Forgiveness

The festivities at Distant Harbor are drawing to a close.

Shops close up shop, bands clear the theater, movies end, sports games conclude, and a gentle female voice comes over the loudspeaker, urging people to go home and rest as soon as possible to avoid delaying their work the next day.

At the Sound of the Tide Manor, the Cathay female officials were put on buses. The vehicles roared to life, carrying the oriental beauties back to the camp. Kang De stood at the entrance of the manor, smiling and waving. The streetlights shone brightly, and the lights inside the vehicles were also bright, reflecting the slender figures with long, dark hair as they turned around to look back, their bright eyes shining like stars.

He smiled, then turned and went back.

The guards at the gate saluted him. The loyal Valentan Guards protected the manor's safety. The young man tried his best to hide his excitement. Kang De stopped and chatted with them for a bit.

"The Black Tortoise Power Armor you've been issued is undergoing final testing and validation. It will be ready for deployment in a few days... The helmet integrates dark vision, life detection, and mana feedback functions, drawing inspiration from the technology of the Yilan-Tai'er war platform. Its design prioritizes defense."

"When necessary, it can be deployed on-site as a single-soldier combat platform, deploying heavy weapons such as the 16-barrel Vulcan cannon to provide high-precision fire suppression against the enemy. It can be equipped not only for guards and sentries, but also for firepower operators in future regional combat teams."

He patted the guard on the shoulder, then turned to the others and said, "I'm sorry to trouble you all with standing guard for me every day. Guards rotate every three months. If you want to go somewhere else, you can submit an application."

The guards shouted, "We are ready to serve Your Highness wherever you need us!"

Zhang Fei, on the other side, was a beat slower. "Me... me too!"

Kang De smiled slightly. A gentle sea breeze was blowing; it was late autumn, Winter Day was approaching, and the night was growing darker. The wind was biting. He glanced at the guard's attire. "Aren't you cold tonight?"

"Your Highness, I'm not cold!"

Kang De glanced at him, then bent down and touched the guard's calf. It felt thick and sturdy, suggesting that there was probably a layer of thermal underwear underneath the well-made trousers.

He nodded in satisfaction, then left with his hands behind his back.

Next, we'll send Dairila back...

"It's a rare treat for Miss Malei to visit, so, as usual..."

With a snap, Tina clasped her hands together, her smile gentle and charming.

"Kang De sleep with Miss Malei tonight!"

Then, the crystal chandelier shimmered, a subtle fragrance filled the room, and Kang De stared blankly at the large bed.

At this time, the mattresses in this other world were still very primitive, with no regard for ergonomics whatsoever. They were simply made by weaving soft materials such as down and feathers into a mesh of ropes, stacking them up layer by layer, and then covering them with fabrics such as velvet, brocade, and silk. That was pretty much it.

Therefore, the mattresses used by emperors and barons are essentially the same in principle, differing only in their workmanship and materials. When Kang De moved into the Sound of the Tide Manor, the first thing he did was to change all the bedding in every room... Long-staple cotton four-piece sets and latex mattresses were the best in the world.

Thanks to the excellent fit of the latex mattress and the soft comfort of the four-piece set, this superb product won unanimous praise from all the women except Tina, and even Tina herself gave it a positive review.

Now, the astonished Phoenix King is sitting on the edge of the bed, his little hands pressing down gently on the bed surface.

"..."

"..."

Kang De coughed slightly.

Dairila scurried onto the bed with a whoosh, her eyes wide as she looked at Kang De warily.

Kang De pointed. "... Take off your shoes."

The Empress instinctively let out an "oh," her long legs slightly raised, and with a light push in the air, her white flat-soled ankle boots flew to the floor, landing steadily and neatly side by side.

Having removed her ankle boots, her delicate arch swayed gently in the air, the milky-white fabric covering her feet accentuating her exquisite lines. The color and texture looked very familiar, not something an elf could create...

