busy situation in the medical camp, the food rations in the kitchen... He arrived at an accurate answer after much consideration of these small details.

Kang De breathed a sigh of relief.

Clearly, the war had ceased after the results of the Battle of Valentan were announced, and Tina's army had been resting for several days. Kang De had previously been somewhat worried that the funds she had raised through a Ponzi scheme might be wasted, but now it seemed there was no need to worry for the time being.

Just kidding, Kang De's orbital bombardment was the most powerful market stimulant, okay?

Seeing that everything was alright, his unease subsided slightly. He glanced at Hong San Hong San, who understood and gestured, "Lord Ulysses, please come with me. You need to rest."

Seeing that Kang De had nothing else to say, Ulysses bowed respectfully and then followed Hong San away.

Kang De held the box in his hand and slowly exhaled.

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of Leona, and a thought struck him. He turned to look and saw her with her eyes open on the second floor, her gaze distant. When she saw him looking over, she bit her lip and closed the window again.

A Xing squatted on the roof, his movements and expressions just like a gorilla, his eyes even more resentful as he stared at the box in Kang De's hand, looking like he was thinking, "I really want to break it, but Kang De will definitely blame me, so I'm just curious."

Kang De shook his head, returned to his room, and opened the box.

Then he understood why Ulysses had said those words.

Because the letter in the box was frozen in a block of ice, its surface swirling with chaotic elemental power, Kang De's Phoenix Vision had already achieved some success. Even though Tagelise, that mediocre teacher, wasn't very good at teaching, he had still managed to figure out some uses of it through the Fire Thief's legacy.

In his eyes, this block of ice was like a piece of plastic dynamite—it was indeed very stable, but any external force that interfered with its internal structure would destroy the letter sealed inside.

"It seems we need a simpler and more effective encryption method." Kang De reached out and stroked the ice. "For example, a cell phone, or a tablet..."

All the things you want to say and the letters you want to write are recorded by electronic devices, and then password-protected. No matter what kind of sprite or other damn enemy gets their hands on it, they'll never figure out how it works.

Extraction initiated.

Tina is right; only Kang De could easily break this seal.

The ice vanished and dissipated, and the chilling sharpness it contained faded away, like snowflakes scattering and falling to the earth. Kang De was moved, as if he had seen a valiant and extraordinary woman.

He picked up the letter; it was sealed with sealing wax and felt icy cold to the touch.

At this moment, Kang De was still hesitant because he was an uneducated man and still didn't know how to spell or read very well. If he asked Hong San to read it for Tina, it would be awkward if there were any sensitive contents, and Hong San would secretly laugh at him. But asking Leona to read it... seemed even worse.

But after he opened it and took a look, he smiled.

Because the letter was written in the Zhendan Language... similar to Chinese characters, even if some of the characters were unfamiliar, it was still possible to understand them by combining the context and guessing.

That's amazing!

The smooth, white paper was covered with elegant and beautiful handwriting, far superior to Kang De's dog's paw prints. The strokes were neat and orderly, and also very aesthetically pleasing, making it a delightful letter.

There were only a few tear stains on the paper.

Kang De slowly sat down and carefully read the text. Translating the human languages of the continent into Zhendan Language and then writing it down without being too literary was no simple task. Tina's grammar and vocabulary had a certain sense of the times, like the Republic of China, or even later, the establishment of the People's Republic of China.

"I still remember how we met."

"The first time I saw you, your smile in the sunlight was as warm as a saint's. I remember you speaking to me in Zhendan Language, but I didn't understand what you said at the time. I only remember your eyes, as clear as the sky. I didn't know how to answer you, but I wasn't afraid. I held your hand and told you my name, and you said yours too: Tina, and Kang De."

Kang De read it word by word, and the image of that sunny day, their first meeting on the Holy Seal Archipelago, the beginning of their encounter, brought back many stories.

"And now, I've known you for two months and twenty-six days. Before that, we were complete strangers. You didn't know there was a girl named Tina, and I didn't know there was a man named Kang De. We couldn't see each other's smiles, or even know what each other looked like. But now, as I write these words, I can cross a very, very long distance to enter your world and remember your face."