Kang De stared in disbelief.

Dairila gasped softly, grabbing the corner of the blanket beneath her and spinning twice like a top, wrapping herself up like a silkworm, only her wary head peeking out. "You... what do you want to do!"

Kang De pointed blankly and said, "Was that the Parrot that gave...?"

"Don't speak!" the Empress roared. "What's it to you!"

The newly appointed Duke of Qin of Qin kept his mouth shut, but the image of that delicate, milky white substance kept flashing through his mind.

Over the past few months, Dairila would occasionally sneak over to play, always dressed as an ordinary elf girl. Tonight, she wore a traditional Twilight Moon ethnic long dress, dark green with embroidered branches, and her long hair was adorned with a sacred leaf headdress. It was simple yet radiant. She only wore a heavy cloak when they were together.

When no one is around, she sometimes takes off her cloak and transforms back into a bright and cheerful elf girl. In front of Kang De, she laughs loudly, runs and spins around, just like an ordinary young girl. Eating until she's completely stuffed is a basic routine for her. But there's one thing that's rather regrettable.

That is, the Empress possessed astonishing martial prowess and unparalleled self-control. Specifically, her conservative long skirt always covered all the scenery beneath it in a way that would move Newton to tears. Even when the wind was blowing and he was running and jumping, Kang De never saw even an inch of scenery above his boots.

Of course, he didn't really want to see it; he just chuckled to himself at Dairila's naiveté. On Earth, skirts could be so short they'd expose one's buttocks, while Her Majesty the Queen's long skirt covered her feet, yet she was still so vigilant.

But tonight he finally understood what this guy was guarding against.

The socks Dairila was wearing were clearly not ones that Twilight Moon could have knitted.

He recalled that more than two months ago, the Parrot had asked him for a bunch of women's clothing of various kinds, and would occasionally pinch the hem of the skirt and ask him with a mischievous grin if he wanted to know what he was wearing that day— Kang De had only been fooled once, and then he saw the gorgeous long johns in the style of large peonies.

Terrified, he clung to Tina that night, sobbing for comfort. The princess smiled gently and comforted him softly. It took three nights, along with the help of white feathers, light gray, and black, to help Kang De overcome his psychological Shadow.

Of course, that's not the point.

The main point is that the Parrot made him scan a whole floor of clothes in a clothing store...

He stared blankly at Dairila's body wrapped in the blanket, recalling how, for the past two months, the Queen had always worn a long dress that covered her shoes, and had always been careful to hold the hem down tightly...

"... You're still looking!"

Dairila, enraged and embarrassed, cried out in a flustered voice, "What... what do you want to do! What evil intentions do you have? I'll hit you! I'll hit you hard! You can't beat me!"

Seeing how extremely nervous she was, Kang De sighed.

"Didn't you insist on dragging me to sleep with you? And then you asked me what mischief I was up to."

Upon hearing this, the Queen blushed and said, "This isn't my fault! It was all your terrible idea! You insisted I dress up as an ancestor, who knew, who knew Princess Tina would say that!"

At this point, she seemed to gain courage and pointed at Kang De, shouting, "And you! If you hadn't shamelessly slept with our ancestor, would Princess Tina have made such a suggestion!"

Grass.

When Kang De thought of this, the image of Tina's mischievous smile immediately came to mind.

Even as Dairila dragged her upstairs, you could see Tina secretly waving her little fist around the corner—it probably meant, "Go for it! Even if you can't beat the Cathay, beating the Elf Queen is still good."

But what could Kang De say?

He couldn't very well tell Dairila that it was all a lie and that he hadn't slept with the Parrot much—if he did, Dairila would realize that Tina was playing a trick on her and would immediately understand that her identity had been exposed.

At that time, it will be impossible to predict what Her Majesty the Empress, who appears majestic, noble, and aloof but is actually shy, naive, and extremely principled, will do in her moment of embarrassment and anger.

I had no choice but to accept it against my conscience.

Honestly, I haven't slept with the Parrot much.

The old woman pretended to be a virgin, spouting a string of flirtatious words, but in reality she was very innocent and timid. Once she felt she was at a disadvantage, she would resort to violence to break the deadlock, showing no regard for martial ethics whatsoever.

This contrasts sharply with Tina.

--Tina is noble, elegant, dignified and beautiful, but she is very bold when it is just the two of them. She is also very proactive and will kiss you directly if she wants to. When she is with Kang De, she never hesitates.

Sometimes Kang De was too embarrassed to speak up, but Tina could guess what he wanted just by looking at him. She would just smile gently and then happily start trying. Even if she teased Kang De occasionally and whetted his appetite, she would usually only tease him for a few seconds before softening and returning the favor with extra care.

He shook his head slightly at this thought.

"Anyway..." Kang De said, "Go to sleep, don't worry, I can't beat you anyway."

Dairila's voice was barely audible. "Where... where are you going to sleep?"

Kang De smiled. "There's plenty of space."

"You..." The Empress buried her slightly flushed face in the blankets, "Don't go."

She looked up and said urgently, "I'm just afraid Princess Tina will find out you're not here and then suspect my identity—that's all! Don't misunderstand anything, and don't even think about it!"

Even Kang De could see through this blatant attempt to cover it up, and he suppressed a laugh, saying, "... Yes, yes, yes."

Dairila raised an eyebrow. "Don't laugh!"

Kang De bowed slightly, then said exaggeratedly, "As you command, Your Majesty."

The Empress exclaimed disdainfully, "--The etiquette is a mess, with sixty-seven errors! And the expressions are disgusting!"

After a brief argument with Kang De, her expression softened. She glanced at the sofa and the soft carpet not far away, hesitated for a moment, and whispered, "You... you sleep..."

With a thud, a latex mattress slammed out of the Phase Gate and landed on the carpet.

"..."

Then come the pillows, sheets, and blankets.

"..."

They even put a gauze curtain over it.

Dairila expressionless, slashing with her Flame, striking the mosquito net squarely, and Blazing Flame erupted in response.

Kang De was startled, quickly raising his hand Extraction extinguish the Flame. The fine bedding was charred black. He was both amused and exasperated, waving away the pungent smell of burning bedding before tossing it back into the White Mist World: "You..."

The queen raised her chin. "You sleep on the carpet!"

She threw back the covers, rolled out of bed, and walked past Kang De with an air of nobility and an air of pride, like a swan, a graceful empress surveying her territory.

"I need to brush my teeth!" she commanded. "Get me toothpaste and a toothbrush!"

Your voice is trembling.

"No!"

Under the warm light of the bathroom, in front of the huge mirror, Kang De and Dairila stood side by side.

The Empress's beautiful hair was simply tied up, revealing her small, smooth forehead. Foam filled her cherry lips as she held a toothbrush, staring at the mirror, carefully cleaning herself while muttering indistinctly.

"Brush your upper teeth downwards, your lower teeth upwards, and the chewing surfaces back and forth. Don't forget the insides of your teeth..."

Kang De let out a muffled laugh.

Dairila whirled around, flicked her ponytail, and mumbled, "What are you laughing at?"

"It's nothing," he said calmly. "The Parrot's incantation is correct."

The Queen looked at him suspiciously for a few moments. "... Don't you brush your teeth?"

Kang De instinctively said, "There's no need to cover up the smell, why bother brushing your teeth?"

"... ah?"

"Nothing."

The scumbag then came to his senses—over the past few months, his personal hygiene and hygiene awareness had improved, and he was able to clean his mouth regularly, for example, after wildly flicking his tongue across Tina's body.

But if it's just a regular wash after a meal...

He poured himself a glass of water, stood for a moment, then drank it, shook his head a few times, spat it out, and smiled at Dairila, his teeth gleaming.