"Everyone says I'm the happiest girl in the world. Everyone envies me. A princess facing the pain of her country's destruction, stubbornly traveling to a cold and indifferent land to beg for help that is impossible to obtain, only to meet you by chance, to meet the person who is capable of changing everything."

"It's like an arrangement by the gods."

"I truly feel very happy, and I won't lie about that."

"But it's not entirely because you changed the course of the war and single-handedly reversed Goth's decline. That's the truth, though. My happiness isn't so calculating. That's certainly true."

When I heard the news that you were still alive, I didn't know how to describe my joy. I just felt so happy. As long as you are alive, I am happy.

"When I heard that you had come to Goth on your own initiative and gotten involved in this war, I felt even happier, and a little shamefully pleased. I vainly attributed your involvement in the war to myself. If that's not the case, please don't point it out. You can laugh at my foolishness in your heart, but please don't say it out loud. It's very embarrassing. Just try to appease me a little for appearances."

"But when I heard about your feat of annihilating five major battle groups, besides feeling incredibly excited and overjoyed, I also naturally felt happy."

"But there was also a deep sadness and guilt."

There are more tear stains here.

"In such a short time, we've become so different. This wasn't your war, yet you interfered and participated, killing and shedding blood for it. I don't want you to be like this, but you've already done it, and you've helped us immensely. I'm deeply moved, but also uneasy. I don't know how to thank you, how to make it up to you. I've done so little for you, while you've done so much for me."

"I want to do so many things for you, I want to give you so much more, as long as I have it. I want to help you get over the pain of that night, I want you to never have to face any sadness again. I want to do it, but my abilities are limited. I'm clumsy, I can't do anything right. What I miss most is the day we first met. I even wish it was just the two of us then, I wish the ship would never be repaired, I wish no one would ever reach that place again."

"If that's the case, at least you won't have encountered what happened later."

"I think this is for the best. Even if Goth perishes because of it, at least you won't have to do things you don't want to do, or go through all of that. This doesn't mean you're more important than my country, it's just that you're completely innocent... I don't want to drag you down with me anymore. You've already done more than enough for Goth."

"I really miss those times. If it were just you and me there, the whole world would be quiet and peaceful. There would be no magnificent palaces or cumbersome formalities, no wars or scheming. We would be like ordinary people, going about our lives day after day, sometimes busy, sometimes leisurely. When it rained, we would stay at home; when it was cool, we would walk on the beach. We would have food and drink, a home and clothes, and that's how we would live out our lives."

"I think if that's the case, it would be very, very good... Perhaps I will still miss my country and family, and perhaps you will also miss your loved ones and hometown. But there are no perfect things in this world. Even if there are regrets and sadness, relying on each other will eventually calm our hearts."

"I was thinking, would things be better if that were the case?"

Kang De, upon reading this, was stunned. If the Penguin had already sunk, and only Tina had washed ashore, what would have happened if the elves hadn't come after her?

Will he still have the idea of sailing away? If he stays on the Holy Seal Archipelago, he won't have the chance to be stabbed by Lost and use the power of the curse to build a warp bridge back to Earth. In that case...

Unfortunately, there are no "what ifs" in life.

"Unfortunately, there are no 'what ifs' in life. I'm just talking about things that will never happen, but it's not meaningless, because this kind of imagination sustained me through the most difficult times."

"I kill, I lie, I plot, I incite people. Many will die because of my ideas and decisions, and many will be ruined because of my plans... I am no longer the naive person I once was. My heart constantly tells me the price of naivety. It roars for revenge, making me cruel, cold, and decisive. Countless times I have examined myself in the dead of night, and therefore felt pain and self-abandonment."

"I always think of you in my saddest moments."

"Thinking of that possibility that can never happen again, the world where only the two of us existed, in my sorrow that I cannot escape, my soul and thoughts will drift there, to be with you, because where you are, is my safe haven, the place where the innocent and kind Tina rests in peace..."