The Queen exclaimed in surprise, "How did you do that?"

"The Power of the Fire Thief is such that they can do whatever they want!"

Kang De ultimately didn't dare ask Dairila, "Do you want to take a bath?"

Dairila did not allow Kang De to sleep on the carpet.

"If you dare turn around, I'll hit you; if you dare move, I'll hit you too."

The lights were off, and the room was pitch black, but for Kang De and Dairila, who possessed Phoenix Eyes, this darkness was no different from daytime. The mattress beneath them was soft, and at least there were two blankets, and their breathing was even.

"I was afraid Princess Tina would notice something amiss, since there were no signs of us lying on the bed..."

"Oh, how thoughtful."

Dairila snorted.

"Speak," she said coldly after a moment, "How did you sleep with your ancestors?"

Kang De joked, "Is this also to perfectly recreate the scene of sleeping together?"

As soon as he finished speaking, he was punched in the back.

Kang De winced in pain. "It used to lie in my hands..."

Rather than lying down, it's more like being spread out like a pancake in Kang De's hands—in Parrot state, of course.

Dairila hadn't expected this, and her voice wavered. "Hands... hands? Shameless! How could you do something like this!"

Kang De instinctively turned around. "What are you saying... Ouch!"

In an instant, his hands were pinned behind his back, rendering him completely immobile, still with his back to Dairila: "... Don't turn around!"

The Empress's voice stammered, filled with shame, indignation, and unease. "How much have you done? Has she... has she... changed into me..."

Kang De thought for a moment before understanding, and frankly replied, "No, she once impersonated you to tease me a long time ago, but I gave her a serious talking-to, and she hasn't done it since."

Dairila paused, her tone softening, "What did you say?"

Kang De turned sideways and looked ahead. "... It's nothing."

After a short while, the Queen's voice rang out again, this time gentler. "Thank you."

"No need," Kang De said. "Don't blame the Parrot. She's just been away from the world for so long that she's forgotten how to interact with it. In this Mortal World, she's probably only familiar with you and me, and she's afraid of being alone again, so she always does things, but she doesn't know how to maintain boundaries and her sense of boundaries is rather blurred... But she knows how to correct her mistakes. Some things, once told once, she won't do again."

Dairila gave a soft "Mmm": "I would never blame her... She sacrificed so much for Twilight Moon, even if she didn't say it, I could guess it."

These words were meaningful and seemed to have a hidden meaning, but Kang De could not understand them.

He remained silent.

After a moment, the Empress's voice rang out again, seemingly somewhat displeased. "But... she won't do it after being told only once? There are some strange things she seems to enjoy doing!"

Ah, indeed.

Kang De asked curiously, "What is it?"

After he finished speaking, he received another punch on the back. "You still have the nerve to say that! Our ancestor often lamented that she wasn't like this before, but you taught her to be like that, turning her into a completely different spirit. She often covered her face and cried in front of me, saying that she could never go back—it's all because of you!"

Kang De retorted, "Damn! You believe that?! I've only been with her for a year. A year is enough to transform an elf into something completely different? And royalty at that?"

After saying that, she received another punch. Dairila gritted her teeth and said, "Of course I believe you! Why wouldn't I believe you!"

Kang De opened his mouth, feeling somewhat guilty.

After the Parrot turned back into an elf, it spent its days eating snacks, drinking cod, and playing games. It talked about the second-generation salamander all the time, and it was good at everything from boxing and making jokes to stirring up trouble. If it weren't for Kang De setting an example, even if the Parrot had been imprisoned for another 100,000 years, it would never have become the bird it is now.

Besides his inherent personal struggles, Kang De's historical process was also very important.

He had nothing to say and no way to explain himself.

But Dairila didn't dwell on the topic any further.

The Queen seemed to fall silent, and the two lay there until Kang De almost thought Dairila had fallen asleep, when he heard the Queen sigh softly.

Kang De.

"Um?"

"You said before... Princess Tina had forgiven me?"

Kang De paused for a moment, then nodded slightly. "... I'm afraid so. She told me before that for Goth, revenge was a luxury, and the elven invasion was a racial conflict, a matter of the strong preying on the weak, so there's not much to say about it. What's truly hateful is the empire's betrayal and abandonment."

Dairila said softly, "It's mostly because of you that she decided to give up, right?"

"I cannot deny that."

This time, Kang De remained silent for an even longer time.

Over the past few months, he has increasingly felt Tina's unconditional love.

This love wasn't just about being completely obedient and pleasing him; it was about being willing to change and give up some of her thoughts and ideas for him... It was only because she was worried that Kang De would be torn between Goth and the elves, and because she believed that the Dusk Moon Dynasty led by Dairila was a strong ally for Kang De at this time, that Tina was willing to give up the country invaded by the elves' army and put aside this blood debt and hostility.

Just like the love that Tina has silently conveyed countless times—expressing her infatuation through tight embraces, soft breasts, and passionate kisses, she said that she only had Kang De left, that Kang De was the only one in her heart.

Their love blossomed during the voyage, ended tragically in Glittering Sand Town, and she longed for him day and night while raising the volunteer army alone. When she learned that Kang De was still alive, and witnessed the silver eagle descend like a hero in the desperate situation of Danfeng Lucerne, from that moment on, Kang De was the only one in her life.

Even if the elves were merely at Goth's doorstep, and even if Twilight Moon's forces had killed her father, Tina would likely have chosen to abandon her hatred without hesitation.

Upon thinking of this, Kang De was shaken. Tina's smile and gaze appeared in his mind, while behind him in bed was Dairila. He felt a pang of bitterness and guilt, yet his burning love for her grew stronger, and the scales in his heart, which had been gradually loosening, slowly tipped.

Yes, what exactly have we been hesitating about these past few months?

Having done so much and had so many experiences, even if we haven't crossed the final hurdle, can we really forget this place and leave so easily?

Stop deceiving yourself.

He closed his eyes, then slowly opened them, intending to get up and leave; he was going to find Tina.

But just then, Dairila spoke softly from behind.

"I forgive you too."

Kang De was startled.

He only felt the blanket behind him being pulled back, followed by the sound of bodies rubbing against the sheets. Dairila's face gently pressed against his back, and her hands slowly wrapped around his waist.

"They're saying behind my back..."

The Empress whispered, "You call me a harlot, seduced by you, forgetting my status, forgetting my hatred."

Kang De remained silent.

Valentan's Forbidden Spell swept across the sky, rushing to the aid of Danfeng Lucerne and slaughtering countless elves. Countless elves perished on the battlefield; he alone probably killed more than Goth's entire army had gained in this war.

Even though it was a necessary act to end the war, and even though Kang De never regretted it, he would always feel somewhat embarrassed and guilty when facing the Parrot and Dairila... because what's done is done.

That's why he felt a sense of gratitude and respect for Dairila —after all, Dairila did not take any opposing actions against him because of the huge casualties of the war, but instead did her best to provide assistance.

As a result, the Queen endured immense pressure and misunderstanding from within her own country.

Even criticism and condemnation.

He whispered, "... I'm sorry."

Dairila didn't say it was okay; she hugged him tighter, and her voice even sounded like she was about to cry.

"A soldier who died in the war, a soldier's mother, stood before me, holding her son's belongings, asking me why I was entangled with the humans who killed her son. She asked me what her son fought for and why he died... She didn't scold me, she didn't hit me, but just looked at me quietly, and that made me want to cry, want to run away..."

"Many, many, many lost loved ones in this war... Many spirits appeared before me, questioning me, staring at me..."

Kang De remained silent.

"I know... I know, this war is unjust, but it's unjust in Goth's eyes, and it's unjust in the eyes of many elves, but it's a matter between nations..."