Another string of tears fell.

"You are the last pure land in my heart, Kang De. I will never lie to you. You are the only person I can trust wholeheartedly. I hope you can live well and be happy, no longer harmed by evil wars and ugly schemes. I want to see you, but I am also afraid to see you, because I don't know how to face you, I don't know what to say to you."

"But I want to tell you, thank the gods for letting us meet. It's so wonderful that you're still alive. Everything is alright with you. I'm so happy. I'm afraid to see you, but I also really want to see you..."

"So, I've made a decision. I'm coming to see you. Once I've settled things at hand, I'll set off. I'll come to see you, in any capacity you wish, and then we'll discuss other matters. I hope you wait patiently in Valentan, but also be careful; the war isn't over yet."

"Hopefully it will end soon."

"It doesn't matter if it doesn't end, but I hope your war can end here."

"This world is crazy, evil, and without light, so I hope you can always remain pure, gentle, and untainted, just like when I first met you."

This is the end.

"Kang De, I dreamt again last night that you were smiling."

The letter paper was slowly placed back on the table, page after page.

Is this considered a love letter?

After a long pause, Kang De shook his head and smiled, "He doesn't even call me 'husband,' let alone write love letters."

He thought for a moment, took a picture of the letter with his phone, then folded it up and put it away. With a flash of light, he returned to the White Mist World. Just as he was about to put it away, he felt uneasy again.

Or maybe next time you return to Earth, you can find a safe and lock it up?

This thing should be framed and maintained according to the standards of world-famous paintings.

Tina...

The contents of the letter still echoed in his mind, filling him with sweetness and joy. The girl's reserved and restrained emotions still reached him, and the unease he had felt earlier gradually dissipated.

And they look forward to meeting again.

After returning to the other world, Hong San settled the messenger in. Upon encountering Kang De, he glanced at him and then cupped his hands in congratulations, saying, "It seems to be good news, Your Highness."

"Good news, but there's also some downside," Kang De replied. "Tina said she's coming... which means your plan is no longer viable. If we go to the Goth capital and draw enemy attacks, we could easily miss Tina. If they run into Tina and her party, that would be disastrous."

"Is that so... then I guess I'll have to stay in Valentan."

Hong San had met the Sword Saint Cascading Snow before and was deeply impressed by the Sword Saint's strength. "But the good news is, with the Sword Saint Cascading Snow's assistance, our chances of winning are much greater."

Kang De nodded, and after meeting Hong San, his earlier smugness subsided. "I'm a little worried about Tina and the others coming... Will those people keep an eye on her?"

"Given Princess Tina's caution, she wouldn't come unprepared; she would certainly bring ample guards and disguise herself. And given the arrogance of those enemies, they probably wouldn't resort to taking hostages... They are high and mighty, considering themselves superior to all beings; how could they easily do something so beneath them?"

Hong San offered a few words of comfort, then said, "However, if Your Highness is worried, we can make some countermeasures and arrangements... It would be a waste to leave the elven delegation's air force here unused."

Kang De's expression shifted. "How should we respond?"

Meanwhile, to the north of Goth, troops were breaking camp and being redeployed, with orders being issued everywhere, causing a stir and sparking much speculation. The most plausible explanation was that peace talks were imminent and Her Highness the Princess was about to depart.

The secrecy was excellent; almost no one knew that Tina was packing her things. She and the Sword Saint Cascading Snow were about to secretly travel south with a light cavalry unit, heading along the unconquered Goth- controlled territory.

"Once we arrive in Fenuya, we can act independently..."

In the night breeze, Tina's eyes shone with a complex and unfathomable light. She whispered, "Then I'll be able to go home soon... I miss my older brother and sister, and I miss my father too."

The Sword Saint Cascading Snow said calmly, "I haven't seen him in a long time either."

"However, Aunt, there's something else I need to trouble you with."

"What?"

Tina said softly, "After we get home, I might need to trouble you to make a trip to Valentan."

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PS1: Five thousand words... Ah, this chapter could have been written much faster... Time for bed.