Dairila suppressed a sob in her voice. "How can I explain? How can I answer them? How can they believe me? The warriors did nothing wrong, their families did nothing wrong, the evil spirits who sent them to the battlefield were the ones who were wrong, but how can I say it?"

How would Kang De have put it?

He simply reached out and took Dairila's outstretched hand. "... I'm sorry."

"No need."

He could hear Dairila wiping away her tears with her other hand.

As if it were only a fleeting, temporary weakness, the elven queen stubbornly declared her decision, like a proud swan.

I said it.

She said, "Even so, I still forgive you."

Kang De shifted his body.

But the Empress held him firmly against the back. "... Don't turn around, or I won't forgive you."

After a short while, she continued, "Because the true enemy of this world is not you, it has been confirmed. The true enemy is called the Star Palace... My judgment was correct, and I did not misjudge you. The Mortal World needs you, and the elves need you too. The true enemy is coming soon, and Twilight Moon cannot waste its precious power on internal strife with you... This is the judgment I made after the first time I saw you."

"And now, my view remains the same as it was back then."

The Fire Thief remained motionless and silent.

"Twilight Moon and I need your strength to fight against the Star Palace and stop the impending disaster... So I will continue to offer you my help. I will put aside my past blood debts and obsessions, but in return, you must help us, help us fight against the Star Palace —that's only fair."

She paused for a moment, gritted her teeth, and spoke faster, "But besides that, there's another reason—I'll only say it once, only tonight, and you're not allowed to mention it again, nor will I ever admit it!"

Kang De whispered, "Hmm."

"Twilight Moon and I need you to help us fight against the Star Palace and avoid casualties or even extinction." Dairila took a deep breath, "--But don't get me wrong! There's more to forgiving you than just that!"

Kang De remained silent for a long time before slowly saying, "Hmm."

"So..." the Queen said in a trembling voice, "You must let them see!"

"Good."

"Let them know that I made the right choice."

"Good."

"So that I can stand before those widows and mothers with my head held high!"

"Good."

"Kang De, elves have long lifespans and can remember many things."

"Um."

"So, let them remember the better things you did, even those who remember the hatred."

"Um."

"So that although they can't forget it, they will gradually let it go."

"Um."

"To gain the approval of all the elves."

"Yes."

"Kang De, elves have very long lifespans."

"You've already said that."

"I can wait a long time..."

"..."

"But you must let me wait."

"OK."

Time passed slowly with each sentence of their conversation. Before they knew it, Dairila behind them had stopped talking, and they could hear her even breathing.

The romantic notion of sharing a bed with the most beautiful woman in the world, the Empress of the Twilight Moon, had vanished. Kang De lay in bed, sighed silently, and slowly took out his phone.

The screen lit up, indicating that small-scale telecommunications activities could now be conducted in the Distant Harbor.

He hesitated for a moment, then finally deleted the three characters he had already written and replaced them with others.

In the third room from the left, a faint fragrance filled the air. On the soft bed, Leona slept soundly, half of the blanket kicked off. Tina lay sprawled beside her, her jade-like body gently exploring the silver-haired girl's chest, her brows slightly furrowed, seemingly somewhat dissatisfied.

Suddenly, the room lights came on, and she reached back for her phone, turning on the screen.

Kang De's information immediately came into view.

"Miss you."

Tina's delicate brows furrowed slightly, then relaxed, revealing a sweet smile.

She was very content, especially about Kang De.

Tina turned on the camera mode, held her phone high, pointed it at herself, her eyebrows slightly raised, and with her left hand she gently tugged at her clothes, revealing her snow-white breasts, cherry blossoms peeking out. With a click, she sent the photo.

Let's chat.

￥￥￥￥￥￥￥￥￥￥

PS1: 7,000 words -- Even though Valentine's Day has passed, it still hurts to write this chapter.